Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-03-26

ton county ana IN extenuaQn on THIS conduct ne says tnat
hundred thousand slaves have been stolen by persons
10 the service of the United States.
This assertion Tx eral others in bis letter, entirely
destitute of truth
employed slaves in building forts When eives have
away they have been allowed to remain within lines
but they have not been carried by force from their
or detained contrary to their wishes far learn
have repeated instances permitted them TO return TO
their homes when they wished to do and shall omit no
effort on my part IT, have any one punished who steals
negro, restrans one from returning to his home shall
hope that public opinion in North Carolina will condemn
this robbery and compel the restoration of the negroes
referred To to their homes.
Gen French endeavors to escape from the charge Of bar
barousy burning the town of Plymouth by retaating in
the following luminous language:
81 do not think the town of Pl mouth barbarously
and wfuly burned, but reported 10 me, house
fired 10 which your troops stand. aud from which
they fired soldiers; such things will happen in
and often from no excuse except the spirit OF Destruction
The banks OF the Mississippi Potomac Roanoke,
Rappahannock and James rivers where citie towns and
private RUE have been burned battered
down by your land aud naval forces"
III such detestabls of wtu 0wnburnlng have been
committed by the forces of the United States have not
seen the evidence and must have witness more worthy
of credit than Gen French before believe it, Such
duet barbarous and dsgracefu matter what party is
guilty OF it
tits true that houses were burned on the Roanoke of
which if remember correctly complaint made by
Gen. French To whom the assurance that was
done against your Knowledge md consent and that it
committed by straggers from the army and regretted by
you.
The case stands them thus straggers from the army
the United States did burn several houses the Roanoke
and therefore, the spirit of destruction as SEEN by Ma
or Gen French gave him what he calls an excuse for
destroying the fourshing and beautiful town OF Plymouth
How deplorabe to be the condition o. North Carolina
if the troops of the United States wckedy burn several
houses and then the Major General comma ding at Wei
dOn who has her Defence deliberately sends
exped ltion-I suppose as a rule TO burn a town
But Gen French says house fired in which your
troops made stand, and from which they fired on our
ldiers"
have waited until could obtain the most unqueson-
able evidence that Gen French had resorted msepre
sentation shield his friends from public indignation for
the infamous babarity of burning the town of Plymouth
have taken the pains to have map made of the by
accurate and reliable have had it examined by
several competent aud respectable gentlemen, well
qusnted with the place. aud who have visited it since the
fire. send this map for your examination; you will see
that instead of house being fred" that there
tbirythree dwelling houses destroyed together with six
stores besides the courthouse aud public Offices. aud
hotel and buildings attached tn it!
These dwelling houses we're erected in thirteen squares
Of tho towp several of them surrounded by vacant lots
safe from all danger except from the hands of thu
ardly rcendiares commanded by Major General French
This does not Include several other buildings far
moved from each other which were fired but not burnt
down.
Major Gen French does not tell the truth when he says
81 house fired in which your troops made sand"
This house not fired.
The houses of wild Tvs and Of helpless old men de-
stroyed with their furniture aud cothng they driven
without shelter but the house where the Union
troops made stand was neither fired nor burned
Whoever, hereafter, shall visit the melancholy spot
where Plymouth stood If he shall have read the let
ter If Mrjpr Gen $. G. French, Commanding at Weldon
though he may admire his lucid and polished STYLE though
he may admit be wonderful man Of second sight"
he could the spirit of destruction he will be
PEELED confess that in the tone of his letter he mani
tested respect for the gen emany cOurteses Of life and
in his mpudent assertions showed he had regard for
truth. have the honor To be &c
EDWARD STANLY
Military Governor, &c.