The National tribune., 1906-04-05
ARMY OF THE
CUMBERLAND
fcontinued from page ID

unable to oyertake them until they had
passed the Cumberland River at Nash
4 vile and burned the bridge. He had
his batteries we'll to the front. and they
fired few shots at the trains leaving
the city. with no other result than to
increase the CONSERVATION reigning
there.
I Intelligence of the capture of Fort
I Donelson reached Nashville on Sunday,
Feb. Is. and produced the utmost con-
sternation. The Confederate Cover
4 nor, Harris, Immediately convened the
Legislature. but they speedily adjourn
ed to Memphis, whittier the public
| archives and money were also removed.
| On the same day Gen. A. S. Johnston
passed through the city on his retreat
| from Bowling Green, and before night
fall hundreds OF families were aban-
doning their homes and making their
way southwark The general confu ion
was increased by the destruction of un-
finished steamers at the wharves, and
the free distribution Of the stores by
| the military authorities to all who
would take them. On Monday the pub
lie stores were closed. and an effort
| was made by Gen. Floyd. who had been
placed In command of the city. to re-
| cover what had already been given out:
but on Tuesday the distribution began
| again. and continued until SATURDAY.
morning. on Tuesday night the troops
| destroyed the wire bridge and railroad
| bridge across the Cumberland River. In
| spite of the earnest remonStraaceS of
| the leading citizens. The former cost
| S150.000 and the latter s250.000 Gov.
| Harris made a sDeech advising the clti-
zens TO burn their private property, and
| calling on Tennesseeans to rally and
| meet him at Memphis. but little or NJ
response was made to his appeal. The
| machinery was removed from many Of
the most important workshops and car
ried TO Chattanooga. On the 23d the
rear guard of the Confederates evacu-
| ated the city. and the same day the
advance OF Gen. MitcheTs column oc-
cupied Edeefield. n small town on the
opposite side OF the river. The next
| day Mayor Cheatham and committee
from Nashville waited upon Gen. Buell.
| and agreed to surrender the city at a
certain hour on the following morning
| (the 25th), receiving assurances that
| the liberty and property Of all citizens
should be sacredly respected. Before
| the surrender was effected, however
Gen. Nelson arrived With his column
on transports accompanied by the gum
| boat st. Louis. and landed at Nashville.
| The following procfa was after
ward issued by the Mavor:
"The committee representing the cltv
authorities and the people have dis
| CHdFSeu IDtif uuly ny calling Ol 'Trn
| Buell., at his headquarters at Edgefeld.
on yesterday. The interview was sat-
| isfactory to the committee. and there
| Is every assurance of safety and pro-
| lection to the people both In their per-
| sons and property. / therefore respect
| fully request that business be resumed.
and that all our citizens of every trade
and profession pursue their regular vo
| cations. The County elections will take
nm tha ro0rtl9r iaV and ALL civil
business will be conducted as hereto
fore. Commanding Gen. Buell. assures
me that / can rely upon his aid In en-
forcing our police regulations. One
branch of business is entirely prohibit
ed. viz. the sale or giving away of in
toxicating liquors. I shall not hesitate
to invoke the aid of Gen. Buell. in case
the recent laws upon the subject are
violated. I most earnestly call upon
the people of the surrounding country
who are inside the Federal lines to re-
sumo their commerce with the city and
bring in their market supplies, espe-
cially wood, butter and eggs. assuring
them that they will be fully protected
and amply remunerated.
"R. B. Cheatham, Mayor"
The city remained perfectly quiet,
and the Federal troops. to use the
words OF the Confederate press, "con-
Quoted themselves with marked pro-
priety. The Union feeling in the city.
however, was for weeks extremely
faint. correspondent, writing 10
days after Gen. Buell's arrival. says:
"The disagreeable but Irresistible con-
viction forces itself upon the mind OF
even a superficial observer that what
ever the warmness and number of
Unionists may have been at the time
when, and for some time after Tennes-
see was juggled out of the Union, eight
out of every 10 have been made sub
missionists by the protracted secession
pressure that was brought to bear upon
them" The same writer adds: Most
OF the stores continue closed. But few
male and fewer female inhabitants are
visible upon the streets. Victorious
soldiery alone en1iven them. Half of
the private residences are deserted. and
add further gloom to the aspect by
their closed doors and window shutters
and gravelike stiffness. Hardly less
than third of the population must
yet be absent"
Senator Andrew Johnson. Military
Governor of Tennessee, by appointment
of President Lincoln. Horace Maynard,
NJ. c. Emerson Etheridge and other
prominent Union exiies, arrived nt
Nashville on March IL. and the next
evening delivered speeches, which were
listened to with considerable favor by
large auulenCe.
The newspapers of Nashville had all |
suspended publication on the evacua- |
ton of the city by the Confederates. |
but they soon reappeared. and one of
Gov Johnson's first official acts was
to place them under military supervis- |
ion. The Daily Times in consequence
OF this measure was discontinued. On
April 10 q daily paper was started un- |
der the title of the Daily Nashville |
Union.
Taking the Oath of Allegiance.
On the 25th of March Gov. Johnson
requested the municipal officers to take
the oath of allegiance. The City Coun- |
Gil refused. by vote of 16 to I, and
the following reply was accordingly
sent to the Governor:
Gen. Andrew Johnson, Military Gov
ernor of the State of Tennessee.
"Sir: Your communication OF the
25th inst, requiring the Mayor. men,
bers OF the City Council. police and
other city officials to take an oath to
support the Constitution of the United
States. pursuant to the first section of
the 10th article Of the Constitution of
the State of Tennessee, has been re-
ceived and duly considered.
I've respectfully beg leave to submit
the following facts for your Excel
lency's considerations:
Since we have had any connection
with the City Government. which in
some cases has been for several years,
we have never before been required
to take any other oath than the simple
oath Of office, to discharge our respec-