Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

We are obliged to close our narrative here, by adding that the Yankees retired by the way they came.

The scenes of desolation and ruin in the neighborhood of this city, near where the enemy male their line of battle, are positively appalling. The people were stripped of everything; fences were torn down, crops trampled up, and every species of vandalism that savages could think of, was practised. Hogs, sheep, cattle, poultry, were stolen and carried off, and when not needed for food were wantonly slaughtered and left to rot on the ground.

Among others we have heard of as being thus brutally despoiled were Mrs. Poindexter, General Clay, Captain Armistead, Doctor Floyd, and N. W. Barksdale, on and near the Forest road; and on the Salem road, Samuel Miller, Major G. C. Hutter, and Doctor W. Owen. There were also others of whose names we have not been informed; and along the entire line of the enemy's march, as far as we can learn, the same scenes of plunder and robbery were enacted. Captain Paschal Buford was stripped of every-thing — cattle, horses, hogs, provisions, &c., all were taken; and so with Captain W. M. Smith, living near Lewry's, and all persons living on or within reach of the road. At Liberty the case was the same, and there is scarcely a family there who has a dust of meal or a ration of bacon.

Along the road between this place and Liberty a gentleman who passed over it yesterday tells us that there are at least one hundred or more dead horses and mules. When these animals gave out, they were cruelly shot.

The enemy were out of rations, and the Chief Commissary told a lady Saturday morning that they were compelled to do one of two things — capture Lynchburg and get supplies, or retreat. Finding that they could not do the former, they had to do the latter, and we predict that this is the last Yankee trip to Lynchburg.