The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-11-26
From tho 81. Louis 1'imcs. j
EzEEEEEsBaAMD.
An Authentic Letter from Hiru--.Hss Own
Statement Of Affairs from tho Beginning
Of the Var to The Present Time,
MrapnIs, TEsN., Oct. IT, 1850.

Of the Var to the Present lime.
Mnapns, TEsN., Oct, II, 1859.
Is "fair play" Is Que Of tho jewels oi
American character, and "a il il consider.
cd right aud proper to give even the devil
"his due" | hope you viii not refuse to
give to the public, through your widely
read paper, Sam. IIildcybrand's i own state
mcnt Of his history since the beginning
Of the late terrible war 10 the end that
fair minded men may judge Whether there
we're not some good reasons and strong
proyocaiions fer tic desperate deeds
charged against mc.
Whom the war begun / was Ica1iBg n
quiet, peaceable life, frying 10 progl4c for
my family IN al honest though humble
sphere Of lie. In the condition If anairs
in my part Of Missouri Lad made W
my mind to keep cot Of the troubles and
take no part III tho war. IN 1869 my
brother, Frank iIilderbrand, went into
The State Guards under JEFF. Thompson.
Ou Franks return to see our mother aud
family, he WIS captured by uiob headed
by young McElvanc. by McEIyauc's 5
order, Frank was killed after his capture !:
bis head @as mashed, his boly manglcd
and cut 10 pieces iu such shocking
manner that the most barbarous savage
would have blushcd to have been gully
Of the deed. Ills body was then thrown
into mineral h0le 80 feet Geep, and Icf.
to rot.
The next outrage committed on ny
kindred and family was tic murder Of Ms
brother, George Washington. and a Cana-
dian pn,ned Euslaehe Iapdvsky, who was
engaged 70 Dc married 70 ny sister Mary.
These last murders were perpeirated by
men Ia Union uniform, and vino were So
'diers Of the Federal army Two weeks
after these tragedies ny sister Mary died
Of trouble aud broken heart.
Two weeks later these men came 10 n1y
mothers house and loaded several Wagons
With our property, drove % all cur cattle,
and set fire 70 her house, the best stone
dwelling in the settlement. My poor,
dear, brokc9 hearted mother, seeing the
house baraitg, sent NY little brother
Henry - thosc hcarelcss Ireichcs and
asked for tho Emily Bible as q relic u be
Kept when al else was gone. Not dream
ing ci harni 10 the LITTLE tender boy. what
can express her horror aud agony whcu
ihese dcmons shei my little brother. not
II years eld, through the bowels. aud 4
liend then put L.s foot on his head and
cut bis ihroat
IAus were these atrocious deeds ofblood
aud cruelty aud robbery committed on my
kindred aud family. Let any man pu. the
question to his soul, whethcrsuch 0usragcs
would not have aroused him 10 desperate
retaliation, at tie time when the law
no l1Gger had po1cr 10 ayeuge a man's|
wToD.s for b;u aud for the sake Of justice
And yet, even theu, bore these aceu-
cumulatcd outrages without lifting hand
to avenec my brothers aud sisters blood
Loving ny daring wife aud little children
better THAI anything else On earth, |
forced my heart to bear on in silence.
Though crushed Ike worm, refused
to sting the foot that crushed me.
Daring al these outraees | had resolg-
ed 10 not 20 iu the Southern army. nor
to Heddle in tie troubles 10 any way. /
removed from Big River 10 Flat Moods.
distant - miles, hoping thar 10 harm
would beIall nc or my wife and children,
il would get out of the immediate neigh.
boghood of those who had murdered and
outraged my family.
But to my surprise, about the middle
of May, just when my crop vas looking
well, aud hope wos strong that would
be left in peace, about sunrise one morn
ing my house was surrounded by MeEl-
yane aud his crew of some 80 or 10 men,
all well armed.
/ remembered the fate Of my brothers
aud friends, slaughtered in cold blood,
like sheep, after their capture, aud |
knew there was no hope Of mercy or JUS
ticc from such demons; no help except
in the courage and strength that q God had
given me-.
The die with me was cast. | had
sought peace and quiet, but the blood
hounds had trailed me. | was ut bay.
Tie conflict that had led from was forced
upon me. The alternative was lie or
death.
met my pursuoia at the door. Ishot
down two Of them in their tracks, made a
rush for the woods and escaped. Find
ing it impossible to livesa: or near home,
| went TO Arkansas, aud afterward got
my vile aud four children.
The two mcn killed in my door was
the FIRST blood ever shed by me. Then,
when price was set on my head, | dc.
termined to revenge tho death Of my
brothers. rode seven times from Ar.
kanas before I could get to shoot Neil
vaue, the infamous butcher, who had
murdered my brothers and sought my
life. Then / meant to harm no one else,
If they would leave uie undisturbed, but
some of the soldiers, piloted by Jim
Craig, very meddlesome spy, undertook
to have me killed.
In self-defense I turned loose on them
aud made many Of those who sought my
life bite the dust | often met them IN
the woods. They ali knew me, aud would
offer to assist me- They would make an
appointment to bring me provisions to my
hiding places, and then would pilot sol
diers there 10 try to have mo captured
/ always killed that kind ofmen. | have
captured many Union soldiers, but | new
er hurt or treated them unkindly unless
Fit was one who had brutally treated
Southern prisoners, and | knew it.
Il have had hundreds of hair breadth
escapes for nay life; but I know there is
nercifal God that knows and does all
things Tight-an all-powerful hand has
protected me. I have twenty times been