Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-11-06
THE MAssACREs nm SYRIA.

FRIGHTFUL RETRIBUrION OF CHRISTIANS UP
ON DRUsES-HARROWING SCENES IN THE
STREETS OF BARUK AND VILLAGES ON THE
RoUTE-CoRPSES PURIFYING IN THE DER
Ell HANNAH AND OTHER TOwNs-PILLAGE
AND MURDER OF THE DRUsES, &C., &c.
Correspondence Of The Londo" Times.
FRENCH CAnP, Baruk, Sept 49,
Tn the letter of Yesterday vera two three omissions
for which my must be the numerous annoyances
that are inseparable from first camping out Some
thing also must be set down TO the effects OF the murder
of Druse woman which witnessed, and which con-
Tess at the risk Of being deemed squeamish, completely
unhinged me-
man stoned till she nsensibe then stabbed by an
other OF her SEX and crowd OF men standing round the
remains to offer them the grossest indgny and pay their
compliments TO the murderers What tends the more TO
prevent one forgetting the crime is the fact that this
wretch follows the army In extenuaton OF her conduct
il stated that her husband had been one OF the victims
of the massacre Deir-e-Kammar and that when she
went with others to visit the sra che recognized his
corpse completely mummifed lying upon heap ofbodies
10 different stages Of decomposition, and with his face
tarned towards her.
Il would be charitable TO suppose that the horrible
sight drove from its and rendered her nsen-
sible to the dictates Of all wOmanly feeling The com
pete absence OF any form OF government gives mpunl'
ty The French say they cannot undertake the police
OF the country interfere in what are domestic mat
ters prevent the preparation OF acts OF individual
vengeance. Unless the eIpedioDary column Is accom-
panied by officers Of the Porte who can carry on the
police there too many TO believe that crimes
Of the hdeous and revolving nature will DO effected.
was informed by bugler OF the Artillery that two
Christians had stated in his presence that yesterday
morning they had discovered Druse, and thrown him
while alive into one of the large fires kept burning in
the court of the serai 10 purify the atmosphere.
The evidences Of murder that abound at Deirel Kam-
mar the unbued remains that litter the Streets houses
aud churches must have provoked the Christians, who
returned with US to their ruined homes 10 degree Of
evaporation bordering on madness. When the column
first entered the the Christians who accompanied
it proceeded Immediately to the serai and church. Your
readers may probably remember, from what stated
in former letter. that the inhabitants of the city who
bad take refuge in the sera during the massacre were
subsequently murdered by the Druses and hurled over
one of the terraces into the garden beneath.
Thther the inhabitants who had returned focked.-
They knet down upon the terrace and stretched out
their necs to endeavor to ascertain IT, among the heaps
of putrefying humanity and gnawed bones that were
beneath they could recognize the remains OF some
dear 10 them Here, in the church, the women beat
their breasts and tore their hair, filling the town with
heartrendng lamentations that went echoing from hill
side to hillside and must have arghted the Druses in
the opposite villages-Bakin among the number whence
most Of the murderers came convincing them that their
punishment at baud.
In lne CuuTCu lOuuu IN dTtlCc OF utett, du-
hearing to some bones which she recognized belong
ing to her husband. She knelt down and kissed with
signs of the passionate affection what others turn
ed away from in disgust. Knowing these things the
cruel vengeance tho Christians taking will appear in
less revolving light not unfortunately that the
Druses upon whom they exercise it are in every proba
bility innocent; for the guilty ones have fed.
Just as had sat down to write under canvas yester
day began to rain and thunder accompanied by the
representations of heavy storm When the rain ceased
there constant stream OF Christians going to plan
der the Druse villages which had been abandoned on the
approach of the French and which are situated on the
other side OF the hill Whereon stands Der-el- KsmmAr-
Men, women, and boys, and even girls returned laden
with furniture provisions and goods Of every description
Among those who went up to spoil the Druses
Christian ard his IL would that they pushed
on beyond the rest and came upon party Of their
mics who fred and wounded the boy, breaking his leg.
He was brought down TO the French camp aud laid in
front of the Generals tent where be visited by the
surgeon. The father had piece OF white rag stained
with blood which he waved about, gestculatng and Ia
mentng in the presence OF the French troops who grew
much excited at what they
When the French arrived at Dier-el-Kammer, they
surprised and indignant 10 find that the officers OF
the Porte had not taken the slightest steps towards bury
ing the remains OF the victims, although nearly four
months have elapsed since the masSacres For nearly
four months the Turks have done nothing absolutely
nothing towards the pl6ment OF the simple duties which
the commonest humanity and prudence imposes upon
every government matter how feeble or how poorit
may be- while in two three days the French will have
buried the dead cleansed the town, and repaired
tain number OF the dwellings.
The Christian population that has been installed In
Moslem houses 10 Damascus, is estimated at from 5000
5000 souls aud every day adds TO their number
For upwards oil two months these poor creatures have
been exposed to deprivatons innumerable Hudded to-
gether in the castle yard in space too small for 1.-THE
Of their numbers, wanting proper and sufficient food,
scanIy clad compelled TO sleep the ground, and with
minds overweight by the they had Witnessed il
would be marvellous indeed if many of them had not Ia
ken into their constitutions the germs Of disease which
will later break forth Again, the remains Of
the victims of the massacre lie in the streets on each
side With slight covering OF dust obtained from throw
ing down the upper parts OF the mud walls of the houses.
Even now remains may be proruding into sight.
When the rains arrive, although they so heavy
as in other parts they will nevertheless be sufficient TO
wash down every particle Of dust and leave the remains
exposed to atmospheric Influences which will inevitably
breed pestlence. During the months Of December and
January when occurs The rainy season. great sickness if
not mortality may be expected and in all the city there
Is not Trustworthy medical man. any medicines be-
yond few simples. Whether the Turkish authorities
intend TO remove the remains from the and from
the wells does appear very certain they have suffered
them to remain there the early part Of July-a
piece Of neglect held quite sufficient in itself 10 warrant
and call for the advance Of the French
We passed Though side street Of Derel-Kammar
to be encountered with human remains. At every few
yards were Skeletons with fragments of clothing stick
ing 10 them or confused heaps of bones. At the
of house was corpse that had been dried and almost
mummihed; the feet and legs In hole, looking like
an entrance to a cellar and the body thrown back with
the face (blackened and contracted turned heaven
wards little further house, the approach to
which led down steep incinei at the bottom
man. evidently belonging to the middle class waing In
accents that filed the hearers with horror. She had
found all that remained OF that must have been
very dear to her. and up passed. bearing
DERBY in her and lying her breast what seemed
A shapeess mass Of deeaying flesh and bone At last
we got clear Of this lane Of horrors and to where
it ran into the lower road along which the column
marching in single file and such loose order would m
certain martinets with dsmay.
On arriving at Bteddin General de Becfort de Haut-
pou stopped short time give instructions for the in
stallaton OF the remaining companies OF the battalion
left to garrison perek ammar until tho arrival Of the
two battalions under Colonel DArrcan, who is then to
assume command Of the place, and allow the battalion
he found there to rejon the Generals column. As the
General had gone with bis staff some distance ahead Of
the column its march not stayed for the installation
of the garrison and we proceeded without incident until
we arrived near the mixed village of Kafarnebrakh-
Before the village in sight, for it hidden by
rising In the spur of the mountain which the houses
are built some women came down and STATE there were
600 Druses Grmed 10 the teeth, In the village which
thew had barrcaded and prepared to defend to the
last extremity The General halted bis escort cons
ing of about 80 horsemen and half company Of Foot
Cbasseurs and ordered them 10 load After the arms
were loaded the advance continued leaving the vii
pe TO the left until the head of the column reached
pleeau about quarter of mile from the first cluster
| of houses Not sign OF barricade, or OF prepua-
lions for the construction Of could be discerued-
Not trigger was pulled, or grain of powder burnt,
but as we drew near the utmost so Druses were 60