Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-06

A True PicruRx-WoRKs AND GLoRIrs Of
AR-Ho a DEsoLArE Co0SrRY LOOKS.
&c. &c.

A True PicruRE-WoRKs AND GLoRIEs Of
WAR-How a DEsoLArk Co0NrRr LOOKS.
&c. &c.
HEADQUARTERS Amy OF EAST ARKASsAs,i
February q, 1868.
The person who has never travelled through a
country marked and SCARED by ther rayages of
war can fom no idea of the s%orrowful destruction
and desolation the eve meets and heart contem-
plates as the close obsei yer leisurely rides along
either alone or with a command. No pen can
describe-no pencil accurately portray the scenes
of sadness on every side. From the hospital in
the camp to the heart of the country miles back
it is the same dark, dreary. soul. sickening spec
tacle.
Pass the hospitals, ride over the rows of little
graves on each side and across some bride path
leading into the country-witness the filed cof
fms coming in for burial-on and out into the
country, and there is nothing but sadness, the
more terrible because unnecessary.
The woods seem like spectral haunts. The
silence feels heavy like lead. Every respiration
comes with startling distinctness. A snake
glides across the road Just before your horses
feet like some fend who has been robbing the
grave of a brother. At lines a tapping of
wings is heard-a flock of dirty buzzards rise
from the corpse of a horse or man a few rods
away. Again, some red bird will whistle as il
III III mOCkcIl VI OcISut tniuh " Sdl
plumagc is now in fashion where tine game IS war
and the stakes are blood.
The roads are cut up into ruts and holes till
almost impossible. Fences are torn down, the
rails used to corduroy mud holes. The fields are
cut up with wagon tracks, where weary teams
have slowly dragged their heavy loads along
Ride up to a farm house; how sad and deserted
it looks. Not a living being is to be seen.
The school house is broken o~pen-marks of
~ a. oro,n1 tho 1oOr E..Ch ohnuv rnn ma
tice with pistol or rife. The voice of childhood
is no more heard there. Hawks and buzzards
rest on the roof to sail away as we approach
bats have built their nests in the corners-toads
sit crouched on the damp floor. The little church
in the woods has not escaped. Its bell has been
stolen by some barbarous relic hunter; its pulpit
taken for a Suffers counter; its fringed pew
trimmings have been torn and the cushions
gObbled by Transfers; the stove or stoves taken
for the use of some officer
Negro cabins standing guard around the house
of some planter are silent and deserted, their doors
broken in, the low chambers ransacked for little
bags of cotton. The scores of chimneys stand
like monuments Of civilized folly. No blue
smoke issuing therefrom beauties the once pic
ture of health and c~ontentment, or disturbs the
swallows and martins which now make their nests
without fear of molestation.
The fields where once busy cultivation was re
VIII tue dDuIQtuCt WHICH, UiOuEub
wealth, are now silent wastes. The cotton hangs
unpicked from its hanging Dol; corn fields. larger
than Northern farms, stand in their yellow garb-
Down the long a%isles, between rows of tall stacks,
NAV be seen "A few hogs running into wildness, or
a stray steer which. with a snort, fees at our APP
proach-warned by the fate of its comrades.
Further on will be seen a hog or COW limping
along, wounded by some foraging party-not
killed but left to suffer and die of starvation.
Il
was peace and plenty within its walls-happiness
under its roof, and contentmeut everywhere.
Now. the father, son. husband. brother and over
seer are away. One or two old and faithful ne
groes still remain to protect the women and
children, who trem6le at our approach. Enter
the house. The woman is clothed in black.
God knows for whom What a picture. The
door lock has been broken in-the bureau and
chests have been broken open-the marks of sa-
bre points, gun barrels, and axes. being left as ii
shame the cowardly thieves who disgrace our ma
ton, and who rob with delight the widow and
orphan.
1t makes no difference whether the family be
Union or Rebel. A squad of soldiers enter the
house: in fiiteeI. minutes the work is done.
Men in the army cannot deny these facts.
They ara true as the Bible. Generals German,
Grant and Steele have done much to stop this
system of unholy plundering. by holding officers
responsible for the acts of their commands. All
honor to such officers, who are gentlemen.
Who can, for a moment, wonder that men have
turned in disgust from the Union cause, and be
come the most bitter of our enemies? A friend
once angered is terrible in his revenge. In this
section were hundreds of Union men who suffered
from the Rebels, but still proved true. When
the Federal army came here. they looked for the
protection Government promised them. They
believed our troops were friends. They believed
this war was being prosecuted-aot for partisan
purposes. but to enforce the laws. As their prop
erty was stolen-their houses destroyed-their
broken down and used for fuel-their private
apartments rahsacked by our soldiers. and no re-
dress given-their Unionism was drop by drop
crushed out; they lost confidence in those who
idly promised to be their friends, and their love
turned-frst to dislike, then to hate.