Ravages of the enemy when last this side of the Rapidan.
After
Meade's army had crossed at Germanns and Ely's fords they subjected the unfortunate farmers within their lines to the most inhuman treatment.
They burned the house of
Mr. Reuben Gordon, son of Ger.
Wm. F. Gordon, because, as they said, he was an original Secessionist, and did not leave a thing of any value whatever on the place.--The farms of
Miss Sally Grymes,
Mr. Skinker,
Mrs. Willis,
Captain Beale,
Capt. Strother Green,
Mr. John Spottswood,
Major J. H. lacy, and others, were desolated to that extent that not a meal's victuals was left on any of them.
They broke up the furniture of the houses and took off all the clothing and bed linen from every house.
The
feather beds were emptied out in the yard, and the venerable
Capt. Green and his children were reduced to sleeping between two mattresses
Mr. John Spottswood and
Capt. Beale were taken off by the
Yankees, leaving their helpless families without provisions or servants.
Most of the negroes within the
Yankee lines went off with them.
Major Lacy's were saved by his overseer's activity in moving them off before the
Yankees reached the
Wilderness.
Kilpatrick's cavalry distinguished themselves in robbing the negro houses as clean a their masters', not a vestige of clothing was left anywhere.
Their courage was shown in knocking down the lame and aged
Capt. Green, who told them they were such brave men that if he had a thousand such he could storm
Gibraltar.
Let our cavalry remember the gallant
Kilpatrick and his men, and their conduct in
Gloucester,
Middlesex, the
Northern Neck, and
Spotsylvania.
Some of the prisoners taken said that
Meade gave them their choice between re-enlisting for three years or going across the
Rapidan and fighting
Lee. They chose the latter.
Meade has assured them that he will get a fight out of them before next May, when their term of service expires.
