The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-07-24
From the Lynchburg Virginian.
Stacking a southern City Treat
ment of the women.

to. the Masonic Hall, leaving none but the
women and children at the houses, and when
there was no one, the houses and everything
in them were broken open and examined,
and when anything suited the fancy or taste.
of the searcher he appropriated it. Froa
some houses they took every suit Of gentle.
mems clothes, not leaving the owner achange;
from others they took as many shirts as they
needed, and wherever q gold or silver watch
was found, with few exceptions, it was pock-
eted. Many ladies' breastpins' found their
way into the pockets of the 9th and It'll ILL
nois cavalry. Every dairy and cupboard was
emptied of its eatables and every cook was
employed in preparing then, breakfast
From almost every corn crib they took corn
to feed their horses. Under the pretext Of
searching for arms they broke open every
store and Office in the town, scattering the
goods and papers in every direction, and
loading some Of them in wag ,ns.--The win.
dows and show-ca cases were ruthlessly and
needlessly smashed
Some Of the soldiers rode their horses into
the stores and into some of the ofices. While
the citizens were at the Maso tic Hall hospi.
boots, hats and dry goods of various kinds.
cdmmand could not fail to see this, and knew
thAt their men were ,pillaging the town. The
mem seemed to think that any amount Of
gunsAand ammunition were concealed in the
iron Aafes, because they broke open almost
every lone in town, none of which had any
money! in them except one, and that but
small amount. Every horse they could see
and catch, with every bride and saddle, they
took apd carried off. A great many Of the
men n1ged the negroes, wherever they met
them, p run away, and some one or two they
forced TO go, Que of whom was returned
Some lime or ten went off with them, and
during the week some twenty or thirty follow
ed them from town. They burned the depot
and m{chine shops, and the machinery Of
the Louisiana penitentiary, stationed here,
which j great loss to the Canfederacy.
With pistols in hand, and presented, they
demanded the watches and money from some
Of our citizens. They got some four Or Eve
gold Watches, and perhaps as many silver
ones. yThey even robbed an old negro man Of
Mr.. Hardesty of an old silver watch.
THY visited the residence Of Mrs. Lee, and,
presenting pistol to her head, demanded all
the honey in the house. They cursed and
abusfd her very much, and greatly terrified
her $nd her daughter, Mrs. Batch alor. They
put 4 pistol to the breast of Rev. VIM. HON.
lin, And demanded his watch, threatening to
shobt him if they did not get it. They did
the2same with DR.. E. belong, bur neither Of
th$ gentlemen owned watches, and of course
th{ members of Grierson's Western cavalry
DID not get them. They paroled all the sick
aid all the struggling Confederate soldiers
hey found in town. They left about half.
Sast nine o'clock A. M During their stay
they were the most alarmed set Of men our
citizens ever saw.
A portion of the men who were detailed to
guard the citizens, saw Captain Hayden With
a gold watch;when the citizens were dismissed.
they followed him to his home, and present.
ing their pistols forcibly took his watch and
chain. As soon as they finished .roling the
citizens, they left with their plumber. On
Monday evening following. five Of. them went
10 the residence of A. D. Palmer. about four
miles from town, during the night, and In !.
veigled the old man from his home some dis
lance, and then pretending to hare an order
rom Gen. Banks to take him and his box and
papers to Gen. B., they forced the old man to
give them his money box and papers, robbing
him Of six thousand dollars. A few davs
since, they robbed Mr.. George Keller, near
Jackson, Louisiana, of fifteen thousand dol.
Iars.s
They are now engaged in gathering all the
cotton they can find and carrying it of. They
go with wagons in parties Of from two to
Ihree hundred, and take what they can find.
The negroes have gone to them BY the hun
1red. Some of the planters have lost every
negro, mule, horse and wagon they had. and
Il, some instances thew ha Va "a an oil IL 80