Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-06-07

under the most aggravating circumstances aud
with hendsh atrocities. The story the hang
ing Of Frye and bis comrade by the wretch
Leadbetter SO near the cars that the
chvary as they passed could strike their bodies
with canes aud rattans, was one In bis own
the flesh of their backs with hickory splits.
They used to come into Jail aud take out men
to hang them. One day they to a man aged
65, and his son %, and made the old man look
on and see his son hung, after which they hung
him to the same gallows.
The testimony of Dr. Brownlow in regard to
these atrocities is confirmed by the statements
of Mr.. John Mclean Collins, who was confined
nearly two months, from April TO June, 1861,
and during that time beheld, from the g. ate of
his prison ut Memphis, 65 men whipped aud 43
hanged for refusing to take the oath Of allegi-
ance to the Confederate States. On the 18th
Of May, according TO his narrative, beautiful
and accomplished young woman was stripped
to the waist, l3 lashes were laid upon her back,
and the hair of one side of her head shaved off
for having purchased a passage ticket fol Cairo,
in the free state Of Illinois.
The following recent illustrations Of rebel bar
barity are related by correspondents in connec-
with the uciden, OF the battle at Williamsburg,
Va.:
In buryng the dead, our men had found
among the hodips of those who were evi
IDENTIFY dispatched viii lying wounded aud
helpless in the power Of the enemy, and the
instances are not few in which the proof is
more direct and possible than that furnish
ed by tie mute witness of the mulilatcd
corpses. Major Ryerson of theNew jersey
Brigade fell wounded in the action of Mon
duy, and two officers who undertook to car
ry him from the field shot in the attempt.
A couple Of private then sprang to his as
Sstance, but he advised them to leave him
for their own safety, telling them that he
was not dangerously injured, and had moth.
ing to fear from the enemy but when the
field was searched the next day for the dead,
he was found lying among them, with six
bsyonct wounds in his breast, his ears slit
and his body nearly stripped Of clothing.
A private in the same Brigade was also
found with his brains smashed in with his
own musket. which lay ut his side covered
with the traces of the foul murder which
had evidentally been doue upon helpless
man. In another instance, Lieut.. Nelson,
of the l7th n Y. Volunteers, who fell
wounded and was carried two miles by the
reireating rebels, aud then bayoneted twice
and left for dead by the wayside. He lived
long enough, however, to testify as 10 the
treatment he had received from bis coward
ly c0ptors. Such instances are not solitary,
though | refrain from mentioning any but
such as | have direct and positive testimony
in regard 10.
Thurston, Colonel of the I'd New Hamp.
shire, relates with deep feeling that one of
his captains, Drown, in the most critical
pinch of the battle, gathered large num-
Der of scattered men of his own and other
regiments. and led them on 10 q body of
the enemy, firing his revolver as he went,
and cheering on his new battalion. The
rebel in command waved white flag, and
cried ont, Don't fire don't fire ! we are
friends and at the same time ordered his
men to trail orms.' Too successful trick
Drown commanded his men not to fire.
At the word the Rebels poured a voIey
upon them, killing many, and among them
one of the hest men of New Hampshire,
and one Of he best officers in the army
Capt Drown.
Col Blaisdel, Of lllh Mass, also re-
lates that in the fury of the fight, Rebel
officer displayed white flag, and cried
out, Don't fire on your friends = Blaisdell
ordered his regiment to cease firing, and
private Michael Doherty, of Co. A stepped
forward to get the flag. When the doom
ed Irishman was nearest, the Rebel tfficer
yelled "Now give it TO them I The ruflians
instantly fired, severely wounding Doberty
and many others. Doherty bad strength
enough to return the fire, and killed the
treocherous officer by shooting him through
the heart.