Maysville weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1864-1866, 1864-08-11
A Letter from Ex-Governor Letcher of
Virginia.

FROM the hlcnmOnu w July Il.
We print below a document destined to
become historical. The calm, dispassionate
and truthful recital it gives of one of the
most wanton and barbaric acts of the war
needs no comment to awaken the indigna-
ton of every IN anly bosom. Our soldiers in
Maryland, who are reported to have laid il
ashes the residence ofthe Yankee Governor
of that State. by way of retaliation. have
given practical expression to the feeling OF
our people, and the verdict OF history. 1t Is
due to Gov. Letcher to say that this letter
was written with no view to publication and
in response to private communication ad-
dressed him by the Mayor of this city. The
passage omitted relates to personal matters.
LEXINGTON, We, j uly 5, 1864 - {
Finding that the Yankees would take the
town on Saturday Qlth), left home near
midnight, Friday night, and went to Big
Island, Bedford, where l remained till Wed
nesday morning following, when, bearing
the vandsls had left, l returned. l had pre-
viously heard that my house had been
burned, with all its conteuts. The threat
made by the Yankees against me for the
past two years, satisfied me that they would
destroy my house when they came to Lex
ington; but l always supposed they would
allow the furniture and my family's cloths-
ing to be removed. In this, however, was
disappointed.
When the Yankees took possession Of the
town, DIR. Patton, Nj edical Director for Hun
ter's army, and who halls from Marion
county, Virginia, went to my house, told my
wife he was uuwell, and said he must have a
room in the house. He took the room, sup
ped and break tasted, and, when break fast
was nearly over, remarked, in a manner
half-jocular, half-earuest to Lizzie, that it
was the last meal she would take in the
house. Shortly after be lef., without taking
leave Of any of the family, nor was he again
seen by any of them.
The threats made by soldiers on Satur-
day evening, induced my wife to fear the
house would be burned, and she expressed
her fears in the hearing of DIR. Patton & Capt.
Towns very promptly said, that l, being
a private citizen, and the house being pri-
vate property, burning 1t, would be an mex
cusable outrage, and proposed at once to go
to Hunters headquarters and ascertain. He
went, and was directed by Hunter to assure
my wife that the house would not be dis
turbed. The sequel sh ows that the sole OBJ
ject of this assurance was to quiet her appre-
tensions, and thus prevent anything from
being removed.
About half past O'Clock A. M. (Satur-
day) Capt. Berry and his Provost guard
rode up and the officer called for my wife.
She came to the door, when Berry inform ed
her that he was ordered by Hunter 10 fire
the house. She replied there must be some
mistake, ard asked for the order. He said
il was verbal order. She then said to him
Can it not be delayed until I can ses Gen
Hunter The order is peremptory. he re =
piled, and yon have five minutes to leave
the house. She then asked leave to remove
her mothers sisters, her own and be chill
ipcnlaptlv raftr
sed.
Immediately thereafter camphene was
poured on the parlor floor and ignited with
match. Iuthe m eantime my daugh liter had
gath cred up an armful of clothing, and was
going out when he discovered her, ran for
ward and fred the clothing in her arms. BE
then poured camphene in the wardrobes, bu-
reau drawers, and ignited the clothing-tak-
ing out my clothing, which he said he in
tended to take North.
Every house on my lot was burned save a
small granary over my ice house. Not par
ticle of -four, meat, or anything edible was
left, everything having been carried off on
Saturday.
My mother, now in her 18th year, lives
on the lot adjoining my own, having with
her one of her grandchildren and servant.
After my property had been fired, the fiends
fired her stable, located about forty feetfrom
the house, with no other view than to burn
her out also. The house caught twice. and
would have been consumed but for the un-
firing efforts of Capt. Towns who made his
en- carry water and extinguish the flames.
The Captain behaved like gentleman tow
ards my Own aud my mothers family.
Gems. Averill, Crook, Sullivan, and Duff
fee denounced the whole proceedings as an
outrage in violation of all the principles Of
of civilized warefare, and stated that Hun
ter alone was responsible for these atrocities.
l am truly, and in haste, your friend,
JOHN LEToHER.
Jos. Mayo, Esq, Richmond, Va.