Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-05-22
OrFlcE PRovosT MARSHAL GENERAL OF La,
NEW ORLEANS, May /, 1865.
GEN. LEE AND HIS SLAVES.

Tie following extract from IL private letter
written ny young man connected with the
Army Of the Potomac, TO his father in Boston.
gyey some facts concerning the Rebel General
Lee anu bis treatment of his slaves, which for
chilly illustrate the bruializng ti'tcts of Save.
~. The letter is dated Fort Albany, Va, April
10th:
" Some time ago called on one of General
Lees old slaves to Ind out what could of TINT
highly praised nun. | am going to see hiM
again when an opportunity presents itself Yuu
KNOW Ten. Lee IL considered an unudulterated
r. +. " lie was the superlaiiyo OF the
upperten dom of arlstocratic aud presnmptuous
Virginia This slave, now man, mud Chris.
tian man, TOO, is very old aud unable to do
much, consequently he was left Gu the estate.
VI course he is extremely ignorant, hut uever-
'neiess ne Is quite intelligent, mud can tel u
straightforward story as clearly as any one
- Gen Lee was more dreaded by his slayes
thah were any Of his overseers His estate was
Immense At Arlington he owned Through his
wlie) iOO acres in one lot, 100 acres in another
and other large tracts in the State, He had
lUO slaves right here how many more elseW here
don't know Thus you see hi, possessions
were very great and being so near Washington.
Georgetown and Alexandria, very valuable. lie
M carriages, plate aud all the equipagc Of Il
proud Virginia aristOcrat. lie WINS almost
wOrshipped' by the gay, the naughty. the
renoSned and the gifted Ills position WINS
enved. his name honored.
60 This slave had teen Of sons and daughters
One by one they were torn from him. until low
in his helpless old age, but one con and iva
daughters remaiu. One daughter aud the son
we're too young 10 be carried away the other
daughter was too smart to be entrapprd 1t was
really affecting TO hear this old man tell his
wrongs anu his anguish at parting with his
tha.s
sold sometime he snid, but they were ms
children and couldn't help loving them Some
we're seized III his presence, and sold before his
lace others were meanly stolen ut night and
hurried off without good bye blessing.
One day the slaves had been worked unu-
snallg hard. 1t had rained furously nil div
land know what Virginia rain isl at eve
ming they returned to their huis, wet, weary and
hungry. This family had nothing TO eat. thew
had been at work all day and couldn't prepare
anything, and two of the boys went to the brook
to catch a few fish. 1t was dark, but they were
seen aud reported. The aristocrntic Gen. Lee
ordered them to be whipped at certain hour
tue next day. All the slaves were assembled 10
sec the hogging. Four boys and girl were to
be logged 1t was done in the barn. and he
pointed out the drsecrated building. The over
seer lashed away at the boys till their backs
were raw aud bleeding. Next came the pirl.
that her feet could just touch the floor. The
oyerseer eazed at her tortured form anu hesita-
ted, Lee ordered him to tlog her can't do
it, was the reply. Again he ordered, and again
the everscer replied, Master, | can't whin a
woman Lee snatched the whip and with his
own hands logged hrpless woman which his
overseer had the manliuess not to do, ASH
heard the black man tell these Stories. | fell
what canuot express. My heart throbbel
with indignation mud my body trembed with
passion. Oh, how | wanted ths power to ayenge
this maus foul wrongs Because he was blaek.
he suffered crueltics which we would not nllow
dog to suffer. | thought of our own loved
family. What If | were cruelty whpped for
getting food for hall-staryed mother Wbat
if my sisters We're iudely snatched AWAY and
sold to brutal men What ii my father were
tramped under foot as n chattel and not word
Of iutercesson permitted Aud thought. Inn
of a righteous God bcholding all these things
and wondered how long lie would allow this
wickedncss. | prayed MS never before for the
slave, and, trusting my faith to Him whose WAYS
are so mysterious, cOnseerated myself to His
aud my country's sacred cause of liberty and
righteousness. My Deepen lence is in Him. md
cannot, will not, believe lie will allow the
uppIessor tn triumph Some tel W., at home.
even, Slavery is Divine institution and
blame us for speaking aught againstit. thank
uod that | never thought so, aud that have
seen enough never TO think so. low n being
eau say that Migrant injustice. brutality, and
lnhuman barbariiy are divine, cannot see
lie is being but not a man. As for me. nv
Anti Slavery is stronger than ever, and immoy.
ably fixed. We are being, taught that we must
let my children go and | were unworthy a |
moihers KISS, u fathers blessing a sisters teAr I
or brothers affection, did not use every ex- |
ertion-ieeble or pOwertul--to enforce the lesson.
- After Lee had lacerated the girls body, he
bAthed tue yet bleeding WOUNDS 10 brine. Now |
that hand is raised against his country"