Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-15
Sixth East Tennessee Volunteers.
CAMr SToNEMAN, NEAR WAsmNGroN, ID. {
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CAMr SroNEMAN, NEAR WAsuINGToN, d. c.
February >, 1860. I
Dr.. Wm. G. BrownLow;
suppose that | may address you by that title
now, but hope long to substitute for it another,
for we see you are to soon become Military Cover
nor of the Commonwealth of Tennessee, and we
ardently hope the time may soon come when we can
have you for Civil Governor when civil law shall
be restored and we again shall have peace on solid
base, without being numbered with that greatest of
all modern curses--slOvery. We are proud to see
that there is such unanimity of sentiment among
our people on the subject of eradicating the evil
that has brought SO much trouble upon u.s. and we
hope, when our State government is reorganized, that
our constitution may be so amended as to forever
Danish from our State limits the institution of Afri-
can slavery. But did not seat myself and take up
my pen to discuss State affairs, the slavery ques
ton My business is something else for the present
But my object in taking my pen was with your per
mission, to speak few words with our numerous
friends in East Tennessee, who we know are ever
interested in our destiny They will be surprised
to learn of our sudden transit from the wilderness of
Dixie to the great metropolis of our nation, but it is
nevertheless true. brief account of our trip here
might not be unnterestng, and is to be regretted
that an ADLER pen cannot give it. On the evening
Of January 10th, we bid farewell TO comrades of
the Sd Tennessee 1nfantry-with whom we had been
serving SO long-whose term of service expires soon,
and embarked on board the steamer Lcni Leoti -
and by daybreak next morning were moving rapid
" down the turbd and swollen waters of the Ten
nessee river, and in twentyfour hours had reached
it, mouth, and were steaming up the Ohio. When
we reached Cincinnati on the evening of the 2lst,
we learned that on account of the accumulation of
ice in the river we could go further in boats, and
on the morning Of the 22d we discmbarkcd at the
dry docks above the city. Preparations were made
at once for transportation to Annapolis Tnd by way
Of Columbus Bell Air, &c. BY p. NJ. we were
whirpg rapidly away toward Columbus, in crowd
ed box-cars from forty to fifty men in a box. We
reached Columbus about midnight, whore we re-
maincd until morning. the citizens of the city fur
nishinc us with hot coffee by the barrel, which was
quite acceptable as it was very cold, and showing
at a rapid rate and you may be assured the boys
did ample justice to the occasion. At daybreak next
morning we found that car containing one COM
pany Oh our regiment nau uTohch uO"H' gnu WIZ
ordered to distribute the men of that car among the
others, already crowded and overlooking 1t docs
seem TO that there is no cause for thus punish
ing troops is always the when they trans
ported by railway. From forty to fifty men in q
close car without to sit lie down. is very un
pleasant when they have to remain so for severa
days. We hope our authorities may seriously think
of these things and that remedy may be adopted
But We were soon under headway again, but pro
grcssed slowly, on account of snow on the ground
which was from fifteen 10 twenty inches deep, anC
continued to fall rapidly so we did not reach Bel
Air until next morning at 9 A. NJ. This is small
village just below Wheeling Va, on the Ohio side
of the river. Here we crossed the river where th,
packing process was again repeated, and we wer'
nut in cars without stoves and the weather extreme
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