Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-10-30
WAR "REMINISCENCES,
Governor Harris Departure---Davis and
the Devil--Stokes' Cavalry---A Hard
Question
B. Q. Truman.

After the fall of Fort Donaldson and the
Con fedel ate evacuation of Bowling Green,
in February, 1862, and the subsequt Mt
Stampede of prominent Secessionists from
Nashville and from other important cities
in Middle Tennes it was not long before
thousands and tens of thousands of Federal
troups poured through the streets of the
above named capital. 1t was customary,
during those early days of IKE rebellion, f.r
many writer's, either soldiers or professional
correspondents, to state that, upon such
occasions, the Federal troops were well
coined by Union men and by displays
of National colors. There were some
such demonstrations during the early part
OF the conflict, in some places, no doubt
but there were none in Nashville at the
time mentioned in the opening of this psr-
agraph. There were few real, genuine
Union men and women in Nashville, of
course, but they were peculiarly undemt i.
strative. In fact, Nashville looked and
seemed like deserted city; nine-tenths of
the able-bodied men. between the ages of
eighteen and fifty. had been enrolled under
the Confederate flag. and Were in that
army or in their graves. Isham G. Harris,
then governor of Tennessee, and now
United States Senator from that State. had
been persistent and aggressive in his efforts
to prevent stampede; but upon the ap-
pearance of Federal gun-bost, that old
gentleman himself seized upon the first
quadruped that happened in his way, and
made his way from Nashville upon the
hurricane deck of white mule. This story
was told me, upon my arrival in
Nashville, BY Archie Cheatham, 8
turer, and W. Hy. Smith, edi-
tor of the Patriot all secessionists and
fr ends of Senator Harris. They did not
th erefore. relate the incident to throw rid
icu!e upon the self-exiled Executive in
deed it was to demonstrate his staying
qualities until the appearance of Federal
gun boat admonished his excellency to get
out yet the above named gentleman aud
others, used TO felicitiou ly say, when al,
ludiug to this subject: Notwithstanding
the serious aspect of affairs, it was mighty
funny to see the State government of Ten
Dessee humping Itself out of Nashville
upon the back of mule"
One of the funniest incidents of the war
came under nv observation the day the
| Federal troops landed in Nashville Taking
| y position on the corner of Cedar and
| Cherry streets, stood and witnessed reg
| lment after regiment move up the former
thoroughfsre. Only one civilian
Chat =! saw gazed upon that long line OF
| victori US defenders of their country's
flag. and that civilian was a well,clad
.urchin OF about eight or nine summers,
| and ne stayed perched upon fence post
IN front of the residence of Hon John Bell,
| opposite the Catholic Cathedral. until the
last strsggler came up, when said civilian,
in q tiny voice CALCULATED quickly, "Hur.
| rah for jeff Davisr' and then curled him
| self up some say, so that he looked like d
buodle or ball. while his little, grinning,
wicked face reminded me of picture in q
comic almanac The soldier, who was al
least six feet two or three inches tall,
turned toward the shining juvenile as quick
as lightning, and. giving the disloyal atom
whitening look, groaned in accents of in
dignstion, "Hurrah for the devilln "AIl
right" Clipped in the little torturer. you
hurrah for your man and I'll hurrah for
miDel" and down he jumped and scans
pered up Church street. The soldier
| looked after him. laughed out, and then
mu. cred, "Well. I'll bel" and, as
moved away 10 different direction, l did
! not hear the last monosylable.
A short time after the arrival of Andrew
johnson (who had been made military
governor of Tennessee and brigadier
general of volunteers) at Nashville, March
18th, 1862, Hon. VIM. B. Stokes, of LIE.
bsnon, asked and obtained permission of
excellency to raise regiment, to be