The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-12 00:00:00

Federal Barbarities in Virginia,

The following letter has been addressed by ex-
G3vernor Letcher, of Virginia, to the Mayor of
Richmond :

Lexington, Va., July 5.
Finding that the Yankees would take the town
on Saturday, the 11th, I left home near midnight,
Friday night, and went to Big Island, in B:dford,
where I remained till Wednesday morning follow-
ing, when, hearing the Vandals had left, I returned.
I had previuu,ly heard that my house had been
ourned with all its contents. The threats made by
the Yankees against me for the past two years satis-
fied me that they would destroy my house when
they came to Lexington, but I always supposed
hat they would allow the furniture and my family's
c,othing to be removed. In this, however, I was
disappointed.
When the Yankees took possession of the town,
Dr. Paton, medical director for Hunter's army, and
who hails from Manion county, Virginia, went• to
my house, told my wife tie was unwell, and said he
must have a room in the house. He took the room.
supped and breakfasted, and, when breakfast was
nearly over, remarked in a manner half jocular, half
earnest, to Lizzie, that it was the last meal she
would take in the house. Shortly after he lett,
without taking leave of any of the family, nor was
tie again seen by any of them.
The threats made by soldiers on Saturday even-
ing indwed my wife to fear that the house would
be burned, and she expressed her fears in the hear-
ing of Dr. Paton and Capt. Towns, of New York.
Capt. Towns very promptly said that I, being a
private citizen, and the house being private pro-
perty, burning it would be an inexcusable outrage,
and proposed at once to go to Hunter's headquar-
ters and ascertain. He went, and was directed by
Hunter to assure my wife that the house would not
be disturbed. The sequel shows that the sole object
of this assurance was to quiet her apprehensions,
and thus prevent anything from being removed.
About halt-past eight o'clock a.m. (Captain Berry
and his provost guard rode up, and the officer called
for my wife. She came to the door, when Berry
informed her he was ordered by Hunter to fire the
house. She replied there must be some mistake,
and asked for the order. He said it was a verbal
order. She then said to him, " Can it not be de-
layed until I can see General Hunter." "The order
is peremptory," he replied, " and you have five
minutes to leave the house." She then asked leave
to remove her mother's, siater's, her own, and her
sister's clothing, which was insolently refused.
Immediately thereafter camphine was poured on
the parlour floor, and ignited with a match. In the
meantime my daughter had gathered up an arrnfu)
of clothin..z, and was going out when he discovered
her, ran forward,and fired the clothing in her arms.
He then poured camphine in the wardrobes, bureau
drawers, and ignited the clothing•—taking out my
clothing, which he said he intended to take north.
Every house on my lot was burned save a small
granary over my icehouse. Not a particle of flour,
meat, or anything edible was left, all flaying been
carried off on Saturday.

My mother, now in her 78th year, lives on the
lot adjoining my own, having with her one of her
grandchildren and servant. After my property had
been fired the fiend§ fired her stable, located about