Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-08-01
NORTH CAROLINA.
a New York Herald Correspondent Inter-
views Colonel Kirk, the Infamous
Commander Of the Lambs.
Kirk and His Army Demoralized-An kltack
by the Ku KIux AutiCipated-Kirk's
Rabbls PIuuder the Citlzens-The
Chief Justice SustaiHs HOl-
den-Approval Of General
6raRt-Ths Command.


From the New York Herald 2Sth.l
YANcEYvILLE, CAswELL Co,
N. C., July 25, 1870. !
Governor Holden has declared thi:
and the adjoining county of Alamanct
in a state of insurrectiOn upon the Os
tensible preteXt of alleged klu-KluX
outrages which exist more in the
columns Of his organ at Raleigh than
they do in fact; but the real object is
20 influence the Congressional and
State elections which take place on
the 4th proXimO. North Carolina
gave *. 600 Republican majority when
the present constitution was adopted.
This fell on in the last Presidential
election, when the influence against IL
were weak and shallow, TO 1000 ma
jority. What then can now be the
prospects of that party when the reck-
less extravaganza, corruption, fraud
aud the high-handed measures OF the
preSent administration are exposed in
their most aggravated form TO the peO-
pIe? Ii will be telling defeat OF
Governor Holden and his abettOrs
and the rescue OF the State from bank
ruptcy and ruin. Hence the garrison
here. the arrest and imprisonment OF
citizens, the refusal to regard the writ
of hd5eas corpus, the reign of terror
and the present disastrous civil con
fiict in this section. The levieS from
EAST TENNESSEE,
called North Carolina State troops,
were quartered until this morning in
the court house yard, where their
white tents were pitched and their
stacked arms giistened in the summer
sun, ID was a sight, indeed, to see
the tabernacle of civil justice sur
rounded by all the paraphernalia Of
Of grim-visaged war, while the jury
rooms upstairs were converted into
temporary dungeons for citizens now
beyond the pale of that sacred right
and privilege of every American, the
ha5eas corpus. The troops are mostly
VOuths from the mountain districts of
East Tennessee and this State, clad in
the uniform Of United States soldiers,
a large majority of them having that
sickly SaffrOn-coloned complexion Pc
cuIiar to the class known IN the South
as ''clayeaters." Few if any of them
ever handled q musket before; they
are raw, undisciplined and halt
starved. Since they have been here
only oae-fOurth ratiOns have been is
sued to them, and as 8 consequence
the citizens OF the surrounding vicin-
ity are constantly being plundered,
besides being impOrtURed for some
thing TO eat by the recruits OF the
army of invasion. They are dirty,
filthy and in many instances perfectly
alive with vermin. Only a few OF
them have vet received shirts, and
the QuarteTmaster's department Is
more detective than the COmmissa-
rvs. But what is most surprising is
the fact that the troops are already
DENORALIZKD AND TERROR
stricken. An attack by the veritable
Ku-kluK is nightly anticipated, and
As a measure of defense the doors and
windows of the Courthouse have been
removed and replaced by the most
formidable barricades, pierced for mus
kerry. Pickets are stationed on the
outskirts of the village after nightfall,
aud ali The precautions of sagacious
General aFe-4aEen against surprise
by the imaginary enemy. The troops
sleep or their arms, too, which keeps
them in readiness to retreat into the
courthouse building at q mOmeRts
slstlce in caseOf alarm. This constant,
4ieepless terror, as much as the
shOrtness OF rlltiOns, the lack OF
shirts, and the absolute want OF pay
for the three weeks they hase been ia
service, has completely demOraliEed
the troops, many of whom have de-
serted since the occupation of Yanesy-
vile. -Four took French leave to day.
HOW 10 SEE COLONEL KIRK.
Presenting myself al the courthouse
railing, within which the troops We're
busily engaged striking tents fOF u
change of camp, a specimen recruit |
being seated on box at the entrance
with his musket placed diagOnally
across to prevent ingress or egress, /
asked to see Colonel Kirk.
Sentinel-YOB can't see him unless
the officer Of the day gets permission.
COrrespOndent-Nhere is the officer
of the day?
Sentinel don't know.
Correspondent-Can't you call the
cOrporaIs
Sentinel-Haint got no corporal.
COFrespOndent-We lot me in and |
/ will find the Colonel myself,
= Sentinel-l dasent.
At the close OF this first effort ] re
mained standing at the gate over If
teen minutes, when, luckily, an indi-
Vidual whose clothes were infinitely |
too big for him, wearing the insign of /
a major, approached, and / renewed |
my application for admission to the /
Colonel. The MsjJr took my card.
told me TO remain where / was until 1
lac saw the Colonel, and in ten minutes /
more he reappeared and shouted an
order for my admittance to the snn-
tinel. Entering the courthouse Twas
ushered into a room in which were |
two pallets on the floor, table with /
writing paper and three chairs, and /
asking me te be seated the Major sent
for
COLONEL KIRK,
who shortly afterwards entered. He
was ia his shirt sleeves, but he at once
put on 4 greasy uniform, With eagles /
on the shoulders. In stature the /
Colonel is about six feet, square and
we'll built, light complexion, sandy /
mustaehe and gOatee. blue eyes, heavy
lower Jaw, with an expression in his
cOuntenance Of determination. lie |
eyed me closely, and after an eKami-
nation Of my card ordered the Major |
ana ouaHtermaster, who were also
nTesenf Ia Leave the room. As soon
as thew were gone the Colonel locked
and b0lted the door, ana being alone
and free from intrusion, the following
took place:
CoTrespOndent-COl i come I
here TO ascertain the truth OF the
reports in newspapers concerning
afairs in this section since you came
here. ~
ColOnei-There is no truth in any Of
them. They are d-n pack Of lies
circulated by the rebels.
CorrespOndent-It Il stated that
your command n1altreated several
citizens whom you arrested and beat
them severely. Is that the case2
COlOnel-Not a word of truth in it.
gome Of them resisted arrest, and OF
course they had TO be roughly handled
and made 10 obey; but my men have
done nothing at all out Of the way
beyond what duty compelled them to
do.
REBELS MUST SUPER.
OOfrespOnueuI-W nat ~ your Oplu-
ion Of affairs in this section? Is the
country in a state Of insurrection, as
alleged?
COlonel-Yes. The rebels have been
carrying on the war ever since
the surrender. There IS more rebel
lion here now than ever there was.
Corregpondent-Wh has been the
nature of the war TO which Ouallude?
COlOnel-Well, they have been Ku-
and hanging and whipping
negroes and Union men. A man
can't cast a free vote, and Governor
Holden, who is good man if ever
there was one, is determined 70 put a
stop to such crimes and outrages. The
pity is that he didn't begin sooner.
COrTespOndent-HOW is il proposed
"a atnIa thoao alIoo.ad ..ri..,1.. ID nIIE