The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-25
General Hunter and His B%arbariIies.

Richmond, va, March a, 1884.
To the Editor Of The Times:
on reading in one of your late issues
the story from the Chicago Herald, pur-
porting 10 be a narrative Of the burning
Of General Stonewall Jackson's dwelling
house. at Lexington, Va, in June, 1864.
by one Corporal Clay Whiteleg, and of
his rescuing the family Bible and return
ing it 10 Mrs. Jackson since the war, /
at once pronounced the statement to be
unhistorical and false, and so declared TO
several friends present at the time. !
am glad that the falsehood has been so
promptly detected and pointed out by
the writer OF the interesting article from
Lexington, Va, March nth, appearing in
The Times Of March 18th.
That Hunter was probably the meanest,
most unprincipled. %barbarous. and malig-
nant of all the Federal officers who acted
in the South during the war between the
States. has been established by history.
and is made TO appear in the Students
United States, pages 800. sol, S02, and 81,
by plain recitals of his deeds. But he
did not burn the dwelling Of the dead
hero, Stonewall Jackson. The eloquent
editorial in The Times. Of March 18th. is
only a little premature, as many other
elegant editorials are. Two trains Of
thought nave been suggested by this err
ror and its detection. each of which is, l
think, worthy Of attention.
The first is how much Of care, caution,
persistent attention, and comparison, and
conscientious resolve to reach the truth,
If possible, must be exercised in the pro-
duction Of any work claiming the high
name Of history. Although that tremen-
dous war of four years was waged only
from twenty-nine 10 t%hirty-three years
ago, and waged in an age Of light, and
knowledge, and newspapers, and books,
and printing presses. yet ! think il en-
tirely certain that more f~alsehoods, DELHI
crate lies, or careless and sensational
misrepresentation have been made con-
corning its events In the hundreds Of
thousands Of printed pages or columns
relating to it that have appeared, than
concerning any previous wal Of the same
duration that ever has occurred in the
world. Even the thoughtful works OF
such men as Dick Taylor, j. T.. Johnston.
Early, ID. II. Hill. Dabney. jefferson
Davis, Alexander III. Stephens, Long
street (soon to be published. Grant, Sher-
man, Badeau, will be found to be so
utterly irreconcilable as to the events of
the war that all they narrate cannot pos
sibly be history.
The second thought is that however
horrible, barbarous, and cruel may have
been the outrages of the enemies OF the
South, in the war between the States. vet
II remains true that English generals.
officers, and soldiers, with the approval
and sometimes by express command OF
their government. inflicted greater and
more atrocious outrages on the people
of The United States during the war OF
the Revolution. from 1775 10 1881. and
during the war from 1872 TO 1875. This
can be fully demonstrated IL necessary. A
single illustration will suffice. Even Cen
eral David Hunter, malignant and bar
barous as he was, did not ATTEMPT To
burn the residence Of Stonewall jackson
after the death OF that hero and while
his widow and little daughter were alive.
But the British General, Sir Henry elm
ton, and his subordinates, Sir James
Wallace and General Vaughan, In their
military move up the Hudson river. I'm
lfH, Tor the purpose OF cooperating with
General B~urgoyne. deviated from the line
or the hudson for the purpose Of burning
ana destroying the private residences of
conspicuous patriots at Rhinebeck. Liy-
ingSton Manor, and other places. And
these British officers and men burned the
home OF the dead hero, General Richard
Montgomery, who had fallen at Quebec
two years before this outrage. and his
widow and family were rudely turned
out or their dwelling that 1t might be de-
stroyed. And General Tuyon's devasta-
lions and wanton destruction OF private
property exceeded that OF Grant and
Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. War
has always been attended by gigantic
crimes. And yet thirteen millions OF
armed men are drilling for war in Europe
now. r. r. HOWISON.