Augusta County: Daniel K. Schreckhise to James M.
Schreckhise, October 17, 1864
Summary:
Schreckhise writes about the Union raids in the Valley and the difficulties the
population is experiencing as a result. Schreckhise also shares other news from
home with his brother.
Oct 17th 1864
Dear Brother
I have been thinking of riting to you for some time ever since the yanks were up to see us. I have a great Deal to tell you but dont know whether I will get through this time or not. In the first place we are all well. The yanks burnt both of our barns with about twenty five tun of hay in them & all of our wheat excep about twenty five bushels that we had carried out. We saved allmost all of our farming utensils. The yanks took all of our cows but too came back.
I refujeed over the mountain with four horses & our colts & some old horses we left at home & they tried to drive the colts off but they ran off & came back. They looked through the house but dident take any thing except some sugar & one pair of pants from papa.
Their will be suffering times in the valley this winter
as the yanks have burnt all of the barns from hear down
& all of the mills except
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one occasionly, all of the barns in this neighborhood are burnt up
except two or three & the worst of all every
body paid the yanks all of their gold & silver. One thing we
never paid them one sent, & if they never come
again we will do pretty well. Some people are ruined in
tirely. They liked to ruined Wm Pence
they took of both of his black men that he had bought
& five head of horses & all of his cattle & sheep
& burnt his barn he dident have a barrel of flour on hand. I tell you he is almost crazy
& the worst of all he has to go in the army now he has to go to Staunton
to morrow to Start to Richmond the next day & John Grove has to go also
& all of the details. I tell you they are [unclear: scraping]
things now & I think they ought [unclear: for times] looks
pretty squally but we will come out all right in the end. Some people think the
Confederacy is gon up all ready as the saying is.
There has a great many family [unclear: members] off to the yanks from
Rockingham & some
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men that had fine farms. People from hear down are very much discouraged every thing destroyed.
The yanks dident
got to John Grove. So all of the barns in that
neighborhood are safe. They were at Uncle Jacobs but dident burn anything in that neighborhood. The yanks stripped some
people of all of their stock.
I must tell you a little joke on Papy. Uncle John went
to hall some wood & papy went over toward Mr. Reubushes to
stand picket so he could notify him if the yanks were a coming. So Mr. Reubush
joined Pappy & they went out to the Keegle town road & was a
looking for the yanks & all at once a old yank road up in their rear & asked them what they were a doing there
& demanded their money & as good luck would have it Papy
hadent but little & he told him to go home
& stay thier, but Mr. R. had about five
thousand dollars in confed &
soime little speace
& they robbed him & as they told pap to go he left Mr R
& cut out & after he had gon the old
yank struck Mr R thre times with his saber & so
he put out
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home to with an empty pocket, a wonder the yank dident take both of their horses & so that ended
their picketing & I think it ought as they both might of been killed.
Nothing new except everybody so down in the mouth in Rockingham the yanks burnt
a good many houses the people in the lower valley will have to leave &
go someplace this winter. One good thing almost every
body was done seeding & the wheat is up & looks very
fine. We hadent sowed as much as we had counted on
sowing but we will have to quit so ther
aint any to spare to mow. We had sowed some 40 bushels.
The people in the neighborhood are jenerlly well. I tell you about that battle that we had in the valley when the yanks whipped our men we were whipped very bad. I never saw such a demoralized set of men in my life a heap of our men deserted some never will do us any more good but our army has bin recruiting & our army is in better spirits than they were two weeks ago & I think we will clean the yanks out of the valley soon. I don't think they will be up this winter any more at least I hope so. It was a bad arrangement to let the Yanks destroy the valley. I dont see how our army is to live in Va this winter the valley has bin our main support & that is nearly all destroyed. James D. Schreckhise is safe yet at last accounts but the old company that I ust to belong to was all killed or captured except one private & that is Wm Sheets. Lieut. Joseph Frey was wounded & ded he was [unclear: dead] three weeks yesterday. That is his third Son for to be killed in this war. George [unclear: Baker] has got back from Fort Delaware paroled as he was wounded. A. B. is still their. Nothing more new to right at this time right soon & a long letter. Let us know what you think of things in jenerale. Give my Respect to Amanda & receive a portion for thyself.
yours
D.K. Schreckhise
