Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-03-20
From the Atlanta (Ga.) Confsderacy.

. From the Atlanta (Ga.) Cenfsderacy.
Our Special Knoxville CORES Let
ter from "Big Coz pOral."
Come ok Dalton-Wben not to lump off the carsThe
Shows ounfan scenery about KnoxVle-The sufferings
of soldiers in the cold-Union escaped
prisoner and his neutrality-suspicious. about the
Of East Tennessee-Brownlow sent o-The best Hotel
palton-An apology.
DALTON, GA, March s, 1862
Messrs. Edtots:-l had to return this far to look
after of the baggage OF company that had been
lost Here spralned ankle detained me for some DAYS
Never jump of the while in notion especially if
you have just bad good horn OF apple brandy.
Before left Knoxville severe rain STORM attended
with lighting AMI thunder had been succeeded by the
fercest blasts OF winter If you ascend any incon-
siderable hill top Knoxville toi which there
than Rome built upon you have to the southeast,
starting far away at each extremity the mighty
tain range called il the beautiful language of the Cher
okees the UnacOy-a name signying whiteness. left
covered with Since arriving here the weather
has been still colder. The high mountains visible to
the east of this place also clad in the Wbest robes
of winter This advent of winter 10 the spring season.
may be o reasonable compensation for the sprng-lke
character OF the through the winter months but
it is terribly brave boys now at Cumber-
land Gap, who lately left the genial climate of the
Gulf coast How my heart ached for them as | heard
the Rowing of the fierce midnight blasts with the Their
moIlettr not much above zero! What coughs, ca
tahrrs, rheumat,ms, peurisies, pneumonias, now
fastening on patriotic vtals, thought May heaven
these heots through all exposures, and reward
them with the independence of our beloved South, with
long life, with immortality Of bliss beyond the grave.
SU;ely they deserve all that.
Some OF the troops recently arrived from the South
ern coast have bee qu1rtered in the buildings OF the
East Tennessee University, n Knoxville l understand
this caused utterDg among the Trustees of that
concern of whom said to be Yankees by BIRTH
and many of whom are UniOn men. No doubt that
will be ranked among the outrages" that the South
ern Governm Mt heaps " the innocent and be-
loved people of Fast Tennessee, who still be-
nghted as not to know nat the Union " of their
/ idOlatry is destroyed forever
| met on Wednesday the streets Of knoxvi le a
brave boy named Vestal, who was wounded and taken
prisoner the Battle OF Fishing Greek and who made
his escape from the enemy He says large portion of
the Federal forces which the day Fishing Creek
were drawn off to the west from Somerset and aided in
the capture Of Fort Donelsen He said that the great
body of the Others very recently had marching orders
to leave for the WestdOubtess to aid in striking some
important blow, probably at Beauregard On the Mis-
sssppi River Let Generals initiate this good gen.
eraship of foes, which adroty concentrate d.
vided and distant forces and crush all before :hem by
overwhelming numbers.
As it seems from Vestal's story, ani from other
sources Of Information, that there considerable
Federal force at Somerset must think early attack
on East Tennessee probable. Our forces will not get
! fight at that point By way of Somerset and Month
cello 10 Kentucky, and jamestown and Montgomery, in
Tennessee, the great valley of Fast Tennessee is pene
trabIe, over better road than ria Cumberland Gap
and evihout any Ratification to encounter. Why then
should they waste men and powder at Cumberland
Gap? The latter is R4nked," and must be abandoned
whenever a Federal army occupies Knoxville or Lon
don They will not do the latter without some fielG
fighting, aud think aglh it, but they of course
would attack in the field rather than behind strong
Notifications. l regard, therefore the massing " 0
the enemys forces at somerset Monticello, as thu
only true symptom of the attempt East Tennessee
AS stated in my former letter the Unionists by thou
sands running away from East Tennessee to joir
the Federal army. These fugjtives carry with then
thorough local knowledge OF the country and its at
fairs, and | hardly imagine how Federal com
mander could commit the bunder Of attacking Cumber
land Gap. Heaven send be may
| mentioned in my last that Brownlow had been con
veyed to Nashville. understand his family is to follow
soon. He was averse to going believing, doubt
that the Federal territory would to him instead
of his going to itthat the mountain would verify
to Mahomet. The gallant Captain Monsarrat did nc
think So and has great faith ,backened by some goo
artillery that the stars and stripes will never again
over Knoxville.
But must bid adeu to Knoxville, on paper, as
have in prOpria persona, for few days. This Dalto
is nice place to spend few days as you have doubt
less heard stopping at the best hotel in the plac
at least infer as the people who stop at the othe
grumble considerably. Your readers must pardon
stupid letter this tme as | am among the killed an
wounded" and am suffering pain. Big CORPORAL