The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-22
Hunters Retreat.
From the Richmond Examiner, June 80.

The Lynchburg papers, received yesterday,
give us some particulars of Hunters retreat
from his late demonstration on that city. On
reaching Salem he determined to continue his
retreat to Cnristiansburg, with the intention OF
pushing on the lead mines and salt works
but hearing that General Morgan had returned
fom Kentucky with 900 men, Hunter took
the road leading to the Sweet Springs. He
found McCausland unexpectedly in his front,
who captured ten or twelve pieces of artillery,
TWENTY-FIVE or thirty wagons, two or three
hundred prisoners and two hundred horses
but our infantry not being near enough to sup
port him. he lost all but six pieces of the artil-
Gen. McCausland withdrew to strong posi-
lion on the spur of the mountain, and Hunter
attempted to continue his retreat.
With the captured guns McCausland sheled
the enemy's train So severe v they blew up
their caissons and destroyed large portion OF
their train.
Our loss was slight, with the exception Of
Captain Shefeys command. He had beer or
dered to hold certain position at all hazards
when he was wholly surrounded and los,
heavily. The enemy finally got extricaLed
from our cavalry and continued his retreat.
Gen. Echols and Maj. DOrman, who are in
that part of the State, have blOckaded the
roads at a number of points as far out as Sweet
Springs, in such manner as to enable the cav.
airy under McCau>land and ImbOden. together
with force under Gen. Edward Jackson from
the front, to infict immense damage on the
enemy.
In their march through Salem they were
pursued so closely that they did not steal ally
thing. They had several hundred negroes and
a large amount of stolen property with them.
The Lvnchburg Republican makes the fol-
lowing extracts from letter written by o lady
in Roanoke, describing the atrocities COM
mitted by the Yankees in passing through that
section +' > 3D.
1.-The Yankee army passed through this vii.
lage on Tuesday morning last and pillaged the
houses of everything they could carry off wi b
them. lam, for the first time in my life, a
beggar. cannot describe, or you imagine
what they have done to US. They not only
stole my COW, flour, meal, meat, lard, and in
fact everything we had to eat. but they rifled
our trunks, took all my gold and silver money,
my silver plate and every kind of kitchen uten.
sils, knives and forks. cups, saucers, &C., and
they tore the clothes up and stole my chill.
dren's clothes, and indeed all and everything.
They made road through our front yard and
tore down our fences, grazed our oats and de
strOyed everything We had. o. ..s.... g..
They not only done us so, but our neighbors
were treated likewise The negroes insulted
the ladies. and one buck Niger smacked Q
young girls face not far from us. One Gen.
eral rode up and told my servant woman if she
would go he would take her up behind him.
| She told him she did not want to go, as she
had good master. They had these Kathairor
notes that usually come around hair oil. and
paid one man in front of Cur house s. note
to 20 with them; he had been working for Vi
two or three months, but did not belong to US
You never saw such destruction in a l your lite
The people that told them they ere for the UriOr
were treated wore than the other. They calel
them d ID liars and other vi e names. The mex
mo ming did not have dust of flour or meal, not
teaa up'ul and not an of corn to g ma TO mill
God, come of friends. not 60 near the road who
were more fortunate, came in and very kndl Offered
to loan us. II they had n been go closely pur
sued, they would have tired our houses Thew cay
thatwnen they come again it will be with fire ant
sword