The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-30

country and people IN ana afcuho
Polk county. We ask the candle
Unicn men of the country 70 look at
these cold blooded and wholesale muir
ders, perpetrated by these rebel fiends,
and then answer these questions: Ougbl
any lenisncy to be shown such non
Ought any respect 10 be entertained
FOR Union men who WOULD excuse such
conduct, OF enter into their defenseY 2,
CLErELAyo, TESS, Dec 5, 1864
Dr.. VA. o. Br,vnl0o:
DgAR SIR: The citizens on the east
side Of Bradley county, and in Polk
county, have witnessed, within the lasi
few days, acts q cruelty and brutal
barbariiy that have not been eXcelled
bv tie rebels since this war began.
On last TUESDAY morning, Rebel
force numbering about forty, came 10
the house of A. j. Hin, on the State
line. and commenced shooting at one
of his sons. lie ran from them and
Jumped into the C0nnassauga river,
and swan across, the rebels all the
tine shooting at him, but failed to hil
him. IN the meantime, Horace Hill
the uncle 10 the boy whom the rebels
we're trying TO Kill, ran out OF the
house, and another squad OF rebels sur
rounded him, and lie surrendered to
them. and sat down upon a low fence,
and tuned and was looking at the fate
OF his nephew, who was swimming the
river, and the rebels firing at him
When thus engaged, Captain Gatewood
OF the rebel force, put his pistol to the
side Of Horace Hills head and shot
him through, killing him instantly
The rebels then went to the house OF
Mrs Armstrong, the widow Of Allen
Armstrong. deceased. Here they ar
rested her son Baker Armstrong and a
man by the name Of Raper, and one
by Tbe rame of Londonmilk They
made all those stand up in the road IN
front Of the house, and then they
shot and killed all three, in the pres
euce of Mrs. Armstrong and the family.
after Baker Armstrong fell, one rebel
took him by the-hair OF the head ana
raised him up, aud other rebels shot
him through four times more The
last shat the muzzle of the pistol was
pp, a. his mouth, and the bali passed
ont in the back part OF the head
While this iiendish deed was being per
petrated, her youngest son, but a boy,
IAN. The rebels pursued and caught
him The mother followed to beg Tor
his life. When the mother gotto them
the rebels had the boy stripped she
begved for his life-he called 10 her TO
know e his brother Baker was dead
Eherrpliel lac was The little son be
oan 10 weep. and tho rebels cursed him
tor &eepinr. and beat HIM over the
head aud face most cruelty, but spared
his life.
The rebels next went TO Holland 8,
and shot his son John three times as
he ran One shot passed through has
clothing and another through his hat,
but he made his escape They arrested
three Young men at Holland who had
fed from Georgia; they took all these
ont TO the road and shot them One
was killed instantly, and the other TWO
are vet alive
They went next to Ole house of sam
mel Parks. who fortunately was not at
nome A man by the name Of Gurley
was shoemalSing for Parks they killed
Gurlev They killed young William
Kipson AZ Benton They went up the
Ocoea FLYER TO Parks MIL, and killed
"a man hy the name Of Jones, and shot
"a small hoy al the mill, who has since
died as reported. As they passed W
t,nsriver they shot VIM LiliaTd, who Is
morially wounded Further up the
river. on the same road, the rebels met
a paltv Of men with some wagons com
ing 60 Cleveland The rebels shot and
killed six of these men, and leit them
LAYING in the road in a pile near the
mouth of Greasy Creek Further on
they killed another man At Green I
ferry or near there, at the house sol
Sidney McCioud, they killed three
more men. But few weeks since, q
Marty of men came 10 the house of said
McCIoud in open day, took him out ano
stripped him, and put him IN the road
before them. and rode their horses ovel
him and nancled him, and then sho
him through the head, killing him IN
stantly
These rebels. whose deeds of las
Tuesday and Wednesday ! have oeei
describing went on up towards DUCK
town, and have got around back TO tn'
Conassauca River again. they o0as
of having killed twenty-tour, and NOR
talv wounded three have writer
the facts so far as they have come L
my knowledge in a reliable shape
While they were raiding and killing
they carried on a system OF wholesal
robbe-y and theft. The following ar
some Of the rebel officers and private
engaged in sad assassinatlons and rob
beriss. Cart G. B May, Of Red Clay
Ga: Lieut. James blackwell, Ca Cap
Tremer. Lieut. Leonard, Capt Thomas
Polk Edmonson, and Capt Jordin.
IL is said that said Captains did nc
cross the river, but remained inside
Georgia while their squads crossed int
Tennessee and performed the aeoy
described bloody deeds Captain Cat
wool was along. and was the ring
leader of the gang, and did the most
the killing with las own hands, lie
"a Kentuckjan: he is a large man, h
hair Is almost red, wears Il long, dow
IN his shoulders HIS face Is CoVere
with long red beard savage IN a
peatance. lie and four brothers al
I'M the rebel army, and one Of tho
brothers IS with hm Jasper Grad
two McSpaddens, two sons OF Jac'
Gregory, a son Of Bryant Coxey, a Sc
Of the Widow Airheart young Dea
aud young man who went out
Georgia last spring from Meigs count
in a buggy. dressed i'm female clotbin
in company with Capt Peaks wii
were all along and assisted in g
murders and robberies. The most
these men were raised in Bradley al
Polk counties Bryant Coxey, AFT
having served in the rebel army &
out. has taken the oath, and is prote
Ted at home, while his son is kill
his neighbors
The above Is only brief outline
the bloody deeds Of the outlaws 81
rebel land pirates.
Yours, a
4