Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-06-13

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NOR on his lips, and an expressio
almost of pain in his eyes. Hi
: comrade replied to my inquiry:
4 "They are retreating befor
q Grant-evacuating the CITY,"
} | felt for a moment like on
1 stunned by blow.
t "The Yankees will be here il
a few hours" resumed the man
5 with still stern look. ''Hav
, you a protector?"
: "No."
God have mercy upon ou'
women!" said the first. "W,
can die like men if it comes Il
|, that; but the women-ow wo
men !"
And here the second who haG
spoken--a tall, dark eyed Loui
sianian-lifting his hand above
his head, uttered slowly and sol
emnly the bitterest curse that ever
fell from the lips of man against
his enemy.
At the house of my friend ]
found the doors locked and win.
dows secured in anticipation of the
arrival of the yankees" These
were not the only preparations.
owe can die like men also," said
young lady with solemn earnest
ness, as she grasped more closely
the pistol which was secured in
her belt. That night but few
were without this defense. For
myself, l feared nothing, l felt
only stronger, calmer, and more
resolute and fearless with the
threatened danger; but my
thoughts were principally with
those haggard, stricken looking
men on their weary march be-
fore a triumphant, pursuing en-
emy, and my own heart echoed
the agonizing cry of a soldier on
the street-"Oh,, God! that it
should all have come to AisP'
No one slept that night. Hold
ing my baby closely in my arms,
| lay down, and after some hours
fell into an uneasy, half-conscious
slumber. From this l was arous-
ed about daylight by my maid,
who, with ashen-grey face and
eyes starting from their sockets,
cried:
"7he Yankees! the Yankees, mis-
hsP
The roar of a gun, shaking the
house to it's very foundation,
seemed to corroborate her words.
Another, and another, and then
a deafening crash that seemed al
most over our heads. l opened
a window and looked out.
There they were-the Federal
cavalry, in their blue coats and
yellow scanned jackets-there at
last, and for the first time gallop-
ing freely through the streets of
the city for which so much blood
had been spilled, and which was
theirs at last without a drop of
bloodshed. Up and down, back
and forth, without order or object
apparently, with drawn swords,
and flushed excited faces, they
rushed through the streets, at
full speed. And then came pour
ingin troopupon troopof negro cav
airy, their naked swords cleaning
in their hands, and their white
eye-balls rolling restlessly from
side to side. The white soldiers
shouted, waved their caps, shook
hands with the negroes grouped
at the street corners, and called
derisively to the few whites visi-
Bile; but not a word was uttered
by the negro troops-not a smile
animated their solemn visages.-
It was with feeling Of profound
pity and kindness that looked at
them-the poor race which ma
ture had herself degraded, and
made ga servant of servants to
his brethren" My thought was
eff they can be happier for it,
let them be free; but aCilI they be
happier? WI they be better for
lit? Have not aoe repeatedly tried
the experiment, on limited scale,
and found it to fail? And what
rigM had any one to interfere be-
them and u.s."
AS the Federal troops continued
to pour past, l observed that many
of the officers, unlike the exultant
privates, wore anxious looks, and