Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-20

il. made an effort to save some articles oi
value. but cur neighbors we're fearing the
same calamity, and we knew Of no place OF
safeh. An additional source of alarm was,
almost every night we were aroused to
witness some conAagrafion in the neigh
borhOod, either dwelling-house, gin, or
stable In four weeks seventeen cotton
gins had been destroyed by fire, and sew
eral dwelling-houses. Our nights, you
may imagine, were fall of terror but no
serious cause for alarm occurred until the
lsi of February.
A negro belonging to Mr.. -, who had
a wife and child at mas, came with party
OF armed Federals and demanded his vile
and child Ma offered a stout resistance to
his outrageous demands, and told him II
he crossed that door she'd shoot him.
After some parleying, he left, saying he
would return in two weeks. The negroes
manner was haughty and consequential
was armed with two pistols, strutted about
the house with great freedom, talked loud
and boldly, and altogether, the incident
alarmed us a good deal. Nothing farther
occurred though I'LL the llth of February.
The night was cloudy, moonless and star
less. About nighifall the family assembled
on the gallery 10 witness burning honse
two miles distant, and it was with feeling
of impending evil that we all went to sleep.
No one was sleeping in the dwelling house
except ma, two young ladies and myself,
and two little negroes. We had not slept
long when our old watch dog, Carlo
aroused us by jumping against the back
door. 1t excited me very much, but ma
calmed me by saying, oh it's nothing my
daughter but Carlo, trying to get in the
house, In a few moments the faithful
dog came TO the other door and
sprang against it with an angry bark. We
were fully aroused now, and ma sprang out
of bed, pushed open the blinds and ex-
claimed Great God! the house is on fire!
Eliza, Annie, Leila, Susan, get up, the
house is burning up-be calm my daughter,
Pli save you; don't be excited-Susan,
Leila, run to the kitchen and ring the bell
In the twinkling of an eye all were up
the old plantation bell was pealing forth its
first midnight alarm--seryants were rush
ing in with shrieks and in their night
clothes some were crying where's Susan?
where's Leila Save Miss Bette; run out
to the Office and pat out the fire. etc, etc.
Ma was calm, collected, and equal to the
fearful scene. She first gave orders to a
faithful servant, (Hardin,) to wrap a
blanket around Miss Bette, give her some
brandy, take her to the negro quarter and
keep her stimulated then secured her
purse and spectacles, and went to work. As
| / was taken out, lying across the shoulder
of the faithful Hardin, gave one long, last,
| lingering look at the dear old house, so
| soon to be laid in ruins. The flames were
| lust spreading over the ofice-in a moment
while gazed, the roof of that room fell in
with dull, booming, crushing noise that
| filled my very soul with horror. The fire
progressed rapidly. Ma, Eliza, Annie and
servants were working with fearful despera-
| tion-all in their night clothes Only four
| neighbors dared TO come to our relief.
| The soldiers were watching from the ice
house and madly exulting in their mid
night work, and all were afraid to come to
our relief or to 60 in that part Of the yard.
The flames spread so rapidly chat in two
| hours all that remained of our beautiful
home was a heap CT blackened ashes and
| embers. | was taken to a negro cabin, and
from that time could only see the leaping
| flames the dense volumes of smoke, and
hear the cracking fire and dull crushing
sound Of falling roof and timbers. Every
| where it was light as MONDAY. A servant
| standing by my bed watching the progress
of the fire, exclaimed, "Ohl Miss Bette,
look at the light upon the tombstones you
can see Miss Virginia's grave as plain as
day" l looked and saw the pure marble
shaft that marks the grave of my beloved
sister, and from the depths of my heart q
feeling sprung which had never known in
i i L 1 i,
feeling of perfect resignation that sh'
was gone "where the wicked cease from
troubling" and exclaimed, "Thank God
my sister and grandma are at rest in The
old graveyard"
The morning dawned in clouds and rain
things that hadbe saved were in the yarC
thoroughly drenched; soldiers were coming
in crowds demanding breakfast and exultinl
is words and laughter over their work o
destruction. Then neighbors came 1ockinl
in to offer home and comfort. Poor ma
weary and wretched, was in a state of bolt
and fierce defiance. She hurled back ever,
insult the towards gave, and told them i
no measured terms of their cowardice i
, burning house with no occupants bn
four defencless women, and one Of them al
most diving. A carriage was sent for m
, the next morning by Mrs. K to tax
. / me to her house, and after / had bee
lifted into it and placed upon a bed, th
soldiers Cd surrounded the carriage an
| tried TO cut the mules loose. They weT
, | only prevented by the entreaties of m
! | friends from doing it then, and followe
, | the carriage TO Mrs K g., and after | ws
, | taken out they took the mules. Poor ms
: | left her behind, in the kitchen, trying I
: | collect the remnant of her househOl
: treasures All, all gone that she MOI
: prized--the old cradle by which she hadsi
{ so often and sang lullybys to her darlings
, the little arm chair, the little rocker,
/ small pillow, sacred TO her because her b;
by boy had died upon it, the family Bib
; with It's we'll filled record, grand-ma's POI
: trait and pas library of books. And whi
!. was of more vital importance just then, a
n her wheat, bacon, corn and supplies tn
!. she had stored away in the roof.
r Such was the state of destitution in whiC
e we were left. And then comes the saddle
; thought of all-the strong arms and bra'
!. hearts that would have sheltered us fro
harm, were all absent in the service of ol
}. oppressed country; and ourgray -hairedsi
v a lonely exile. These, dear friends, are son
Is of the facts-your heart can better imagii
? our grief than ] can describe it. Inde,
le that conld not do, for language fails me.
J. must describe my dear home as a ~
d Fairmont' is two or three miles north of
it direct line from Nashville TO MurfreesbOI
ss twenty miles from the former and twel'
u from the latter, the farm lying on each 81,
ID | of stones river, which cuts the Milton al
IA | Nashville turnpike at an acute angl le fro
n south to north, about half mile 20 the e'
is of the homestead Rutherford is one
hs the finest counties in the State In maj
portions the lands are of rare fertility al
ly splendid groves of oak, ash, elm, sug'
as maple and umbragious vines, give bold a
G. vigorous testimony of the fact. /
a face Of the country is undulaung, {
a rugged aspect of the mountain
le gions having gradually softened into &c
en- tie, flowing, lovely outlines. Before
-e- desolations Of the war, a traveller on a
ly of the roads leading into Murfreesboro, v
as impressed with the evidences Of thrift,
a ergy and cultivated taste which he evS
Is. where saw. Broad cotton and grain fiel
d. substantial farm houses and tasteful grour
ais were constantly recurring. My fathe
of residence was IN one Of the most beauti
lie sections of the country. Stones river
Mt the east makes a longnarrow curve throu
mr. low bluffs of rock and overhanging shrl