Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-03-23
MIS- cELLANE Gus.
a Stirring Letter from a Virginia
Woman.

woman,
AT request of gallant ex. Con nfederate
officer and n lady friend of his, we rs>prin.
from our issue of March 5th, 1878, the fol-
lowing letter written by Mrs. Henrietta T..
Lee, wife of the late Edmund 1. Leo. of this
county, to Gen. David Hunter, the author
of the burning of the houses of Hon. A. r.
BoteIer, and Andrew Hunter aud Edmund /,
Lee, Esqs., during the late war:
JEFFERSON COUNTY. July 20, 1874.
General Hu"ter.-Yesterday your uDder-
ling, Captain Martindale, of the FIRST New
York cavalry, executed your Infamous order
aud burned my house. You have the salts.
faction 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, therefore, a heIpless
woman whom you have cruelty wronged. ad>
dress you, Major. 6 enoral of the United
States Army, aud demand Why this was
done? What was my offence? Ny husband
was absent, an exile. He had rever been a
politician or in any way engaged in the
struggle now going on, his age preventing.
The fact your Chief>of-staf, David Strother.
could have told you. The house was built
by my father, Revolutionary soldier. who
served the whole seven years for your iude
pendence. There was born; there tho ga
cred deadsrepose. 1t was my house and nv
home, and there has your niece, (Miss Grif.
hth) who has tarried among us all this hor
rid war up to the present time, met with all
Kindness and hospitality at my hands Was
1t for this that you turned me, nv Young
daughter and little son out upon the world
without shelter! Or was it because nv
husband is tho grandson of the Revolutions.
ry patriot aud ''rebel," Richard Henry Lee.
and tho near kinsman of the nobless of
Christian warriors. the greatest of Generals.
Robert f. Lee? Heavens blessing be upon
his head forever. You and your Government
have failed to conqner .subdue or match him.
aud disappointment, rage aud malice fiud
vent on the helpless and inoffensive
Hyena like, you have torn nv heart TO
pieces! for all hallowed memories clustered
around that homestead, and, demeu>like.
you have done it without even the pretext
of revenge, for never saw or harmed you.
Your office is not to lead, like a brave man
and soldier, your men to fight in the ranks
OF war, but your work has been to separate
yourself from all danger, and with ycur in
cendiary band steal unnwarcs upon helpless
women and children, to insult aud DESTROY
Tw" fair homes did you yesterday ruthlessly
lay in ashes, giving not moments warning
10 the startled inmates of your wicked pur-
pose; turning mothers and children out of
doors you are execrated by your own men
for the cruel work you have them to do.
In the case of Col A. r. Boteler, both
father and mother were far away. Any heart
but that of Capt. Martindale (and yours)
would have been touched by that little cir
Gle, 1mprising a widowed daughter lust
rison from her bed of illness, her three
fatherless babies-the eldest not five wears
old-and her heroic sister 1 repeat. auy
man would have been touched at that sight.
But, Capt. Martindale, 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 qualities in his bosom.
You have chosen well your agent for such
deeds and doubtless will promote him
colonel of the Federal army has stated
that you deprived forty of your officers of
their commands because they refused to
carry on your malignant mischief All honor
to their names for this at least They are
men-they have human hearts and blush for
such commander!
/ ask who that does not wish infamy and
disgrace attached TO bin forever would serve
under you? Your name will stand on histo-
ry's page as the Hunter of weak women and
innocent children; the Hunter to DESTROY
defenseless villages and refined and beauti-
tui hoDes-to torture afresh tho sgonized
hearts of widows; the Hunter of Africa's
poor sons and daughters to lure them on to
ruin and death of soul and body the Hun
ter with the relentless heart of a wild beast.
the face of 6end and the form OF a man.
On. Earth, behold the monste.l Can saw.
God forgive you?" No prayer can be Of
fered 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 up
right and the hatred of the true and honor>
able. will follow you and yours through all
time. aud brand your name ixfamy! 1s>
FAMYi
Again l demand why you have burned
my home? Answer as you must answer be-
fore the Searcher of all hearts, why have
you added this cruel, wicked deed to your
many crimes? HENR1ETTA E. LEE
If you want pretty Set of Glassware for
40 cts.-consistiDg of cream pitcher, spoon
holder. sugar bowl with top, and butter dish
with top. go to Daigarn's and get it. he
also has good selection of other Glass snd
a great variety of Lamps
For sors throat. earrle With Piso,s Cure.
mixed with little water. Relief 10 instant.