The Marietta journal and courier., 1917-11-02
CRUELTIES OF WAR.

Editor Inc journal:
Since the beginning and during the
course of the present "World War"
there have been many acts of
brutality and rapine charged against
the soldiers of Germany.
/ herewith submit verbatim extract
from a we'll known work, which abun-
dainty confirms the brutal character
of Tuetonic soldiery. The following
passage occurs in Vol. /, pages 430-
431, of 'The History of the War of
Independence of the United States
of America, written by Charles Bot
ia, the eminent Italian historian, in
the year 1909. This testimony to the
fact Of Prussian barbarity comes from
G source that is undeniably trust
worthy and impartial.
MRS. C. A. GUYTON.
Marietta, Ga.
"An universal cry was heard in
America against the cruelties, the
massacres, the rapes and the ravages
perpetrated by their soldiers. And
even supposing that their crimes were
exaggerated, the truth is still too hor-
rible. The Hessians, as if they had
believed themselves released from
all respect for humanity, and jus
tice, knew no other mode of making
war, but that of carrying devasta-
ton into the midst of all the proper
ty, whether public or private, of their
adversaries.
"It was published at the time, that
the Germans had been taught to be-
lieve, that all the lands they could
conquer in America should become
their own property, which led them
to consider the possessors of them rs
their natural enemies, whom they
were bound to exterminate in every
possible mode But that finding
themselves not likely to profit by this
expectation, they set about plunder
ing and destroying whatever they
could lay their hands upon. 1t was
also affirmed that this rapacious sol
diery had so burthened themselves
with booty as to become almost
incapable of service. The violent
hatred which the Americans manifest
ed for the Hessians, rendered them
but the more outrageous in their de-
predations. Men accustomed to Ii
berty, could not behold without alb
horrence these brutal mercenaries,
"Who, not content, they said, with
submitting to be slaves in their own
country, are willing for few francs,
to become the instruments of tyranny
with others, and come to interfere
in a domestic quarrel, in which they
have no interest "Why", added
the Americans. "Have they left their
homes in the old world to contribute
in the new to the butchery of an
innocent and generous people, who
had never offended them; who, on
the contrary, had exercised a noble
hospitality towards a multitude of
their ancestors, who sought refuge
from a tyranny similar to what their
countrymen were now attempting to
establish in America" This language
did but the more exasperate the Ger
mans; they manifested their fury by
the most atrocious actions. 1t was
a terrible and lamentable spectacle,
to behold these fertile fields covered
with ashes and with ruins. Friends
and foes, republicans and loyalists,
all shared common fate. Wives
and daughters suffered violence in
the houses and even before the eyes of
their husbands and fathers; many
fled into the forests; but could find
no refuge even there from the brutal
rage of these barbarians, who pur-
sued them. The houses were either
burned or demolished; the cattle
either driven off or killed, nothing
escaped their thirst of devastation.
The Hessian General Hester, far
from endeavering to repress this Ii
centrous soldiery, seemed to have Civ
en- them free rein"