Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-12
Eurning of Bridges in East Tennessee.


Friday night last five railroad bridges were
burned in East Tennessee by the emissaries of LIN
COLIN and ANDY JOHNSON. Two of the bridges are
on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, across the
Chicksmango creek, in Hamilton county; one or
the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad across
the Hiwassee River, in Bradley county; and two OF
the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad one
across Little Greek in Greene county and the other
across the Holston river at Middleton, in Sullivan
county. The guard ct the HIwassee bridge had
passed though it before it discovered to be on
fire in every part and he saw no indication of fire
showing that some combustble mRterisl was used
in applying the fire.
The bridge across Little Greek was guarded by
five men, who are reported to have been unarm,d
They were overpowered tied, ard carried away,
while the bridge was fired. They were not set at
liberty until the next day, as we hear. Three men
have since been arrested enc Of whom was identi-
fed by the guard.
The bridge st Middetown was not guarded, be-
cause If was situated il the midst of strong South.
err people.
The same night an attempt was made to burn the
bridge across the Helston river st Strawberry
Plains, in jefferson county. The guard was at,
tackled and it is reported he had one of his hands
cut off and his skull fractured. In the melee it is
supposed he either killed or seriously wounded one
of the incendiaries, as there were evidences that
one man had been dragged eff the ground. The
alarm given by the guard attracted the attention Of
the people who came to the rescue and put out the
fire.
These facts show that preConcerted movement
was made 1t is said that couIiers have been
regularly passing between ANDY JOHNSON and his
friends in East Tennessee by way of Roaue county
and it is not improbable that the burning of these
bridges is part of a scheme which may deVelope
itself in the course of few days 1t is painful to
contemplate the state Of affkirs in East Tennessee
We cannot tell what day may bring forth, and
we look to that quarter with no little anxiety. 1t
is now rendered certain,tha the most prompt and
decided measures should be taken, by the proper
authorities, to avoid much trouble and many heart
rending scenes in that section of the State. What
ever reason may have existed heretofore for more
conciliatory pol icy, there can now be no division
of sentiment, among true men, as to the necessity
for stern, vigorous and unrelenting severity to-
wards those who have demonstrated, by their con
duct, that they cannot appreciate msgnanimity
and lenience,- and who have all the treache
ny and cunning of the savage in pursuing
their schemes of assassination, arson and rebellion
against large majority of their fellOwctizens Of
the State. 1t is clear that nothing will do the ultra
rebellionists but an unrelentipg retributon fer
their crimes. THAR schemes tend directly to inter
necine war and murder, without sny CT the allevi-
atoms of state of hostilities. They are deter
mined to follow the wicked counsels of ANDREW
JOHNSON, and use the i1cendisrys torch and assss-
sins knife. Public justice and the safety of the
State call aloud for the condign punishment of all
who may be detected IN acts of rebellion tending to
the destruction of peace and security in the com
munites under the protection of the Confederate
Government and in order to do this, every possible
effort should be made to vindicate the supremacy
of the laws