The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-22
For the Nashville Union.
what Is TO Become of the East Ten
neRseans!

~ nat Is 10 6GC0me Oh Ahe EE8t He'll
nesseans!
The above enquiry is one Of grave
importance, and the urgent necessity for
5 prompt answer is made manifest by
the wasted farms and pillaged houses Of
thousands of the loyal citizens of this
neglected section.
Oar farms are wsntOnly laid waste, all
our horses and cattle are taken unneces-
sarily, all the hogs killed that viii do to
eat, and the stock hogs shot down to pre-
vent US from raising more. Our best
farmers will not be able to start single
plOW when spring comes, and if they
had the horses they have nothing to feed
them on. In such condition Of things,
what is to become of q population Of
near one hundred and fifty thousand
women and children? It is high time
we had some intimstiOn Of the policy Of
the Government towards the loyal people
of East Tennessee, now that such easy
terms are given to the Rebels.
After near three years of q reign of ter
rOr over this people by the most unfeel-
ing, relentless of eppressOrs that ever
lOrded it over humanity; after their
friends, sons and fathers have been shot
hung, drowned, imprisoned, starved to
death, poisoned, hunted down with blood
hounds and savsges robbed, sacked and
plundered; after near twenty thousand
of her loyal citizens have gsllsntly en-
rolled themselves under their old flag,
and have shown themselves ever willing
TO battle for its honor, we find the fami-
lies of these same soldiers robbed and
plundered of everything by our own ar
my, and are now left in mid-winter beg
ging for bread. The spectacle presented
in this country would melt heart of
stone but it seems the large force lately
sent to Knoxville and back TO Chattanoo-
ga, contained but few hearts of such soft
material. That army viii long be re-
membered for it's wholesale plundering
and rObbing along the road. 1t is true
they were just from the battle field
where they had done some good service
in breaking up the siege of Chattanooga.
Many = brave companion had fallen in
the bloody fray, but they fell fighting
the enemies of the country, not its friends.
Much allowance should be made, how
ever, for the conduct of some Of those
men, from the fact that they had 10 sub
sist on the country, not having ratiOns
to take with them. But no allowance
can, or should, be made for the officers
in command, for not giving proper
vouchers to the loyal people for their sub
sistence and forage. The Rebels had al
ready CLEANED the country Of nearly all
its surplus, and bat little vas left more
than was absolutely necessary for the
support of the families living in the cOun-
try. But what there was would have
been spared cheerfully, bad the officers
In command desired it or asked for it.
But no, none were asked for anything
The poor woman, whose husband had
been gone for two, years in the Union
army, was suddenly deprived of the lit
tie stock of corn, hogs, and cattle, and
herself and children left to beg; and
when she demanded vouchers or pay, she
was insulted, and told to 90 to Cbattanoo-
ga, and prove her loyqhy and she would get
payl! a soldiers wife have TO prove
her loyalty before she can get pay for
the corn which herself aud daughters /
rsisedl And after they had thus robbed |
3 poor soldiers wife, or the widowed |
mother Of some of our soldier boys,
shoulder strapped gentry feast upon
their ill-gOtten booty and laugh at /
what > handsome thing Aey have
lone for The old lady. After q
long continuance Of such oulrages I
IS this, are not loyal people entitled to
be heard? If this is to continue, for
what do we East Tennsssesns fght2 +
We thought we we're fighting for the pro-
Iecti0n Of the Government. We certainly
did not suppose that after we had aided
in bringing the arms Of the Union 70 our
that these arms would be
turned on our women and children, to
force from them The last norsel Of sub
5istence without compensation
But in all this there is = deep laid poll
.ey and the attention Of every East Ten
aesses Union soldier sh0uld be called
10 it. That policy was indicated very
,...I,, .,,d r-s,,ontTv hv = Major GenaraI /