The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-06-29
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fer me and SAID that there was no time
to be lost-the town must be bur9ed he
was sorry for it on account of the wo-
men and children, but it must be done
| to check the burning of private property
i in. Virginia. and they had none to blame.
4 for IL but General Hunter and their own
press fer extolling such fiendish acts of
vandal;sm. He then ordered me to fire 1
ftbe.fown. and showed nae General Early IS 4
j order 10 that effect: Deeply regrettihg
Il that such task should fall upon me
had only to obey. i then directed my
/ men to fire the town, but be kind to the 4
women and children and lend them all
the assistance in their power. While
| could remain in the streets did nothing
but assist the people and see that no ex-
cesses were committed. Several times
received peremptory orders to make q
Thorough work of it, and was especially
Idirected to destroy all fine dwellings,.
When the town was no longer tenable
I took two men with ME to fire fine
brick dwelling beautifully situated on an
eminence northwest of the town. DIS
mounting, went in and told the lazy
who came to the door that l was tnere
to perform the extremely uApieasanC
duty of burning her house, which muoh
regretted; that we were Obliged 10 re-
lAort to such extreme measures In ORDER
to prevent or check the terrible deyasta,
ton committed by such men as General
Hunter. / told her that the people oil
that town had seen us twice before, and
that all had spoken in the highest terms
Fof our behavior, saying that our soldiers
| had behaved better than their own.
She was Weeping, evidently mnch dis
q tressed, but she acknowledged the
justice of my remarks, and declared tnat
: She blamed none but the administration
for allowing sneh horrible acts OF cfneity
togo unpunished SIZE was in deep DIS
tress and shed many bitter tears; ana
7 not beg me to spare her house, only
o asked time to remove some articles OF
value or clothing. This was readily
granted. Breakfast was on the table,
u and she asked me to eat something
IT while she was getting her things TO-
" gether. Being hungry | accepted the
=. invitation, and drank a glass OF VINE
before sitting down. l delayed as much
as possible, in order to afford her more
G time, and when rose from the table
had half mind to disobey orders i'll
regard to this house. She then came in
| anu tLItItu lulO uhNtlcdIlOu dSb GU
Q her the name Of her husband. She
e replied, Colonel Boyd, of the Union
army" What! Colonel Boyd, of the
lst New York Cavalry" "The same,
: | sir" Then, madam, your house shall
f not be destroyed"
l now understand why she had not
pleaded for it, The reader will recol-
lect that this officer has been already
mentioned as operating in the valley
r Ho had ever been kind and lenient to
, the citizens, men, women and children,
warning only against men in arms. The
fact of her being the wife of Colonel
Boyd decided me at once. / told her
, that | know her husband, and had
fought against him for two years III the
valley of Virginia; that he gained arep
utation among the CitiZcns for kindness
Q and gentlemaniy conduct; that while we
- were there for the purpose OF vanishing
vandalism, we were ready and axious TO
repay acts of kindness done to our poo
II pie, who, when unprotected, had been
- exposed by the fortunes of war 10 the
~ mercy and harsh treatment of our foes.
| told her that her house should not b5
d baTned, blame for 10 who would, and
It that | would leave 4 guard for her pro
l. lection till all were gone She seemed
! to be completely overW helmed, rs though
she did not comprehend what | had said
: but when q assured her again that
. neither her house nor ANYTHING that be
: longed to her should be molested, Der
Gratitude knew no bounds To the
II Sicket near nv the bous6 she arterward
- sent baskets filed With nice catablgs
r not Office. aud as much wine - they
. dt,ireT.-
4 lrfr. q Guard. and we'll ! did. Tor an
: .fli,er Who had h.ep Jrinliu.- tr. nucr,
IS came IN soon after aud tried io force the
a. Guard and burn the house
The burning of ChambgrshuTg wa, an
awful .;rht. nor could look on without
q Agep sorrow. although had been band
d cur,l To such scenes III Virginia. 1t one
c view. had We aJt. with auEujshcJ hearts,
I from the pIGutain top. gal.d at The
sky Redeemed by the burning r .gu
hundred aud eighteen houses D.. r,ls
once smiling valley, q small part aaccd
q in the history Of Hunters ruthless raid,
inflicted. too. not by an ungoyrruahe
soldicry. but under q cyldly calculated
49, 49, N'N-'--S '' 20