New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-31
THE TENNESSEE RIVER EXPEDITION.
MESSAGE OF GOV. HARRIS.
Mom Our Special Correspondent.

EAsEruIx March Il, 1852
There are but few men known TO your coIespond-
ent whose very appearance, manner Of speaking
gesiculaiicn &C., indicate more plainly their char
sc,er than ,hose # Psrson BrowDlow. Anntercou'se
Of even few minutes only viii satisfy any ore ihal
no il man Of extraordinary irmness 81 purqose oi
profound convictions of uniaiteIine ieaTessness N
the advocacy Of what he holds 70 be tue aud just
do not think ;hst his is trihen' mind, but there
is an esInestness, good sense force ana rointdnefs
in all lis expressed sentiments tint cannot fail TO
strike and fayosably impress TIE listener. knowing
him only through biz Wig was preparsd FOR some
mental eeeentrietes. Nothing Ike such, however,
10 manifested 10y him. I, ID only when he comes 70
speak uIon the subject Of Secession that he becomes
IN measure g zeaot-a most natural consequence Of
che incessant, malignant prosecutions TO which lie
was subjected for nearly year. Altogether, am
of the opinion that the parson win prove 9 decided
sensation in the North.
While a. Somerset in Soufh-Eastern Kentucky,
had occasion to become familiar with the spirit Of
che exiIes forming the East Tennessee Biigaoe in
che Union service. Enthusiasm for The Union was
then nothing new TO me. Bul The religious devotion
10 i,s holy cause revealed by those simpe-AesIled
bnt fervent-.,eling inountaineers far surpassed IL
intensity the loyalty Of the people in the Northern
States. They looked upon their allegiance in the
Right of duty 10 their God ami sincerely heiieyeda
war Of determination apOn Seoss1onism the coolest
work they ever felt called upon 10 perform. Like
che Cromwel'ian legons, hey invoked, every morn
sug and evening, the Lords goodwill toward them
selves and His wrath upon The Robels. Indeed, tie
unost solemn aud inspiring spectacle eeeu by ne in
all this war, was the loud praying ard psar.sngne
If the Tennessee regmeuts, after dress-Ta1de.
am informed by paison Brownlow that a similar
spirit pervsdes all East Tennessee. In town and coun
try the people bave daily paycdic deiyernce by tie
Union troops since las, Sumner; and better, they.
keep their powder dry and rife ready. In spite Of
me forcible collection OF arms throughout tie Eastern
District afe- the uprising in November, The loyaliss
have managed to conceal most and Will rise with
shem en- masse uron the approach Of Uuion troops
The oppressive measures visiied upon them by tho
Rebel Government have not disaeaiened them, bot
only. made them more cautious. Since tie occapA.
ton thousands, unable ,oresJain heir patriotic ardoi
any longer. have made their way 20 the Union srIny
on the other eide CT Inc Cumberland Gap. The Par
son believes tbs. q force sufficient 70 Dive
out the Rebel so0icry viii have gained ioothoo
on sbis eide Of the Cumberland Mountains ten thou
sand Union men, at low estimate, Nil join il.
And such an outbursi Of joy AID gratitude 70 God,
Go use the psrsou's own words ~ be app, ar,.ice
OF our deverers viii cal forth among The loyal meo
and women, is not recorded in history
The Parson has related TO ne some incidents Of tie
blidge-bulning conspiracy in November, that rave
until now remained unknown 10 tie Ao.tnerr public.
but may now be printed without endargeriug tie
safety Of any one. Jtappears that Chaplain Cater
xnd Capt Fry Of the Tennessee brigade made their
way over hidden paths, aad in disguise 10 the bouse
o. prominent loyalis,, within e sht miles Of Knox
vile, in the last days Of October Then aey gum
mOned meetngof about one hundred Of tbe faithful
o. whom they represented that a Union division wes
about forcing It's way into tue Eastern District, and
thai, in order to insure tie success Of tie conem-
plated expedition aud prevent tie Reimbursement Of
the Confederate forces then guarding Che Gap from
either the west or east, they were authorized by the
Union military authorizes to prepare ana execute a
plan for the destruction Of tie principal bridges OF the
East-Tenuessee ard virginia Railroad Most Of tlole
present at once signiGed their willingness to CO.
operate With them, and il was accordingly arranged
that parties Of fifteen 10 twenty, re-armed ard pro
yided With tic necessary conbusbos, should repair
a. secretly as possible 20 tire vicinity Of tho bridges
selected for destruction. Capt. Fry, assuming the
character of Confederate contractor engaged in the
purchase Of hogs, uuder tue name Of Col. Walker,
Travelled from point 70 point personally supcriutend
Eng the preparations. So well were tie plans laid
and 80 successfully carried out, that, although the
snost westerly Of tic doomed bridges was les ta
one ha4dyed and segeAty3NUc mules from tie most
eastsry the guards al all Of them were oyeryowered
snd the structures fred within the same hour Il che
Aame night thai IS, between The l0uss o. ii and II
of the night Of the lGh Of November. Tie bridges
were readily set in flames by means q ropes dipped
In turpentine and stretched from end to end. Capt
Fry was himself present at tie burning Of the Lick
Creek bridge. The guards at that point were not
only overcome disarE1ed aud tied, buJ also ma0e 10
swear allegiance % ne United States upon Billie,
Brought along for the purpose. All these facts were
eslablshed before Confederate cours-nartisi.
0i the ten martyrs hung for alleged connection
With tire br.dge-buruiug, only two had really any
thing to DO with it. One Of these William G. Ham,
applied for the benefit Of a Methodist clergyman Of
his own choice previous to his execution die pet
zion was denied the reply Of tie hanguan being
that 60 the prayers OF Z Tory and traitor 10 The
South availed nothing" clerical syinpatbizer with
rebellion was finally forced upon hin. When the
victim stood upon the platform and had the fatal
knot tied sroand bis neck, tLis fOcker Of religion
stepped forward and said thst be glad 70 stale 10
the crowd that had assembled to witness the
ion that tbe unfortunate individual about 20 slertle
penalty Of his wrongs had the Of bis ways
and was repeutiDg Hsun, with most energetic ex.
preston, exclaimed, " Yen are q liar. I never
authorized you to make this statement. merely ex-
pressed repentance for TIE real sns Of my life. As
TO The burning o. Lack Creek Bridge, for which aIn