Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-05-11
A Story OF the Civil War.

After the time of which l have spoken
the confederate forces burned the house of
Governor A. w. Bradford, the Union gov.
ernor of Maryland, situated in Baltimore
county. In retaliation for the destruction
of MIR. Stevens and Governor Bradford's
property, Secretary Stanton ordered the de-
struction of the residences of Alexander r.
Boteler and Andrew Hunter, both members
of the confederate congress from Jefferson
county, Va, and that of Charles j. Faulk-
ner near Martinsburg, Va. General Hunter,
then commanding the forces in the Shenan-
doah Valley, was charged with the execu-
ton OF the order. Captain Grey Martindale,
of the First New York cavalry, was detailed
for the unpleasant service, but he was man
who never shirked duty, pleasant or disa-
greeable. 1t was beautiful day when he
started with handful of men to obey his
orders.
| First the residence OF Andrew Hunter
near Charlestown, which stood within rifle
shot of where John Brown was hanged, was
left with nothing but the walls to mark the
place where one of the strongest lawyers
and bitterest secessionists in all Virginia,
once lived in affluence. lie has rebuilt upon
the old walls since the war and is spending
his last days within the same walls whose
contents were once destroyed by war. Mr..
Boteler's property, situated near Shepherds
town, in the same county, with all its rare
old books, next crumbled beneath the flames.
| 1t has, believe, never been rebuilt. Its
owner is man of culture, who sat in con-
gress before the war. He and Faulkner
were ever bitter enemies. He defeated
Faulkner for congress the time he served in
district which he thought he had in his
pocket. Martindale then rode on to Martins
l Al .f..I -
where the Faulkners lived, surrounded by
fourteen hundred acres of the finest land in
I" the Valley" The old roof tree was built
by General Boyd, Mrs. Faulkner's father,
during, or lust after the revolution. 1t is
surrounded by magnificent park enclosed
with stone fence When the officer rode
to the house and alighted the place was
bright with flowers. He stepped upon the
porch, pulled the old-fsshioned knocker, and
one of the ladies of the family responded to
his summons.
lie read the order to her, which said that
in one hour from that moment the property
would be destroyed, and that only the per-
sonal effects of the ladies could be removed.
This was the course pursued by the confed-
crates when they destroyed Governor Brad
ford's property. The officer withdrew, and
in ten minutes telegraphic appeal went
over the wires to Mr.. Lincoln, through Col.
onel Ward II. Lamon, who was born and
raised in this county. He had left it early
in life and gone to Illinois, where he had be
come intimate with Mr.. Lincoln, and was
then in Washington as his marshal of the
District of Columbia, and intimate friend
The people of his native county often drew
upon him for favors, and rarely were theil
J drafts dishonored. When the telegram wa
on its way the ladies, Mrs. Faulkner and two
daughters, prepared themselves to leave
their home, and then waited for the dreaded
moment to arrive. A messenger waited a
r the station for an answer to the dispatcl
\ they had sent, but the moments flew ant
none came. The clock showed the hou
: was within a notch of being up, and the Off
! Ger to apply the torch was already at hand
When the hand Of the clock rested upon al
" most the last beat the messenger from tn
, station was seen coming up the graveled roa'
i at breakneck speed. He had dispatch
and it was from Mr.. Lincoln, and it directe
v that the property of Mr., Faulkner shout
g not be Observation-Disclosures Press.