The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-08-22

Public Square. /. was the End Indian
cavalry !, 600 strong en- route for Nashville
Back of them followed q Battery of ArsiIler
and as we came on to the road below, th
: 9th Michigan Infantry marched by with a
% stately step through the heavy mud as if Oh
. parade.
o Entering the town we now began to see the
= effects OF rebel bsrbarism. Elegant residen
!. ces were open, everything remaining in cor
: fusion as if the inhabitants had hastily evac
uated them. In one house, evodintly the
0 residence Of taste and refement, table wa
. Sc. as if for supper. The coffee stood colo
and untased. Food untouched was on the
. table. Not plate hal been disturbed. Ever
! chairs were placed around it. A door open
ing into parlor adjoining showed an ele-
CANT piano lying open, and imagine my sur
prise when saw that the song which prob
ably had been unsung was one Of Moore's
most beautiful melodies. "The Harp that
once through Tara's Hail." How ap-
propriate ii seemed at this time and
thought of that beautiful verse from "Oft in
the Silly night" and 1 could realize its
sentiment:
Il feel as one who treads alone,
| Some banquet hall deserted.
Whose lights fed-whose garlands dead
And all but me Departed
Another piece of music lay on the instru-
ment. 1t was Dixie, colore1 with the Wig
nette Of the Secession Flag, aud strange to
say over the mantle hung beautiful en-
Craving Of General Washington. Gould
these people have the heart to be Secession
lists? were my thoughts and felt sad to see
the des olation caused by wicked faction. In
another room l found a fresh boquet Of
flowers and in its elegantly appointed furni-
ture and articles Of taste ina ,ned it a ladies'
bondoir for such it was evidently. Whose
residence it was could not ascertain, but
not living person was seen within or
around it not even a dog or cat could be
fonnd.
An elegant brick residence a little far
ther on had not been spared from ruthless
hands. The furniture was there but lay
scattered around and broken, superb pier
glass was broken in fragments and the mar
BILE slab on which it rested was stained with
blood. On sideboard near by lay pack
of cards. while two empty champaign bot
ties and shattered glasses were scattered
around denoting that a revel had been held.
A Texan rangers lasso hung on broken
chair, and the carpet was torn and defaced
with mud. Drawers were ransacked.--
Ladies apparel lay scattered around, and
pile of burnt straw and wood in one room
looked as if the torch of the incendiary had
been applied but failed to meet the expects-
tions Of the destroyer. As we neared the
town the marks Of ravages became more ap.
parent. Stores were broken open and their
contents ransacked. Safes stood open in the
street, dsspoilet of their contents and in the
Public Square number of splendid brick
stores had been burned, their chimneys on.
ly remaining to tell the story of the confla-
grafton. From the square to the depot,
houses were plundered. fences burned and
trees and shubbery despoiled. but the most
saddeuing sight was to behold the burnt
ruins Of the splendid Rail Road depot. its
sore houses and its machine shops. Eight
splendid locomotives and tenders, stood
mere skeletons, destroyed by the fire fiend
in his fury. Within the walls were heaps
Of muskets aud small! arms destroyed to keep
them from falling into our hands. In the
main building were the remains of sab res,
pistols, lassos. knapsscks, overcosts and
blankets lying around in the greetest confu-
sion. Hogsheads of bacon. barrels of beef,
and Flour and other provisions lay half
consumed on every side. The burnt re-
mains of four beautiful passenger cars, be.
sides number of freight cars strewed the
different tracks in the yard. Such was the
destruction of property in Bowling Green,
once beautiful and hourishing town.
After paying visit to the Masonic Hall
and Presbyterian Churches which were use-
ed as hospitals. we heard the whistle of the
locomotive warning us thar the train would
start for Nashville in half an hour, and re-
turning to the hospital occupied by DR..
Johnson, bsde him good bye and taking our
baggage started for the Depot, with ma
ny thanks to our host for his kindness
On the way up. the negro who accompan-
led us. waiter at the hospital and who
was previously General Hardee's servant.
Jim, for that was his name. told US that the
afternoon before Mitchell's Division came,
Hardes was boasting how he could whip
the Yankees, with his brave Texan rangers,
bat the next day he somewhat changed his
mind. 1t was shout / O'Clock in the morn
ing, Jim was sitting q, the door fixing the
Generals spurs, when a she'll from Loomis's
battery. the FIRST intination he had of the
proximity of our troops. struck in the street
opposite the door exploding and frightening
his horse. Hsrdce jumped up leaving his
hat on the table. saying s'by - the Yam