Yankee outrages in Louisiana.
The Raleigh Church Intelligencer publishes the following private letter from a lady living on a Mississippi river plantation in the Southwest. The editor vouches for the trustworthiness of his correspondent: Elkridge, August 31, 1862.
Time and language would fall me if I attempted to give you an account of all that we hear of their outrages in New Orleans and the adjoining country.
Don't believe Butler's lies about ‘"Union sentiments"’ and loyal citizens there.
If there is a place where the Federal are most detested, it is here in Louisiana.
In New Orleans the ladies never go out of their houses if they can help it, and then are always armed as, in all parts of the State exposed to their inroads, the woman are. I believe I am the only woman in this community who has not arms and does not know how to use them, and I think I could shoot, too, on an emergency, only I have such a distaste to weapons that I think I would rather be killed than to kill anybody.
I would not shoot in defence of life, but I would of honor.
The other day when the Federal made their raid, at the house of one of my relatives a young girl was sick, just recovering from bilious fever.
The other young lady of the same age, a widow of one week, seized a revolver and stationed herself at the chamber door of her sick relative, determined to shoot down the first soldier who dared to approach the room.
Fortunately the officers showed humanity enough to prevent any outrages; but a faithful servant came to the young ladies parent after the Federal had left, and entreated her ‘"not to expose her young mistress ever again where the Yankees were, as,"’ she said, ‘"the soldiers talked so dreadfully about the young ladies."’ At another house of a relative of mine the first question these wretches asked was if ‘"there were an marriageable daughters." ’ In that house there were two.
After the battle of Baton Rouge a Federal transport, laden with 250 wounded, was run into accidentally by one of their own boats and sunk, carrying all on board to the bottom of the river.
The Federal pretended to believe that it was not a colliston, but shot from guerrillas which had produced the disaster.
Landing at the coast, they proceeded to devastate and destroy the property near the place.
They entered the house of Mr.-- --, a gentlemen of one of the oldest and most respected families in the State--a brother of -- --, one of our Senators.
Mrs.-- was ill — had an infant of one day's age lying by her side.
In her room was a maid servant in attendance upon her mistress.
My pen almost fails me. I can scarcely find, language delicate enough for the scenes which followed.
They indulged in every outrage towards the maid servant, regardless of Mrs.--'s pites entreaties to them to spare her servant and leave her chamber.
They threatened Mrs.-- with insult if she did not hold her tongue.
O, God, thou sawest all this Mr.--came in, and finding his wife thus exposed to insolence and outrage his proud heart swelled so with rage and indignation that the chords of life literally snapped — his heart broke, and he fell dead upon the floor.
‘"Oh!
Lord, how long, how long?"’ This dreadful effect of their barbarity quieted these devils for a while; but they soon returned.
The servants had picked up their master's body and laid it out decently.
The Federal robbed the house of silver, jewelry, and all valuables, and then went off to their boats.
Another instance of savagery on the part of Butler: A friend of ours, in the last stages of consumption, was carried from New Orleans to Fort Jackson in spite of the entreaties of his poor wife that he might be permitted to die in peace, as his hours were numbered.
The Federal sent him off. Of course the fatigue and anxiety soon put out the faint, glimmering lamp of life.
His only crime was being a Secessionist and the son-in-law of a former Confederate Colonel.
Ah, well!
There will come a day of retribution for all this. 