Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-10

Affairs in Tennessee.

Idls III I1nneSSee, and OF the SURF ender of
Nashville, from an officer who reached here :
on the Sd, from the late scenes of action in .
that State. !,
General Johnston was at Murfrcesboro' re- .
cruiting his army, and the militia from the .
adjoining counties were focking to his stan !
dard. Governor Harris was to take the field /.
in person. - - :
General Floyd had joined Johnston. FLOYD !
saved his entire command, with the excep- ,
ton of two batteries eight hundred of his ,
men having reached Nashville by water, the
remainder making their way by a parallel
march along the banks of the river.-General
Pillow came up the river with Floyd.-He is
said not to have saved any of his command.
We have the most painful and hnmiltating
accounts OF the behavior of the people of
Nashville on the receipt there of the news of
the fall OF Fort DOnelSon. It is said to have
been that of the most ahject cowardice.-
When the news reached there on the Sunday
of the disaster, a white flag was instantly
displayed from the top of the capitol. The
widest confusion and terror ensued. Vast
amounts Of military stores had been collected
in the city, it is said to the amount of some
three or four millions of dollars and the
store-houses of provisions were thrown open
to the poor and all others who chose to
scramble for prizes. Great quantities of pro-
visions were thus carried off to the country,
and it is supposed that most Of the military
stores were saved.
On the Monday following the fall of Fort
Donelson, General Pillow, who had arrived
at his home in Columbia, about forty miles
from Nashville, made a speech there to AMI
mate the people. Our informant, who was
present on the occasion, says that he never
saw a crowd less enthusiastic; that they lis
tened in logged silence, and stared at him
when he ventnred to propose three cheers.
In this speech General Pillow avowed that if
he had had the command at Fort Donelson he
never would have surrendered it, and would
have fought his way through all odds.
The responsibility for the surrender was
freely attributed to General Buckner, who is
said TO have maintained in the council of war
that it could not be considered good gene, al
ship to hazard a contest which could only be
useless slaughter, and to sacrifice the lives
OF three men out of four for. the purpose of
saving one 1t is estimated that the number
4. OF our men taken prisoners were fully twelve
thousand, and may possibly be nearer fifteen
thousand than the former number.
Our army in falling back from Bowling
Green had abandoned some military stores OF
little account, but are said to have been com
PEELED to abandon some half million pounds
of bacon at GAINESVILLE for want of transpor
tation.-Richnond Examiner.
e 1t will be seen from this statement that j
will now become necessary for, General John
3 ston to ~re-organize a line of defense, the lin
: extending from Columbus by way Of Fort
Henry and Donelson having seen lost. Tn
new line of, defense must be organized sentl
of Nashville, and 1t is unrxxssood that ii
~ d. s~@s- L. - I'll ~
the Memphis and Charleston railroad.-Cha1
tanooga on the right, and Corinth, Gran
junction and Memphis on the left, are sue
% gested as bases of such aline. Coverin
/, these positions, even if the enemy shoul
: cut off railroad connection with Virginia
or beyond Knoxville, the Confederate force
! in Tennessee would still command the rail
!, road system of the Southwest, connectin
: through the Carolinas with Virginia an
Il would, moreover, have the benefit of the Mi
Il. sissippi river.
The Knoxville Register of the 9th ultim
s says: .sa,.
: A gentleman, just from Gen. Crittenden
command at Murfreesboro', communicates tn
- following items Of war news, Which we thin
y may be relied upon. 81.
@ Gen. Buell. has entered Nashville. ar
made a speech to the citizens, in which
e ldisclaimed any purpose of molesting priva
ot rights. The United States flag was hoist'
A. upon the capitol, amid the cheers of some
le the citizens who remained in the city. Gre
Buell. has issued a proclamation, in which
u offers amnesty to all who will take the Ga
i to support the Federal Government. Su
to proclamations were issued, it will be remer
he bered. in Northwestern Virginia and in t
re Virginia Peninsula. We know how the Va
dals kept faith. Can there be Tennesseans
is gullible as to swallow thiss stale bait ?
- THE ENEMY IN NAsHvILLE.-We learn FRI
" an entirely reliable source, that there &
about 5000 of the enemy in Nashville, W
are quartered in the Capitol and all the pl
- lie buildings of the city, over all of which
Il. stars and stripes are waving. They are RI
: idly erecting Notifications guns, batter
II &C., at every point of approach on this s.
e. of the city. The city appears almost litera
en- deserted. Ladies are never seen upon
% streets, and the inhabitants keep themselv
~ close Neil S. Brown and several oil
ny prominent citizens have been arr ested.
The BATTLE OF oRTDoNENsoN.-Gen. /
r low has published his official report of
ed Battle of Fort Donelson. He says that
force consisted of about l 1000 men; that
Ut army fought with the greatest g~allantry a
that he was DESTROYS of fighting his v
ty out, but Gen. Buckner contended that th
,;s fourth of the army would be lost in. an eff
If Of that kind. and that there should be no
:. ~cessity to sacrifice so many men to save
to remaining one-iourth the command wast
turned over to Gen. Buckner, who SURF,
~ l.-.J Cz.r D;llauv onl Md -.xl