four oclock

                                                                                                            Sunday 25^th May

 

Dear Chester

                        This is a calm clear beautiful day, but the most exciting one that I ever spent Lieutenant John Lezeth (Ben’s cousin) came in here from Front Royal yesterday morn at 10 AM with only a few of his men and he did not think there was over a hundred of his rigament left and all day to day the baggage wagons of Banks army have been going through town and Banks himself is now in town and the Confederates a few miles from town and cannon planted around town

 

Monday 2^d June The past week has been the most exciting that we have had since the war com-/ menced. The stampede of the Union people from this place on the 25^th must have equaled Bull run. Benja did not go but the Union troops will never leave again without his going. he had not got in the notion to go when Billy Hoffman started and afterwards I pursuaded him not to go for I was afraid he would give out before he got to the river but I never want him to stay again for he was in fear all the time that the Confederates would carry him away. Secesh has shown its Cloven foot here this week (dont know as it has any other kind of foot) they got a great many union comisary stores here and they opened four cars that were full/ of goods appearently for cuntry stores. they sold gave away and carried off the goods. they went into Bill Mathews after express goods goods they said but when they got in they took his and express both. they took all the goods from some of the stores and compelled others to take Confederate money and Allen Sally Odens husband (is Secesh) has been to Baltimore and bought goods and left his Virginia money as colateral security for the goods and because he did not want to take Southern money they called him a Yankee and compelled him to take their money all the week and now the Union army has come in they have gone in and carred off some of his goods/ and some of Gettingers shoe store and some of Homrich and I hope twill be a good lesson to the secesh of this town Union people here to fore have allways been the greatest sufferers may be when they feel they will behave better Have you heard from father I am in hopes he got to Freemonts army and is safe May Providence help him if the secesh have got him for they are twenty times worse than they were in the winter if it want for this property I would not stay here as it is I think I will stick to it till it is distroyed. we have not seen a paper since the stampede and dont know a thing except what we get from soldiers and they are careful not to tell to much I have not time to write more this leaves us as well as we could expect to be my love to all

                                                                                    Harriet

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