The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-08-29
Terrible Story of the Rebellion


A correspondent OF the New York Tunes,
who dates from Springfield, Missouri, tells
the following sad tale Of the consequences
Of rebellion:
"The tender morcies OF secession are
cruel. ] have just heard the sad story of
a widow who has buried two sons and a
Her three children all fell by the hand of
violence.
She lived in White River country--a land
of hills and ignorance. In that county,
she and her family stood almost alone on
tho side of tho National Union. Her neigh.
bors were advocates OF rebellion, and even
before the arrival of our army in Spring.
field, all loyal citizens were warned that
they must leave their homes or die. II was
little that the poor widow had to leavo--a
little log cabin and small patch Of hillside
but such as il was, she was preparing to
leave it, when her son Harvey left her in
search of employment She packed his
bundle with heavy heart. took a silk hand
kerchiof from her mock, gave 1t to him, and
kissed him good bye, never expecting to soc
him again.
Ho had not gone many days when her
persecution began. Her little boy was one
evening bringing in wood for tho fire, when
u shot was hcard-a bullet struck the log
under bis arm, and he dropped it with u
scream. Tho ball had Just missed his heart
JOY at his escape from death was henceforth
mingled with gloomy apprehension.
Next, she heard Of tho death of Harvey
lie had found q home, and, fancying him
self secure was alone at work in the field.
Tho family with whom he lived were absent.
When they returned at noon they found his
dead body in the bouse pierced by bullet.
His torn cap and other signs witnessed to
tho severity of his struggles before he yielded
&c his murderer.
From this time the family OF Mrs. Willis
lived in constant fear. One day a gun was
fred at thcm as they sat at dinner. Often
they saw men prowing about with guns
looking for the young men. One man was
bold enough to come into the cabin in search
for them. At night they all hid in the woods
and slept. The poor woman was one day
gathering corn in tho garden, and William
was sitting upon the fence.
Don't sit thore, William" said bis mother
'you are too fair mark for a shot"
"Wiliam." said his sister, "you are not
safe there. Come into tho house
He oboyed. He was sitting between two
beds, when suddenly another shot rang on
the air, and tho widows second son, Samuel,
whom she had not noticed sitting by another
door, rose to his feet, staggered few steps
towards his mother, and fell corpse before
hor.
81 never wished any ono in torment be-
fore" sho said, "but did wish the man who
killed him was there"
Her throo Oldest sons at once left tho
cabin, and fled over the hills Thoy are all
in the National army to day. Samuels sis
ter washed the cold clay, and dressed it for
the grave. After two days tho secession
neighbors came to bury him. At first the
frantic mother refused to lot them touch the
body. At last she consented. The clods
wero falling upon the coffin, each sound
awakening an echo in her aching heart when
II whipporwill futtered down. with lis wild
melancholy cry, and settled in tho open
grave. The note so terrified the conscience
stricken, suporstitious wretches, that for
moment they fled in dsmay.
Two of her children wero now in their
graves. Thrco had escaped for their lives.
The unhappy woman was left with her two
daughters aud three sma! children, helpless
aud alone. She was obliged to go 80 milos
upon horseback to tho mill for food, and
afterwards to roturn on foot, leading her
horse by the bride with tho sack of meal
upon his back. On her return she met her
children about mile and half from her
own house. In her neighbours yard her two
boys, aged ten and twelve years, were dig
gng another grave-the grave of an old
man, murdered in her absence, for the crime
of Loyalty to the Union. Together with a
whito headed patriot, who tottered with age,
they placed the corpse upon board, rolled
it, unprepared for burial, and uncodined,
into tho shallow pit, and then covered it
with earth. Such are tho trials of loyal
citizens in the border slave states, and in
places wherever rebellion has been in power
The widow now escaped for refuge to this
city. And here, to crown her SORROWS in
tho absence of her three Oldest remaining
sons, drunken soldier of the Kansas regi.
ment shot her daughter Mary, as she was
standing in the door of her house. Is it any
wonder that this woman's hair is gray, her
forehead full of wrinkles, or that she should
say in tremulous tones, Il feel that | shall
not live long, The only thing which sus.
tains me is the love of Christ?
Northern people know nothing of the
horrors of wal"