Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-09-02
TORCH and BULLET.
Tennessee Troops Battle With
Free Miners.
The Troops in Control After a
Fierce Contest.


The determined stand made by the free
miners in Tennessees coal region AGAINST
the employment of convict labor resultel in
incendiarism and bloodshed, and the calling
out of all the States available troops by the
Governor. After the miners had burned
the stocka les at Tracy City AMI Inman and
driven away the convicts, they met with
temporary reDulse at Oliver Springs but on
the following dav the stockade there was
also taken and burned, and the soldiers and
convicts were expelled from the district.
Then, flushed with their many victories the
miners attacked the neighboring stockade
at Coal Creek, known as Fort Anderson.
Colonel Anderson, the commander was
captured, and his life threatened by the
angry miners. After several assaults. in
which a number of lives were lost, Coal
Creek was also captured, but by this time
the whole State was aroused.
On the following day Tennessee troops.
under the command of General Carnes,
reached Coal Creek, took possession Of the
village and relieved the beleaguered soldiers
at Fort Anderson.
Prior to the arrival Of General Carnes the
miners ambushed detachment which went
over the mountains under command of Ma
JOr Carpenter within a quarter OF a mile of
Fort Anderson, killed three of the soldiers
and forced the rest to retreat.
General Carnes, with 1900 men and a six
inch and a Calling gun, reached Coal Creek
about o'clock A. NJ. He captured the out
posts OF the insurgents without opposition,
placed 200 OF the miners under arrest, and
threatened that if General Anderson was
not delivered up by P. NJ. he would ex-
terminate the prisoners.
The miners promised to bring Anderson
in by O'clock but the hour passed an he
did not appear. Then General Carnes again
threatened retaliation, and at about P M
Anderson was deliVerad I'M
General Anderson had been captured by
five men coming under flag of truce He
was enticed from Fort Anderson into the
village by promise of safety. Turning the
corner he met mob who took him to the
hotel and produced letter to his lieutenant,
which was an order for the surrender of
the stockade and fort. Though threatened
with hanging he steadily refused to sign the
paper and asked only that he be shot, and
his grave marked SO that his family could
find it.
At Z o'clock P. NJ. special train bearing
the bodies of the men who were killed in the
battle at Coal Creek in the morning, three
men who were wounded and 125 volunteers
who had gone to the front, rolled into the de-
pot at Knoxville; 1000 people were gathered
about the station, and the excitement was
higher than at any time since the trouble
began. When the train stopped the men
poured out of the coaches and formed in
line, through which their dead comrades
were carried in military style. The COM
pany forme with arms reversed and
marched behind the bodies to the Court
House.
Not until the arrival of this train was it
possible to get correct statement of the bat
tie and the exciting incidents leading up to
it. Five men were killed in all. The dead
militianen are: J. T. Waltha !. Of Knoxville,
railway clerk, aged %; Bruce Givens, farmer,
Knox County, aged 80; militiaman Of the
Second Regiment (1am4 unknown and sup
posed to be from Chattanooga. The
wounded are. Th )nas l.. Carly, lawyer of
Knoxville, shot through the left groin, in
juries may prove .atal; Samuel G. Heiskel,
prominent lawyer and Democratic poll
laborer, slightly woun led.
Two miners were killed. They are George
Miller, of Coal Creek, and George Neil, OF
Oneida, Tenn. John Wilson, a miner of
Coal Creek, was slightly wounded in the
heel. J. NJ Gaut, business man of Knox
vile, AMI one OF the volunteers, was badly
injured OY falling over ledge of rocks.
General Carnes captured nearly 300 miners
and confined them in a church at Coal
Creel.
Tne dead bodies of twenty-seven miners,
killed in the various engagements with the
troops were found on the mountains.
number Of wounded miners were taken away
by their comrades.
Volunteers from all parts of the State
fastened to the scene of the lnsurrectlOn,
and guns and ammunition were supplied by
the Federal authorities AMI the authorities
of adjoining States. Mass meetings were also
held throughout the State, at which reso-
buttons condemning Governor buchanan for
his inactivity were passed.