The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-10-10

triotism. The Missouri SPcessionists afe
the same breed that furnished the Border
Ruffilaus, therefore tie retrbulive justice
can hardly 80 amlss among them.
For the Lancaster Gazette. H,
MEssRs, EDnoks; "A letter recently re.
ceivei from an old fiiend and hcighbor.
Mrs George i, Biller,) now Iesidins in
Northern Missouri, giving some faint
idea of The tsrribIe state of affairs now OK
isting in that section of county; and,
though it was Intended only for private
perpsal yet feeling that it contained many
things. .hsn would interest The geneuI
readefsaad moro especially those 'oi her
acqualptance, who knew her When BGr-
roqgded by prosperous and GPmloFablc
cirGumstapces, and who will be pained to
lehrd that from stern necessity, The fam
lily having been driven from Their home,
are now compelled TO solicit aid, in this
severe hour Of trial and sore distress. At
the suggestion Of sveralofriends, j have
taken ,ho liberty OF copying some portion
OF it. trusting that the togcIiing ap.
peal viii meet with lbq sympathy and
hearty response Of every heart Under
datb- September lst, 1861, sbe writes;
Ny VERY DEAR FRIENp:-l RECEIVED
your very welcome letter, dalrd July %,
only Yesterday. have
had so much trouble for the last two or
three months that | felt as If Had not a
friend on earth, and almost felt 100 as il
my Heavenly Father had forsaken mr. =
Iou have by this time heard, through Mr.
TalImadge, Mr.. Rising, and Mr. Mu;
maugh, 10 all Of whom | have written, Of
the terrible times we are having in Moth
ern Missouri. The lroops, both South.
ern and Union, are constanlly passing
through the country, eating their way
and destroying and devastating us they
20, Oar properly, which WAS a comlorta
Bile home in Edna, is not now worth five
dollars; and everything we had in ,h,
world, save the lillle furniture or house
hold goods, has been taken by the seces
sionisls;, all our old com, our whole de
pendeuce for Ibis wp.elssapA, our wagou
and all our cattle, We ssle, NboIy desli
tute Of everything, Th5 country is desli
tute. The weslIhiesl people here usinI
rye coffee, ] have not tasted wheat breat
or good tea or cuilee for three months
Tho seceesionisls were camped near 10 u
for more thar a,week and actually son
sumel tho substance Of tho laud (prlher,
were four thousand Of them. and you maj
know that Il took u vast amount Of pro
vision to .eed So many men and horses
they left here three days ago, aud las
night 10 sight Of US encamped al manl
Union men who are close oa the trail .
she Secession troops, aud have been d0inI
even worse. il possible, than the Scces
sionisls, Winter is now approaching ,au,
they are now preparing for IT. IakiOg be-,
and bedding. cooking ulenSiS aud in fac
almost everything that they ran lay tboi
hands upon; some ofour neigbbors hnv
nothing left, not eveO change Of cldh
ing for themselves or children, suppos
that all that saved us, was the fact lha
during their stay among us. Mr.. B,tIer
Annio's little step'uon and Jennie wer
Nll confined 10 their beds with the agua
say saved us, mean, saved the iul
we had ia our house and garden; aud on
Of our nearest neghbors had their garde
all taken and their beehiycs all torn {
pieces and honey taken. II barrel Of mo
las'es aud barrel Of butter, all their OF
corn aud all their corn n the fields, lhui
hOuse. aud oil they had 10 their house
Tbs man OF lhe house had nod Cor hi
lie. not dreaming that his wife and chill
dfen would be disturbed. aud as hewuul
return homo, meet thom carrying whs
little remained aud seeking refuge wit
their nsiXhbors who had larcd but llu
batter And beside all this there is
baud o. robbsrs who represent lhemsely,
as ohi oi,tbe Union lIoopF, who 70
low in their wake aud arn lakipg VIII
llIle has been left by the other comp
ples, lhesewe mpy expect hrro in d'
VI two and tberp is no knowing To wi
e4ltanlny we may yet be driven beio
We can possibly get ont Of i,JerrlbIe pla
hundreds aod hundreds of people aTe IL
wing their crops IN the fields and th,
stock feeding on the parties aud llYiI
torlheir lives TO the free States. Yeslt
day,ss family o( ten W twelve pass
here who told vs. that lhoy had left
and started a distance Of one hupdr
and fifty miles with only sir'y 6ee cents
pay their way; tho neighbours were kind
jar As thcy could be, after lhNir own \,
Ses. gprs them what provisions they co,
70 help them on Ihoir way, H..I,.H
Nothing but tie most extreme W
could induce me 10 do what | have 10
and that is to call upon my friends
Lancaster for help; ! know not whatels
do. Mr.. Bitter is extremely feeble an,
now quite III, and | hav. no hopes OF
recovery before spring, he las been
every winter save one. since we cam
the country, and cannot possibly
pct iJim well this winter. in as mucl
liis Illness las come on soccer than us
but out of here ! nustget il eau. to
main is impossible, for there is no,I,
here 10 i've on, and 10 go IS imposs