The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-23

all the particulars Of British outrage, whilst
that place was in their possession; ! am
| requested by many persons to commune
cate through you,to the public, the infor-
nation have given them. do this with
no hope or expectation of satisfying those
who required other testimony than major
Crutchfield's or captain Cooper's. tor
we'll know there are those among US, who
will still doubt, or pretend to doubt. Blu
as believe this class to be few in number
and insignificant inpubIic estimation as ]
firmly believe that large majority oil DO
litica pcrsuasions, arc open to conviction
& icclingly alivetothcir country 'swrongs
/ cannot withhold from them the facts
whose simple recital will, according to thei,
different temperament inhame them viii
rage or Fill them with horror.
! My name you arc at liberty to give Il
the public, or only TO those who inquire fol
it, as if you think proper. have reason tt
believe that those who know me, whether
federal or republican, will know s acknow,
ledge that am incapable of publishing ;
falschood-andl aver, that every Statement
Inconsistent with the following, no mattel
on whose authority II is madc-is untrue
| in proof of which soiemniy undertake be
| fore the world 10 establish every fact con
tanned in il, provided any gentleman vii
sign his name 10 denial oil either o
| them.
Invent to Hampton with u dcterininatiol
OF enquirips rinu,ely into the truth OF re
ports, " hich hofcd, for the honor of sol
! dicr's profession and OF human nature, L
nave found exaggerated. IN the invcsti
cation resolved to depend OIL The sccont
| hand relation OF no one, where | coult
mount 10 the Original source o! evidence
but since in some cases this was impracti
cable, feel it duty carefully to distin
! gush the one class from the other.
That The town and country adjacent wa
given up to the indiscriminatc plumber of
licentious soldicry, except perhaps til
house where tho head quarters were fixed
is an undcniablc truth. Every article o
valuable property was taken from it. Il
many houses not even knife, a TX or
plate was left. British officers were seel
by Doctor Cotton in the act of plundcrins
Mr.. Jones's store. His house, although
he remained in town, was rifed, aud nj
medicine thrown into the public stree
Just opposite where many officers took VI
their quarters, who must have been ey,
witnesses Of the scene. The church wa
pillagcd and the plate belonging to ii takei
away, although inscribed with the Donor
name. The windmil!s in the neighbor
hood were stript of their sails. The clio
sets, private drawers and trunks Of the in
habitants were broken open. and scarceI
any thing seemed to be toostriilng an Oh
ject to excite the cupidity OF these rob
bers. Several gentlemen informed INC
that much Of their plumber was brough
/ into the backyard OF Mrs. Westwood'
house where Sir Sidney Bcckwiih an
admiral Cockburr resided. But had II
opportunity Of seeing this lady, who it zva
said spouid testify to the fact In Short
Hampton exhibits a dreary and dcsolatc ap
pearance which no .Imerica1 can witnes
unmovcd. DR.. Wardsw ard Mir. JOIN
| G. Smith. Of this city, visited it In compa
| NY with nc and their indignation we
| equal. They, and every one, who saw AM
heard what have stated, united in eXecrat
! ing the monsters who perpetrated thes
enormitics; and political distinctions,
any existed, were lost in the noblcr fee!
ings OF pity for the sufferers, and u gene
Gus ardor 10 avenge their wrongs.
Here it may be necessary to notice pub
LEGATION have this moment read in The
Alexandria Gazette of the 18th, where a
mong other things it is SAID on the authori
ty OF 90 gentleman who was In Hampton
the day alter its evacuation by the enemy
that ii was believed there " shat nearly al
the plundering was committed by the ne
grocs;" and that he saw many articles
brought to the magistrates which had beel
secrctcd in negro houses" That SOM
pIundering may have been committed b.
the negroes who las / was toldD were en-
bodied and paraded through the st, Gets i:
probable enougl--tbat the expression O