Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-03-06
From the Memphis Avalanche, Feb. 2Sth.]
How Loyal 0enerals Get Rich.

"Courtroom scenes "and judicial inv nvestira-
tions deal ofteatimes tereible blows to grand
reputations and give the true aspect to evsnts
% well as Of human character, when all
other contemporary sources of information
are smothered BY accident or yelled by pol-
icy. Such a Development was made ia q
trial recently had 10 tho Shelby Circuit
Court before Hon. George w. Reeves, which
terminated on Saturday last All in this re-
gion OF country remember but too well the
expeditionary movement Of Gen. u. s. Grant
into North Mississippi with the bulk of the
then Federal army Of the West In December,
1862. It was at the outset regarded by the
Southern people ~ most formidable militia
~ advance, while speculation attributed to
il 4 thousand ultsrior objects. But It will
be remembered that Its march was suddenly
and unaccountably halted In the vicinity Of
oxtord, Mississippi and 1t once the, whole
sale plunder Of the cotton of the citizens
commenced. The army was accompanied
with scotton buyers" who, af,er the seizure
Of the cotton by the Federal Quartermasters
would approach every citizen thus robbed
and propose 10 give him twenty-five cents
per pound for his cotton thus seized, inform.
ing him 1t the same time With the utmost
coolpess that unless he would sell at that
price to some one Of these "cotton buyers.,'
bis cotton would be conRscated- ed--represen
ing at the same time that no one but these
sellers could procure the release of the COW
eted bales from the "military.n The help
less citizen, thus suvironed BY bayoncts and
threats of confiscation, however unwilling to
sell his cotton, saw amid the fears excl ted hy
these threats, and the apprehensions Of utter
loss skilfully fostered BY the SPECTATORS, no
escape from bis position but to accept the of.
fered terms and give the Spectator the cot
ton at his own price. Among the many VIC
tins of this outrage was one Z. NJ. Matthews.
who was left minus seventy-fve bales of
first-class cotton by one Of these operators. a
Samuel McClelland After the conclusion of
the war, McClelland was unfortunately drawn
to Memphis on some pressing business, and
while here sojouruing in q most quiet way,
was, sad to tell, found by writ issued at the
instance Of Wm. Matthew's from the Circuit
Court The trial Of the case was concluded
ON Saturday last by . verdict against the
Quondam scotton speculator" Of $s,022 50.
We learn that the evidence beyond reason
able doubt showed the seizure of the cotton
was made by the Federal Quartermasters in
collision with these operators, and that Gen.
Graut was privy, If not q party, to the trans
action. So strong was the evidence of this
transaction between the cotton buyers and
the military, that il the instructions of the
court had not prevented the jury from doing
so, they would have found the value of the
cotton taken at tho prices then ruling in
Memphis. The court allowed the question
Of fraudulent combination between the army
and the cotton to 60 to the jury, bat would
not allow the price at Memphis TO fx the
value. But for this the verdict would have
been over $29, 900. II was made manifest
10 the case that the seizure of the cotton by
Grant was without color of right, even un-
der tho laws of Congress then In existence,
though many acts striking at the private
property Of the Soatheru people had already
passed. This passage In bis military career
may possibly explain his sudden acquisition
Of wealth. He Is now On the foamy surface
Of affairs with other trash thrown up by the
agitations of the times, aud we deem ii due
10 the public 10 record this incident for the
benefit Of his future biographers.