The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-10-29
THE IST TENNESSEE RE
UNION.
A Singing Letter from Col.
Wheeler-The Reunion
ImpracticabIe &C.

MR. EDITOR see a paragraph i'm
the columbia Herald suggesting that =
reunion OF the First Regiment of Ten
hessee Cavalry take place in Maur,
county on the 26th, and requesting that
commanding officers make the cali,
Kermit me through your widely cir
culated columns to reply to the MANY
letters and interrOgatiOns that have re-
ceiVed on this subject. Nothing would
De more gratifying to my feelings than
70 meet my old comrades once more as
cltlzens IN social reunion and recount
past events. My heart follows them in
all their meandering fortunes of life
and rejoice in their prosperity. These
gallant men struck one of the last blows
III oehalt OF the ''lOst cause' and stuck
70 the Old ship as long as there was a
plank upon which to float. Men who
now stand upon their manhoOd-reDre-
sentative men who in good faith abide
Oy the pledges in their parole and who
are the most law-abiding, peacable and
orderly citizens in the land. But deem
the Reunion proposed as Impractical BILE
and impolitic at this juncture
In the first place, the men are scat
tered over this wide land and could not
meet in the short time specified.
Secondly, the Radicals are endcayor-
ing 70 poison the Nor shern mind with
the belief that the Rebel commanders
are not disbanded, but are only sleeping.
ana even the carpet-bagger Horace
Maynard would seize upon this little in
cident as an evidence of it.
Thirdly, the undersigned unfortunate
~ lives in Giles county, the reputed
birthplace of the Ku Klux, and in re-
union y. j. bird would see the foot
prints and shadows of those Knight Err
no Oh,
tourthly, after peace was declared
and while the writer was quietly return
ing TO his home in charge of his com
mand, he was imprisoned in Knoxville
TO answer the following charges, to-wit 1:
That he was heard to say, that he lived
near Nashville, and if the ID Yam
KEGS did not quit following him that he
would take up arms again-Uhat he was
not whipped but only parOled, and when
he arrived at home BrownlOw would 90
up in less than two weeks" In re-un-
ion the blasphemOus old Parson would
feel as if his immediate prospects of
heaven were greatly enhanced. His
philanthropy would loom up and boil
over and he would endeavOr to get the
sacred school fund once more deep down
in his pocket tor better protection.
The horses of this regiment were la
ken away by Maj. Gen. StOneman's
corps, notwithstanding they were guar
anteed as private property, and so rec
ognized in our paroles from Mai. Gen.
Sherman. Strange, passing strange it
is, that this little robbery from a squad
of disarned men has been tolerated by
the "best government the world ever
saw" This is the same gallant Gen.
Stoneman Of Indian nOterieCy, who in
less than two years captured the re-
nOwned Captain Jack, Scar faced Char
ley, their six squawS and all of their
camp-equipage, embracing their valua-
bic mOccasins which he sent to Wash
ingtOn rs a trophy of his vaIor. This
daring exploit was achieved by the
| hero of Strawberry Plains with only
one division of his veterans.
Taking into consideration the prOX-
unity of the elections and various other
reasons, 1 think my friends will agree
with me that reunion might be detri-
mental TO the interests of our land in
many respects.
l am, with great respect,
JAMES Il. WHEELER.