The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-26

Railroad During the Winter and Spring
troops were stationed along this road in
such large bodies that it was not neccs-
sary for the safety of the road that the
track should be under TIE constant sur
VIGILANCE of guards: hut now that the gar
riSonS were small and located nj consider
able distance apart, it became necessary
to establish Il number of small posts. 50
that the track should be constantly eX-
amfncd.
To these small posts one or two compa
MES were assigned. BiockhouSes and other
defensive works We're erected at every
post Troops We're stationed and works
erected from two miles to two and Il half
miles apart. The railroad was patroled
from these pests every hour. day and
night. We found Il great many loyal Citi-
Zens in northern Alabama and northern
Georgia. BY direction from Department
Headquarters | issued an order requiring
all male citizens within three miles of the
railroad to report al headquarters and
give an account of themselves. and take
the cath of Il legiance to the United sta es.
BY this means we became acquainted with
every man along the line of the railroad.
| also issued an order forbidding any
person upon pain of death to interfere
with the railroad or disturb the safe pas
sage of trains. also forbdding all citizens
from approaching the track of the railroad
or being found upon it except ut the sta
tons. Citizens We're warned that if they
We're found upon the railroad track. either
day or night, they were liable to he fred
upon by the patrol without challenge.
Larkinsville being the brigade headquar
tiers, became 4 post of considerable impor
lance. Here We're accumulated Quarter
masters stores. Commissary stores and an
abundance of ammunition.
inclased the camp with tall rail fence
with stakes and double riders. providing
convenient sallyports, one of which opened
into an earthwork. My aim was to pro-
tect the camp from n sudden cavalry as
sault. The Enclosure was sufficiently large
to allow company drill and dress parade.
CARING FOR THE LOYAL REFUGEES.
found a number of families of loyal
refugees at Larkinsville when / reached
that place. They were in Il very destitute
condition. 1t was quite out of the ques
ton to feed these people for any consid-
cradle length of time from the public
stores: in fact. Gen. Sherman's orders for
bade the issuing of food to citizens after
the army entered upon the Spring cam
paign; but the condition of these people
was such that / could not permit them to
starve. In the disordered condition of the
country they could not find work, and they
collId not i've upon air.
l at once opened correspondence with
Hon. Andrew Johnson. Provisional Gov
ernOr Of Tennessee. who was at Nashville.
laid before him the helpless condition of
these people. and the absolute necessity of
doing something for their relief. pointed
out that they had every appearance of be-
ing good. respectable people, and sincere
in their expressed devotion to the Union
cause ] stated TO him that had taken
pains to make inquiry as to reasons that
caused them to flee from their homes. and
the reply was the intolerance of their
neighbors.
Gov. johnson replied Immediately, pro-
posing that if | would send these people
by railroad to Nashville he would see that
they were properly cared for. ! now have
in my possession some of the letters re-
ceived from Gov. johnson upon this sub
ject.
As result of this correspondence I
proposed to these people that they should
at once go to Nashville, to which they
cheerfuIly agreed. | provided transporta-
ton for them iii the empty freight trains
which were running from Chattanooga to
Nashville. This policy was adopted along
the line of the railroad by other command
ing officers, and thus we soon solved a very
distressing problem.
On May 6 Gen. john u. Stevenson tele-
grapbed from Decatur to Gen. McPher-
son. saying: Every day we have CARAVANS
of refugees arriving in great restitution.
! send them North as rapidly as possible.
Most of these are families of soldiers in
our service" Many Of these refugees
from Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia
worked their way to Illinois and Indiana,
where they found employment and estab-
lished homes. They were intelligent. sober
minded people, were non-slave holders.
II, 4
ing class They regarded the rebellion as
a shareholders war, and they were I'M
willing either to volunteer into the ranks
of the Confederate army or to be con
scripted.
A year or two after the war met
party at Shawneetown, H.. who accosted
me with considerable warmth and inform
ed me that we had met at Larkinsville.
Ala, in May. 1864. l. of course became
interested in the story of this loyal Ala
bamian. The loyalty Of many of the peo-
pie Of Northern Alabama was thoroughly
proved by their enlistment into the 1st
Ala. Cav, commanded by Col. George +.
Spencer, who afterwards represented that
State in the Senate of the United States
When / reached Larkinsville ] learned
that a company Of Alabama cavalry had
just been filed up, which afterwards per
formed splendid service in the Union
created very favorable impression in our
army with both officers and men toward
the people of this section of the South.
1t was accepted as conclusive proof that
the old flag still had its friends in the
South and that when opportunity offered
many would rally under the National
standard.
LOOKING AFTER GUERRILLAs.
It is one Of the long established rules of
Conducting war to constantly interfere
with, and il possible destroy your enc
my's line Of communications, and to cap
ture and appropriate or destroy his sup
plies wherever il is possible to do so. An
army must be fed and clothed and sup
piled with ammunition To enable it to car
~ on war Gen. Sherman had an army
of 100000 men and 10000 horses and
mules Gen. Johnston fully understood
that while a small quantity Of provisions
and forage could be secured by Sherman 5
army rs it advanced. the great bulk OF
the supplies for men and animals must
be brought frcm the North. Gen. Johnston
and his subordinate commanders planned
an elaborate campaign TO the rear OF
Shermans army. with the hope that they
would be able TO create such 4 disturb
ance along the railroads and rivers az
would prevent the transportation Of the
munitions of war necessary for the sup
port of Shcrman's army. We soon found
that considerable forces of the enemy had
been assembled at a number of points in
the neighbOl1lood of the railroad Deca