Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-15
THE MASSACRE IN ST. LOUIS.


The following letter, addressed to friend in Clarke
county, has been sent TO US for publication:
ST. LOUIS May 22d, 1861.
Ny DEAR BRorBEg | have just received your Letter,
and glad am TO hear from you once more. It's not
that have not thought OF you that have not written
before but we are so bound down by military despot
ism here, aud so completely surrounded by bands ol
ruthless savages armed by the [. s. A, that we barely
dare say our souls own for fear hst some loved
one may be of for even an expression OF opinion u
favor OF the South Yon have probably seen an account
of the glorious vietorv obtained by 5000 well armed
br,stes against 800 American citizens, mostly youths IN
Ia their encampment just outside OF cur city.
was sight make every tTlIs American heart ours
with Indignation, aud how We endured 1t Tod only
knows Nothing but their unconditional surrender saved
the sick of the city and the helpless women aud children
Alter their surrender the Dutch soldiers shot at them IN
,be raLks and YOU may know from this unproyoked
attack upon one hundred helpless men and children,
what would have been the fate OF our young men,
who were nevertheless eager for the fight, If they
had not surrendered. After their surrender, they
were all marched through the CITY, between double
files of Dutchncp down to the arsenal and we helpless
creatures were obliged 10 witness it from our wlndows
and could not stretch out hands to say good bye
Nv son - SAYS as he passed our house and bowed
tarewe be expected never to see Us again, aud we ou
selves were wrthng in agony under the unc rtanty OF
their fate Fortunately General Harvey arrived next
morning TO release them parole, or they would have
been murdered in prison by the Dutch who thirsed ior
their blood and would not be paced but win the nope
that they would all be shot down az traitors As II was
Cen Harvey had 10 send steamboat Tor them TO brug
them around the city rather than through it. for fear the
Dutch would break upon them who sWore tney snou
not get home alive anu the men have been led on ana
nstgated by American citizens some OF them oil South
ern blood. Oh, | would we're under any despot on
earth rather than this desposn. At this moment every
svenue 10 the city is guarded by Dutch troops-al our
railroads are taken possession OF by them cur peaceful
citzeps are searched they 60 out and come IN, and
even those soldiers who liberated on parole are
threatened every day With re-ares Our CITY s snos'
as silent as the grave, and will grass grow IN our
strees for all our is stopfec ana we haroiy
knos ". ere 10 get our bread. Yet we are SAFE We
seap quietly in beds while the blood OF our murder
Cd citizens cries out for vengeance But why are we
safsp Because we are bound down, hand and foot uc
der slavery worse than Egyptian. Germans are ALLOW"
ed TO 90 TO the arsenal aud arm themselves every day
md ali day with the best United States arms, while
American citizens arc searched and deprived OF their
own private property in the shape OF arms Dutch sol
diers use the United States ammunition all day to shoot
at marks to render them more expert III shooting Gown
Americans and if free-bon American raises his voice
out opst these frmed merauders, they march
through the streets their houses they are shot down
like dogs and the government upholds them IN IT, on,
| wish could tell you alias write now am SO e1-
cited mot with fear that can hardly hold my PEN And
this rs what Missouri has gotten for sticking to the Union
State-all for the Union. glorious Union it s, but
trust as there s Just God in heaven, our wrongs will
ne avenged IL is true righteous cause, and be-
live our time will yet Three such nights OF terror
as were passed 10 St. Louis could hardly have been sur
| n.sss I in the French Revolution, and think the St
Loussps are wonderful people to have forborne they
did Bus 20 much at stake, and SO utterly hopeless
was r.sisance that they could do nohing even wher
the itch sodery would curse at aud point their bayo-
nets at ladies' who dared to call out for JEFF Davis, as
they passed along the street. But our wrongs will ye
| be avenged believe, and we only bde our tme Let
the North do and think they wil-bu oh, for Virgin
| iaps to unite with them, it is too bad.
Itis said that all Secessiouiss here spotted ant
most of the letters from Virginia and the South are
OF ened before they reach their destination, and should
not be surprsed-if this could be decyphered-t should
be read too But net afraid and have not felt one
shadow of fear for myself during the whole excitement
We hear SO many reports through the paper' that w
know not what to believe and should ike to have si
much private intelligence possible. For ourselves
we have no uneasiness bat my sons account, who
now prisoner parole honneur am uneasy all the
| time.
Ever your afeconate sister,