Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-11
From Tennessee.

The country between Nashville ana
Duck River in its picturesque scenery
fertility of soil, thickness of settlement
and high state of improvement is very
much like the southern portion OF ONO.
1t certainly comes up to its reputation as
one of the finest regions of the South.
The towns look neat, and show less symp-
toms of the decay that constitutes an all
but universal feature in the appearance OF
Southern country towns. The farms along
the turnpike are nearly all plantations OF
vast proportions, with fine stores, wooden
fences we'll cleared and cultivated fields,
and well built residences and out-build-
ings. Wheat and corn are the principal
production, but cotton is also raised to
large extent.
There we're fewer indications of the eff
fects of the war perceptible than in south
ern Kentucky and the northern counties
of Tennessee. In the towns and villages,
it is true number of stores and private
residences are closed, and deserted by
their inhabitants-mostly such as feared
for their personal safety, from being more
deeply implicated in the rebellion. But
the majority of the people did not seem
to be affected much by the advent of the
Union troops, but were quietly following
their several avocations. The rural popu-
lation appeareared to be still less disturbed
and | passed but few farms upon which
the owners, with their negroes, were not
busily engaged in their Spring labors.
This evident feeling of security was doubt
lessly due to the good conduct of our
troops during their encampment in the
suburbs of Nashville, information of which
had preceded their march to Duck River.
The counties between Nashville and
Columbia gave strong Secession votes at
the election upon the question whether or
not the State should dissolve its relations
to the Union. Williamson gave l,949
for separation, and only % against, and
Maury 2,73l for and So against. The
slave holding interest predominates very
largely, there being bnt few residents
that do not own more or less human flesh
and this accounts for the decided Seces-
sion proclivities of the inhabitants.
I conversed freely with both town and
country people, and must say that l fail
ed to meet single individual protesting
to be loyal. They did not show as much
bitterness of feeling as the rebels of Nash
vile, nor were they equally FESTIVE under
the presence Of the invaders; but it was
nevertheless plain that their sympathies
were all in one direction, and that the
wrong one. Tie only smiling faces were
those of the slaves | passed, and my mill
itary overcoat was saluted by them with
a friendly Difference, indicating plainly
that, unlike their masters, they saw no en-
emies in the strangers from the North. |
tarried behind the train and talked with
many of the darkies, but found that they
had only very indefinite idea of the
meaning of what was passing around them.
Some, whose "massa" had left with the
rebel army, expressed the hope that "dem
Norderners" would each them, and never
allow them to come back One old fellow
whose owner had been taken at Fort Don
elson, asked me whether | had seen 'mas-
sa," and upon being asked whether he
was anxious to have him back, shook
his head, and uttered "not much,'
with grin.
All along the road l heard accounts of
rebel trespasses upon private property.
Horses, mules, wagons, grain, and even
negroes, had been carried off by them in
discriminatory upon their retreat; yet the
sufferers did not seem to be disposed to
take it very hard. If our troops had com.
mitted one 1.-THE of these outrages, our
Generals would be overrun with COM
plants.
am satisfied that the high prices real
lied by the farmers in Middle Tennessee
for their cattle, hogs, and grain since last
Summer did more than anything else in
confirming them in their Partially