Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-10-29
The Shenandoah Valley.

Woyd, who writes from otrasburg, Nir-
giDia, gives the following account Of the
awful obstruction Of property by the Union
forces under General Sheridan, in the |
Shenandoah Valley:
Dispatches captured from Gen. Early,
and now in the possession Of General Sher-
idan, showed that all the forage and sup |,
, plies in the country, between Staunton |,
AMI Lexington, had been sent TO Rich
mond. Those existing between Staunton
and Strasburg were returned, and were
to be retained, for the support Of Early's
army during the coming winter. The de.
structon Of these supplies would be, con.
sequently, one Of the severest blows struck
at the fortunes of the rebellion in this re-
gion. 1t would at once relieve us Of the
: necessity Of occupying the valley, and
prevent the rebel army from using it as
t thorougblarc to Pennsylvania. by render
ing it almost uninhabiatlc.
The beginning of the '7ork was record
ed in what you have already received. 1t
has been continued during the three days
march from Harrisonburg to Strosburg,
where tho army is tonight encamPcd.-
! Through all these days the atmosphere,
, from horizon to horizon has been black with
the smoke of hundred confagratiOns,
and at night CLEAN, brighter and more
lurid than sunset, has shot from every
} verge The orders have been to destroy
{ all forage in stacks and barns, and to
drive the stock before for the substance Of
T. the army. The execution of these orders
. have been thorough, and in some instan-
% ces, where barns, near dwelling houses,
have been fired, has resulted in the des.
p. truction of the latter. In 10 instance, ex-
of capt in that Of the burning OF dwellings
J. within FIVE miles in retaliation for tho
e murder of Lieutenant Meig9, have orders
ir been Issued for the burning of houses, or
have such orders been sanctioned by Gen
eral 9haridan. Such wholesale incend.
d iarism could not be pursued ibowever,w with
out undue license being taken by the worst
~, class Of soldiers, and there have been ire
queut Instances Of rascality and pillage.
i, lndiscriminating, (for with such swift
~ work discrimination is impracticable,) re-
=, outless, mercie.s, the torch has done ts
terrible business in the centre and on eth
=, er side Of the valley. Few barns and sta
IS bIes have escaped. The gardens and
er cord fields have been desolaed. The
b. cattle, hog, sheep, cows, oxen-nearly
! ; tive thousand head in alI--have been driv
!" ~ en- from every farm. The poor, alike
- with the rich, have suffered. Some have
eu lost their all The waillng Of women and
y, cLidlen mingiug with the cracking o
'rs flames, has SOUNDED from scores of dwell
,o' ings. | have seen mothers weeping o7el
~ The loss Of that which was necessary tc
D; their children's lives, setting aside their
own, their last COW, their last bit Of -four
&C. piiterod by straglcrs, the last morsel they
dc had in the world to eat or drink. Young
y" girls with flushed checks, and pale viii
We fearful or fearless eye, have pleaded witt
as and cursed the men whom the necessities
ne of war have forced 10 burn the building
n reared By their fathers, and turn them in
La 10 paupcrs in a day.
T, A iue brick house this side Of New
he Market, was in immense danger yesterday
i'm from the flames, barn burning near
, The men who fred the latter had passed
~ on, leaving the house to what seemed, a
ast one time, the same fate. Some officers
r. passing by stopped, needing the entrealie:
of women standing in the yard, and as-
nd sisted in pulling down the fences between
er, thus preve ntiug the FIRE from communicat
ing with the house. The women were
oVerioyed. Wild and hysterical, they
TO thanked the officers with frank hands anG
+ sobs, and broken words.
ne When the army left Woodstock this
on morning, some Unauthorized persons set q
1T barn on fire, the flames Of which commu-
or nicot.d to several building, endangering
bo the village. General Merritt, sent in Q
II. regiment of cavalry who finally succeeded
lr in stopping the conhagration, after pulling
a down some buildings near \ young lady
Oh with very flashing eyes, appearing at the
gate of her burning house, cried tor asss
S. lance, "Look," she cried to an officer
1t, who instantly sprang from his horse and
oy began assisting the family in removing
st their goods "look what you vile Yam,
ne KEGS have done, Genera! Sheridan is q
n. brute you are all brutes.'
'st MADAM, returned the officer, still en-
Us ergetically pursuing his labor, is not thi,
10 rather strange language to me under the