The Last Ninety Days of the War in North-CarolinaSpencer, Cornelia Phillips
History
The Last Ninety Days of the War in North-Carolina
Spencer, Cornelia Phillips
North Carolina -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns
I have been thus particular to give an account which is, after all,
a condensed one, of the treatment of _one_ Southern lady by certain
soldiers of the army of the Union. There are thousands of such cases
unreported. This I present as a sample. So much is said of the
"unharmonized" attitude of Southern women at present that I think it
is as well to let the world see upon what ground it is they feel as if
some time must elapse before they can honestly profess to love their
enemies.
While plundering one house in the village, the marauders forced
themselves into the chamber of a lady while she was in child-birth.
With great difficulty the attending physician prevented them from
plundering that room.
Mrs. General Vaughn was residing in Lenoir at this time. It is said
that Generals Gillam and Vaughn had been friends before the war, and
had agreed together that if the family of one should fall into the
hands of the other, they should be protected. General Gillam placed a
guard at Mrs. Vaughn's house; but as soon as he left the town, two of
his men went in and demanded her watch. On her refusal they attempted
to search her. She drew a pistol, but they took it from her before she
could fire. She resisted their search with all her might, and at last
they left her without the watch, having nearly torn her dress off.
Shortly after, the same two returned with five others, and with threats
of violence compelled her to give the watch up. That night squads of
half-intoxicated men came back and committed further depredations in
the village and neighborhood. The house of Dr. Felix Dula, with all
its furniture, was burned. This, however, it is conjectured, might
have been done by deserters. They left Lenoir for Morganton on the
17th, and on the way burned the house of a Mr. Johnston, one of the
home guards. On reaching Rocky Ford, on the Catawba river, a mile or
two from Morganton, they found a party of about fifty Confederates,
strongly posted on the opposite side, well armed, and with one brass
howitzer. This party was under the command of Captain George West,
Lieutenant-Colonel S. M'Dowell Tate volunteering with them. They were
well posted and sheltered on their side, while the enemy approached
without cover to attempt a very difficult ford. A sharp engagement
ensued, which resulted in General Gillam's withdrawal toward Fleming's
Ford, a little higher up. He lost about twenty-five, killed and
wounded. Few were wounded. An eye-witness says he counted eight dead
bodies of Federal soldiers floating down the stream. The Confederates
lost none, their position being so advantageous. At Fleming's Ford
General Gillam easily forced his way, the fifty Confederates taking to
the mountains on finding themselves overpowered here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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