Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee PatriotBrownlow, William Gannaway
History
Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee Patriot
Brownlow, William Gannaway
Brownlow, William Gannaway, 1805-1877; Tennessee, East -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
with his wife and children, looking for another trade. Huston, Sehon and
Baldwin were still in Nashville adhering to Secession. The citizens of
Nashville could but note the contrast, and expressed their opinions in
regard to the superiority of the officers and soldiers of the Federal
army over those of the Confederate. The former were well-dressed and
well-behaved, and did not insult citizens nor ladies upon the streets.
While, on the contrary, the vagabonds of the Confederate army stole
everything upon which they could lay their hands, and drove peaceable
citizens from their homes. While there were some honorable exceptions in
the Confederate army, strange to say it seemed to be mostly composed of
the off-scouring of the land; swearing, lewd fellows, of the most
degraded possible character. I had a hard time among them, and was
satisfied that they intended to execute me. I owe my escape to the fact
that for so long a time I had been an editor, and, to a great extent,
had gained the confidence of the people. The Union sentiment prevails in
East Tennessee five to one. Among them my friends notified the leaders
that, if Brownlow was hurt, twelve of their prominent men would be
sacrificed for his life, and I think they were afraid to hang me. So
they wrote to Davis and Benjamin that they had better release me; that I
had many friends, and that my presence would continue to stir up the
rebellion; and that, if they could send me out of their lines, they
would get rid of me and my influence. Therefore Benjamin thought that,
as I was a very wicked fellow and a great traitor, he would release me
on conditions that I would leave the Southern Confederacy, and, if I
would do so, they would give me a safe passport out of their lines. So I
opened a correspondence with that little, contemptible Jew--_Judas_
Benjamin, and consented to do for the Southern Confederacy what the
devil had never done--_leave_ the country. They still hold my wife and
children as hostages for my good behavior. I don't think they will hurt
them. I hope not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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