Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-01
Fast DAY. Nov. l5, 1881

since we las. communicated with you The whole sum-
mer we have had nothing but one continued scene OF
robberes and outrages violence and wrongs. We are
not allowed to 90 outside our noosIre without
pass from headquarters and sometimes pass is not CIV
en- US for weeks Sometimes, for days and days, We
have been obi ged 10 fec our whole family on potatoes
allowed to 60 10 mill, and at mes Cnsres Houiu
take bag of corn on his back and watch his oppor u
nifty to avoid the pckets and 60 seahiy through the
woods and fields and have 1t ground One day, early
In summer, got pass, and E-and went 10 toHni
and In returning were detained by the guards three
hours on the road. When We got home, they told us
Of such deeds Of horror and outrage that had been COM
mtted on the servants, R-and NJ, as would
make the very blood reez n your veins, by four OF
these vile creatures called soldiers in an open field by
the side Of the public road and Cear was obliged to
stand by and witness II.
Az another time FIVE or six would come to the house,
burst open the door, and say they intended searching the
house-they wanted something to eat and would have
it, II did not give it to them, they would break open
everything, and take what they pleased. They would
point their guns at u.s. and plunge at with their bayo-
nets and threaten TO kill US on the spot If dared
monstrate. One day they came and scattered over the
place. They flew TO the coops, seized the hens, with
chickens and, in spite Of all we could say would wiring
their heads of before our faces. They killed all our
ducks-killed the pgs-tore all the frui. of the trees
lemons and oranges green aud ripe. There nothing
that escaped their hieyish hard You must not think
this was confined to the soldiers for in almost
every instance, an officer was with them One tmF,
three officers came, and did not leave until after dark,
and then took both our carriage horses. Sometimes
dozen will come and seat themselves under the tana'
rnd tree W. on we are the porch and tell NJ, "a
negro gir she is the preest girl they have seen, and
ofr to kiss her. ard beg her 10 go with them 10 the
North aud they will marry her. They use the most Vn
gar obscene and blasphemous language. E-spoke
to an old man for using the Of Jesus In such apo
faue manner he stepped up to her and stretched his
eyes and said "he better man than Jesus Christ
cannot see how such vile creatures are suHsred TO live
| sometimes wonder the earth don's open and swallow
them up
Lbout four weeks ago. six OF the officers galop.
ing I'D 10 our house. dsmounted examined the premises
thoroughly measured the we'll and then walked In, sent
their up and requested TO see the owner OF the
place. E-went down, and was scarcely seated before
she said "Haye YOU not laid waste enough land TO en-
camp your men ON without destroying the ony home
Of two unprotected and unoifehdng ladies' ~ BE re-
piled at military necessity and must be dooe An
other one came in and the first said to him, Gui this
lady OF ecs 10 our putting our encampment here lie
remarked very oarelesy at an important site and
must be occupied you had better vacate your house
aud rent one in town" She told him I'VE had no other
house. aud no means to rent house with that this war
had deprived Of all other resources except the pro-
duce Of this farm" She wrung her hands and begged
them for mercys sake not TO put them here" But
thew were lust o. stern and cold stone She says one
of them when he saw her distress actually laughed in
her face OF all hearess creatures they do exceed.
did not think there such people on the face OF the
Garth. No language could use would con'ey TO you
the least idea OF what have suffered from these
wreches. Their insults outrages and theits have not
been once or twice, but daily and hourly
We have been afraid for weeks to 20 outside gar
den gate and many days afraid TO open the front door.
The bullets often ooms whis ling over our hsads into tie
yird and garden and several have been picked up at
the kitchen door. Ol the 30th September whole bril-
gade epcamped upon our land and around us as near
| as the bottom OF the garden. am sure $4,000 would
not replace the fencing that has been torn down and de-.
stroyed Every stick Of our beautiful timber and wood
has been cut and four regiments have been burning IT, in
qua ptes for the last four weeks We never, IN our
lyes had such prospect for crops but the whole has
bseu stolen or DESTROYED The whole place has been pei
| fectly torn TO pieces. You would never know it
There Is fort made where the woods 10 the right
of the house. in line with the upper gate an immense
enteuchmen from the cider presS throu Sh the vegetable
garden of the barn. through our cori field 20 the
public road thence running diagonaly ecross our next
nsighbor's field extending nearly as far "a tho Red
House When these creatures first took possession OF
the town nearly all friends and acquainances left
for the upper country only taking their wearing appar
a and nov every house that has not been entirely torn
down Is perfect wreck doors aud window blinds torn
oil their hinges windows stp', banistors, all torn TO
pieces nte-peces-Where they were OF marhle-sent
10 the North panos, carpets, furniture, everything
packed up and sent North. Al one time, twelve large
boxes we're sent from Clermont (Com Forests
| nacs-the Commodore is at Norfolk by Adams EI.
press / could not begin to tell you OF all their vile do
ings Nothing you see an the papers, no mrter how
eItravagant it may seeem, but what you NAV believe
One family does not know what another suffers
short time ago. we heard, by acciden', Of one fam
ily the name OF the family is not mentioned, though
clue is Ryeu and It is believed to be that OF Msnder
Mason related John Y Mason; how nearly we cannot
saw where there four ladies' two Of them old ana
in6rm several small children and number Of servants
The master Of the house was gone. We heard they
ware suffering everything from these vile soldiers aud
nf family had died diDtlD taken from
these detestsbe Yankees and OF the sons was as i'll
As he could possibly be- we determined to brave every
thing and get there IL possible There was no way Of
riding The roads all thoroughly harrioadsd; so we
put on cur honnets took hy and sped on the wings OF
the wind We halted for nothing-aiEad as death-unt
we reached the door, There We were met with open
arms | never sls apJ people delighted as the poor
creatures TO They had not the face OF
any cEs for three months, bat these brutes and oh
sucl tales such tales as they had to tell 1t would
make yonr very blood boil to hear them. In the fret
place their hopso was searched which alarmed the
eldest lady che became psfaSEsd aud has not been aee
to utter snce. Then the lady OF the mouse
was arrested for receiving note ssor ne'ghooT.-
Then an armed guard of ct ieAs, hy meI were placed
rornd the house testirg down all the fences and turn
ing In ali the clttie the crops; killing the hogs sheep
poultry ani every thing they pleased, With imn9nse
ass cooking sn6 eating their pundcr. The disease was
taken from them four Of the servants died before We
hetrd Of il.
And here wore iheae four ladies' shut up in this hous
fvs miles FROM town; net alo we'd pass for themselse'
or servants afraid oen to 60 to the front door, these
seated in both the front and back porch swear
ing ard usrg the most basphcmous language, drinking
whskey and playing cards At last neighbor heard u
and found some of getting to the house. He tool
the measure of their dead bought their coos and tool
them as far bis house in his own conveyance, and
from there had to take them on his back for two
niles through the woods. As we go! home, VI
represented the case Of the officers, and
our very best endeavors get the road opened or
fel: confident the son would die but all to no purpose
They said, "the was exaggerated, and the peop
we're fools :" and that all got for our trouble
Ia two days after the little boy died, and the good kin'
neehbor opened the road with great labor and trouble
We felt it our duy to 20 to the funeral and oh whs
melancholy sight that little humble train, following
the son of parents the very frat people oil the land
through the by ways in the woods, up and down ia
anna nnrLGaldl