Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-10-01

uANb OGGu uuuGE Iu6 CuHtIUk Vi kE6 EGVGls1
SO far as power and forcible control is con-
cerned. And this conveys no adequate
idea of what is being done. They are not
only exercising control in a general sense,
but these bands are made up of men who
have gone from the counties named into
the rebel army, some of them over year
ago, aud now return with all their kuowl-
edge of the country and the citizens, their
opinions and prejudices-and they have
spread themselves all over the country
from Charleston east over the counties
named, and this (WoOd) county-and are
committing all manner of depredations.
There were near one hundred of them at
Writ G.. H., yesterday morning, as am
informed by truthful gentleman who saw
them and talked with them. True, Colonel
McCook has sent a detachment of men
from here to capture or run them off, but
his men can't stay in that country, aud jSst
as soon as his men withdraw the rebels will
return. These rebel bands, or companies
las they now claim to be regular soldiers)
are plundering and desOlating the country
and when use these terms do not mean
simply that they are committing an out
rage or stealing property occasionally,
but all over the country. 1t is hardly
necessary for me to enumerate the wrongs
tina: are being done,-suoh as stealing hor-
ses, stealing flour, grain, meat, bed clothes,
wearing apparel, and every thing else that
is found in the country, and which they
imagine can be useful to them or make
them comfortable during the coming win
ter. am informed by the best men in the
country, that these plunderers have stolen
ty, worth not less than from $50 to 500
a piece, which would be eight or ten thnu
sand dollars worth of this one kind of pro-
perty from the little county of Writ, and
this is not 1.-THE of what has been taken.
The consequence of all this IS, that the
Union people have been kept in such con-
ditlon that very small proportion of the
usual amount of seeding, or sowing of
wheat, has taken place, the people having
been kept on the look out and running all
the time to save themselves and their pro-
perty. And now, after suffering and no.
ping, and suffering and hoping for sixteen
or eighteen months, these loyal people,
many. very many of them, have come to
the conclusion that the government has
actually abandoned the country to the reb-
els-that they have suffered enough and
long enougn-nud they know that it is by
far worse than it was year ago. and they
have determined to leave and go where
there is government to protect them, and
where they can have some peace. 1 do
not exaggerate,-it is now too late and too
serious matter, and the naked truth is
bad enough without exaggerntion. But
tell you as fact, that scores of people are
leaving these counties and going to Ohio,
Indiada, Illinois, &c. Those that remain
are suffering all sorts of privations, insults
and indiguiIies, and many more would go
if they had the means. 1t makes my heart
sick to hear the statements of these people
from day to day as they come in from the
back country. 1t so happens that am &c.
quainted with very many of them, and they
come and lay their complaints before me
A very large proportion of the loyal men
subject to military duty, have left the eOuu'
ties spoken of and have gone into the U. s
army. May not then, with proprtety, ash
the question, Does the government Intend
to abandon this country to the rebels?
) P. S.-After concluding what is writer
above, it occurred to me to add word OIL
two on what may be the purpose or inten.
ton of the rebel government in regard &c
permanent occupation of Western Yirgi.
MIA by large force. l have not thought
until recently, that it was their purpose &c
hold this region of country-at least, that
the time was not fixed atwhich they would
make move toward that end. have
been reading pretty closely the extracts
from their papers that have come within
my reach-the proceedings of their Con
gress and Legislature-the proclamation'
of their generals, and.have listened to state.
ments as to the conversations of their gen.
erals and other officers with the people Of
the country through which they passed
and with the prisoners whom they have
captured and paroled. Especially the con-
versation. of Gen. Jenkins and his officers
as they passed through the country, TO
the prisoners, aud what took place at Har-
per's Ferry between "stonewall" jackson
and his officers and the prisoners, some Of
whom 1 know. The constant theme OF
these men in'their conversations &c. seems
to be the occupation ofWestern Virginia,
and that speedily. VIM. L. Jackson was
at Harper's Ferry in the character of Aid
to tStouewall," or in some such position,