The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1867-07-05
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS
ADVERTISEMENT.

l an article Ia a book entitled the "Thul-
ling Adventures of Daniel Ellis, the Union
Guide of Eaat Tennessee" which purports to
give short history ofShelton Laurel, during
the late Rebellion. In this article, page 400,
Capt Ellis uses the following language;
"On the 10th Of Jan. 1862, Keith made
another visit to this section Of country,
meaning Shelton LauTeD for the purpose Of
hunting conscripts, accompanied by some
four or FIVE hundred rebel soldiers, and SAM
uel r.. Irving who live5 in Washington Conn
ty Tennessee near the Red Banks Of Chucky
River, was one of his officers. lie now or
dered his men to kill all the men and bpys
they might capture, and his companion in
wickedness and iniamy Samuel Il. Irving at
once sanctioned the terrible order, saying
that it was right To kill all the boys in order
to prevent them from growing up to be Fed
eral soldiers and bush-whackers for the
Southern soldiers to have to fight
Mr.. Ellis informant, who in the same arti-
Gle Is said to be nm eye witness and one of
the party, does not seem to be well enough
acquainted with inc to give my name cor
rectly, much less a true history of NY con-
duct on that occasion, If indeed | am the per,
sOn referred to at all and | could not con-
clude by any means | was, if the locality de-
scribed did not 80 closely identify the place
Of my residence, for | carnUt imagine how
any one who was acquainted with the Affair
MS il really did exist could class me as one
Of keith's companions in wickeduess and
intImy,' or in any manner whatever, much
less to represent me as approving his bloody
orders, unless wilfully ana lnalitiOusly, when
the facts are this Keith WAS the same de-
mon in human shape who but II shOrt time
before arrested my father, who was then over
fifty years of age, simply because he was a
Uuion man, and compelled lin to travel a
distance of seven miles in rain and mud
nearly all the way at II double quick step at
the point Of rebel bayoueiS, threatening his
life and cursing him in a most cruel manner
for not travelling faster, when he was not
able, to have done himself justice, to travel
that distance in a common walk, aud had
not walked that far before Mt one time in
ten years. And this rebel outlaw would no
doubt have shot him or sent him to n loath-
some prison had not some rebels who we're
not quite so crnel interiered and succeeded in
having him released under a heavy bond for
bis good behavior-at the same time search
ing my own dwelling for me, and u.tsring
bitter oaths and threats 10 put nm eLd TO my
earthly existence simply because | strictly
adhered to Union sentiments. And yet, in
the face Of all this and much more that might
be very appropriately attached to this cate
logue, this reporter, this eye witness, and one
Of The party, this murderer whose hands are
dripping with the blood Of Union meh-his
name not grandparents the rs being n
volun'scr actor and an dictator in this
bloody affair, when the facts are | wac arrest
ed NJ Greeneyille, Tenn.. and forced of the
train hy tins God-forsnken scouDdrel, while
on my way from Knoxville for the very eX-
press purpose Of giving notice to my neigh
onrs and friends that the rebels would be on
them again, and was compelled under cir
cunstances very Notifying to me, and over
which | bad no earthly control-for ] could
not control rebel bayonets-to go with his
command which proceeded at once to Shell
ton laurel no otEer reason being assigned
by Keith only to keep me from going ahead
Of his com .uand. II this being cursed and
my life threatened with pistol in hand, and
and presented at my breast, for simply en-
deavoriug TO prevent some OF his soldiers
from shooting a prisoner, on that occasion,
could make me the companion In wickedness
aud infimy Of this 'coundrel, ! must certain
~ plead guilty. But how different are the
facts as set forth by FIVE persons who were
prisoners then and there, and who I through
"a friend who was n rebel succeeded in having
released for | did not dare approach this
Monnch Of all be surveyed, and ask the re-
lease Of any, for the mere fact Of me asking
for the release Of u man, was sufficient evil
dcnce ia his estimation to hang or shoot any
one of them. therefore made my appeals
second handed, and succeeded much better
than ] could have expected-but how we'll the
statement will show
FLAG PoSD, Washington Co. Tenn,
May 2S, 1867.
Having been called upon by Samuel 4. Err
to give a statemsnt in relation TO the part
he took in the Shelton Laurel affair which
occurred sometime in Jan. 1863, We George
W. Gosntl. Leander A. White. John ID. Wolfe,
Anderson Moore and William Rice, do cer.i.
f. that we were prisoners on that occasion,
10 men an boys were taken out, and
afterwards learned were brutally murder
ed. That we applied to Samuel d. Erwin,
knowing him to be a friend TO Union men,
and called upon him to assist us Ia getting
wLich he did, and we confidently l
that If II had not been for bis, and
efforts Of ZONE other Union DeR, we
would have been bratally murdered on the
spot Nth the others. We DO further certify
that we conversed freely with the said Sam.
ne, &. Erwin after eur release, and frequent
y since that time, and tha. be expressed him
eel: bitterly opposed to the said murder Of
innocent and defeureless persons and to
orders generally.
bis
ASDERsoS \ MooRE,
mark
Late Priv. Co. B., ard N. 6. MI
WILLIAM RICE,
n W O. ]