Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-07
THE OLDEN TIMES.

How the Mails Were Carried from
Nashville 20 Natchez Through the
Wilderness.
From the Gallatin Examiner.
In your issueof the 9th, you mentioned
the age and sprightliness of John L. Swaney
and his riding the mail from Nashville to
Natchez, and that he frequently saw and
talked to the noted robber Morgan. The
name was not Morgan as you have it, but
was Tom Mason, the leader of band of
robbers who lay in ambush in our ChOc-
taw Indian Nation and robbed traders and
boatmen IS they returned home from New
Orleans and NatcheZ. After much coaxiDg
and persuasion, he has consented that l
might write few imperfect sketches of
what he saw during the time be was riding.
He began to ride about 1875 or '97,
and rode nearly 4 years. Nashville
en- was quite small place. Every
house in the place was built of logs, and
many of them bad stick and dirt chimneys.
The Post Office was kept on Market street,
few doors below where the st. Charles
Hotel now stands, by an Irishman named
VIM. Tab. Soon after Robt. B. Curry was
Post Master, who be says was an exceed
ingly acco .nplished and clever man. Col.
Benjamin Joselyn,sn old Indian Fl hter, was
CO tractor. The distance from Nashville
to Ma chez was estimated then to be $50
miles. The road a mere trace or bride
way through the woods and canebrakes.
He would leave Nashville on Saturday
night at 8 O'Clock, and in 10 days and
hours he was due a. Natchez, but being
good horseman would often be ahead the
time. Then the same time back to Nash.
vile ould be three weeks to make the trip.
Starting from either place he had the mail
(Which consisted of few letters and gov
eminent dispatches, with a few newspa-
pIs), half bushel of corn for
his morse, provisions for himself, an
overcoat or b. ket, ana tin trumpet.
Thus "quippec be would leave Nashville,
and pass Tom Davis oh last white mans
house which stood then near where Frank
lin, Tenn, now is) at midnig t. Sunday
morning he would get to Gordon's Ferry,
on Duck River, 81 miles from Nashville.
There he fed his horse, ate breakfast him.
self and woul1 ride so miles to Colhert's
Ferry on the Tennessee riv r, where the In
dams would set him across. The Indians
were contrsry and would not come after
him across the river he failed to get there
before bel time There, resting and feed
ing his horse, be would have to go 120
miles to the Chtckasaw agency before be
saw any house--not even an Indian wig
wam-and would have to lay out one night
in the woods and caneOrakes. In
cold weather he had a flint and steel
with finder box to make fire. The Chick
asaw Indian Agency was kept by MCGEE,
who was Agent, with Jim Allen, interpreter.
Allen was man Of fine address, and was a
lawyer who came to Nashville and falling
in business went to the Indians. After
while will write more about Allen.ss
Here at the Agency, $50 miles from Nash
vile, he made the first exchange of horses.
He says he RODE large lack horse fir m
Nashville to the Chickssaw Agency five
years. Then the horse was crippled. The
old gentleman says none of our horses could
do as much at the present day.
From there to the ChOctaw Indian Agency,
about 200 miles, he rode again through the
Indian Nation. Sam Mitchell was the
AGENT at the Choctsw Agency, with John
interpreter. From there 100
miles Natchez where Gen. L. Claiborne
was Postmaster. At that time every body
came from New Orleans and Natchez by
this route br nging their provisi rs and sup
plies on pack-hOrses, sDd mules. KentOck-
lans and Tennesseeans would load fat
boats with produce, 60 down the river to
New Orleans, sell out and come back with
their money in gold and silver in raw hide
and packed on the mules with their spp-
plies. When they would stop at night they
wOuldtak their mo ney and hide it out in
the woods before they made up any fires
as there was not party that came through
but had great dread of Mason and his
Band. These were the men whom Mason
and bis band lay in ambush for and rObb-
ed. Next week will tell you something
of Mason and bis bold rob0eries. l omit
ted to tell you lat Duck River, 81 m les
from Nashville, was then the line OF the
Chicasaw Indian Nation.