The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-10-24
How the People are Protected An
sNh pixie
rom the southern confsderAcy, OciObers,
PBowLINa CAVALIERS.

depredatiOns committed by soldiers in
the Southern army.
II is useless, nay, injurious for the
authorities and the press 10 feign blind
ness TO The fact that there is a conflict
JreaOing bettoeen large portion Of ne army
and people, and the abuses practiced or
permitted by the military. Rights which
are guaranteed by the country, and by
common civility, humanity and justice,
cannot be set at defiance without pro-
ducing the legitimate results of such vio-
lstions. The people are willing TO make
sacrifices for the good of the country, but
they are jealous Of the rights which
have been conferred upon them by Con-
gress, and the power that gave them ex.
istence, and the several rights necessary
thereto. A showing of authority and a
showing of justice together, 10 ell that
need be presented when call is made
upon the Southern people for anything
they have, or can do, 'at1
A failure on the part of the soldiery
aud the blood suckers at home TO recog-
nize these facts, and to act in accordance
with them, has sown the seeds of de-
moralization in the army and discomfort
among the people at home. These seeds
are already springing up and commencing
TO yield fruit. The fact is palpable TO
both friends and enemies, and the press
is guilty of an effort to conceal the re-
suits Of policy which it has failed to
denounce, in that power which il pos
sesses, and that never can fail to stem
any current of opposition, to an enlight-
ened people with justice on their side.
This is no day for the sycophant or
flatterer to pander to the prejudices or
lawless spirit that is assuming fearful
proportions in high circles 7he people
cannot afford to barter their rights, euen far
military success. ai
ABUSES IN NORTH WESTERN GEoRa1A-AN
APPEAL.
CAMP ANDERsoN's BRIaADE,)
Sept. 20, 1868.
Editors atlanta Co1vedaacy;
While the heaying heart of our great
nation is glowing with gratitude and
pride on account Of the glorious achieve.
ments of the troops, of all arms, under
General Bragg, feel impellsd to inter-
rupt the general acclaim of swell done,
good and faithful" with q solemn pro-
test, in behalf Of the many true soldiers
of Anderson's Brigade. az ainst the repe-
tition of the many heartless exactions
and atrocious villaiaies that have been
made and committed by rehr-yaIorous
cavaliers in the commands of Generals
Wheeler and Wharton, a the northwes-
tern part of our State. And Messrs.
Editors, il language should appear too
harsh, ! beg you TO reCollect that those
are our own mountain homes that they
have so often ruthlessly entered and mer-
cilessly plundered; they are our own
sisters, mothers and wives, of whom they
have peremptorily demanded, in terms
too gross and profane for the ears Of 9TH
ers than their own comrades, the last
nlorsel of subsistence that woman's self
denying and ANXIOUS industry had pro-
cured for helpless infancy.
IT'S no uncommon thing, sir, for these
protectors" of our homes 10 take, in
spite of remonstrance, and without the
least show of authority, every horse,
mule, cow and hog from the homesteads
Of the defepseless. No receipts, of course.
are given in such instances. And even
quartermasters, duly authorized 10 make
impressments very frequently write their
receipts in pencil upon mere bits of pa
per. tg.....tref t-.i
There are instances within my own
knowledge where women, whose hus-
bands have been serving in the ranks
from the beginning of the war, at eleven
dollars month in deprecated currency,
have labOred through biting frost and
Drilling sun, and thus produced a bare
sutiiciency of the absolute necessaries of
life for themselves and children, and in A
single night their little all has been used
and wasted, and no evidence whatever
furnished that it was taken for the pub
lie service. Few houses there are within
reach of these mounted gentry that they
have not entered without invitation, or
even permission, and positively ordered
meals to be prepared forthwith. Barns
and stables are entered, and, if their con-
tents are not taken, b )rses are fed with
out so much as asking permission; no
promise of compensation is given. nor
even cold formal "thank YOU ex-
pressed. 9iA#
know of other instances where citi-
zens, upon the public highway, have been
endorsed by these struggling, plundering
cavaliers this, too, in the immediate
presence of those wearing tinsel and
feathers.
l know, Messrs. Editors, il is not ne.
cessary for me 10 remark, 10 those as we'll
posted as yourselves, that those in behalf
of whom | write, enlisted for the war
twenty-eight months ago. We know,
therefore, what service is, and what the
exigencies Of the service require; and we
cannot concede that the acts required by
those exigencies can ever be inoompati-
BILE with strict honesty and that due re-
gard for the rights and feelings Of others
that invariably characterize the GENTLE
man. And, after two years terrible ex-
perience, we are totally unable to appre-
ciAte the vAlor that flies precipitately be-
fore the enemy, and after thus depriV-
ing them of protection, even robs trem-
bling age, defenseless women and help
less infancy of subsistence.
Imagine our feelings, sirs, as we re-
oeiVe, day after day, additional eViden-
oes of the deep, burning wrong that has
been done those from whom the service
of our common country has now for more
than two years separated us. In this
service we have no other desire than 20
continue, and are now, as we ever have
been, ready to meet the common enemy
upon any and every Geld 10 which those
In authority may assign as; and we feel
1t TO be our duty, IS we know il 10 be
our right, most confidently to appeal 20
the Chief Executive Of our State, the
exemPlar of Justice, aud the champion