War Incidents.
The
Winchester Virginian publishes the following letter from a young lady of Sulphur town, dated July 26th It is a good illustration of the
spirit of Virginia Girls.
‘"A regiment of cuth oils, from
Patterson's Division at
Harpers Ferry, come through here (
Shepherdstown) on Monday--It was the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by
Col. Edwin.
Then time was out, and they were on their way home.
Some of them declared that they would never come here again — and one of the officers told our citizens that we would not re he had business at home and he intended to stay there and attend to it. Some of them declared that nothing could induce them to coming into the
South.
A number of ladies of the town, having no fears of a chicken hearted
Yankee, and prompted by curiosity, (strange, is not, that our sex should have any curiously ?) went out to see and hear what we could as they entered the town.
I was of the number.
We pursued them until the last Yankee devil had disappeared over the hill on their way to the ford across the
Potomac below town, near the mill.
We perseveringly questioned them, and
talked them clear out of town.--One soldier told me that he would e hire no more; he had seen enough of
Virginia.--Two more regiments, he said, would leave
Patterson one day this week — that their time would be out, and they, too, would go home never to return.
After they left town, we (the girls) we went in a body to the river heights.
There we remained, musing ourselves at their efforts to get their wagons and their army selves over the river.
The girls would occasionally give them taunting cheers, and cry out: Hurry on, my braves ! Torch
Johnston is just behind you ! 'Don't stop, Yankees, for
Stewart's Cavalry are now coming down street ! Sometimes they would attempt to frighten us by pointing their guns at us — and that would being a shout from us. 'Hurrah for
Jeff D vis and the Southern Confederacy !' we shouted.
One fellow, when he got opposite the breastworks on the river cliffs, screamed out: 'Is that your battery ?--and then he gave a loud laugh.
I couldn't stand that — so I told him, 'No ! That was not a battery — but if he would go to
Manassas Junction he would fine one in the form of a crescent, and
Gen. Beauregard would take pleasure in showing it to him — and its contents were intended expressly for gentlemen like himself' The fellow turned, and marched on without making a reply.
They don't like to hear of eriea and
Stewart's Cavalry.
Some of these miserable fellows had no shirts — only Jackets with a border.
A more ignorant, ugly, and fifty set of men I have never seen.
We told them,
Virginians were noted for their hospitality --but of course they did not come expecting to receive any of it.--They came in search of
General Johnston and it was a pity they were disappointed in not finding him, and in receiving the warm reception he was prepared to give them.
I heard that they told some persons after getting across the river, that they
believed the
Southern men would fight; but as for the
Virginia girls, they were perfect devils, and would fight harder than the men, if they had a chance."’
Patterson's Thieves.
The Virginian says:
‘
Patterson's army of plunderers have for the most part disappeared from the adjoining county of
Jefferson.
About five thousand were remaining at
Harper's Ferry, two or three days ago, and may be there yet. Their object appears to be nothing more than robbery and the destruction of private property.
At
Charlestown they encamped on the fine farm of
Colonel Baxton Davenport,
James L. Ranson,
F. W. Drew and
Mr. Burns, and destroyed the crops and much other property of those gentlemen Sheep pastures, pig pens and hen roosts suffered not a little.
In town they robbed jewelry stoves and committed other
valiant acts of like character.
Seventeen regiments of this army of vandals, whose times of service had expired, have within a few days past departed for home, notwithstanding.
Patterson made an imploring appeal to them to remain.
They have taken off fourteen slaves from
Jefferson.
They have also taken off as a prisoner
F. W. Blessing, a baker and confectioner, and a highly respectable citizen of
Charlestown, alleging — although no doubt falsely — that he had sold them poisoned bread.
’
The
Winchester correspondent of the Petersburg Express gives some further account of the domes of the Hessians in
Jefferson county:
As soon as
Patterson arrived in
Charlestown he dispatched an Orderly for
Nelson Gallagher, Esquire editor of the Free Press, and upon the arrival of
Mr. G. at headquarters, the following to took place.
Patterson--"Is This
Nelson M. Gallagher ?"
Gallagher--‘"Yes, this is
Mr. Gallagher."’
Patterson--‘"Well
Mr Gallagher, we wish you to give us the key of your office.
We decide while here to publish a paper."’
Mr. G--‘"General, I have always been in the habit heretofore of doing that
myself but as you are in power here, and the largest in numbers, there is no other alternative for me but to comply ?"’
Patterson, (interrupting Mr. G)--But we are going to pay you for its use while we have it"
Mr. G--"Oh, that alters the case materially."
Mr. G then went with them to his office, and as they entered, an under strapper pulled down a placard calling on the volunteers for the defence of their homes against the Lincolnites.
Mr. G. told the camp that the placard was private property and ordered him to let it alone, when he deserted; but they went into several private houses, and destroyed property amounting to several hundred dollars, and broke into a jewelry store and stole about; $500 worth of property.
They ruined one old gentleman's wheat field completely, and stole eight horses from two gentlemen in the vicinity of
Charlestown.
Some of them were in a state of starvation, and went into houses begging for bread, starting that they had not had a morsel to eat for thirty-six hours!
Turkeys will be scarce next
Christmas I pity the people of
Jefferson county on this account, for no daily gobbler will grace their tables.
Among the enormous committed by the vandal hordes in that county, was to steal every old setting turkey off he eggs and the eggs also, and they devoured them with as much zest as if they had been fresh made.--Not a gobble has been heard in
Jefferson county these many days.
All the roosters have ceased to crow and have buried their beats in the dust, and the voice that was once heard in the barn-yard is utterly dfc Can't some hen-pecked poet in
Jefferson write an elegy on the
lay of the last old hen ? It is a befitting subject just now in that locality.
Berkeley county, Va.
It is stated that this county is nearly or quite relieved of
Lincoln's a vermin.
A few thieving camp followers of the lowest order remain in
Martinsburg, encouraged and aided in their outrages by the Lincolnites of
Berkley.
Several Secessionists of the county were arrested and taken off by
Patterson as prisoners — amongst them
Wm. D. North,
Esq. who promptly refused to take an oath not to make war on
Lincoln & Co.
Mr. N. (a son of
Gen. George North, of Revolutionary fame,) is of the wrong stock to take any such oath.
