--There have been a variety of rumors about the arrest of Col
Robert Toombs, (now of the
Georgia State troops,) for "treasonable expressions,"&c. Nothing of the sort has occurred.
The offence for which
Col. Toombs was arrested, and is now undergoing trial by Court-Martial in
Savannah, is thus given by the
Republican, of that city:
Gen. Toombs was at
Augusta, with a regiment of State troops recently mustered into the
Confederate service for a limited term, and which he commanded.
His command was about to take the cars for
Savannah on one of the cold days of the late severe spell.
They were to travel in box cars, and the soldiers, after laying a place on the floor of the cars with brick and sand, built fires thereon for the purpose of keeping themselves warm on the journey.
The agent of the road,
Mr. Selkirk, seeing this, remonstrated with the men, told them it was prohibited by the rules of the company, and that when the train got in motion the fire would blow about and the train be destroyed.
He furthermore is said to have stated that the train should no leave the depot until the fires were extinguished.
Gen. Toombs coming up in the midst of the altercation between the agent and his men, declared that the fires should not be extinguished, that the train should leave in spite of the agent, and after cursing and using much bitter language towards the latter had him arrested and kept in custody by a guard.
He also threatened to have the agent cut to pieces and thrown into the engine for fuel, together with other direful calamities to his corporeal man. Whether the fires were put out or not we did not learn, but the agent, being outnumbered, offered no further resistance, and the train with the troops left for
Savannah.
The agent reported the case to the railroad company, and on their complaint to the military authorities
Gen. Toombs was arrested and carried before a Court-Martial.
