The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-05-10

EDS. GAzyrTE: My attention has been call
Z cd to communication from Nashville, publish
n I'd in the papers of this city week or tw
since, the object Of which wss to,showIthst
large. Union sentiment prevailed throughou
the We9tern portion Of Tennessee, and eyeI
lprsdominated in the city Of Memphis. Tn
author Of thst letter went 90 far as - ssser
that recent articles in the Memphis Avalanche
indicated very clearly that this pestilenf shee
had come, over to the side Of the Government.
beg that you will allow me to state some
facts CONCERNING this city Of Memphis and il.
mouthpiecs, the Avalanche, which must con.
yince all that whatever change hes taken place
in public sentiment there, ID consequent upon
| the very close proximity Of the Federal army
to that city, and not to any real love for the
Union. 2 -n e aB77 'st
+ In the city Of Memphis, prior to the attack
| upon and surrender of Fort Sumter, there was
large majority in the favor of the Union. Sew
en- hundred being the majority in that city
against holding convention 10 consider the
propriety of seeding. While iscanvass was
pending, the 'sAvalanche'' was filed with arti-
cles denouncing as traitors every man who op-
posed that measure, and calling down upon
them the most coudign punishment. II was
edited then as now, by Galloway and Cluskey
the former President Buchanan's postmaster,
and the latter an attache Of the rebel General
Walker, I believe. Thiswas at period when
public sentiment was to be moulded, and it
was exceedingly doubtful whether Memphis
could be carried for the South in any emergen-
cy. And yetthese men, Galloway and Cluskey,
devoted themselves, day and night, to the base
purpose of alternating men from their allegiance
and rendering the position Of those who dared
maintain their integrity to the Union, danger
Gus in the extreme. Their efforts were suc-
cessful, as the action Of that people plainly
show. No sooner had the news of the fall of
Lexington been announced, then as one man,
almost, they began enrolling themselves under
the Confederate banner, and Memphis and its
vicinity became one vast military camp.
Then was inaugurated that reign Of terror,
during which tens and hundreds of men and
women were outraged in person and property.
Then was enacted those scenes of violence,
recital Of which would mantle the cheek Of
Sepoy with a blush of shame AL law was
trampled under foot-the worst passions Of
men were allowed full sway-and urged on by
the atrocious articles of the Avalanche, q sys-
tenn of whipping, head-shaving and hanging
was inaugurated, which has made the name of
Memphis infamous throughout the world
speak Of facts coming under my own obser-
walton, for was there, and made myself con-
versant with the outrages that were committed
and was an eyewitness to many of the most
hOrrid enormities of which the history of the
world shows any people to have been guilty
Some weeks prior to the capture of Sumter,
and while it was generally conceded that Mem
phis was strongly Union, body Of six hund-
red men from Mississippi, en- route for Penss-
cola, were received and most Hospitality enter
tanned by the civil and military authorities of
that city, and paraded through the streets with
Succession Avip nd ho Qfor md Gtr;na
'furled." Every devisable place was occupied
BY men and women, having handkerchiefs and
miniature Confederate flags, and so far as their
approval went, urging on the ragamuffins who
we're passing, in their reasonable designs
Fo. writing a letter to the New York Tribune,
denouncing the people of Memphis for thus
entertaining a band of rebeles, was held up
by this Avalanche, to public opprobrium and
vengence, and the good people were exhorted
to ''ferret the traitor out and, nail him to the
first lamp post" That 1 did not acknowledge
the authorship Of that letter, only proves that
1 am a modest man, and sllrank from the hon
ors they would fain thrust upon me.
From the commencement Of this whole Sc
cession movement in Memphis, until the 25th
Of April, was ut large in the city, with OPP
portunities for discovering and becoming &C.
quainted with the acts of the people, and the
sediments OF the editors Of the Avalanche, and
repeat, without fear of successful contradic-
ti0n, that any Unionism now apparent there is
the result of fear, and not q change of feeling
at ALL d, .. -.
On the 25th of April, 1861, I was arrested
npon the allegation that was a correspondent
of the Tribune, and thrown into dark and
loathsome dungeon, where the accumulated
filth of years rendered existence for any
length of time impossible This arrest the
Avalanch was exceedingly jubilant over, and
had their counsea for summary execution
been acted upon, would not now be writing
this letter. While confined in that city was
compelled to witness the enormities perpetra-
ted in obedience to the behests of those who
ruled the mob. One hour in the morning,
from six to seven, was allowed me to stand at
the window crate. and at such times their
whippings and head-shavings were indulged
Here saw, from the twenty seventh of April
to the sixth of June, eighty-fve men whipped
and their heads shaved, and forty-three hung,
because they refused to take an oath of allegi-
ance to the Southern Confederacy. Aad on
the nineteenth of May last, one of the most
beautiful and accomplished young ladies this
country can boast, of was stripped to the
waist, thirteen lashes laid on her back and the
right half her head shaved, simply bcause she
had purchased a ticket for Cairo, and was
congratulating herself that she would soon be
ina land of freedom. These crimes which
make the blood curdle in our veins, sand
arouse vengeance blood alone can quell,'
were regarded as small matters by the Ava.
lanch, altogether too insignificant to be no
ticed.
Then they fancied themselves secure, and
with bloodhound avidity they pursued every
man and woman who dared to resist their
reasonable demands Who ever recoiled from
blackening his or her soul with treason, was
regarded as inimcal to their institutions, and
the most summary punishment was visited up
on them. From the pulpit long e'er this des-
ecrated by the ministrations of foul mouthed
traitors, constant anathemas were hurled at
the heads of unoffending men and defensless
women. While all classes seemed actuated by
one common impulse-to make Memphis the
synonym Of all that is revolving and hideous
in crime. .i ESQ. sg.u l+a 1-,
Now when they see their Contsderacy toter-
ing and shaking before the blows of our gal
liant and noble army. When the memory Of
their past emormities comes upon them, in the
light of the just vengeance to be meted out
When they see the sword suspended by but a
single hair. When their power to work fur.
ther wrong has been taken away, and the thup.
deriug Of our guns can almost be heard in
their streets. Now, they pretend to Be Union
men. Now they alledge that force was used to
drive them into rebellion against the Govern
ment, and prate of their sufferings and sacri.
fees. Tis foul and infamous lie, No force
was used for none was required. What amount
Of force was broughtto bear upon the editors
Of the Ayalanch that compelled them to lndite
the many bloodthrsty articles which filed theil
paper from time to timer The avenues of es
cape were then::opeu. Why not leave the God.
forsaken citys No, gentlemen, the sentiments
| Of that paper and Of the people of Memphi.
| were truthfully expressed at that time, aue
they have undergone no change. Interest may
compela different expression, but there is n,
change. There are some who know this, ant
| the day is not far distant, thank God, whe,
| the ayenger will be upon the track Of certain
monsters whose ''change of sentiment" loudl,
as it may be proclaimed, will not suffice to Sc
cure their immunity from the just punishmen
which their crimes demand. The blood O
many slaughtered men, and the monstrous out
RACES perpetrated upon defenceless women, CT,
aloud for vengeance And that cry will b
/ heard Let no pretended Union men in Mem