The Cecil Whig., 1862-04-26
Uor nlattcrs.
The Rebel Exodus from Nashville.
NARRATED by JOSEPH BURN, AN Emf
GRANT FROM Bucks COUNTY. Pa.

l y
latest news from Fort Donelson: Pillow
is driving the Yankees into the river by
thousands. The rebel citizens arc joyful,
while the Uniouists hang their heads
and keep quie'.
Sunday Morning, 8 o'ciock.-The
news is Fort Donelson has fallen-the
Yankees are coming up the river in their
gunboats, and have already passed
Clarksville, while General Buell. is
coming across the country with land
force, to cooperate with the gunboa;s
in shelling Nashville.
l was first apprised of this news by
the lady with whom l boarded. She
came to my room and asked ME to loan
her some money, which did wi hout
hcsi alton. saw she was excited, and
asked her what was the matter. She
told me the above news, and that she
was going to leave the city, in company
with some of her borders, representatives
from some of the lower counties. She
took two Of her favorite negroes with her
and left three of them at home, and all
the goods in the house. With me it
was quite different. My wife being sick
and confined to her bed, l was obliged
to stay aud face the storm. | had heard
so many bad accounts of outrages COM
mitted ly the Northern troops that
rather supposed we would have trouble
NOT being able to see any Nor hern
papers (nothing but extracts printed in
the rebel papers, and all honesty aud
truth kept from us.) But when my
landlady had gone and left me " monarch
Of all survcyed,"- l turned my atten-
,ion to the streets. l had not gone far
before my ears caught the hubbub, and
such excitement was never seen. The
great fire in Philadelphia in 1851 was
an infau. to it. People we're on their
way to church-some of the churches
had commenced servicc-when this awful
and unexpected news came. They
rushed to the doors in wild confusion.
Men, women and children ran through
the streets, crying " Where are you
going ?"-"What shall do ?''-"Where
shall | 60 ."-and SO on. The streets
were lined with furniture cars, hacks,
and all sorts of wagons, carrying out
household goods. Some were throwing
their furniture in'o the stree s. John
Bell left early in the day, taking the
door.plate from his house. Governor
Harris has called the Legislature
together, and told them to Memphis on
the following Thursday. lie ordered
special train, and away he went to Muir
freesboro.
Learning that the rebel army was
rctreating through the lower part OF the
city, repaired to The suspension bridge,
where l saw the mo ley gang of raga-
muffins-one brigade headed by tina;
full-blown traitor, John e. Breckinridge.
They came in great disorder, making
various rcmarks-some hallowlng,"
"The Southern Confederacy is gone up
the spout" l stood until night, and
then went home. Thus ended one of the
most exciting days in Nashville.
On the following morning the gunboa.s
had not yet come. took a stroll down
town, aud found all the business houses
closed. l learned that the dcpots
OF the Commissary and Quarter
mas er had been thrown open to the
citizens. Going to one of them, found
one of the most excited and furious
mobs l ever beheld those inside would
throw out hams, coffee, sugar, rice, &c. ,
while those outside would scramble for
them. Shoes, clothing, and material
OF every description were distributed
in like manner. Some got enough
to open small ores. Farmers came
in from the country with their
wagons, and went home with them
heavily laden. This was kept up until
Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, when
the order was countermanded by John
ston, who finding the Northern troops
rather slow in coming, thought perhaps
he would have few days more to get
away the stores. Then the impressment
Of citizens commenced, to make them
carry bacon to the train, and other
things. BY this time the tail-cnd and
stragglers Of the rebel army, accompanied
by the Texan Rangers, were prowling
through the streets, committing all kinds
Of depredations. They stole 5000 worth
of property from one store, and went
in;o livery stables and appropriated the
horses, in open daylight. In one instance
there was ranger riding down Cedar
street, when he met darkey riding
very fine horse. The ranger ordered
him to dismount, unbuckled girths and
changed saddles, mounted the fine char
ger, and said to the boy, "Take that
horse home to your master, and tell him
he is fine one but little jaded ~
Many other acts equally as bad were
perpetrated. The citizens became
more excited at the countermand of
Johnston, as to the distribution oe pro-
visions. They thought the rebels
would make stand. The Mayor and
several of the Generals were informed
that General Pillow would address the
citizens in the evening, on the Square,
and handbills we're posted to that effect.
Early in the evening, large crowds of
people began to gaher around the
Square, Market-house and Court-house.
About 7 o'clock Pillow mounted one Of
the stalls, and made minute speech.
l was present. He told US they did not
intend 10 make a stand there the men
we're so scattered that it was impossible
to get them together, and he said he
had tried the gunboats long enough-Ee
would rather fpht the devil He would