Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-04-03

We were permitted yesterday, N COM
papy with Capt. Sage and Lieuts. Williams
and Tisnmons of The AID, after an hour or
two Of humilisting delay, awaiting the con
rcsience Of higher officers to- get a pass
signed, to visit the own and surrounding
neishborhood, and enjoyed the day very
much in s%trolling from house to house, ma
king inquiries Of the inhabitants, where we
found Them, aud ia observing the destruc-
ton that followed in the wake Of the rebel
%sriuy-thc boosted champions Of LIBERTY.
Many Of the citizens are returning to their
homes, or rather to the places where their
homes were, to weep bitter tears over the
destruction of NIL their worldly goods
Those who are here and daily returning are
undoubtedly Union men, who were notified
by Col. Cant, on our approach that unless
they left the town within two days they
would be taken prisoners to Memphis, and
also notified that ON our approach the town
would be burned. This, however, was not
done; but the property Of every Union man
in the place has been completely destroyed
by FIRE and the axe, SO hat there is not a
single house belonging to Union men in
the town that is not a perfect wreck with
the fruit trees and sbrubbcry all chopped
down Or dug up; whilst the property Of
tho Rebels remains untouched, except where
its destruction was necessary to give range
TO their guns. One case, which is but a fair
specimen Of all, is the especial talk Of the
people who knew the parties, that is the
brothers Waters-both wealthy, influential
cit:zens,--one a doctor, the other a merchant,
lone a rebel, the other an unconquerable
Union man. The property Of the rebel
doctor, who has gone after the Secesh army,
is unframed and in a perfect atate of pre-
servation the real property Of the Union
merchant, who is at present within our
lines, was early committed to the tender
mcrcies of the devouring flames, aud his
store and dwelling, was delivered over to the
thieving pirates who have been oongrega-
ted together by that arch friend and traitor,
that desolater of quiet homes, that robber
Of the defenceless, JEFF. Thompson--the
Prince Of Pirates; and to-day the rebel ID
rich-and the patriot is q paupsr. There
is no way by which these wrongs can be
thoroughly righted, but much could be done
if the people of the country could but crush
out that sickly sentimentalism, born Of
treason, hat holds sacred the property Of
the rebels, and would insist upon the con.
fscation without distinction Of everything in
the shape of property they have, and with
it, as far as it will go, make good the loss Of
these men who have sacrificed all they have
on the shrine Of their devotion to tho
Union. r,
The general impression existing in the
!. minds Of the people here prior to our arr
val, Of the Union army aud its object, may
be inferred from the following: Whilst il
conversation with an elderly lady, she re-
marked, II am very much and very agree
ably disappointed with the appearance and
character Of your army. ! was taught Il
. believe that on your approach should Sc
y vast horde ofdirty, ugly foreigners with
out discipline, without order, whole objec
would be to destroy and devastate, pillage
! and burn, insult women, aud, above oil,
free the slaves ; but l find you are q
i, good-looking, orderly, well, disciplined SCI
:, Of gentlemanly soldiers, whonot only regar,
!, the rights of property, but treat with tn
highest respect the claims Of woman. -
Would to God tile people of the entir
South but knew what I have learned with
in tho past few weeks. The rebellion woul
! soon be ended" On being inquired Of O
to how and where she received those notion
:, of Northern, or Union soldiers, and thei
objects, she answered, ITO a great extent
from your own papers, and quotations i
the Southern papers from them, which hav
of been thoroughly circulated all over tn
"a South, and by which tho Southern min
"a has been more effectually poisoned than
could have been by any other means" Oh
what a fearful responsibility will rest upor
"a the heads Of those men at the North, whe
the day of reckoning shall come, who b
; their misrepresentation and falsehoods hav
, done 50 much to bring on this fearful, thi
destructive war. The cry of Abolition
abolition" will then have lost its force
aud an impoverished people, whose hearth
n stones have been desolated by the ravage
q Of a war, the result Of their lying ISLANDERS
will hold them to q strict accountability
And when they shall attempt to scree
themselves behind the fanatical illusions
At Garrison and Phillips, or the imbecile raj,
I" Of John Brown, they will be speedily ur
ID masked and made to acknowledge, wha
70 they always knew that this class Of men ha
Of no influence, no power, either for good Q
NJ evil, and never could have accomplishe
these fearful results. y
n. But ! have wandered, and will again n
Al turn to the task Of relating the results {
n. my days observations.
is. We visited the house Of the rebel D.
he Waters, and from its roof had one Of tn
en- most imposing views We have ever behelt
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