Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-22
rhe Confederate oour, at 11norvlne.

From the Knoxville Register. sept. 90. sss ..sss
As we anticipated, the proceedings in the Con-
| federate Court yesterday were highly interesting.
The first case called up was that Of J N. Over
hultser, prisoner from Greene county, arrested
| by Capt. o. S. Holland and charged with treason
/ The defendant is either an ignoranus or cute
chap assuming the air and bearing of rough illit
crate man as cloak, with the expectation of bens
efitting himself by appearing to be such. He said
at the outset that he wanted to make his OWL de-
/ fence, but the Court very properly assigned Mr.
Baxter counsel to conduct his case. The defend
ant was several times checked by his counsel in
his remarks to the witnesses whilst on the stand.
The evidence developed the following facts: that
there were in Greene county quite recently banda
of Union men, who had left their homes and were
skulkng shout with arms in the hills and ridges,
looking forward TO the advent of Johnsons fabu-
lous army from Kentucky; they were induced to
believe that they had but to hold out for for a
week or two, when Andy would be with them
again. - - .. .-.....
These companies Of deluded men bad system of
signs and signals such the bleating in imitation
of sheep, and the hOoriug of owls, whereby they
eJuld Communicate with one another, the very
mention Of which, without practical illustration,
wzE too much for the gravity of the spectators.
These poor fellows had, like others who hare
already been before the Court been deceived by the
veriest fasehoods and lies industrousy and perth
naciously poured into their ears by their unprin.
cipled head men and leaders. -. -.-
The decision of His Honor upon 0yerhustler's
case was TeSeFV6Q O-nOTFOWs
The next case was that Of J. G. Love, resident of
Louisville Blouut county. The defendant was ia
ken at Cumberland Ford Kentucky, by Col. Raines
and sent here to Gen. Zolhcofer, under the belief
that he had been guilty Of conduct which should
deprive him Of the protection afforded him by 8
passport given to hiEl by the General some weeks
since to enable him to visit Kentucky. The sus-
picions of Col Raines were not by any means with
out foundation, the prisoner himself acknowledged
to the officer that he had at the time of his arrest
TofkE r,Offs
on his person were found letter from Bob Byrd of
Kingston, to General ZolEieoier asking for a pass
20 enable his wife to come TO him at camp Dick Rob
ertson, and also letter from Byrd to his wife, re-
questng her to bring certain perscnal property
with her TO Kentucky when she came, and the rest
evidently sensation letter TO be used TO keep up
the foul delusion and deception already pFacticed
by Byrd upon the people Of Roane and Morgan
counties. The estimate Of the number of troops at
camp Robertson, as stated in Byrd's letter was
shown to be palpable falsehOod by the admission
Of the defendant
The prisoner made to the Court a very full and
apparently ingenious statement as to the objects
and purposes Of his visit to ny, and explained his
presence in the enemy's camp9by sayinglthat he had
gone there in the hope of inducing some relatives
friends to return to their homes in East Tennes
see, and that he soon found that any effort On his
part in that direction would not only be unayang,
much his poor deluded friends were enlist
ed in the army of Lincoln for term OF three years
but that such exertions would almost certainly be
followed by his own arrest, and detention in the
camp. Indeed as IL was, he was only suffered to
leave through the interference and influence of
Byrd.
A letter addressed by the defendant George w.
Bridges Esq, from Louisville on the 2Gth ut. had
been found on the defendants person In speaking
of this the defendant said he had written the letter
to Bridges before his departure into Kentucky and
that gentleman had, while he was in Camp Dick
Robertson handed it back to him. BY leave of the
court Mr. Bridges, who was present, made per-
sonal explanation, both in regard to his connection
with the letter ITSELF and more particularly in
ference to his presence and stay in the enemy q
camp. He said he had visited Kentucky after his |
release from arrest, by special permission from
Gen. Zollicoer, and for the purpose of giving his
personal attention to some purely private business
affairs the nature and character of which he stated
fully to the court, and that pursuit Of the business
which called him to Kentucky, he found himself ]
near the sncampment at Haskins generally known as
Camp Dick Robertson that there were among the /
Tennesseans there those who owed him, and !
that he was likewise DESTROYS to see and TO con- |
verse with Byrd, Shelly and others, for the |
purposs of laying before them the true state of |
affairs in Eat Tennessee, and showing them the |
utter groundessneSs of the tales and stores which
had induced them to expatriste themselves and to
Law before them General Zolco1er's proclamation,
and leave to their good sense the question of re-
turn to the homes they had causelessly deserted
He denieds most emphaticaly that he had in word |
deed by any conduct of his whilst IN Kentucky,
or since his release vi plated his parole of honor
spirit in letter and concluded by saying that at
early day he would over his own signature give
to the public complete statement of his views !
and feelings upon the questions now agltating the
public mind.
The defendant Love remarked that among the |
Tennesseans in the enemy's camp was Edward
Maynard, the son Of Horace formerly Of this city;
and that this youth is the adjutant Of regiment
Is now beyond question.
Love was by tight squeeze discharged on taking
the oath of allegiance, and entering into his own
reeOgnizance in the sum Of one thousand dollars,
for his faithful observance thereof