The National tribune., 1893-01-26

had distributed among the soldiers wives. I
was altogether ignorant of the treatment which
Jones had received from Waugh, and for which
injury he had solemnly protested he would
have revenge by taking the life of Waugh.
After collected my company we proceeded
at once to Waugh's house, which Jones boldly
entered and shot him down, killing him in
stantly. This circumstance threw the whole
company into panic for q moment, but after
rejecting for short time how their homes
had been devastated, and how they had been
robbed of every valuable which they possessed.
the current changed and they were ready for
action again. The house was then thoroughly
searched, but no part of the missing goods or
money could be found. We then went to the
residence of Sam Mcqueen, who was one of the
most violent and outrageous cutthroats that
belonged to that wicked and infamous gang
known under the name and style of the Home
Guards of Johnson County. When he was
taken prisoner
HE TREMBLED LIKE BELsHAZZAR
when he saw his destiny defined by tue hand
writing upon the wall. Doubtless he expected
to be killed without any mercy being shown
to him. and if the menstrous crimes which he
had committed against the laws of the country,
and the total disregard which he had paid to
the dictates of common humanity itself, had
been placed in the balance and permitted to
been at once hurried into the awful presence OF
the Eternal God. But he mplored for mercy,
for that mercy which he had so totally dlsre-
garded when he and his coadjutors i'll wicked
ness were hunting and numbering Union men
of his County, and prosecuting and robbing
their destitute families. When he was hunting
up Union men like the wild beasts of the forest,
he forgot that mercy is an attribute OF God
himself and he therefore extended it to his
ba,n trcfa a
hand.
But on this occasion mercy was extended to
him, for his life was spared, and he solemnly
swore that he would never molest another
Union man or his family.
There was no other man killed by any of the
company during this xpedition, although every
principle of justice sternly demanded the life
of Sam Mcqueen. for he had perpetrated a
multitude of crimes sufficient in atrocity to
have shocked the sensibilities of any person
that was not perfectly hardened to human
sympathy and destitute of manly feeling, for
which his life should have been made to atone
If Mcqueen had been killed on this occasion,
as he richly deserved to be, the lives of very
many innocent Union men would have been
saved, for he did not long observe the solemn
protestations which he made in regard to his
future conduct toward the Union people when
ho saw death staring him III the face.
However. he at last met with his reward, for
when the Federal forces came into the upper
Counties of East Tennessee in the Spring of
1865. he was captured and shot by some of the
very men whom he had SO foully wronged.
We searched McQueen's house and several
others. some of which were garrisoned by rebel
soldiers, who Immediately fled, as if they were
carried upon the wings of the wind, when they
heard US approaching. But we failed to find
any Of the lost treasures for which we were
searching, with the exception of two pairs of
lady's shoes.
As we had failed to recover the money and
property which had been forcibly taken from
the wives of the soldiers, we concluded to re-
pair the loss
BY TAKING THE REBELS HORSES,
the greater number of which belonged to the
rebel soldiers and the remainder to the Home
Guards. After taking enough horses to repay
the soldiers fer what the rebels had taken from
their wives, We left Johnson County and made
immediate arrangements to 60 through the
lines.
do not think the oppression of the people
in the upper Counties of East Tennessee would
have been greater than it had been for a long
time if it had not been for Sam Mcqueen and
an outrageous rebel guerrilla by the name of
William Parker, who was generally known by
the cognomen of Old Bill Parker" who was
bell wether among the Home Guards. This
fiend in human shape had already driven many
families from their homes. hauled off their
aud burned their houses to the
ground-in fact, there was scarcely dwelling
house in Johnson County, belonging to
Union soldier, but that was burned to ashes by
this old scoundrel. Old Bill Parker during the
last year of his Infamous career committed
many depredations. It afforded him the ut
most delight to subject the wives and children
of the Union men, who had left their homes to
save their lives. to the most terrible suffering
that could possibly be inflicted upon them.
He would stand and laugh when the devourng
flames were wrapping their houses III their de-
structive embrace. If he had been a devil
fresh from the internal regions, he could not
have exhibited any less respect for the sor.
rows and snfferings of helpless women and
children. When engaged in holding torches to
the houses of Union men, if a woman would ap-
proach him TO implore him to desst in his
work Of destruction. he would instantly knock
her down with his gun aud bestow upon her
the most foul and terrible curses which his
wicked heart could originate He burned a
number of poor aud destitute w0men's houses
with the utmost degree Of recklessness, when
he was well aware that they had no other pro-
lection to shield themselves and their little
barefooted and starving children from the cold
and
STORMY BLASTS OF WINTER.
He would stand with deviiish smile playing
upon his countenance and look with delight
upon the horrible scene which was presented
when the poor women, with tears streaming
from their eyes. would turn away FROM the
ruins Of their humble habitations
followed by their little children. whose naked
feet would leave their impressions upon the
snow, to wander forth amid the dreary mount
aims. without home and without shelter to
protect them from the chilling winds of q
dreary Winter.
Many innocent Union men had already fallen
victims to this old scound rel's devilish malice,
and now with Sam Mcqueen, regardless of
the solemn oath he had taken to cease persecut-
ing Union men. to assist him in his fendish
work, they progressed most admirably in
devastation and murder.
Old Bill Parker had no respect for gray hairs,
if they were found upon the head of Union
mau Old age afforded no sort of protection
from the assault of this brutal miscreant. for he
shot down old and decrepit men who were un-
able to leave their fresdes without leaning
upon staff to support their faltering steps, just
because they happened to have son in the
Union army, or were friendly to the Union
cause themselves.
ITO be continned)
Then and Now.