New-York tribune., 1895-02-10


lighted up into a fine glow when she described
. the Parsons methods OF work and gave some de-
tails OF his home life. She was pleased that
visitor VINO had read in boyhood the Unionist's
story of his battle in East Tennessee with seces-
sion should be interested in seeing the house
where he had lived and the modest. thoughtful
and vivacious little lady to whom he paid this
terse tribute in his book: Il never courted oul
one woman: and her married.
Another pleasant hour in Knoxville had with
William Rule, the veteran journalist. who began
to talk with fervid enthusiasm about Horace
Greeley as soon as he glanced at my card. and
ended by recalling "reminiscences Of the war
period He was apprentice in Parson Brown
lows office. and Editor Of The Knoxville Jour
! nal has continued the work of aggressive Re-
publican preaching among the mountains OF East
Tennessee He had many adventures after carry
ing the message of warning from the Brownlow
house to the Parson in the mountains. With six
companions he crossed the river at night ana
started for Kentucky to enlist in the Union army
/ While young Rule and group of these refugees
were passing along lane leading through field
Of ripened corn they heard clatter ot
horses hoofs and caught glimpse OF Con-
federate cavalry riding rapidly toward them
They lay down in the cornfeld and. not
having been seen. they escaped arrest by
the cavalrymen Thrty-five thousand loyal
lists of East Tennessee entered the Union
army in this way and fought for their principles.
leaving their wives. sisters and mothers oehihd
| them in the mountains. Returning IN the laii Oh
1862 as recruiting officer in the enemys country
! young Rule travelled 100 miles on foot ana
reached his fathers house: and while he was con-
ceaed there he escaped arrest by searchihs
party through the quick wit and self-possession
| of his little sister.
| Mr. Rule asserts that if the first battle OF Bull
Run had resulted differently or had been fough'
week or a fortnight later East Tennessee would
! have been to-day separate state Ike "fs' VIZ
ginia Early in 1861 Governor Harris. who was
| an uncompromisng Secessionist sent message
to the Legislature urging the election OF a con-
venton for the purpose of securing the WIN
drawal of the State from the Union. The voters
in choosing delegates were empowered to decide
whether or not a convention should be held. This
proposition was answered in the negative. East
Tennessee recording a heavy majority against it
| in February, 1851. After the fall Of Sumter. the
| Governor again called the Legislature together
| and an ordinance Of secession was passed. An
election was held June s. 1861. for the raiifca-
| ton by the people Of the action Of the Legislat-
| ure East Tennessee again voted strongly against
secession. but under the influence Of military ex-
| element the state declared to be out Of the
! Union.
| Eight days before this election a Cnonist
| convention assembled in Knoxville and de-
| nounced the secession ordinance. Nine days
| after the election ii reassembed in Grecnvillc.
more than 900 delegates representing the counties
| Of East Tennessee. The convention declared
| that the ordinance was not binding upon tha;
| portion of the State. appointed three commits
| sioners to memorazc the Legislature for per-
| mission to form a separate Government. and
ordered a popular election OF delegates To a Con-
sttutional Convention to be held at Kingston.
The date Of the election was fixed. but it was
never held. Bull Rim intervened to dishearten
| the loyalists and to expose them to persecution
| and imprisonment The preliminary steps had
been taken for the formation Of a separate state.
| and II Bull Run had been deferred for a fort
! night East Tennessee. like West Virginia. would
| have been represented in Congress during the
war period. Unlike West Virginia. 1t would have
been a Republican State during the last twenty
| years.
The So 900 loyalists who swarmed across the
| mountains to enter the Union army expected to
| return speedily to expel the COnfederates from
| East Tennessee: but there was military mis-
| management with protracte1 delay in the fulhl-
| ment Of their hopes. At last, In September 1863
Burnside entered Knoxville. and was received
with open arms by the loyal people. In = few
weeks came the Federal reverse at Chickamauga
and Longstreet returned to lay siege to Knox
VILE where Burnsides army was strongly in
trenched. but cut off from supplies and exposed
to famine Fort Sanders. where Longstrect's
final assault was repulsed at the end Of No
| vember 1883 and the siege raised. still remains
a cherished memorial OF the heroic period Of the
| Hberty-Ioving and intensely loyal people Of East
| Tennessee Every old resident Of Knoxville has
| stories 10 tell of that stirring time when Ten
nessee was divided against itself and when re-
cruiting sergeants were crossing the mountains
| from Kentucky to obtain reinforcements for the
| Union armies and there was " secret mail service
! between the Ioyalist soldiers I'm blue and their
| W yes and mothers within the enoinys lines
| No genial gentleman can be found In the
| South than William Rule. who was one OF the
bravest Of the $1,000; bu, his eyes flash ana there
are stern lines in his fac. when he recalls the
prvations sufferings and sacrifices Of the war
| period
Colonel H. J. Sanford. VINO recently received the
minority nomination for Senator In the Tennessee
Legislature against Senator Harris, was friend
of Parson Brownlow in 1861, and co-operated with
| Mr. Rule in the successful attempt to warn him
of his danger when the bridges were burned He
| was banished from his home and family in East
| Tennessee. and remained away until Genera.
| Burnside entered Knoxville and gave protec-
ton to the Unonists. After the close Of the war
he became identified with the industrial Interests
! Of the mountain count s. and. as d railway presi-
dent and A OF foresight energy and sa-
| gacty he has contributed to the success OF every
! important enterprise for the employment OF labor
| and capital in Knoxville during the last twenty
five years. 1t is only necessary to refer TO the
| leadership of influential and successful men like
! Colonel sanford III. Clay Evans Newell Saun-
ders William Rule Chancellor Gibson, Foster v.
| Brown. and William r. Moore 10 indicate the
high character Of the new Repubcanism OF Ten
| nessee Colonel Sanford in his letter Of accept
| ance struck this high note of party policy: For