The Avalanche, of Memphis, has been . . .

. . . giving credit to Gen. Buell’s soldiers at Nashville for good conduct and scrupulous respect of the rights of citizens.  This not being the way to “fire the Southern heart,” the Appeal thus [criticizes] its neighbor’s truth-telling propensities:

“What does our contemporary of the Avalanche mean by the publication and reiteration of such deceptive phrases as that the Lincolnites at Nashville are “conducting themselves with marked propriety” – that their conduct thus far was “free from objection,” and that everywhere private property was “religiously respected” by them, etc?  Such unguarded assertions are very apt to deceive the ignorant, and tend forcibly to combat what we all know to be true, that, in case of submission, the property of all but Southern traitors will be confiscated.  Even the Federal Commander Foote, in his proclamation issued at Clarksville, alleged that the property of those “loyal” to the Lincoln Government would alone received protection – and what dastard dare accept such disgraceful and cowardly terms?

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 3

As our troops advance toward the South . . .

. . . they find the sentiment existing among the white people, that it is the course of the Lincolnites to hang, burn and otherwise maltreat their enemies, while no such impression seems to pervade the negro mind, although particular pains had been taken to instill into such an idea.  Shall we argue from this that the negro is the more sensible?

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 31, 1862, p. 2

In A Nice Fix

In the breaking out of the present difficulties a good many East Tennesseans, with treason in their hearts, left and went over to the bosom of King Abraham, thinking, no doubt that they would return to their houses in a very short time with a sufficient army to protect them in their treason.  Sixteen months have gone by, and these poor deluded fools are no nearer that object they set out to accomplish than they were the day they started.  They cannot get back to their homes, and never will.  If the war was ended, and arrangements made for their return they could not live here.  They would be looked upon and treated as tories – loathed and despised – forsaken even by the cowardly wretches who persuaded them to leave their homes and dear ones for a situation in the Federal army.  Those of them that have left property behind have forfeited it to their government, and their families will be bereft of it.  Who is responsible for this state of things?  Such men as Andy Johnson, Horace Maynard, Bill Brownlow, and the smaller lights of toryism, who were suffered to run over the country and preach treason to the people.  In this county such pettifoggers as Mitch Edwards and Dr. Brown were applauded for their treachery, while men who were older and wiser were scoffed and hooted at for their loyalty.  These vile miscreants are no receiving their just reward at the hands of an indignant people.  There never was a more just retribution visited upon a corrupt set of men.  They sowed the storm – let them receive the fury of the whirlwind.  They deserve it.  They have no home, and are entitled to none in the Southern Confederacy.  They deserted her in infancy.  When she needed help the cowardly scoundrels shrank from the task and went over to the enemy – in her manhood she will never receive to her bosom these arch traitors.  East Tennessee is and will be a part of her dominion, the opinion of the Lincolnites to the contrary notwithstanding. – {Cleveland Banner.

– Published in The Daily Rebel, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Saturday, August 9, 1862, p. 1

We learn that some of the Lincolnites . . .

. . . hereabouts have put off the coming of the Federal army into East Tennessee until frost.  They say from the signs of the times it would not be healthy at present for them to come.  Tennessee will always be too warm for their perfect good health.  But they can come if they have a mind to – if we can’t entertain them in a hospitable manner we will try to do it in a hostile way.  They shall be attended to. – Cleveland Banner.

– Published in The Daily Rebel, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Saturday, August 9, 1862, p. 1

Beauregard a Humbug --- the Surrender of Corinth Denounced in a Memphis Paper

Telegraphic despatches from Corinth to citizens of Memphis, and to the authorities, convey intelligence of the most startling nature, if reliance is to be put upon the intelligence, and it comes to us so well authenticated, and with such an official air about it, that it scarcely admits of a doubt. If this intelligence be true, Beauregard has not only determined to abandon his strong position at Corinth, to the Yankee invaders, without a struggle, but is actually consummating that purpose by withdrawing portions of his splendid army, an army that has been gathered at an immense cost, expressly and solely for the defense of that point. If this intelligence be true, the patriotic people of the southwest, who have so nobly contributed to the establishment of Southern independence, may as well relinquish their hopes of success, and prepare to quietly yield a quiet submission to Northern despotism. With an enemy’s army at our right, untrammeled and unimpaired, with New Orleans in possession of the Lincolnites, and their victorious boats descending the river above us, and with another force penetrating the wilds of Arkansas, seeking to reach this point, there is really no hope left. When General Beauregard came to the West, he brought hope and confidence. His career hither to had been one of the most brilliant success and his name was a tower of strength. We believed then, that notwithstanding the blunders that had been committed, and the disasters to our cause that had resulted therefrom, there was still hope left. We felt confident that the hero of Manassas could and would save the Southwest, but how great is our disappointment if it should appear that the intelligence in print to-day is correct. – Since we have had our confidence in Gen. Beauregard shaken by his defeat on the field of Shiloh, we firmly believe, however much we may have doubted the ability and skill of that lamented officer, that had the brave Johnston been spared our arms would not have been repulsed from that field made sacred by the blood of thousands of brave Southern men. That defeat is attributable to causes within the control of Beauregard, not necessary to be here mentioned. Shall he now evacuate his defenses at Corinth, without first stoutly contesting its occupancy, with the northern hirelings? Shall he throw open the beautiful Mississippi Valley to the invasion of the Vandals who seek its devastation? Shall he decline giving the loyal and brave men who have enlisted under the banner of Southern independence an opportunity to test their prowess with those who seek to make slaves of them? Nay, more: should he basely desert the positions assigned him to defend, and take a coward fly before a blow has been struck, his name, so far from remaining a tower of strength, will become a by word and reproach to future generations. We hope our intelligence is unfounded. We hope – though it is like hoping against hope – that the movement of troops from Corinth was but a step in the development of some master piece of strategy which will surely overwhelm and utterly annihilate the invaders. The public will wait anxiously for the news from the East. – {Memphis Argus, April, 28th.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 2

Nashville Correspondence

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 16

EDITOR GAZETTE:– After an absence of one month, I find myself again in Nashville, and observe some of the changes in the appearance of the city brought about by the continued occupancy by the Federal forces, and the approach of summer. The citizens have found out that the Yankees won’t bite or otherwise hurt them, if not molested, and now walk the streets with less of the noted hang-dog look which ever characterizes them when first coerced. The feeling of bitter hostility to the northern troops has abated but little; they grind their teeth in silence, and mark, for the possible future vengeance, every person that acquiesces in the new order of things. Incidents to fill a volume might be gathered here, all illustrating the continued bitterness in feeling of a large portion of the native population against the Federal Government. They have been too tenderly cared for by our Generals; they have no thanks to offer for continued freedom of person and possession of property, and are untiring in their efforts to aid the rebels. Their communications with the southern army are regular and certain, and had we been defeated in the battle at Pittsburg Landing, the citizens here would have risen against our remaining guards, and if possible have destroyed the bridges in our line of retreat and murdered and plundered every Union man in the country. I will illustrate this condition in the affairs of this region with one or two accounts of events that have recently transpired. A few days since two soldiers left the city late at night to join their regiment, encamped some miles out. When several miles from the city they stopped to rest, took off their equipments and laid them on the ground. One of the men was behind a hedge and invisible to a man who rode up to the other soldier and with an oath said he had wanted to kill one of them. The soldier was defenceless and would evidently have been shot had not his unseen comrade shot the rebel as he was drawing his revolver. The body of the dead man was taken by some of the people living in the vicinity, without revealing his name, and the horse he rode was brought to this city. The race of chivalrous knights that prefer to attack unarmed men, is evidently not extinct yet.

The people here have a “clothes line” telegraph, so-called, that brings daily, for the delectation of the faithful, great accounts of Southern victories, which are received far more confidently than what the abhorred Lincolnites permit to come in the usual way. Two days since Buell had been defeated and the Southern cause freed from the stain of the battle at Pittsburg, Beauregard was within forty miles of Nashville, and what else I know not. Two of the rebel citizens were overheard talking up the merits of the case. They thought that Morgan, a noted guerilla of this region, with a large increase to his band, was not far off, and they gave each other assurances of the way in which they would use certain muskets secreted on their premises. In a word, no one thanks our rulers for their leniency, and the people here are as determined now as ever to do their utmost to promote the rebellion.

Within a few days there as been considerable fluttering among the secesh in this vicinity. Gov. Johnson realizing the necessity for more vigorous action, has had arrested several ex-officials and sympathizers with the rebels. The State prison must be quite full of them, though there has been liberal shipments to the North. The good work goes on; may it continue until the Union is restored and respected.

Cars are running some fifty miles from here toward Corinth, on the Tennessee and Alabama RR., and also to Murfreesboro. This permits the legitimate trade of quite a large district of country to be carried on as of old, but the people hold back. Nashville is very dull, and has a prospect of continuing so. The season here is advanced, and the weather delightful, orchards in blossom, wheat has grown high enough to wave in the wind, and the forest trees are half leaved, and looking almost as green as ever.

I have been traveling some days in Kentucky since my last letter, and have sought to gain a correct idea of the political feelings prevailing there. The southern part of the State is woefully secesh; like the Tennesseeans [sic], they glory in their crime, and hope to perpetuate the forlorn enterprise in which they are engaged. Should the attempt to organize guerilla bands in this State succeed, the field of operations is certain to embrace the southern part of Kentucky. In all parts of that State the rebel cause has ample representation, and everything done by our Administration is if possible distorted so as to be used as an argument in favor of disunion. Our victories are diminished, our defeats magnified, and every vague rumor against us spread with the utmost pertinacity. They deny the most obvious inferences in relation to the conduct of the government officials, and lug into discussion with the utmost complacency things ridiculously improbable. It is good as a farce to hear some of them talk, and yet they have their influence, which is ever against us; sometimes social position makes it potent for evil.

In some, a very few, towns of the State, the feeling is so much in our favor that men from the rebel army, who formerly took offensively active parts, will not be allowed to return to their old homes to live. The Union men in such localities have too much feeling to yield the same leniency toward the offenders as the government does; and before the close of our troubles there will be many a terrible recounter between these determined Kentuckians. May God prosper the right.

I find small detachments of soldiers at most points guarding interests valuable to the government. With the army has gone the evidences of active life that accompanies it. An occasional wagon after stores rattles through the streets to-day, where a month since they came by hundreds. There is no dashing of couriers through the streets, no throng of officers at the hotels; convalescent soldiers struggle around the city, and a strong provost guard keeps perfect order. As things are, Nashville must be a pleasant city to live in.

D. Torrey

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 23, 1862, p. 2

Fight near Jacksonboro

WASHINGTON, April 21.

The Norfolk Day Book of Saturday contains the following:


KNOXVILLE, April 18.

Capt. Ashley, commanding 300 artillery, encountered 750 Lincolnites stampeding for Kentucky yesterday, near Jacksonboro. – They had a hand to had fight for two hours, and he succeeded in killing about 75 and taking 500 prisoners. Our loss none killed and about 25 wounded.

No less than 5,500 Lincolnites left East Tennessee for Kentucky since the Governor’s proclamation calling on the military.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 23, 1863, p. 1