The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-10

Nineteen Confederate prisoners arri
we'd in the city from Hopkinsville, KY,
yesterday morning, and, by order OF
General Burbridge, were released from
custody, on taking the Presidents oath
of amnesty They belonged to the Sd
Kentucky (rebe) infantry, and the
term of their enlistment, three years,
having expired, the regiment was dis
banded, between Maysville and PadU-
cab, on the Goth day of March, by or
der of General Forrest Three Ken
lucky regiments were disbanded on the
same day, at the same place-the Sd,
Col. Thompson; the It'll, Col Grassland;
and the 8th, Lieut. Colonel Shockliffe
These regiments were a part of the
command of Forrest, and led the col
umn in the late attack on Paducah
They lost in the fight about twenty men
killed, and a number wounded. The
whole force of Forrest is estimated at
eight thousand, and the total loss in
the attack was about one hundred and
fifty killed, captured, and wounded
Col Thompson, who was killed in the
fight, who was commanding a brigade
at the time, but held his commission
in the third Kentucky infantry Most
of the men belonging to the dis
banded regiments returned to their
homes in the State, and will be glad
to accept of the privileges afforded by
the oath of amnesty. A small portion
the commands followed in the rear Of
Forests forces, and signifed their in
tention of enlisting in some Of the reb-
el Tennessee regiments. The nineteen
of the Sd regiment who accepted the
oath of amnesty yesterday are princi-
pally residents of Caldwell county
They report that the Kentucky regi-
ments in the rebel service will be dis
banded and allowed to return to their
homes as fast as the terms Of their en-
Hstment expire The manner of dis
banding the three regiments by Forrest
is something of a novel proceeding in
military regulations, and must appear
as a strange act to the candid thinker
The movement looks to US as if it was
intended to cloak some. deep design
None of the soldiers were furnished
with papers showing that they were
mustered out of the Confederate ser
vice. They say that they were simply
drawn up in line and told, that, as their
terms of enlistment had expired, they
no longer belonged to the Confederate
army, and would be permitted to return
to their homes This may be an honest
statement, but thinking men may be par
doned if they are slow Oplace implicit
in the story General For
rest would have no legitimate right to
a regiment simply by a YER
bal proclamation The authority would
have to come from the rebel
War Department and each soldier
would have to receive a written GER
tifcate of his muster out, together with
final statements of his accounts with
the Government. The Confederate ar
my Is not so strong or the Government
so abundantly able 10 furnish soldiers
that it would permit three regiments
TO be illegitimately disbanded The
wholesale CONSUMPTION which is being
enforced throughout the South would
place expired regiments again in the
field, and we can find no reason why
rebel Kentuckians should be exempted
from the order. We truly believe that
of the regiments by Forrest
is farce TO prepare startling drama
for the stage. The Confederate authori-
ties have not given up all hope Of again
possessing Kentucky, and plan Tess
subtle could scarcely be conceiv- +
ed TO aid their cause than by disband-
ing three veteran regiments 70 enter
the State without opposition or alarm,
and efiecting an organization. in quiet /
strike at some unguarded T.
point, hoping to be successful 1t /
would be well to closely watch the
Of Lhe disbanded soldiers I
Of the Kentucky rebel regiments, and /
not place too much confidence in the I
honesty Of their Northumberland /
Journa! 9Th