Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-21
To our FRIENDS In East Tennessse

Prompted by an earnest desire to preserve peace
among the eitizensOf East Tennessee and to remove
as far as possible, all causes calculated to irritate
our people, the undersigned on yesterday voIanta-
rily addressed note to Gen. ZOIIIooFFER now in
command of this division of the State of which the
following is q copy as
KSoxvILIE. Tenn. Sept Is. 1861.
GEN. +. K. ZoLLICOFFER, Commanding TIE Frees Of
East Tennessee;
/ DEAR SIR: We have learned from reliable sources
| that there is some apprehension existing 10 the
minds Of many persons IN this quarter of the State
thar the people Of East Tennessee are likely to break
out in open rebellion against the existing author-
ties of the State and inauguFate civil war in our
/ midst. We are surprised that any such apprehen-
sion should be for moment cherished, unless those
| who entertain if have been favored with better
sources of information than we can pretend to. Of
course our intercourse and conversations in refer
enee to the present deplorabe troubles in which we
are all involved, have been for the most part with
that portion Of our citizens known as Union men.
and any opinion which we msy express is founded
upon our knowledge Of the purposes.and intentions
Of the people as derived from that sO1rc
We should deplore civil war IN our midst, az
we believe that We but reflect the feeling of the
Union party in East Tennessee In ayoWng that SEN
timent Our counsel for some time past have been
far as We have any knowledge these eOunsels have
almost invariably been responded to favoFably BY
the people. From our knowledge Of the people OF
this portion Of the State, have abiding conf
dence that there is no purpose on the part Of any
respectable number Of them to inaugurate civil
strife or to provoke collision between the author
tes civil military aud themselves. At all events.
80 far as we have any influence with the people Of
this end Of the State it viii be exerted for the main
tainance Of The quiet and peace Of the community.
We feel well assured that 1t is not your purpose
uDjusty to harrass Cypress any peaeeabe and
Law abiding citizen, and il is equally 20 use
whatever Of weight we may have to prevent an out
break. or dsOrderly conduct upon the part Of our
citizens.
You viii pardon the expression Of our belief that
should the troops under your command be required
upon another field of operations, there viii be no
danger Of an outbreak in this quarter because Of
their absence; at all events it will not abate our
honest efforts to maintain peace and good order
smoDg our people.
To this note We have received the following reply:
.s BRIGApE HEADQUARTERS, \
knoxville, Tenn. Sept. IA, lSGI (
GeHtcneH: On my return to Knoxville this morn
ing after day absence, have been graslied to
receive your note of yesterday. The spirit it
breathes together with the influence Of yoUr con-
joint signatures, mast greatly promote that peace
and quiet in East Tennessee much desired by the
Government, both State and Confederate. / will
most cleerfully hereafter. heretofore retain DO
more military force. and exercise more military
authority, in East Tennessee, than may deem due
to the peace and safety Of the community; and
trust gentlemen, that may soon have the pleas
ure of witnessing the disappearance of all misun-
derstandIng among our people, and with IT,, al
military forces from this division of the State.
Very respectfully, +, Il. Z5I1IC0FFtE, o.
. Brigadier General \
To Messrs. F. S. HEIskELL, SAN. MnuGlS, JSo. BAx.
TER, and others: ~
We sincerely trust that the motives by which we
have been prompted in this matter win be properly
appreciated by the Union men throughout East
Tennessee. We are satisfied that we have truly |
represented to the military authorities the DISPOSE
ton and purposes of people as a body, and we
earnestly hope that friends in every locality !
viii demonstrate by their conduct that The conf
denee reposed in their peaceful intentions has not
been misplaced. We trust we will not be regarded l
as presumptuous in invoking all to continue the /
pursuits Of their peaceful vOcations and to studi
Ously refrain from the of incorporate language
and from violent acts calculated to provoke coli
sions with the soldiery now in our midst To pre-
serve the peace of section, and the safety Of
ourselves and families, is surely worth the eombn-
ed efforts of US all Resistance TO the present aus
thOrities only result in the destruction of those
who undertake t. We, therefore, earnestly in.
woke friends, in favor of peace, both in word
n