About thirty miles from here, on New River, lives an old man
(Richmond) and several sons. His boys are all grown and living to themselves,
some four and five miles from the old man. They have lived out there many years
and for this country are all rich. Besides being wealthy they are all very
powerful (physically) and are the leaders, as it were, of society. They have
the best horses, cattle, etc. of any one out here. They are noted for
their fine horses. They are all strong Union men, and have been very much
angered by the Rebels taking their cattle, sheep, etc. — stealing them. A few
days since some Rebel cavalry concluded they would arrest the squire and take
his horses. Accordingly day before yesterday, just at daybreak, three Rebel
cavalry called at the squire's and took him prisoner. They also took three of
his fine horses. They put the squire on a horse behind one of the cavalrymen,
and started off with him. After they had gone some ten miles, they came to a
noted Rebel's house, and all cheered at the capture of the squire. This was too
much for him, and he determined to make his escape. They had gone but a short
distance when the Rebel behind whom he was riding fell back behind the other
two some distance. Now was the time for the squire. So drawing a long knife
from his pocket, he caught the Rebel by his hair, drew him back, and cut his
throat. Both fell off the horse together. As they fell he plunged the knife
into the Rebel's bowels. Then he took the Rebel's gun, and got behind a tree
when one of the others returned, and the squire shot him dead. The third
took to his heels and left the squire victor of the field. There is no
mistake about this; he came to camp with their two guns. His knife and
coat-sleeve is covered with blood. Richmond is a trump and two hundred such men
would clean out this country of Rebels.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 212
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