The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-07-07
THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
Corresvondence Of the New York Tribune.
READING, Pa, June 10, 1863.

We have had a conversation with an in
ielligent business man who has just return-
cd from a trip through the entire Valley OF
the Shenandoah. Some inform alton with
record = 'i-;-- ~4gion VIII probabIy y be inter-
ostIDg to many res.9yr9- of tlIU Tt' UuIIo.
This gentleman started from Winch .sr
on Thursday, the 2jth of May, for Ha-ti-
sonburg. At Winchester he found a rebel
soldier from up the Valley who had come
in buggy to that place to take the oath
of allegiance, and who agreed to take our
friend to Woodstock From Woodstock he
hired a conveyance to Mount Jackson. From
Mount Jackson to New Market went ON
foot, and took the stage from thence to Har-
risonburg, distance l8 miles, fare $2.73.
From Harrisonburg he went to Stanton,
% miles, and from thence to Crawford's
Springs, 80 miies-aIi the way by private
conveyance. Returning, took the cars nom
Staunton to Richmond, but found the rail
road uUch broken, the bridges mostly gone,
and part Of the distance travelled by horse
cars.
from " Winchestcr 10 HarGisonbarS fences
are scarcely to be seen; but few houses
have been destroyed, but near Harrison
burg many barns and mills have been burn-
cd. From Winchester TO Strasburg scarce
y any crops have been planted, and scarce
Iy chicken, horse, COW or pig IS 10 be seen.
Toward ftar1isoubure considerable wheat
IS out and corn has been planted. Beyond
Harrisonbulg, toward Ssaunton, west Of the
turnpike, near Messy Greek, is the section
which. bv order os Gan. Sheridan, was laid
waste fs- the alicred murder Of Union OIL
cer. The citizens there aaser: t,;at he vas
not murdered, brs killed in an or.a tight,
he having frat wounded his adversary n
tne arm. Within a ci4clc Of > o. miles
in diameter, with scarcely 81 exception
no. house, barn, mill Or other building has
been LETT standing. Many OF the citizens
were Mennonists, who are non-resistant.s
ana many Of them, early n the war, had
LETT for the North They are quiet, hard
working, industrious people, never owning
OF Inning slaves, and are already returning
to tier desolated farms, and putting up
small frame buildings to shelter themselves
and families.
Extreme dcstitution prevails throughout
the whole valley. Having been so often
traversed by both armies, farms lave been
entirely stripped of their stock, and in ma
nv districts Of all their fences. The ab,a-
bodied negroes have al left, those only re-
naming who are not able to do any work,
and who are a burden on their former own
ers. In many cases the agents of tue Gov
crnment compel their former masters to keep
anu support them, although recognizing tAa
fact that they are free, and while they are
entirely useless for agricultural or domestic
purposes. This IS regarded as great injus-
/ tice. as the citizens have scarcely enough
/ 10 SUPPORT themselves, and think that the
rights of freedom should be reci procal.-
! They recognize the fact that slavery is ex-
tinct. think that they should have the right
to employ such labor as should be most ad-
vantageous to them, and that - they can
not have the services Of the negroes who
could labor and raise crops, the Government
should assume thc care Or charge Of those
/ who are mere consumers.
/ AS an illustration Of the way in which
things are done, a negro woman came to
provostmarshal's office and complained that
! her late master had beaten and Unused her.
! He showed conclusively that her story was
an utter fal5ehood, and offered 10 furnish
her and her three children with coulpie
ortft if the Government would take charge
Of them. The provost marshal refused to
accent the Offer, ordered her late owner TO
! take ner back, and prescribed the wages Re
was to nav. Unfortunately he was unable
10 support himself and family, having plen-
I t. Of fir3t class land but no one 10 work it,
/ and a crowd Of helpless old men anu .wo-
men 70 support. This is mentioned, not tor
the purpose of finding fault with the Gov
ernnent, but to show the condition Of the
people.
4 large number of the people have been
! friends of the Union from the beginning,
but were forced into the supportof tie Con-
federacy, and not few have suffered Sc
verely in consequence of their well-known
Union feelings. The whole people, with
very few exceptions, recognize the great
question as forever settled. They are hear
/ tily tired Of the war, having experienced
its most terrible evils. They desire TO re-
turn as soon as possible to the quiet pur-
suits of industry, and trust that the people
of the North will meet them in kind and
fraternal spirit. And surely such should
be, and we believe is, the feeling of the
North toward them.
This immense valley. hundreds of miles in
length, is one of the finest agricultural and min
eraI regions in the world, and, with free men
and free labor, no limits can be set TO its future
greatness. Its people are disposed to receive
frankly northern men and northern capital,
TIE sqil is unsurpassed sor. agricultural purpo-