The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-09-06

An Ohicial Account OF y Battle between
Internai-Revepue Oficers ard Illicit Dis
tiilers-The Onicers Besieged ia n Log
House.
United States Commissioner Mather.
of Tennessee, has sent in the following
official report of the recent battle with
Illicit distillers in the Tennessee woods !:
Col. W. NJ. woodcock, Collector of Internal Reve-
nue.. Nashville.
SIR / take this, the earliest oppor-
UNITY afforded me. to apprise you of
the facts regarding the recent desperate
and sanguinary conflict, lasting for
nearly two days and nights, between the
Illicit distillers of Jackson aud Overton
counties and your special Deputy Col
lectors. The attack was made on the
evening of the 23d. at the residence of
Old Mr.. James Peek, near Waterloo
tails, on the line of Putnam and Over
ton counties, and was one of the most
determined, bloody, and fierce attacks,
perhaps, ever known in the history of
internal revenue matters of this State
or, perhaps, in the United States.
On the morning of the Odd, the party,
consisting of twelve men, left Neither |
land, on Spring creek, intending to go
to Livingston, but after going few |
miles concluded to visit the brandy dis |
tillery of Warren & Bradley, whose dis
tillery was thought to be an illicit one,
although it was said to have been
bonded.
1t was then decided to go to Spring
creek to stay all night, and to get feed for
the horses. Just before shutdown they
rode up to the residence of old Mr..
James Peek. The old man said he was
not prepared to take care of so many,
and his son advised us to go to Mr..
Barnes, mile beyond. We started and
rode about a half mile, and met man
who said the chances were better at
Peek's than anywhere else in the settle
ment, so we went back to Peek's, and
part of us had got down ard had gone
IN to see the old gentleman, who is over q
1O2 years Old-born three months before NJ
the signing of the Declaration of Inde- ,
pendence. / was talking with him, and 3
taking some notes for a newspaper ar {
ticle, as he had a wonderful memory,
and Capt. Phillips and Davis had gone
back to the garden to find place tofeed A
the horses. Capt. Phillips had no gun.
Davis had Winchester rifle. A par
fridge came flying from the front of r
them and lit on tree, and Capt. Phillips q
was trying to show Davis where il was, a
who was going to shoot it, when Davis h
saw six or eight armed man run down N
the hill On seeing them, both jumped Z,
over the fence in front of the corn-field, 4
and near the main road, Phillips intend "
ing to run for his gun. AS he jumped a
over the first shot was fired from the y,
corn-field, which struck Phillips in the al
side, lnf1ictlng very dangerous wound. n
be kept round the fence toward the q,
house, while volley of twenty or thirty n
shots were fired at him. Davis then h
commenced TO fire, and at the first shot ri
ais rifle burst, and he had to run for an O,
'ther gun. The other men, by this time. G,
IAN around both sides Of the garden and al
began firing. [ heard Capt. Phillips cry Ia
)ut, and ran through shower of balls
20 the gate to get a gun, but saw Phillips f.
about fainting and helped him into the fo
house. By the time I had ripped his cC
'hirt off and saw his wound was not fatal o,
md had got out of the house. the enemy r
lad fell back and the men were coming 81
n, Charlie Tippins shot through the nose az
lnd lace, streaming with blood. and
Press Smith, with his shirt ali blood q,
rom two shots through the arm. Tin Ia
'ins was struck down by the shot. but of
smith kept up the fight to the last re
aa"ls, mlstaklng the enemy for our own WI
nen, ran over toward them and got in
hot through bis hat and one in the stock En-
# his gun. Maj. Brown and the others m
we're al nghtlng In the old-fashioned wi
'ay, lhere appeared to be about forty M
MY men, well-armed and determined of
ghters. tb
After the fight was over the wounded tn
1en were cared for in the best way we on
ouid, and, night coming on, Spears. fel
lowe and myself stood guard all night,
lille the other party appeared to be re- fel
lforcing. Strain and Ayres were dis. Lar
atched for help in the early part of the an
lght, having only seven men fit for tn
uty. Mr.. Peck's son James, Mr.. Hen thu
" and Mr.. Eldbidge, who happened TO of
there when the fight began, preferred tn,
stay rather than return home. and so err
aged with us till the last. aw
On Saturday morning young boy of
lr. John Peek went down the road to no
1T some horses which had run away. da.
nd he was shot at. He also und rtook ly
water our horses and was ordered ass
ack, and armed men we're stationed on req
very road. We were completely in evi
'sted by at least 100 men. err
Mr.. Peek, his son-in-law and daugh- the
r and other persons occupied the old
,use IN the rear aud we the front two
DRY log house that had not been fin
he'd. This made splendid fort. tOn
lring was kept up all day on both vi, Gn
des, ours reserving their ammunition iig
much as possible. We had no water
id very little to eat, but the family mo
I'VE us ell they had the means to cook. las IA,
nr wounded men were needing atten- On
IN, and We were glad to see DIR. Mar wd'
4, OF Cookeville, come up with other , ne
ntlemen. he stayed half an hour and no,
en- returned. About sun. down il
emed as though there were / 600 men ies'
ound us, from the sound of the bueles. l Da'
outing and firing, many of the balls on'
netrating the house, and we prepared pre-
rselves to resist charge. The whole pro
ght was pandemonium itself, and Sun tiai
y morning dawned, with men in sight was
every direction. The first order was aite
T no one to go to the spring. and Mr. tra'