Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-17
They Seize the Coal Oil and Tar
and Make Preparations
avg to Bnra the Town. .TTkq
A Reign Of Terr0r1The lnhabi-
tants Fleeing for their
Lives.
All Law Sabyerted-A Carnival
OF outrage.

From the Memphis Appeal. Dec. IS.


war. The public were made aware of
the first movement of the militia by a
dispatch which was sent to the morning
papers (but which in some unsccountable
manner only reached one of them, an
nouncing the seizure of the town of Aus
gusta by an armed band of militia, under
"Gen. Upham.n tfl
Since this first dispatch nothing fur
Their could be learned-all communica-
ton having been cut off Immediately on
the taking of the town, until the arrival
of the steamer Liberty No. 2, directly
from the scene, which brought about
thirty refugees from the Inflated little
place, many of whom brought their
goods and movable property away with
them. Among the latter was merchant
named Jacob sSimons who, we under
stand, was compelled toleaye by Upham.
| The facts of the seizure of the town
and subsequent events, are about as fol-
lows, as near as we can learn them
During the late election it appears that
some person or persons in disguise shot
at Uphsm while he was riding in the
neighborhood Of Augusta. On last Mon
day morning, "a week ago yesterday
| Upham assembled about hundred men
at Batesville, and first cutting the tele-
graph wires so as to prevent the people
of Augusta from knowing anything of the
movement, marched on and surprised
| the town.
| The first act of Upham was to issue an
order declaring the town under martial
law, and under his command, appointing
| provost marshals, etc. He then caused
seven of the most prominent men to be
seized and confined in the though & Fri
win" block, and having seized all the coal
oil, kerosene and tar, in the town, he ISL
sued m order declaring if he or his troops
were molested he would put has prison
ers to death and barn the tOton !
Pickets were thrown out, completely
surrounding the town, and every one was
prevented from coming in or going out.
Upham, who styles himself "Brigadier
General commanding" Immediately
seized on two fine residences, but very
lately finished at cost of $4,000, and be-
longing to Capt Frank NJ. Mahan, (of
the house Of Toof, Phillips & Co.. of our
city, for his headquarters. The Erwin
q Hough Block was taken for offices,
stc- Upham then went 10 che ps.o.ninant
| dealers in groceries, etc, of all sorts, and
helped himself beautifully to everything
| on earth that they contained, in the way
not only of provisions and Injuries, but
drygoods, etc, taking one hundred and
| fifty yards Of carpeting from one man
to carpet his quarters with
Like master, like man. The "sol-
| diers" docs not every man who ever
carried musket or a sabre blush at the
| prostitution of the nancy literally
went through and Quilted every store
in the place. Nor were private houses
exempt. Everything that caught the
eye and excited the cupidity or pleased
the fancy Of these thieving scoundres,
they took and appreciated to themselves.
To use the words of our informant
'In about two hours after their arrival
every ragamQffin of them was clad in the
best that Augusta afforded. Here came
one in a long tail broadcloth, new
hat and fine boots. Ere he crawled Into
this suit he was the picture of perfect
beggar in tattered garb. Next comes a
gressy>heel in a new suit, but ill~fitted,
with low quartered shoes, smoking fine
Havana, swinging couple of boxes of
sardines, and singing Hail Columbia p
Next, you see four or five in group, all
| clad by piecemeal; for instance, good
coat and old pants, with probably a pair
of fine boots, three sizes too large, all
boisterously talking about who was en-
titled to the biggest part of the candy
and oysters in their possession. ..5...
| "The telegraph operator, Mr.. Sam HOl-
man, wasarreSted soon after their entire
bat was relieved ON his promising only
to send dispatches ordered by Upham
but had to leave on Wednesday, as be
was suspected of sending messages that
would sadly damage the uprightness o.
Upham's tea party. An operator has
since been sent there, and we learn Mr.
Holman is still there or thereabouts
i "On Tuesday night" our informant
continues, three terrible ghosts, called
| X. KS, clad in frightful costumes, madt
their appearance to squad of fifty WHIT
went out Of town several miles to max,
arrests. This was more than Uphan
looked for. At once he pressed in ever,
conceivable genus homo, and forced then
to throw up breastworks, and then occu
Ply them during the night, armed witt
: revolvers, shot guns and carving knives
, Turpentine balls were made and coal OF
. was put up in convenient cans, so as
{ sprinkle on the different buildings, thu
G expediting the flames with which the
e meant to devour the city, in case thes
r outside parties made an attack. A de
n | tail of the older citizens was sent out {
= warn them that if they attacked then
g Upham would first kill all prisoner
d then fire the town and retreat to som
other seaport, in which there were non
Of the bad men-meaning the K. K
This prevented the attacking party frol
I' coming in upon them. But we think
n questionable whether this was good po
q icy. One wholesome lesson to the.
70 vile, thieving rascals would tend f.
n more than aught else to prevent the
i future depredations upon inoffensive con
=, munities.
Z Last reports were that Capt. JOSEF
"a Shelton, with a goodly number of cit
- zens, was at Gray's bridge, eight mil
y from Augusta, who sent word to Upha
=, that if he did not cease plundering
y would practice little military strstel
y upon him some dark night.
n Negroes in and about Augusta a
~ being mustered into service, and a
30 made efficient soldiers as fast as boots c.
ao be placed on their mud trampers. Thr
m negro companies are ready at Helena
al march to their relief, but the distance
* so great that they may have to cast mai
A. wishful glances Augustaward eIe tn
mr. can accomplish their mission. Sor
nd thought that the White river pack,
be could be pressed in, but we nndersta
ry that positive veto is recorded by be
e, Capt. Elliott of the Des Arc, and Ca
e. ohm Edison of the Liberty"
ID, Meanwhile the plundering of the CT
ed zens continued, and everything, again
te. use the words of our informant, FRI
alt sardines upto stoves were ruthlessly q
he ropriated.
n OF course, every one who could lea
-i> the city or send away their families
be so. The beleagured citizens looked a
longed for the coming Of the steamer L