Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-01-30
GEN HUNTER roy.
now WASHINGTON CoLLyGE WAS SPARED
THE BURNING uF GOV. LLrCnEWs
HOUSE.

From Brownsburg General Hunter
proceeded to Lexington, encounlering
only such delay us McCauslaud could
effect with single brigade Of Cavalry.
At Lexington he enlarged upon the
burning operations begun at Slaunton.
On bis way, and in the surrounding
country, he burnt IA ills, furnaces, store.
houses, grunaries, and all farming utrn.
sils be could tind, beside II great amount
Of lencing aud great amount OF grain.
In the town he burnt the Virginia
Military Institute, aud all the Profess
ors' houses, except the Superintendcnt's
General Smiths, where he had his
headquarters, aud found a portion of
the family too sick to be removed. He
had the combustibIes collected 10 burn
Washington College, The recipient OF
"the Father Of his Country by bis
will but yielded TO the appeals of the
trustees aud citizens, spared the build.
ing, but destroyed the philosophical
and chemical apparatus, libraries and
furniture. lie burned The mills and
some private stores in the lower part
Of the town. Captain Towns, an Off.
Ger in General Hunters army, took
supper with ihc family Of Gov. John
Letcher. Mrs. fletcher having heard
threats that her house would be burned
spoke Of II to Captain Towns, who
said II could not be possible, and re-.
marked that he would go at once tu
headquarters aud let her know. lie
went, returned in half an hour, aud
told her that he was directed BY Gen.
eral Hunter to assure hcr that the
house would not be destroyed, and she
might, therefore, rest easy. Aler this
she dismissed her iears, not believing
it possible that a man occupying Hun.
ter'S position would be guilty of wilful
and deliberate ialschood to II lady. 1t,
however, turned out otherwise, for the
next morning at halt past 8 o'clock, his
Assistant Provost Marshal, accompa-
MED by portion OF bis guard, rode up
TO the door, and Captain Berry dis
mounted, rang the door.bell, called for
Mrs. Lelcher, aud informed her that
General Hunter had ordered him to
burn the house She replied " There
must be some mistake aud requested
TO see the order. lie said it was vcr.
bal. She asked if its execution could
not be delayed till shu could see Hun
ter lie replied The order is per.
emtory, aud you have five minutes to
leave the house" Mrs. Lelcher then
asked If she could be allowed toIemovc
her mothers, her sisters, her own and
her children's clothing. This request
being refused, she lett the house. Ia
a very short time they poured cam.
phene ON the parlor floor and ignitcd
it with match. In the meantime
Miss Lizzie Letcher was trying to re-
move some articles Of clothing from
the other eud of the house, and Berry
finding these in her arms set fire to
them. The wardrobes and bureaus
were then fred and soon the house was
cnvelopcd IN flames. Governor Letch.
er's mother, then seventy.cight years
old, lived on the adjoining lot. They
fired her stable within forty feet of the
dwelling, evidently to burn IT, too,
but owing to the active cxerlions Of
Captain Towns, who made his men
carry water, the house was saved.
While Hunter was at Lexington Cap
tain Matthew X. White, residing near
the town, was arrested, taken about
two miles, and, without trial, was shot,
on the allegation that he was bush.
whackcr Daring the first year OF the
war hc commanded the Rockbridgo
Cavalry, aud was young gentleman
Of generous impulses aud good charac
ter. The total destruction Of private
property In lluckbrIdge county by
Hunter was estimated and published
IN the local papers ut the time as over
s2,OOO'OOO. The burning Of the lnsti.
tute was n public calamity, as it was
un educational establishment of great
valne.-GENEaAL J. u. iMBvDEs, in
PHILADELPHIA Weekly Times.