Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1863-01-02
UmpararleI ed EnOrlnitv.

Unpara EleI ed EnOrmity
We alluded some time ago to the facts con-
tanned in the following recital Of unparalleled |
enormity, but gave them a mere passing no.
tce, thinking the matter exaggerated or untrue. |
Now, however, there can be no doubt of the
matter and we lay the following horrible state
ment before our readers with some reluctance
on account of its character We copy this
statement from the Richmond Enquirer of yes.
terday. That paper says:
We have before US copies of two deposi,ions
which detail the circumstances OF one Of the
most fiendish outrages which our truly diaboli-
cal foe has as yet perpetrated. These deposi-
tions have been forwarded to the War Depart.
ment through our generals in North Carolina,
where the crime com mitted. The depo-
nets are Caswell Woods ard Elizabeth his
wife, of tne county of Craven. Mr.. Woods is
certified to by Gen. Evans, as being "a respec.
table citizen and loyal to our cause, which with
his being a poor man. seem to be the only
cause OF the 6endish outrages by the helisn
| savages.' it is also stated that he is class
leader in the Methodist Church.
1t is due to the civilized world. and cutrag-
ed humanity, that the facts stated in these de :
positions should be known, and yet they are
/ too UNANIMOUSLY obscene to be fully described in
a newspaper. The house Of these quiet and
aged citizens visited on the night of the
2lst of October, by two Yankee troopers, arm
ed with pistols and sabres. One of them (the
youngerl who was addressed by the other as
/ Captain and sometimes as John, rode into the
piazza, burst open the front door, and then
rode into the house. The other, who was ad
dressed by the Captain sometimes as Charlie,
sometimes as George, aud Lieutenant, walked
| in.
i Mr.. Woods had retired to bed. We copy
! from his deposition
i i came down stars IN hurry, IN my night
clothes, and the one on the horse said to me,
i you ID old grey headed son ola b--h,
where were you day before yesterday > when
| told him was at home he said, you lie, for
you shot at me- Upon this pretence, they cut
out the cor9 from bed in the room, said they
would hang him, but finally tied him, took him
out Of the house and lashed him to tpee, with
the threat OF instant death if he made any out
cry Or attempted to get loose. They returned
TO the house and locked the door after them
aud the old man had the nexpressible agony o
listening for the rest Of the night to the screens
and doleful lamentations of his wife and daueh
ter.
i The statement made by Mrs. Woods in hel
/ deposition of what passed inside, is truly heart
. rendering. The unparelled villains made tn,
. poor helpless women not merely the victims
, of their brutal lust but accompanied the out
] rage which is worse than death, with circum-
il stances that mark them as the most deyiisl
: even among the most abandoned Of villains.--
: Commencing by cursing Jesus Christ, with pis
tol in hand and with threat OF instant death
] the deponent was required B, one of the beast
9 to divess herself of every particle of clothing
a But this was almost Christian treatment com
It pared with other acts which may not be relat
d ed. While such was her own sufferings,x tn
g shreks of her daughter in another room toll
d that hers was a similar fate About sunris'
Is the next morning the human devils departed
70 leaving horrible disease with those whor
IS they had otherwise SO terribly outraged
i is with pain that such sketch as the {
bove is admitted into the columns of the Er
J, qnirer. But, it is due to our own people On
e to the worl1 that the villanes of our snemie
It should be known. The depositions have bee
1t laid before US with the suggestion endorse
ot thereon by the Adiutant Generaa that SO muc
otI OF this account as is not too foul for public
ton should be given 10 the public, through Il
or press, in order that the righteous indignatit
is Of our people. our Generals, and our arn:s