 |
| Summit Station, Dispatch Station and Bottom's Bridge in relation to each other |
From the Richmond Daily Dispatch . . .
We give below two letters furnished by correspondents, one of them a lady,
describing the conduct of the marauders under Sheridan before arriving at, and
after leaving Richmond. They show the character of the war which is being waged
against us:
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
Amongst the farms that suffered most during their late trip was that of Mr.
Alfred Winston, on the Mountain road, in Henrico county. This fine farm has
been entirely dismantled of fencing and crops; nearly all the former was burnt.
The fine wheat and clover crop was completely destroyed by their horses, which
they kept on the place during the whole day and night. They had all their
artillery and wagon train parked on the premises. The dwelling they used as
their division hospital, and in the passage they performed all their
amputations, scattering cut off limbs indiscriminately over the yard. They
stole from the family two fine gold watches and chains, one pair ladies'
bracelets, and several smaller articles of jewelry; all the money in the house;
also all bonds, receipts, and in fact every paper they could find. The
wardrobes and bureaus were opened and their contents scattered over the rooms —
not the smallest drawer was left unsearched. Every article of provision and
horse teed was taken. They defaced the carriage by tearing off the silver
mountings and cutting up the trimmings. They killed all the fowls and several
hogs. They also pilfered the negroes of every particle of jewelry and clothing;
also took with them two fine mules. This I think may be taken as a fair
specimen of the way in which the people of this neighborhood were treated by
the vandals.
New Kent County, Summit Station,
May 15th, 1864.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
If you feel disposed, you can give this a space in your columns, which have
so often entertained us. We had heard the Yankee raiders were at Dispatch
Station and were expecting them, but such an indescribable feeling came over us
when we saw them leaping the enclosure, and in a second surrounded the house
with pistols cocked to face five defenseless women; our smoke house,
fowl-houses, collars and closets seemed to fly open by magic. They must have
pick-locks attached to their fingers; every part of the place completely
sacked, and not an article of food left; everything taken that they could carry
off — butter taken and given to their horses, cows milked, calf killed and
every fowl, even sitting hens, with their eggs, along with sick chickens that
even hogs refuse.--No entreaties availed, or touched their conscience — it was
like idle words. When taking the last piece of bacon, we begged for some; they
replied "no, it is the only plan we can subdue you"--when my sister
had life enough left to say, "no never," The most humiliating thing
they ordered was her trunk to be opened which they searched effectually. [
Daguerreotypes ] and combs they pocketed, and indeed everything were taken.
They were very anxious to hear the news, and offered boastingly $500 for a
Richmond paper — said we were dreadfully whipped; they were just from Richmond;
the citizens fought them; saw "old Jeff." running with his budget on
his back; the city being surrounded, he did not know which way to take. Finding
we did not credit this, they told us they were surrounded three times, and served
badly in the rifle-pits, where they were carried by their guide, for which he
was shot. The servants shared our fate; their clothes and provisions were
stolen. We appealed to an officer, and found him a rude, ignorant, plebeian,
unfeeling creature, having no control over his men and no respect for ladies.
At night we supped on guard-house fare — bread and water; but even that was
choking. Our hearts were bursting.--No place was sacred, not even my mother's
sick chamber, which we denied admittance to. A man, searching for the harness,
even turned up the bed she was on, and pulled me off, and the touch of his hand
I can never forget. I told him "to desist; his touch was
contaminating." He replied, "Well, I don't like it myself," and dragged
the harness out with a most defiant air, and went off with the carriage, he
said, for a legless officer. But the keenest blow of all was, when we hoped all
were gone, two came back and took our mules, that had done us so much hard
service all this winter and spring. We plead, with tears, but nothing availed.
Our neighbors shared the same late. None were spared.
A Lady of the Peninsula.
-
The Daily Dispatch: May 20, 1864
