The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-08-20
HAMPTON BURNED BY TIE REBELS
Mournful Details Of the Confiasration.
Probable Cause OF such Vandalism
Correspondence Of the New York Tribune.
FoRTREss MoSRoE, Old Point Comfort,l


Another and fearful scene has been enact
ed in the drama Of Rebellion Last night the
village Of Hampton was laid in ashes by the
rebels. Mr. Mathew, formerly of Bath, Maine,
who went 10 Georgia to live ana was there
pressed into the rebel service, came into our
lines yesterday afternoon rs a deserter, and
gave much valuable information concerning
the II ovements of Gen. Magruder On Mon.
day morning last Gen. NJ. left Yorktown with
tw Tennessee, one Georgia, one Alabama
regiments, or between 5 900 and 5000 men,
with eight guns, ono of which was rtied -
The force reached Great Bethel about noon of
the same day, and encsmped till Tuesday
night, when they proceeded to Newmarket
Bridge, and two and Il half miles beyond
Hampton, arriving there about III =. IN.
Wednesday. Gen. Msgruder mmediat' Iy
formed bis men in line of battle, expecting
Gen. Butler would attack, aud waited some
time. The impression among the men was
that they were to be led to the attack of New
polt News that afternoon. Willie awaiting
the appearance Of the opposing force, and
while q L. MsgruIer was engaged in taking
observations from the top OF house, Mr.
Mathew escaped into the woods, made bis way
to Hampton, swan the creek and gave him
self up to our pickets, by whom he was con.
Quoted to Gen. Buffers headquarters.
Information Of the IN vneuts of the ene-
my WAS Immediately telcgraphrd to Gen.
Fhelps at Newport News, who hs obtained
corresponding intelligence from other Sconr.
ccs. Measures were taken, in conjunction with
the fleet to defend our position here and
Newport News from the combned attack
which it was evident the euemy intended
/ This was about & O'Clock +. Nj. The rebels
! had already reached the outskirts Of Ham
/ pton, aud the advcucc guard occupied tho
village about 4 O'Clock, the force having
/ left Newmarket Bridge about the time Mr,
! Mahew deserted During the evening propat
orders were issued to the force at Camp Ham
i'on, commanded by Col. Max Weber, and
Il scouting party WAS sent TO Fox Hill, 10
watch the movements Of the enemy in that
ncgborhood. At ten O'Clock, Gen. Butler,
after visiting Camp Hamilton, went to Ham.
| ptou Bridge aud instructed the force posted
there to hold the position and res 1t any at
tempt clh,l to dest oy or pass the bridge -
About 25 feet of the pIauks had been taken
up. and the tirnbcrS cut away on the llamp'
ton side. At that point our force consisting
off, detachment OF Max Wcber's rieneu,
erected barIcade. When Gen. Butler left :,
everything was quiet in the village, "A i there
was no appearance Of anything unusual. -
Shortly, Il rebel force came TO the bridge, and
commenced vigorous attack on our force
there. y sharp contest ensued, which resul-
ted in loss to the enemy and their retreat
The IchcIs then commenced TO fire the town.
Fire was ii,at set to the buildings uearcs, to
/ the bripgr. The, who committed ills act Of
vandalism wcrc TO n considerable tX'cut for
mer leading citizens Of Hampton and owners
of property, andconscInentiy among the grea.
test sufferers. Taey distributed themselves
/ through the village, went to the residence Of
the few remaining white inhabitants, and
warned them to prepare for the event that
WAS at hand. NJ other reason wa. given
than that they had orders to burn the village,
and that it weuld be done. No time WAS
given to'removc furniture or other effects and
scarcely enough to allow the terrified people
10 dress aud escape to the street.
Al the ho So Of Mr., Joseph Segar,who was
/ absent a faithful culyred servant under ouk 10
/ remove some va,uabes, when he was warned
! by the rebel charged with the duty Of setting
! fire to the dwelling 10 de,i~t. The negro, III
stesd Of obcying, kept on, ouly rcmarklng
! thnt the things must be got out. The rebel
then told hIm if he did not stop he would
shoot him. Cant help 'at; massys things
must be got out, was the reply The chlv-
alrou rebel fired, but missed his arm. The
negro fled, and is safe, having done all that
could be asked Of any one. 1t i, known that
| in not "A few instances men fired their own
/ - 4, IN,
which they had spent good share of their
/ lives.
After the first fire had been kiudod, the
attacking force returned to lh1 bridge, where
another sharp Contest Of about twenty minu.
ties cn,uod, and which resulted rs before in
/ the repulse { the rebels. 1t is known that
they lost quite number, as they were seen
carried away picked off by the German rifle
men, who took good aim in the light of the
burning buildings. No one was hurt on our
side, Though the plank, and barrels Of which
the barricado WAS constructed were freely pier
ccd 10y hullcts.
Failing in the attempt t. carry the bridge,
the town was fired in every part, aid by II
little past midnight the villige was mass of
flame lightisg W, the heavens, so that as far
of IS Newport News it was light enough to
read a newspaper. 1t was the first Instance
Of the kind in the course Of the war. How
many more, and perhaps far more terrible,
will tn re be before il is ovcr
There were probably from 20 to SO white
persons in the village, and from 100 to 200
negroes. Telrorstricken, as well they might
be, at such a midnight visitation, they fled lC
all directions, not knowing what fate might
overtake them at any turn. One old half
dying, specifies, and utterly helpless man,
Mr., George l.. Messenberg, one Of the oldest
inhabitants Of the place, 'urrounded by few
devoted servants, was taken by them from his
house, near the bridge, and while the fight
was going on, the flames raging, the srilllug
smoke surging and bullets wbzzlng all around
and removed on wbeelharrow TO a point on
the creek, where a small boat was found, and
which he was taken in safety to our sidc.-
| To day he fuud security aud attention in the
fortress hospital. He i' an undisguised Sc
cessionist, though the fact was as well known
as any other, he received neither mercy nor
the manifestation of human feelings from the
rebels. But for the devotion Of his serva uts
be, no doubt would have perlshed is the flames
that were the legitimate consequence of his