Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-18
A ROMANCE OF the ROAD.

RIaess burnss e'AfeIZen Thieves 60
far" the MRrketmen ON the Lebanon
Pike Poultry and WRlermeIOEss
from a Militia Stand-pOinf-A Car
rfage and a Negro Pressed into Ser
vice-IDterestlng Itemitas.
The melish haven't been soldering long,
bat the inglorious muster-out. finds them
full well tutored in some of the strategic
maneuyers incident to war, especially war
in an enemy's country, where the substance
Of the foe may be seized upon without dan
ger to the conquering siezer. They can
flank chicken>coop or quiet a shrieking
porker in much less time than it used to
take any of those fellows in the big army
that marched down to the sea. though none
of the melish, we venture to say, ever saw
blue water or the horrors of Christian
warfare. Hf
OF all the melish, however, Blackburn's
terrific dragons are the most terrific. Sum-
ner at Franklin, with his popping nnusket
ry and uproarious leaguers, are lost when
contemplation of these intrepid highway
men is thought OF, and shade like
pail is thrown over the bloody achieve
ments of Hickman and his red-handed
murderers at Tullahoma.
They have for several days held undis-
puted possession of the Lebanon pike, and
have asserted their unbounded authority
at the expense of the marketmen whom
early morning finds on the way to town,
with garden luxuries for the tables of the
metropolis; and from the tales told on
~, Iovv
to be scared at.
All about halfpast three o'clock in the
morning, Alonzo Napier, colored, a son of
Carroll Napier, of this city, was driving to
town in a carriage sent by Mr.. E. r. Nell
son for the reception of Mr.. and Mrs d.
H. McGavock, who we're expected in from
Virginia on four o'clock train, and who
live on a farmssix miles from here. He rode
along unmolested until reaching the toll
gate, where he received peremplory order
to halt, from one the bold Blackburn's cav
alters, armed, and uniformed according to
"law," with the exception of cap, which
he seemed to have lost. The negro did as
he was hidden, and the weaponed "guard"
without more ado clambered into the We
hicle and said to him that he must drive
back at once, and take his passenger to
the camp of the militia, snatching the hat
from Napier's head as he spoke. Napier
demonstrated, and explained the urgency
of his errand, but the fierce warrior re-
fused to listen; so back turned the car
rage and the unwilling horse, who seemed
to comprehend as we'll as his driver that
the concern had fallen into bad company.
Going about a quarter of a mile, they
met M. Nelson, who was On the way to
market, where he has a stall. He was
| somewhat taken aback as the carriage
drove up, and demanded of Napier the
meaning of the strange movement, and the
presence Of the uncouih passenger. The
/ negro explained, when Nelson Immediately
ordered the intruder TO get out of the We
hicle, an order which received little atten-
ton until the former reached backward as
ifto clutch a revolver. The eject was as
| instantaneous az wonderful. Melish let
himself down in a twinkling, his revolver
| dangling against the side of the carriage as
he slipped earthWard, and his knees going
off in most unsoldierly ague. Nelson
was not armed, however, and started up
both vehicles as soon as possible, leaving
the discounted militiaman TO a long
walk and his own reflections.
At about half-past two o'clock, as Mr..
Samuel Eason was driving TO the city
with load Of watermelons. squad Of
Blackburn's company surrounded his wagon
and demanded an immediate surrender of
the juicy treasures, on pain of Brownlow
bullets and inevitable death. Mr.. Eason,
however, paid no attention TO their threats,
and. finally bluffed off the cowardly crew
without losing any Of his property. They
were more successful, however, with some
negroes whom they encountered, and car
ried of, as the result of their morning
prowl, number of fat chickens, which the
poor darkies were frightened into giving
up. Thus much accomplished, they retired
from the road, to await the dawn of more
propitious morn.