The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-06

soNEEvTLLE, Ala. April %, 1865.
Ma. GrE. G. H. THoxAs;-General:
Through the kindness Of J. J. Giers, We
have been placed in receipt Of your letter
70 the citizens of this county. Having re
ceived it but day before yesterday, late in
thseveaing, time sufficient has not yet
elapsed to allow Of more than limited
corre.pondence with our people, c0nse-
ouentlv we cannot, at this time, give any
definite response to your proposal. The
people OF our county are peculiarly situa-
ted, so much 50 that, ct this date, it viii be
| impossible 10 secure an expression Of their
sentiments, but We think that IN twenty
days, they may be prepared TO act in this
matter. Above all earthly boons ,r1 Scsirs
peace, and nothing would prove so grateful
to our ruined country, and We will not and
cannot withhold our cooperation in any
general movement Of the people that viii
sacure an end 50 desirable.
Permit me to express our unfeighned re-
greet for the great calamity that has beiallen
our country in the assassination Of Presi-
dent Lincoln, an act from which every no
BILE and christian heart must instinctively
! shrink with horror, nor can it be found in
the spirit Of a brave and magnanimous
man or people to exult over crime so dark
and dastardly.
Trusting thst the required time to obtain
an expression Of the sentiments Of our Peo-
pie, may be accorded.
We are, General, your obedient servants.
The letter closes with the signatures Of
thirty citizens.
This letter was taken by Mr.. Giers to its
destination under circumstances involving
no small amount Of personal danger, which
he faced with unshrinking heroisn. He
left Decatur on the steamer Messenger on
the 25th Of April, which had troops on
board bound for rebeldom. Mr.. Giers is
Union citizen Of Alabama, his home IS at
Wilderness, Morgan county. He has been
a refugee for the last eighteen months, hay
ing to escape to avoid threatened hang
| ing for his Union sentiments. The troops
were disembarked at Diapers landing, and
detachment under Col. W. H. Fairbanks,
marched three miles TO Valhermo5a, where
Mr.. Giers was received with delight by his
wife and family. The ladies at once placed
the stars and stripes upon the upper bal
cony. where it waved in triumph for the
FIRST time in four years. Suddenly a volley
told that tho rebels were on the alert. The
soldiers returned the salute, but, as the
mission was to make peace flag Of truce
was sent, and the rebel commander, Capt.
Hart, OF the 9Th Alabama cavalry, stopped
the FIRE and an interview took place. The
rebel soldiers came forward, and good feel
ing prevailed. Mr.. Giers then bravely put
himself under the protection OF the rebel
troops, who took him safely to summsrville,
the county town, where Union meeting
had been called. At summeryiue Mr..
Giers met an assembly Of three hundred
citizens and hundred Of Roddy's soldiers,
when the reply TO General Thomss' letter,
given above, was agreed upon. 1t was writ
ten twenty miles from any Federal garrl-
son, and in the presence Of over Il hundred
rebel soldiers. Morgan, and adjacent coun-
ties Of North Alabama, claim to have been
! always in the Union, as their vote was Is
TO l against secession, and their delegates
in the Montgomery Convention never sign
ed the act Of recession proceeding for
which they narrowly escaped hanging.
Capt. Hart escorted Mr.. Giers safely back
10 Decatur Let those who say there are
no loyal sOutherners remember the stead
fastness Of Morgan county, Alabama, and
the counties adjacent.