Attacks on civilians

[Silvana Siddali]

Since our adventures at BGR I've been reading up on civilian encounters with enemy soldiers. I've been trying to figure out how civil war-era women would have prepared for & coped with a company of soldiers rifling through their personal belongings. I found a few documents, all based in Missouri (the theatre of war in which I'm most interested) that seem to indicate that the experiences & reactions differed widely. In fact, I'm under the impression that it would have been impossible to predict what was going to happen or how one would respond. This first letter is by a lady who was very lucky indeed -- she was able to prepare ahead of time, and then nothing happened to her. She seems to have had the idea that if ladies abandoned their homes, then they had no one to blame but themselves. Of course that's not borne out by the other documents. When I have a little more time I'll post the rest. Other women weren't quite as lucky.


Letter from Eliza Hammond to Margaret Frissell
St. Louis, December 11th, 1864

My dear Margaret:
I received your letter and should have answered it immeadiately. I have been very sick with a very bad cough which redeuced me so much that I had to keep to my bed the greater part of the time. I am better under Homeopathic treatment and hope soon to be well. I am staying with Mary this week. Eliza is moving to her ould home and would not let me stay for fear I would get more cold and take a relapse, so I am here until she gets settled and my room is fixed for me. I hope they will be done with moving and that they will be content in their ould home. People never know when they are well off.

Well, you wish to know how we, I mean your Mother and family, got along during Price’s raid. Well, we were as happy and a merry as could be. We did not see a man or boy except the Rebels on Fayeta for a week. Did just as we pleased. Everything went on as smoothly as could be. At night each one gathered in their share of wood. Caroline fed the hogs at daylight and sorted them. We had no trouble. She kept the gates all tied. We had plenty to eat. Cooked when we pleased and ate when we pleased. I do not know when I was ever more full of fun. I am sure Cat was so full of spirits she laughed at everything—and strange to say—we did not feel afraid. Lay down and sleep sound all night. We hid everything except enough to be comfortable on. It is a mystery to me why they did not rob us. Your Father did not lose one cent by them. They took about fifteen hundred dollars from George La Beaume. Broke him up entirely. He has nothing left but his house and land. They took all of his clothes except what he had with him. A good many of Zoe’s also. Cut up her stair carpet for saddle blankets. She went as soon as she found they were there and she gave them a piece of her mind. They said that if the ladies had stayed at home that they would not have taken more than they needed. It made them mad to find the houses deserted. They did not take any of her bedding or destroy any of her furniture. I suppose her going home and staying there saved it. Enough of Price’s Raid. I am sick of hearing and talking about it. They did no more than our army would do in their country.

Ella Drake is to be married in February to Mr. Cresen a Philidelphia gentleman. She will do well. She will go there to live. Anna was quite sick when I left home. The rest are all well and Austin is at Paduca on Staff duty. Lou Tompkins said she would not move out home with us. Tompkins is up the river on a boat. George and Zoe are with us and will remain all Winter. He was drafted and had to pay a substitute. He is going on the river, for he is flat broke, losing so much and having to pay so much for a substitute. The draft is going on in Jefferson County. I suppose your brothers will be taken. They were disbanded three weeks ago. I got a letter from Cat last week. She has been suffering with her hip, and head. There was a doctor from St. Louis there to examine her and he said he can cure her if she is sent up and gets medicine. They had a Thanksgiving dinner. Mr. and Mrs. McFarland, Simpson and daughter, and I do not know how many more. Your Mother had gone on a visit to Mrs. Lear when Caroline wrote. William Hurst is married to Miss. McCulloe. Caroline is more happy than she was. I think she is coming to her senses. Sophy Tatum is married to Dr. Casey of Potosi. I suppose you knew him. I suppose you have heard of Mason Frissells death. I suppose you do feel lonesome away from your family and ould friends but you must make the best of everything and if your husband is spared to you and escapes the draft you ought not to complain. I have no doubt that you will be very happy if you all have your health.

Always contrast your situation to hundreds of others, that are driven from their homes and lose everything. Mrs. Sweet and Mary send their love to you, as do all of the rest of your cousins. Tell Willie Grandma has not forgotten him and his many kindnesses and kind acts he did for me, nor the many cool drinks he brought me. I hope he is a good boy and he learns his books. My best regards to Mr. Muse. I often think of him and the pleasant Summer we spent together. And now, dear Mag, excuse this badly written letter for I am quite weak yet. Write me whenever you can. My love to you and yours,

Eliza W. Hammond

[From the Frissell Papers, MO Historical Society]

[Drygoods]

I remember Cornelia Peake McDonald having her house rummaged often, but when she finally did leave it, her husband sent her gold pieces, she hid them within the layers of her corset so that when searched, she'd still have some money to travel with.

Actually, it is amazing how people hid things around the house. I remember my husband telling me, long time past now, of how some rifles were found in the ceiling of a house in VA, and we have friends who have found pieces of jewelry, coin, and bottled items hidden in stair steps within their house. My feeling is that when we find things like this in our old house, you have to save them and put them back before you move out as a talisman for good luck. sometimes we just look at them, take a picture, and then put the whole lot back with a piece of our own to add to the collection.

[Silvana Siddali]

Here's the second document. This is an excerpt from a diary by a pro-Union, pro-slavery farmer who is stretched to the end of his loyalties. This particular entry describes how federal soldiers treated a young lady of his acquaintance. What makes this interesting to me is that Col. Stevenson commanded the 8th Illinois. I guess those IL fellows are rough on the ladies.

Sept 24 [1862]

hundreds yes Thousands of men of my political opinions wer joining the southern army. some from preference, others because they considered it unsafe fore them to remain at thare homes. I will stay at home. in order to do this I must in the first place gaurd my toung. many have suffered from talking too mutch. in this land of liberty at the present day, a man is not alowed to speak his sentiments. in the second place, my doctrine is, abide by the laws of the country you live in, if it is Rome. 3rd make no private enemy! thare has bin many men ruined by enemy’s that cared little abought thare country. all they wanted was to gratify a malicious feeling that existed in thare bosom. I thought if I done this I could not go far astray from any one’s opinion of right. I had done so to the present time.

Col Henry Neal’s malitia commenced marauding on my place taking potatoes etc. . . . went to John Ewing’s broke thare furniture took his and his wifes clothes then sett the house on fire. at Tho. Shields (They have nearly every thing taken from them) they looked at thare piano, said they had broken many of them since they left Independence. they must thank them if they did not brake thares. They forced Mrs Grigg to play fore them while they danced. as they left the house, one of the men remarked to Mrs Thos. Shields, (who is quite a fine looking young woman) that he liked her looks and would come back that night and stay with her. at Cal Belle’s they took his hoarse, gold watch some money I do not know how mutch, and abused his wife shamefully felt of her person, and useing insulting lan-guage.

The outrages are to numerous to write. I heard that Col Stevenson had them put under arrest. he appears to try and do what is right, as far as keeping his men in order is concerned, after the men took all they wanted from Cal Belle’s they scattered them abought the room and set it on fire. Thos. Calaway told me that one of the men approached him pulled his watch out of his pocket, and left the place he has not heard of it since.


From the Western Historical Manuscripts Collection, University of Missouri Columbia, Mendenhall Diaries.

[lhsnj]

In the August 1999 issue of Civil War Times Illustrated there is an excerpt from the diary of Anne S Frobel. Her and her sister lived in Alexandria, VA.

Here are some short excerpts of her encounters with the "Yankees".

One night in the cold winter weather there came an unusually bitter sharp cold wind that seemed to penetrate to the very bone, and in the middle of the night, after we had been for hours snugly ensconced in bed, there came a violent startling rap at the front door. We both started up and ran to the door, and could see men indistinctly through the glass, we had no light and they could not see us. We asked who was there and the answer came, they were a parry of Moseby’s men who were out scouting, as soon as I hear the nasal sound, and shout I knew who they were and as Lizzie was the spokesman, I whispered, “yankees” Lizzie, yankees.” I was so afraid she would commit herself, but she recognized them as soon as I did.

They wanted to come in and warm themselves, and get something to eat, “had nothing to eat all day. Gen [Robert E.] Lee had broken out of Richmond and was at Fairfax Courthouse and would be down here in a day or two.” Then they went on to ask a number of questions the names of the people living around and their politics, how many pickets on the road the number of men at the forts etc. etc. She told them, she never went to the forts and had no means of knowing the number of men there. They had come through the picket lines and must know more bout them than she did, and as to letting them in the house, that we were only two ladies here, and would not let in friend or foe at that time of night, the fires had all gone down, she had nothing herself to eat, the yankees had taken every thing she had away from her. One of them ‘seemed to forget himself and snarled out ‘“yankee.” Then recovering his wits, he said in a more subdued tone,’ “Wal never mind we’ll pay the yankees up in a few days.” But they still persisted in coming in, and stood there parleying until we were absolutely frozen. They held a whispered conference among themselves, then said they would go out to the road and talk to the captain, and whatever he said, whether to force their way in or not they would abide by. They went off and we went back shivering to bed, thinking confidently we had gotten rid of them.

Then at least a half hour after there came another thundering knock at the door. O mercy! I thought I should die. “The Captain said they must and should have what they wanted, and if we did not open the door they would break it down.” They cursed, and swore, and raved, and stormed stamping their feet on the porch floor, and ordered the door to be opened that moment or they would beat it down. L told them they could do it if they chose—it was not very strong but they would do it at their own peril. She had Gen. Wadsworth’s [Union Brigadier James S.] Safe Guard and to violate that was death, she would certainly go or send to Wa [Washington, D.C.] and have them punished as they deserved. She did not know the penalty, but thought that in such straits she might venture on the death sentence. She was so resolute, they found she knew who they were and after another whispering among themselves they marched off. It was almost daylight when they went away. There was no more sleep for us, we were almost ‘frozen. The next morning we learned it was a party of men that had stolen out of a camp near Ft. Lyon and spent the whole night searching and plundering peoples houses. The men all went to the camp and complained. The colonel sent a squad of men over to inquire into it and if they had been here” and what mischief they had done. They told us the Col. was as mad as he could be, said he would find them all out and make them pay well for all they had taken, and he would punish them to the very extent of his authority.

I am so nervous, and ever on the alert, not knowing night, or day, what moment an attack may come, that the slightest unusual noise awakens me directly, and one night when Isler was away, I was aroused by a slight sound at the well like drawing water in the most careful quiet manner possible, I bounded up and flew to the window— and there—the whole yard and garden was bristling with bayonets, all glistening in the moon light—I crept back to the bed and whispered in Lizzie’s ear “The whole place is filled with soldiers.” We both went back noiselessly and watched expecting every moment a furious onslaught, we could not imagine what had brought them out in such force—it could not be to capture or arrest us, for one or two would be all sufficient to do that. But they never made the slightest sound excepting the little creaking of the bucket in drawing the water which was unavoidable. They never even spoke a word to each other and after refreshing themselves for a few minutes with copious drafts of cool water all withdrew as noiselessly as they came. These were Col Shirmer’s men from Ft Lyon. They have always been as respectful and considerate of us as possible, always ready to help us when an opportunity occurred. Not one of them ever molested or took any thing from us while they remained in this vicinity and we will always cherish a kindly remembrance of them. They had been out scouting and only stopped here for a drink of water. The water here has a widespread reputation among the soldiers as being the coolest most delightful they ever drank and they avail themselves of every opportunity of refreshing themselves with it.

From the same article, she mentions hearing about some of the other locals.

I heard a tale of horror yesterday that perfectly shocked and unnerved me. I had heard something of it before, but did not believe a word of it until I met with the brother and inquired of him. There is a family of sisters living in this neighbourhood, and another family of the same sisters with their mother, a very old lady, blind and infirm, living in the vicinity of “Falls Church.” When the invasion occurred they were so entirely separated by the military that infested the whole country around that they never saw or heard one word of each other for more than two years, although they did not live more than four miles apart. In that time one in each household died— a little boy down here whose funeral we attended, the remains were taken to town and intered in one of the Church Cemeteries.

But such a time as we had getting there. A short time previously there had been a great scare, of a rebel attack, and all the roads, through the woods and everywhere were thoroughly barricaded and the military authorities would not allow the obstructions to be removed even for a funeral to pass. The day before some of the neighbours turned out and partially opened a way to pass around, but such a frightful road never did I travel. In some places the hills were so precipitous that the men had to get off their horses, and
hold up the horse, and other vehicle to keep them from falling and the horses just slid down on their haunches. And the poor little remains had to find its way through corn fields, cow pens, [and] barn yard to its place of rest.

The other family near the “Falls Church” were, like ourselves, shut up without a man on the place, and out of the reach of civilization or humanity surrounded by Blanco’s men [a Federal unit], the vilest set of savages, jabbering and chattering in some unintelligible jargon. This family suffered every privation, insult, indignity and cruelty that the human mind could. think of inventing and inflicting on a house full of suffering unoffending females One of the ladies was in very delicate health, and under these terrible inflictions she languished, and daily grew worse, and worse until she died. And then, to get a coffin, and get her laid away in the grave—how was that to be done? I could not tell of the difficulties and delays, but at last they accomplished to get her placed in her narrow bed. She was a lovely Christian lady, lovely both in person and mind. She was an occupant of the grave one month when these savages dragged her out of it. They placed the coffin on
the ground, wrenched off the silver plate with her name on it, and all the silver clasps. They took the body out, stripped of its grave clothes (I think she was dressed in her wedding dress), and just left it lying on the ground.

A colonel in the Federal army gave me this account who said he had helped to put her back into her coffin and rebury her. But I really did not credit it, that such enormities could be committed by a people calling themselves Christians, until months after I saw her brother and he told me the same story. He said they would not let him go to the grave yard for a long time, indeed would not allow him to go outside the house, not even to the barn without a guard walking on each side of him, but when he did get to the grave he found remnants of her clothes and coffin lying about, and tresses of her long black hair hanging in the bushes and briars. The hair could not be mistaken, it was the, longest, most beautiful, glossy, raven black hair I ever saw. Dear Julianna, she was one of my earliest best loved friends! Why these people should thus disturb the dead. I can not imagine. This was the fourth body they have, dragged out, of the grave, belonging to that one family.

[lhsnj]

Sorry posted too many..

[lhsnj]

Double post..

[FrogHunter]

I do not know if oral family history is acceptable, but this is what I learned from an aunt who knew my gg-grandmother. Mary Ann Gardner had a father and husband fighting for the Confederacy during the War.

Maude: “Mary Ann was in the Battle of Dover. She lay beside a log with her gun. The soldiers marched past her destroying everything in their path, burning homes and barns, killing horses, mules, cows and chickens.”

The Battle of Dover – fought February 3, 1863 – was an unsuccessful Confederate attempt to recapture Fort Donelson. All but four of Dover’s buildings were destroyed in this battle. I suspect that Mary Ann was in her father’s house during the battle, and when she realized that Union soldiers were burning the town’s buildings, she grabbed a gun for her protection, fled the house, and hid behind a log.

Another aunt who knew Mary Ann said she liked to tell the story of the time she greeted some "yankee" soldiers who came foraging for food (perhaps other things as well). She was sitting on the porch in a rocker with a double barreled shotgun and guarding a wood box with two hams in it. She offered to blow them away and they left peacefully.

[cavman63]

I like the bit about cutting up the stairs carpet for saddle blankets.

[56spencer]

Greetings Everyone,

Here a few notes/observations related to the incidents around the July 30, 1864 burning of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

“In most of cases where the buildings were left money was paid. They were here too but we talked them out of it. We told them we were widows & that saved us here.” From the August 6, 1864 diary entry of Rachel Cormany. The Cormany Diaries: A Northern Family in the Civil War. James C. Mohr, editor, Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1982. The “we” she refers to includes the woman in whose house she was a boarder.

The following items are from The Burning of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Rev. B.S. Schneck, Lindsay & Blakiston, Philadelphia, 1864. This publication includes Rev. Schneck’s eye witness statement and statements from others of some prominence in the Chambersburg community.

“Although we have hard of a number of persons, mostly widows, who paid them sums form twenty-five to two hundred dollars, we know of but few cases where the property was saved thereby.”

About a Virginia cavalry officer: “He got too far south of the firing parties to be covered by them, and in his desire to glut his thievish propensities, he was isolated. He was captured by several citizens, in the midst of his brutal work, and was dispatched promptly.”

The capture of another Virginia officer west of town after the burning: “… he recognized him as one who had participated in the destruction of Chambersburg, he gave him just fifteen minutes to live.” “At the very second he shot the thief dead, and found on his person $815 of greenbacks, all stolen from our citizens, and $1750 of rebel currency.”

[56spencer]

Greetings All,

There is an essay in Guerrillas, Unionists, and Violence on the Confederate Home Front, editor = Daniel E. Sutherland, Univ. of Arkansas Press, 1999 that cites at least 2 incidents involving Missouri women. The essay is titled, Inside Wars: The Cultural Crisis of Warfare and the Values of Ordinary People by Michael Fellman.

Enjoy,