Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-06-26
Army Correspondence.
(GOrespcndenes q the eslIipsiis JOurqsl-l
FALls OF rHr KAsAwHA.
June 81, 1869.

occurred in the "District OF the IA
nawha.'s-An is quiet, and things jeg
along much as they do with you. rather
mouotonously. / have been hanging
on the outskirts of our army for more
than a year, have met with secession
lists of all grades. and, as regards West
ern Virginia, the Union sentiment is
growing rapidly and becoming stronger.
Nine months ago, e lady friend said 70
me, she would rather live under JEFF.
Davis as dictator, than under the old
flag. Two weeks ago she wished the
South had never seeded, and sincerely
wished this terrible war was at an end.
Such is the feeling Of hundreds, who
one year ago were bitter rebels. They
begin to see the cause Of the South is
hopeless, and the Southern Confedera-
cy about played out. When Wise was
in the Valley a year ago. we all know
how successful he was in drawing young
men into the whirlpool Of secession;
representing that he came here to stey;
that the South was never going TO give
up the Kanawha Valley, to be desecra-
ted by the unhallowed footsteps Of the
Yankees, and all this sort Of thing
He stayed few weeks and "skedad-
died." On his retreat he represented
to the terror-stFicken people that the
Yankees were burning, pillaging and
robbing as they came. Men, women.
and children were killed, their persons
violated, and all manner Of barbsrities
perpetrsted. Said a Lady to me few
days since: "After telling us all this,
and much more, frightening US nearly
to death, our husbands, brothers and
sons ran away, leaving US unprotected to
tie tender naereies of these eanni6al Yam
kees." 1t is funny when you think Of
il. The Yankees coming to kill snd
destroy defenceless women and children,
and the men running away leaving them
10 their fate. rn -1aft.. ri. d. i,ss4
Riding the mail line towards Meadow
Bluffs, is a man BY name of r..
He lives near Gross Lanes, and never
once Hinched in his devotion to the old
flag. During all the troubles last, sum
mer he was true rs steel. No threats
Of personal violence could intimidate
him. A man Of iron nerve, no induce
ments could swerve him to the right or
left. The edict went forth that his life
must pay the forfeit Of his devotion to
the Union. The rebels tried every
means in their power to find and then
murder him. They were foiled at ev-
cry step. At last they hit upon a mas
ter plan to entrap him. They mur-
dered in cold blood his only son, near
the house where he lived, and VoteAed
ovsr the body SIR days and nights, leaving
it unburied and exposed, thinking the
father would come from his hiding
place to get the body to bury it. Un-
beknown to the rebels. Mr.. R had
left the neighborhood several days be-
fore, and knew nothing of it. You
may well imagine the feelings of the
father when his wife told him the fate
Of his darling boy. He says he knows
every man of them who participated in
the hellish deed, and he adds. "the lost
man of them shall die" This l have
from the mans own lips, and others
vouched for the truth Of it. There are
many sad pictures connected with this
unrighteous rebellion, which would
make a man say "can such things be"
and retribution not be visited upon the
heads of those arch-devils?
I have seen the past few weeks many
families in this district, most OF whom
have friends in the rebel army, and all
have told me their friends we're sick Of
this war, and want to return home
Many are deserting, and those whose
terms of enlistment are about expiring
are making preparations to ledve the
rebel army and come home, and they piu
do il. ~ ' o ''a
Yesterday a party Of us made a visit
up the New river to Hawk's.Nest.--
Ny friend Col. -- and lady and self
and lady, constituted the aforesaid
party. Horseback riding is pleasant,
but to enjoy it you, must get a lady
friend to accompany you. E. is perfect
ly at home on the back of horse
You should see how gracefully she ap-
pears in her neat riding habit; with
what tact she manages her horse, and
add to this great personal beauty, and
you might well envy me my trip and
companion. II you should ever go to
the Hawk's-Nest, let we advise you to
first go to Mr.. Hamilton's and get a
good dinner, and you viii be prepared
to edo up the sights" On the hill
overlooking the Hawk's-Nest, is a
grave where lies one Of 0hio's soldiers.
A rude slab Of stone marks the spot, on
which is carved G. A, Aug. s5th,
1861. George Allen is his name, ] am
told. l could not find out where he
lived or to what regiment he belonged.
Our lady friends planted some flowers
on the grave, and as we wondered III
the 'loved ones at hone" were aware
Of his end, and were mourning for him,
Our hearts became sad and more than
one watered the flowers with their tears.
Near the Hawk's:Nest is 4 large rock
iutting out over the river, which is
called the Lovers leap" and thereby
hangs a tale of love and death, which
,xcells anything in romance. I will
ell It to you sometime, as / had it from
he lips Of an aged lady who lives near