The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-01-11
COLONEL WATTERSON
In WAR And In PEACE


Chattanooga under the significant title
OF The Daily Rebel"-a publication
winch was destined to seriously inn
pair the morale of the Army of Ten
nessee-far from it's original inten-
tions, however. The editor and nuh-
Usher. Franc NJ. Paul, gave his ven
ture a popular name. 1t was prima-
rily established for supplying the
Army of Tennessee, under General
Braxton Bragg, in Middle Tennessee
WIN the news of the day. The
RebeI' became immensely popular
with the army, and it was with much
difhculty that the thousands of copies
necessary to meet the demands could
be printed, although there was an
abundance of type, there was but one
press-an old drum cylinder
Shortly after the advent of "The
RebeI Mr.. Henry Watterson was Sc
cured as editor-in-chief, with Albert
Roberts C"John Happy") as assistant.
FROM that day on its readers sat up
ana took notice Mr.. WattersOn made
the columns of the paper ring with
ms trenchant pen. He criticised whom
ne pleased, or commended, as to him
seemed best General Bragg came in
for a few remarks from the editor.
which later caused Mr.. Watterson's
withdrawal from the paper.
The Army in Chattanooga.
The Federal army under General
Rosecran in the West advanced upon
General Bragg until it became impera-
tive Tor the latter TO fight or get away.
Several skirmiShes occurred from
time TO time, and the Confederate
army withdrew to CHATTANOOGA. The
Federals followed closely. This alarm
ed the publisher; he decided to move
south, but ere he could make arrange
mentS to do so the enemy apDeared
I'm small force, on the north side of
the tennessee River, and threw a few
A -
OF The Rebel was packed in cars
ana shipped to Marietta. Ga. about
one hundred miles southwark. Bv
TINS tlme there was considerable criti-
clsh OF General Bragg-"The Rebel
oeinS the most persistent. The Con-
tolerate commander had previously
met Mr.. Watterson face TO face in
ChhttahooSa; II was a chance meet
ms however entirely unexpected by
eltheI. IL occurred at the residence
OF mutual friend. There was no
allusion TO the action OF The Rebel.
out General Bragg fixed his steel gray
eyes on the editor for a moment Tho
latter met that significant glance with
uniinching readiness
The Rebel Parts With the Editor.
Inc Federal army pressed the Con-
tederates in the spring of 1863. and
the Iatter Tell back a few miles in
North Georgia, where things remained
more or less quiet until the great bat
tie OF Chickamauga, September 20, 81
32. The result was the withdrawal OF
the Confederates from that vicinity
Inc RebeI became more violent in
It's criticism of General Bragg; nor was
the President of the Confederacy
pleased with the movements of the
mmander-in-chief.
Inc continual criticism of The
KebeI finally provoked General
Bragg to action; he therefore sent q
communication TO the publisher con-
tanning an ultimatum, namely. either
that the paper must cease its attacks
on him or not a copy would be allowed
IN the lines, as il was seriously i'm
pairing the morale of the army. This
communication had but one meaninn
Mir. WattersonS discharge from the
paper, 1t being well known that the |
editor would write what he pleased |
When the matter was brought TO his
attention Mr.. Watterson immediateIly
put himself in communication win
General Leonidas Polk, OF the Army |
or tennessee, With the result that the |
eul'oI reNhqulshed the pen for the |
; Word-he was attached to the stan /
of General Polk
The Rebels Move Again.
events began TO crowd on each |
other The Federals were gathering
n great army with which they boDaS
to crush the Confederates Mt one TeIi
blow. General sherman pushed his
three great armies on toward the re
treating foe. Meantime General Rrag
was relieved, and succeeded by Cen
erai Joe Johnson. on came the op-
posing forces, alarming the whole of
North Georgia. The publisher of
The Rebel became panic-stricken
also. and decided to make another
move. He first thought of stopping
In Atlanta, where a number of refugee
papers were being published. includ-
ing the old Memphis Appeal" but
General Sherman was headed for this
place; The Rebel went sixty miles
south to Griffin, Ga, where it was
hoped the Federal army would never
reach.
In the course of time the FederaIs
invested the environs of Atlanta, a big
battle was fought at Peachtree Creek.
Il rev miles away, and the Confeder-
ates being repulsed. retreated to the
city, where a battle occurred shortly
afterward with disastrous results To
the Confederate arms The CITY was
occupied by the victorious army and
ahother retroSrade movement began. q
Haven at Last.
Inc SITUATION was very serious as
II seemed as if the FederalS would
soon overrun the whole South This
alarmed the publisher of THE Rebel"
ana ne again packed up for other
leids OF endcaVor; this time he moved
TO Selma, Ala, where THE Rebel"
uhuaunted began its career again. ut
ast TO find everlasting rest-the Fed
: i ,' army found Selma. and they also
discovered The Rebel" a publication
Wlth which they seemed to he very
amillar, since their first INQUIRIES
were as TO the location OF the Office
ney soon found and took possession
d u printed a small sheet tccmins.
with bitter denunciation of its editor
)Whom they supposed was Mr.. Wat
erson), making efforts to find some
other attaches also. In this they were
lsappolnted-they had all fed. know
hS tuIl well the Federals would have
considered The Rebel force a great
capture.
Inc material was destroyed in a
lonnre made in front of the office.
NOT copy of the paper was preserv-
left not a Uaeffga 0F a. -