Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-04-17

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the burning Of Jacksonville, Florida, by our
troops The letter, which is dated jackson
ville March 20" states that Just as the negro
soldiers under Colonel Higginson had be-
come fairly established in the town they were
reinforced by the Sixth Connecticut and the
Eighth Maine regiments. Hardly had the
latter troops dsembarked before orders for
the immediate evacuation Of the place and
the return of the forces to Port Royal we're
received from General Hunter. The writer
says: 4H
General Hunter Abused. -a
A more fatal order for the place, the inter-
ests Of the people and the government could
not have been made. Everybody was taken
by surprise and everybody was exasperated,
save perhaps, few who feared the negro
soldiers would achieve a reputation Was
General Hunter crazy Why occupy the place
at all, il not prepared to hold IL? Why come
and embsrrass the people and hazard the
lives and property Of defenseless inhabitants
thus wantonly2 These and a thousand SINH.
lar questions were suggested, and bitter ex-
pressions and deepfelt curses we're uttered
against tickle, cspricious, and incompetent,
if not iaithess, commanders.
Vdndaiism of The Eighth Maine Regiment
To add to the wanton cruelty of the enter.
prise, some of the soldiery we're allowed TO
set fre to the town in various places, and now,
as we leave, it is in blaze This last act Of
vandalism | regret to say, was mostly perpe
trsted by soldiers of the Eighth Maine-in
some instances BY the sanction of subordinate
officers; but it is due to Colonel Rust to say
that everything he could do was done to pro
tect the property and the people One com
pany of the black regiment we're also implicat-
ed in firing one block but they did it under
the sanction, if not approval, of white lieu
tenant. We are now leaving with such arti
cles of value as can be most easily removed,
and such of the citizens as have become so
compromised by our presence as to render it
certain that they would not be spared by the
rebels. ApN here | regret to be compelled
to record acts of injustice and cruelty on the
part of an officer for whom ] have heretofore
had the highest regard, and for whose charac-
ter and reputation ! had conceived the best
opinion. At best there must be on such oc-
casions much personal suffering and distress.
Families suddenly compelled to abandon
their homes and find refuge among strangers,
must suffer even under the best administra-
ton of affairs OF this do not speak.
Cruelty of Colonel Higginson
! General Hunter sent sufficient Transports
tion, as was supposed, for all who wished to
leave with their personal effects The stea-
mer Convoy is under special charge Of Colo
mel Higginson, of the First South Carolina
twas loaded with goveHment property acquir.
ed by the troops, and such furniture as could
be well taken on board-beds, bedding, and
necessary articles for the comfort Of the refu-
gees, as they had time to get away Colonel
Higginson comes on BOARD and orders the
| upper deck TO be cleared claiming that he
must have the room for his black soldiers
The order was carried out amid the tears and
protesIatons of delenseless and unprotected
women aud children, and even the last mat
tress of one old lady with = family Of three
persons was thrown Off and abandoned, and
she was coolly told she could "sleep on the
ground, as the soldiers do.
This family now go forth from a comfort.
ablo home, well furnished with the results oi
long years of toll, to find refuge among
strangers, without bed to sleep on, or n
chsir-with nothing but what they have on
their persons And this cruel wrong is not
the result OF necessity, because sll the furni
ture could have been taken, and though tbs
boat would have been crowded every article
brought on board could have remained with
out serious inconvenience, and would have
made many poor women and children comfort
able in their involuntary exile IL is nov
abandoned 10 destruction and its owners t,
want and suffering Colonel Montgomer,
and Colonel Rust both did all that could b,
done 10 mitigate the evils OF the occasion
and regret that unnecessary suffering shoult
thus inflicted and Colonel Higginsoh was th
last person from whom ! expected it
Another Slap al General Hunter
II General Hunter had desired to do tn
7 State Of Florida and the cause of freedom
-, aud Union in the Sonth the greatest Injury
! il he wished to paralyze the patriotism ant
destroy the loyalty of this people, and bligh
q the hopes Of the state, he could not hay
. adopted course more certain Of sncees
i than the one he has adopted from the first i
7 regard to this State. This is now the thir
9 time that the people have been cheated an
II the loyal sentiment placed at the mercy O
= the common enemy Now this plaee--ih
o best and most Aourishing town in East Flor
's da, and the only place whose citizens and pr,
e perty holders were generally loyal-has bee
t irretrievably ruined, and lis people scattere
E. abroad without homes or means Of preset
1t subsistence. Many loyal citizens further d
ID the river being assured of protection ha,
ly rendered service, an so identified themselvt
with the Union cause as TO outlaw them vii
the rebels, and are now abandoned to the
tender mereies God save the country an
the cause where such things are done'i /
ID name and by its friends
a.
n. WEsTRRN EMGRATIoN. There is every il
.. dieatiou Of an immense emigration to the nt
r. Territories this season. The restless peop
or have already begun TO move The Nebrasl
RspubieaR of the 9th states that Omaha Ci
is is rapidly filling up, and learns that the roa
4 between Des Moines and Council Bluffs a
ut lined with teams an route for the Weste
b. Mines 1t says the emigration Of the pl