A day I will never forget. I slept undisturbed during the
night, but was called down stairs early this morning by the servants, who told
me the throng of soldiers could not be kept out of the house. I went down and
appealed to them as a lone woman who had nobody to protect her.
[M]ight as well have appealed to the bricks. I had left the
smokehouse door open, to let them see that every piece of meat was taken (I had
some hid under the porch, which as yet they have not found). They came into the
dining-room, and began to carry away the china, when a young fellow from
Philadelphia (he said) took the dishes from them, and made them come out. I
told them all I was a Northern woman, but confessed that I was ashamed of my
Northern lineage when I saw them come on such an errand. They demanded to be
let into the cellar, and one fellow threatened me with the burning of the house
if I did not give them just what they demanded. I said, “Yes, we are at your
mercy — burn it down — but I won't give you the key.” They then demanded arms;
we got the old shot guns and gave them; these they broke up, and left parts of
them in the yard; broke into the cellar; carried off a firkin of lard hidden
there; a keg of molasses, and whatever they could find; but did not get the
bacon. They asked me if we had no more than this: I answered “Yes, but it is in
the mountains.” Sent to Gen. Crooke for a guard. At last they pressed into the
house, and two began to search my dressing room. What they took I don't know.
They seized our breakfast, and even snatched the toasted bread and egg that had
been begged for the sick man's breakfast. My children were crying for
something to eat; I had nothing to give them but crackers. They set fire to the
Institute about nine o'clock; the flames are now enveloping it; the towers have
fallen; the arsenal is exploding as I write. Governor Letcher's house has been
burned down, and they told me that all the V. M. I. professors' houses were to
be burned, Col. Preston's among them. At last old Dr. McClung came, and Phoebe
asked him to go to Averill's Head Quarters with her (Averill has his Head
Quarters in Dr. White's yard); she went; did not see the General, but found a
young man there (from Philadelphia!) who came back with her and ordered the men
off. By and by an officer came, and asked for me; told me he had heard we were
annoyed; said he was mortified, and would send a guard, though he had no
authority to do so. . . . Let me note
here, and I do it with chagrin and shame, that the only really civil men have
been those from Western Virginia and these two Philadelphians. Invariably those
from Virginia were polite; one offered silver for some bread; I had nothing but
crackers, which I gave him, remarking that he was on the wrong side for a
Virginian. He looked decidedly ashamed.
It was twelve o'clock before we could get any breakfast.
They carried off the coffee pot and every thing they could lay their hands on,
and while the guard, a boy of 17, was walking around the house, emptied the
corn-crib. I asked Dr. P. to take the library for his medical stores, which he
agreed to do; he was really polite. We asked him if they were going to burn our
house; he said “not if it is private property.” Gen. Hunter has ordered the
burning of all the V. M. I. professors' houses. Mrs. Smith plead for hers to be
spared, on account of her daughter, who lies there desperately ill; that alone
saved it. Hunter has his Head Quarters in it. This has been an awful day, and
it may be worse before night. One cavalryman told me that if they all talked as
I did, they would fire the entire town.
SOURCE: Elizabeth Preston Allan, The Life and
Letters of Margaret Junkin Preston, p. 189-91
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