Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-11-24

sanctuaries and volumes Of Heaven, OF all
ofage, sex, disease, deformlty,
afiuence or poverty, nay even of all Potst-
zeal sentiments, than ever were the borders
Northern Barbarians in the Middle
Ages, the Arabs IF the Desert, the Gladi-
ators of Spartacns, the ConspiIators of Cat
aline, or the French Jacobins n their
Reign of Terror! True, they have not yet
attained that extremity of murder and con-
fagratioD, which marked the track of their
savage predecessors ; but every step oftheir
progress DEMONSTRATES that they have the
heart and the desire to proceed similarly,
and are only restrained from dread of retail
iation..
In special and in proof, | allude to the
recent advance and retreat of Maj. Gen.
Fosters Division of the fso-called) United
States Army, through Beaufort and Mar
tin Couutics, Nerth Carolina.
Never was expedition more f~ruitless in
military results, none more blighting and
exhausting in the path Of its unexampled
desolation! | know not where to begin
to describe the Notwithstanding scenes of
diabolical vengeance, robbery and mutila-
ton.
In accordance with the fendish ~resolu-
tions of the Union Meeting in n. York, since
they cannot restore the Union, they have
made this part of our country a semi-desert.
Almost every square foot Of land, every
yard, every garden, every lot, every street,
every'road, every field, has been made a
slaughterpeu Every hog, pig, COW, calf
or fowl, that 100000 Vandals, scattered
over the country could either see or hear
of, has been butehered in its tracks-in
numberless instances not for the use Of
their army but for tie complete starvation of
the people! Almost even yet, entire car
casses of slaughtered animals, shot down
in the most wanton and brutal.harvcst, en-
cumber our streets and fields, and the wild
birds of %carrion darken our purtilential air.
Well perish the id secesh," cried the
exulting iends, if we can't whip them"
For the same devilish purpose, every
grain of salt that could be found, has been
either destroyed or carried off medicines
in private dwellings, in stores and in Doc
lors' shops, have been poured upon the
ground; ladies, striving to retain a little
of the property from which their male
relatives had been torn and held in custo-
dy, have been insulted, cursed and gnash-
ed upon by these malignant Spirits hot
from Tartarus negroes, the poor dupes
of Yankee barbsrity, have been cajoled
away by thousands a system of universal
plumber by the enemy, negroes and mean
whites, has prevailed wherever the Barba-
rians have penetrated. Families, fleeing
in dismay from the approach Of the inva-
der, have returned a~a found, as well as
the most ofthe few that remained at home,
clothes, beds, bedding, spoons, knives and
books, distracted, costly furniture of all
kinds, crockery, harness and vehicles
demolished, locks, windows aud mirrors
broken, fence and wallings burned up,
corn, potatoes and peas gathered from the
barns and fields consumed, iron safes dug
to pieces and thrown out of doors, and
their contents stolen or destroyed. Stores
and warehouses have been completely ri
fed, and together even with Dwellings, and
churches have cen converted into horse
stables. Libraries, public and private, sa-
cred and p%rofane, have been despoiled OF
all their most valuable volumes, which the
enemy has appropriated, cut to pieces or
f burned. Every horse and mule, wagon
and cart, that could be hunted up, has
been carried off by the retreating army
The persons of gentlemen and ladies have
been violently searched, and money and
jewelry taken. With scarcely a single ex
ception, every male citizen was arrested
by the enemy as they went up. and re-
leased, parol ed, on their return, some ever
confined prisoners in their own houses
, while they were given up to plumber.
suppose that Troy, Babylon, Athens, Car
] thage, Jerusalem, Constantinople or Rom
were never more completely sacked thai
t three towns in the county of Martin. AM
y the case was exactly the same with tn
! buildings and lands along the whole ex.
r tent of the enemy's march. Citizen
q seen at a distance, have been hunte
h down and shot like wild beasts Public an
e private papers and records have been de-
stroyed the Jail, grandjury room and tw
: other offices in this place, and ID privat
residences in Hamilton have been burne
r down; the property of all the faithful ne
It groes has been pillaged equally with thu
of their owners Old, blind and deform
n ed men have been treated with inhuma
barbarity +; the poor-widows, orphans an
\, others, have been as heartfessly robbed
the scanty earnings of a life times druid:
ing toll, as the wealthy of their comfor
and Injuries and list as | whisper, 0
We children of men . graves have bct
dug up by these Modern Ghouls, in the
- Ii .l..a far b,r,aA 4nao.,.