Year: 1862

CINCINNATI, October 8, 1862.
NJ. W. Hull, Rapenna, Portage conui y, Ohio:


DEAR SIR-In great distress Of mind, will
attempt to recount to yon the misfortunes and
troubles 1 have recently had to encounter i,r
Kentucky. am now Il refugee. The torcl,
of the incendiary Rebel has been put to my
mills, my store and my dwelling. All is con-
sumed; the labor of twenty years is de-
stroyed.


On last Wednesday night the Rebel cavalry
ofJohn IL. Morgan, to the number Of eight
hundred. encamped within two m flcs Of my
place. Through the whole night they were
momentarily expected to come upon US
Every person left the road and hid in the
woods. l could not do so; my wife was
near her confinement, and my anxiety for her
kept me near my dwelling, but to allay her
fears for my safety 1 had to appear to be
absent. Nothing occurred during the night.


AS the morning dawncd went further from
my house, and took a view of the premises
and the house. and took view of the pre- mi
Scs and the reads lead ing to them. l could
see no Rebels, and determined to sec my
wife. let the consequences be what they
might. As was near my door, eight Rebr s
suddenly appeared before me, with their guns
presented to my breast, and took me prisoner.
Soon tho whole Rebel band was upon me-
Morgan cursed the men for taking me pri-
soncr, saying that he had ordered them to
shoot me down upon sight. He then opened
my pctf,r RI o,I a l,.o
everything they desired, and then set fire o
it. l impoed him not to do so, as IL was SO
near my dwelling that it also would be con-
sumed. l Informed him of the coudition of
my wite-for myself asked nothing, but l
begged of him, in common humanity, not to
destroy my wife and little children. lie
answered, with fendish oath, that he intend
ed to burn everything had-hc would put
fire to my house and burn my wife and chill
Grcn up in it-he would wipe out the whole
Abolition concern This threat was applaudcd
by many Of his men. who said they were in
for killing men, women and children. was
then placed upon horse, without a saddle
and conducted to the front Of their column,
and orders were given to shoot me down if
Tired upon by bushwackcrs, as they styled
them. l assured them they would b. fired
| upon If the people had any spirit and l be-
lieved they had. When they saw the confa-
grafton Of their homes, they would waylay
and fire upon them, even if their number was
ten times greater. After firing my property,
he tM"rgan) rode past me and said, pointing
|


to the flames, 60 You find your loyalty to your
Abolition Government pretty expensive, don't
you?"


Before we reached the woods the Captain
OF the men that took me prisoner removed me
from my position in front and placed me in
his company, near the rear. Immed lately
upon entering the woods they were fired upon
was surprised was not shot. Morgan rode
past and demanded the reason was not shot
as he ordered They said they had not heard
the order. He told them if fired upon aga in
to shoot the prisoner. They then amused
themselves BY pointing their guns at me and
saying they wished they could hear u gun,
that they might have the pleasure Of shooting
me. After some time we were ordered to





heard the guns click behind me, and felt sure
that my end was right then at hand. Their
Captain, John I. Williams, ordered them not
to fire, that it was cold blooded murder He
said that his men had taken me prisoner, that
he was not yet mustered into the service, ana
did not belong to General Morgan's command
and would not obey him in this, but would
take me to West Liberty, and put me in Jail
| till further orders. This was some relief to
me, you may be assured. Thus We proceeded
whackers, emptying saddle every few min
ntcs, and my captors setting fro to every
Union mans house as they went.


AT last they commenced falling close around
ME. Ny guardian friend, the Captain, said
he could not save me any longer. soon
took advantage of the excitement prevailing,
and jumped from my horse and fed to the
woods, nnobserved, and made my escape.
reached where had been my home ut dark. I
found my wife had been carried by some kind
ladies to an unoccupird house, and physi-
clan was with her, who said he would stay
with her. 1t was not more than twenty min
utes till Morgan's guerrllas were again upon
mic. / escaped through the fields to the
woods, making my way to Portsmouth, thirty
five miles, my nearest point of complete safety ,
where arrived next morning, without food,
| sleep or rest. I Immediately came to this
city, where there was owing me about seven
ty-fye dollars, with which l will purchase a
Ballard rifle and return to the vicinity OF my
family, hide in tho woods and canes, and pick
Off every Eutefnat I see, until can get my
family away TO somo place Of security, and
then and then will not make peace with
them.


Why is all this persecution of met Is it
because condemned this wicked rebellion,
urged vigorous prosecution Of this war, and
in my place in the Senate Of Kentucky
opposed the temporizinS policy or my own