The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-04-04

The Raleigh Confederate publishes some ex-
tracts from letter from lady in Fayetteville,
narrating some Of the pillaging and plundering
transactions Of Shcrman's thieves and barbariaus,
while in Fayetteville. These statements are from
| an Intelligent and accomplished lady, the daugh-
ter Of minister Of the gospel, and will doubtless
be read with much interest
FAYETTEVILLE, N. c.. March %, 1868
Sherman has gone, and terrible has been the
storm that has swept over US with his coming and
going. My head is dizzy, my heart is sick at what
have seen and felt in the last four days I feel
like had just awakened from dream of impos-
sible horrors-a Nightmare. l can hardly realize
! that what has transpired around US, was indeed
reality.
They deliberately shot two of our citizens
murdered them in cold blood-one of them Mr.
Murphy, wounded soldier, G. S. A. They hung
up three others and one lady, merely letting them
down just in time to life in order to make
them tell where their vauables were concealed
aud they whipr ed-stripped and cowhded-
raj good aud well known citizens, for the same
purpose.
There was no place, no chamber, trunk, drawer
desk, closet, garnet or cellar that was private to
their unhoiy eyes Their rude hands spared moth
ing but our lives, and those they would have taken
but they knew that therein they would only ac-
compliSh the death of few bel pless women and
chidren-they would not in the least degree break
or bend the spirit of our people. Squad after
squad INCREASINGLY came and went and tramped
through the halls and rooms of our house. day and
night during the entire stay Of the army.
Safeguards placed around some houses,
but that very guard would ransack the house and
premises with more nercess exactuess, if posi-
bic, than any others. At our house they killed
every chicken, goose, turkey, cow, calf and every
Lying thing even to our pet dog. They carried
OH our Wagons, carriage and horses, and broke up
four buggy, wheel-barrow, garden Implements
axes, hatchets, hammers, saws, &C. and burned
the fences. Our smoke house aud pantry, that
few days ago were well stored with bacon, lard,
Hour dried fruit, meal, pickles, preserves, ETC.,
now contain nothing whatever except few pounds
OF meal and flour AID five pounds of bacon. They
took from old men, women and children alike,
every garment of wearing apparel save what we
had on, not even sparing the napkins of infants
Blankets, sheets, quilts, &C., such it did not suit
them to take away. they tore to pieces before our
eyes. After destroying everything we had, and
taking from US every morscl of food, (save the
pittance have mentionedj one Of these barbara
ans had to add insult to injury by asking me
"what you CD would live upon now" [ replied.
''Upon patriotism; I will exist upon the love of
my country as long as life will last, and then will
die as firm in that love as the everlasting hills"
"Oh," says he, 'but We shall soon subjugate
"Ncver!' interrupted ''neyer you and your
blood handed countrymen may make the whole of
this beautiful land one vast graveyard, but its
people will never be subjugated Every map, wo-
man and child of us will sleep quietly in honora-
BILE graves, but We will NEVER live dishonorable
lives And he turned and left me with iendish
chuckle
They went to the house of Mr. after it
had been stripped Of nearly everything, and told
him they should give him but ten minutes to save
his furnture-they should burn his house. He
ran up stairs to get down bed and just as soon
as he passed up they set fire to the stairway He
barely escaped with his life
[ am more hopeful now than have ever been
before. [ kno,o there is too much manhood in !
the spirit of the South to let these wholesale atroc
tiles of desoaton go unavenged. Boys and wo-
men will take up arms and die in line of battle be- /
fore We will live in Union with such inidels and
inhuman monsters as these Yankees are!