During the autumn of 1861 in eastern Tennessee, Unionist opposition to secession resulted in public meetings, organizing, and the arming of a resistance. During the night of November 8-9, 1861, insurrectionists burned five railroad bridges over the Tennessee, the Chickamauga, and other rivers on the East Tennessee Railroad between Knoxville and Charleston. Confederate response was swift. Richmond deployed troops to crush the rebellion. Order was restored and hundreds of Unionists fled to federal lines. (By John Osborne)