Transcription
At Home June 9th 1863
My dear Mother,
Knowing your anxiety to hear from me, since the late Yankee Raid I write you a few lines. I was in Richmond at the time attending the General Association. On Thursday night some 400 Yankees came up to Walkerton. By light they had reached Bond's Store, just below Rumford Academy. They cannoned plan [clering?] & burning. Taking away all stock, horses, mules, evening apparel, silver spoons, negroes, watches and such other things as they could carry off burning up all the barns grenerys and stables in which there was any grains at all. They burnt Mr. Hill ki_ barn with $5000 worth of corn in it. __ Perkin's with 25 00, took away 29 negroes from George Edwards, 47 from __ gr__g_, burnt his mill, and every grain of corn and wheat he had. Only left him 1 negro woman, who had a young child, both a large sum of money, and made a clean sweep of him. They burnt all James Rowes Barns & stables and all his houses, not leaving a c____ of ______t for himself & children or a meals victuals. They took several of Mrs Rowes Servants & horses, then of Wm Go__ 's negro __ all he had. Looked over here, and said they did not have time to come now, but would given me the pleasure of their company on their next trip. But God has delivered me thus far out of the mouth of the wolves, and doubtless will __
take care of me. When I got home I found all as I had left it not a f__t p__t of the marauders had polluted my sire [?]. Whilst they were plundering there near, and the smoke of their burnings was rising in every direction My Wife and daughters unconscious of their p___d, with my wagon & Cut, were quietly leaving home for Richmond. And Pat was teaching school. The enemy went to Aylett's, burnt up more than three fourths of the village, and the valuable mill belonging to Pattie and [Caroline?]. __ night they re___ to their [gunboats?], loaded with spoils, and about 500 negroes. Little & big. Many of the negroes went away shrinking and crying, and had to be bound _k & heels, and carried abound their [bodies], ___ of Mrs. Cr_xt__'s servants escaped, and says they killed two of the supers, by besting out their b__s with [hand?] spikes. The Yankees were p__ ______ by a [charge?] of 90 Confederate [Calvary?] as they reached Walkerton, and come near [surrending?] to this small force. 3 of them killed, about 1/2 a cl___ wounded, and 3 taken prisoners, w___s any less, on our port. In their great hurry they left behind near all the stock, and mules, and some of the negroes escaped. They [sided? soiled?] down in great hurry, and only escaped s_iking by 20 minutes. As the Rifled artillery reached the R__ffs at Clifton this ___ too lots. I might fill up a clean sheet of their Villanies and damages. But must for ___ for this pr___t. Their object is to starve us all out by the destruction of farming implements, provisions of all kinds, and the growing crops. And force us to abandon this port of the State, and cut up the ___
_f ___ [people] __ the ____. The negroes who are not ___ there are very easily persuaded to go with them by their false and lying promises and prof___ius. But [those] who live near their lines are more afraid of them than the white people. Some of them going to Richmond with b___ __ week p____ have and told my people that it has better for a black person to walk into a den of rattlesnakes, then to trust himself to the Yankees. dear Ma do not be _____py on my account, I am doing every thing I can to ___ my g__ & furniture, and flee to the mountains at a moments warning. But I shall return and help my people defend their Country. 50 resolute men skillfully led, could have captured this whole force. Squandered as they were in little [groups] of 6 and 8. I received I_i__ litter for which I thank him & you. I rent _____ up last Wednesday, I h__t she reached Henry safely, I should like to hear this she has done so. her Mommy is well and sends her love. All the people I believe wish they were with her. I do, if they do not. Sarah is still in Richmond with the girls. & Squire _ ____. fa___ll d____ Ma my love to all. Pat has broken up his school in these times of trouble. ___ your letter to old Church Har__y to the care of Josiah Burness [Josiah Burness] I write it twice as the first might not be p__ enough. From your affectionate SonLanguage
English