with liberality all the wants of the soldier. The occasional deprivations in hardships, incident to rapid marching, must be borne with patience and fortitude. Any officer who neglects to provide properly for his troops, and separates himself from them to seek his own comfort, will be held to a rigid accountability.

By command of Gen. BUELL. JAMES B. FRY, A. A. G., Chief of Staff. Official, J. M. WRIGHT, A. A. G.

NEW-YORK "TIMES" ACCOUNT.

son the iron shower fell all around her; time and again has she been opened upon by batteries which the rebels had stationed on the river-bank for her special benefit; scores of times have rebel riflemen poured a heavy fire upon her as she steamed by some well-timbered bluff; but in no case has she met with a single loss, or had a splinter raised by hostile bullets, save with the single exception above referred to. Even that was not serious, as the dog was long since convalescent, and can now "set" a bird, or wag a tail with any dog in Christendom.

NASHVILLE, TENN., Thursday, February 27, 1862. If the Conestoga be not peculiarly entitled to Tuesday, the gunboat Conestoga was ordered the term lucky, there is no luck extant. The folto proceed from Cairo to this place, for the pur-lowing are the names of the officers: Captain, S. pose of conveying orders to such of the gunboat fleet, as might be up the Cumberland River. The substance of the order was, I suppose, that all the boats which could be spared, should, together with the mortar-boats, report immediately at Cairo, with a view to operations down the Mississippi River.

The Conestoga, by the way, is one of the three wooden boats, and apart from her active participation in several fights, including the gallant struggles at Forts Henry and Donelson, has been engaged in active operations ever since last June. There is not a resident on the banks of any of the rivers within two hundred miles of Cairo, to whom the appearance of the Conestoga is not as familiar as the trim of his own whiskers, or the features of his helpmate. One day she might be seen moored near some house far up the Cumberland, while her suave commander, Capt. Phelps, explained to some wondering native the object and scope of the present rebellion; the next day she would probably pitch a shell into the works at Fort Henry, or carefully cruise along the shore, in search of, or exchanging broadsides with, some masked battery; twenty-four hours after she would be cruising around Columbus, or possibly convoying transports, laden with troops, on some of the thousand and one expeditions that characterized for so long a period the operations at Cairo, during the summer and fall of 1861.

L. Phelps; First Master, John F. Duke; Second Master, Chas. P. Noble; Third Master, Benjamin Sebastian; Fourth Master, H. Cutter; Master's Mate, James Kearney; Surgeon, W. H. Wilson; Purser, Alfred Phelps; Pilots, A. M. Jordan, Wm. M. Attenborough; Gunner, Henry Hamil ton; First Engineer, Thos. Cook; Second Engineer, Alexander Magee; Third Engineer, Michael Norton; Fourth Engineer, James O'Neil. I may add, that the officers, without exception, are gentlemen in the complete sense of the word, and possess, in addition to this qualification, a thorough knowledge of their duties. The efficacy of Capt. Phelps is so well known, that special reference to it would be superfluous. Suffice it that an abler or more gallant officer never trod a plank.

Fort Donelson, as we passed it, seemed more formidable than ever; its peculiar characteristics are such that, like a master-piece in painting, or an extended view of some grand mountain scenery, it cannot be appreciated at one view, but becomes huger and more formidable in proportion as one examines it. Why such a position was ever surrendered to less than one hundred thousand, and before it had been besieged six months, is a mystery of the most impenetrable character. With ten thousand Yankees behind the works, and an ample supply of food and munitions, all the rebels this side of Hades cannot take the Fort within the next decade. There was one pleasing difference between the Fort as we saw it this time, and on the Thursday which preceded its capture; the Stars and Stripes were floating gaily from the loftiest bastion of the works; companies in blue were manoeuvring about the grounds; brass bands enlivened the air with everything but "Dixie;" clean white tents, and fine-looking soldiers covered the surroundings of Dover, and, in short, everything appeared as though determination, enterprise and go-aheadativeness had got possession of the place.

The swiftest boat on the river, she has always been used for an express as well as gunboat, and thus, in one capacity or the other, has had scarcely an hour's leisure since she was first set afloat. There is not a house between Cairo and Fort Henry, on the Tennessee, and Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland, but what claims a friendly interest in the Conestoga. She never passes any of them without hats, sun-bonnets, pocket-handkerchiefs, hurrals, and "How are you's?" being brought into requisition to show their recognition and joyfulness. Until this last trip, the Conesto- All the way up to Clarksville we found eviga has been lucky beyond all precedent. During dences of loyalty among the scattered residences all her fights she has never lost a man, and was along the banks of the river. Beyond this, hownever struck but once, and then by a charge of ever, there seemed to be a decided change. The grape, which did no further damage than to lite- people were just as plenty, and expressed just as rally perforate her smoke-stack, and slightly much curiosity to see us, but instead of waving wound a setter belonging to some of the crew. hats and handkerchiefs, they stared at us in sulAt Lucas Bend, last September, she silenced a len silence. They seemed benumbed, stupified battery of twelve pieces that suddenly opened at the change, as though they hardly yet appreupon her from the shore; at Henry and Donel-ciated the fact that it was the Stars and Stripes,

instead of the stars and bars, that hung from our flagstaff.

Even the negroes, usually so demonstrative, stood like ebony statues of astonishment and stupidity, and gave their supposed deliverers never a cheer. One old fellow did indeed get up a little enthusiasm he was, however, a long distance from any house, and only ventured to shake his battered hat from behind the protection of an oatstack.

which already are half concealed by the bursting buds and green young leaves of spring. Tennessee may, judging from the glimpses caught from the river, be well termed the "Garden State," for never were there scenes better calculated to give pleasure to the lovers of the beautiful or the utilitarian, than those which spread away on either side of the Cumberland.

Six miles below Nashville we reached Fort Zollicoffer. It is located on the west bank of the river, The only other case, in which a sign of welcome some sixty feet above the water, and is mountwas vouchsafed, was that of a pretty Miss, ofed with eight guns-thirty-twos and sixty-fours. some seventeen or thereabouts, who leaned over Although the guns are mounted, the Fort is unthe balcony of an aristocratic house below Nash-finished, being nothing more as yet than a series ville, and shook a delicate white mouchoir and of breastworks-one for each gun. Two addiher pretty curls at us as long as we remained in tional guns have been thrown down the bank sight. Whether she did it from patriotism, for and lie close to the water's edge-one or two fun, or because her romantic nature was impress-others are supposed to have been thrown in the ed with the quantities of gold-lace that so plentifully bedecked our gallant officers, is more than I can tell. Probably it was simply one of those impulses, to which "gushing" girlhood is liable, and hence cannot logically be construed as an evidence of public sentiment in that neighborhood

river, while the balance are indifferently well spiked. The rebels who constructed the Fort evidently knew but little of the existence of the gunboats, or else they would have placed the pieces in quite a different position. The guns stand very nearly on a line parallel with the river, thus exposing them to our enfilading fire from the gunboats. The gallant Commodore Foote, with his fleet, would have swept the whole battery out of existence in half an hour; but they were evidently intended to operate against transports carrying troops, in which case they would have an

It is more than probable that in a week or so, there will be a marked difference. They have so long been lied to, and deceived by the political, religious and editorial scoundrels of the South, that they dread our coming as they would the advent of a pestilence. The following is a speci-swered admirably. men of the pabulum upon which the masses of Soon after passing Fort Zollicoffer the magnifithe South are fed. It is taken from the Nash-cent state house, situated upon the highest hill ville Banner of Peace, published by the Reverend (Lying) W. E. Ward:

"We have felt too secure, we have been too blind to the consequences of Federal success. If they succeed, we shall see plunder, insult to old and young, male and female, murder of innocents, release of slaves, and causing them to drive and insult their masters and mistresses in the most most menial services, the land laid waste, houses burned, banks and private coffers robbed, cotton and every valuable taken away before our eyes, and a brutal, drunken soldiery turned loose upon Who wants to see this? If you do not believe, you will see it; look at Missouri."

us.

As soon as our troops have occupied the country for a few weeks, and by their action given the lie to such assertions as the above, the latent Union sentiment, in this portion of the State, will develop itself to an extent that will overwhelm the traitors beyond redemption. Another week will witness a change of the greatest magnitude.

The river-banks, and the country adjoining, from Donelson up to Nashville, are of a most charming character. The bluffs, on either side, are broken, now towering up three hundred feet, a square, solid wall of rock, again isolated conical peaks, whose tops are green with cedars; here and there sweeping back from the river, in an irregular semi-circle, leaving a rich bottom, in which nestles a comfortable farm-house, surrounded with orchards and springing fields of winter grain. The air was warm and delicious; birds chirped and twittered among the boughs,

of Nashville, came into view, with the glorious old flag waving proudly from a staff upon the roof. A little further, and the lofty piers of the ruined bridges become visible-a few minutes later, and the Conestoga was fast at the wharf at the foot of one of the main streets of Nashville.

The telegraph has long ere this made your readers familiar with the main outlines of the occupancy of Nashville, but at the risk of repetition I will give a summary of the events.

Up to Sunday morning, the sixteenth inst., the
day upon which Fort Donelson surrendered, the
impression was prevalent in Nashville that the
"Yankees" were being "cleaned out" in the usual
wholesale slaughter, buncombe style, customary
in the cases of the gallant sons of chivalry. Satur-
day a despatch was published as follows:
"ENEMY RETREATING!-GLORIOUS RESULT!!-OUR

BOYS FOLLOWING AND PEPPERING THEIR
REAR!!-A COMPLETE VICTORY."
Gen. Pillow also sent up a despatch:
"ON THE HONOR OF A SOLDIER THE DAY IS Ours!!"

Pillow, however, failed in his prognostication. His "honor," apparently, is not worth speaking of. The only "despatch" that he can pride himself on is the despatch with which he, in company with the valiant Floyd, got himself out of Dover, danger, and the range of Yankee bullets.

The despatch of the other sanguine individual is also liable to objection, both on account of its lack of truthfulness and its inelegant allusions. Instead of pickling the Nationals, the rebels

became the recipients of the condiment above authorities would throw open the public stores named, both in front and "rear," which, in addi- to all who would take them. tion, being thoroughly punched in by the bayonets of the veteran Smith's division, they were glad to get out of their pickle by a surrender.

Cave Johnson was also seized with the prevailing hopefulness and the despatch-mania, and from the safe distance of Clarksville, cheered the rejoicing spirits of Nashville as follows:

"CAVE JOHNSON."

"The excitement continued through Sunday night, constantly gaining strength, aided by the destruction of two gunboats at the wharf, which were in process of construction, two fine NewOrleans packets, the James Woods and James Johnson, having been taken for that purpose. The retreating army of Gen. Johnston continued its march, encamping by regiments at convenient points outside of the city.

The

"The fighting on yesterday was mainly between two gunboats and the Fort. Boats greatly damaged and retired. Three out of seven in this "Monday morning the drama opened in the river are believed to be disabled. Firing kept up city intensely exciting. The public stores were all day on our lines without loss on our side. distributed to some extent among the people, We hear firing again this morning. They have while the army and hospitals were making heavy had large reënforcements. Their whole force sup-requisitions, and pressing all vehicles and men posed to be near one hundred thousand. Our that they could, to convey their supplies to their officers feel confident of success, and our troops camps. At the same time considerable quanti equally so, and cannot be conquered. A Vir- ties were removed to the dépôts for transportaginia regiment, McCaustin, took one of their bat- tion South. Evening came and no gunboats and teries night before last without any loss on our no Federal army from Kentucky. Gen. Johnston side. Reports of the capture of Russellville and left for the South, placing Gen. Floyd in command, Elkton not believed. Their whole loss, it is assisted by Generals Pillow and Hardee. thought, exceeds one thousand. apprehensions of the near approach of the enemy having been found groundless, it was determined by Gen. Floyd that the destruction of the stores was premature, and an order was sent to close the warehouses, and a force detailed to collect what had been given out. This was done as far as practicable; but on Tuesday the distribution commenced again, and continued with more or less restrictions, under the eye of the most judicious citizens, until Saturday morning. Tuesday night the wire bridge and railroad bridge across the Cumberland were destroyed in spite of the most earnest and persistent remonstrances of our leading citizens. The wire bridge cost about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and a large portion of the stock was owned by the lamented Gen. Zollicoffer, and was the chief reliance for the support of his orphaned daughters. The railroad bridge cost two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and was one of the finest draw-bridges in the country.

Of course the virtuous and Christianly traitors of Nashville were highly delighted Sunday morning, to receive these encouraging assurances of the thrifty progress of rebellion. They were mingling this glad intelligence with their devotionsindulging in cheerful anticipations of the future of Dixie, while they gave vent to Old Hundred and other Te Deums, when suddenly the delicious union of religion and rebellion was strangled as mercilessly as one throttles a litter of blind puppies, by the advent of the gallant Floyd, who commanded the vanguard of the retreat from Donelson.

Old Hundred was dropped instanter-devotion was silenced-and if the name of Him they had met to worship was again mentioned in the course of that memorable Sunday, it was generally with the addition of an emphatic "d-n.”

Harris instantly convened his Legislature, but, finding no parliamentary remedy against the approach of Yankees with rifles and armored gunboats, they adjourned without calling for the nays, and took a special train for Memphis.

"The scenes which were enacted during the following days up to Monday morning, the twentyfourth, beggar description. The untiring energy of the Mayor and city authorities, who throughout this whole affair acted with a prudence, zeal and devotion to the city which cannot be too highly commended, was inadequate to keep down the selfish and unprincipled spirit of mammon, which run riot, grasping from the mouths and backs of suffering widows and orphans the poor pittance of meat and clothing which was left them as inTo save the trouble of writing, I take the re-demnity for months of toil with their needles, and mainder of the account from an extra of the Republican Banner, issued this morning:

Before night, Johnston, with his retreating hordes from Bowling Green, entered the city and struck straight south for Dixie. This added to the general panic, and when a rumor became current that the dreaded gunboats had taken Clarksville and were advancing up the river, the excitement grew to be tremendous.

"Such hurrying to and fro was never seen. Before nightfall hundreds of citizens with their families were making their way, as best they could, for the South, many of them having no idea why they were thus recklessly abandoning comfortable homes or where they were going. About night it was announced that the military

the sacrifice of husbands, sons and brothers in defence of the Southern Confederacy. Through the efforts of the Mayor, however, a plan was adopted on Saturday by which most, if not all of these poor and unprotected creditors of the government were fully secured by quartermaster and commissary stores.

"Here was an entire week of panic and confusion, during which millions of dollars' worth of

property was lost to the Southern Confederacy, ed to in the Banner extra, were also partially and wantonly destroyed, all of which might have burned, and sunk close by the railroad bridge, been quietly and safely removed, had the panic-but fortunately not in a position to interfere with stricken leaders been able to maintain their equa-navigation. Several fine steamers were captured, nimity in the face of a vague and unauthentic the rebels leaving in such hurry that they had rumor that the enemy were near at hand. Com- not time to burn them. Among them were the ment upon such management is unnecessary in Pink Varrble, Gen. Anderson, G. W. Hillman, these columns-it can be heard loud and unspar- J. H. Baldwin, Charter, B. M. Runnion, W. V. ing from every mouth in the land." 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.

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.

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 of 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 liked the term any better. mechanics and laborers; no gentlemen, he said, were anything but secessionists, or rebels, if I

ties and the people, have discharged their duty The committee, representing the city authori. by calling on Gen. Buell, at his headquarters in Edgefield, on yesterday. The interview was per- to and misled about the purposes of the GovernThe fact is, that the masses have been so lied fectly satisfactory to the committee, and there is every assurance of safety and protection to the ment, that they listen with incredulity to the people, both in their persons and in their proper stealing their "niggers," and other property. assertion that we do not come for the purpose of ty. I, therefore, respectfully request that busi-As soon as their minds are disabused of these ness be resumed, and all our citizens, of every and kindred lies, they will be prepared to return trade and profession, pursue their regular voca- to their first love-the Union. They admit that our troops behave in a manner as entirely unexinferred that this belief will ripen, ere long, into ceptionable as it is unexpected. Hence it may be a substantial loyalty.

tions.

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 remuner: R. B. CHEATHAM,

ated.

February 26, 1862,

Mayor.

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, alludVOL. IV.-Doc. 14

the whole city. The stores are closed almost At present an air of gloom hangs heavily over sullen knots to talk over the new order of things. without exception, and the inhabitants gather in 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, National troops disabled, without destroying, the when compared with the manner in which the between the two forces that must result favorably bridges on the Tennessee, invites a comparison

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

clumps of the trim and elegant cedar, stately resounding slap, and was addressed to a dirtymagnolias, all green as in summer, while here faced gossoon that thrust his unkempt head beand there daffodils and other plants have pushed yond the doorway-and not, as may be surmised, forth their leaves and flowers with all the rich-to the Illinoisian hero. The youth set up one of ness and beauty of a Northern midsummer. In one corner, surrounded by emblematic evergreens, is a tasteful, costly tomb, beneath which sleeps the once powerful chief of a then united nation.

A little further, and the party passed slowly Mrs. Polk is a well-preserved lady of perhaps by a costly carriage, out of one of whose winfifty years of age. She received her visitors dows was thrust the head of an elegantly-dressed courteously, but with, a polished coldness that lady. She was giving some directions to the indicated sufficiently in which direction her sym-liveried darkey that held the reins; but looking pathies ran-she was simply polite and ladylike; in no case patriotic. While she discreetly forebore to give utterance to any expression of sympathy for the South, she as rigidly avoided saying anything that might be construed into a wish for the success of the Government. She hoped, she said, that the tomb of her husband would protect her household from insult and her property from pillage; further than this she expect ed nothing from the United States, and desired nothing.