The fighting at Philomont — Thieving operations of the Yankees, &c.
Philomont, November 18, 1862.
Thinking a sketch of the arrest of citizens and the battle of November 1st, at this place would somewhat interest you, I will give you a short history of the past two weeks. On Saturday morning, the 1st of November, General Pleasanton arrived here and immediately arrested every citizen of the place and all neighbors who happened to be here, and, arranging them on Dennis's wood pile, proceeded to offer to them, through a nice little Irish Lieutenant, the oath of allegiance to Old Abe & Co. But, unfortunately for the safety of the place, not a single man took the oath.
Therefore, all were confined in the storehouse.
At about 12 o'clock Stuart passed over a compliment, in the shape of a shell, which soon formed about 10,000 Yankees and fourteen pieces of cannon in line of battle.
They fought with great desperation until about 5 o'clock, when they considered it prudent to fall back on this side of the creek, and we got the full benefit of them on Saturday night. Having all the male citizens under arrest, they then proceeded to carry on a war, in a legitimate manner, (according to the Lincoln Congress,) on all animals, from a horse to a chicken; also, on all catables, from preserves, &c., down to hickory nuts and walnuts; also, on all mechanics' tools, from an-anvil down to a saddler's beadle.
There is hardly a chicken left to tell its tribe of more fortunate location of the many narrow escapes he made of his life during the first week of November, 1862.
Being determined to have revenge for their disgraceful defeat on Saturday, they took three citizens off Sunday morning--two as spies, and one a Confederate soldier — so that they might convince persons that they had captured some prisoners in the fight on Saturday.
Henry Milbollen, John L. Chamblin, and Oliver Haw, were the three taken away, the two former as spies, and the latter as a soldier.
They were marched around for six days, on nine crackers and one cup of coffee dank during the time of confinement, when finally they were tried and released on parole, after asking several negroes about McClellan's headquarters if they knew anything about the prisoners, and the negroes not knowing anything.
They even ordered the men to thrust the bayonet in an old gray-headed man, when he was fatigued from march and lagged behind, cursing him every word they spoke to him.
The citizens here are all in fine spirits and confident of the final success of Southern arms, notwithstanding they threaten to burn the town of Philomont.
The Yankees ought to do all they can to protect this place hereafter, for it afforded them great protection on the day of the fight.
They planted their guns just in front of the place, so that Stuart would not shoot at them, which he avoided doing as much as possible, only one shell taking effect, and that in Mrs. Megeoth's kitchen; but with all their protection, Stuart, with only one gun, killed five and wounded eighteen that we know of, sustaining a loss himself of only three men wounded.
The Yankee army had hardly passed, before White with his men were here, there, and everywhere through this country, gathering up stragglers, sutlers stores, wagon trains, etc., which seemed to put a new face on things.
Four of the ‘"ragged rebels"’ had the impudence to side up here and order four wagons, about fifteen men, and two negroes, to surrender, which they did, and marched off to Snickersville with their loads to feed White's ragged men, instead of Gen. Doubleday and staff.
Just to think of a private of Captain White's riding about here with Gen. Doubleday's suit on, even to his boots, and astride of his horse, too, with the General's pistols in front. * 