Brownlow was the out-spoken Editor and Publisher of the pro-Union KNOXVILLE WHIG newspaper. He was imprisoned in the Knoxville jail because of his continuing criticism of the Confederate government. He was being held in the jail at the same time that the bridge-burners were brought in, and was present when C. A. Haun, and Jacob and Henry Harmon were hanged.

In his prison diary, he wrote that he would someday have "engravings" made of the horrible scenes that he had witnessed, and would have them published at the first opportunity.

Brownlow never gave any quarter in his denunciation of the Confederate authorities. After his passage to the North, he traveled from town to town, making speeches against the occupation of East Tennessee, by the Southern troops. Apparently he had made such a speech in Cincinnati, which may have somewhat back-fired, as it was responsible for the immediate expulsion of his family from East Tennessee. A copy of a communication to Mrs. Brownlow from the Confederate Provost-Marshal is shown below:

"Head-Quarters, Department East Tenn.
     "Office Provost-Marshal. April 21, 1862

"Mrs W. G. Brownlow, Knoxville:--
     "MADAM:--By Major-General E. Kirby Smith I am directed most respectfully to inform you that you and your children are not held as hostages for the good behavior of your husband, as represented by him in a speech at Cincinnati recently, and that yourself and familly will be required to pass beyond the Confederate States line in thirty-six hours from this date.
     "Passports will be granted you from this office.
"Very respectfully,
                       "W. M. CHURCHWELL,
      "Colonel and Provost-Marshal."


Prior to that time, Mrs. Brownlow and the children had been allowed to remain in their large house in Knoxville. They were allowed to take meals from that house to the Knoxville jail, while "Parson" Brownlow was a prisoner there.

Previous Page

Page 8

|   Home  |   Greene County Research Helps  |    Research Aids  |
|   Societies & Libraries  |   Enumerations   |   From the Past  |
|   Family Web Sites   |   Churches & Cemeteries  |   Civil War  |   Queries  |

Genealogy For You Shops