The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-07-23
Dalton after the Rebel Eyacua-
ton,

Dalton, Georgia was a very pretty little
town before the rebellion and the advent of
Sherman victorious army. The rebels had
provided formidable dctences, but they had
been so roughly handled on previous occa.
sions that they thought best to- skedaddle in
hurry, with the 18th corps close upon their
heels. A letter from Dalton to the ST.
Louis Democrat says -
We come to a halt to rest and dine.
, wandered up to see the sights and witness
what was to be done. There is large de-
pot in the centre OF the town, and any guam
tity of railroad tracks-none injured in the
least. Scattered about in the depot were
empty boxes, barrels partly filled VITA flour,
corn meal, corn, old harness. saddles, mar
kct wagons, and all over the floor, and about
the building, it looked as though there had
been snow storm of -four and corn meal
deep enough to make good sleighing. The
boys would take look and sing out, there
our rebel commissary." One could hardly
help laughing at the comical appearance of
the depot, and not Il car in sight. The next
building was the post Office. | think the
mail matter was distributed in this Office to-
day in less time than ever before. Letters
were thrown out by the bushel, and every
one took handful. Postage stamps and
newspapers shared the same fate, and post
bills and paper were knee deep all over the
floor. SO the post-ofiice got its rights at
last In one paper there was an editorial
written only few days previous to oHr occu-
patton of the town, giving us the astonishing
information that Dalton was imprcgnablc ;
all the Yankees in kingdom come could not
get into it.
| Hearing tremendous shout in the street,
| ran out to see what was up, and arrived
| Just in time to witness a tobacco charge
| When the rebs left they took away every
thing they could not destroy. The store
doors were all open, and if there were any
in safes the doors were left open, which
we think is q cute trick, for if there is moth
ing in them no one will take the trouble to
break them open. In the business part of
the town are some dozen very good stores,
which were being hunted for stray articles,
and, among other things, some of the sol
diers found covered up in pile of old rub
bsh box Of tobacco. That was enough to
start them on a hunt for more. Some two
or three hundred charged upon the next
store on the corner. In they went all in a
heap. 1t was as dangerous as a charge upon
battery, and some Of them came out with
bloody noses and hands. But they found
some tobacco--both chewing and smoking
There was no seltishness shown, but it was
distributed by the plug to any tobaccoless
soldiers but they did not find enough to
give every tenth man piece. In this store
they found large quantities Of peanuts, and
on the march that afternoon every one was
eating peanuts. All over the business part
of the town, about the storehouscs, the
| shclied corn was, in some places, two inches
deep. SO all that was necessary to do was
to tie your horse to stake and he was al
ready fed.
wandered, in company with a friend, up
town to see what the condition of the family
residences was. The first place we called
at was a beautiful white cottage house, with
a magnificent door-yard. The gate swung
by one hinge. and across the threshold lay a
fine Newfoundland dog with ball through
his head perhaps he had been the only
faithful guardian of the premises, and died
at his post. Each Of us gathered beaut-
tul bouquet, such as the sunny South can
only give. l regretted that we could not
We passed up the front stairs and entered
the front rooms first. Wha, sight! Nice
furniture bottom side up, carpets torn up and
scattered about, looking glasses broken, nice
vaces in ruin on the floor-everything in
confusion battling description; and who did
it? They did it themselves, either to keep
1t away from the Yankees. or because they
| had not time to remove it to place of safe
| ty. We were confident that up to this time
no one except ourselves had entered the
deserted house. "a
Poor deuded people, you are now learn.
ing-some of YOU little too late-that
secession don't pay. Not a house IN tow.
was burned. They have found ont that it
poor policy to burn their own houses. We
never do it unless fired upon from the house