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507 Series I Volume XXXI-III Serial 56 - Knoxville and Lookout Mountain Part III

Page 507 Chapter XLIII. THE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

is well acquainted with the individuals depredated upon, and who represents them as men of the most noted loyalty:

Dr. Joseph C. Strong lives 9 miles above Knoxville, on the road to Strawberry Plains. Some one in the United States service, name not stated, hauled away a quantity of his corn and gave him vouchers, or receipts of some kind, for 130 bushels, less than half the amount which was actually taken. Other parties, representing themselves as belonging to the Sixteenth Canada, got corn of him and gave him no vouchers.

An officer calling himself Lieutenant Wise got corn from a Mr. Stallings (who lives on Dr. Strong's place, and whose house has been open to all Union refugees, and who has, gratuitously, furnished numbers of such with grain and provisions to last them on their way to Kentucky), and gave him vouchers for 120 bushels, not, however, as much as he actually took away. two or three days after this, Mr. Stallings went to Strawberry Plains, and was met by Lieutenant Wise, who asked him if he had the vouchers with him, and desired to look at them; after getting them into his possession he put them into his pocket, rode off with them, and has not since been seen by Mr. Stallings. While I dislike much to trouble the commanding general with the recital of these numerous complaints, I feel it to be my duty to use every means in my power to remove the cause of them, in order that citizens may be protected, the army saved from demoralization, and the interest of the cause, which we have so much at heart, be guarded from the odium which must be attached to it by the continuance of such shameful outrages.

I am, general, very respectfully, &c.,

S. P. CARTER,

Brigadier General and Provost-Marshal-General of East Tennessee.

OFFICE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL OF EAST Tennessee,

Knoxville, December 26, 1863.

Brigadier General E. E. POTTER,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I have the honor to forward, for information of the commanding general, a letter this day received from Honorable Thomas A. R. Nelson, in relation to the conduct of United States troops toward loyal citizens of East Tennessee. In doing so I respectfully renew my request that the most stringent measures be adopted to put an immediate check to acts which are alike unjust to our citizens and discreditable to the United States service.

I am, general, very respectfully, &c.,

S. P. CARTER,

Brigadier General and Provost-Marshal-General of East Tennessee.

[Inclosure.]

FLAT CREEK, KNOX COUNTY, TENN,

December 26, 1863.

Brigadier General S. P. CARTER:

SIR: Unable to reach home, I have been staying for the last ten days at the house of Major Gaines McMillan, who will hand you this note. He goes to Knoxville in the hope of procuring a guard for his property. Having always been a Union man, he cheerfully furnished to the army all the corn and other articles he could spare; but


Page 507 Chapter XLIII. THE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.