The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-24
NO. 2e1.


men, and the two armies necessasilg ex-
hsusted and lsid waste the country
through which they passed. As the
army Of Sherman advanced, that Of
Longstreet withdrew, and il still sulleH-
| ly holds its position not more than thirty
miles distant, and occupying the eoun
ny to within five miles Of this placs.
The two armies, amounting 70 not less
than $1,000 men, with very heavy pro-
portion Of cavalry, have drained and
exhausted the whole Of East Tennessee.
Union men, upon the approach Of the
rebel army here, abandoned their homes,
and the more prominent rebel cilizsns,
Tor the most part, have des rted their
possessions within cur lines, and soughs
safety With their friends.
From whas has been said Your Ex.
cellsncy will see that we are reduced TO
almost the last extremity Of safeIiTg
and want. That part Of our labor not
already Ia tbs aFmy, can net row Be
pEohtably employ ed in the midst Of hes
ule demonstrations. Oar stock, inoiud-
ing cattle, hogs and sheep, is veil nigh
gone; cur horses have been talIsR by
one government or the other, OF stolen By
strsgglers Or natural thieves, and our
farms, in 3 great degree, have been left
f-rc.lesr. Il is impossible that The
usual agricultural pursuits be resumed.
Less than 10 per cent, p.Ehsps not more
than B, Of the usual breadth of wheat
has been soWn. M cats nor potatoes,
or very little Of either, have been lefl for
seed the present season aRd it l. IA
opinion Of the Undersigned, tbat for sns
reasons aforementioned, nos mere than
(If indeed 50 much ss) 20 per cent of
tne usual corn crop will be planted.
Oar meadows and e0rn-fslds have beaE
made desolate By the tread Of armies
homes have been rendered comfoFtlsse,
tai many OF our citizsDs, tired of
ltE f. aud dsspairing Of peace aud com
tor, are abandoning the country and
seeking elsewhere thai prOtseBon which
they have failed to obtain In the land OF
their birth.
Against this tide Of 4 ISOLATION We
most respectfully and earnestly invoke
the exercise of al the powers with which
the President and Olngress are invsssed.
We can not believe that the conduct Of q
people who have endured 80 much in be-
half Of toe government viii fail to com
mand its attention. We do not approach
the government as msndicants begging
alns. By the sweat Of our broWs Va
hsd provided bread for another year, bat
that supply As before stated, was gwen
up 10 the Union army. For The van OF
that supply our people are now ufsring,
and for IL, they have, in the main, re-
ceiVsd no equivalent. The necessities
of cur army, and ofien the wants Of the
soldiers, have been 50 great that large
portion Of tie stock and provisions taksa,
were taken by unauthoTiz ID persons,
who, Of course, gave no recsipis CT
vouchers. Hundreds Of fsmilles, here
tof0rs blessed with an abundance Of sll
the neeessariss snd many Of the comforts
Of life, have been reduced 70 alnos5 so
sOlute beggsry, bsesuse Of the priVstioos
imposed by the army. Many OF Aheso
families are without money with which
to replace The supplies, and, had they
the money, the supplies could not b.
found Besides, it is too often the case
that the receipts aud vouchers given ars
Irregular aud inf 'rmsl, and such as no
quarlermsstsr will honor.
The first re nsdy thas the undersigned
would respectfully suggest is . moro
speedy and prompt pGymentOf she claims
das 70 loyal citizens for property de-
strOysd and supplies furnished--esps-
cially that some provision be inmsdiat0-
IL made for TIE ready adiastnegt,s sBd
payment Of these Irregular claims 70
which reference has been made. Diring
the seige of Knoxville, for instanc-, tbs
houses Of many Union men were burned
by order Of the Commanding General,
vet the families Of these men, houielsss
and homeless though they be, can obtain
no satisfactioa from the governmsnt, far
the alleged want Of authority 10 the
Qaartsrmasters 70 pay such clAims. The
same may Be said Of irFegular claims
from al parts Of East Tennessee. We
would, therefore, most respectfully beg
Your EKcellency to direct the isslau3o
Of suc1 orders On the part Of soy De-
parimsnt OF G3vsrnmenf, having iaris-
dlciion thereof, or % rec0mm ind the
passage Of such q laR on the part Of
CJugress ss will sseu th 40 .say pay
inert Of Ell such aims 8 ihoss before
me ltionsd. The Prempi pA msnt 70 ihs
people OF East Tennesseo - tbs clsams
IN their hands, aud due, would do much
10 relieve their presens Wsais.
The second, and, at tie present time
the most important question that We
would call 10 Your Ex ellshcy's sttsn-
iion, Is that IF trsHsp Irtsii3n II II We
m9ney wishout iimIt, it " old avail but
l.tlis toward relieving th ps ssns ssals
of oas people, for e paFcha ~ ~
plies would prof 1uias unI 8, ge
we're sepplisd with tbs means u tf.RI-
ooi tatlon.
To briBg supplies aeross ths Cumbsr-
and MouniaiB by wagons or pack lraIus,
sven had We the facilities, would Be aext
% impossible. The experience of los
army Is safiicieBt % demonstrate t8e in-
)raoticability Of Supplying 3 popuiafion
4 more than thres hundred thoussnd By
hat means. The nAvigstion Of ths
Tennessee river is permanently o6slruct-
d By the Muscle Shoals, which ars nos
,ass1ble By boats Of the lightssg dranghl,
xcspt daring extreme tidesg and By lhis
ouie We have no hope of relief. Nesh-
lille Is now, and fos some time 70 CONS
aust necessarily be, the depot Of sup
lies upon which the immsnss armies
peFaiing in lover East Tennessee a. q
ieorsia must depend. The demands Il
his free Wiil nscessarily, 70 . great sx-
ent, ex slade the citizsns from he prigi-
szs Of transportation. Tfue, By means
{ the two railroads from \ asLV a ,--shs
&c tapping The Tennessee at u cstue
I'D me other ct Bridsspoi t-supplIss
aight be transported 70 the liver; buf,
hen, We hsgs no boats 81 eur esmnand.
nd even hsd We shs bo4is, Sc nppsr
'ennesses. the Holst0a, the Ciineh and
'rsnsh Bead sIysTs are unreliable for
ayigation, aad indeed are uanagizabis
b sx months IN ths year. Besides, the
outs from Nashville to Eass Tennosses
y way Of the river Is 70 . considerably
xisnt parallel with tho eneuy's lnes,
nd therefore sutjsct 70 tbs Fspsstsd
aids of guerrillas, whose dariag -
eVsg 90 muoh ssimulatsd - By the pros-
sci Of feod sod rniment. While mGsh
aieht ana shoaid be accomplished ~
sis pouts % alleviate the pssseat wants
4 our people, the undersigned sTs fatty
onviaced shst h yieH of lne neesasiiies
2 - srmx. suflsient facilities q q sni-
!. rtation cannot Be- obtained 70 sh'fe
- thing Ike reliable o. pernansnt se'ist
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