Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-10-31

ant, Iona.
DEAR Sir ~ have read your lat,
communication addressed to 9Th,
Prisoners of War, and of arbitrar,
arrests in the United States of Amor
!. lea" ..f...f
I You alloge that ''the Congress o
the United States refused to extenc
the Investigation contemplated by O
resolution adopted by that body on
the 10th July, 1867, appointing Ger
tam parties to investigate the treat
ment Of prisoners OF war and Union
1 citizeus held by the Canfederate an
'i-tnoi4ties during the rebellion, 60 the
prisoners Of war, victims of the arbi.
trary power and military usurpatiou
by the authority Of the Federal Ad.
ministration."
Approaching your object "to put
the truth spon the record" and con.
CURING in your patriotic suggestion
that it is the duty Of every American
citizen TO look 10 the honor of his
country and the preservation of the
truth of history | have felt con.
strained to respond TO the call made
in your circular, so far as to acquaint
the public, through you, with the fol
lowing precise, simple and uncxag-
geriited statement Of facts:
When the capital of The Confederate
States was evacuated, the specie be-
longing to the Richmond bonks was
removed, with the archives of the
government, to Washington, Georgia.
Early after the close of the war, n
wagon train conveying this specie
from Washington TO Abbeville, S. c.,
was attacked and robbed Of an amount
approximating to 100000, by body
of disbanded soldiers of the Confeder-
ate army. A few weeks subsequent
to this event, Brig. Gen. Edward A.
Wild, with an escort consisting of
twelve negro soldiers, under the com.
mand of Lieut.. Seaton, of Capt. Alfred
Cooley's company, l56th regiment of
New York volunteers repaired TO
the scene Of the robbery, ia the vicin-
ity Of Danburg, Wilkes county, Ga.
By order Of Gen. JHad, and in bis
presence, a. ID. Chenault, a Methodist
minister, weighing 275 pounds, his
brother, John N. Chcnault, of moder-
ate size, and a son of the latter, only
10 years of age, but weighing 230
pounds, were arrested and taken to
an adjacent wood, where the money
abstracted from the train, or portion
of it, was supposed to be concealed
Failing to produce the money upon
the order OF Gen. Wild, these three
citizens, who eniow tbs sstsem, ea1
We're suspended By their thumbs, with
the view Of extorting confessions, as
TO the place of its concealment.
Mr.. John ~ Chenault was twice
subjected to this torture, and on one
occasion until he tainted, aud was
then cut down. Rev. A. ID. Chenault
was also hung up twice by his thumbs,
and until Gen. Wild was induced only
by his groans and cries to release him
from his agony. The youth, A. +.
Chenault, was hung up once, and
until he exhibited evident signs of
iainting, when he was cut down.
Whilst this scene was being enacted,
Gen. Wild and his subaltern were
both present, directing the whole
operations. These citizens, with the
exception of John N. Chenault, who
was unable to be removed, were then
sent under guard TO Washington, iii.
teen miles distant.
Bg order Of Gen Wild, a daughter
of John N. Cbenault, above seventeen
years of age, universally beloved by
her neighborhood, and distinguished
for her piety, was searched, by being
stripped in the presence Of the lieuten-
ant, who was charged with the exc
cution Of the order. When her gar
mcnts, piece by piece were taken
from her and the very last one upor
her was reached, in the instincts Of
her native modesty she throw herself
upon q bed and sought TO conceal her
person with its covering, She was
ordered TO stand out upon the floor
until stripped to perfect nakedness.
BIZ order Of Gen wa, the wife Of
John N. Chenault was arrested and
taken under guard to Washington,
whore she was incarceratod for several
days, on bread and water, in one Of
The petit jury rooms Of the court house,
and after nhe had been forced TO leave
ut home her nursing infant, but nine
months old, where it remained until
its mother was released
During the period of her imprison-
ment, Gen. Wild was waited upon at
his hotel by three citizens of the coun-
try, to wit: Francis G. Wingfeld,
Richard T. Walton, and your core
spondent, who importuned this officer
to permit one Of the party to take
Mrs. Chonault to his residence in the
village, each pledging his neck, and
all rendering bond, with security, in
any omount which he would be pleas
ed to nominate, for her appearance at
any timo and place in obedience to
his order, This request Gen. Wild
promptly and emphatically refused,
but graciously allowed her friends to
supply her with suitable food, at the
place of her confinement.
The tortures and indignities thus
inflicted upon this family, who are
respected and esteemed by all who
know them, failed TO discover any
evidence whatever of their completely
in the robbery, or any knowledge oI
conccalment OF any of its fruits.
The facts thus detailed woro report.
ed in substance to Major Gen. James
b. Steodmnn, then on duty at Angus
to, Ga. who Immediately ordered bis
I............ q ~. .,.nl l,r hnan nninn IL moi