Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-03-07
FROM NASHVILLE.

boats Distribution Of Stores Destruction Of
the Bridges.
Under the head Of "a brief history Of two
weeks of the war in Tennessee" we fud the
following in the Nashville Times Of the ]. inst:
Monday morning, the 18th came, but it
brought no guuboats or Federal troops It had
Tained considerable the previous night and the
streets were fall Of mud yet the Confederate
troops continued TO pour in. The city was filed
with soldiers, wet, hungry, and worn ont hv
long and continuous marches. The excitement
Of the previous day had abatei but little BUS
iness OF all kinds was suspended and the stores
and shops closed. Every body seemed hurryiu-
to and iror many seeking friends TO advise with,
while perhaps the sans friends were out upon
similar mission; yet the majority seemed to have
no d finite OBJECT in view. Many who were
wealthy removed themselves and what property
they could take with them out Of town, while
the thousands of poor had no alternative but 20
remain. Oh course, the city was filed with ru-
mors Of every conceivable description, and It
would have been perfect folly to have attempted
70 CLEAN a grain OF truth from the flying reports
There was no possibility o.. getting ont of town.
except at enormous cost, the military authorities
having taken possession Of all the railroads, aud
the owners Of vehicles refused 20 hire them ont
-'-+H- tAA's-l-t hasN AJttlt tilE NIrl N'4
u4Ees and horses. Notwithstanding these exc
oT5LarJ demands, large numbers paid the prices
demanded and left the city.
During Sunday a report reached the city that
Generals Pillow and Floyd had escaped from
Fort Douelson with a portion of their respective
commands, after the surrender had been deter
mined upon. This report was subsequently
confirmed by telegraph from CIarksviie. 4
boat arrived here carly Monday morning. which
brought these generals up, together with mum
ber OF officers and privates who had participated
IN the engagement at Fort D0nelsOn.
Ia the morning a small portion Of the public
stores was distributed, but an order was soon
promulgated cuuutsrnaudiug the distribution,
and many a poor, lone woman" and not @
lew men, who had reached the scene " lust ia
lime to be too late,' turned away griev0usly dis
appointed. 10 was announced as the determine
tiOn of General Floyd, who was in command. 10
snip the stores off for the use of thee army. and
lmpressmeuts O! wagons and men were ext4r-
sIve'y made with the view of getting the pro-
visions and other stores, not needed for the hos-
pits.s, to the railroad depOts and placed in the
cars.
The timid Were not yet assured that battle
would not De fought on the opposite side of the
river, and their fears were higutsued bv-rumorz
that Gems. Johnston, Pillow and Floyd had de-
Jermlue1 go make q stand a few miles mt of the
city, and the counter marching of troops gave
color TO these rumors. So general had become
the conviction that a battle was TO be fought al
most on the confines of the city, and that il
would be necessary for the women and children
to seek safety IN flight from the impending con-
hagTa,ion which was 80 sweep Nashville, " at
one fell swoop," from the face of the earth. that
i became necessary for Gen. Barrow and Mayor
Chsatham % again confer with Gen. Johnston 20
ascertain his purposes in regard to Nashville
Upon tneT return they each briefly addressed
the assembled multitude upon the public square
stating That they had the assurance of Gen john
stOu tina at a council ui war held that morning
Gems. Pillow and Floyd fully egreed with him
that, under the circumstances. aud in the c0ndi-
ton Of the troops, 1t would be impolitic to make
a stand here; that the Confederate army would
retire before the arrival of the Federal troops and
leave the city TO be quietly turned over 10 Buell.
Thus was removed all fear of the danger TO the
safety ofthe city from an appreheuied collision in
the immediate vicinity. Mayor Cheaihan stated
IN addition that the remainder Of the public
stores w0Gid be distributed TO the people under
the supervision of competent and reliable gen
tlemen TO be designated by himself, who would
see that a fair and equitable distribution was
made, so that everybody in the city who needed
should get lair proportion This announce
ment was satisfactory to the crowd, and they
quietly dispersed
Late in the evening a hand5iu was issued an
Houucug that Gen. Pillow would address the
people ON the Public Square at seven O'Clock
Long before the hour designated q very large
crowd had assembled TO hear what Gen Pillow.
fresh from the bloody field Of Fort DJneson, had
to say, for it was not known TO what subject he
would address himself At the time appointed
81 8. -s-
occupying exceeding five minutes time, inform
ing them tha, the city would be surrendered, and
couuseiug them to remain quiet and orderly.
" The FedersIs,' be said, VIII be with you
ouly for a time, and pledge you my honor that
tins war viii not end until they are driven across
the Oll0 river. The officers who come among
you aIe gentlemen, and, Of course, viii behave
as such toward you After some remarks about
tine terrible fight at Fort Douels0u, Gen Pr
low retired and lett Immediately upon the cars
tor Columbia. Subsequently the crowd called
upon Gen. Floyd, at the residence Of S. d. Nor
gan Esq, aud in response 90 repeated calls
tOT Aim, n- appeared al rue door and addressed
the multitude bri-iiy, confirming what General
tulow had said in regard ia tie surrender OF
Nashville
The post Olice was closed at an carly hour IN
the morning, the establishment having been re-
O.
las been cUto of from all postal facilities south
ward, and communication is lust Row bein5.
opened up with the North For ten DAYS Nash
vdLe was completely isolated, ali the newspapers
were suspended, th- business houses were closed
and a melancholy gloom hung over the city.
During the uigh- of Monday, the l7tb, the
two guuOoars IN process of construction at the
wharf were burned by order of the iHssrv au-
tHori5ies and as the hrs-5eI peaIsd oul its terri
flying notes of warning IN the dead watches Of
the night thousands were aroused from tntr
slumbers, expecting from the bright glare that
met their gaze, TO see the city in one vast conla
grafton II had been freely circulated during
tlataud the previous day, that some of General
Johnston troops had sworn IN their wrath gl.at
they would reduce the city which they regarded
Of SO much Importance TO the Confederate States,
TO heap Of ashes sooner than see it turned over
70 the Federa.s Whether these rumors had any
tOundatiOniu iu reality was of little consequence;
they served the purpose OF Tightening thousands
Of people almost ont of their wits, and who were
only assured when the cause q the alarm was
asccrtalled The impTOpTieiy 9i such a couHG-
grafton al night was clearly demonstrated, but
the lesson was not needed
The morning Of Tuesday the 18TH, dauned
cloudy, damp aud chilly, but with it came in no
intelligence Of the gunbosts, except a repetition
Of the idle rum0rs OF the previous day
The distribution Of the government stores was
again commenced, and large amounts of various
kinds were given ont during the day. This dis
tributi0n created much excitement and serious
fears Of riot were entertained Indeed il was
all the Mayor and city police, in connection with
the military, could do to keep even an approach
TO order in one or two localities. good deal
of the stores, especially in the quartermaster's
department, was turned over 90 thousands of
poor women who had labored faithfully for the
government for months past, in satisfaction of
balances due them.
Il was known to a good many citizens on Mon
day that the destruction of the railroad and sus-
pension bridges had been determined on as a
military necessity, and this work was expected
10 have been accomplished Monday night, but it
was not. The fact became generally known on
Tuesday, and urgent appeals were made to Gen
Floyd Generals Johnston and Pillow having
LETT the city, to spare the suspension bridge as t
was of the highest importance 20 the people Of
Nashville to have uninterrupted communication
with the ether side Of the river, lrOm whence,
tcI lime at least they must draw nearly all
their market supplies. His uniform answer was
that the destruction Of both bridges was regard
ed a. military necessity, and that it was his
Imperative duty to put into execution the plans
agreed upon.
Tuesday might the torch was applied to the
railroad bridge and in d short time ell NAT re-
malned OF that splendid strustuTe were the bare
pillars and abutmeuts and a few smoking tTag-
ments of timber The preCauti0u was taken in
tHis instance 10 prevent the FIRE bells giving the
alarm, SO that theburning of the bridge was wit
messed oy comparatively i=T persons, and the