Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-08-20
HEADQUARTERS 23D ARMY CORPS,
LEXINGTON. Ky. AUGUST S.

Information received this morning from
WoIford's expedition below the Cumberland,
in pursuit of Scott, nearly concludes the his
tory Of the dashing cntree and inglOrious
finale Of the last act of the brilliant invasion
so long threatened, The chivalric leader of
the Flower Of the South (thc 1St La Cav.)
is not elated probably with their late achieve
ments, and by this time is ready to become a.
subscriber to the axiom that raids don't
pay" The scattered fragments Of SCOTS
command took refuge among the hills along
their line of flight, from Irvine to Cumber-
land river. The collected remnants number
| ing probably 400 or 500, under Scott, effected
the crossing at Smiths Ford, taking with
them seven of their guns. Pursued by VOL
ford they again broke up with the loss of one
of K0nklcS guns. The citizens of Wayne
county and refugees, blocked up the roads,
infested the mountain passes, and resisted
their advance, till harrassed front and rear,
they abandoned four more guns, and took to
their individual heels. Our men are picking
them up at the rate of 10 to 20 per day, and
those who escape will only be able to effect it
each on his private responsibility. No armed
bands viii probably get through the noun
tains.
Our news from Tennessee, though similar
in tenor to what we have been accustomed to
receive any time during the war, becomes I'M
usually painful, in NV of the long suffering
of this abused people. The late CONSUMPTION
| act appears to be the only one last piece OF
| cruelty needed to complete the ruin of East
| Tennessee The able-bodied men had either
| been forced into the rebel ranks or made
| their escape The rebel government now de
mands the services of all between the ages oil
| forty-five and fifty-five. a requisition has
| been made by Davis on Gov. Harris for 5000
| of this class, and as many will escape, this
number will take about all that may be left
up to tifty-fvc years. ..
| The most desperate and determined efforts
| to escape, on the part of conscripts, met
! by the most wanton cruclties by the rebels
who do not attempt to take them, but shoot
them down like wild beasts whenever and
wherever found. The inhuman slaughter o.
these poor fellows taking place daily and open
| ly, is absolutely horrible, and would be in
credible but for the testimony of almost hun
dreCls of witnesses daily. 1t is a worthy com
ment upon the imnitigable insolence and stu
pendous hypocrisy of Mr.. Vice president
Stephens pseudo mission to Mr.. Lincoln " tc
mitigate the barbarities of war" This war
and scarcely any other, can surpass the inhu
man cruelties practiced by those lying hypo
critics in East Tennessee. Even this last con
scription act is intended and employed more
as a cloak to their barbarites than to obtair
soldiers, since it furnishes excuse to seize
property, hang, kill and vent the most in
formal passions with impunity. Boys aoede1
t'relte gears Of age hare been shot at their moth
c,'S feet; Union men, old and young, have beer
shot and hanged in presence of their agonizec
wives or mothers; females have been brutally
murdered for concealing their sons or hus
bands, or violated in the presence of THEN
male protectors. Rapine, pillage, arson, rape
and murder are no longer crimes in Eas
Tennessee, and no rebel soldier. has yet beer
punished for any otfense against Union mar
or woman. And these are the demons who
pirate ofrights and superior civilization, whom
Northern Peace Democrats think are wrong
ed, and to whose superior aromas Northern
| mudsills should submit the control of the
| Government frs ',t