Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-08-18

MEN AND CHILDREN By THE ENGLISH MEN-0F
WAR
The following letter from Capt Paynter, Of the EGG
llsh Navy describes some few of the horrible scenes h
has recently witnessed in Syria and gives an account
the rescue OF two thousand women and children by Eng
lish menol-war:
With refererce TO the DER ell Kamar, the Druses com
menced on Wednesday, the 18th instant 10 enter The
town in large armed bands and commenced pllaging hC
shops aud warehouses at four in the afternoon the troops
Joined the Druses in plunderng During the night the
Druses Of the Hsuran aud the Metuas entered the city
from different directions Early Thursday morning
the town was fire in several places and
of every male nhabitant from the helpless old man to
the infant the breast commenced and the wLo
did not fly were violated; these atrocities continued
until Ffiday.
ASP. NJ. on Thursday, His Exeellency Khoorsheed
Pasha Governor General OF Syria arrived but taking
no notice of the horrors committed by the troops or
Druses passed 10 station called Iaheep which over
looked the He then issued order TO stay the
slaughter which disregarded By both the troops and
the Druses 800 males it is stated, lying
buried amid the ruins Of Kamar ard the women
and children who fled from the scene of slaughter
informed BY Mr. Consu-General Moore, making
their escape the seaside the Damoor river hunt
ed down Ike wild beasts.
Instantly dispatched Capt Lambert of the Gannet,
who about proceed TO Athens, and desired him TO
sgnsliye to the Mohawk, then her way from Sidon
with the fugitives from the at Hasbeiya 10
Ssst her with the boats in enbarkiDg the refugees
| enclose You the reports of Commander Lambert and
Acting Consul West and in doing beg leave to inform
you that the service performed under great difficulty
and reflected great credit on all concerned; aud il will
be gratifying YOU to know that with the that
you have placed at my disposal have saved from the
horrors of famine murder and violation, upwards of
1900 Christian women and children.
In he first trip the lnne brought up seven hundred,
the Mohawk four hundred aud ty.six; the second trip
the Mohawk brought up six hundred and tweny-four,
aud the third trip upwards OF FIVE hundred in every stage
of misery. The most severely wounded received on
board OF the Exmouth aud their wounds dressed
by the surgeon of this ship the remainder landed
aud sent to the French hospital The whole Of those
wounded shot or sabred flying from the town after
their husbands and male children had been slaughtered
received every assistance from the boats of the
French Russian aud Turkish ships lying here in landing
these poor creatures aud the French Commodore dis.
patched the northward vessel in order any
Others that may have remained but have every
to believe that the ugves from Zlhle Hasbeiya and
Deir-e Kamr have been taken of from our vesscls.
The conduct of 0sman Bey really appears in this age
without parallel. He first of all induced the Christians
to surrender their arms he then crowded the poor
10 the Of the Sera and for eight DAYS kept
them with barely sufficient food keep life together and
then, when unable TO resist from physical debility, he
opened the gates and allowed the Druses to rush in and
massacre them 10 the number Of S00 men, women and
children The few that escaped owed their preservation
crawling under the bodies of the dead and escaping
under the cover Of darkness.
On hearing of this butchery and believing II possible
that many OF the women and children would escape
the Of Tyre and Sdon Immediately despatch
ed the Mohawk, the 2ls those places with orders
to communicate with the Vice Consul and bring of any
Of the tugiivcs. IL the return Of the Mohawk
from these places with 500 that she assisted in embarking
the women in DeirelKamar on board the GAnnet