The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-09-05
TENNESSEE /" MOONsHINERS."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS officers ard Illicit Dis
tnlers--The officers Besieged in Log
House.
Tinted 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. M. Woodcock, Collector OF Internal REEVE
nue., Nashville.
SIR: take this, the earliest oppor-
tunity 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 and 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
falls, 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 matters of this State,
or, perhaps, in the United States.
On the morning of the 23d, the party,
consisting of twelve men, left Neither
land, on Spring creek, intending to go
to Livingston, but after going a 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.
It was then decided to 60 to Spring
creek to stay all night, and to getfeed 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 a Mr..
Barnes, mile beyond. We started and
rode about half mile, and met a man
who said the chances we're better at
Perks 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
102 years old-born three months before
the signing of the Declaration of indie
pendence. I was talking with him, and
taking some notes for a newspaper ar
ticle, as he had wonderful memory,
and Capt. Phillips and Davis had gone
back to the garden to find a place tofeed
the horses. Capt. Phillips had no gun.
Davis had Winchester rife. A par
fridge came flying from the front Of
them and lit on tree, and Capt. Phillips
was trying to show Davis where it was,
who was going to shoot it, when Davis
saw six Or eight armed man run down
the hill. On seeing them, both jumped
over the fence in front Of the corn-feld,
and near the main road, Phillips intend
ing to run for his gun. AS he jumped
over the first shot was fired from the
corn-tield, which struck Phillips in the
side, intiicting very dangerous wound.
He kept round the fence toward the
house, while volley of twenty or thirty
shots were fired at him. Davis then
commenced to fire, and at the first shot
his rife burst, and he had to run for an
other gun. The other men, by this time,
ran around both sides of the garden and
began firing. I heard Capt. Phillips cry
out, and ran through shower of balls
to the gate to get a gun, but saw Phillips
about fainting and helped him into the
house. By the time T had ripped his
shirt off and saw his wound was not fatal.
and had got out of the house. the enemy
had fell back and the men we're coming
IN, Charlie Tippins shot through the nose
and face, streaming with blood, and
Press Smith, with his shirt ali blood
from two shots through the arm. Tip
pins was struck down by the shot, but
Smith kept up the fight to the last.
KaWls, mlstaking the enemy for our own
men, ran over toward them and got
shot through his hat and one in the stock
OF his gun. Maj. Brown and the others
were all fighting in the old-fashioned
way. There appeared to be about forty
or fifty men, we'll armed and determined
fighters.
After the fight was over the wounded
men were cared for in the best way we
could, and, night coming on, Spears,
Howe and myself stood guard all night,
while the other party appeared to be re-
inforcing. Strain and Ayres we're dis.
patched for help in the early part of the
night, having only seven men fit for
duty. Mr.. Peck's son James, Mr.. Hen
ley and Mr.. Eldbidge, who happened to
be there when the fight began, preferred
to stay rather than return home. and so
stayed with us till the last.
On Saturday morning young boy of
Mr.. John Peek went down the road to
get some horses which had run away.
and he was shot at. He also und" rtook
to water our horses and was ordered
back, aud armed men were stationed on
every road. We were completely in
vested by at least 100 men.
Mr.. Peek, his son-in-law and daugh-
ter and other persons occupied the old
house in the rear and we the front two
story log house that had not been fin
ished. This made a splendid fort.
Firing was kept up all day on both
sides, ours reserving their ammunition
as much as possible. We had no water
and very little to eat, but the family
gave us all they had the means to cook.
Our wounded men were needing atten-
ton, and we were glad to see DR.. Mar
tin, of Cookeville, come up with other
gentlemen. He stayed half an hour and
then returned. About shutdown it