The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-25

The old man was Federal. He (the Ma
jor) was rebel. "By the way, tell the
old man, when you see him, that l am
fat ragged, saucy and rebellious " You
please tell him, Commercial, what his
boy said.
About this time an orderly from the
rear dashed up, and created sensation
by notifying Captain Buford that, after
passing our videttes, aud while Major
Prentice was entertaining the flag Of
truce, squad of seven rebels had sud-
denly pounced upon our onipeut pickets
(thtec nfenJ and captured them. They
were approaching us. Capt. Buford i'm
mediately protested, with dignity, that
it was a violation of the flag, and insisted
that the men should be returned imme-
diately. He said he had ordered them
not TO fire. Major Prentice admitted it
was altogether wrong, but wanted to wait
for the facts. The party came up, our
own men disarmed, and looking sheep
ishly enough. Their new five shooting
| Colts rifles were swung across the shout
ders of three triumphant looking rebels.
After considerable conversation, Major
Prentice wrote an Acknowledgement that
the capture was not justifiable, and gave
it to Capt Buford to report, but detained
the captives, on the plea of want of au-
thority to act. He promised, however,
to use his influence to return them.
Sociability was somewhat interrupted
by his contretemps, and we parted with
less cordiaiity than had been promised.
| Among observations which | made of
the party, the following are the princi-
pal: The rebels were mounted on feet,
well trained animate; but the horses
lOere not sbod all arOuns Excepting that
of Major Prentice, aud that of Lieu
tenant, the other animals had shoes caly
on THEREFORE feet. Their men had habit
of vigilance and alertness; qualities in
which our cavalry are deficient. Ours
dismounted, and loitered about the road.
Theirs remained in saddle, ready for
emergency.
Conversation with them elected The
usual expression of desire for peace, but
| determination to fight until their indie
pendence is acknowledged. Two or three
were not so positive. The most intelli-
gent persisted that they were fighting
the Abolitionists, and that the South
would never consent to have niggers made
their equalss Thus the poor devils per-
NIT themselves to remain deluded
After report of the violation of the flag
was made to Gen. Rosecrans, he immedi-
ately prepared an indignant protest and
forwarded it to Gen. Bragg yesterday by
another flag, under Lieut.. Col. Hepburn,
of his Staff. The dispatch was accepted
and forwarded to headquarters at Muir
freesboro.
To-day Lieut.. Col. Hawkins, of Gen.
Wheeler's staff, came to our lines with a
flag of truce bearing dispatches to Mai.
Gen Rosecrans The rebel flag arrived
at the moment when Capt. Abel, of the
4th Michigan Cavalry, was posting vi
dettes on the Murfreesboro road. Lieut..
Rowe was left in the road with a detach-
ment of fifty-three men, while Cap
tain Abel proceeded with his business
The latter returned at 1870 o'clock, p M
and sent Lieut.. Rowe back to Gen. Van
Cleve's quarters announcing the flag
While Lieut.. Rowe was gone, detach-
ment of $50 rebels sneaked up in the
rear of Capt. AbePs command and cap
tured the entire party, excepting Orderly
Mitchell, who escaped and reported the
facts. Some twenty shots were fired anC
several were hurt on either side. Those
of our men who fired did so contrary To
orders, since they had been ordered no
to fire pending a flag of truce.
1t is superfluous to remark that thi
violation of a flag of truce by the rebels
and their olOn flag, too, was one of tn
grossest in military history. It wa
Punic faith Of the most infamous ant
flagitious character. Meantime, Lieut..
Col Ducat, Inspector General of the De
partment, had been sent out TO ascertain
the character Of the flag. He heard 0
the violation before reaching the poin;
and awaited orders. Lieutenant Row,
reported to headquarters and Lieutenan
: Colonel Ducat proceeded to the extrem
point, under orders, and discovered tina
, Lieut. Colonel Hawkins, with his escort
had returned TO the rebel camp with The
party who had committed the outrage OF
the flag, together with fifty three prison
) ers from the 4th Michigan Cavalry.
being too late at night to accomplish
anything, Lieutenant Colonel Ducat wa
Obliged TO return to headquarters Gen
Rosecrans thereupon prepared the follow
! ing to be sent to General Bragg tO-mor
! row by Lieut. Colonel Hepburn, viz
HEADQUARTERS, 4TH ARMY CORPS
I NASHVILLE, TENN, Dec. 10, 1862. {
, GENERAL: You will see by copies @
r reports to me, herewith inclosed, tina
> another outrage of the grossest characte
l has been perpetrated by your own troop
in the presence Of your own flag" com
manded by Lieutenant Colonel in you
r service, who but yesterday was courteous
J. ly received.
= / cannot believe you have authorized
: or will permit to go unpublished, or with
r out prompt reparation, such barbarou
. conduct-conduct hardly parslleled b
Q Bavages,
o You can not restore life TO my men VII
have been inhumanly murdered, but