Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-03-02
Desolation IN Louisiana.

correspondent. writing from Baton
Houge, under date Of Jan. 3l,t, says g.
% lac country along the river, between
tins place and Na,cneL ple,euts a cad
spectacle. Much the largest number Of
residence, and plantation houses are de-
atroyrd. Everywhere may be seen black.
eoed chmncys, all thA. IS left Of once
mNgnihCen. mansions and extensive ne.
gro quarters. There can be frequently
counted from hf.een 10 twenty climuoyg
IN u cluster, not . veStige of q house lsn
10 support them. Nor are such sights Ill.
common for miles along either side of the
river, Not one plantation is left u1buru-
ed the torch las been applied inaiscrin,.
lnale,y. Nothing b.! ruin end desClati0n
meet the eyo on every Laad. What few
plantation buildings remain UDdest.oyed
are abandoned; the doors demolished,
aud the windows broken. But lille .g
left Of the once pleasant village Of b@yoa
sara.
3" ! visited an abandoned plantation
about ioulteen miles above the ruiu5 OF
the above named town. About ii,y yards
back from tho liver bank stood what has
been large. taagu!hce1, tastet4Ii1 built
'l''A'''Al' ta44 ~ tt'l les lAIp4l 4Lls =
double gallery III front. aud an observatory
on the top. j short distance further back
We're extensive negro quarters. looking
Ike Northern country village.
The changes which destroy ing war has
produced on This spot would sadden the
heart Of the most abandoned, and will
CarceIy be credited by those who have
not seen It with their own eyes. passed
through the house, gardon and family
ourying ground, observing minuteN tie
changes produced. Not yesii,e of a
fence could anywhere be seen. Tho house
va, completely gulted Of everything vail
ucole, except a few book-cascs, cloLhe.-
presses, bedstead', and a private b.lli4ld
table.
" The large doors were broken down
some mad panels punched out. Windows
wAce broken in, as if they had been
stoned by a squad of school boys. The
articles Of furniture above named were
completely demolished. The railing of
the stairway was smashed to pieces and
ihe fragments carried agay. One Of the
billiard tables was robbed Of the cloth
that covered it. The floor was streSn
With fragments OF books. periodicals and
private letters. The pla,lering on the
walls W., broken by club. or camp axe.
and a bayoret had been driven against its
polished surface, causing huge, unsighty
hoe to appear
" From the houses passed into the
garden. Here odorifcrous flowers ard
delicious fruits in other years were sue
ceeded by noxious weeds and 6riars.-
The green house, once filled with all man
nor Of tropica! plants and flower pots,
was now completely destroyed The glass
was all broken out, and the flower pots
either carried away as relics or demoilsh-
cd 4 few venerable, lonely fg trees
we're all that was left TO indicate what
had once been AN orange grove or a fg
orchard on the plantation
Passing on, a little lakelet now as.
sumed the appearance of pond on the
prairie.
81 now came 10 the family burying
ground, where the bodies of two or three
generations had apparently been deposi-
ted by tender and loving hands. Large
vaults had been constructed of brick snd
mortar. Beautiful marble urus had been
torn from their accustomed places, bro
ken and scattered over the ground
Every vault had been broken into. cofins
opened, and sometimes broken 20 pieces.
At Eaton Rouge nothing remsns of
the once magnificent State House but the
bsckened walls. which stand sad monu-
ments Of the destruction war visits upon
notion"