Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-02
The Burning of Governor LetcI-
er's Residence ..- A Letter from
the Governor.
[Erom The Richmond Whig, July .

From The Richmond wing, July N.I
We print below document destined to
become historical. The calm, dispassion-
ate, and truthful recital it gives of the most
wanton and barbaric acts of the war needs
no comment to awaken the indignation of
every manly bosom. Our soldiers in Mary
land who are reported to have laid in ashes
the residence of the Yankee Governor of
that State, by way Of retaliation, have Civ.
en- practical expression to the feeling of our
people, and anticipated the Judgment of
mankind and the verdict of history. 1t is
due to Governor Letcher to say that this
letter was written with no view to publica-
tion, and in response to private letter ad-
dressed him by the Mayor Of this city:
"LExINGToN, VA, July 5, 1864.
"Finding that the Yankees would take the
town on Saturday 0lth), left home near
midnight Friday night, and went to Big,
Island, in Bedford, where l remained till
Wednesday morning following, when, hear
ing the vandals had left, / returned. had
previously heard that my house had been
burned, with all its contents. The threats
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 always supposed they would
allow the furniture and my family's cloth
ing to be removed. In this, however, l was
disappointed"
"When the Yankees took possession of
the town, DIR. Patton, Medical Director for
Hunters army, and who halls from Marion
county, Virginia, went to my house, told
my wife that he was unwell, and said he
must have room in the house. He took
the room, supped and breakfasted, and.
when breakfast was nearly over, remarked,
in manner half jocular, half earnest, to
Lizzie, that it was the last meal she would
take in the house. Shortly after, he left,
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 DR.. Patton and
Capt. Towns, of New York. Capt. Towns
very promptly said that, being private
citizen, and the house being private proper
| ty, burning it would be an ineXcusable out
rage, and proposed at once to go to Hun
ters headquarters and ascertain. He went,
and was directed by Hunter to assure my
wife that the house would not be disturbed.
The sequel shows that the sole object of
this assurance was to quiet her apprehen-
sions, and thus prevent anything from be-
ing removed.
NAbout 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 to
fire the house. She replied, there must be
some mistake, and asked for the order. He
said it was verbal order. She then said
to him, Can it not be delayed until l can
see Gen. Hunter?' The order is perempto-
ry,' he replied, and you have five minutes
to leave the house. She then asked leave
to remove her mothers, sisters, her own,
and her children's clothing, which was in
solently refused.
''Immediately thereafter camphene was
poured on the parlor floor and ignited with
a match. In the meantime my daughter
had gathered up an armful of clothing, and
was going out when he discovered her, ran
forward and fired the clothing in her arms.
He then poured camphene in the ward
robes, bureau drawers, and ignited the
clothing-taking out my clothing, which
he said he intended to take North.
''Every house on my lot was burned, save
small granary over my ice-house. Not
particle of flour, meat, or anything edible
was left, all having been carried off on Sat-
urday.
'.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
feet from the house, with no other view
than to burn her out also. The house
caught twice, and would have been con-
sumed but for the untiring efforts of Capt.
Towns, who made his men carry water and
extinguish the flames. The Captain be-
haved like gentleman towards my own
and my mothers family.
''Gens. Averill, Crook, Sullivan, and Duff
fie denounced the whole proceedings as an
outrage, in violation of all the principles
of civilized warfare, and stated that Hun
ter alone was responsible for these atroci-
ties.
81 am truly, and in haste, your friend,
"JoHN LETcHER,
"Jos. Mayo, Esq, Richmond, Va"