Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-04-04

was entered into, in accordance with which
the Parson was to be escorted to the Union
lines by guard sufficiently strong to pro.
tect him against AL yiolences.
Upon the strength of this agreement, hs
arranged his private affairs with view to
prolonged absence, and was about ready
to leavei when, Notwithstanding the assur.
ances of the Rebel Secretary of War. bs
was arrested on the 9th of December upon
warrant OF the civil authorities, sued out
by some OF his personal eaemics, and thrown
into the county Jail. The prison was cram.
med full OF Unionists---no less than $50 be-
ing confined at the time. The Parson was
made 10 occupy narrow, damp, badly-ven.
tilated room, with no less than 25 others.
80 little space was there that half Of the
occupants were obliged to stand up while
the other half were seeking rest.
There were neither tables, chairs, nor
beds The food was miserable. Only a
chance for washing was given 10 the prison.
ess. The drinking water was hauled in
barrels from Holton river, and left stand.
ing in front of the Jail. The Rebel guards
having habit Of washing their hands and
faces in the barrels, Brownlow remonstra.
ted with them from the prison window
The response he uniformly Obtained was
BY God, sir, the water left Davis man
4
washes his hands in, is good enough for 4
id Linconite to drink"
During the Imprisonment some Secession
leaders visited and promised him instant
liberation aud future protection of his per-
son and property if be would take the oath
OF allegiance to the Rebel Government.
He Indignantly replied ~ will rot here
till old age, and see you roasting in h--ll,
and myself on top of you, before will do
it,
| No less than FIVE Union men we're led out
of the Jail to the gallows while he was in4
carceraied. These hangmen would drive
up and down in front of the Jail with their
victims cofiins, and taunt the prisoners with
them. A court-martia passed upon the
Parsons ease shortly after his arrest. For
tunately, the death-sentence upon him came
one short of a majority of the court, and
Imprisonment during the war was substitu-
ted.
The i'll treatment and want of all com.
forts told severely on the Parsons feeble
health, and after the lapse of month he
was taken sick with typhoid fever. Upon
the application of his friends his removal
TO his private residence was permitted. But
even then the Rebel prosecutors did not
cease The house was constantly guarded
on all sides. No visitors were allowed to
enter it at any time, nor were the members
of his family allowed to leave it.
His wife was compelled to buy provisi-
ons at the door. in presence Of guard
I Every possible opportunity was also ian.
proved by the Rebel soldiery 10 heap insult
upon the defenceless occupants. The at
tempts, however, were always met and re-
PEELED with spirit by Mrs. Brownlow and
her courageous daughter.
AT the end of eight weeks the Parson had
sufficiently recovered his health TO use the
pen, and addressed letter to Benjamin, re-
counting his grievances. and applying again
fer the promised safe conduct of the North.
After lapse Of some time the military
commander at Knoxville received dispatch
from Richmond to release the Parson from
arrest, and have him conducted to the
Federal lines with whatever escort be might
choose. Accordingly, on last Tuesday a
week ago, the Parson babe farewell to his
family and took the cars for Chattanooga,
accompanied by his son, and under escort Of
Lieut.. O'Brien, d cousin of his wife.
The party reached Shelbyville, in the
southern part Of the State, without deten-
tion. Here they were stopped and detain-
ed for ten days by order of Gen. Hardee.
| During their stay they learned that the rear
of the Rebel army was engaged in moving
the bacon of 10000 hogs and the beef of
5000 cattle, while the main body had long
ago passed into Northern Alabama.
| They were not allowed to proceed until
after all of this had been safely moved, lest
they should set the Unionists on the Rebel
tracks. On yesterday morning they left
Shelbyville, and travelling overland. reach
ed our ouiposts to-day about noon. The
Parson says he felt The happiest man in all
the world when he saw the Stars and
Stripes once more.
Gov. johnson, Etheridge, Maynard, and
Unionists generally, are anxious 10 see the
Parson at the head of the Union paper in
this city. But he informs me that his
health is inadequate TO the task of daily edi-
torial labors at present. He is not sick
with consumption, as reported, but suffers
still n uch from general debility arising from
his protracted sickness. 1t is his intention
to proceed North to recruit and publish the
history Of the trials of The Union men of
East Tennessee, in book form. He talks Of
stopping first at Cincinnati. / persume 1
need hot bespeak for him hearty recep-
tion.
The Parson states that the Union senti-