Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-31
miscellaneous Tttms.
UNION REFUGEES FROM
EAST TENN ESSEE,

There arc from one to two thousand Union
refugees from Tennessee in our army under
Cen SchoepH, who have whipped Zolcoher's
rebels so handsomely at Somerset, Ky. We
shall doubtless hear that these Tennesseeans
did some Of the best fighting A recent let
ter from our camp at Somerset said
No one who has not talked with our East
Tennesseeans has any idea Of their holy ha-
tired Of the confedoracy, and Of the sutierings
they have undergone through their attach
mcnt 70 the Union. Brave, honest, simple
hearted fellows, not the best material in the
world for drilled and disciplined machine sol
ders, but gifted with individual courage and
all excellent marksmen, they are as fine Skin
mishers as any general could ask. But their
hearts arc sokened by the long delays to
which they arc subjected The promises so
often made, that they should be sent TO de-
fend their State, with a strong army to back
them, are yet unfulflod
yesterday ,lGth) about seventy five Ten
nessceans arrived here They came through
Chitwood Gap, and we're from Scott, Andcr-
son, Granger, and Claiborne counties. They
say that perfect reign Of terror exists in
east Tennessee The rebels, after taking the
arms Of the Unionists, were impressing them
into the confederate service, and committing
take the oath TO support the confederate
states are either sent to Tuscaloosa or forced
to bear arms against the Union. They state
that Parson Brownlow has been released
from his loathsomo prison only to die from
disease contracted within its walls, and is
now at home dangerously i'll They secreted
themselves during the day and travelled by
night Hundreds more will join us soon.
lone man had lain hidden for six weeks, a
few miles from his own house, waiting till the
bloodhounds should leave him free to escape.
During that time he saw his home but twice.
Several had been imprisoned, and used the
first hours Of their freedom in flight to seek
revenge under the old flag. They came by
mountain passes, following the paths which
they knew and then the north star In their
night marches not word was spoken. Their
hands on their knives and pistols they came
on, prepared to die rather than surrender
They tell us that if we can reach Tennessee
with arms, four-flths Of the male population
will flock to our standard They promise us
reception as only can be given by brave
hearts long crushed beneath superior force to
those who bring them rescue.
Last night good, trustworthy man came
in from Claiborne county, East Tennessee
He left home on the night of the 9Th of this
month. The seeessionists are pillaging and
destroying, and playing the devil generally
in that section The families of the men who
have already come to Kentucky, and are en-
listed in the Union army arc objects of ospc-
cal interest to the lawlcss scoundies. A
party ofthem visited The house Of y. f.. Jones,
now Capt. in the ID regiment, one morn
ing just at day, reused his family, consisting
of wife and several daughters. They strip
ped the house clean of everything in the
shape of wearing apparel, blankets, bedclothes,
and took the cooking utensils. They abused
Mrs Jones aud her daughters all the time,
using the most disgraceiul language, and be-
slowing upon her husband, now IN the Lin
colnite army, the most opprobrous epithets.
In the search, while ransacRing the house, the
devils found a small flag of our country
They seized it, drew picture on it to repre-
sent Captain Jones, fastened it to pole, and
shot it through and through. Then they took
it down and tossed il into the house to Mrs.
Jones, saying, That is the way we will serve
your id tory husband. and departed, TAX
ing their plumber, and two fine horses with
them Not being satisfied with this little
episode, the secession hellions visited the
house Of another Union man living near by
an old man, gray-headed, and feeble with de,
cling years, whose principal fault was in hay-
ing a son in the federal army in Kentucky
They found the old man at breakfast. They
abused and insuitod him, and made him march
out into the middle of the road, and get down
upon his knees in the mud and offer up pray
er for the success Of JEFF Davis and the south
ern confederacy These are only two instan-
ces there are such and worse occurring every
| day in East Tennessee. They are not the pro-
/ ducton Of an excited Imagination. There arc
4 good trustworthy men to back them, and they
are facts"
nnrrnnnnnlnnt q H. RnrArr, L.L.r..,