Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-29
AFFAIRs AT THE SOUTH.
incidents and Observations of
Traveller in Seeesscfa.--An interest
ing Narrafive---What Confederate
Freedom Amounts to.

Freedom Amounts to.
/ L have been employed little short of sew
en- years in East Tennessee. POLK County,
as agent for the Eureka Mining Company.
The company worked its mine under a Ten
nessee charter and Tennessee laws. Ny bust
ness was to represent the Company at the
mine, ard do such business relating to its af-
fairs as they would have done if present-re-
| port periodically my proceedings to them,
and receive such instructions as the Board of
Direction thought proper to give. Ny family
resides IN Brooklyn, n. Y, and it was my
custom and privilege, at seasonable opportu-
mites, and at intervals of nine to twelve
months, to leave the mine and spend a few
| weeks with my wife and children. Shortly
! after the question of separation or no sepa-
ration, from the Union,) and associate cues
| lions. had been passed upon in Tennessee by
the popular vote, and before the result was
fuiiv know to the public, the period arrived
| Tor customary visit to my family, and l
| chose the route most free from political ex-
| element at the time, viz: from East Tennes-
see pa Chattanooga. Nashville, Louisville
| KY, to Crestline, Indianapolis. Pittsburgh
| Harrisburgh. &c, e., 10 New York.
l was returning by the same route as above
| TO resume my duties as agent of the Compa
ny al the mine. After some delay on the
route, occasioned by rumOrs of difficulty
| ahead, and losing connections, | reached
| Louisville, KY, on the % Instant (August }
and the 23d, about O'clock A. NJ, proceeded
to the railroad depot with my trunk and va
lise, which was examined by a (Mr. Cotton, l
! believe) United States officer, to see that no
contraband goods were taken to the Confed-
| Grated States.
But, returning to the more substantial or
! important portion of the facts developed in
this narrative, it should be known lin order
| that the evil may be neutralizad or remoyed)
| that there can be-nO doubt about the fact
| that spies travel continuously on the road
! from Louisville. KY, TO the State Line be-
| tween it and Tennessee. The following will
| go far to justify such a belief: At point
some 80 to 35 miles, in Kentucky north of the
State Line, the cars stopped few moments
at depot, on the platform of which was a
| negro woman Offering cider for sale The
| undersigned asked for cup, about half a
pint OF 1t, and having some copper cents
| which he was DESTROYS TO get rid of, offered
| them to the slave in payment for the cider
She replied: "Massa, / don't know dis
| money; neber see dis money afore, &c &C.
So she returned 1t, and gave her fve-cent
silver piece.
A sinisterlooking man, Of about fifty or
fifty -fye-a man whose physiognomics, men
tai and material were merbidly cadaverous
was at the time sitting in a seat next in
front, and said to the woman: That's right
niger. 1 wouldn't take that c. d.
Yankee money: we don't use that d
stuff in the South; we are not so G-d-
mean This courteous inuendo would
scarcely be worth mentioning, were it not
for the influence which the author of it tried
to exert on the personal liberty of the IN
dersigned, as l afterwards learned from per-
sons who we in the same kind of dilemma,
that they heard the incident talked of in the
Court house by the Passport Comnlittee'' at a
time when | was not present. At "Cave
City" en- route, twenty minutes were allowed
for dinner, and at the table were persons who
but lily concealed their purpose of spying
"who came into their land"
Several incidents-but one, perhaps, worth
mentioning at this time-transpired to con-
vince me that great caution was required to
avoid trouble to those who retained their f.
deity to the United States Government.
Passing thence to the State line, at which
point cars were changed" and those going
further South had to take the cars for ''Nash-
ville," few minutes only were requisite to
transfer baggage and passengers from the
Louisville cars to the Nashville cars, and
then they started. 1t was perhaps about ten
minutes ride About from three to five
miles from the State line dividing Kentucky
from Tennessee, when Capt. Hawkins, of the
Southern Army, with his Lieutenant, entered
the car aud commenced 90 examine the va
Ices of passengers for coutraband goods, and
to examine passengers-Whence they came
whittier going, their business, and similar or
like questions. His approaches were gentle
manly, and conducted with good deal of
"fnesSc" His first statement to me was as
follows: at is my duty to see that nothing
contraband is carried or taken to the Con-
federate States, and shall have to examine
your valise or baggage" &c. 1 assented, and
he examined my valise, during which he
asked me what eountryman [ was to which
L answered that / was an Englishmsn.
"Where do you come from now ~ l ans
wered, from New Yok, where have been to
visit my family. "What is your business ?''
l replied, am agent of the Eureka Mine in
East Tennessee; l have been its agent for
about six to seven years; | am just return
ing from such business to resume my agen-
cy for the mine. ''Arc you willing to take
the oath of allegiance to the Confederate
States?" | answered emphatically. NO.
have no reason to change my allegiance. He,
Capt. Hawkins, did not further press the
question at that time, and finding nothing
cOntraband, left me. Returning again in
about half an hour, he further questioned
and cross-questioned me. On the third time
he visited me, he asked several questions
having the same bearing as his former ones.
and Informed him at the same time that
Was udIuTdllZeO ClIlZSQ OF the U0lIeQ
States. He Informed me that he would have
to put guard over me-that in the morning
L should be taken to the Capitol, at Nash
vile, to be examined and disposed of as the
Governor and others might think proper;
that it was his opinion that L should be sent
to Richmond; that should be treated kindly
&c. He then called his Lieutenant and
placed him at my side, and gave him instruc-
lions as to keeping me closely watched, hold
ing him responsible for my safe custody and
delivery to him on arriving at Nashville, |
from whence | was to be taken to bis bar |
racks and kept until disposed of by the au-
thorities in charge of such cases. l objected |
going to the barracks as a prisoner, as no /
other accusation could be brought against me |
than the fact that was just journeying from |
New York and a visit to my family, to my |
proper business in East Tennessee. Captain |
Hawkins then stated that L might, under !
military guard, go to hotel.
At midnight, having been most closely |
scrutinized and watched since my arrest, we !
reached the railroad depot at Nashville. Oni
quitting the car, with valise in my hand,
aud soldier guard at my side, Capt. Haw-
kins again joined US, and delivered me to the
care of another Lieutenant, giving him in
structions. My trunk was taken from the
baggage car, and partially examined by the
Captain, and taken charge of by him. | was
hen placed between two soldiers, with mus
xets aud bayounets fixed. and taken or rather
marched to the hotel at the depot. An ill
looking specimen of humanity approached,
seeing me in ..durance," aud said: "This is
cause you folks would put in old Lincoln.
You're an a place tight as H. noaU." L re-
ponded quite loosely, and said: g True; it
vas the most like that celebrated dominion of
my place had seem" The retort turned
he laugh on the patriotic ''secesh," and a
threat from one of the soldiers that he would
Knock him dow with the butt of his nlusket |
or insulting bis prisoner, caused the FELLOW
o become Immediately mUisible Many per-
IONS of middle age and upwards we're specta-
ors, and eager inquirers as TO the cause OF
lrrest. and on learning the truth, appeared