Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-05
IMPORTANT REBEL CORREsPoN.
DENCE.
Union Feeling In Tenpessee-The Pespl,
EeadH In ~ eIcamA the Matiaual Traana

Ready to W elcsme the National Troops.
Among the large amount Of correspondence
found in Gen. Zollicoffer's camp after the late
battle were enough official letters to justify the
belief that the Union sentiment of East Ten
nessee is still strong; and, although it may be
for the present suppressed, it will, on the first
appearance of aid from the Union troops, break
forth in powerful demonstrations. On Oct. %,
Col. Wood, commanding rebel troops at Knox
vile, wrote to Zollieoffer as follows:
s. The news Of your falling back TO Cumber-
land Ford has had the effect of developing o
feeling that has only been KEEP under by the
presence of troops 1t was plainly visible that
the Union men were 30 glad that they could
hardly repress an open expression Of their joy.
Tbs afternoon it assumed an open character,
and some eight or ten Of the bullies, or leaders,
male an attack on some Of my men, near the
Lamar House, and seriously wounded several.
Ths hssoutherners here are considerably alarmed,
believing that there IS q prseoResrtsd plan for
q united movement among the Union men,
If by any means the enemy should get into
Tennessee"
Again, Col Wood, writing under date Of
November /, said
q do not believe that the Unionists are in
the least reconciled to the (rebeD Government,
but, on the contrary, are as hostile to il as the
people Of Ohio, and will be ready to take mp
arms as soon as they believe the Lincoln
forces are near enough 10 SnstaEn them"
On the 10th Of November, Major Slosson,
commanding the rebels at Lowden, Tenn,
wrote to Colonel Wood as follows:
The Union feeling Of this county is exceed
ingly bitter, and all they want, in my opinion,
to induce a general uprising, Is announcement
from the Lincoln armies. They have great
many arms, and are actually ~ l1nuf featuring
URIOn flags TO receive the refugee TellneS.
SeaRs tcken they return. They are getting
bold enough"
ZOlIicoffer, on the 18th of November, re-
xponded to all these letters by ordering the
rebel force, then stationed in the districts
where the Union feeling was prevalent, to dis
arm all Of the Union men. But, before carry
ing out this order, Col. Wood, on the Goth of
November, wrote to Attorney General Benja.
min for instructions, and, in the course Of bis
letter, be said:
At one time, while our forces were at
Knoxville, they (the Union mem gave it out
that a great change had taken place in East
Tennessee, and that the people were becoming
loyal Ito the rebel gcYernment). At the with
drawal of the army from here to the Gap, and
the first inJimstion of the approach of the Lin.
coin army, they were In arms, and scarcely q
man but was ready to join it and make war
upon Us. The prisoners we have tell US that
they had every assurance that the enemy was
already in the State, and would join them in
few days. / have to request at least that
the prisoners have taken be held, If not as
traitors, as prisoners Of war. To release them
Is ruinous. To conUsct them before G court IS
merit 10 tBIpoSSEbIttty."
On the 18th of Nov ember, the rebel Attorney
General Benjamin, replied as follows to Col
Wood
Your report Of the 10th instant is received,
and 1 now proceed to give ysu the desired in.
etruetions IN relation 70 the prisoners taken by
you among the traitors of East Tennessee:
/" First. All such as can be identified in hav-
ing been engaged in bridge burning are to be
tried, SuDsm1TiIy, by dyHrl-hs1d court mar
rial, and, IF found gully, e1eeutsd on tie
spot, BIZ ka,Sging. Ii you'd Be tCsH to Isov.
tke'r 6Odiss hanging IN the Uteinity of tie
burnt 5rGdgeS.
Second. ALI such as have not been 30 en-
gsged are to be treated as prisoners of war,
and Pent with an armed guard to Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, there to be kept imprisoned at the
depot selected by the Government for prison.
era Of war.
Whenever you can discover that arms are
concentrated by these traitors, You will send
out detachments, search for, and seize the
arms. In no case is one Of the men known to
have been up in arms against the Government
70 be released on any pledge or oath of alle-
glance. The time for such measures is past.
They are all to be held as prisoners of war,
and held in jail till the end Of the war Such
as come in voluntarily, take the oath Of ale.
glance, and surrender their arms, are alone to
be treated with leniency.
Your yigilsnt execution Of these orders is
earnestly urged by the Government"