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


and stating that he was better Southern
man than j. Withers Clay, the editor of
the Huntsville Confederate, enumerating
his services in aid of the Confederate cause,
and inviting Clay to enter the military
/ service.
/ Cross examined by plaintiff: This circu-
( lar was issued after Gen. Hickman's arrest
and discharge BY Gen. Bragg. This circular
was in answer to charges made by j.
! Withers Clay, and Gen. Hickman having
limitations that he was again 10 be ar
rested. These charges consisted of disloyalty
to the Confederate cause.
/ Cross-examined At the beginning of the
4 war Gen. Hickman had valuable real estate
and personal property in his possession.
/ don't know Hickman's legal right or control
of this property. Hickman at this time was
I in debt, and his credit impaired. Hick
mans character, meaning by character, the
estimation in which he is held by maior-
ity of this community, don't know. have
had business transactions with Hickman,
and as far as | know, he was man of
honor and integrity. Gen Hickman was
man disposed to be forward and
make himself conspicuous. By this, Imean
/ that he was man who likedto know what
! was going on, and at the same time was
/ affable, charitable and accommodating he
was warm and earnest in his attachments
and friendship.
Cross-examination Gen. Hickman never
entered the Rebel service.
DEPOSITION OF ROBERT NJ. RICHARDS.
Was in Gen. Bates Office when General
Hickman was brought in under arrest, and
heard Gen. Hickman ask Gen. Bate if his
clerk could go on and sell the goods then
in store. General Bate turned to him and
told him he could not, and then ordered
Mr.. Cruise to take the keys and take charge
Of the goods. Gen. Hickman was then
carried off by Charley Sheppard. This
took place in December, 1862 Mr.. Cruise
was at that time sitting at Gen. Bates desk.
Gen Bate was commanding the post of
Huntsville at that time. / have lived in
Nashville two weeks. / was arrested and
carried to Gen. Bates headquarters; did
not know why | was arrested, without it
was because had had quarrel with Col.
Hewlett few DAYS before. / was not ar
rested for horse stealing but for speaking
about the manner in which the Confede
rate Surgeons treat the soldiers was kept
a prisoner two weeks, and then turned over
to Capt. Rives, with orders to put me in
the army. Capt. Rives did not put me in
the army, but discharged me. was ar
rested by written order from Gen. Bate.
After my release, | went to Nashville and
clerked for Major Gunkle and Mr.. H. Fl.
Haynes | came from Huntsville with the
Federal army. Mr.. ]. W. Cooper, d. B.
Turner J. c. Bradley, and James Scruggs
were in the Office at the time. Do not re-
member seeing Major Rice there at the
time.
! DEPOSITION OF COL. HEWLETT.
4 When in the performance of my duty as
enrolling officer of Madison county, Ala,
knew K. NJ. Richards Whose deposit
tion appears above) as a meddlesom man
with my duties, saying he had been in the
Confederate army and they treated soldiers
like dogs Not being able to give salts
factory account of his absence from his
regiment and hearing he was a deserter, |
reported the affair and asked his arrest;
made inquiries of his neighbors and found
that his character was that of bad, reck
less man, who had committed some ofense
in Arkansas and fed from the State; he
was looked upon as a meddlesome, bad
man.
ROBERT C. SMITHS DEPOSITION.
did hear Gen. Hickman speak of hav
ing spslreu 10 the Confederate cause in
Cleveland not a speech from the rostrum,
hut in public and private conversation;
this admission was made in Huntsville,
sometime in the summer or fall of 1861
DEPOSITION OF ISAAC WINSTON.
1 heard Gen. Hickman say during the
war that he was as good a Southern man
as any one, but this was his time or chance
to make money and that he was going to
make it; this was said during the first Fed
eral occupation of Huntsville.
DEPOSITION OF JAMES NJ. ROBINSON.
In the fall of 1863, while in the military
service ofthe Confederacy, was in Hunts-
vile with small command / was notified
by Gen. Hickman of the approach Of the
Federal troops, and was advised by him
how to elude them; | followed his advice
and escaped.
DEPOSITION OF ALONzo SCOTT.
Alter stating all the facts about the ar
rest trial and discharge of Gen. Hickman,
all of which has been set forth in the depo-
sitions above, deposed He had regarded
Hickman a good Southern man till that
| time, because he had helped raise COM
pany and assisted in raising brigade for
the Confederate service; that he had os-
! tentatiously entertained Confederate SOL
diers; that he had published card indi-
eating his allegiance to the South, and
claiming to be better Southern man than
, J. Withers Clay believe Gen. Hickman
was alike generous to Federal and Con-
federate soldiers.
DEPOSITION OF CHAS. 0. SHEPPARD.
carried Gen. Hickman to Columbia. |
was present at the interview with Gen.
Forrest and the plaintiff, | delivered
several letters to Gen. Forrest, among them
letter from Gen. Bate one from 10. Z.
Brady; after reading which, Gen. For
rest turned to the plaintiff and said, You
: are damned old Union son of -.
, You have been trading with the enemy.
, will send you through the Federal lines,
l or have a great notion to hang you." TO
I which Gen. Hickman remarked TO Gen.
/. Forrest that, the charges you have heard
Z against me are false To which Gen. For
: rest replied: Don't you speak to me. |
1 will send you in the Federal lines" To
e which Hickman replied, that if he was
e going to be sent into the Federal lines, you
1 might as well hang me. Whereupon Gen.
4 Forrest struck Gen. Hickman in the mouth
n with his fist, making the blood flow from
= ] MS nose anu lllbuNA anu OiuSiCu w eahN
. him TO Jail, which | did shortly afterwards.
: After putting Hickman in Jail returned to
e Gen. Forrest and told him Hickman would
= freeze in Jail, and thereupon he was ordered
I to be removed from Jail and kept under
d guard; Forrest afterwards expressed his
J, regret at having struck Hickman; the ex-
: hibition of temper on the part of Gen.
= Forrest was Immediately after reading the
$ letters / had delivered TO him, and per-
e haps superinduced by the replies of the
J.. plaintiff; Hickman spoke to me in high
n terms of the treatment he had received
l. from Gen. Bate, characterizing the treat
n ment as kind, courteous and gentlemanly (;
Hickman spoke to me of his loyalty to the
Il Confederate cause, claiming to be as good a
n Confederate as any man.
!. Q. Are you acquainted with the general
e character of Gen Hickman, and was it
d good or bad? ITO this question the plain
: uf's counsel objected on the ground of
e irrelevancy.) A. His character was
e bad, and he was regarded as unreliable,
e but | always regarded him as kind
; hearted man, and would do as much for
; friend as any man.