Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-08-11
From the Richmond Sentinel.
YANKEE BRIGANDS.


YANKEE BRIGAND5.
Butler committed few murders, imprisoned aged
clergymen and helpless women, and stole everything be
could lay his hands upon He is more of petty lar
ceny thief Than a bold rufian. Sherman is cold, cal
cuatiug robber and murderer devoid of all human feel
ing respect for the usages of But OF all the
monsters who have been permitted to walk tie EARTH
Hunter is the meanest, most vndictive, cowardy and
cruel. After reading the following extracts from let
tt rs published by cotemporaries-the first from
lady residing at the Sweet Springs, and written to her
daughter in this city hope, if the miscresnt
falls into the hands of any Of soldiers citizens
they will give him the benefit of stout piece of cord
and the limb of tree and report the capture after
ward
from the Enqurer.l
Hun ters army, of rs 900 men, camped at the Sweet
prings Thursday night, 23d of June, and were here
at least portion of them until Friday evening. l
cannot give you paper idea of all that transpred
during that dreadful night and day.
About five O'Clock in the morning Coonsl Lewis and
Lefty went to zee Hunter, to ask for guard, and to
tell him that she had been msrepresented, and to
plain the facts it being due to herself, sc. Hunter
fused the guard and told her TO go home and take her
things out of the house, he intended to burn 1t. She
then told him that she had nothing to do with the bush.
whackiug, and did not know that Thurman and his
were nearer than twenty miles until the firing all
over. He asked "Are you 1o.lling to scear at" She
said she He then said he intended to burn all
property 1U1in ve miles Of any point here hs amy
Observation-Disclosures Sweet Springs Red Springs and
hers
She then said "Surely General, you can't be in
earnest in saying that you intend that women and
children to be made to suffer such calamity, in ad
dtion to all besides that is the natural consequences of
war" He replied in these miserable words: II do
intend that the women shall suffer organized this
raid for these special purposes the women OF the South
are the ends that have kept up this war they have
thrust their fathers husbands and brothers the
and have endured everything that could ince the men
togo with the war; and intend to crush the proud
rebellous spirit of you Virginians. I am coming back
to burn your grain fields to make desert of the pride
OF the earth to desolae your country and StarUe e
toome and ostdren, but what they shall come baci to
their lawful Government-the best Gov rnment in the
world" Lefty then said General, to understand
that myself and the females of my family to be de-
livered over your Transfers and soldiery? Surely
if you cherished the instincts of brave man,
and at the head of armies, you cannot to do
She repeated the question three times, adding, as
ore who is, day. TO stand at the bar of God you
will not add such stain to your rank Federal Of
cer Then, for the first time, he appeared TO thlnk
and asked, "did you say you had guard =! but
he will leave, and then we will need another 80
"We" replied Hunter, " the one you now have Will
remain until relieved" With this Lefty had to come
away, and we bad no guard from six o'clock in the
morning until late in the evening, short time before
the army left. Gen, raj hVerill told Kelley's family
that be bad great trouble persuade Hunter not to burn
ali the houses.
hen the plunderng vandas by ten and TWEEN
ties and through the whole day the destruction went
on, sometimes nifty or may be one hundred ID tDe
house at once. They broke open every press, truck
bureau carried eff nearly everything of value, got
everything we had to eat, not a crumb OF anything
being LETT from the garnet to the cearno, not enough
| to feed bird took all of her silver, except the
ept ons that were left out when the silver was put
away, and which of the servants bid all OF her
JeWelry tore up and carried away every towel ano
napkin but Elk nearly every pillow case, sheet and
blanket; desire yed nearly all of Colonel Lewis clothes
and carried of all under clothing in fact they
went everywhere that terrier puppy could CO.
ME- Walters found three of Lrtty's shaws in The
field afterwards, and brought them back to her. Near
~ all OF our stockings gone all of pocket hand
kerchefs and they took our tooth brushes. They
destroyed the greater portion of the medicines in The
house, pulled cut everything heter-skeer upon the
floors of the rooms destroyed and carried off books
papers bad my silver in ny trunkrs, for had entire
~ forgotten it there and every piece OF silver
is gone except teaspoon and Rosas cup-the latter
was hid by of the servants. also lost all of my
je~elry except one breastpn and three rings which
bad In fact much stolen that it is easier
for me TO tell you what is left.
We had to go to of the Yankee Colonies fer food
for supper be seemed to be somewhat of gentleman
and gave Us some. None of us had eaten monshfu
that Gay, and next morning John vomiting, from
fasting and excitement and little Irish lad VIII lives
here was sick for several days. The vandals took al
the cows, but we managed to get back four all the
horses and nearly all the cattle. They slaughtered the