gladly have instructions as to the mode of correcting these abuses and the character of punishment to be inflicted upon those guilty of such offenses.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. H. MONSARRAT,

Captain Artillery, Commanding Post.

Honorable JEFFERSON DAVIS,*

President of the Confederate States of America:

The undersigned begs leave to lay before Your Excellency the following statement and accompanying documents:

He had, for reasons that need not here be stated, opposed the secession of Tennessee, and was, while the question was pending and undecided before the people of the State, a zealous advocate of the Union; but after the ordinance of secession had been confirmed by the vote of the citizens of the State, and the permanent Constitution of the Confederate States had in like manner been adopted, the undersigned, with others who had become prominent by reason of their opposition to those measures, voluntarily addressed a communication to Brigadier-General Zollicoffer, in which they pledged themselves to use whatever influence they might possess to promote the peace of East Tennessee and obedience to the constituted authorities, State and Confederate, on the part of her people. That pledge was made with a sincere determination, so far as the undersigned was concerned, to fulfill it according to its letter and spirit, and he has done so; and while General Zollicoffer remained at Knoxville with his command the undersigned and all other law-abiding citizens were protected; but after his departure he soon became convinced that the undersigned and his family were in danger of violence from the soldiers stationed at that place, under the command of Colonel William B. Wood. Certain of those soldiers were in the daily habit of coming to the residence of the undersigned, flourishing their knives, pointing their muskets at the windows, and uttering threats to take his life. The undersigned firmly believes that the soldiers were incited to act in that manner by his bitter personal enemies, who sought to make the military the instruments of their private revenge. However this may be, he and his family believed that his life was in danger, and that his presence at home imperiled instead of securing the safety of his wife and children. He therefore yielded to the entreaties of his friends to leave home for a time, and he consented to do so the more readily as he had business in adjoining counties which needed his attention. He accordingly left his home, and during his absence heard of the late burning of the bridges on the railroads in East Tennessee, and also heard about the same time that he was charged with complicity in that crime and outrage. The undersigned knew that the most intense excitement prevailed in the country; that the passions of the citizens and soldiery were fully aroused, and his knowledge of the history of mankind in the past taught him that in such seasons of high excitement the innocent and the guilty would suffer together. Prudence, therefore, dictated that he should for a time-until the passions of men should have time to cool and reason to reassume her sway-conceal himself, that no occasion should occur for violence to his person.

The undersigned asserts his entire innocence of the several charges

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*Without date, indorsed "Received January 2, 1862."

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