The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-03-03
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WN. OANEgON . o., Pabllshera.
FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1865.
Letter from Decatur.
cor,spoadenoe ofths NaslFlle Union.

! Correspondence Of the Nashville Union.
DECATUR, Ala, Feb. 20.
Don't you want correspondent who
is au fair with all the military move
ments from the Ohio to the Savannah,
who enjoys the confidence of the Presi-
dent and all the Generals, who is the
confidential adviser of Louis Napoleon
and the bosom friend of Maximilian !;
one who can foretell future events, and
is better clairvoyant than the seventh
daughter of the seventh daughter we
read of in the columns of the New
York Herald :? presume you do, and
therefore, without any further cere-
mony, viii present you with my intro
ductory epistle arrived here from
your lovely city about week ago, after
a terrific trip of only three days, via
Stevenson. Being a distinguished
refugee, 8 special box car was furnished
us, minus seats, stoves, berths, and 9TH
er articles Of luxury, with the iDjunc-
ton to make ourselves as comfortable
as possible. We had complimentary
ball that night as we ratified through
the Cumberland mouutains-a ball
from sheer necessity, for we were
obliged to keep moving to prevent as
from being frostbitten. Sleep, or even
closing our eyes was forbidden under
heavy penalties, and whenever some
luckless fellow showed signs of drowsi-
ness, he was Immediately arrested, and
put on court-martial by our worthy
Provost Colonel IL, who com
manded the box, and to him we are
doubtless indebted for our lives.
am now denizen of the city of
Decatur, the history of which, ancient
and modern, beg leave TO give to
you.
Decatur in the olden times, tradition
tells US, was first settled by an old lady
from Virginia, who had two sons, Bill
and Dick, who were both rather lazy,
good for nothing fellows, particularly
the latter, who was in addition terri
bic glutton. They cleared the spot of
ground upon which Decatur now
stands, or rather did stand, and they
began to feel somewhat comfortable
when the following incident happened,
which gave Decatur its name, which
might otherwise have been called
Smithyille or Jonesboro. The old lady
had invited some neighbors who had
recently come into the settlement, to
her Christmas dinner, at which a fine
goose, the only one far and near, was
to be the centre of attraction. The
old lady, after making all her prepara-
tiOns for the feast, and leaving the goose
in a fine state of roastifcation, went
out to array her toilette, and when she
came back to the kitchen, to her utter
dismay found her pet goose gone.
Where is the bird2 she inquired of
Bill in rather tremulous voice.
Dick ate her was Bills laconic re-
ply; and this is the origin of the name
somewhat erroneously ascribed to the
naval hero of q somewhat similar name
Decatur, 5 years ago, was very
pleasant place, with about thou
sand inhabitants. 1t contained num-
Der of hospitable, social and intelligent
families, aflourishing Female Academy,
and one of the cleanest and best kept
hotels in the Southern country, of
which Col Mccartney was the proprie
tor. A neat and well managed paper
was also published by him and his rela-
tive, j. Furey, called the Decatur Times.
The latter was from the North, and his
editorials and select articles were not
quite hot enough to suit this latitude;
in consequence Of which he migrated
North, and the paper was finally sus-
pended by Col Mccartney, who died
some years ago The hotel IS still kept
by his Lady, and although she has
been shelled out, aud the place taken
and evacuated several times by both
psrties, she still holds her ground, and
the hotel is kept as well as you can
possibly expect under the cireumstan-
ces.
Decatur now has but three houses re-
naming, the ground upon which stood
the others being entirely filed up with
Notifications. tried very hard to find
the hearthstones of hospitable man
sion in which, not long ago, were re
sounding the notes of merriment and
cheer, where the rites of hospitality
were freely dispensed, where little chill
dren were lisping their innocent prat
tlei / have not been able to find that
hearthstone, nor even the exact spot
upon which the building stood The
garden, once fragrant with sweetest
flowers, which were nightly refreshed
with Heavens own dew, is now covered
with breastworks and parapets, that
have been watered with human blood
Such IS war, and such are the conse-
quences of this uncalled for rebellion.
Ny hearts blood would freely shed,
To bring 70 life the noble dead,
By brothers slain;
Or make the san Of Peace upon
The blood -drenehed land Of Washington
Shine once again.
Please tell your fair readers who hold
slares in the underground mail line to
Dixie TO be a little more careful with
their carriers. One Of them was cap
tured near Decatur last week, who had
quite a cargo of rose scented and gilt
edged missives and billet deaux in his
possession. many Of which are unfortu-