The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-06-20
From the Zancsyllle Courierl d
IMPORTANT CORRESPONDENTS.

The Cities Of ZanesviHe, Dayton, Cincin.
matt. Marietta Wheeling, PiasOury. &c,
to be burned.
Editors Courier:-- The letter from which
the following extracts arc copied. was re-.
ceived by me few days since, from an
intimate friend and old acquaintance
visiting in one of the Gulf States. For
evident reasons, I very much desired
that the receipt of such communication
should only be known to the authorities
of the places therein named. but the fact
of the existence of such letter here has
become so generally known that l have
concluded to give the following extracts
publicly, simply to rid myself OF the an
noyance of responding to the thousand
questions constantly asked about it. I
will simply say that the writer of the let.
ter is man Of mature years, of undonbt.
fulintegrity cool cautious and disposition
ate, has large pcperty and occupies po-
sition that enables him to know the
truth Of the matters about which he of.
f9rs--and l have not shadow Of doubt
he says what he thinks. | am not how
ever, prepared to believe that any such
attempt, as he describes, will be made
upon Northern towns and cities. For
while the people Of the South appear TO
be wholly insane to their own interests,
yet it does not seem possible that they
can be so far demented, as to inaugurate
such mode Of warfare, while the South
rests on mine that can be so easily fred
in retaliation. The probability is that
they have been made to believe that the
uprising of the North is mere abolition
raid, and they expected US to incile SER
vile Instructions. wherever our army
moves, and the plot for burning north
ern towns and cities is to be their mode oil
Arrangement. II this suppositon is cor
rect, they will certainly abandon all such
plans, when they read such documents
as the proposition of Gen. Butler to Gov
Hicks, Gen. Buffers letter to Gov, An.
drew, Gen. Nc O|ellan's proclamation tc
the people of Western Virginia, the Pres
ident's prompt refusal to accept colored
troops, &C.. all of which hope will be
in my friends hands before many days.
Yet. al such times as these. when
friends and foes so nearly resemble each
oth0,ip the outer man, it is proper that
our city and our citizens should be ade-
qustely prepared 10 give warm recep.
ton to rebels FROM abroad or traitors at
home that may attempt apy incendiary
practices in our midst. The le. ael is as
follows, with names, and other mattel
that would lead to the indentifcation o.
the writer omitted:
"-,May 4th, 1861.
- write with my heart full
and perhaps, at the risk of my life, 70,
should this communication be seen by
any one here my life would not be worth
three cents. .a...
You have no conception whatever o.
the state OF things here. l have large
property, and al interesting family, but
God knows it is only attachment 10 my
family that keeps me here. Ny property
would not now sell for thirty cents on q
dollar of what it was worth Que year age
yes | would gladly sell all have fol
one half what il is now worth, if could
be permitted to take that with my family
and 60 North, and Gods curse upon me
if | ever should again set foot upon slave
soil. This. you may think. is strong
language for the owner of-npgroes
but it is the language of my inmost heart
In my position l could not leave her,
without exciting suspicion to my loyalty tt
tie internal Southern Confederacy. wlicl
circumst ances force me TO sustain will
my voice and my money. The least sus
. picion of my loyalty would endauger ny
lie and that of my family, ,"-"But
did not commence this letter tc describe
) oar dangers but yoars,"-"Thc mod
OF warfare drOided upon here is of tn
most hellish kind. There is deliherat
plan adopted for burding large numbe
Of northern cities and towns. | have ses
the maps Of several towns in the West
] with full description of the plan of de
: stroying them. Among them, are Zanes
' vile. Dayton, Cincinnati, Marietta
+ Wheeling. Pittsburg, &c. l never wa
at GAINESVILLE, and know nothing Of il
8 waller arrangements, except what learn
D ed here yesterday, The map, rOug
: pen sketch, represents double rcstr rvio
on Hill east Of your city, with two mai
outlets-oue TO the west and the other t
u the north. Ten mer are assigned to you
: place Tor its destruction. The plan
Il to cut he main pipes and fire the plac
: in numerous places. simultaneously
They have large number Of fuse .fag
y gots, several of which can be carried i
J the pockets Of a single person, and on
: fagGot is worth two or three baskets {
0 shayings for incendiary purposes. Th
. map represents the location of four @
l' FIVE bridges. etwo of them railroad bridg
= es-- one iron, west OF your city. " \
S The Plan is to begin this helliSh work 9
o soon as war opens. I don'l believe 20
q are in any danger until then--but 20
j may be positively assured that as soon a
u the war is fairly opened, your town wi
C be destroyed, unless you adopt sue
e measures as to afford ample protection
IL NJ run great risk in writing th
), y letter--a risk, TOO only for the safety
q yourself and your ucighbors. l hay
thereby placed my life aud the lives {
( my dear wife and children at the nero
q of your discretion. l beseech Of you nj
y to make known my name my pos!.ofht
I I Iaddres nor exhibit my band writing, ft
Il we have information here that could onl