The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-12-04
BARBARIsM OF THE WAR.
A Scathing Rebuke BY an Injured
and Indignant Southern
Woman.

| in a new book entitled "The Annals
of the Late War written by leading
participants North and South"
printed by the Times Publishing
Company, Philadelphia:
GENERAL HUNTER: Yestert ay.
your underliDg, Captain Martindale,
of the First New York Cavalry,exe
cuted your Infamous order and
burned my house. You have the
satisfaction ere this of receiving
from him the information that your
orders were fulfilled to the letter;
the dwelling and every out build
ing, seven in number, with their
contents, being burned. l, there
fore, helpless woman whom you
have cruelty wronged, address you,
Major General of the United
States army, and demand why this
was done2 What was my ofense?
My husband was absent-an exile.
He had never been a politician, nor
in any way engaged in the struggle
now going on, his age preventing.
This fact your chief-of staff, David
Strother, could have told you. The
house was built by my father, a
Revolutionary soldier, who served
the whole seven years for your in
dependence. There Was 1 born;
there the sacred dead repose. 1t
was my house and my home, and
there has your niece miss Grit
fifth }, who has tarried among US all
this horrid war up to the present
moment. met with all kindness and
hospitality at my hands Was it
for this that you turned me, my
young daughter and little son out
upon the world without a shelter?
Or was it because my husband is
the grandson of the Revolutionary
patriot and "rebel,' Richard Henry
Lee, and the near kinsman of the |
nOblest of Christian warriors, the |
greatest of Generals, Robert E. |
Lee? Heavens blessing be upon
his head ioreveri You and your
government have failed to conquer,
subdue or match him; and disap |
pointed, rage and malice find vent
on the helpless and inofensive.
Hyena like, you have torn my
heart to pieces! for all hallowed |
memories clustered around that |
homestead; and, demon-Hke, you
have done it without even the pre-
text of revenge, for 1 never saw or
harmed you. Your Office is not to
lead, like brave man in the ranks
of war, but your work has been to
separate yourself from all danger,
and with your incendiary band steal
unaware upon helpless women and
children, to isult and destroy. Two
fair homes did you yesterday ruth
lessly lay in ashes, giving not a
moments warning to the startled
inmates of your wicked purpose;
turning mothers and children out
of doors, your very name execrated
by your own men for the cruel
work you gave them to do.
In the case of Col. A. R. Bote
Ter, both father and mother being
lar away. Any heart but that of
Captain MartindaIe land yours)
would have been touched by that
little circle, comprising a widowed
daughter just risen from her bed of
illness, her three little fatheriess
babes-the oldest not five years old
and her heroic sister. l repeat,
any man would have been touched
at that sight. But, CAPTAIN Mar
tindale! one might as well hope to
find mercy and feeling In the heart
of a wolf bent on his prey of young
lambs, as to search for such quail
ties in his bosom. You have chos-
en- we'll your agent tor such deeds,
and doubtless will promote him!
A colonel of the Federal army
has stated that you deprived forty
of your officers of their commands
because they refused to carry out
your maligant mischief All honor
to their names for this, at least!
They are naen-they have human
hearts and blush for such CON-
mander.
l ask who, that does not wish in
fanny and disgrace attached to him
forever, would serve under you'll
Your name will stand on history's
page as the Hunter of weak women
and Innocent children; the Hunter
to destroy defenseless villages and
refined and beautiful homes-to
torture afresh the agonized hearts
Of the widows; the Hunter Of Afri
cas- poor sons and daughters, to
lure them on to ruin and death of
soul and body; the Hunter with the
relentless heart of a wild beast, the
face of fiend and the form of a
man. Oh, Earth, behold the mon
ster! Can L say, God forgive
your No prayer can be offered for
you! Were it possible for human
lips to raise your name heavenward,
angels would thrust the foul thing
back again, and demons claim their
own. The curses of thousands,
the scorn of the manly and upright,
and the hatred of the true and hon
orable, will follow you and yours
through all time, and brand your
name iyaney, iEVan1yi
Again, demand why have you
burned my house? Answer as you
must answer before the Searcher Of
all hearts. Why have you added
this cruel, wicked deed to your
many crimes?
HENRIETTA E. LEE.
Sheperdstown, Va,
Tulv 9Oth 1894