Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-10
TWENTY DAYS REIGN OF TERRoB

HOLLY SPRINGS, Mss, Jan y 70, %.
EDITORS APPEAL: desire, for the informa-
ton Of many Of our absent citizens, TO give q
statement Of the reign of terror that Holly
/ Springs and the citizens who remained, hsvc
passed through Gen Grants grand army q
the Mississippi passed through en- route for the
South in good order, the officers and men fully
equipped in new suits of unsoied blue, and the
army apparently perfect in all its appointments
The boast Of men and officers was " on to jack.
son and Vieksburg," and thsn to Mobile, and in
thirty days to have the railrOad and Mississippi
river open to New Orleans, and in sixty days to
have the Mobile and Ohio railroad in full opera
ton from Mobile to Columbus.
They made this city their grand depot for
their whole army supplies Their suffers brought
on heavy supplies Of goods, and large number
Of private individuals came here to speculate in
cotton, a number of whom bFoughttheir families
to spend the winter in this delightful village"
as they termed Holly Springs. They took pos
session OF all the business houses, and filed up
every vacant room in private residences
The army did not commit any great outrsges
as they passed down, except stealing and pilfer-
ing what came in their way, as the strict diseip-
ike maintained prevented them from rowing
about The speculators proposed 10 buy the
cotton from tbe planters, paying 8 fair price for
it in green backs They had understood that
the planters had hid their cotton from the est
ton burners.
As soon as they had obtained the confidence
of the planters, they being suffered to come in
e 4L,srx fLao
Of the post issued an order that no person should
pass out except those who might take the oath
OF LOYALTY not to the Constitution Of the Uaited
States but TO the Lincoln governmsnt, and to
help put down the rebellion I am sorry to ssy
that many of our citizens took the damnable
cath, either from fear or mercsnsry motives.
This was the condition Of affairs until the
memorable 20th December, when General Y an
Dorm, at the dawn Of day, made his bold, daring
and splendid dash into town, completely sur
prisiug and capturing the whcle garrison, except
few cavalry who escaped. He burnt and de-
stroyed their entire stores, consisting Of arms,
ammunition, clothing and provisions, also medi-
cines and everything pertaining to the sanitary
department, including magnificent and slabo-
rate collection Of Christmas presents, (intended
! TO fill up the measure Of the hollidays). After
destroying and burning every thing, General Van
/ Dorm psroled the prisoners and left that even
ing the enemy's forces consisting Of three thou.
sand infantry aud a regiment of csvaly, Gen.
Van Dorm having, as / learn, four thousand
cavalry.
The next morning, the 2lst, the enemy's forces
marched into our city, including infantry, ar
/ tillery aud cavalry in large numbers, and then
commenced 3 reign Of terror unequAled since
/ the days Of LaNende in France, and equal to
that ia every respect, save taking human life.
The ruthless and more than savage soldiers
were turned loose upon the defenseless citizens.
/ They bursted open the doors, entered privste
rooms threatened to kill aud murder, abusing
and insulting in the most vulgar manner de-
! fenseless females. broke locks pillaging and de-
stroying everything before them, robbing men
Of watches and money, and STEALING from the
most useless to the most valuable articles, ap-
plying the torch st midnight, burning homes
/ and turning women and children out at mid
night upon the seventies Of mid-winter.
Thus continued state # affairs, so appalling
in thsir nature as to be justly termed The
Reign of Terror" During the time no person
undressed or retired at night to their beds TO
ssek the repose that wearied nature 50 much Te-
/ auira6. Nightly houses were fTed and the de
morRlized soldiers were continually threatening
that the torch would be applied to every house
was informed that General Grants orders
to his men wsrc, *to feed themselves at any
risk or hazard, and they were duly licensed TO
commit any act, except tasing hie; thus grey
/ hairs were dishenored and innocence outraged
with impHnity.
! Our once besutifal city is in ruins; the north,
cas-. and south sides of the public square sre q
/ hesp Of ssiss, including various business
bouses--she Msgnslia hotel, and the bssuti-