Hertford County, NC - Weekly Standard Newspaper, 1862 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weekly Standard Raleigh North Carolina August 20, 1862 …Since writing the about we find a letter in the Richmond Dispatch, of which the following is an extract in which the writer gives only and inkling of what our fellow citizens are suffering in that part of the State. At Suffolk 8,000 Yankees and Hessians have settled down to devastate the Counties of Gates, Chowan, Nansemond and Isle of Wight. Let the government do its duty and drive out the Hessians: Gates County, N. C. – Aug. 8 1862, On the 4th instant, the enemy proceeded up the Chowan River as far as Mr. Abm. Riddick’s where they landed and took off about 3,000 lbs. bacon hams, charging Riddick to see that not a lb was removed until they came again. They made an appropriation of the entire contents of his dairy, eating and destroying all the milk and butter on the premises. Thirty-nine Negro men vamoosed of Mr. Riddick’s at the same time. Nine of John D. Myrick’s, nine of W.T. Bynum’s, three of J.A. Britt’s negros, and a number of other negros have been spirited away – all this in Hertford County. On the 6th instant, the vandals landed at Bethel, Winton, and Coleraine; took off a large number of Negros and make prisoners of young Sharp, a worthy quite young man, taking him on board their ships. In this county, and in the counties of Chowan and Nansemond, the Yankee squads, under the direction of Negro guides, have outraged humanity most shockingly. They have carried off many of our best citizens, who were quietly attending to their agricultural pursuits, insulted most grossly delicate females, and destroyed millions of property. +++++++++++++++++++ The Depotism – Lincoln has recently called the most stringent orders to be issued, authorizing the arrest and imprisonment of all citizens, who by word or act, may be found discouraging volunteering or in any way giving aid to the enemy. He has also prohibited the giving of passports to all persons subject to military duty, who shall attempt to leave for Europe. __________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Marianne Nichols Ordway ___________________________________________________________________