The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer., 1863-02-20
THE HOMESTEAD FARM,
February, 1868.
The Editor cfthe Southern Esis /.

TO the Editor Of the Southern HsSis:
SIR To correct erroneous statements,
come simply mistaken, and others wilful-
! ly false, give you the facts Of an outrage
on me, perpotrated by detachment of
Captain Clayton's cavalry.
On the l9Ih ult., military wagon with
four soldiers was driven to this place, and
sergeant with two prlvates entered my
room, saying Captain Clayton had sent
thensfor fifteen bushels of oats. told
him had no oats for sale, when he re-
piled | bad them on hand, aud | might as
well let him have them, as his orders were
to take them. On my refusal, he said he
would fnd and take them. He rendered
me receipt for fifteen bushels If oats,
which neither stated price nor mode Of
payment. This l declined, unless he
would endorse the facts. Alter vain
threats towards the white hands to elicit
information, ,athe sergeant agaip applied to
me, saying if he went without them it
would be worse for me. Telling him l
did not fear his Captains Vengeance, l
again refused.
Two Of the men then entered my moth
er's dwelling, caught two of the colored
servants, aud putting pistol at the head
of one Of them, threatened instant death
unless he told where the oats were-which
he did. Find, the granary locked, they
asked me for the key, which declined to
give, and they broke the door open. The
sergeant having entered called for half
bushel. One of the men ordered the col
ored boy to get it, and when l told him
not to aid them, the soldier drew his re-
volver, cooked it, and put it at the boy S
head. 'Shoot him! cried another
"By God, I've taken no part before, but
I'll begin now. He got it. They helped
themselves and drove off, Offering the re-
jected receipt.
The facts being communicated to Cap
tain Clayton, he came to see me was po-
lite; seemed annoyed at what had occur
red, and said if he had known what an
invalid was, should not have been
troubled, but that having heard in Bel
Air that Mr.. Farnandis was candidate
at the last election, he thought it Was the
satne person He could not censure the
sergeant, who might honestly have under
stood the order to get as imperative, but
condemned the violence of the privates,
and w0u ID consider what was to he done.
I asked the names of the privates, but he
could not remember them; and in an
hour he aud his men had left Bel Air.
He stated that he was acting under
Governor Bradford's orders; that this was
d State affair, and expenses were to be
paid from the property of the drafted
men who had not appeared. From such
a source I certainly would not be paid ;
but I wrote to Gov. Bradford, detailing
the facts, and believing that tue names
withheld from HE would be found for
him, and the offenders made amenable to
the proper tribunals
Gov. B. promptly replied, expressing
his unqualified condemnation of the pro-
eeedings," and that Captain Clay ton was
entirel y mistaken in the character of the
States connexion with his command.-
He wrote to Captain Clayton, expressing
his decided disapproval Of the proceed
ings" of the uen, and his opinion that
they ought to be promptly and properly
punished"
Ny complaint to the Governor was
based upon his supposed authority over
Captain Clayton. But for this misappre-
i.eusion, induced by Captain Clayton 8
statement, should not have troubled him
with the affair.
At the time my mothers property was
plundered, there was at the hotel in Bel
Air, where these men were. quartered a
supp y Of oats which would have been fur.
nished them if requested, and other
sources Of supply nearer than ours, Lut
there was, suppose. especial reasons for
fayoring US with their patronage.
Respectfully, yours,
JAMES FARNANDIs.