We were aroused this morning at an early hour, by the servants
rushing in, exclaiming: “The house is surrounded by Yankees, and they are
coming into the house.” I rushed to the window, and there they were. An officer
in the front porch, and a squad of cut-throat-looking fellows on the steps;
while a number, with their red streamers and lances, were dashing hither and
thither; some at the stable, some at the kitchen, others around the servants'
quarters and at the barn, while the lane was filled with them. Dr. Talley had
spent the night with little L., who is ill with scarlet fever. I knocked at his
door, and asked him to go down and see what the people wanted. We dressed as
rapidly as possible. C. and M. had been up all night with L., and were soon
ready to go down. They quickly returned, to say that the officer was Colonel
Rush, of Philadelphia, and demanded that my little son Edward should be sent
down immediately. It was in vain that they told him that Edward was a mere
child — he had evidently heard that he was a young man, and demanded his
presence. The child was aroused from his sleep, and hastily dressed himself,
but not quickly enough for our impatient Colonel, who walked to the staircase
and began to ascend, when C. called to him, “Colonel Rush, do you mean to go to
a lady's chamber before she is dressed? The boy is in his mother's room.”
Somewhat abashed, he stepped back. I soon descended, accompanied by Edward
Newton and Willoughby Smith There on the mat before me stood a live Yankee
colonel, with an aid on either side. I approached; he pointed to Willoughby
Smith, saying, “Is that Edward Newton?” “No,” said I; “that is my grandson;
this is Edward Newton” He said, “I want the boys to go with me.” Looking him full
in the eye, I said, “Sir, will you take these children prisoners?” His eye
fell, and with many grimaces he replied, “Oh, no; I only want to ask the boys a
few questions.” He then took them across the lawn, I all the time watching
them; asked them many questions, but finding that he could get nothing out of
them, he sent them back, calling them “little rebels,” etc. The Colonel had
seen defiant looks enough while in the house, and did not return. He asked M.
to let him give her a remedy for scarlet fever, which Mrs. Colonel Huger
had given him. “Mrs. General Huger you mean?” replied M. “Thank you, I
have perfect confidence in Dr. Talley” In the meantime his commissary went to
the meat-house, demanded the key, and looking in, said, “I want three hundred
pounds of this bacon, and shall send for it this evening.” Another man went to
the stable, took Dr. Talley’s horse, saddle, and bridle, and went off with
them. The Colonel was immediately informed of it, seemed shocked, and
said, “Impossible;” but on ordering it to be brought back, it was soon
returned. Presently the Quartermaster rode up to the door, calling out, “Mrs.
Newton, three horses were in your stable last night, and they are not there
now; the Colonel wishes their absence accounted for.” “Perhaps, sir,” replied
M., “they have been stolen, as the other was; but as you get your information
from the servants, I refer you to them.” He rode off, and the whole party
returned to their camp.
SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern
Refugee, During the War, p. 136-7
