Fairfax, Oct. 9, 1863.
I saw that paragraph in the “Herald,” — it is not true. I
had orders from Heintzelman to clear out the whole country inside of Manassas
Junction more than a month ago. I began it, and the parties arrested were sent
back from Washington almost as fast as I sent them there. I also had orders to
burn the houses of all persons actively assisting Mosby or White. I have burnt
two mills and one dwelling-house, the latter belonging to a man who can be
proved to have shot a soldier in cold blood the day after the battle of Bull
Run, and to have afterwards shot a negro who informed against him. This man was
taken at his house at midnight in rebel uniform, with two other soldiers; he
claimed to belong to a Virginia Cavalry regiment and to be at the time absent
on furlough, and denied being one of Mosby's men; he had no furlough to show,
however, and we knew that he had been plundering sutlers and citizens for more
than a month. I therefore ordered his house to be burned; it was done in the
forenoon and our men assisted in getting out his furniture. I wrote Mosby
saying that it was not my intention to burn the houses of any men for simply
belonging to his command ; that houses would be burnt which were used as
rendezvous; that that particular house was burnt because it harboured a man who
was apparently a deserter and was known to be a horse-thief and highwayman, a
man obnoxious equally to both of us (officers acting under orders) and to all
citizens. I shall probably have to burn other houses, but it will be done with
all possible consideration. You must not feel badly, not more badly than is
inevitable, — I hope you will always
write about such things: it will make me more considerate, and in such cases
one cannot be too considerate.
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 311-3
No comments:
Post a Comment