Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-02-19
PA,

TO take the time of the Senate, but |
will give my idea of the character OF
these war claims, loyal and disloyal, by
an illustration from real incidents. /
will give you, first, the character of a
claim that will not be paid, and it is a
type of many millions. Early in the
month of September, 1865, il became
necessary for me, in the discharge OF q
professional engagement, TO travel one
hundred miles in the immediate track
of Sherman's march throgh Georgia.
One day, about two o'clock in the Of.
ternoon, | became exceedingly hungry.
| said to the youth who was driving
the horse "You must stop at the first
favorable opportunity and let me get
something to eat" 1 shall never for.
get the expression Of the young man.
aAh - says he, sinister, don't reckon
you will find anything you will con-
slider fit to eat in this part Of the coun-
try Sherman has been along here. y
"Well," said, "but the people in this
part of the country live on something,
do they mott "0b, yes, but | don't
hardly know how il is they live; they
seem TO live, though" "Wcll,' said,
al can live one day on what they live
on constantly, ! am pretty sure, and
therefore we will stop at the most
favorable chance apparent" 1t was
not long before we came to very good.
looking frame dwelling, two stories
high, a dwelling OF a character very
well known in the South, containing six
rooms, well built, and indicating in for.
mer times country family well-to-do
in the world. The fencing was all gone
The chimneys were standing on the
outside, showing that the outhouses
had been burned, but there stood the
main dwelling and said to the young
man "Stop here, and will see If |
can get something TO eat;' and went
in. | was met at the door by a very
excellent looking lady, modest, but
evidently refined and educated, as she
turned out 10 be--a country lady Of
great hospitality, but with evidence
Of poverty all around her, and she look
ed prcmaturely old. She said to me
when made known my purpose Of
stopping, "Why, my dear sir, would
be glad TO give you anything that |
could, but have nothing that you will
have l suppose, nothing that feel in
clined to offer you" "Anything that
you bavo,p said, twill suit me, be-
cause am exceedingly hungry. She
said, al can prepare for you nothing
but some potatoes and some eggs, but
| have nothing IN which TO cook the
potatoes except the embers we are in
the habit Of roasting them in the ashes.
| have nothing in which to cook the
eggs except the ashes or broken skill
let. l have not whole piece Of furn-
iture or a whole kitchen impliment on
the premises everything is broken"
She handed me q seat She said 81
have handed you the best seat have,
and the back Of that Is broken as you
see." "Why is all thisY' why" she
said, "Sherman's army passed along
here and did all this" Well, told
her that would take the potatoes and
eggs, and she put them in the ashes
accordingly, and while they were roast
ing said to her: "Will you please
give me an account OF your experience
and trials when Shermans army pass
cd along here2" She said she would
| cannot give it all to the Senate, but
certainly It was one Of the most inter
esting narratives / ever listened to ia
my life.
The lady was one who had married
about eight years before the war began
She was well raised and graduated al
a female college in Georgia. She and
her husband settled that place and
built that house they had about one
thousand acres Of land, thirty slaves
and all needed personality, and were
entirely out of debt, and perfectly
happy. They had three children borr
to them, the oldest at the time of my
visit being only twelve years old
Mr.. BECK. Mr.. President, | deslr,
TO ask whether Warren Mitchell gol
any OF that womans eggs and potatoes
or not We are trying his case now
not hers.
Mr.. HILL. | will come TO Warrer
Mitchell's case. will show you how
liz applies to Warren Mitchell's case
but shall do II IN my own way.
1t turned out that her husband wen
into the Confederate army and lost hi
lite in one of the battles in Virginia
His remains were brought home anC
buried in sight of where We were sit
ting. About year after her husband
was killed in Virginia in the Confeder
ate army, Sherman's army passec
through Georgia, and all her slave
except one, her cook. called Aun
Millie, left. This aunt Millie was raiseC
with this lady, and nursed her in he
infancy and was given to her by he
father and she said she would neve
leave her under any circumstances
and she remained with her But h
mako long story short everything
they had was taken. All the stock
all the provisions were taken away
Everything that could not be carrie'
J away was killed or broken or burned
, except one COW, two banks Of potatoes
: and one small crib Of corn. The Gov
J was saved by Aunt Millie claiming !
, as her own, which she did for the pur
pose of saving it. The corn-crib wa
saved in this way the lady sat in he
, house with her three children and say
} everything being burned seeing tn
J torch about to be applied to the las
corn.crb she summoned courage AM
/ went ont with her babe in her arm
: and her two little children by her sid
, and said TO the officer who seemed {
have charge Of the sport "Sir, hav
i. you family at home ," The Office
/. SAID he had a wife and two children
Q F" What would you think" said she, 81
, a Southern army should pass throug
b. your country and take the last moutl
}, ful Of bread your wife and childre
: had :" The officer was man. ii
0 lifted bis bat most CALAMITY and the
Q said TO his squad, Don't FIRE tha
crib" and said TO the squad in th
Q garden, aDon't disturb further thot
0 potatoes" and that Is the way the lad
!. saved the crib Of corn and banks of p'
4 tatoes. In the mean time the squa
. had gone into the house, pulled dow