Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-10-16

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The Horrible Persecution of Union
men in xentucky.AA Plain Stato-
ment of the Gaze of Kcntucky
Senator.
CINCINNATI, Oct. 3.
Il W. HW, R,tceaan, Prtnge county, o..
DEAR STR: In great distress Of mind, |
will attempt to recount to you the misfor.
tunes and troubles have recently had to !.
encounter in Kentucky. am now a refti.
gee. The torch Of the incculiary rebel has
! been put to my mills, my store and my
{ dwelling All i consumed tac labor Of
twenty years is destroyed. f.s 'spM
On last "Wednesday night the rebel ssvs
airy OF John H. Morgan, TO the number Of
eight hundred. encamped within two miles
of my place. Through tie whole night they
were moinentarily expected to f0sYie UPON
u. Every PRISON left the road and hid in
the woods. could not do SO; my wife was
near her confinement, and nv anxiety for
her kept me near my dwelling, hut 10 aI!ay
her fears for my safety had To appear Z,
be absent. Nothing occurred during tn,
night.
As tho morning l,wuei, I went further
from my house, and took view of tho
premises aud the roads Lending to them.
could see no rebels, and determined 10 see
my wife, let the consequences be what they
might, As | was near my door, eight reb.
els suddenly appeare before me, with their
guns presented to my breast, and to,k me
prisoner Soon tho whole rebel band was
upon me. Morgan cursed the men for ia
King me prisoner, saying that he had order.
ed them to shoot me down upon sight. Hs'
then opened my store door, aud told bis
:, men to ride it of everything they desired,
i and then set fire to it. implored him not
to 90 so, as It was so near my dwelling that
. also would be consumed. / informed him
OF the condition of my wife---for myself I
: asked nothing, but begged Of him, in com,
mon humanity, not to destroy my wife and
y little children. He answered, with 6end-
lsh oath, that he intended to burn every
+ thing l had-he would put fire to my house
and burn my wife and children up in it-he
A would wipe out the whole Abolition concern.
:. This threat was applauded by many Of his
:. men, who said they were in for killing men,
:; women aud children. was then placed
, upon horse, without saddle and con-
T. Quoted to the front of their column. and
20 orders were given to shoot me down if fired
y upon by bushwhackers, as they styled them.
~ | assured tlrem they would be fred upon if
A the people had any spirit, and l believed
~ they had. When they saw the confagra-
i i tion Of their homes, they would waylsy and
~ fire upon them, even if their number was
:. ten times greater. After firing my properly
y. he tNfotgan) rode past mo and said, point
u ing to the flames, "You find your loyalty 70
your Abolition Government pretty expen.
sive, don't you?'' '6
r. Before we reached the woods, the Captain
ng Of the men that took me prisoner removed
!, me from my position in front and placed me
.h In his company, near the rear. Immediate
he ly upon entering the woods, they were fired
on upon. was surprised was not shot -
he Morgan rode past and demanded the reason
,ls L was not shot rs he ordered. They sale
,r- they had not beard the order He tolc
them, It fired upon again, to shoot the pris
al oner. They then amused themselves By
sh pointing their guns at me and saying they
ut wished they could hear gun, tliat they
might bave the pleasure Of shooting me-
ID After some time we were orderedto advanc'
aud were soon again fred upon. l hearc
I'm the guns click behind me, and felt sure TIN
ed my end was right then at hand Thei
Captain, John T. Williams, ordered then
ids not tn fire, that it was cold bloodcd murder
!. He said that his men had taken me prison
~ er, that he was not yet mustered into tn
nd service, and did not belong to Gen. Morgan
command, and would not obey him in this
sb but would take me to West Liberty, am
pu' me in Jail till further orders. This wa
ev some relief to me, you may be assured.S '
nd. Thus We proceeded for nearly twelve miles
tn my friends, the bush,ohackeu, emptying
saddle every few minutes, and my oaptor
b setting fire TO every Union mans house q
, they went. -a7'
.;n At last they commenced falling dos
,ve ,w around me- My guardian friend, ths'Cay
'r of tain, said he could not save me any Longer
,;s. soon took advantage Of the excitemen
~ prevailing and jumped from my horse sn
..a fled to the woods, unobserved, and mad
~ my escape. l reached where had been M
., home, at dark. found my wife had bee
"' carried by some kind ladies' to an nnoccu
m pied house, and physician with her, VIII
av, said he would stay with her. It was nC
rds more than twenty minutes till Morgan
ed guerrllias were again upon me. l escape
~, through the fields to the woods, making VI
a,S way to Portsmouth, thirty. Eve miles, M
hin hin nearest point of cocplete safety, whore ! a
, ras rived next morning, without food, sleep
"as ,a' rest. immediately came to this city, ,whel
ax. there was owing me about seventy five do
the lars, with which = will purchase Ballsu
act t rifle aud return tothe vicinity oi my falnil.
mr. hide in the woods and caves, and pick .
every Butternut see, until 4 can get N
al. family away to some place Of security, an
1 Ieft then-and then will not make peace wit
'eai ,saI them. asx Sfi.
ha, Why is all this persecutio1St St uSf Is
rss. because l condemned this wicked rsbelliQl
an, urged vigorous prosecution ~ this "
'ls1 Js. and in my place in the State Of Kentucl
ac opposed the temporizing a policy Of n
s,Il own party2 For this | am burned out an
% hunted out Of Kentucky. am now un
n 70 quivocally for confscstion, subjugation, .,
re- .'tt'i,ua,1p tiy aiu n9'i aHS uamuatioy,
- Pnrta oe exvt.o .ho
% %srv forgotten. My address win be, for son
"'' time TO come, Portsmouth, Ohioise
du. ours' Ssps'sau"y y