LEBANON, Sabbath Eve, April 26, 1863 his The late order of General Burnside is making the "Rebs" quake in this quarter, and I am glad to see it. The people have been allowed to talk treason too long, and now they must stop. Yesterday a Presbyterian minister in this place, pastor of the leading church, was arrested, and a Rebel officer found concealed in his house. He will have to pack up duds and go to "his friends." That is glorious! Then there is another beautiful thing in this arrangement,-all officers and soldiers are called upon to enforce this order. If I don't arrest the first man or woman that dares say one word against our Government, then my name is not Cæsar! We will have some good times trying and hanging these vipers! We will make them hunt their holes! COLUMBIA, ADAir County, I am Provost Marshal of this city, and have a great amount of labor to do. No one can pass our lines without a pass from me, and no one can get a pass from me unless he takes the oath of allegiance. I administered the oath to thirty in less than three hours. I stopped all the mail going South, and will not let any more pass for the present. Oh! how I love to make the "Rebs" swear! You know how I like traitors, and you can judge how much sympathy I show them! I shall arrest every man who talks treason, and send him to Headquarters. It would tickle you to see some of these "Rebs" choke when they swallow the oath, but it must go down. It will do them good! That the gentle Jennie at home was in hearty sympathy with her husband's fierce threats cannot be doubted after reading this extract: May 6, 1863 "You write that you are now stationed at Columbia, and that you are Provost Marshal of that place. Is not that quite a responsible position? . . . I hope you will not show the least shadow of mercy to traitors; but caution is unnecessary. I fully understand your views. Please send me a copy of the 'pill' you are dosing them with. Captain Burrows continues his detailed account of the performance of his duty: OFFICE OF PROVOST MARSHAL, My labors are great in my present position of Provost Marshal, but I like it very much. I have administered the oath to over 300, and not a man or woman can pass beyond our lines without taking it. One man here in town swore he would not take the oath. Yesterday morning, while his horse was hitched at the door, some one came up and drove it off. It was necessary for him to go beyond the lines to get it. And, as a matter of course, he had to take the oath. It went down hard. The penalty for violating an oath is death. OFFICE OF PROVOST MARSHAL, COLUMBIA, May 10, 1863 As we were marching through the town I received orders from Colonel Morrison, our Brigade Commander, to remain in the place and resume my duties as Provost Marshal. I took this as quite a compliment, and felt still more complimented after I learned that the citizens had petitioned the Colonel for my return. I have some warm friends here, among whom is Judge Bramlette, the Union nominee for Governor. He says the course I have pursued is just, and ought to have been adopted long before this. I think I told you in my last that I was not instructed to administer the oath of allegiance, but I wanted to do it, and not a man or woman can leave till the pill is taken. One man skulked out, and I am going to send for him in the morning. He has got to take it or "go up." I send in this a copy of the oath. What do you think of it? Isn't it glorious?. . . On May 2 and 3, 1863, General Hooker, who had succeeded General Burnside in command of the Army of the Potomac, met Lee and Jackson at Chancellorsville, and was disastrously defeated. Gloom settled down upon the North, and the Union army itself found it difficult to conceal its despair. This letter is typical in its expression, frankly acknowledging the perilous situation but doggedly insisting upon ulti mate success: COLUMBIA, KENTUCKY, You have learned of our defeat on the Rappahannock. My heart is discouraged. Hooker, on whom the people and the Army had placed their hopes, is out-generaled and ruined. To whom shall we look now? Hooker is not a general. You ask me the cause of his defeat. I think it was nothing more than inability to command such an army. He was out-generaled, and Lee has shown himself to be the greatest spirit of the age. Hooker threw part of his army in the rear and part in front, thereby weakening his force and separating them beyond supporting distance. Lee hurls all his forces upon Hooker and routs him, and then, by a quick march, pounces upon Sedgwick, driving him across the river, almost annihilating him. Thus, with an inferior number, Lee defeats the Army of the Potomac. By latest accounts, Lee is moving upon Washington, and soon the Capital will again be in danger. I would not be surprised if McClellan was again placed in command of the Army of the Potomac. You know I am not a McClellan man, but I have never doubted his military ability. The great difficulty with him is, he is too slow, too timid. He commenced a siege against Yorktown with 108,000 men when it was held by only 15,000 of the enemy, and whenever he meets the enemy he hesitates and pauses till the enemy gains a sufficient amount of strength to successfully resist or retreat. Were he not a timid man he would be the hero of the hour. When But it is idle to speculate upon his virtues. his virtues. the Nation is beggared, then, perhaps, Heaven will give us a man who can use the Nation's resources for our prosperity. Jennie, do not think by this letter that I am ready to surrender. Never! as long as I live! We shall conquer in the end. Do not be discouraged. We have everything to urge us onwards. If we are defeated, then war and devastation will sweep over this land until all is enveloped in a common ruin. OFFICE OF PROVOST MARSHAL, Not having any more news to write, what shall I say? It is useless to tell you of my love for you and our little one. It is as pure as Heaven and as deep as the universe. You know it all. How happy we |