Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-02
VIVID "REMINISCENCES
OF SHER|DAN's RAID
IN ). Carlton Tells How Beautiful
Country Home Of Captain John
j. Fry Was Sacked.
INMATES ARE LEFT HELPLESS
Despite paper of Protection" Given
by Commander, Place Is Looted OF
Everything of Value, and Farm
Animals Are Shot to Death.

ten about the horrors or war, perhaps
your readers may be interested in some
"reminiscences of nifty years ago
the actual experience Of a boy during
Sherdans raid in the early part OF
s65. when. with 10000 cavalry. he
swept down from the Shenandoah and
cut the railroad communications north
OF Richmond.
The writer and his brother, too young
to enlist, were boarding at Montezuma
Nelson County, the country residence
Of Captain John J. Fry, who was for
years superintendent of our city Gas
Works with Captain Fry's four chill
dren. we attended a private school at
Norwood.
Tho lovely mansion. "A commodious
two-story double brick house, was
situated on high hill. from which
was magnificent view OF the James
River and the surrounding lowlands
What happy days we boys spent
there. unconscious and innocent Of
what war meant, while the cause Of
the Southern Confederacy was fast
crumbling away! How we enjoyed
going to our rabbit traps early In the
morning. hunting. fishing. skating and
bathing In season one who has
never lived in the country can appre-
clate.
Soon the scene changes. Rumors Of
the approach of Sheridan's army. LAYING
waste the country, reached our happv
home. and we were told 10 be on tho
lookout. as II would pass our place on
me way TO join Grant The signal for
the near arrival would he the burning
OF the bridge across the James at Hard
wicksville to prevent the crossing at
that point.
Never shall forget that dark night
when the light burst forth from. the
bridge. and Mrs. Fry and we children
stood on the lawn, awe-struck. water.
ing the devouring names
Ihen followed quick action by our
little household. uninitiated and un pro
tected. The horses We're led into the
aense Forest and tied An old negro
iarm hand and preacher who had lust
KILLED his pen" hog. carried his bacon
into the woods and buried II deem in
the ground with tho help OF us bows
wise move on his part. as Wa shall
see later. Our shotguns we hid in
noIiow logs and covered them with
leaves w"
The next day we>kept constant watch
an expectant, as children will be. Sud.
denlH rev horsemen rode up to tho
ana nismounted. and then /, was
Yankees I'VE
Soon the hillsides. fields and lance
were hilcd with troops hal, va.
made. and preparations for canning
ouo~en. General Sheridan and his
look possession OF the cntire
mouse except two rooms into whic.
ne were crowded, and the cooks roon,
'er me dining-room. / remember veil
s.epl IN this room while the house
80 occupied by the officers Tbev
helped themselves to eyerytbin, ,,E,
on the Fat OF the land How M, go
opened when watched them sna,ad
ne taoie IN the dining room. waItca 49,,
~ the privaics. for it was tho or.,
walt on table: person
As was natural with boys we 500,
maoc friends with the soldiers La.rT,
en-! Oh the officsrs, and were hale r.I
lows weii-me,." and many q nle,san,
nour was spent joking with them
nc army remained three dave ana
there was nothing thai csr.na = ana
smaii boys" notice. Tina, we nnio,ns
ourselves, ] must confess '"
., men u was announced the camp was
20 oreak Mrs. Fry was given ma ner
to be molested But as sonm * vas
nouse was vacated by the Officers ~
me hhes commenced to move tha ,nn,
ers began their work. Every rooS s.,,, =
en drawers, etc, emptied. eIEy
thins OF value and MANY thingv ~
use taken, clothing, jcweIrv 30 "a 10
the piano was not spared. but brokan
can see wildly to-day a soldier nlJinr
f'llow case with -four from a h.rrsI
,i.,, me BACK stairway--takins what
t'ti' me ofhcers had left We bo,.e
Followed the IL o,ers around .e,.ot,i;
"hen tney went into our room Seai,.
our powder horns and shot nonchass
one OF them remarked, Where are your
suns: we have none" said. mighty
strange" he replied
But the worst was IN cow. ~,
~ gathered the children and the maid
ser'an. around her on the front lawn
hno "hile the lootin1 was going on
~ the mouse we watched the burning
or all that was left-corn, wheat 70,
oacco. hay and the farming implements
everything was destroyed-not n fow,
pIece or bacon the smokehouse was
run when they came), pig. sheen or
co" remained; the dwelling only was
spared. '' vas
Then they commenced shootine Tho
disabled horses. Some they shot in the
Saro close enough to the porch for tho
olooo 10 spatter on it, What an i'm
preston OF horror this made on me,
this one farm "
AFTER Ire last soldier had gone we
wen. oaek INTO the house and found
they had taken everything in the wav
or provisions except little -Four. Such
plight we were in. Nothing tn cat
r." clothes. sinouliering ruins and car,
cahxes % horses everywhere We found
bacon hacked and stamped in the
ground in different places, evidently 10
prevent Its being used. AIany a piece
we dug up, washed and ate, for that
with The old preachers bacon, was
All We had to cat for long time Our
allowance was a small piece of bacon
and few thin biscuits made from the
remnant of -four. We secured the
country for miles to get food, which
was hard to. find. as all had suffered
alike.
Discovering some OF the horses not
fatally shot, we went to work on them
and saved five or six, only TO have them
taken at the blowing season by body
of soldiers claiming them as the prop
erty of the United states. Thus, we
we're left without any means OF put
ting in crop, for they had found the
horses we hid in the woods.
1T Is an Ill wind that blows nobody
any good" We boys got all the am
munition We wanted from the cart
ridges found scattered everywhere We
made our own shot. for necessity is