The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-02
EVIDENCE OF GENERAL TERRY
POLITICAL CONDITION OF VIRGINIA.

The following is the evidence ofGen.
A. H. Terry, before the Reconstruction
Committee
Major General Alfred Fl. Terry sworn
and examined by Mr.. Howard. Cues
ton. What is your rank in the army?
Answer, am Major General of Volun-
teers and Brigadier- General and Breyet
Major. General in the United States
| Army. lr4 ..,t
Where are you now stationed? A.
| In Richmond, Virginia. al, 55=5
@. How long have you been in COM
mand there? a. Since about the middle
of last June. =.
| @. What amount of force have you in
YOUR department? A. By the last return
there were present and absent about q
942 men the number actually present
| in the department, including Officers OF
the Veteran Reserve Corps, reporting to
the Freedmen's Commissioner, is be-
tween 1900 and 2,70O.
O,sAt what points are they chiefly
stationed? A. At Richmond, Freder-
| icksburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg,
Bristol, Danville, Petersburg, City Point,
| Norfolk, Fort Monroe, Yorktown and
! Williamsburg. These are mostly one
4
/ O.. What is the territorial extent Of
your department2 4. The State of Nir-
| ginia, with the exception of Aiexandrlaa,
Fairfax and LOudOp counties, and the
northern part of the Shenandoah Valley.
O.. Have you much to do with the
Freedmen's Bureau your department
A. have. A great deal OF business
comes to me from the Bureau, aud l anl
A IN constant communication with Colonel
Brown, the Assistant Commissioned.
4 @. What are your means of knowledge
of the state of affairs in Virginia, OF
throughout your department? "A. Idt
not come in personal contact with the
people of Virginia Us much as many Of
INV subordinates do; have no social in
tercoprse with any except those known
20 be Union people. ca.fI t..se .e45z !
O.. Why not? A. They do not sui
me and it is Deither becoming my po-
sitlon as commanding officer OF the De
partment, nor consistent with my self
respect TO seek them first; my knowl
edge OF affairs is derived from the bust
, ness that comes to me officially, from
official reports Of my subordinates, ane
I from officers information of occurrences
which / receive from those of my OWL
, people. In whom have confidence it il
, lsleriveo also FROM what see in the pub
. lie press in Virginia. and, from what II
b ought to my attention officially AM
T unofficialiy, by the Commissioner OF tn
= Fresdmen's Affairs; / frequently Sc
oiszens On official business, but not a
frequently US my spbordinatesf do; IN,
ig,raip meas is chiefly done on paper. =,
O.. What, generally, is the feeling OF
, the mart of the secession element towart
the fJnisnis.s. whether native, Virgini
ans or persons from other States2 a.
: think it as hostile as it eyer has been
: as TO the feeling toward the people Of tn
q | North. I do not think it has essential.
changed from what it was before tn
"A war; there is still the same hatred Q
. and contempt for them. a4aa :.
: @. How much social Intercourse
5 there between them? A. Very little. s
!, tar as my knowledge goes, very little IN
: deed. sa5 9st h.b b9ise.9.
i @. Are you prepared to say that til
= state of feeling between secessionisl
n and Unionists is one Of bitter hostility
!. A. 1 think it ID. MI ~ .H.a9 ?
"a O, Are Unionists secure In the enjoy
i ment of their rights II. the midst OF
3 secession community there? A. l d
lt not think they are. l.ls .e5y.5E9
/, @. Can they safely rely on the stat
, courts for justice to themselves and pre-
i, lection to their rights? A. No, sir,
IN think not. g. 1e .7lt stl Dge agasHs
IN @. How would 1t be, for instance, If
suit between strong Union ma
whether residing there or from 10y
~ state, and a secessionist, would you a.
th prehend that a jury called in the regul
vo way in Virginia would be injuriol
against Union man? A. While / {
81 not know of any such cases, such is N
VI opinion in regard to the ieelihgs OF
If cessionists towards Union rien, that
Id think that the rights OF the latter und
- these circumstances, would not be
- cured; know from conversation WI
n Union men that such Is the general II
ire precision among them.
in @. What do the secessionists appe
40 to desire 2 What great object DO tn
~ have In view? A.. In the first pias
~ having failed to maintain the separs
L. -. ~ 4