October 28, 1863
. . . The guerillas are extremely saucy of late, and, in a
small way, annoying. Night before last they dashed at a waggon train and cut
loose upwards of a hundred mules and horses, which they made off with,
teamsters and all, leaving the waggons untouched. These men are regularly
enlisted, but have no pay, getting, in lieu thereof, all the booty they can
take, except horses, which they must sell to the Rebels at a fixed rate. They
have taken several officers who, from carelessness, or losing their way, have
gone alone beyond the lines. Prisoners are treated with consideration, but I
fancy that, from all accounts, Libby Prison is pretty dirty and crowded. When
some of our officers were taken through Warrenton, on the retreat of Lee, the
inhabitants gave them supper; for the 6th Corps were long quartered there and
treated the people kindly. When you are here you see how foolish and blind is
the clamor raised by some people, to have all property destroyed by the army in
the Rebel states, as the troops passed. There was, you know, a great talk about
putting guards over houses of Rebels; but, 1st, it is very wrong to punish a
people en masse, without regard to their degree of guilt and without
properly measuring the punishment; and, 2d, nothing so utterly and speedily
demoralizes an army as permission to plunder. It is our custom to put guards
over the houses that are inhabited; but, despite that, the cavalry and advanced
guard take a good slice of the live-stock; forage, and vegetables. . . .
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 39-40
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