Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-05-28

secession, ana perhaps some Oh us
citizens had given information as to
the location of the army. Major
General Scammon, Of the federal ar
my, placed batteries commanding
Charleston on the Kanawha, and
warned its citizens by special order,
that he would shell nd burn the
city, if there was an invasion of his
sacred quarters by the Confederates
as he held the sympathzers of the
South, as majority of its citizens
were, responsible for the raids made
in the Kanawha valley. This Gen
eral was afterwards captured by our
Lieutenant Edward Vertegan, COM
handing detachment of the 10th
Virginia cavalry, with Is guards
on board steamer at Charleston, and
sent them through the lines, via Taze-
well to Richmond
General Grant, after General Ear
lys advance on Washington, advised
the Secretary of War to send suffi-
cient force of regular soldiers and
militiamen, all mounted, to cooper
ate with General Hunter to operate
in the Valley of Virginia, south of the
b. and o. Railroad, to make that
country Il desert by consuming and
possessing thmselves of all provis-
ions and stock, so that crow flying
over would have to carry his rations
along to keep from starving, and to
notify and compel the inhabitants,
women and children ad old men, to
move out. How well that suggestion
was carried out by General Sheridan
and Hunter! was an eye witnes to
the result.
FIGURING mills, barns and residenc-
cs were looted and burned, all along
that beautiful and rich valley, nom
cobatants were rendered destitute and
homeless and forced to abandon their
sacred homes. General Sherman's
march to the sea, after Il half centu-
ry of peace, lone and isolated chin
neys may be seen standing as senti-
dented march of desolation. Women
were brutality treated. And one. Mrs.
Surratt, of Washington, d. c., was
executed upon circumstantial evil
dence by a military court, which cir
cumstances will forever remain
dark blot of innocent blood on the es-
cutcheon of the United States.
That the Confederate government
retaliated in Il measure for these acst
of the Federal authorities, by the
burning of Chambersburg, Pa, and
some few private residences, and pub
lie government buildings did not hu-
maxine these atrocious acts, as will
be admitted by all unprecedented per-
sons. And that the Naturalization
of war as practiced or conducted on
the bloody fields of Europe might
have been drawn from the panoramic
views of the great battles fought and
the inhumGn conduct of our civil war.
for there were military experts sent
by their respective governments, of
the European powers now engaged in
a death struggle, to observe the con-
duct of the civil war in detail. Our
harbors and ports were blockaded, no
communication with other nations.
we could not obtain war materials or
provisions for our armies and starry
inG non-corbatants. Nor did Eng
land or Germany attempt with their
merchantmen or forceful war fleets.
to open our ports and supply suffer
ing nd estitute people with the neces
saries of life. Then why should we
worry, as to the result of this uncall-
ed for and inhuman war, except to
stop them from their hindering our
people and destroying our vessels. This
they must do. And if they expect the
expect the United States to continue
to furish them with war material and
provisions for their suffering nom
cobatants, let "Uncle Sam demand an
open war zone and safe conduct of
vessels through any port that may be
designated, and if refused, place an
embargo on all shipments from our
ports to the belligerents. This. in
my opinion, would go farther to dem
onstrate our strict neutrality to the
world, than our present method of |
furnishing them with the Implements
OF war and provision to sustain shei,
armies whilst numbering each other.
thereby making is barticeps crin,i.
MS to the act. Oar reople don't care
Tor war; God forbid that our country
should ever again be engaged in civil
OF foreign war. But "Uncle Sam
has a duty to his coun;ry to perform
winch should be spoken in no un.ep-
'a'h sound that our flag, our ships,