The New York herald., 1862-03-08

looking strangers In the face and giving that des OF
smohsrsd hate which makes ths benoder Determine to
At rs the people here took little pains 10 conceal their
dislike, but are gradually becoming more uaetable.
Iney will sell poor articles FOR good money 4. 70
refused in exchange for Treasury notes LADIES' oo ap
upon the Streets and although TO seem
gazing in opposite direction take sidelong peeps At
marching columns preceded by e and drum, and some
times deign to keep the moderately straight when
salnted in gallant military style Sy passing o,lscer
hiding places aso stand in the doors Of princey resi-
dencss, non -commtta in speech or action.
noticed at one house group Of children playing on
the porch-among them beautiful little Southerner,
with dark eyes and wealth OF rngets who we passed.
skipped to the front step and either accidentally or by
design, exposed small secession apron the three bars
and stars stamped upon it, while its owner placing
thumb against her nose and her little finger against that
Of the other hand went through that childish grace
fu motion whose precise meaning has yet been
determined Some say it expresses profound knowledge
others. profound contempt.
''H Nashville ever becomes Union, IL win be when
GABRIEL turns final trumpecr," exclaimed my soldier
friend who had witnessed the nosccal display with as
tonshment, and to whose bright buttons 1t was owing
Just afterwards We met crowd OF negroes on their
way to the cvee TO view the troops and gunboats Ask
ing one where he was going, he said, "To see dem
Unioners" Ho had been in Fort Donoson. and was
brought back by his master, who fed with Pillow 'sI
tell you what sab - SAID he 'sMassa Lnkum shoot dam
straight; knocked the head OF Parson Bigelow's niger
clean as II cut with knifc Lor now the kannerstir
spikes did fly. Massa sed Linkum used keg o. nails
each load And down the street they went with regu
lar plantation swagger, increasing In number at every
corner.
So many, in the good old times gone by, have visited
Nashville that they will remember beautiful lawn just
below the Court House, with two fine shade trees
upon it, Now the ground there is backened with charrsd
remains Of some gun carriages and caissons strcwn
around. They wore burned by Floyd before he fed Al
though many of the artificial beauties Of Nashville
destroyed the natural ones remain generally unmarried
On the numerous no estates surrounding trees bud
ding and grass springng forth, but no signs of care are
visible. Fences remain down, garden borders washed
away, while negroes, having no masters to supernend
Them wander shifessy about and white aborsrs long
ago were driven into Confederate service.
Never did city present moro evidences Of rapid ruin
than Nashville docs. No money except worthless scrip,
few Injuries, no mail facilities thing that makes
ago have been bankrupt had they attempted pay their
debts. When the war broke out there were large
amounts Of silver and gold through the South Now
there is none. Those few that could it did and
Immediately buried or hid their treasure, having no
abiding faith in scrip, which passed and ioated along
the sha low channel of trade simply because there
nothing else.
Genuine 'shopping," with salesman anxious to sell
his goods has citizens assure me- been seen in Nash
vile for six months The levee is also under water and
the Cumberland rushes in flood along house walls
Front street.
quantities OF bacon and army stores These had besn
gathered in from the surrounding country giving In
change Scrip and when Nashville became threatened the
whole distributed to keep from serving the enemy
Mrs. James K Polk has elegant residence the
city, and the Of her husband President Of
the United Saes buried here. One Of generals
had short interview tho other day with Mrs POLK and
although their meeting pleasant far politcness
could make it, doubt remained Of the lady faith in
the Southern She took occasion TO say that,
although the people Of the United States her
husband President the abolitionsts did not do 1t.
The members Of the Legislature have many beautiful
places here, which empty, those fecitous ndv
duals stop at present in Memphis.
The greatest blow to Nashville has been the destruction
OF its 1ne bridges the Cumberland OF that
gave full in my last Governor Harris words
when waited upon by the citizens and requested re-
fran from such vandalism, wore:-Has Nashville come
to ths-hestatng to sacrifice two pary pieces Of timber
for the cause Go back and tell those who sent you that
another word and their roofs will be blazing above
them" As related to by one Of tho committee, the
outburst Of the great bridge burner was spced with a
oaths conscientious Harris being exception TO the
general rule man goes by when mad. Although de-
nouncng bitterly tho conduct Of their traitor ruler the
sufferers with prospect that 1t may be years before the
structures will be replaced still cling to that is
running them.
SEQ by reports In ono 0y papers that the enemy Is
affirmed to be at Murfrcesboro and surrounded by Gen.
Bues forces. This is entirely false. There is every
to believe that the rebel army will make stand
this side Of Chattanooga, two hundred miles distant In
Fast Tennessee point whore they cannot be- for the
present. at least surrounded and where there is direct
with Richmond and the extreme South
Numerous small bodies Of rebels have been left behind to
u skirmishing with the Union pickets.
The rebel force under Gen. Johnston now retreatnR
upon Chattanooga is forty thousand strong but even
their friends, who suffered severely from them as
they fed through Nashville. say the fugitives only
disorganized mob Nashville will be permanently occu-
pied by sufficient force to hold against any attempt
recapture.