Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-07-29

Lee nad Dul 0O,UUU men III the l0trcncn |
ments around Richmond aud Petersburg
when Grant made his final assault. The |
North will probably never believe with
how small force the South carried on
this terrible war. This officer went on to !
say awe entered on this contest deter
mined to have our independence or moth
ing. We succeeded u getting nothing
We accept the result We acknowledge
that We are & subjugated people, We
fought until our resources were exhausted
aud until we were ovcrpowered by num-
bors, We acknowledge the United States
to be our country although i, cannot be
expected that We can ever have any love
for the Union. We have no attachment
for the United States government. We
return to it because we cannot ltclp our
selves. All we ask is to be allowed TO
make au honest living and to manage the
negro in our own way"
In speaking of the Unoin army he said
he thought the federal army was the best
equipped and best provided for army that
the world had ever produced. lie stood
for three days looking upon the federal
forces as they passed through Richmond
and it was wonderful to sec the endless
procession Of wcll-dressod and well armed
men, the substantial wagons, the thou
sands Of fine mules, the handsome har-
ness, &c lie seemed to be greatly i'm
pressed with the resources cf tho North
as evidenced by the appearance of her or
mics. He said their distinguished leader,
Gen. Leo, never had but two wagons for
all lis baggage q I'd books and that OF his
staff. Gen. Lee often wrote his despatch
es on plain Pine table under u tree,
without even common tent to ehcltcr
him from the winds. II Gen Lee had a
single fault it was his humanity aud good
ness Of heart. The confederate armies
never had any regular tents, They erect
ed temporary shelter whenever they en-
campud lie contendcd that in the be-
gning of the war the rebel cavalry was
far supcrioI.to ours, but their horses gave
out and they had none to replace them.
The fedora! cavalry became irrositablo
and the best branch OF the Union army. -
The rebel artillery, on the contrary, was
ably and efficiently managed. There
never was any scarcity OF cannon or am
munition in the south and no want of in
cination Oh the part of the people TO stand
by the cause The farmers parted with
millions Of bushels of grain without auy
remuneration They made great sacrif
ces. Many families robbed themselves
of almost everything, even TO the last NOR
sci Of food to sustain the army.
In answer to question we pat to The
: came officer as to the condition Of the
people of Richmond he assured US thai
, there was mach suffering and want il the
city. People who before the war were
wealthy arc now ponnylesS. He knew
gentlemen who we've worth from three tc
, six hundred thousand dollars who are
? obliged to borrow money TO 60 to market
5 Some Of these people may recover from
$ the shock, but others arc too far advanced
, in life to begin anew. The same may b
9 said of the pc oplo all through Virginia -
Exhaustion is written on the whole land
4 The eutirc population had their surpIu
y. means invested in government scourto
e Confederate notes, bank stocks, railroad
r ard other corporations, All this is
y dead loss. The people have no goo
O money or at best very little. Their sup
a ply OF provisions 10 short First the Cor
d fcderatc government and then the fedora
t stragglcrs took all they had, leaving thel
+. il many in,tanccs without pound {
,s meal, peck Of corn or particle of mea
. They have land and nothing else. Un!i
!, something to eat can be raised on the
!. farms, there must be much suiGerng,-
If Some of the formerly weqthy people
4 the towns arc Compelled to draw ration
s. from the government Fodder for hors'
e is very scarce. The poor animals are f'
C Just enough 10 keep them alive. There
h no strong food to give them. Many poe
d people come distance Of forty miles
|. draw rations from the government.
4. not believe any country on earth has ov
rs been so completely ruined as Virginia
lie at the end OF this war. TO make matte
r. worse the federal soldiers stationed in Il
n county seats of each county, behave vel
D- badly. They scatter all over the count
70 in squads Of five and six, plundering Il
~ farms and farm houses Of the people, ro'
/. bing the fruit trees aud gardens of the o
ID ly resource the people have left to susta
p- life Many outrages have been comm
IN ted. A few weeks ago three soldiers We
to the house of widow lady in Amber
m county, who was suspected o. having sp
nm Gle in her house and demanded her &c
te aud silver and watches, She denied ha
nd ing any, They pointed their pistols
n. her breast and threatened TO shot her
.te she did not give up her valuable Rropcrt
m, She dolarod they would have to shoot
Ic. as she had none, Finally ono Of til
. went 10 a bed and with q Enifo ripE
ri. open the mattress and feather-bod Q
M discovered two watches and small qui
he tity of gold. Even now the market W
aid ons are daily stopped on the outside
,ed the city on the streets Of Lyuchburg Q
ip robbed Of all they contain. Ispent S
nd eral hours in the Provost Marshals Of
- at LyDchburg and during that time
in least dozen citizons eptered compla
IN that their farms had been stripped t
ss, their market wagons plundercd on
tis- highway. Gen Gregg, Pennsylvani
md docs all he can 10 prevent these excess