Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-01-22
Report or Major General George II.
Thomas, Commanding Department
ar the cumberland. f
BY BRowTIow 8 HAws.
HEApo'Rs DEPT or rHE CUliBERLAED,
IOr-1syrrIr Ky sart 20 1881

5sse-irs ~ ~ isst rsport. dated November I2
tsee IN command then constituted what was
kresr. a. he Department Of the Tennessee, COM
rlslog the States Of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia
tlsbsna and Mississippi, and was garrisoned BY
he Second, Fifteenth and Sixteenth regiments Of
infthtrT, and q detachment Of the Fifth United
STATE cavalry, numbering four companies the whole
forring an aggregate force Of 5,l2s.
~ he provisons Of General Orders No. %, dated
wa Department, Nov q. 1885, the fifteenth and
slrte6nth regiments Of infantry subdiEided in
70 IL regiments, forming thereby four new orgsni-
xations designsted the tWenty-fOurth, twenty -hth
fhifl4-third and thrty-fourth United States nfan-
srt The iorty-ffth United States infantry, ono Of
ne vetsrnn reserve regiments newly created, was
dirtcted 70 be organized within the limits Of nv
deoertmsnt By December 81, 1856, small ma.
es6ns for The same bad already been formed at Lou
fvfile sDd recruits came 10 rapidly.
Daring The latter part Of November, 1866, Brevet
Esior General w. d. Whipple, Assistant Adjutsnt
GoBeral OF my department, made tour through
re States OF Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia Tor
the purpose Of sscertaining the best permanent To-
catibn for troops, visiting his route Vicksburg,
Noble Montgomery and Macon. General Whip
pt IN speaking OF the necessity for keeping troops
IN Be late nfursectionary States, mentions in his
Fcfoft that the bitter rebel aniInUs Of the people
felly warrants Il; for he found everywhere % his
route IN boiels and railroad cars the general theme
of conveTssti0n 10 DO the hated Yankee, and any
thing representing loyalty 10 the Union, and this
blier state Of feeling The part of the more gnor
ant l. famed into continual glow by the local news
uspcr writer's most Of whom ex-rebel officers of
lnlelligente and ccofnplishments.
Not oonhning themselses 20 threats, inutterings,
or curses, Union men were murdered in their beds
il cold blood or were driven OF from their farms.
Soldiers and Government employees were assaulted
% shot at By unknown persons whilst in the per-
I1rmAnce Of their duties; and, whom application
ss made 10 The civil authorities for redress either
&. - l.
aliy 70 the Government, no action would DO taken
Iis more particularly the case In Mississippi
t1d Georgia, from which States most complaints
came Ny usual course was 10 call Immediately
mon the local civil officers 20 act in the matter
nd they falling sent troops 10 arrest the perpe
iAters. AT Rome Georgia, some indiscreet young
- uy nOfssfEg IvueI iiag Alsrk OF respect
nsger as yet paid by che citizens Of that locality TO
30 Uaited States flag since the cessation Of active
1perations. ..Ha 500
Dssrinr 20 enable them still further 20 show their
devotion 10 tho cause" caused their arrest and
deportation 10 Jail at Atlanta, from which place Of
onfnement they were afterward released at the in
Rance OF the Mayor Of Rome and other citizens
Who stated the young men did not intend any
temonEtration Of dislOyslty by their action, &C.
b the order directing their release from eonfne-
nont their oaehse was clearly explained and the
hope entertained that others with similar inelina-
tons might profit by the example made. This called
birth very severe comments on the part Of the
nress furnishing additional evidence Of the disloy-
d spirit Of the people; but II had most wholesome
e6ect 10 preventing similar demonstration In
eome counties the civil law is entirely disregarded
bat few civil officers being elected that cannot be
Controlled by their friends, and consequently only
snch laws are carried out Ss will serve the interests
OF few. In the early part Of December, 1865, two
persons Of Nashville, Tennessee, named Beach and
CheathSnl, either directly or Indirectly and with
he connivance Of the city authorities caused the
SEDUCTION Of some coored children and minors from
fhe Nashville woFk-house, and had them transport
ca 10 plantation st Point Chieot, Arkansas where
complant was made OF their III treatment, and in
shft manner the subject was brought to my notice.
Btevst Brigadier General J. Il Lewis, agent of the
ffeedmeDs Bureau at Nashville, 70 whom the
ne,ter was referred for Investigation, after eicting
81 The facts ~ above stated, called upon Mr. Cheat
ham who promised 70 return TO Nashville such Of
tbe minors desired IT, and 10 fully paw for their
sorvices al OF the party abducted.
The condition OF Affairs generally in the country
tistrcts IL Fennessee was most deporable in the
srtt part Of the year murders, robberies and out
rEges Of az kinds being committed without any ef-
rt on the part Of the civil authorities to arrest the
edondera
This was particularly the case in Sumner snd
Robertson counties localities IN which LOYALTY 10
the Government never was considered respectable %
Union men and negroes being in constant danger
rf their lives. The town Of Columbia, In Maury
AoNnkNs 1tlnEhNHs may also DC mentioned alauN-
big prominently forth for obstacles thrown in the
nay Of Obtaining Justice through the civil courts by
sny who were not identified with she COnfederRtes.
The petty officers Of the law, particularly sheriff
~ virtue Of that freemaseury existing among rebels
hnd rebel sympaihizers in that locality oftentimes
coald make life almost unbearable by those who
bad not remained consistently disloyal % The Gov
trnment Nor did Kentucky yield 30 Tennessee
the palm Tor dis order and violence particularly in
localities not easily accessible TO troops A band of
desperadoes known as Regulators, taking the law
into their own hands or rather setting al law at
dehanoc, secured the country, marking their vic
BINS and dealing murders and robberies with pro-
iaseness unparalleled in any civilized community.
When called upon by those suffering from these in
cursions for assistance, l helplessly referred the
complaints 2 The State authorities who although
perieetiy willing to act, and though deploring the
tOhu't'oh ot me Affected localities could find no
femeay through tho law, and, they falling Il be-
tAs necessary for me TO post my troops through
Out kentucky that by their presence thew might in
mlasse' II they could not prevent the existing law.
In keatacly a. wellas in Tennessee Che admin.
iStrAtlon o. justice depends in great measure upon
the personal characters Of tho ma slse -
Jurors the laws seemingly making b8t Iittla Sifsor
ence Between the white and colored nsoDl. a.
hA wide distinction, and that Of course eensrsI Nv
% tns pre3ealce OF the negro II white mar com.
mits an outrage against the negro redre.s 4. 5;es
cult and sometimes impossible 10 Obtain br, 49,
The reverse complaint comes into court he utnns,
zeal and energy Is displayed in bringing tha 80
offender 70 justice, and the efforts of the eivii a.,
;hffaes are thea worthy Of the highest admiration
IN iAfge cities The cCa.x Ere more impartial, hn,
Aking the ower order Of law otcers justices Of ~,
peace ne decision i generally with the lower on
-, % whites and consistently oppressive in h
by slTtue Of General Orders No. "A. Hesd,usr
yer. OF sne Army, Of March u, 1861 and Of Gen
era Oraers Ne. Isl dated Hoadauarlars of tbo Ann
March is 1861 The Department. 81 he Tennessss
wa, changed 70 The Department Of the Cumberland
euorselng The States Of West Virginia. Rentncl,,
hho iennessec and the StAtes Of MIsei.sinri AZ
.paEaa and Georgia we're dropped Fron, ~, 80.
msnd' The "a, 18th and s8th regiments ~ iafs-
ny Hour companies Of the 45ih inlantrv fre,,l-- :.
gained and X company Of the 2sth infantry vi,,
.our companies Of the 9Th United States cavairv
80. .et WITH me a. garriaons Their aggregat
800 800 Numbered 2t5 SnbseonentIv ne 88tb ;r
Ga was detached and sent 10 renort a. Co..
Tha sop,na ending the Fourth Militsr, T,,e,-i.,
-, -. ,s1 Nnited States infansrr - ss..-f,.
osmpau{r- -, throughout Kentaclv e,g~rs 80
cs.,ntV w.. 81 V lake post al Cereso d..
- s-fsss..e thtai where conslders;i si,s,
Tr-s.,s $500 ~, sy,npany Of the T,v.r,, -. Il
nnte1 ntA4es ii'iAntry beng 49, 10y MINT
Union Cenrrhouhe Monroe eo'ntv W. one9 2
The Twenifthflh United States I1fsn,-.s lrglnii
ne country bounded BY the Ohio ~ ~. pc
snd the Mississippi rivera known ~ g. 5aS.sie,se