The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-17
Published By an Association Of Printers.
MPrcHELLsvHLE, TENN,l
March 9th, 1868. {

MPrCHELLsVILLE, IENN,(
March 9th, 1868.
EDITOR UNION ALLOW one Of the ma
tive and unconditional Union men of Sumner
county, Tennessee, TO occupy a column
in your most valuable paper. First Mr.
Editor, allow me to say that you are held
in the most supreme hatred and dread
by the rebels Of this vicinity, but are as
welcome to the loyal men as you are un-
welcome to the disloyal. I need not en-
large on this point, for hint TO the wise
is generally supposed to be sufficient
The loyal men of Sumner county entire
ly approve your course, and trust you
may long live to WELD caustic and able
pen. write more particularly to detail
some of the achievements Of, and to
speak of the influence exerted by, the
129th Regiment Illinois Volunteers since
their occupancy Of this Post Col. G. P.
SMITH, in command Of this regiment, re-
lieved brigade commanded by Colonel
| ~ hhh'i VII tho 'tu VI lasJ De-
cember. Feeling deep interest in the
policy to be adopted by the military au-
thorities in this neighborhood, early
sought an interview with Col SMITH, as I
had done with the previous Comman
I must confess that my frank and busi-
ness-like reception, and the earnest,
Jealous and decided spirit with which
the Colonel took up and disposed of the
various knotty points presented to him,
won my confidence, as his subsequent
executive administration Of affairs has
won my admiration. When say my, I
include all the loyal men of this vicinity,
as among such there is but one opinion.
Well, about the first conviction that
seized the minds Of this community, after
Col. SMITH took command, was, that he
i0as in earnest, meant business instead of
play; was i've instead Of sleeping COM
mander. The second idea that forced
itself upon the mind was, that Colonel
SMITH was careful to do justice, and tho
in earnest and terribly relentless in de-
tecting and Furnishing the guilty, be was
discriminating, and gave full justice to
the wronged and innocent. The result
was, that in less than four weeks, some
three hundred citizens had taken the
oath of allegiance and given bonds in the
sum total of over one hundred and ftiy
thousand dollars. The effect that this has
had upon our neighborhood cannot well
be understood by those who do not live
! with us. From about one dozen loyal
men we have increased in strength, 80
that it is now quite unsafe for any
one in this vicinity to give utterance
, to any but loyal sentiments. Even the
praise of the Onion cause, and rejoicings
over Union victories, are so common as to
be no longer rarities. This point, as is
we'll known by the military authorities,
was famous as depot for contraband
trade with the rebels, large quantities OF
goods going froD here, and this neigh
= borhood, into the rebel lines. This OF
course Immediately ceased when IL was
known that a watchful eye had commando;
but it took more care 10 check the by
road smugglers. The first week Colonel
SMITH was in command he captured fifty
: two barrels Of -four, six barrels of salt
> large quantities Of leather and merchan-
disc, on their road to rebeldom. The
-four, salt, and such articles were turned
over to his Quartermaster for the use oi
his men. Thus vas this evil got rid Of
This was also point at which straggerI
and deserters from both the rebel and
Federal armies crossed into Kentucky
The Colonel set to work and has cap
tured struggling rebel soldiers 10 the tun,
= Of 6fty-four. Some were on furiough
others had deserted. They have all beer
:. sent to Louisville and to Gallatin. Th,
number Of Federal stragglers and de
serters taken have not heard
Various guerrilla bands have visi
ted our our neighborhoOd, but o.
finding line officer in command her,
have generally made hAsty skedaddl'
7, A Major STEEL, accompanied by fou
n captains and s5 men, attempted som
lS weeks ago TO tear up the railroad nes
this place, and capture the train, and ais
some quartermaster stores left at thi
place Col. SmTH's regiment havih
= moved to the tunnel, some fourteen mile
from here, but leaving two companies q
Riehland, two miles of, and three com
pAniss at Bucks Lodge, eight miles on
but so promptly were forces sent fOrwar
m from RichlAnd and Bucks Lodge th'
the rebels fed In dismay, without Grin
~ ~ gun, or getting q dollars worth (
a goods, yet they had cut the tslegrap
80 wire and torn up part Of the track. Th
Of noted Capt. c. A. PEBDIooRD has, how
ever, for several weeks been prowliu
ne .round fhe cOuntrv with a hand