More of the Abolition Raid in Gloucester — the gunboats on York river.
The account of the recent depredations of the enemy in
Gloucester county, Va., published on Saturday, fell far short of conveying an accurate idea of the extent of outrages committed.
The force that visited the
Court House was under the command of
General Naglee, and consisted of a whole brigade, including infantry, artillery and cavalry.--Their general appearance was that of the better class of troops, but their conduct proved that the heart of a Yankee cannot be estimated by his exterior.
They supplied themselves very freely with liquor at several places in the county, got uproariously drunk and discharged their firearms at harmless barn yard fowls, doubtless under the impression that they were tainted with rebel sentiments.
But perhaps the greatest destruction of property at any one point was at a locality known as ‘ "The
Dragon."’ near the line of
Middlesex county.
There was an extensive tannery at that place, owned by
a Mr. Reed, which supplied the people of the surrounding country with leather, and it so happened that the amount on hand at the time of the visit was very large.
The
Yankees loaded a wagon with the valuable material and took two of
Mr. Reed's horses to draw it away.
They then piled up all that remained, with the tanbark which was found in abundance, and net it on fire.
At the usual exportion prices of leather, it is said, the quantity destroyed would amount to over $30,000 worth.
The party of the enemy that visited
Centreville in
King and Queen county, numbered not more than eighteen and might all have been captured by
Capt. Littleton's men, had they not taken them off in consequence of alarming reports of numerical strength brought in by pickets.
We hear that some friendly rifle sent a bullet through the leg of a Yankee picket near Wood's Cross Roads.
Mr. John T. Seawell, who was arrested upon the supposition that he was getting up a company of ‘"guerrillas,"’ was released in a short time, though we know not upon what conditions.
It is safe enough to presume that he did not compromise his well known Southern sentiments.
West Point was honored by another visit from the enemy's gunboats on Saturday, but we hear that no depredations were committed.
