The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-08-05
A Record OF Inhuman crueIties
EEBEL BARBARIIIks n EIsT TESSEssEE.

the wretches who perpetrstsd the outrages nam
eo, are not III for hanging. Some new and ex-
quiste torture should be invented Tor their
pecsl benefit. Here Is the article
From Col Robert A. Crawford, Of Green coun-
ty Tenn. who i a refugee, aud was one Of the
Vice Presidents of the late convention at Nash
Vile We learn the following facts in reference to
rebel rule in that beSutiul "Swi1erland of
America" East Tennessee Crawford has per-
sonal knowledge OF some Of the fac.s having
left the scene of their enactment quite recently,
his information was obtained from trustworthy
persons and written down on the spot
Last summer three young men. brothers, nam
ed Anderson, left their home in Hawkins county,
sud attempted to make their way into Kentucky.
They were arrested by a squad of Confederate
cavalry on Chnch river, about sevent, five miles
from Knoxville, shot aud thrown into the river
their bodies were found floating in the stream,
fifteen miles from their own f0rsaken homes
IL the month OF January, 1868, at Laurel, y.
c.. near the Tennessee border, all the salt was
seized for distribution by Confederate Commis
sOners. Salt was selling al seveRty-fve TO one
hundred dollars sack The Commi ssioners de-
clared that the Tories should have none" and
positively refused to give UuOn men their por
tion OF tie quantity TO be distributed in that vi
ciuity. This palpaoe injustice reused the Union
Z
TO seize their proportion OF the salt by force
They did so, taking al Marshall, n. c., what they
deened to be their just share.
Immediately afterwards. the 65th n c. regi.
menf, under command OF Lieutenant Col James
keith, was ordered to Laurel to arrest the Of
Tenders.
L. VI. Allen was Col of the regiment but had
been suspended for six months for crime and
drunkenness. Many of the men engaged in the
salt seizure LETT their homes. Those who did
not participate in it became the sufferers Among
those arrested were Joseph Wood, about sixty
wears of age; Dav Shelton, sixty; Jas Shelton,
! fifty; ROdny Shelton forty-6ve; Ellison King,
forty; Halen Moore, forty; Wade Moore, thirty
Eve; Isaiah Shelton, fifteen William Shelton,
twelve; James Metcaf, ten; Jasper Channel,
fourteen; Sam. Shelton, nineteen. and his broth
CT aged seventeen, sons Of illus Shelion-in all
thirteen men and boys. Nearly all OF them de-
clared they were innOc ent, and had taken no
part in appropratng the salt They begged for
a trial, asserting that hey could prove their iD-
nocence.
Col Allen who was with his troops, but rot
in command told them they should have a trial,
but they would be taken TO Tennessee for that
purpose. They bid farewell TO their wives, sis
tiers and daughters, directing them TO procnre
the witnesses and bring them TO the court in
Tennessee, where they supposed their trial would
take place. Alas how little they dreamed what
fate awaited them.
The poor fellows had proceeded but a few
miles when they were turned from the road to q
gorge in the mountain, and halted. Without
any warning of what was TO be done with them,
FIVE of them were ordered to kneel down Ten
PAGES in front of these FIVE, fle of soldes were
placed with loaded muskets. The terrible reali-
ty flashed upon the minds of the doomed patri-
OTIS. Old man Wood (sxty years of age) cried
out; For Gods sake, men you are not going TO
shoot US, If you are going 10 murder Us, give
us at least time to pray" Col Allen was remin-
de- of his promise to give them a trial. They
were informed that Allen had no authority that
Keith was in command and that there was no
time for praying The order vas given 20 nre; ;
the old men and boys put their haLds to their
faces and rent the air with their agonizing cries
of despair; the soldiers wavered and hestated
to obey the command. Keith said if they did
not fire Immediately, he would make them
change place with the prisoners. The soldiers
raised their guns, the victims shuddered cOnvu-
sively, the word was given TO fire, and the Eve
| men fell pierced with rebel bullets Old men
Wood and Shelton were shot IN the head, their
brains scattered upon the ground, and died with
out struggle. The other three lived only few
minutes.
Five others we're ordered to kueel, among
them little Billy Shelton, mere child, only
twelve years old. He implored the men not to
shoot him in the face. You have killed my
father and brothers" said he, "you have shot
my father in the face do no; shoot me in the
face" The soldiers received the order to fte,
and FIVE more fell. Poor little Billy was woun-
ded in both arms. He &c an officer, clasped
him around the legs, and besught him to spare
his life. you have killed my old father and
nv three brothers; you have shot me in both
arms-I forgive you all this-I can get we'll
let me go home to my mother and sisters" What
heart of adamant the man must have who
could disregard such an appeal. The little boy
was dragged back to the place OF execution
again the terrible word FIRE :" was given, and
ne fell dead, eight balls having entered bis body.
The remaining three were murdered in the same
manner. Those in whom life was not entirely
extinct, the heartless officers dispatched with
their pistols.
hole was then dug and the thirteen bodies
were pitched into it. The grave was scarcely
large enough some Of the bodies lay above the
ground. A wretch named Sergeant y. B. D.
Jay, Virginisn, but attached TO a Tennessee
company Of the 65th North Carolina regiment,
: jumped upon the bleeding bodies and said Ia
, some of the men, Pat Juba for me, while
{ dance the damned scoundrels down to aud thro
hell" The grave was covered lightly with
earth, and the next day when the wives anC
families of the murdered men heard Of their fate
searched for and found Their graves the hog.
had rooted up one mans body, and eaten biz
head of.
Captain Moorle,, in charge of cavalry force
and Col. Thomas, in command Of a number o
Indians, accompanied Keth's men. These p:o
ceeded to Tennessee; Keith's men returned q
Laurel, and we're instructed to say that the cav
u airy had taken the prisoners with them 10 b.
tried in accordance with the pledge Of Col Al
len. In their progress through the country ma
my Union men were known to have been kle'
and scalped by the Indians. Upon The returi
of Keith and his men TO Laurel, they began sys
: tematcally TO torture the women Of loyal men
, 10 force them 10 tell where their fsthers an
d, husbands we're, and what part each 1sd take
in the last raid. The women refused % divulg
anything. They we're then whipped with bickor
switches-many Of them till the blood courses
= in streams down their persons TO the ground
and the men who did this we're called soldiers
= Mrs. Sarah Shelton, wife OF Esau Sheton, wh
: escaped from the town, and Mrs Mary Shelton
e wife Of Litus Shelton, were whipped and hun
= by the neck till they we're almost dead, bu
:, would give 10 information. Martha White, q
idiotic girl, was beaten, and tied by the neck a
day to tree
e Old Mrs Cnus Riddle, aged eighty Eve year:
p was whipped, hung. and robbed Of & considers
= bic amount OF money. Many Others we're trea
d ed with the same barbarity. And the men VII