The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-08-28
GEN. LYLE 4 NANDAL.
A Town plnndcrcd-HOuscs Bro
ken Opcn-CitiAcns Insulted
and Robbed.

Editorial Correspondence Houston (Ga]
Home Journal.
II is with surprise that we have read
in some Southern papers whose editors
must certainly have Il great preference
for the ideal, dazzling notices Of the
"Gallant and chivalrous" Gen. Lytlc,
author of the poem entitled 81 am dy-
ing, Egypt, dying" These papers evi'
IDENTIFY record not what the "poct Gen
cral' was, but what he ought TO have
been. Though there is an old saying
that "only the good deeds Of the dead
should be recorded" yet when they
arc held up to the v%oneration Of the
very people who were the victims OF
his ell deeds, il is but justice that the
| glitter Of romance should be darEcned,
for q moment at least, by the shadows
Of facts, 10 bring to the knowledge
Of our people the recollections Of some
dark facts, we record them, having, TO
support our own testimony, the cvi-
dcncc OF nearly every respecta-
bic man, woman and child who resided
in the town Of Winchester, Tennessee,
in .he month Of May 1862.
After the evacuation OF Middle Ten.
]ncsscc, BY the Confederate troops in
the spring Of 'G2, the Federals had I'M
disputed possession of that part Of the
State, except where it was contested
by occasional bands Of cavalry, The
first brigade of Yankee troops that en-.
tered Winchester was commanded by
Gen. Lytlc, Gen. Writ Adams, with Il
regiment Of Confederate cavalry, re
tired before him into the mountains.
Before the entrance into the town Ly-
ties artillery opened q brisk fire on the
%ncighboring woods in order 10 scare
f away any struggling soldiers who
might be near; and no resistance be.
5 ing offered the advance guard dashed
t in, outposts were placed, and guards
, posted on all the streets.
After these dispositions had been
made, in about an hour details came in
from the camp ofthc brigade, a hal
} mile from the Court House on the
Huntsville road, and Immediately the
. work Of robbery and devastation be
} gun, Every house IN the town was
thoroughly searched. anG all the guns
!, pistols. ammunition and every article o
value which had not been cllectuall,
c concealed were appropriated withou
= ceremony and when the citizens com
c planned and threatened to report t
e the officers, the soldiers would boas
. that Gen, Lytlc had given them two
D hours for plundering the place. Opcl
threats were made that .hcy would burr
the town and murder the inhabitants
merely because the county, Franklin
5 had in 1861 voted unanimously for Sc
n cession. Watches, icwcl"y and silvc
ware were in every instance taken ant
ladies and gentlemen, who dared t.
protest were invariably insulted an,
# abused. The stores and offices wer
y all broken open and robbed, or til
S owners were forced to unlock them t
c the murdcrous rullians, The count
Offices were entered, the record book
c destroyed, the Office papers scattered
$ to the winds and the iron safes pickle,
open and rilled. And the work 0
II plumber only ceased when there wa
d nothing left to steal.
The writer Of this article was i
- Winchester, a thirteen year, old boy a
the time, and was an eyewitness to til
above outragcs. No redress was OF
fercd by Gen. Lyle, although the poo
pie complained bitterly, no punishment
II was inflicted, and the barbarous act
were undoubtedly committed with til
express or implied consent of the com
| mandcr.
o Winchester, Tenn, August, 7th 1873.