Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-20
THE MISERIES OF WAR.
TuR BURNENG or FAERMONT.
THE. RESIDENCE OF JUDGE
RIDLEY. AT OLD JEFFERSON.
A ThsiiIlng Account by One of the
Sufferers.
From the LadIes, Home. March 2.

We give II not only for our own pleasure,
and the benefit Of her many friends, but
for the sake of the letter iiself-sO vivid
and graphic in its naturalness and sim
plicity; 50 strongly portraying the wrongs
which Southern women suffered during the
war and above all 80 deeply imbued with
the high tone and christian spirit which are
known characteristics Of the trne Southern
lady.
The mistress Of 'Fairmonf is one Of the
most dauntless and resolute women We have
ever known. We cannot wonder when we
see her (as represented in this letter, In
the chill gray dawning, standing face to
face with her prosecutors, that bitter de
fiance sh0uld take the place Of the calm
heroism with which she moved amid
the terrOrs Of the preceding night. We do
net wonder that in the bitterness Of her
proud spirit, worn and wrung 10 very
wretchedness, she should pay them back
scsrn for scorn. She was one upon whom
the war-scourge fell with a keenness that
was teTrible,--yet she bore the torture with
the unhinching courage OF determined
and resolute te0maa. No one ever saw her
waver-none ever heard her falter-she
had no time for repinings, and no heart for
weak regrets After her beautiful home
'Fairmont was reduced to ruins, she
gathered up the remnants OF once
luxurious household and removing to an
other point commenced life anew. Alone
now. save the presence of her still invalid
daughter, she was again made the victim
of false accusations, and one evening a
party Of soldiers came with orders to
burn her house a second time. When they
announced their purpose she made neither
remonstrance nor complaint, but said
merely 4 have a few articles to take out
before you fire the house
You are to take ont nothing said a
grufr fellow; thems' our orders
repeat that / have something | intend
to save, and am now going after them,
was the resolute reply, as she calmly light
ed her candle BY the torch held by one of
the men, which had been brought to fire
the place
But say you shan't take nothing out Of
this --- secesh - burst from the lips
ofthe soldier
And I interrupted she, tell you sir,
that ! UiU do it,
oh dear mama, let us 60 urged her
trembling daughter 1t will do no good
LET us 60 quickly.
Not until have secured the articles ]
want replied the mother turning to ascend
the stairway.
fyou set a foot on them stairs I'll shoot
you down cried the ruffian before men
toned, ard he raised his pistol
Fire then said the lady, as she pro
ceeded. Ind he 9idl Bang went the
| piece, the ball striking the wall behind
hen. as the determined woman mounted
the stairs She saved her husbands pa
| pers--and her house was soon reduced to
ashes We tell the story as related TO US
| al the time the outrage occurred.
But, in Our admiration of the brave and
| high-hearted mother, let us not forget the
letter and the lovely daughter Observe
| how sWeeily she remembers her home how
| tenderly she speaks of her father in hi,
exile. and her brave brothers in the army
how admiringly she dwells upon he
| mothers calm forlitude amid all her trials
And note, too, this remarkable fact-sh,
applies no epithet to the men who were tn
weak or wicked instruments of the wrong
from which she and her family 50 deepl
suffered. Not one word unworthy OF tn
noble Womanhood in her nature-not on
sentiment at variance with the practice G
high-bred lady--not a single sentsnc
contrary to the pureprineiples which rule
her life.
Were il in our power we would lay upo
her short life wreath of imuortelies-fo
she is no longer one of us. She passe,
into rest peacefully
But we have already Overrun our limits
here follows the letter:
BERsHEBA SPRINGS, Aug. 1S63.-Yo
have asked me, Dear Mrs. French, to Civ
YOU the particulars of the burning of Fair
mont our old homestead, and it is with
very sad kind of pleasure am seated
comply with that request In order 10 III
derstand fully our measure Of sorrow ;
that time, must relate the situation of a
fairs around us, prior 10 the burning. Fail
mont is situated immediately on the ban
of Stones river, the little stream which wi
be ever memorable as the battlefield, upo
which Bragg and Rosecrans contended wit
such fearful desperation for five days. ID
ring that time we witnessed from our gall
nv a severe skirmish between the conten'
ing parties. The fash, smoke and deafel
, ing noise of the artillery, the clicking
small arms, deploying troops in an ope
field, the shouts and curses of the infuriatt
I, ! soldiers, was a scene we will not soon forge
At last the bloody struggle ended. Bras
retreated and We were surrounded by de
perate, unscrupulous, but victorious fo
NV father was compelled to leave home +
safety, and took with him my young siste
thirteen wears of age, fearing TO leave h
i'm the midst of such horrors My fl
brothers and husband were with their l
spectiye commands, leaving ma, grand-n
&c and myself alone with no protector
y This sad necessity at any time, was dou
a ly so now, for my poor grandma was dai
'' expect TO die, and ! at the same time "
80 i'll il was not known which would 81
y yive longest. Ali who can describe
It anguish of my mother then? Husbar
Al sons Young daughter, gone-mother al
N eldest daughter dying; "Pve no help
God.p And through that dense darkn'
thst enveloped her, one ray of light beam
God heard The mothers prayer a
q spared 10 her her eldest daughter. Dea
that reaper with the sickle keen"
tered our house though, and took for
prey ourgrand-ma, who had lain for mon
s. on a bed Of suffering.
lg Every road, every turnpike was stronl
ur picketed by the Federais, and no one y
n permitted 10 pass three miles in any DIR
m ton. Ma laid my grand-ms 10 rest IN
ns coffin made by near neighbor out o
ekerrg ,aandnobe. The outer box was ma
of Naci board and flooring plank tai
ont of house for that purpose. That
cious body that we had lifted so tende
for fear Of giving her pain, for months,
) conveyed to her last resting place n
= rough wagon, and of all her deoenda'
M nonewaspermitted thesad pleasure Of sta
ur ing by hergrave except mama. Bot she T
10 calmly and sweetly now on the bosom.
ms that Savior she delighted to gloriiy vi
- on earth. The thunder Of artillery g
al disturb her; the temporary triumph oi
M enemies cannot saddeu her--sts = sq
in housed
re- Aher grand-ua's death, tl4th yanuai
. / continued perfectly helpless for We'
& Daily crowds Of insolent soldiers came
our house FOR forage, chickens, hor
meat etc They always got what {
% desired without resistance for ma felt
% excitement Of any Kind would endanger
life, and she would give them no cause
90 anger. They were always ins5lent,
invariably iaunted ma with the iaci
her sons were in the Rebel army 7
IA vas their apology Cor depredations of ey
in kind. They insligated the negroes 70 S
,bs | cur buried silverware, and this determi
-,a ma 10 make an effort 10 save some Of
1 -r 40, II - ,F