▁on ▁Fort ▁Anderson ▁and ▁the ▁min ers ' ▁arr ests ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁East ▁Tennessee ▁min ing ▁companies ▁were ▁moving ▁away ▁from ▁conv ict ▁labor , ▁the ▁state ' s ▁primary ▁les see , ▁T CI , ▁remained ▁stal wart ly ▁dedicated ▁to ▁using ▁conv ict ▁le asing ▁at ▁its ▁South ▁Tennessee ▁mines . ▁ ▁When ▁C umber land ▁Co al ▁b alk ed ▁at ▁using ▁conv ict s ▁at ▁its ▁Oliver ▁Spr ings ▁mine , ▁T CI ▁purchased ▁the ▁mine ' s ▁le ase , ▁giving ▁it ▁a ▁direct ▁fo oth old ▁in ▁the ▁Anderson ▁County ▁coal fields . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁company ▁minim ized ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁its ▁free ▁labor ers , ▁however , ▁t ensions ▁stead ily ▁rose . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁free ▁min ers ▁in ▁Grund y ▁County ▁t ore ▁down ▁the ▁T CI ▁stock ade ▁in ▁T racy ▁City , ▁and ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 5 ▁removed ▁the ▁conv ict s ▁from ▁the ▁T CI ▁stock ade ▁at ▁Inn man ▁in ▁Mar ion ▁County . ▁ ▁These ▁actions ▁reign ited ▁res ent ment ▁in ▁East ▁Tennessee , ▁and ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 7 , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁min ers ▁led ▁by ▁John ▁Hat maker ▁attacked ▁the ▁T CI ▁stock ade ▁at ▁Oliver ▁Spr ings ▁but ▁were ▁be aten ▁back ▁by ▁the ▁gu ards . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ward , ▁a ▁larger ▁group ▁of ▁min ers ▁recon ven ed ▁at ▁the ▁stock ade , ▁and ▁its ▁gu ards