Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-22

Ny nephew rode my roam horse, for which
paid 500 last spring, and went to Belle.
vile after some cattle. had just moved
| my family to this place, which is situated
on the road the command is travelling. We
had not been in Belleville more than IF
teen minutes when saw them coming.
Thinking wscould geta little off to oneside
unobserved, we started in q moderate
! gait but my nephew's horse refused to
60. We were mistaken about being un-
observed, for they dashed up, and the
first thing knew was shot at. Look
ing back saw two men coming after me
at full speed, with their pistols presented
at me. Having been fired at, and having
also heard so many bad reports from
them, qaickensd my gait. They fred
upon me About six times, two balls pass
ing through my right lock of hair, one
passing through my old coat and shirt,
over my right shoulder Conscious of
having never committed any ofense
against my country or any else, repeat
edly told my pursuers that if they would
not kill me / would surrender. They
made no promises. /, however, seeing
my chances very bad, surrendered.
Each one Of them presented their pistols
socked upon my temples, and with the
most bitter oath / remember of ever
having heard, I was ordered back to
Belleville, where the General and his
regiment had stopped, distance Of about
three hundred yards. One of my pur-
suers took off my spurs, dismounted me
and mounted my nag and saddle, saying
she was ID good mare, and she be-
longed to him. Two or three of them
guarded me up to the General, who
asked me what run for. / told him
l had run for my life and property; that
if | had done anything worthy of
punishment to punish me. They
had taken my other horse and my
nephew's saddle. l told them that he
was poor widows son and her only boy,
and they consented at last to let him
have his saddle and go, he being only
boy thirteen years old. Ny friend Wes-
ley TODD begged them to let me go that
he had known me a long time that |
was good, honest citizen that was
no politician, and was only trying to save
my hsrse, etc. But it did no good.
They went in and took his gun and pistol
and enc of my guns that / had left there,
both of them very small rifles. They
had mounted me upon mule, which
they had taken from traveller by the
name of Spencer. had no Birdie or
saddle, only small plow.line around his
neck, and told me had to go with them.
Between BelleYille and ParacIifta we saw
but four horses. They took all of them.
When we arrived at town the citizens
received them as kindly as they could.
I heard Lewis Norwood and William
Wallis, the only two merchants there,
tell them that they would divide with
than.
Late next morning 1 was released from
prison. ,r
On arriving home my wife then in
formed me that the militia had sur
rounded my house the day they passed,
presented their pistols at her, and de-
handed how had voted she then ran
out and begged them for tive horses,
saddles and brides they were in the act
Of taking, telling them that her two
brothers had arrived there on their way
moving, and that they were all they had
in the world, but they took them after
returning to the house. She found that
they had taken my gun and many other
things, together with fine gold watch
| chain. ....... .......... ... ..
have just learned that the negroes are
committing outrages upon the citizens
| about Paraelifta. A number OF them
| went to the house Of Thomas Brooks and
stripphd it of everything, soaring his wife
so badly that her recovery is doubtful.
At the house of old Mr.. Giles they did
even wOrse-not only took the last horse
but even the coat off of his back 1t is
all done by order of Gov. Clayton
Through his officers | learned that Gen
Catterson was gentleman. hope that
no person will again have the audacity tC
say so. l tried him every way for one Of
my horses, az the loss of them had broker
me up. but it sll did no good.
| l have been receipted by Quartefmas>
ter Hawkins for STA when prove my
loyalty. have learned by a very known
Radical that favoring reconstruction
voting at the civil polls for the constitu-
ton, alone constitutes loyalty.
.H J. NJ. JOHNSON.