The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-08-01
The Burning Of Governor Leeehsr's
fs# House,

Eron inquiries made In quarters likely 70 - well m
formed We enabIed 70 stats that Governor LetsA
the truth" about the burning Of h house, bus doeo
not ts "the whole TRUTH On General Hunters arriv
10 Lsxugsoa there was no disposition 70 inurs NJ
Lschers than any q the other on thousand houses
Of secessonsts which had been quissy passed. and
protected, on the march up the Shenandoah valley.
Bu-and this 10 the material point which the Govsrnoe
in bio lstter omits-swo days after the Union
forces had arrived In Lexington . proolamatsoa
was found in Governor Letcher's handwriting. ana
dated three days previously, calling the iuhabanta
to arise IN asss ana "bushwhack the vasdal nvsdsra
Now, bnshwhackiag pssssice nos recognized BY ~
laws OF war, and bushwhaokers are hung vhessvR
caught within the Union lines On this point Generals
Grant, Rosecranss Haieck, Dr. Liebsr, and all oth
military Authorities agreed Governor Letcher i'm
medatey after writing his proclamation abscoudsd, and
his house was then ordered V b burned the uni-
vsrsa custom with the houses Of all bushwhacking
assassins This Is 1.-The whole truth" about The
matter and IL commended &c the attention q all whs
have read Governor Letchers card. Until the rebels
prove that the Governor Of Maryland issued similar
proclamation the socaed "retaliatory" burning Of ois
house will be properly amenabe 70 those ocnsuree q
barbarsm 90 freely iavished on Gen. Hunters act
The fact Ia, that but three private houses were a.
s.royed by Geu Hunter during his whole raid and thss
The re,reatins enemy. Tho houses burned were
Governor Lstchsrs, hs having issued call v
organize and two houses one Deer WOOD
stock and one near Harrisonburg, from which actuA
took place. gueras firing on the advance
guard Of the national army from The windows SO faf
was Hunters army from innctins injury on privsas
property, that the Inhabitants Of every town passed
through testified that they received lees injury from tho
passage Of troops than from tbs similar passage =
their Nothing taken BY our men except cattle
and food for their support; and enough was ie,
whenever practicable 10 insure The family against
until the next harvest The cause leading 70 all ths
Misunderstanding aboat the Iynchburs expedition =
that no newspaper reporters ACCOMPANIED any fartb
than Stauntou The only news therefore, that came
could come North from -for Il had Communications
the through The exaggerated reports
" seized BY large portion Of the oopperhsad prces snA
swallowed for gospel 10 the clamor raised about the
removal q wsshiugtous statue to Wsssra vrEini.
mately regarded ~ trophies, 10 all ages and 10 an
wars, than pieces q statuaryY Besides there wers
regiments 10 Huntsrs command, and these were hussor
ousIy clamorous washington should not be le be-
the spirit Of the Father q M Country would Ss bsssss
pleased his statue surrounded by the loyal cizsna
o. West virginia than 10. smds. the miscrssns: who ars
ssSsa$sa's, prsss.S, y sSssr. ana y. . V:
for the statue 70 Be seut back n an empty
wagon, 10 be deposited Ia Wheeling until the return
peace These the facts In regard 10 all The clanor
raised against the Iynchburg raiders By The rebel news
papers and their sympathiEng organs N this and ots
cities.
The property that General Hunter did destroy 10 the
valley was ALL with the exceptions before
stated the vital property Of the rebel Eovernmentprs
pory vital 70 tho support Of it, armies An mmense
number Of furnaces and foundres engaged In castisg
guns shot and she'll, and Of them working from
hundred 10 seven hundred mcn-such ~ the branch
.Tredeesr Iron woru q Bucnansn, owned BY General
Anderson OF Richmond Cloth mills, manufacturing rebel
unforms, and government shoe shops, tAnyards mills
and gustock factories also destroyed In great
bsrs nsomuch that the march realized the Biblical de-
seripton Of cloHd of smoke By day aud pillar Of Are
By nighp all she way up 10 ynchhure. II N bsoauss -
the great and rreparabls injuries egtmasly nnicss4
on their military resources BY the raid that The reesf
papers and orators are so marco against the
Lynchburg raiders. Over sixiy miles q sbsis
true lovers knots around The adjacent trcsa An their
bridges the railroads were also destroyed Tor SIXTY
miles, together with vast quantities Of military saddles,
cannon harness, clothing and commissarv stores o.
these matters would NOT BE- their QUE 70 speak, % thas
would be substantial acknow edgnent o. the success Ok
lhe expedition aud therefore they have raised tha mis-
srabe and false whine about injuries 70 private proper
sympathy talk with the men and officers Of any West
virginia regiment 10 the 'gcntencss and moderation
with which they and their families and their "sacred
lights OF private property have been treated BY tbs
ebels They would receive narrAtng atrocities
almost beyond ths power OF the Imagination 70 realize
Ind would only wonder At tho admirable dsolpfins
greatly due TO Generals Crook Sullivan and Averin
shich prevented mon outraged from having made
IaenlAlyg " a, The rebel homes they came acyoss
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