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[209] property was lost to the Southern Confederacy, and wantonly destroyed, all of which might have been quietly and safely removed, had the panic-stricken leaders been able to maintain their equanimity in the face of a vague and unauthentic rumor that the enemy were near at hand. Comment upon such management is unnecessary in these columns — it can be heard loud and unsparing from every mouth in the land.

Sunday morning a small advance of Gen. Buell's column arrived and took possession of Edgefield, a small town opposite Nashville. Nothing was done until Monday evening, when Gen. Buell arrived at Edgefield, and was immediately visited by a committee from Nashville, headed by Mayor Cheatham. The hour for a formal interview was fixed at eleven A. M. Tuesday, before which time Gen. Nelson arrived with his column on transports, accompanied by the gunboat St. Louis.

At the appointed hour the Mayor and some ten citizens waited on Gen. Buell and surrendered the city, receiving assurances that the liberty and property of all citizens would be sacredly respected.

The interview passed off pleasantly, and resulted in the issuing of the following proclamation by the Mayor:

Proclamation.

The committee, representing the city authorities and the people, have discharged their duty by calling on Gen. Buell, at his headquarters in Edgefield, on yesterday. The interview was perfectly satisfactory to the committee, and there is every assurance of safety and protection to the people, both in their persons and in their property. I, therefore, respectfully request that business be resumed, and all our citizens, of every trade and profession, pursue their regular vocations.

The county elections will take place on the regular day, and all civil business be conducted as heretofore; and the Commanding General assures me that I can rely upon his aid in enforcing our police regulations. One branch of business is interdicted — the sale or giving away of intoxicating liquors. I shall not hesitate to invoke the aid of Gen. Buell in case the recent laws upon this subject are violated.

I most earnestly call upon the people of the surrounding country, who are inside of the Federal lines, to resume their commerce with the city, and bring in their market supplies, especially wood, butter, and eggs, assuring them that they will be fully protected and amply remunerated.

R. B. Cheatham, Mayor. February 26, 1862.

Of course, Floyd, Pillow and Co., long ere the National troops had possession, were long miles away from the vicinity of Nashville. No prisoners, save one, were captured, and no stores of any amount, as the latter were all taken possession of by the mob. There were a large number of guns in the city, but they were either spiked, thrown in the river, or placed on the bridges be fore they were fired. The two gunboats, alluded to in the Banner extra, were also partially burned, and sunk close by the railroad bridge, but fortunately not in a position to interfere with navigation. Several fine steamers were captured, the rebels leaving in such a hurry that they had not time to burn them. Among them were the Pink Varrble, Gen. Anderson, G. W. Hillman, J. H. Baldwin, Charter, B. M. Runnion, W. V. Baird, and two others. About half of them are side-wheelers and first-class boats. The Baldwin was captured yesterday. She had been somewhere up the river, and not knowing the important changes which had occurred in Nashville during her absence, came unsuspiciously into the national net, and was taken.

I have spent a good deal of time to-day in conversing with the citizens, and found but little Union sentiment. Men asserted that they were not citizens of the United States--didn't want any protection from the Government, and in several cases even refused to sell any goods to the soldiers or officers. One man said he was a Union man, but never had dared say so for fear of being hung; another said the only two nights' sleep he had had in weeks were since the arrival of the National army. Another individual assured me, with a very haughty air, that there were no Union men in Nashville except among mechanics and laborers; no gentlemen, he said, were anything but secessionists, or rebels, if I liked the term any better.

The fact is, that the masses have been so lied to and misled about the purposes of the Government, that they listen with incredulity to the assertion that we do not dome for the purpose of stealing their “niggers,” and other property. As soon as their minds are disabused of these and kindred lies, they will be prepared to return to their first love — the Union. They admit that our troops behave in a manner as entirely unexceptionable as it is unexpected. Hence it may be inferred that this belief will ripen, ere long, into a substantial loyalty.

At present an air of gloom hangs heavily over the whole city. The stores are closed almost without exception, and the inhabitants gather in sullen knots to talk over the new order of things. One thing they all agree upon; and that is, that the destruction of the suspension and railroad bridges was a most cowardly and wanton outrage upon the city. This wholesale destruction, when compared with the manner in which the National troops disabled, without destroying, the bridges on the Tennessee, invites a comparison between the two forces that must result favorably to the latter.

Gen. Grant and staff came up here to-day from Clarksville, and spent several hours in looking around the city. Among others whom they called upon was Mrs. Polk, the widow of James K. Polk, formerly President of the whole United States. The residence of the relict of the late President is a handsome brick mansion, on a fine street, and shows by her surroundings that she is a woman of taste. A large yard lies between the street and the house, which is filled with


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