ALS. Long letter describing conditions in East Tennessee. Describes the mustering of the 7th Regiment of the Tennessee militia. Out of 1,500 eligible 104 showed up (8 Unionists, 96 Confederates, and the rest of those Confederates eligible were already now in the army of their country.) States that if required to leave their homes they will, but if they should survive warfare they will return to find those homes laid waste by the dupes and followers of the most vile and damnable traitors the history of the world can show. Says that the people of Middle and West Tennessee cannot comprehend the situation in East Tennessee. States that the people of East Tennessee have been made believe by bad and designing (if not paid men) so many falsehoods that time...can along demonstrate to them that they are wrong and have been deceived. Suggests that they have been given such time and voluntary methods be relied on. Says the majority will be quiet and peaceable, but should an attempt be made to enforce the call for 1/4 the militia, there will be trouble. We here understand those people and know their feelings in regard his war and know too that many Union men will resort to essentially terrorist acts because they have in their numbers ... all the ignorant, worthless men in this end of the state and those characters will do these things. Conditions would have been better if the troops had first, upon arriving in East Tennessee last August, arrested certain distinguished men... Unfortunately, this was not done.