Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-17
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impressions of the place. its Notifications and how
feels 70 have intercourse with the rebels, anc
to be under their frowning batteries, Sc. dc,
e IT any of your readers feel dissatisEed that our
brave soldiers did not take Columbas the other day
(sokiek they did not attempt to do)let them come
here; the celebrated Chalk Bluffs extend for niis
and half above fhis town. being from one hundred
to one hundred and seventy Eve feet in height and
si are sositnated a. 70 command the river for SIX
miles above. The armed reconnaissance at Belmont
on Thursday, demonstrated the fact that they have
one hundred and fourteen cannon Of different cali
Der. mounted and in position, las TO sweep the en-
tire country for miles around. These cannon cannot
all be seen, some Of them are masked but enough
can be 10 convince the most skeptical that what
nature has not done for this place. (and it has done
wonde-s,) rebel engineers have DONE andmade this
the strongest of all their fortified positions
Ny information as to the number of the rebel
guns here, have from one high in position, and in
the confidence of our government one who does
NOS wish to magnify this wicked rebellion, but to
know the real strength of the enemy, and knowing
IT, viii not anderGte oar foe but to bring TO bear
against them such an overwhelming force as viii
make victory sure and complete.
There must be some twenty OF twenty-five thous-
and troops here now, judging from the number of
their TENTS which as thick as snow flakes on
the mountain brow, line the bnffs for a long dis
lance Doth ABOVE and below the town, and at this
present writing thousands of the rebel soldiers are
gathering upon the bluff and peering st US over its
rugged brow. There goes squadron Of cavalry
TEL
BOB an nher dewn the principal street leading to the
III waters brink.
Five hundred yards to our right is Belmont yet
70 De famous IN history, that but sixty hours ago
witnessed the clash of oar a,;4ofioas arms! and
whose fields and plains and streets are yet CORY with
the blood Of both friend and foe. There we dis
tncty see new made graves, in fact, whole heca-
tombs Of and the rebel dead sleeliDg their last
sleep, and mlngling their remains in each others
dust IT'S true It's pity It's truep that on that
oattle neld, put few hours ago, 500 brave hearts
ceased to beat, and 500 human souls were sent to
their "lsst account before their time with all their
imperfections on their headsn To be sure, by far
the largest number of the dead belongs to our miss
guided and deluded ccuntrymen but what matters
II -Ihey had souls they had loved enes at home ;
some Iathers, some mothers some, perhaps doting
ana loving wives and prattling babey. Such are
the Elcissudes Of this horrid war such are its ter
rible realities.
As we neared Columbus two heavy guns opened
nre on us, and we hove to, and waited until the
rebel steamer Mohawk came to receive our flag of
~ truce: Gen Folks aid de camp, Capt. Blake re-
celyed US cooly. but geptlemanly. Moi Hatch in
equally az gentemanly and more dlgnfed man
ner told the rebel Captain his business and that he
nad an autograph letter from General Grant to Gen
le Polk, DC.
Being transferred from our steamer (the Mem>
ph!sl TO the Mohawk, we steamed directly for the
Columbus shore Landing, we were again trans,
ferFed to the little elegant YicksbuFg and New
ca Orleans y, s. Nail steamer Prince Going on
r. BOARD made the remark to a rebel Captain that
4 was pleased to see the words o. S. MdT on that
OSat YETI! Yes, said he, hut co. will be substi-
uted for the .. tomorrow" Butt says l. in
Ine presence OF these Witnesses and before high
heaven, So.era5 protest againstit the Z. suits
snts y0UT Government, and you oWght 10 let Il re-
1isIa" Ihe captain saw that TO pursue the subject
ls[sher II might become unpleasant and dropped it
General Folks headquarters were near by, and
soon ne appeared on board and received Msjor
Hatch IN very naughty and unfriendIy manner.
Lhe General had on suit Of blue cleth, minus his
shoulder straps, and nothing to indicate his rank
except Major Generals sash. In reply to Major
Hatchs request for the release of Col DougEerty
aIsT he IL - I
could meter GgGtn enter he SerUcs Gen. Polk said he
could not release him, adding, Il am waiting in
strucnons from my government at Richmond; there
ls nc order in relation the exchange Of pris
oners, and for the present can only exchange Col
Dougherty according to the usages of war. If you
VIII not recognize US as nation, you must recog-
ni1e US as beiligerent power before we can make
an exchange of prisoners" Major Hatch replied
that he asked 'hs release on the ground of human
lty; that he would sacrifice fortune 70 obtain his
release, for he knew him well, and knew that he (
was brave and noble man. but our Government |
was not ID favor Of acknowledging rebel power, |
(altheugh we must admit they were inclined to be |
quite beGigere1t) as q bellgerent power"
Major Hatch further requested safe protection to
MRS Dougherty and privilege to escort Mrs. D. TO |
Mrs. Owens's house, where Col DougheEty lay sieE
ststing upon his word and homer that he would COM
municate nothing that he saw. Gen. Polk assured !
Mai Hatch Mrs. ID. should receive every protection
but could not permit him to accompany her to Col |
De quarters. Here the interview terminated with /
the cool retirement Of the rebel Msjor-General.
Capt Blake then invited Us, and we accepted, to /
partake of some fresh Yiands interspersed with seq
T0l bottles Of "Green Seal' and "Mumms Cabinet
After drinking few toasts of social and rather
mosaic" character, we rejoined transport and /
set sail for Cairothe rebel Captain Blake insisted
on toast from the representative Of the ESt. Louis
press. Responded could offer but one toast, Of
they could drink it, and that was "OUB CoUNFRY." |
they responded "1es, Our Gountry!' and We all /
drank IN silence, but with widely different under /
standings. Going to the rebels under flag of truce
meeting them on the heels of disastrous defeat, |
witnessing their compressed lips and forced civil
mes, could not help fell was foreign country,
and they we're not ike Our own people.