The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-01

The following letters explain them
selves. The ceremony Of surrendering
was to take place day before yesterday,
(30th); but we have no information
relative to the matter, but suppose il
took place according to arrangement.
Major Bledsoes command will follow
salt in a few days:
LIvIsGsToN, Tenn, March q, 1864
GIL. Stokes, CoD.d'g at Sparta, Tennessee:
DEAR sIR.-C&onel, runner informs In,
that and my command will be allowed by
YOU 10 appear at Sparta and take the oath
Of allegiance to the Omitted States" and IN
regard TO that, Colonel, / wish to fairly an
derstand whether all this is false, or done
in order TO deceive me. Colonel, if you VIII
assure me that myself and men Will be al
lowed to take the oath and return home or
Colonel, if not contrary to your orders, j
had rather take parole and be exchanged
as other prisoners. prefer the parole
You Will be go good as 10 let me hear from
you as soon as possible; and VIII consult
my men, and-l am sure all viii be right
Colonel, consider that am not to blame
for the kind Of warfare that IS being car
Confederate soldiers and your command
and, if You require it, 1 will give you a fuit
explanation OF the Calf-Kill affair, which
am satisfied will give You full satisfaction
on my part. .
1 am, Colonel, very respectfully
Your enemy,
JoHy NJ HUGHEs,
Col. 25th Tenn. Reg.C. S. 4.
p. ST. do this because ! believe IL to be
the only way 10 save the lives Of men. As
for myself It matters not; | had as soon
die as be disgraced as a soldier / Joined
the Confederate Army to fight for three
years, and my time viii be out the first OF
August next, and then am no longer a
rebel soldier.-But it has been always my rule
to Il Il my contracts, but it seems that ! viii
not be able to fiji that.
If this is agreeable hope there VIII be
no more killing until the thing Is fixed up.
J. N. HUGHEs.
HEADo'Rs U. s. FORCES, SPARTA, TENN.,
March -, 1854.
j. NJ. Hughes, Col. 18th Tenn. Reg't. c. s. 4.
sir:-Yours Of the 9th inst, has just been
handed me by Mr.. Yelton.
In reply, | must say that the runor
YOU allude to is correct. stated TO
some Of your friends, Tor at least aequain
tances,) that 1 you'd permit you and your
men to come forward and take the oath Of
aIlegiance to the United States Government,
and return TO your homes in peace, Pr0UjdGa
YOU and they would deliver TO me your
horses, equipments and arms, and were not
guilty OF murder, robbery or rape.
A soldier is one thing, and murderer or
robber is another. This does not apply 10
raids made into Kentucky but to willful and
deliberate murder or theft.
I have already permitted some OF yours
and Hamiltons men to take the oath who
had been in these raids, and in all the
fights since | came here. They, of course,
delivered up their horses and arms-the
same ] require of you. They, OF course, were
not, as was informed, guilty Of any OF these
outrageous crimes. ....
! rsier not TO parole any one, but will
treat YOU and your men as prisoners of war,
by sending YOU around 20 Camp Chase for
exchange, if YOU prefer it to taking the oath.
As to the Calf-Killer fight, where my men
were so brutally murdered, / understood IL
was done by some Texan Rangers and Fer
guson's men. l regret very much that it
occurred, and since that time have taken
but few prisoners. The war of extermina-
ton was made upon me, and l was deter
mined TO retaliate.
assure YOU that what / have said o.
written is not intended to deceive you, and
hope that YOU are sincere and honest in
what you ask. My object is TO stop the
further eiiusion Of blood, not that 1 fear the
meeting Of your forces or any others. You
Will at once comply with this by surrender
ing, or the war of determination Will con-
tmue.
Hoping TO hear from you soon, I remain
your enemy until you surrender,
". B. STOKES,
Col. Commanding 5th Tenn. Cav.
After the above was put in type last
night, we learned from an officer in
Col. Stokes's command, who arrived on
the cars from Gallatin, that Colonel
Hughes, Adgt Mcdowell, and Others,