Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-11-16

ana stale lllHl ne ma u continuation OF Whal W.
had said from gentlemen he knew to be reliable
This Is m old document, but wo publish II TO-
the benefit Northern traitors
ALL the PARTICULARS ABOUT HANGING THE
BRlpGE-BuRNERs-IT EFFECrs-ASDY's HouE
FOR A HOsPIrAl--CoL, LEADRETTERs PROCLAIM
TIoN-pEATn or PRIVATE NGRATH-w1NTfB
QUARTERS Al GREENEyILLE
GREENEyILLE Tenn, Dec, 2, 1861
Dear Confectionery; The excitement caused by our
hanging two bridge-burners has in some measure
subsidized and every body seems satisfied that the
sentence was just, and that the Government and its
laws shall BE- recognized by the disloyal people in
East Tennessee. True, some Of Johnsons votaric'
and Brownlows rag-tag and bobtail Union men
condemn this execution They may howl in thoi'
mountain gorges, and heap imprecations upon our
heads, but it will only be for q season. We viii
ggy keep. Var F5F aGa g WgaSs@c Gt until the So
! fully established
! The two doomed culprts were not aware Of their
doom until q few moments before the hour o'clock,
u. m. and short rs the time was, they busted them
Selye, in speaking on oath their full confession If
guilt before the Court Martial Fry confessed thtt
he poured the turpentinc on the bridge and aite'-
wards sci fire to this combustiblc material carried
the sentinel off some half mile, and made him
swear never to reveal the names of the offenders.
Providence has saved the sentinel the trouble, !or
they have mot the fate justly meed out to then.
They came in sight of the gaows-a temporary
affair erected on the hillside in full view of the town
and large oak limb was substituted us the cross
beam for this novel engine of DEATH and a shudGer
passed over Them which was perceptbe by all
They then knew that in few moments they must
die the death of Il felon. The whole battalion us-
der arms was drawn up around the ground, and the
ropes were adjusted by Corporal McVay Of our
company-thc caps drawn over their pale faces the
ladder was taken from the trcc-the stiffness of
death pcryaded the whole throng-tho minute-hand
was in few seconds Of ] ocock--thc watch still
went tick, tick-thc knees shook visbly-tho whole,
frame was ready to give way to natures spirit
bark il is 4 o'clock The trigger is touched--and
10 dangling at the ropes end, between heaven and
earth, are seen two struggling human beings The
struggles Of one were short the other seemed lit
lie 10th to give up the spirit from its tenement Of
clay, but in few short moments they were both
dead.
By order they were left to hang all night and
portion of next day, when they were buried beneath
The tree upon whose giant limb they hung, and
where their wretched lives were brought to end.
Could that old and honored oak have spoken, it
would no doubt have beseechcd not to tarnsh its
good name and old age by the touch of such miser-
able tories
1t has had Il wonderful effect on unionism here.
ana HtOTt5 are tullS III lllSil anu uuF, taxing the
oath of allegiance to our Government, and by this
serious service proclaim to the world that they will
defend it agrinst all OF its enemies
/ We have taken Andy Johnson's house ~ Il hos
/ pal and it has created some little fuss among his
relatives, but We have occupied it, and it makes a
splendid receptacle for our sick. | hear that Andy
went bitter tears in Louisville when he heard that
our forces had occupied East Tennessee.
Enclosed send you proclamation by Col. Lead
better in command here and you aud ysur readers
for yoursalvae 'Vlo 10 hkoy e DO spornd in
this contest:
/ "PRoCLANATlUS no THE CITIZENS OF EAST TENEEs-
SEE
SO long as the question Of Union or Disunion
was debaable SO long We did well to debate it and
vote on it, You had a clear right to vote for the
Union but when Secession was established by the
voice OF the people you did i'll TO distract the coun
try by angry words and insurrectionary tumult. In
doing this you commit the highest crime known to
the lava.
cont of the Southern Coniederacy no people po.-
scs- such clements Of prosperity and happiness a.
those Of East Tennessee. The Southern market
which you have hitherto enjoyed only in competi-
ton with host Of eager Northern rivals will now
be shared with few States of the Conlederacy
equally fortunate politically and geographically
Every product OF your agriculture and workshops
will now find prompt sale at high prices and so
long as cotton grows on Confederate soil so long
will the money which it brings flow from the South
through all your channels Of trade
AT thi. moment you might be at war with the
United States or any other Foreign nation and vet
not suffer tenth Of the evils which pursue YOU in
this domestic strife. No man life or property is
safc-no woman or child can sleep in quiet You
arc deuded by selfish dcmagosues who take care
for their own personal safety. You are citizens Of
Tennessee, and your State one Of the Confederate
States.
80 long as you are up in arms against thes,
States, you look for any thing but the invasion
Of your homes, and the wasting Of your substance
This condition of things must be ended. The Gov
eminent commands the peace and sends troop.
enough to enforce the order. ! proclaim that every
man who comes in promptly and delivers up hi,
arms will be pardoned on taking the oath of aileg
ance All men taken in arms against the Govern.
nent will be transported TO the military prison at
Tuscaloosa and be confined there during the war
The brdge.burners and destroycrs of Railroal
tracks are excepted from among those pardonable
They will be tried by drumhead court-inartal anC
BE- hanged on the spot d. LEADBETTER,
Sol. Commanding.
Head Quarters,
an