testimony, as did Speakers Thomas and Perkins. We learned that President Grant was opposed to "unstating" Tennessee, to use an expression then in vogue. He was willing to send more Federal troops to the State to keep the peace, but was unwilling to disturb the existing political status.

Happily, the military scheme of the extremists failed, and no further attempt was made to revive it. The Confederates of Tennessee had come into power to stay. The change led to some hardships and retaliatory measures, but there was no resisting it. It finally caused the exodus from the State of many most excellent citizens from the North who had settled in Tennessee in good faith, and were a great loss to the State, and also the exodus of many agitators and office seekers of the carpet bagger type, who could well be spared.

No one can recall the contentions, the bitterness, the prejudice, and ignorance of that wretched period of reconstruction without a sigh of relief that they are evil memories well nigh forgotten. In these happy times of peace and tranquility in Tennessee we have scarcely a right to call them to mind.

PROCEEDINGS OF COURTS-MARTIAL IN THE CREEK WAR.

One of the most interesting manuscripts owned by the Tennessee Historical Society is a collection of proceedings of courtsmartial held in his army during Genl. Jackson's campaign against the Creek Indians, and covering a period from October 15, 1813, to January 30, 1814.

The minutes of the courts are, for the most part, in the handwriting of Genl. Wm. White, Judge Advocate of Division, a resident of Nashville, who later was with Jackson at New Orleans. The papers were presented to the Society by his son, the late C. Henry White, of Giles county.

It will be remembered that Jackson, still suffering from wounds received in his affray with the Bentons, was unable, until October 7, to join his army at Fayetteville, the place of rendezvous, and it is evident from the date of the first court-martial that he lost no time in trying to quell the feeling of discontent and insubordination among his men, which grew largely from want of supplies and a misapprehension as to the expiration of their term of service.

In view of the daily difficulty encountered by Jackson in retaining and controlling his starving soldiers the power of the court-martial does not seem to have been abused either in the frequency of its sessions or the severity of its judgments. The punishment was, in some instances, unique, but sentence of death was passed in two aggravated cases only, and was remitted in both. As an example of many similar sessions the proceedings of the first court are given entire:

Camp Coffee
Octo. 15th 1813

A General Court Martial to consist of thirteen members will convene at 4 o'clock on this day at the Major General's quarters for the trial of Allen Moore and such prisoners as may be brought before it.

Brigadier General Hall is hereby appointed President of the Court Martial and Robert Searcy aide-de-camp Judge Advocate. The other members to be detailed by the Adjutant General, Andrew Jackson,

Major General.

The court met pursuant to the above order, present, Brigadier Genl William Hall President.

Captain Douglass

Captain Nash

Captain Dooley

Captain Patton

Lieut Lauderdale

Captain Martin

Captain

Captain Smith

Capt

Lieut Bradley

Lieut Murdoch

Robt. Searcy Judge Advocate pro tem

The court being duly sworn in the presence of the prisoner proceeded to the trial of Allen Moore a private in Capt. William Moore's company of volunteers in the Second Regiment who being previously asked if he had any objections to the members named in the General Order and replying in the negative was arraigned on the following charges preferred against him by Lieut John A Chapman of the 2nd regiment of Volunteer Infantry viz: Mutiny. Specification: For resisting the execution of orders given him by his superior officer to wit: in refusing to march from Camp Blount near Fayetteville in Lincoln County on the 12th instant to join the troops under Genl. Jackson at Camp Coffee, when thereto ordered by Wm Moore his Captain, he the said Allen Moore having substituted himself in the place of James a volunteer soldier in the said Capt. William Moores company, and threatening to take vengeance on his said superior officer for compelling him to join said army 2nd For disobedience of orders.

Specification: For refusing to march with his officer from Fayetteville in Lincoln County to join the army under Genl. Jackson at Camp Coffee when thereto ordered by his superior officers Jno. A. Chapman, 1st Lieut 2nd Regt. T. V.

to which the prisoner pleaded not guilty.

Wm C. Bird, Serjeant being sworn says he was ordered by Lieut. Chapman to take the prisoner under guard and bring him to join the army at Camp Coffee; that the prisoner said.

he would not march under Lieut Chapman and attempted to strike him the witness when about to arrest him.

Lieut. Chapman sworn says prisoner said he would not go and when spoken mildly to by witness and advised to march peacefully said he be damned if he would go.

Wm Stewart sworn says prisoner told him he intended to go on the campaign but would not serve under Lieut. Chapman; that they could not compell him to go against his will and that they meaning the balance of said company were fools for going unless they were willing; that he had a discharge and expected to get clear himself and clear as many as wished it when he got to camp.

Peter Tipps sworn says prisoner said he would not march under Lieut. Chapman.

The testimony on the part of the prosecution being closed the prisoner produced a discharge.

The Court adjourned to meet to-morrow morning at nine o'clock.

Oct. 16 1813

The Court met present the same members as yesterday. The Court being ordered to be cleared and the proceedings read over to the Court by the Judge Advocate the following sentence was pronounced

The Court after mature deliberation on the testimony adduced find the prisoner guilty of both the charges and specifications exhibited against him and sentence him to ride a wooden horse twenty minutes on two succeeding days between the hours of ten and one o'clock with ten pounds weight attached to each of his feet; that he be confined in the stocks until the punishment is inflicted and that it be inflicted in the presence of the whole of the division. Lieut. Chapman is charged with the execution of this order.

Robt. Searcy

Judge Adv. pro. tem.

Wm Hall Presdt of the
Court Martial

The Commanding General approves the sentence of the Court Martial whereof Genl. Wm Hall is president and orders that the sentence of said court be immediately carried into due execution.

Andrew Jackson
Major General

The same day a general order was issued convening a Court for the trial of Capt. Anthony Metcalf, who was charged with disobedience of orders under the specification "for wilfully fire of a gun within the limits of the camp"; "to which he pleaded guilty and offered in extenuation of his offence the following reason; that he had applied to draw his rations but could not get any; he was suffering for provisions and shot a hog to procure himself something to eat. He introduced Lieut Cheek and Ensign Webster as witnesses who proved that Capt. Metcalf had applied for ration and could not get any; that he was out of provisions and know prospect of getting any" Whereupon the Court sentenced the said Metcalf, it being the first offence and extenuated by particular circumstances to be reprimanded by the Commander in Chief at the head of the division, which sentence was approved, and the next day the Major General in the presence of the army carried out the sentence with the following address:

"Captain Anthony Metcalf:

You have been charged with a disobedience of general orders and the Court Martial who tried you have found you guilty.

In pronouncing their sentence they have paid a great regard to the fact of this having been the first offence and to the circumstances of mitigation which are supposed to have accompanied it. They have sentenced you to be reprimanded by the Commander in Chief at the head of the division.

In doing this they have imposed a very painful duty upon your General. While he views as his children those men who have so willingly united their destinies with his and who at his call have run to their arms with so much eagerness to avenge the injured rights of their country it must ever be with the utmost pain that he can pronounce a public censure against any of them.

To mark a soldier with disgrace is to attack him at a point where all his sensibilities are most alive.

To him if he possess those feelings which properly belong to his profession, a sentence of public rebuke must be more keen than the pointed steel of the enemy.

How then shall a General who stands in the relation of a father to his children be made the instrument of inflicting this wound without himself feeling a portion of its pain? But it may