The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1886-10-28


Union counties in the State, and r. r.
Buffers sentiments and influence had |
great weight in molding the senti-
nents of the people at the commence
nent of the rebellion, as he was con-
sidered by them to be a leader of the
Union party, and worthy to be contid-
ed in. Said county is strictly loyal,
and R. r. Buffers influence has kept
it So"
Now, finally, the following letter
written by Mr.. Butler to Samuel E.
Northington is enough to convince
any man of Buffers loyalty.
Knoxville, TENNESSEE,
January s, 1862.
DEAR SIR; Having an opportunity,
| send few lines to you by old man
Jesse Price, who know will deliver
them without falling into rebel hands
for if this letter is captured by the
rebels you and l both go up, Poor
old fellow he had a hard time in Jail
here-nearly starved to death before |
could get him out. OH the suffering
of the Union men; my heart bleeds
for them, | am doing all within my
power for them. / had hard time in
getting old man Price, his son, and
son-in-law, out of jail had to use
any amount OF deception with old
Judge Humphreys, who is the bitter
est secessionist in Tennessee he
raves like madman, and is as bloody
as a savage. | will get good many
out this week, unless some rebel comes
down from our county and interferes
with my arrangements. This week
some twenty-five or three Union men
from Hancock were sent to Tuscaloosa
prison. Poor fellows; / did all / could
for them although they were strangers
to me i; | trust that their health may
be preserved and they may be permit
ed to return home and be honored fol
their patriotism. What will become
Of the Union men OF East Tennessee
God only knows, unless the Fedora
Army soon comes to our relief but lei
us stand firm for the Union, come
what will, for in the end we will bt
triumphant.
Things lock gloomy now, but have
confidence in my government, anC
certainly it will not much longer per
NIT Union men to be hung, shot, anC
tortured in all conceivable ways.
think change will soon take place
if not, we will have to go out Of Eas
Tennessee, and that is hard to do, a
they guard all the roads and paths
and kill all the Union men they cap
ture. If we do not get relief soon b
the Federal Army we had better tr,
to get to Kentucky, for we cannot re
main here much longer, at least sue
men as you and myself, for they ar
watching me very closely, and l wi
not be disappointed if am arreste
at any moment, but / am facing II
the best | can. Old Humphrey
thinks am a pretty good souther
man, and | do not care what he think
if | can get our Union men out of pri'
on, for they are starving. have lt
; them have every cent of money | ha
and borrowed from Sam Morrow,
true man. If the Federal Army d
not soon come into East Tennessee b
the time | come home we must g
our Union men to KY. somehow.
? think 1t can be done by letting O
. that we are raising regiment for ii
confederate army, and when We g
four or five hundred, which we easi
S can, we can arm them as best we CO
r and march them to Kentucky in spi
5 of the rebels. You, Simerly and m
self can in a few days raise that nur
, Der, and we Will start for Knoxvill
: and when we get to the nearest poi
i to Kentucky we can rush across Il
4 mountains we will have to be quiz
f when we commence, as the rebels W
: find it out and we go up. Old Jes
v says he will eat this letter before t
v rebels shall capture it. He will Il
J. be interrupted, as he has pass. S
J. to my Union friends to stand fir
4 that we are right, and time will pro
9 it. | have had to do and say ma
Il things that went hard with me,
$ God knows that | am doing all in I
20 power for the Union men, and will
: so, sink or swim live or die; no pc
q. ton or money that rebels have can
fluence me. | am with the of peo]
O. Johnson and Garter their fate sh
be mine if they go down ! will
as down with them.
or will close, as / am writing on
n leaf torn from book; the confede
re cy cannot afford paper to write upc
el it is a nice arrangement. My &C
y pliments to all, and accept the SAM
a. Yours truly,
at R. r. BUTLEB
he S. E. NoRTHNGToN,
IT. Taylorsville, Tenn.
on Now, brother Comet, if you are |
or fectly honest about what you said,
"a. will, without any twisting, or squil
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