The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-03-26
NASHVILLE IN '65.
"Reminiscences of the Waiting Period Before
the Mnsier-nut.

ter of 1S64-'65 saw the City of Nashville
practically freed from rebel rule. The serie:
of engagements eliminating in the battle
enabled Gen. Thomas TO make clean sweep
Hoods army was utterly demolished, and
never again was anything but disorganized
rabble-the cohesiveness was utterly taken
out of it. Nashville in the Spring was oc-
cupied by more than $4,000 Federal troops
most OF them waiting to be mustered out, and
the city was completely in the possession Of
the Union soldiers
/ was then on the staff of Gen. Lowell II
Rousseau. A military commission was al
that time in session. of which / was mem
Der, trying the notorious guerrilla, Champ
Ferguson, a bloodthirsty scoundrel, who for
many months had ravaged Middle Tennessee
killing Union men simply because they were
Union men, and without even the better ex-
cuse of robbery.
So great was the hatred of this man among
the Union soldiers that for the ambulance in
which he was daily brought from the Nash
vile penitentiary, then used rs military
prison by the United States Government, q
strong guard was necessary to protect him
from lynching by the soldiers, and only the
habit of discipline rendered him safe, even,
from the guard.
If ever there was man utterly devoid of
the smallest spark of mercy it was Champ
Ferguson. A couple of his atrOciOus deeds
l cannot refrain from mentioning. He came
to the bedside of soldier who had been left
ut farmhouse, too exhausted to be moved
with the Union troops when they retired
from the town of Decherd. His condition
would have moved any body but this human
wolf to pity, for he lay utterly helpless,
unable to move so much as a finger
"I've killed just 80 Union men" said the
heartless ruGian, and you'll make Just an
even 100" and with these words he shot him
through the head as he lay.
Not far from the scene of this occurrence
lived decrepit old man who had never
done any injury to Ferguson, but who had
always been Union man. So feeble and
so useless was he to the Confederacy, that
even their CONSUMPTION, which "robbed both
the cradle and the grave" passed the old
man by. Not so did Champ Ferguson. He
came upon him one afternoon when he was
feebly pottering round the house, and
knocking him down, expressed his intention
of shooting him.
The old man had two children, little girls
of IL and IA With their arms clasping
their fathers neck, they besought mercy for
him. But their appeal was vain. Champ
Ferguson had no such word as mercy in his
vocabulary. He tore away the shrieking
children and blew out the old mans brains
before their eyes. The older one rose to
her feet and fled to the woods, a hopeless
maniac.
was member Of the military commits
sion that tried this murderer, and never did
a better thing in-my life than when voted
to find him guilty; and fixed his punish
ment in accordance with the atrocity of his
almost countless offebsea
The people of Middle Tennessee slept
sounder when the gallo Tvs had claimed its
own, and-the world breathed more freely TO
know that Champ Ferguson was taken out
of it. t'
Gen. Rousseau's command was the Depart
ment of Middle Tennessee. His Headquar-
tiers were in Nashville, where he occupied
a fine residence on Church street renting
part of it to the 'Freedmen's Bureau, of
which the late Cen Clinton b. Fisk was
the head. He usedas His Offices two large
rooms on the main hall, directly opposite
our Headquarters, and we were very friend
ly with him and his clerks.
One day pOrtIy handsomely dressed
lady entered Gen. Fiskt office and stated
her case TO him. She owned a building
somewhere in the city, Which had been used
by the Government Us hospital. AS the
medical staff did not care to use it any
longer, she wanted TO get it into her own
possession again.
The General listened attentively, and
then said:
We'll, madam, take a seat; tell the clerk
1T that desk to reduce your statement to
writing; then sign it, and / will forward it
20 Washington, and the probability is that
NY recommendation will be acled upon, and
you will get your house back in a few days"
"Whatw said she, that niger? o
That niger" was a mulatto educated
1t Oberlin, o.; spoke several languages
luently; wrote a hand like copperplate,
md was one of the poitest of gentlemen.
Yes, ma'am, that niger" said the
General
The clerk flushed little through his
Dlive skin as the lady sat down and gathered
up her skirts about her, as though some of
,he black on the niger" might rub off |
When The clerk had taken down her state
nent he handed it to the lady to sign.
She hesitated considerably, and asked if
ler signature was really necessary. "Of
course it IS" said Gen. Fisk. i must have
to base my Endorsement on"
Then the truth came out. In spite Of her
inc feathers and supercilious ways, she |
,ould not write her name, and the niger"
lad to prepare the paper in the usual !
manner for her to Sign her mark. She |
Ifiixed n cross instead of name, the clerk
signed as witness, and, with a swirl of her
kirts and the deep color mantling in her |
heeks, my lady swept from the room with |
what is commonly called can air." The |
General and interchanged glances, but the |
clerk kept right on with his |
work.
A day or two after this news came of the |
assassination OF President Lincoln, and long |
before s o'clock the city was III a fearful |
tate of excitement. Nashville was full of
oldiers, and ii was a good thing that the
lays of battle were past / firmly believe
hat if any fighting haC been going on no
Iuarter would have been given, so exasper-
ted were the troops.
A little knot of people had gathered on q
treet corner near the PostOffice discussing
lie news, which was not yet known i'll all
is sad details, when n rebel, joining in the
said 1" 1t is a good thing old
lincoln is dead. He won't send any more
Yankees down here TO steal our nggers and
freak up our homes"
1t was very silly thing TO say in the
hen state of feeling. a wooden-legged sol
ier raised his crutch''a instantly knocked
own the speaker Picking himself up, the
nan silently went away, but returned in a
ew minutes and scanned the crowd care
ully.
"Who are you looking for ?r said a soldier