Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-01-03


energetic measures adopted, to disperse
the poorly armed and unorganized
bands of Unionists that had collected
at various points, without any we'll de-
fined purpose, but vaguely hoping for
something to turn up. OF the mass a
few were killed in the skirmishes that
ensued; large numbers were made pris-
oners and send to the prison at Tusca,
loosa, Ala, many incontinently fed
from their homes to the Union lines in
Kentucky, and those that remained
were cowed and compelled to swear al
legiance to the Southern Confederacy.
The leaders were relentlessly hunted
down. A number of alleged bridge
burners were among the prisoners.
On November 20-only twelve days
after the bridges were destroyed-Col.
w. B. Wood, commanding at Knox
vile, informed Secretary Benjamin
that the rebellion in East Tennessee
has been put down in some of the coun.
ties," and that its leaders deserved
the gallows." At Knoxville it was
speedily arranged to try the bridge
burners by court martial; the word had
quietly gone out that some bloody ex-
amples were needful to repress the re-
bellious spirit of the mountaineers. The
Secretary of War telegraphed to Dis
trict Attorney Ramsey that he was glad
to learn of this purpose, and hoped Ito
hear they had hung every bridge burner
at the end of the burned bridge" His
formal instructions on November 25,
were:
"All such as can be Unidentified as
having been engaged in bridge burning
are to be tried summarily by drum head
court martial, and if found guilty, ex-
ecuted on the spot by hanging. 1t
would be we'll to leave their bodies
hanging in the vicinity of the burned
bridges"
By the SOth two of the unfortunates
Fry and Hensie-had already been
tried, condemned and executed. Haun,
the two Harmons-father and son
and others followed rapidly. About q
dozen all told were put to death. And
the suggestion of Secretary Benjamin
was literally followed-Fry and Hensie,
the two most conspicuous, were left
hanging to tree in close proximity to
the railway line for several days in full
view of the passing trains.
These killings seem terrible at this
day, but, right or wrong, there can be
no doubt that vital necessity compelled
the Confederate authorities to resort to
extremities; their justification was self
preservation. Benjamin's stern man.
dates and the swift action of his instru-
ments at Knoxville lend hue of saw
age cruelty to the affair, but The hang
ings were really dictated by pure policy,
and were fairly justified by the laws of
war; As in Warsaw, "peace reigned, I"
but the Richmond government ever felt
that East Tennessee was a slum bering
volcano.
His enemies thought that the time
had now arrived to strike down Parson
Brownlow. In one of his violent news
paper articles early in the summer,
doubtless written under great provoca-
ton, the Parson had hinted at the me-
cessity for the destruction of the rail-
roads. His secession enemies in Knox
vile desired very much to hang him.
They charged, and no doubt believed,
that he was the prime mover in the
bridge burning, if not an actual par
ticipant. He vehemently denied all
knowledge of the conspiracy, and no
scintilla of evidence was ever produced
to show that he knew aught of the pro-
tending catastrophe.
Nevertheless ominous signs COM
PEELED Brownlow at last to go into hid
ing among friends in the mountains
Still bis influence was 30 formidable
that the Richmond Government was
very anxious to be rid of him on any
terms. They hardly dared the unwis-
dom of hanging the old man, though
there were number of vindictive hot.
heads about Knoxville to urge even
that extremity. Brownlow finally sent
in word to the military commander
Gen. George B. Crittenden-through
his young SOD, John B. Brownlow, of
his willingness to "do what the Devil
had never done-leave the Southern
Confederacy." Thereupon Secretary
Benjamin authorized the military to
pass the old Unionist through the lines,
saying that he would "be glad to learn
tnat brownlow b ad left Tennessee.
On this vague understanding Parson
Brownlow left his hiding place and
came into Knoxville. He was very
busily engaged in preparations to de-
part the country when he was arrested
on a civil warrant for treason and
thrown into Jail. The ground for the
charge was his editorial wherein he
counseled the destruction of the rail-
roads in East Tennessee in retaliation
for Rebel outrages on Unionist citizens.
He lay in a crowded and filthy Jail
several weeks, only expecting to leave
it for the scaffold.
But at last on the representations of
Crittenden, who was a sensible and an
amiable man, that the honor and good
faith of tho % ..o-~