Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-07-20
IIurder and Pillage.

AS usual the yankees who raided on Knoxville, mur-
dcred inofensve people and plundercd the country
They murdered DR.. Harvey Baker, apromInent physi-
clan residing near Knoxville The Register SAYS:
Dr. Bakers house is about ten miles below Knox
VILE on the main Western road. On Friday after
noon he told his wife and family he could do no gooG
staying at home and believed ne would come up to
town where he might be of assistance in its de-
Yankee rode Up and T prdsentsd his is m gun At him DR.
B. told him not to shoot that he citizen, and
did not belong to the army. But the soldier in place
of dessting raised his gun to his face take sight
and fred, Dr. B. firing at about the same time. Dr.
B. then went into his house and locked the doors
sending his family up stairs. His wife insisted he
should go up stairs with them which he did soon af-
ter. In short time the soldier who had fired on Dr.
Baker brought up large number of men, who sur
rounded 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 tho
house but her husband, and if they would cease e.
ring he would surrender. They continued firing, and
DIR. Baker came to the window once twice, and
told them there man in the house. but him.
self and if they would cease firing he would surren
der. BUT whenever he presented himself ut the
window they fired on him, and he returned the fire
with his pistol. In few minutes number of them
broke open the lower doors and entered the
house, and commenced firing through the ceiling into
the room where Baker and his family were They
went to the stairway and demanded that the men
should come out and surrender. Mrs. Baker came
out and and told them there man in the house
except Dr. Baker, and if they would not fire upon
him he would come out. They ordered her to 60
away from tae door 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 returned the fire with his pistols. The IAN
KEGS present, having exhausted their ammunition
threw their guns, with fixed bayonets at him-he
threw their guns back again at them. A number OF
Yankee relnforcements then came up with loaded
guns and fired voey at him, iufcting twomortal
wounds. Dr. B. said to his wife, "they have killed
me" and fell his wife, in endeavoring to support
him, fell with him. The Yankees then entered the
room-one of them whom had no bayonet on,
his gun, jobbed him in the mouth with the muzzle
| of his gun: another run his bayonet through his
pushed Mrs. Baker aside from her husband With his
bayonet DR.. Baker asked to be turned on his side.
and asked for water. After he drank ne 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 we're dangerously If not NOR
tally, wounded. They went on to the next house
/ and had their wounds dressed, and said Dr. Baker
/ was the gamest man they ever saw
DR.. Baker of the earliest of our citizens 70
cspouse the cause Of the South, and was an ardent
secessonist from the beginning. We have no doub,
some renegade tory from East Tennessee had given
the Yankees full information about DR.. Bakers sentj
rnents and his activity in the cause of the South
and that they intended to seize upon some pretense
to murder him.
After the cowardly scoundrels had murdered he
husband, they commenced robbing his wife of bel
jewcry and carried off every thing they could find
of value that was easy to be concealed.