The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-09-29
BENTON. LOUISIANA THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 49, 1885,

four steamers at White Kruse Landing
which had Just finished discharging
cargoes. There was time to have re-
loaded at least half, and they were
given orders to do it, but net pound
was taken aboard. The soldiers on the
wharf had rather see everything given
over to the torch than to save single
barrel.
Jackson Mt Manassas.
In carrying out the lines OF a COM
paign Manassas Junction was made
great supply depot. Every thing with
roof on it was filled, and along the
tracks for two miles were great heaps
of everything needed by an army in
the field. At one spot the barrels of
pork were piled up ten high and the
line was half mile long. Among the
quartermaster' supplies were 10000
complete uniforms, including shoes.
When Jackson fianked into Manassas
he found this great depot of supplies
at hand, guarded by only a few thou
sand men, who were dunfounded at
his sudden appearance. He had pos
session in half an hour. As he had no
wagon train he could hope to save but
little. Every vehicle belonging to the
federals was loaded and started of,
and then the confederate army was
turned loose on the rest of the plunder.
For hours the soldiers cooked End ate,
and then orders were given to destroy.
The torch was applied, and so thor
cughly was the work accomplished
that not a dollars worth of stuff was
left. 1t was hard lines for the confed-
crates to be obliged to destroy what
they stood in need of so badly, but the
federal troops were closing in and
they had to leave the blazing heaps
and make ready for battle. The loss
seriously inconvenienced the army of
the Potomac for time, and Uncle Sam
was millions of dollars out of pocket.
Gen. Jackson said of the destruction:
More supplies were destroyed in
half day than would have been re-
quired for my corps in six months, and
l was never more reluctant to give an
order"
From Atlanta to the Sea.
When Sherman started to march
across Georgia from Atlanta to the
sea his plan was to live on the country.
He had only four days rations at the
start, and for Leriod of 80 days every
pound of provisions and forage was
gathered in by foragers. This meant
that gangs of men were out on the
fianks of each command for distance
CT ten miles, and it meant stripping the
country as bare as if fire had passed
ever it. According to official figures
the forage gathered in 919, 900 rations
of bread, which meant meal or -four;
tions of coffee. 5s1 ,534 ra tions of sugar
1,146,5 500 rations of soap and 137,O0C
rations of salt. These rations were
b1ought in and 1edistributed. and do
not represent more than three-fifths
OF what was actually taken. In ad.
dition there were taken over 4,OOC
mules and horses, 5000, GOO pounds OF
hay and 100000 pounds of grain
Every garden was cleared of it's yege
tables and every field of its crops
Whatever was eatable by man CT horse
was loaded up, and after that came de.
struction. A line of railroad 12o miles
long was SO completely destroyed that
the rear guard could not see tie OF
rail. Whenever cotton was found il
was burned. and the number of bale,
footed up 1900. Every cotton gin OF
a point of a hundred miles was burned
and the last comers applied the torch
to houses and barns. Not a store in
the path of a column escaped sacking
and the bummers ransacked private
houses from top to bottom in search OF
plunder. From Atlanta to Savannah
there was not d rod of highway fence
left standing, and whenever camp fire.
were lighted shade or fruit trees were
cut down to feed the flames. While nc
great loss was inflicted on the confed
crates under arms in this march, the
damage to private property was in.
calculable. In scores Of cases, whe1
the army had passed. the farmer haC
lost house, barns, sheds, provisions
fences, crops-everyt thing but the rag
ged suit on his back. Brush house..
had to be built for shelter, and the
only food was potatoes dug from thu
ground and roasted.
The Raid on ChnElbersburg.
When the confederate cavalry under
McCausland and Gilmore dashed into
Chambersburg, Pa, they demanded &
ransom of 100000 to spare the town
The people could not pay any suct
sum, and, believing help to be near
they refused to name any figure. The
order was given to sack and burn, ant
while few soldiers kept ~atch the
rest went about their work. They
held up aud robbed every man on the
street as beginning. Then they
sacked the stores. and from thence
proceeded to the dwelling houses. l.
almost every case they would offer te
spare the house for a certain sum
Plenty of owners paid from s25 to $50
to have their buildings spared, but nc
Gooner had the money been handed
over than the torch was applied. In al.
220 people were "held up and robbed
Los L.. L..