At the firing on Fort Sumter, the sentiment of the non-slaveholding population was decidedly Union. But in one month's time, by such appliances of violence and cruelty, this sentiment was extensively suppressed; the more easily, as the few had been wont to control the many, and the many were dependent on, and wont to cringe to the few.

Such were the means first employed to secure uniformity of opinion and action, and bring the entire people under the domination of those who had contemplated and been devising, during thirty years, the dismemberment of the Republic.

The next step was the organization, by the Rebel Congress, of "Partisan Rangers," or legalized guerrillas. Every cut-throat scoundrel at once became emulous of the distinction and power and plunder which the command of a guerrilla band would afford, and set to work to raise a company, battalion, or regiment, according to his means and capacity. Thus originated the military career of such monsters of cruelty and crime as Forrest, a notorious gambler and negro-trader of Memphis, Tennessee; of John Morgan, another gambler, and a robber and libertine, of Louisville, Kentucky; of Roddy, Biffles, Champ Ferguson, Frank Gurley, Quantrell, and a host of others of like character. The primitive object of the organization of the "Partisan Rangers" was the suppression of the Union sentiment of the southern portion of the country; and the narrative contained in the following pages of their bloody atrocities upon Union men, women, and children, in East Tennessee, Northern Alabama, Kentucky, and other states, shows how fully this design has been carried into execution.

MURDER OF MR. TURNER.

A MOST brutal murder was committed upon a young man, named Turner, belonging to the Twenty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteers, on or about the 18th of July, 1863, near Port Republic, Virginia, by a rebel cavalry officer. As young Turner was passing, he was ordered by the officer to halt, and did so, when the ruffian de. liberately drew out his revolver and shot him through the heart, cursing him for being a d-d Yankee. When asked by one of his own party why he had killed the young man, he said that too many of the d--d rascals are getting away, and he was determined that none he had anything to do with should escape. The above comes from a prisoner, who saw the deed committed.*

MURDER OF MARSHALL GLAZE, JR., AND OTHERS.

ON Monday evening, September 18th, 1863, from twenty to thirty Rebels went to the house of an old gentleman by the name of Marshall Glaze, on Spring Creek, Virginia, and brutally murdered John McMullen, Marshall Glaze, Jr., and a Union soldier who had been stopping at the house for some days, waiting for his discharge, being so infirm that he could not proceed further.

Marshall Glaze, Jr., and two or three soldiers from the Ninth Virginia Regiment, who were on their way home, had been invited to stop for the night at the house. They

* From Captain J. E. Johnson, of New York.

went to bed in some out-buildings. During the night, a party of rebels came to the dwelling and demanded to be informed where the soldiers were. Not being answered, the rebels by some other means discovered the place where they were asleep, and immediately rushed upon them, killing McMullen, the discharged soldier, and young Glaze, at the first fire. The other three were fortunate enough to break through the ranks of the murderers, and succeeded in making their escape.

The rebels then went to the house of Mr. W. Noyes in the neighborhood, and attempted to persuade, and finally to force, a young girl (no doubt for an evil purpose) to go with them. On her refusal, they deliberately shot her, and she instantly expired.*

MURDER OF REV. JAMES WEBSTER.

REV. JAMES WEBSTER, who owned and lived on a farm in Virginia, a thorough Union man, but very cautious in expressing his views in regard to secession, was one day, while in his barn alone thrashing wheat, surprised by seeing a gang of armed guerrillas enter. He asked them what they had come for? They answered, for him; that he was a Union man, and they knew it, and they were going to carry him to Richmond. He protested against this, and tried to reason the case with them; but without avail. They laid hands upon him, and forced him to go with them, not allowing him a change of clothing, although he begged that privilege. They drove him three days without giving him a morsel of food, so that he actually died of hunger and exhaustion.†

* From Mr. McWhorter, member of the House of Delegates of West Virginia, in 1863.

f From A. B. Hough, of Virginia.

OUTRAGES ON UNION PEOPLE IN NORTH
CAROLINA.

IN January, 1863, all the salt at Laurel Hill, North Carolina, near the Tennessee line, was taken possession of by the rebel authorities, and, in consequence, the salt in the region around of which they had not possession was selling at from seventy-five to one hundred dollars. per sack. The commissioned officers of the rebel government declared that the Tories, a name they give to the Unionists in that portion of the country, should have none. They positively refused to give them the portion to which they were justly entitled when it was distributed. This outrage aroused the long-suppressed anger of the Union men, and they collected together and determined to take their portion of the salt by force if necessary. They proceeded to the place where it was kept (Marshall, North Carolina), and took what they considered their share.

Shortly after, the Sixty-fifth North Carolina Regiment, under command of one Lieutenant-Colonel James Keith, was ordered to Laurel Hill to arrest the offenders. Samuel M. Allen was Colonel of the Sixty-fifth, but had been suspended for drunkenness, and therefore the command fell upon this Keith.

Before the regiment arrived at Laurel Hill, those engaged in the salt seizure fled and were not to be found, and the innocent had to suffer in their stead. The following persons were arrested:-Joseph Wood, about sixty years of age; David Shelton, forty-five; E. King, forty; H. Moore, forty; Wade Moore, thirty-five; Isaiah Shelton, fifteen; Willie Shelton, twelve; James Metcalf, ten; Jasper Channel, fourteen; Samuel Shelton, nineteen,

and his brother, aged seven; in all, thirteen. All of them protested against being arrested, and declared that they were innocent, and begged for a trial, that they might prove their innocence.

Colonel Allen, who was with the regiment, said they, should have a trial, and they were going to take them to Tennessee for that purpose.

They all started off, thinking that everything would soon be right, but had proceeded only a few miles when they were marched from the road to a gorge in the mountains. Halting here, five of them were ordered to kneel down. A file of soldiers was then placed in front of them with loaded muskets.

The terrible reality now flashed upon their minds that they were about to be murdered. Old Mr. Wood exclaimed, "For God's sake, men, you are not going to shoot us? If you are, give us at least time to pray.' Colonel Allen was reminded of his promise. They were told that he was not in command, had no authority to make such promises, and that there was no time to be lost in praying. The word was given to fire. The old man and boys put their hands to their faces, and rent the air with their agonizing cries of despair. The soldiers hesitated to obey the command. Keith told them if they did not fire he would make them change places with the prisoners. Again the order was given, and the five men fell pierced with bullets.

Wood and Shelton were both shot through the head, and their brains scattered upon the ground. They died without a struggle. The others lived a few minutes. Five others were ordered to kneel down-with them little Willie Shelton, who said, "You shot my father in the face; please do not shoot me in the face!" He covered. his face with his hands, and the order of "Fire!" was