The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-01-18
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from Tennessee.
ELEvESTH ARMY CoRps, I
Lookout Valley, Jan. !. 1864. {

isovhous dlicy, ddus3, ISo3
suppose BY some subtle instinct you will
know that this paper upon which am writing
came from printing office; aud so to foresial
ans suspicion ] viii make clean breast of the
matter at once.
In our campaign into Fast Tennessee for the
relief OF Burnside one night we camped near
the neat little village of Athens. the county
seat Of McMinn county. We found. 10 our
JOY, eoodly number of loyal families there
ready to convey any Information which might
serve the cause.
We soon learned, (what you editors were
probably well posted about beforc,l that there
had been published there vile rebel sheet
called The Athens Post, the bane OF loyalty
in all that quarter. The editor had rdsnosest
that very day, on hearing Of our approach from
some rebel cavalry we had started up at
Charleston, aud which were fleeing before us
longstreet, however, was then in our eye and
We paid little heed TO sfnal! game.
We had some hope OF catching the rebel
General Leadbetter, doably traitor, who had
lodged the previous night near Athens, and
brought the news OF Longstreets assault and
repulse before Knoxville the Sunday previous
Leadbetter is from Maine; belonged 10 the u.
5. army, and, it will be remembered. cruelty
murdered some Union citizens Of East Tennes-
see at the beginning Of the war. Even Gen.
Howard would have been glad to have been
tive Justice ID this two.fold ,raitor and m.,r.
dsrsr IN, IL ba,s nscsnad Il, ao,.,,a,' ,n.,,a
and we could MOI turn aside from ,he gree'er ,ea.e
prize or more pressing eNigency at Knoxville.
LongstTeet might possibly make another as
saut and be successful before we could reach
there. We were determined in that case that
il should be a short-liyed success.
You have heard Of .our further search and
It's satisfactory results. Al Lonaon- lshere
tL.a !, n eroSses lIa Touneseao spa r,t.al
g4rrison baio,r they left ,lestrovoj sor, !, a.
more cars. Containing Immense 1nsntiti.s ~
stores and ammunition. They destrovedth
locomotives. running them with the cars after
being partly consumed bv fire. on into the
river from blnfT fttv feet above tha u,ata,
Seventy-flye wounded, lLongstreet's.l in
hosni,aI here foll into our hands :. ana ,,,o,,
the opposi,e ban,, of the river. four r;ffad guns
were captured.
Rut a. have not nnite cleared ,nv el-,,ts
about this letter paper. / viii invite Won ia
return 10 Athens. where we halted for fw,
days on otrr march back. 11,e editor nf .sThe
Athens POST had been caugi,t so,oe dozan. .,r
twenty miles off IN the diree,ion or inc ,nony-
/. tajns Of North Carolina. his face towards R;el.
,noud. Va. To add 10 his ignominv II an
peared that he was from New Jersey. Rva
series OF forced marches he returned "a
Athens.
Some enterprisiag ex-pnblishers and ex-
printers of the 18th corps proposed 10 issue
q few numbers of "The Athens Post' reuoya-
ted. In looking for some missing portions of
the press, large quantities ofpaper were found.
The missing parts Of the printng-press were
not found. The printer said they had been
sent South. But the paper lit for nse was
eonfiscated and distributed TO the different
Adjutant Generals offices OF the corps
Now II ] am right on the paper question ]
will relate what became OF the Editor.
While We were at Athens some Of the mill
tary men most inconsiderately blleted upon
his family who occupied fine brick residence.
The young lady daughters, IL is said, were
less obnoxious in their other lmore tender)
sentiments rs we'll as their manner Of express
sing them, than in their political opinions and
feelings.
The Editor was questioned a little by Gen.
sherman and on replying that he was ''se-
eessionist ten. sherman said TO him, Then