The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-08-06
A nEuORD OF INHuMAN CRUEL-
TIES.
REBEL BARBARITIE.S IN EASY
TENNESSEE.



is the article
From Colonel Robert A. Crawford. of
Green county, Tennessee, who is refu-
gee, and was one of the vice presidents
of the State Convention at Nashville, We
learn the following facts in reference to
rebel rule in that beautiful ''Switserland
of America" East Tennessee. Colonel
Crawford has a personal knowledge Of
some of the facts. having left the scene OF
their enactment quite recently, and
vouches Cor the truth of all OF them, az
his information was obtained from trust
worthy persons, and written down on the
spot.
Last summer three young men, broth.
ers, named Anderson. left their homes in
Hawkins county, and attempted to make
their way into Kentucky. They were az
rested by squad of confederate cavalry
on Chnch river, about seventy-hve miles
from Knoxville, shot, and thrown into the
river. Their bodies were found floating
in the stream, fifteen miles from their own
forsaken homeswe.
In the month of January. 1868, at Lau-
rel, N. c., near the Tennessee border, all
the salt was seized for distribution by
the confederate commissioners. Salt was
selling at seventy Eve to one hundred dol
! lars sack. The commissioners declared
that the "Tories should have none" and
. positively refused to give Union men their
.. portion of the quantity to be distributed
in that vicinity. This palpable injusstet
= reused the Union men they assembled
together and determined to seize thei
proportion of the salt by force. The!
did 80, taking at Marshall, N. c., wha
they deemed to be their Just share.
Immediately afterwards, the Sixty-fiftl
North Carolina regiment. under command
of Lieutenant Colonel James Keith, wa
ordered to Laurel to arrest the offenders
ARRESTS FOR SEEING.
L. M. Allen was Colonel of the regi
ment, but had been suspended for Grim
and drunkenness. Many of the men en-
gagged in the salt seizure left their homes
Those who did not participate in 1t be
came the sufferers. Among those arrest
ed were Joseph Wood, about sixty year,
of age; David Shelton, ffty; Rodd,
Shelton, forty Eve; Ellison King, forty
Halen Moore. forty; Wade Moore, thirty
Eve; Isaiah Shelton, fifteen; VIM. She
ton, twelve; James Metcalf, ten; Jaspe
Channel, fourteen; Samuel Shelton. nins
teen, and his brother, aged seventeen
sons of Lifus Shelton--in all, thrice
men and boys. Nearly all of them d.
ciared they were innocent, and had take
no part in appropriating the salt. The
begged for trial, asserting they coul
prove their innocence.
TIE ExECuTIos.
Col. Allen, who was with his troops
but not in command, told them the
should have trial. but they would be Il
ken to Tennessee'for that purpose. The
bid farewell to their wives, daughter
and sisters directing them to procure th
witnesses and bring them to the court
Tennessee, where they supposed the
trial would take place. Alasa how litt
they dreamed what fate awaited them
HORRIBLE BARBARIrIEs.
The poor fellows had proceeded bit
few miles, when they turned from tn
road into gorge In the mountains, an
halted. Without any warning of VIII,
was to be done with them, five Of tho
were ordered to kueel down Ten pac,
in front of these FIVE, file of soldie
were placed with loaded muskets.
The terrible reality flashed upon II
minds of the doomed patriots. Old ma
Wood Sixty years of age) cried out :
"For Gods sake men, you are not goir
to shoot us Ii you are going to murd'
US. give us at least time to pray" Co
Allen was reminded of his promise to gi,
them trial. They we're informed TIL
Allen had no authority that Keith WI
in command !; and that there was no tim
for praying. The order was given to CIR
tho old men and boys put their haads
their faces and rent the air with agonizir
cries OF despair the soldiers wavere
and hesitated to obey the command
Keith said if they did not fire instant
he would make them change places wi
the prisoners. The soldiers raised the
guns, the victims shuddered convulsiv
ly, the word was given to FIRE, and L
FIVE men fell pierced with rebel bulle
Old men Wood and Shelton were shot
the head, their brains scattered upon t
ground, and they died withouta strugg
. The other three lived only few minut
~; =. MURDER OF BOY OF TWELVE YEA
Five others we're ordered to kne
self among them little Billy Shelton, a m,
ing child. only twelve years old. He implol
inc the men not to shoot him in the face.
md You have killed my father and brother
Il. said he, "you have shot my father in t
am. face; do not shoot me in the face"
in. covered his face with his hands. The {
not diers received the order to fire, and 1
h;s more Of them fell. Poor little Billy '
his wounded in both srms. He ran to
ade. officer, clasped him around the legs, /,
ces. bssought him to spare his life. ~
the have killed my old father and my th
via brothers; you have shot me in both al
leu II forgive you all this---I can get "
tslv Let me 90 home to my mother aud
~. ters." What heart of adamant
- man must have who could disrecard .,