The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-11
Burning of Alexandria, Louisiana.

Burning of Alexandria, Louisiana.
correspondent of the st. Louis Republican.
writing from Cairo Illinois, gives description of
the burning of Alexandria, louisiana by Banks's
army, which We have never seen i'll tlte Southern
prints. 1t is a very graphic sketch, and shows up
the hcarlessness and erocty of our oppressors. 1t
is peculiarly good reading just now, that the North
Is howng over Chambcrsburg. Here II Is:
When e1lnboats were all over the falls, and
the order to evacuate was promulgated, and the
army nearly the march, some of our soldiers,
both white and black as if by general understand
ing, set fire to the city iii nearly every part almost
simut t,neously. The flames spreadfapldA increased
by heavy wind. Most of the houses were of woode.
structure and soon devoured by the ilanles. Alex
andria town of between four and five thou
sand inhabitants All that part OF the city north of
the railroad was swept from the tace OF the earth ill
few hours not a building being ieIt About nine
tenths of the town consumed comprising all the
business part and all the fine residences, the Ice
House Hotel" the Court-Houseaell the churches
except the Catholic, number Of livery stables, and
the entire front of large and splendid business
houses. The "lcc-HOu5e" was large brick hotel
which must have cost one hundred thousand dollars
and which was owned by Judge Aliall, member OF
the late Constitutional Convention, who voted for
immediate and unconditional emsneipationin L0Uisi-
ana which Convention also sent delegates to the Bal
timore Convention. While Judge A. was serving the
Administration, the Federal torch was applied 20 his
house, his law Office, his private and law library
and all his household goods and effects. All this
property, be it remembered, has been protected for
three years by the Contederates, who all the time
knew the Judges Union prOclivities. Hundreds of
other instances may be cited Of Union who have
suffered i'll like manner, ct uao jadice Oane.
The scenes attending the burning of the city Were
appalling Women, gathering their helpless babes
in their arms, rushing fTantcay through the streets
with their and cries, that would have melted
the hardest heart to tears. Little boys and girls
were running hther and thitler crying for their
mothers and fathers; old men, leaning staff for
support to their trembling limbs, were hurTying
away from the suttocating heat of their burning
dwellings and homes. The fair and beautiful daugh-
Of the South, whose fathers and brothers were
in one army or the other; the f!ail and helpless
wives and children of absent husbands and fathers,
Were almost in the twinkling of eye driven from
their burning houses into the streets leaving every
thing behind but klc clothes they then wore Owing
to the simultaneous burning in every part of the
city, the people found no security III the streets,
where the heat Was - intense rs almost to Great
SItlocdtiOn. Everybody rushed TO the flVeia edge,
being protected there from the heat by the high
bank OF the river The guHb0ats lying at the land
ing were subjected 10 great annoyance the heat be-
ing 80 great that the decks had to be Hooded with
water 10 prevent the boats from taking fire. Among
those who thus crowded the river han! the
wives, daughters and children, helpless, and now
al hou~eioss Of the Union who had joined the
Federal amy since the occupation of Alexanlra.
Their husbands had already been marched oil to the
'front.' toward Simmsport, leaving their families iii
their old homes, but TO the tender mercies of the
Coldtderates.
The Federal torch had now destroyed their dwell
lngs, their household goods and apparel, the last
mor~el Of provisions, and left them starving and
destitute. " might be expected they desired to go
along with the tederl amy, where their husbands
had gone They applied to General Banks, with
tears and cntretcS 10 be allowed 10 so aboard tlr
transports. They were. retstI. They became fran
Tie with excitement and faee. Their screams and
pItc0uS We're heaIt-Tendng With tears stream
in% down their checks, women and children begged
and implotcd the boats 10 take them OF board. The
officers OF the boats were dcaliDuS u DONG So but
there the pCTcmpterV order from General Banks
not TO allow any rhite citizens 10 go aboard rush
would have been made upon the boats but there
stood the guard, with fixed bayonetS, and none
could mount the stage plank except they bore the
special permit Of the commanding general. Gould
any thing be more nhlman and cruel But this Is
not oil. General Banks found room on his trans
ports for six seven thousand negroes that had
been gathered IN from the surrounding country.
Cotton that had been loaded on transports TO be
shipped through the quaiterlnaster to New Orleans
under Banks's order, was thrown overheard to make
room for negroes. But could be found for
white women and children, whose husbands and
brothers III the Federal army ana whose houses
and all had Just been burned bv the Federal torch
challenge the records Of all wars for acts Of such
perfidy and cruelty.
But there is still another chapter in ths peTfiiouS
military and political campaign. Bant~ on arriving
at Alexandria, told the people that his occupation
OF the country was permanent; that he intended to
protect all who would come forward and take the
oath OF allegiance; while those who would not were
threatened with banlshment and cOntiscaton OF pro-
perty. An election was held, and delegates were
seat to the Constitutional Convention, then session
al New Orleans a recruiting officer was appointed
and over a thousand white were mustered into
the United States service. Quite number Of per-
manent citizens Of Alexandria took the oath and
We're promised protection. Their houses and other
property have now all been reduced to ashes! and
they turned out into the world with nothing-fbso-
lutely nothing, save the amnesty oath! They could
not go to the ContedeIates and apply for charity
They too, applied to General Banks to be allowed 10
go aboard the transports and New Orleans They
were refused in every instance! Among those who
applied was a Mr. Parker, lawyer of feeble health,
who had been quite prominent making spcbcilrs
since the Union occupation III favor OF the euanci-
pation unconditional Union, and the suppression Of
the rebellion. Permission 10 90 on a transport was
refused HIM He could not stay, and hence, feeble
as lie was, he went atoot with the amy. Among
the prominent citizens who took the oath was John
X. Elgce, of Alexandria.
Before the return of the army from Grand Ecore,
Judge Elgee went to New Orleans leaving his family
behind, expecting to return. He was not able 10 do
50 before the evacuation of Alexandria Judge FL
gee IS one OF the most accomplished and able men of
the South \ lawyer bv profession, he occupied
Il prominent position, both politically and socially
and had immense influence. SO great stress was
placed upon his taking the oath that one of our
bands sereiltle him at his residence, and General
Grover and General Banks h0nored him III every
way possible. During my stay in Alexandria had
occasion to call upon the Judge 1T his residence and
at his otiice-whch were both in the building
on business. His law and literary library occupied
three large roomsbeng fine a collection OF books
as l ever His residence was richly and taste
fully furnished-a single painting cost twelve hun
dred dollars. In his absence, the Government he
had sworn TO support, and which had promised him
protection, allowed Its soldiers to apply the torch to
his dwelling and turn his family into the streets
His fine residence with all its costly furniture, his
books, papers, and his fine paintings, burned
up. 1t may be that many of the last-named articles
viii yet find their way to the North, having been
rescued from the flames by pilferers and thieves
for where IS resorted to, generally TO cover
theft
J. Madison Wells the Lieutenant-Governor of
Louisiana, elected with Hahn, by General Bankss
ORDERS not spared. He had been Union man
from the beginning. He had Il splendid residence
in Alexandria, well and richly furnished at which
his and his sons family resided, HIS son was
absent in New Orleans, attending the Constitutional
Convention, of which he was member, and in
which he voted for abolition and all the ultra mea
sures but that did not secure his family the pI
lection of the government. All was burned Thou
sands of peOple-men, women and chillren--were,
in few short hours, driven from comfortable homes
into the streets
FOURTH OF july CEIEbRATIoN BY THE MscE-
dESAToRs ON PRFsInENT DAvIs's PL,SrArIos.