The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-09-24
From the Wheeling lntel.igenccr.
Home Guards,

A great effort is making 10 break up
and disband our Home Guards" or
State troops Our worthy Governor is
annoyed necessarily with accounts oil
the lrouble, outraeeS, and atrocities, OF
the Home Guards, which doubtless have
some foundation in fact. Ii is very
difficult task to restrain number of
men who have not Undergone the rigid
discipline of The regular soldier, situated
as they are, exposed to the many hard
ships and privatioos peculiar to their sit
uation; from many acts that could not
be tolerated in times Of peace, particu.
larly against those whom they have
just reason to regard as their own and
their couulrys enemies.
Having inquired into these complaints,
and their cause to considerable extent,
particularly in the Kar awha region,
find that very large proportion, in fact
neprly all of these complaints come Ell
Their directly or indirectly from the Sc
cessionjsts aud their sympathizors. =
Doubtless the presence OF the Home
Guards is very unwe leone 10 them
because they watch their movements
and if any reasonable correspondence is
carried on between them and their friends
in the rebel army, or any concealing of
rebel spies practiced about their houses,
these "Ironter sentinels' are the first 10
find it out; and they are arrested and
brought to answer, or otherwise punish.
ed either in person or property; not, l
admit, strictly in accordance with the
len miItairs, but according CAS- they
think TO their deserts. 1t is not strange
then that every effort would he made to
&c, rid of them and the practice has
been to operate upon the passions and
sympalhes of some weak kueed, ifeSi-
bic Union men, and either by fattery or
bride induce them to expose their cause,
send thu 10 headquarters with e1agger
nted accounts of the atrocities and
denominations committed by the Home
Guards, demanding their immediate dis.
bandment, and urging it as the demand
of the Union men OF the neighbcrhood,
pleading their own Union record as an
endorsement Of their demand. Now |
am free to confess that some irregulari-
ties, petite larcenes, and perhaps misle.
meanors Of grave character have been
perpetrated BY these Home Guards. or
State troops, but still, believing as | do,
that they are doing vast amount of
good in protecting our citizeus. DO
not wish TO see them disbandod. There
ara other modes of remedyng the evils
complained Of Let the perpetrators of
those horrid crimes complained of, be
tried and punished either by civil or
military authorities, but do not deprive
us Of The protection afforded the suffer
ing loyal citizens of our frontier,-
Thousands of them have already been
compelled to abandon their homes and
fresides, and seek protection amongst
strangers, and many moro will be com
PEELED 10 do so if this arm of protection
is taken away. SO far as Union men
are concerned, it is manileslly better to
bear some of the inconvenience and
grievances Of the Home Guards" than
to be ANNOYED and overrun by the MUIR
dering and thieving bands of jeff. Davis
& Co., now held in check by them.
And TO the seeessonisls and symps,
tbizers permit me to say, that while we
depreCate every attempt 10 wresk ven
geuuce upon you while you remain qui
city at home yet remember that the evils
you suffer from the presence Of the
Home Guards amongst you, (fany ox-
ist. are only the results Of your own
miserable policy in encouraging the en-
emes Of the country in their wicked al.
tempts at its destruction, II, you havO
"sowed the wind" do not blame Others
il you "reop the whirlwind"
The most prominent object Of these
complaints appears to be Capt, Ruokeh
who has been operating in the frontier
of Putnam and Mason counties; but
while have no doubt but that his men
have committed some errors, yet have
not lsrned that Capt. RuCker himself
has either participated in or sanctioned
any of the crimes or misdcmeanors allu,
ded 10, but has done all in his power 10
prevent their recurrence; and it is very
evident that but For the protection furu.
ishod by him and his command that the
sufFcrngs and incOnvcnionees to which
even seccssionists and sympathizers
have been Subjecled does not amount to
q 1.-THE of what loyal men in those local.,
ties would have been without such pro.
lection, The evils complained of arc
only the legitimate results ola state Of
,oar and must be endured by all true
and loyal men for the sako of the pro.
lection thus afforded. II any crimes
have been committed such as we're not