Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-05-03
TNTEREsTING RROM mGDDI
TENNkBsEE.
From our Regular CorrsspondeasI

Very soon Aftsr the army OF 4ennesboo kdHe W -S
supposed imprsEnAbIe position of Chattanooga; evaeu
Ated all the mOantsin passes Of East Tennessee issF
Tag all Southern soldiers who happened to be ia the
valley OF the Cumberland completely isolated nom the
main army. Thsre was at that time fne opening for
guerrilla warfare in the rear Of tbs Yankee army,
the different small dstaehmens left in Middle Tsnnss,
see and Southern Kentucky banded
and under the leadership Of OolE Hughes. Hamilton
and Murray, annoyed Ihs enemy great deal during the
months of autumn. Their minuss knOwlsdgs Of the
country enabled them to defy ali at emps Of the Yam
KEGS TO capture or disperss them.
Bat when winter closed in and the lines OF the con
tendBg armies became unnistGkably dehnsd: when
Missionary ridge given up snd lower East Tsnnes
see evacuated the enemy heavy Of cavalry
and infantry oust these bold dsurbers Of their peace
Orders we're issu d declaring them all outlaws to be
treated as such when taken The weather cold
and dIssRr cable and eternal vigilance being nsOes
sary TO prevent surprise, Of great suffering
the consequence among hose who still kept the field.
The lines were so closely guarded that seemed
to impossible for any considerable number to come
through
Under these circumstances, gave themselves up
and sent prisoners OF to the North others
took the oath of aegsrce the amnesty oath. Cols.
anlton and Murray captured and gent to prison
while a few brave spIrits under Hughes still kept the
field frequently meeting ssd fighting Stokes renegade
Tennessee cavalry and Andy JOhnson's home guards
uu; some tine in March, when Col Hughes and Major
Bledsoe sssing little good to be accomplished By longer
rem aiming here, determined to out, polsible
Col Stokes was at tha. time stationed at Sparta,
with his regiment of cavalry, except what had been
killed which wers Insny0 and the 10Th United States
colored naEtry regiment besides large scouting parties
of boms guards wer1 constantly passing through the
country So It was essAry to use some strategy 10
deceive the enemy, order to get started through
molssted Hearing 81 Stokes had revoked his oath OF
outlavry toward hn who would give themselves up,
Hughes addressed him the following communication
HEADQUARTERS c. s. FORCES,
LIVINGSTON, March a. 1864
Col Stokes Commanding st Sparta, Tenn:
SIR: Rsmor Informs that you propose to permit
and my to appear a. Sparta and take he sth
of allegiance TO the United States. Colonel, If this be
tue you will gv5 the necessary assurance that
there is trick It. will then consult my officers and
the subject, aud guess all will be right: Col
onel could Is you wish, satizfy you that and my
not to bsms for the killing Of your in
the Calf Killer hght II Il E net contrary TO your
dsrs would prefer to be psrolsd. Joined the Con
federsts service for three years and unless enlist my
time will be out the 18Th Of August next
Hoping to hear from you, am, Colonel,
Very respectfully yoHG ensmy.
Colonel 25Gh Tenn Regt O. s. A.
Stokes eagerly swallowed the bait as will be seen
by the following characteristic lettsri
HEAQUARTERs .. S FORCES L
Sparta, Tenn, AAIeh 2s. 1854 5
J n Hughes Colonel 25th Tennessee Regimsnt c. s. A:
SIR. Yonrs Of the 9th inst has lust been handed
me by Mr Yeit0n In feply must say that the rumor
you aliuds ts is correct. l stated TO Of your
friends Cor a. esst sequaintsnces) that would permit
y0u and your to come forward and take the oath
OF allegiance the United States Government" and
sour homes In peace; provided you aud they
would deliver to your horses, equipments ard arms
and were not gJiity Of murder, robbery and ripe.
soldier is thing murderer robber is another
This does apply TO raids made into Kentucky but
to wilfnl and deliberate murder theft 1 have al
ready permitted Of yours and Hsmiltons men TO
take the oath who hsd been in those raids and in s
the fights since came here They of course delivered
up hOTses and arms The require of yoH. They
not informed guilty OF any OF those out.
rageous crimes 1 prefer not 10 parole any one, but
will trest you aud your nen as prisoners Of war, by
sending you around 10 Camp Chase for exchange, II
you prefer il taking the oath. As the Calf Killer
hght-where my men were 50 5rutslly murdered, nm
dsrstand it was done by some Texan rangers and Fer.
regret very mueh ths4 Il occurred and since that
time have taken but few prisoners Tae Of
minatlon wss made upon ne, and Wss detsrminsd to
retaiste assure you that what have said written
not intended to dseeye you and hope that you are
sincere Rnr honest in What you ask Ny obieci is to
STOP tee further efuEon of blood net snAt fear the
meeting Of your force or any olher. You viii once
comply with this by surrendsrng tie OF
minstion will continue Hoping to hear from you soon,
(SIgned) w. d. STOKES,
Colonel Commanding 5.h Tennessee cavalry.
Col Hughes replied to this by asking Stokes "tO be
kind wait till the 18Th of April" that he might
get his men together and consult their wishes, etc
This lass letter was carried to Sparta by Union
man Hughes had not the rsnotsst idea of surrender
ing. That his position and motives may be fuzzy
derstood, give bis own language, copied frem his
memorandum, Is folsOWs:
On Saturday the 1Sth of April Gag Of truce wsE
sent out By MsiOr Cliit Of Colonel Stokes regiment
with forty men, 20 meet and arrange the terms OF
surrender when the party arrived at the point where
they expected to hnd ms with upiifted hands, they
found thai had gathered up my command and sfeI
consulting my mind and their's-f0und not rnzn
willing 20 surrender ARd that st least eighty
miles in the direction Of General LOngsreets army
Many more would have come out with me, but for the
difficulty Of acting in eoneert-heAvy snSes sooue
a,ss.isred All through the country. never had sht
slightest idea OF surrenderng TO Colonel sokes
Yankee have the most sovereign eontsmpt for him
know HIN to be mean, eswardy dog; he never goei
into Eight himself hA correspondence with him wa
military necessity, / wshea get with a
| many men possib Q. To a certain extent, my russ
had the desired effect
Col Hughes left Livingston, Tennessee intending Il
so to Gen Long1trset but after crossing the noRntal
he fonnd that command had evacuated Upper ESs
Tennessee be returned down the Valey-eFOssed th
Tenresses river at MeElworth's ferry-eAme through
Rleevfls and crossed the Hiswassse lear Duektown
1
from Dalton He experienced little difficulty in getting
thrOugh-Only being pursued short distance In Ess
Tennessee he left Stokes With bis regiment sistione
at Granville jackson county. The negro regiment ha
been ordered the 'front.' having crossed the mountain
10 Kingston two days before him Birds regiment is
Kingston disnounied There are two regiments Q
Yankees at Madison, East Tennessee, and small CARR
sons LOudOn, Athens sud Charleston, also, an eu
| esmpmen. at the Savannah farm twelve mllss shove
In Middle TenEesses most of the garrsonE have bee
ordered to the sn army except along the line Of raj
roads. There about two hundred aud ATTY men at Nc
Mipnville.
Andy johnson Is trying to raise home guard eOr
panes all the State TO do his little dirty work 70
him. BE Is succeeding to a certain extent gettin
soms dsserters from army and IlIng out with ns
telgent e0ntrabsnds" stolen from the citizens. Tin
H. Williams Of Smith county, formerly nsjor in th
Confederate service, and James McHsnry an orignI
secsssonIst," and sdusn: general for the ate at h
beginning Of the war trying rsiss regment q.
hsht for the old AsgT and "Epluribus Unum." The
want whites, but Il enough cannot be procured, v
suppose they Will I'll out with their sable brethrer
ROriifyins it is to see those In whom once hA
thus desert our aaersd cause and traitor
to their race 1t is gratifying TO know that they hsv
thrown of their disguise and appear In their tru
light. The South has already suffered severely frci
wolves in sleeps elothipg-frOm demons wrapped u
In seraphio robes
We regret to say that accounts heretofore pull
shsd In regard to the destruction Of privste prol
ery in Tennessee and the abuse Of citizens fan
confirmed At Sparta, for instance scarcely vessig
Of rail or fence COW or heg, creeping TAIN
can be found The family Of Col G. G. Dibrsh hs
been literally robbed Of everything, scarcely being e
} the neeessAriss Of life. The family Of Major w.
, GoOabsr president Of the branch bSnk of Tennessee
At Sparta, has likewise been left i4 almost destitu
. circumstanees In some places houses have bes
burned and citizens murdered in cold blood, withos