Year: 1865

KNOXVILLE, Tenn August %, 1895.


Our party left Knoxville early Monday morning and
returned last evening" having visited all the important
points between this place and the crossing of the wau
tauga river in the northeastern corner OF the
State the present terminus Of the East Tennessee and
Virginia Railroad. will give you brief resume of
what and did, with such observations as may be
Of interest TO the general reader


FROM KNOXVILLE TO GREENvILE.


We had secured from the post commandant the SER
vices Of the band belonging to the Eleventh United
States colored infantry and glded out past the
houses Of Knoxville. and the people who stood gazing
with wonder on the pageant the "back machines re-
galed us with as good music ever heard And here
let dgress remark that, whatever faults the negro
may be addicted TO- and however low he may be in the
order Of intelligence he is capable Of not only appre
ciang but executing the very finest compositions of
music. heard more enchanting "concords Of
sweet sounds' than fell upon my from the nsru-
ments Of this band composed solely Of negroes black
Erebus. AS the glided along very rapidly,
could obtain nothing than a coup dGI of the
try though spent most of my time gazing out of the
window wistfully upon the rapid succession of hills,
daes, mountains, valleys creeks meadows and fields Of
rpenng grain Everything has settled down into profound
quctude and the mountain Businesses that but recently


echoed to the and thunder of artillery the quick
crack Of the pckets rifle only reverberate with the
sound Of the woodman's the lowing and bleatng
of the herds grazing upon their slopes The yellow
corn basks in the sunlight inviting the farmer to gather
the rich harvest for his toll and herds Of sheep ready
for the fall shearng. While was indulgng in such
hections these Governor Brownlow tapped the
shoulder and calculated, Scrb there's the road that
President johnson travelled when his way Wash
ington TO take his seat the Senate He travelled in
open buggy with pistol and double barrelled shot gun.
The rebels pursued him. and fred at him several times
In Cumberland Gap; but he mraculously made his
escape He also directed my attention to the Ashville,
Cumberland Gap and Nashville Railroad, which in
Of construction when the put stop it. II
is nearly all graded ties down and ready for the
reception of the rails. Work upon IL will likely be
resumed The only other features we worthy of
special mention Messy creek and Blue spring Messy
creek takes its rise somewhere in the Northern Noun
sains, and empties nowhere. 1t will gush out Of the
ground, for distance and suddenly sink from
sight So it is continual succession of upcomings and
down goings from its mouth II derives its
from peculiar kind Of upon its surface, to
be found In no other stream. The water which Is
light green many places flows in sufficient quantities
o turn mills, which are built its banks The Blue
spring situated about two miles from Midway station
IL notable account Of the peculiar flavor and color
Of hs water, which is almost as blue as indigo The
sys4ng Il unfathomable. lead has been sunk to the
dsaance of FIVE hundred feet but bottom found
About eleven O'Clock we


ARRIVED oREENvniE


Here we were met by the Fortieth United States col
cred regiment who had been ordered out guard Of
honor Horses were IN readiness, and we were all
mounted. The regiment after going through several
svolutons Of drill, divided into two battaions and with
front and in rear and the band discoursing
Iheir sweetest strains proceeded TO the hotel Gov
Brownlow was here met by large number Of his
Did Union friends, and it amusing to listen TO their
relations Of adventures during the rebellion 'Mine
host' Of the hotel had been 'brother chip" and
worked upon the tailor bench with President Johnson in
days lang syne and obtained from him some valuable
infomations concerning