archieclement
Colonel
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2011
- Location
- mo
On Aug 13th 1861 J.T.K Hayword wrote official John W Brooks about conditions along the line, which was forwarded to Stanton.
"When there is added to this the irregularities of the soldiery, such as taking poultry, pigs, milk, butter, preserves, potatoes, horses, in fact everything they want, entering and searching private houses and stealing in many cases, committing rapes on the negroes and such like things. the effect has been to make a great many Union men inveterate enemies, and if these things continue much longer our cause is ruined. These things aren't exaggerated by me, and though they dont characterize all troops, several regiments have conducted in this way, and have also repeatedly fired on peaceable civilians, sometimes from trains as they passed, and no punishment, or any of any account has been meted out to them."
He also wrote Fremont protesting the atrocities being committed by Gen Popes troops. The 2nd Kansas and 16th Illinois were the worst. Eventually even Pope had some of the officers of the two regt sent to St Louis for court martial
"When there is added to this the irregularities of the soldiery, such as taking poultry, pigs, milk, butter, preserves, potatoes, horses, in fact everything they want, entering and searching private houses and stealing in many cases, committing rapes on the negroes and such like things. the effect has been to make a great many Union men inveterate enemies, and if these things continue much longer our cause is ruined. These things aren't exaggerated by me, and though they dont characterize all troops, several regiments have conducted in this way, and have also repeatedly fired on peaceable civilians, sometimes from trains as they passed, and no punishment, or any of any account has been meted out to them."
He also wrote Fremont protesting the atrocities being committed by Gen Popes troops. The 2nd Kansas and 16th Illinois were the worst. Eventually even Pope had some of the officers of the two regt sent to St Louis for court martial
Bringing the