Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-02

Of his veracity or honesty; Hickman had
always been a man of decided -rsotfsis~i~
opinions, and was Union man N the late
struggle, and as such gave ofense to many
differing from him; beyond this know Of
no Impeachment of his character, unless
1t be that he was rather indiscriminate in
his feminine attachments; this was more
in speech than acts, and favored his own
color. The character that l have given to
Gen. Hickman is that of the majority OF
the community who were not prejudiced
against him.
DEPOSITION OF SAMUEL R. CRUISE.
Was a Lieutenant in Captain Wards
company of artillery, and stationed at
Huntsville.
@. Were you acquainted with the gem
eral character of Gen. Hickman, and if so,
what was his character for honesty, veraeity,
morality and credit ? A. know his gen
eral character, and it was, for honesty, We
tacity, morality and credit, bad.
TIC the above question and answer the
counsel for the plaintiff objected, and the
court ruled that they were not admissible.
X. II. Barram testified for the pisintiff;
Nas living at Huntsville at the time Gen.
Hickman was arrested, and was clerking
for Gen. Hickman. Sam r. Cruise came to
the store with piece of paper, written by
himself and said, here is an order from
Gen. Bate for me to take possession of this
store and goods. Witness yielded, and
Cruise and some soldiers commenced
moving the property. There were three or
four barrels Of salt worth $75 in gold, and
seventy~ive or eighty sacks worth $35 in
g., h., of
sole leather, weighing perhaps seyenty-ive
pounds to the bundle, but do not remember
what it was worth. There were twenty
three boxes of merchandise deposited there
by Mr.. Lay, of Clarksville, but they were
not opened do not remember that there
was any bacon oN flour. There was two
to three thousand dollars worth of dry
goods on the shelves. There was a small
quantity of rope and osnaberg, but they
belonged to man in Georgia; they were
not taken at that time. There was perhaps
two bales of cotton in the cellar. There
was also part of sack of coffee. There
was some wine, whisky and brandy. There
were two or three casks of wine and one
barrel of whisky. The soldiers took about
$500 worth of dry goods and perhaps
$1,000 to $1,000 worth of liquors and pro-
visions. Gen. Hickman was doing a good
business, taking in about $500 day of
Confederate money.
Cross-examined: Had only been there
short time; don't know where Gen. Hick-
man got the salt at, but was told he got it
at Columbia. The Confederate army was
much in need of salt and supplies at that
time. The soldiers carried the supplies of,
but don't know what ever became of them
after they went away Gen. Hickman was
a Union man TO Union men, and Confed-
crate when talking TO Confederates. Gen.
Hickman did help raise a company for the
Confederate service; was defeated as a can
didate for Captain of said company. Gen.
Hickman was released from custody on the
ground that he had not committed any
overt act of treason; was present when Gen.
Hickman was arrested the last time by the
provost marshal; don't know that Gen.
Hickman was even put in Jail under the
arrest by Gen. Bate. He was sent to Colum-
bia in his own buggy, underline command
of squad of soldiers and an officer. He
returned to Huntsville on the cars ala Ste
venson. He did not bring his buggy and
mules back with him. The statement that
Cruise made in regard to taking the goods,
was not made in the presence of Gen. Bate
Don't know who was the quartermaster at
Huntsville at that time The remnant of
.drygoods left on the counter was sold by
Alonzo Scott, one of Gen. Hickman's
clerks.
MAI. CLAREs TESTIMONY.
The defendants counsel endeavored to
show that he signed the order from Gen.
Forrest to Gen. Bate, ordering the arrest of
Gen. Hickman was a true copy, but it was
objected to by the plaintiffs counsel, and
after reading of it, was forbidden by Judge
Brien. Gen. Bate was commanding sub
division, and he had orders from Gen.
Bragg to arrest all those who were engaged
in traffic with the enemy, and it being re-
ported 10 headquarters that Gen. Hickman
was engaged in this contraband trade, an
order was issued for his arrest Gen. Bate
had nothing to do with the arrest, farther
than to obey orders from Gen. Bragg. The
counsel of Gen. Bate endeavored to show
that Gen. Bate was acting in a subordinate
capacity, and that he was not responsible
for the acts which were done in obedience
to orders from his superiors. The court
oyerruled all evidence tending in any
manner, to recognize the fact that there
was ever anything like a Confederate
government, or that the powers in rebel
lion ever had any rights guaranteed to be-
ligerents. Nattel, Chitty and the decisions
of our Supreme Court were appealed to,
to show the admissibility OF such testi-
mony, but Judge Brien was inexorable
John c. Thompson, Esq, one of the coun-
sci for the defendant, asked the Judge ifhe
would hear a late decision of the Supreme
Court of our State. The Judge assehted
to the reading Mr.. Thompson then read
a decision from the proof-sheets of the
forthcoming volume of Sd Coldwell. Mr..
Thompson claimed that the decision recog
nized the right of those engaged in the late
civil war to protection by the civil courts,
on the broad ground that the forces en-
gagged in rebellion had had belligerent rights
conceded to them. Judge Brien replied
that if the Supreme Court had decided it
that way, that they would have to decide
it over again.
Gov. n. s. Brown testified Was a mem
ber of the military board of this State. Saw
Gen. Hickman in the summer of 1861. He
came here from Huntsville, and presented
TO the military board double barreled
gun, and wished to know if we could
furnish guns of that kind to arm brigade
which he and Gen. Humphreys were rais-
ing in Alabama.
Col James +. Rice testified: Was in the
Confederate servic, and was on Gen. Bates
staff Gen. Bate was a Brigadier General,
and reported to Gen. Bragg. Was present
at Huntsville at the time of the arrest of
Gen. Hickman. Think Gen. Bate was con-
fined TO his room when this arrest was
made. Witness was Adiutant General.
Major Tyree, testified Does not know
that Gen. Bate ever took any goods belong
ing to Gen Hickman. By an order from
Gen. Bale, witness took some goods from
Hickman's store, belonging to Greenwood,
of Georgia, with instructions not to inter
fere with any property belonging to Gen.
Hickman. hr. Greenwood came afterwards,
and the goods were turned over to him.
Cruise, who took the goods, had no connec-
ton with Gen. Bates staff, and was not
acting under orders from him, and if any
order had been issued for taking possession
of Gen. Hickman's property, it would have
had to come through his Office and no such
order was ever issued By him. Gen. Hick-
man was treated kindly while under arrest +;
heard Gen. Hickman's general character
was considered very bad in Huntsville ;
think Gen. Bate lel Huntsville to take
command at Chattanooga about the first of