--The
Atlanta Register has the following intelligence from
Knoxville from a gentleman who has just gotten through the lines.
Every church and hotel in the city is occupied as hospitals.
General Foster is now in command.
Mr. Samuel Boyd's house and
Mrs. Rogers's house are also used as hospitals.
The
Yankees are confiscating the property of all Southern people.
Joseph.
Mabry is on parole.
The
Yankees took everything he had. All the principal buildings are used as Government stores.
The Federals have closed
Samuel Hamilton's jewelry store, on account of his Southern proclivities
Dr. Jackson afterwards took possession of it, but was also closed up.
Dr. Jackson is a British subject, and claimed British protection.
He had the
British flag flying over his house for several weeks. --
Brownlow denounced him as a notorious rebel.--The Federals refused to recognize his claim.
Butter is worth $2.50 per pound in greenbacks; coffee $3.50 per pound, and everything else in proportion, save meat and bread, which are not to be had at any price.
The Federal soldiers have been living on quarter rations, and the ratio growing "smaller by degrees and beautifully less" daily.
They have nothing but bran bread.
All the mules and horses have died of starvation.
The women and children now draw rations from the
Yankee commissary department.
The force now in
Knoxville numbers about 12,000.
If
Gen. Longstreet had been able to remain around
Knoxville a week longer the enemy would have capitulated, as they were almost out of ammunition and subsistence.
At the time of the siege the
Federals went around at night and pressed everybody, bond and free, (barber-shop negroes as well as white men,) making them get out of their beds to work on their fortifications.
Gen. Foster's headquarters are at the residence of
Col. John H. Crozier.
Old
Col. Wm. Heiskell, brother of
Fred. Heiskell, is the local agent of the
United States custom department.
He ran for Congress several years since against
Hon. S. A. Smith.
He has always been considered a Lincolnites and tory.
The Federals declare that they intend to hold
Knoxville until the end of time.
A letter from a lady in
Knoxville, dated Dec. 21, states:
‘
It was a great disappointment to all that
Longstreet did not take
Knoxville.
The
Yankees say that
Knoxville is more strongly fortified than
Vicksburg ever was. There is nothing to sell or buy, except what the sutlers bring.
Everything is scarce and high.
I suppose the road will be opened to
Nashville in a few days.
’
