Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-10-18
The morrnrn bal NYnr.

We clip the following extracts from let
ter Of correspondent Of the New York World
dated at the Headquarters Of Sheridans
army Il givesa sad picture Of the desiruc
tion which has been visited upon one Of the
finest portions Of our country.
The mission Of our armies being TO "deueiop
Union seatimenf,' we doubt not that here.
after this valley OF Virginia will exceed all the
rest Of the land in loyalty and devotion to
the union
Desalaiion-desolation everywhere For
the past three days the Army OF the Sheuan.
doah has been falling back from Harrison
burg, destroying everything along the valley
in the shape OF forage and provisions as il had
previously destroyed that between Harrison.
burg and S,aunion From Staunton back to
STasburg, distance of-miles, this once mag
ni6cent blooming garden Of Virginia is al.
most desert
OF all the horrors Of war, this horror is the
greatest | shall find il impossible even to in
dieale what frighllul wrath aud suffering have
descended upon these people and these lands.
The beginning Of tue work was recorded in
what you have already received Il has been
continued during the three days march from
Harrisonbuig 10 Sirasbnrg, where lbe army
is tonight encamped. Through all the days
the atmosphere, from horizon to horizon, has
been black with the smoke OF hundred con
hagrations, and al night CLEAN, brighter
and moro lurid than sunset, has shot from
every verge. The orders have been to DESTROY
all forage in stacks and barns, and 10 drive
the stock before for the subsistence of the
army. The execution of these orders has been
thorough and in some Instances, where barns,
near dwelling houses, have been, has resulted
10 the destruction Of the latter In no in
stance, except in that of the burning Of dwell
llngs within five miles, Ia retaliation for the
murder Of Lieutenant Meigs, have orders been
issued for The burning oe houses or have
sneh orders be en- sanctioned by General Sheri
dan Such Wholesale incendiarsm could
not be pursued, however, without undue H.
cense being taken by The worst class Of soldiers,
and there have been frequent Instances of
rasCalitY and Pillage.
Indiseriminaiiog, (forlhwiih such swift
work discrimination is imprac,icable) releut.
less, merciless, the torch hal done its terrible
buslnesss in the center ol either side OF the
valley. Few barns aud stables have escaped
The gardens and corn fields have been desola-
'Ou' Auo Ca't'ei hogSt hnb 'pi cows oxen
nearly i've thousand head n all--haye been
driven from every farm The poor, alike with
the rich, have suffered Some have lost their
all The wailing OF women and children
mingling with the cracking of flames has
sounded from scores of dwellings. | have
seen mothers weeping over the loss of that
which was necessary to their children's lives,
sitting aside their own, their last COW, their
last bit of -four pilfered by slraggleis, the
last morsel they had 10 the world to ca, or
drink Young girls with flushed cheeks, and
pale with fearful or fearless eye have plead
ed with and cursed the men whom the neeess.
lies OF war have forced to burn the buildings
reared 10y their fathers, and turn them into
paupers in day
Scenes like this (these words do not half eS-
press the pteousness Of the realily) we're con.
siantly transpirng as the army marched by,
singing its songs, cracking its Jokes leaving
lts occasional serious word upon the suffer
ing around. The completeness of the desola.
ton ia awful. Hundreds of nearly starving
people are going North Oar trains arc
crowded with them. They line the waysi de.
Hundreds more are comng--not half the in.
habitantR of the valley can fubsist on il in
its present condition Absolute want IL in
mansions used in other days to exlrava, ant
lrxury.