The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-04-15
From the camdcn Journal and Confederato]
AHillainons Yankee Letter. ".

I
d Yankee to his wife IN Boston, which
was found near this place after the YAM
KEGS had left. It is undoubtedly gcnu.
inc, and viii serve greatly to dispel the
last lingering belief still remaining. in
some aeluded minds that the plundering
and thieying Of tBeSYankee army, was,
if winked at, certainly not shared in by
those in authority. We see from this
letter that from Sherman himself down
to the lowest drummer in his army, the
} 'plundering is conducted onSsy stem, and
the booty shared upon established prin.
ciples. We do not think that anything
is necessary to produce a correct convic.
tion of the Yankee character ia this com
munity, where it is everywhere written
in characters SO plain that lie who runs
may read, but as one of the curiosities of
the times we thought it not unworthy
ofinsertion. =, s,t.s ..
Sc CAMP NEAR CAMDEN, S. @,
|, ,,ietys7t, R'tsA February 26th, 1865.
h. ,1fy %Dear: WIFE. ! have no time for
particulars. 4. We have had a glorious
time in this State. Unrestricted license
to burn and plunder was the order of the
day. The chivalry have been stript of
most Of. their valnables. Gold watches
silver pitchers cups, spoons, forks, sc :
&C., are as common in camp as black.
berries The terms of plunder are as
follows: The valuables procured are es-
timated by companies. Each company
is required to exhibit the results Of its
operations at any given placc--one.ffth
and first choice falls to the share of the
Cemmanderin. Chief and Staff; .ouefi(th
to the corps commanders and staff; one.
fifth to field officers of regiment, and two.
rfifths to the company. Officers are not
allowed to join in these expeditions with
out Disgusting themselves as privatcs.
One of our corps commanders borrowed
a suit ofropgh clothes from one Of our
men and was very successful at this
place. He got large quantity of silver
(among other things an old time silver
milk pitcher) and very fine gold watch
from q Mr., DcSaussnrc at this place.
DeSaussure is one Of the Il. +. VS. of
South Carolina, and was made to fork
out literally. Officers over the rank Of
captain are not made to put their plum.
der in the estimate for general distribu.
ton. This is;very unfair, and for that
reason, in order to protect themselves,
subordinate officers and privates keep
back everything that they can carry
about their persons--such as rings, ear
rings breast pins, &C., &C., of which, if
l live to get home, / have abouta quart.
! am not joking--I have Mt least q quart
Of jeWelry5 for you and all the girls land
some No. / diamond rings and p,iis
among them. Gen. Sherman has silver,
and gold enough to start a bank. Z His
share in gold watches and chains alone,
at Columbia, was two hundred and sew.
enty.iye (275,)
But / said, / could not 60 into paisic.
ulars. eAllthe generaljoflicers, and many
besides, have Evaluables Of evsry descrip
zion down to embroidered ladies pocket
handkerchiefs. Il have my share of
them too). We took gold and silver
enoug, from the did rebels to haye're.
deemed their, internal currency twice
over This (thee currency whenever we
came across It, we burned, as we consid.
cred it utterly worthless. ~ Z -, ~,
wish all the jewelry this army has
could be carried to the ''Old Bay State"
1t would deck her out in glorious style !;
but alas it Will be scattered all over the
north and middle States. The damned
niggers.f asa general rule, preferred to
stay at home--particularly after they
found ont that we only wanted the able.
bodied men (and to tell you the truth,
the youngest and best looking women y
T, Sometimes we took of'whole families and
plantations of niggers, BY way Of repay!
ing some influential secessionist. But
the useless. part Of these we soon man
agedto ,lose-7-sometimes in crossing riy-
ers~~sometimes in other ways. Is aTsg !
Il shall write to you again from Wis
mington, Goldsboro or some other place
in North Carolina, Tie order To march