Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-14
Horrors of the Mountain Warfare
''BIack Spirits and White Called {,
Witness.

To Col w. B. Stokes: It is always sup
posed, Colonel, when a man of your age and
position in the world, makes a statement
about affairs of importance, that he is infu-
enced by some adequate motive for so doing.
When you told WENDELL PHILLIPS in Bos-
ton d few weeks ago that if voting was linn
tied to white men in Tennessee, you could
not stay in the State twenty-four hours, it is
very difficult to see what motive could have
influenced you TO make such a statement to
him, even had you believed it to be true.
It may be your conscience troubles you
about the number Of negroes you had shot
without trial, while you were in military
command with headquarters at Carthage /;
and these newborn professions of zeal for
them to their old professed friends may be
an effort to appease its unpleasant upbraid-
ings. But how can you hope by such a
shallow pretense to deceive SO intelligent a
man as WENDELL PHILLIPS? Don't you
know he will find out the truth about you,
and then only have the greater contempt for
you? But littlemOre than a year ago, you
were abusing poor HOOP for being in favor
Of negro suffrage, and now, it seems, to ad-
vocate this has become your speciality
What has brought this change over the
spirit of your dream? Do you think
the negroes will have any confidence in the
honesty Of your professions Do you think
they have forgotten your having CHAMP
FERGUsoN's negroes hunted in your camp
and delivered to him? You have not for
gotten, of course, how Peremptorily you re-
quired Capt. PENNINGTON to do that dirty
job upon pain of your displeasure. And
even if you had become oblivious to so fla
grant violation Of your sworn duty as a
commanding officer, do you think the negroes
could ever forget an act so treacherous to
them? If you have laid this "hattering unc-
ton to your soul, F" let me assure you with the
candor of friend, that you are fatally de-
luded. You never can obtain the confidence
of that susceptible race. They never can
have any but feelings of scorn and contempt
for you.
After all, it may be that certain "com-
punctious visitings Of conscience may inspire
she fears which you have about staying in
this country. If half the well authenticated
rumors, which are aloat here, be true, the
ghosts of murdered negroes are not all the
unearthly forms that are likely to obtrude
their "gory locks" unbidden into your pre-
sence and at unreasonable hours How many
white men did you have murdered in cold
blood, after they were prisoners? How did
YOU feel when GEORGE PENNINGTON brought
you 10. WHTFIELD's ears, to prove tha
he had killed him according to your orders?
Do you say that 10. WHITFIELD was a
guerilla? That may be so, l am sure don't
know. But what was GEORGE PENNINGTON?
How many Union men had he killed? How
many families had he robbed? How many
defenceless women had he insulted? You
knew his character well, and yet you gave
him two pistols, it is said, to kill 10. WHIT
FIELD and required him to bring his ears to
you as an evidence that he had obeyed
you.
Youare right, Colonel. This never can be a
very pleasant country for you to live in.
Not that any body would hurt you, but
memory would bring up the past, and con-
science cannot always be stiaed Men are
so constituted that they cannot violate their
moral nature, and commit acts of cruelty
and revenge, and then escape the consequent
ces. The penalties Of human enactments
may be evaded, but to the eye Of the guilty
conscience fearful forms will appear to in
spire dread and alarm, and public opinion
will sooner or later vindicate the right, and
blast by its fierce judgments the self-con-
victed wretch. In view Of the immutability
and certainty of this great Divine law,
well may you tremble, Colonel, with coward
fears, when you remember all your cruel,
vindictive and tyranicalacts. Iwillnot pur-
sue you further but leave you TO your
own reflections. This l know must be to
to YOU, dreadful fate. Glad no doubt
would yod be to escape from your own medi-
tatious. But vain will be your efforts to do
so. You cannot hide your diminished head
in so dark a place, but that your guilty
thoughts will find you, and Gil you with
cowardly fears. JUNtUS.