The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-07-14
MURDER AND PILLAGE.

As usual the Yankees who raided on Knoxville,
murdered inoffensive people and piuudered the
country They murdered DIR. Harvey Baker,
nrominent physician residing near Knoxville.
The REGISTER gives an account Of the brutal affair:
DR. Bakers house is about ten miles below
Knoxville on the main Western road. On Friday
afternoon he told his wife and family he could do
no good staying at home, and believed he would
come up to town where he might be of some as
sistance in its defence He got his gun and was
in his yard when Yankee rode up and presented
his gun at him. DIR. i. told him not to shoot,
that he was a citizen, and did not belong to the
army But the soldier in place Of deslstlng raised
his gun to his face to take sight, and fired, Dr. b.
firing at about the same time. DIR. g. then went
into his house and locked the doors, sending his
family up stairs. His wife insisted he should 60
up stairs with them, which he did soon alter In
short time the soldier who had fired on DIR. Baker
brought up large number of men, who surround
ed the house and commenced firing through the
windows on both sides, demanding that the men in
the house should surrender. Mrs Baker came to
the window and told them there was no man in
the house but her husband, and if they would cease
firing he would surrender. They continued hrlag,
and DR.. Baker came to the window once or twice,
and told them there was no man In the house but
himself, and if they would cease firing he would
surrender. But whenever he presented himself at
the window they fired on him, and he returned
the fire with his pistol. In few minutes num-
Der of them broke open the lower doors and en-
tered the house, and commenced firing through the
ceiling into the room where Baker and his family
were They then went to the stairway and de-
mandcd that the.men should como out and sur
render. Mrs. Baker came out and told them there
was no man in the house except DIR. Baker, and
if they would not fire upon him he would come
out They ordered her to 60 away from the door
or they would shoot her. DR. Baker then pulled
- his wife in the room and threw the door OPEN
They fired upon him with their guns, and he re-
turned the fire with his pistols. The Yankees
present, having exhausted their ammunition, threw
their guns, with fixed bayonets, at him-he throw
ing the guns back again at them. A number of
Yankee rcinforcements then came up with loaded
guns and fired a vollcy at him, inficting two
mortal wounds. DR.. B. said to his wife, "they
have killed me-" and fell; his wife, in endcavoring
to support him, fell with him. The Yankees then
entered the room-onc Of them who had no bayo
net on his gun, iob5ed him in the mouth with the
muzzle of his gun; another run his bayonet through
his check; others struck him on the head; one
ruffian pushed Mrs Baker aside from her husband
with his bayonct. Dr. Baker asked to be turned
on his side, and asked for water After he drank,
he observed to the crowd of Yankees around him
that they were a cowardly set of scoundrels-so
many of them to assault and murder one man.
Two of the Yankees were dangerously, if not
mortally, wounded. They went on to the next
house and had their wounds dressed and said DR.
Baker the gamest man they ever saw.
Dr. Baker was one of the earliest Of our citizens
to espouse the cause of the South, and was an
ardent sccessionist from the beginning. We have
no doubt some renegade tory from East Tennessee
had given the Yankees full information about Dr.
Bakers sentiments and his activity in the cause of
the South and that they intended to seize upon
some prctence to murder him.
After the cowardly scoundrcls had murdered
her husband, they commenced robbing his wife of
her jewelry, and carried off everything they could
find Of value that WIS easy to be concealed. Among
other things, they took breastpn containing a,
miniature likeness of DR.. Baker, set in gold.