--The Republic: a monthly magazine, devotedd to the dissemination of
political information - 1873
DESTRUCTION OF ILLICIT DISTILLERIES
A special force of twenty five mounted men, with several deputy
marshals and collectors and a United States Commissioner, under command
of Major Jacob Wagner, from Arlington, Virginia made an extensive raid
on illicit distillers in the mountains on the Tennessee and west
Virginia border last week. The principal localities visited were
Newman's Ridge and Blackwater Valley, lying just south of Powell's
mountain and 14 miles north of Rogersville, Tenessee. the inhabitants
there, known by the local name of "Malunjins" are a mixture of whites,
blacks and Indians, were "bushwhackers" for plunder during the war, and
are now engaged in illicit distilling and other lawless pursuits. It
was supposed they would fight, as on several former occasions revenue
officers were driven off by them. The force was armed with Springfiled
breech loaders, and made a clean sweep, completely destroying sixteen
distilleries, with contents, large quantieies of mash, beer, low wines,
and whisky. Eight distillers, aremed with carbines, muskets and rifles
were surprised at the distillery of a desperate character, named
Mullins, and arrested before they could use their arms. recent heavy
rains rendered it necessary for the force to swim the large streams.