Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-08-13
Letter From Parson Brownlow.

The trough and ready" parson
writes from Nashville to the Phila-
delphia Press thus
So far as the rebellion is concerned,
it is thought to be on it's last legs.
You haeve done good job for the reb
els in Pennsylvania, Grant has ruined
them in the South, and Rosecrans is
on middle ground, driving them into
Georgia. There never was such a
chase on earth as our army had after
Bragg's forces. They fed in every
direction, in wild confusion, and more
terror-stricken than if the devil had
been after them. They left guns, side
arms, blankets, hats, caps, canteens,
haversacks, horses, wagons, saddles,
cooking utensils, and everything they
possessed, strewn along the road and
in the woods. They took to the bush
es in wild confusion, and panic-strick-
en- ; hundreds plunged into Duck riv-
er, and hundreds were drowned. Fiji
ty rebels have been picked out of one
hole in Duck river, near Shelbyville.
The tyrant and beast, Bragg, went
in advance of his demoralized army, to
prepare quarters and rations for them
The retreat was conducted by the RI.
Rereread Major General Bishop Leonidas
Polk, who, with the prayer book
in one hand, bottle of liquor in the
other, and eyes lifted towards heaven,
asked the blessing of God upon his
yations, and that of Davis upon his ar
my! But on they went, and they are
going yet They have crossed the
Tennessee river, and Destroyed the
great bridge at Bridgeport If they
make any stand at all, my opinion is,
it will not be this side of Atlanta.
There they will be reinforced by Joe.
Johnston and the remnant of Lees
army.
Thousands of Bragg's men have de-
serted-some taking to the mountains
of Middle Tennessee, and some com
ing into our lines, giving themselves
up and going into our ranks. Two of
our regiments recruited fifty of them
in one day last week, among whom
is Lieut.. Runde, son of the Oldest
East Tennessee Congressman. ! have
conversed with young Runde, for he
was once an apprentice to the print
ing business in my Office in Knoxville
He tells me there are 10000 of Bragg's
army disposed to desert, and resolved
not to leave Tennessee. On the re-
treat, they placed all the Tennessee
conscrips in front, and drove them be-
fore the Alabama, Georgia and Missis-
sippi troops. Runde was conscript,
caught in the attempt to bring com
pany into Kentucky, some eight
moths ago.
Last night, between the hours of
nine and ten, an attempt was made to
assassinate DIR. Peters, the man who
killed Van Dorm. DR.. Peters is board
ing at the same house am, and was
in conversation with him, Mr. May
nard and others, on long portico, in
front Of our rooms, from tea-time until
we dispersed to go to bed My room
is on the floor above his, and distinct
ly heard the crack Of the pistol. He
had gone to bed and the assassin
fired at his head, through the window
from the portico, missing his head but
few inches.
The miscreant made his escape, and
is evidently in the employ of Van Dorn's
friends, or of that villainous trio who
composed his staff, and who published
a false card, concealing facts and ex-
pressing falsehoods, in all that relates
to that affair. The hope is, by the
death Of DR.. Peters, to prevent the pub
LEGATION Of the facts in the case, and of
such documents as he holds in the hand
writing OF Van Dorm. Had they muir
dered the Doctor they would have
failed in this, for he has deposited with
friend the documents, sealed up, re-
questing their publication in the event
he is assassinated.
The great question with us is, when
will East Tennessee be redeemed? 1t
will astonish my friends in the loyal
States when tell them, as now do,
that East Tennessee has 10000 men
in the Federal army, and 10000 more
ready to join them when they are fur
nished with arms, and released from
the caves in the mountains and the
South. Neither Massachusetts nor
Vermont is more loyal to this Govern
ment than is East Tennessee-Glori-
GUS East Tennessee. May her Union
citizens live forever! And may her
hills, valleys and streams live in song
and in history, when Old Times is dead
and gone /!
lam, sir, yours respectfully,