Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-13
REPLY OF THE VIDErTE.

W Mills; DR.. Robert Pursley; w P
HobgOod; DR.. r Crenshaw; Vim. Stall
cup; E 7 Seay ESQ; Willis Woodmore
and B G Carman. see from a Card in
the UNION AND AMERICAN of the Sth
inst that W B Stokes denies the charges
made in the Vidette of june 5. Please
gives me statement of what you know
in regard to the orders given by Stokes
to the company sent to Huntsville; also
as TO their conduct, and why Gen.
Rousseau sent Capt. Mcconnell to Harts-
vile to arrest them. Respectfully,
FRANK NJ DUFFY, Editor Vidette.
Bw MILLS STATEMENT.
AT the time Mcconnell, of Rousseao's
staff came up, saw Lieutenant White
hand him bis written orders. 1t was to
take charge of Hsthaway's company and
forage off of any and every body without
price, pay or charge. He also said that
Stokes had given him verbal orders too;
that he told him to take turkeys, and
chickens, etc, and anything else they
wanted; and also that there were some
id good looking "secesh" women about
the place, and for them to use them as
they saw proper, if they wanted to- And
they did take anything they wanted;
robbed hen roosts, took turkeys, robbed
bee gums, and took anything and every
thing they saw proper. Two of them
came to my house, knocked little ne>
gro Chat was sick) down with pistol,
and drew their pistols on a small white
boy living with me, snapped it at his
breast, and made him get down and pull
off his spurs. They then went to my
house, cursed my wife, and drew a pistol
on her and negro girl and threatened
to kill them if they did not get some
arms which they charged had in my
house. had no arms whatever, and
they were so assured We showed
them protection papers from General
Rousseau, and they cursed Rousseau for
everything they could. Lieutenant White
in the same conversation, said he had
| another verbal order, and that was that
| Stokes said if any of his men were
killed or hurt to kill ten secesh men for
one, and he also said that he be damned
| if he hadn't have done it,
w B. MILLS.
DR.. ROBERT PURSLEY's STATEMENT.
will Just state that Capt Hathaway's
| company was stationed here in 1868, first
under the command of Lieut. White, and
Lieut. Robinson. The depredations com
mitted by this command were unprece-
dented in warfare. They took and stole
from nearly everybody, cursed and abus-
ed men, women and children. A more
complete reign of terror never existed in
any community. In regard to those in
famous orders, which were TO take every
thing they wanted, and pay for nothing,
this is my recollection at present The
verbal order was, if any of their men
were killed by any of the citizens here,
TO kill ten Of the citizens for one. 1t was
stated by many Of their soldiers that
Stokes said on the eve of their leaving
Carthage for Huntsville, that the women
were all secesh women and TO take any
of them and do as they pleased with
them. This is about what Capt. McCon.
nell cleaned from them and embodied II
his report to Gen. Rousseau in Nashville
ROBERT PURsLEY.
W. P. HOBG0oD's STATEMENT.
Imet some of Stokes scouts about fiT,
miles from this place. come on t
Huntsville, and had not been here very
long before o. A. Carr came into Harris
vile with five gallon demDohn and +:
Jug full of whisky that the above men
toned thieves had gwen to Carr, and toll,
him if he did not bring it to lartSTill
! and hand it to some one of their party
giving Carr the name, that they woult
kill him. They went to Mrs. Chart,
Cars the same day and threw fire i
the bed and threatened to burn thei
house. They went from there to r. {
= Carr's, and threatened to shoot Carr
son, a small boy, because he could nc
tell them something about some on
I. that had passed that morning. They ha'
Carr's son tied, and think blindfoldec
w. P. HoBGooD.
l 10