1861 Nov[ember] 6 Ossian Hall

[contemporary, retained copy of a letter from Mrs. Francis A. (Margaret Randolph) Dickens of "Ossian Hall" to her friend and neighbor Mrs. Robert E. (Mary Custis) Lee, of "Arlington."

On Wednesday morning 23' Oct. soon after breakfast
a servant told me that a number of soldiers were approaching
the house. I walked out on the portico, and as they advanced
saw that they were very much excited. They surrounded the
house. I advanced and said, "do you wish to see any one
here?" I was rudely answered by several in broken english.
"Where is Mr. Dickins?" I replied, "He has just gone out, I suppose
to the barn. I will send for him." They rushed by into the house
and said, "you shall not, he is in the house. Open this door or
we will break it open." They brought with them hatchets and axes.
As I complied with the demand nearly the whole party ran
up the stairs, without an officer. I called out in the presence
of their commander, "Oh, don't go into my chambers, I have
just left them and they are in no condition for men to examine."
Upon which one, who I have since learned was the captain,
came up to me in a menacing manner and with his voice raised
to a high pitch said "Hush your voice, or I will arrest every one
of you--Hush!" I said to a servant near call Mr. Dickins
The soldier next to her pointed his gun at her and said, "If you
call I will shoot the heart out of you." I replied, "What am I to
do? You will not let me send for my husband." And then for the
first time the officer said, "a soldier my accompany your
servant to the barn." But not until the party upstairs had carried
on a wild work of destruction and pillage, breaking open 14
locks and with hatchets destroying the furniture. One of the
men refused to let my little son go upstairs and said to me "dont
be alarmed we will not hurt you." to which he was answered by

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another "she is not scared, she is only ____."Some word that I did
not understand. The manner of my husband's arrest he can
tell you. I did not see it. I only know from the brutal manner
in which he was hurried off, I felt apprehensive that some
violence would be offered. And in a state of agonizing
suspense I suffered for two days and nights. Every day after
this the soldiers would be here shooting down the poultry, hogs,
sheep and destroying my beehives. Then going into my kitchen
and taking a bucket to carry away the honey. On my remon
strating with them and telling them not to take away the
bucket, it was useful to me, they said I could very well
spare the bucket and honey, it was for their officers &
walked off with it. These soldiers cam on the portico
and took the hook from upon which it was hung, a
cage with a pair of Ring Doves. --I called to them to bring
them back, it would distress my children so much to lose
them. I saw a smile of derision as he looked up &
ran off. --In truth, with the exception of the cattle and some
of the sheep, that were turned in the pine woods, stripping the
place of nearly everything on it. Breaking open the out buildings
and robbing them. I would go out and tell them my husband is
a prisoner in Washington and I was promised protection, but they
paid no attention to it, sometimes would not answer, or if
they did, in a rude surly manner. --All this I bore as well as I
could. But on Friday morning I c[oul]d not. The cows, one of which
had a bell on, had been driven up near the house. it was
a lovely morning and my children were laughing merrily &
making some noise on the lawn, when we saw 6 or 7 men
with their guns pointed running very fast towards us.--as they
came up, they did not stop but entered a door that was open

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leading to my kitchen. I met them and asked "What do you want
here?" They surrounded me and with the most violent threats
& manner said "We are going to search this house." "No,"
I answered, "that has been done, and my husband taken from
it a prisoner. You have no authority to enter. You have
no officer with you." They became furious and for some
moments I felt personal danger. One said, "Why did you
run out on the porch and have those cows driven about
to make that bell ring and make all that noise. We will
search his house and burn it down. We have orders to do
so." Just then one of the servants said to them there was a U.S. officer
here yesterday and we expect some more here today. This attracted
their attention. They asked something about the uniform and went off
saying "the next time we come, dont make such a noise. We
dont want to trouble women and children but we have orders
and we will burn this house down. We know what is right."
All this in very broken english. They were Germans.----After these
valiant deeds they proceeded to my hen house & took from it a
number of fowls. The same afternoon two more soldiers came &
took a calf which one of the servants begged them not to take
away. They told him that he must get them a goose or some chickens
for they would have something. A goose had been just prepared
for my table. I told him to give them that & let them go.
upon which they sent for me & informed me that if I poisoned
them withe the goose they would come and burn every thing
on the farm.--I had it taken from them and a pair of live
chickens given in its place.--Saturday the storm relieved
me from my dreaded visitors.--Sunday morning another set
was here & after shooting about the doors and prying into
every place they could enter, one of them told my servant
to go into the house & tell me he must see me he wanted
to see what sort of a woman I was. I came to the door and said
"I am promised protection." "Show it to me," was imprudently demanded. I
brought the letters sent from Washington which he endeavoured to take
from my hand. "Who sent them." "The Provost marshal Genl Porter
& Genl. Bleaker's Aid de camp." "That's nothing we got a right
to come in Genl. Blinkers has nothing to do with us."--I said
"But I know that Gen McClellan has issued a General
order that no property is to be injured." "Oh that amounts to
nothing. Secessionists are about here and you can com-
municate with them." I finally said "There is no one here
but myself and two little boys & servants, who are powerless
to injure you in any way, and if you have the feelings
of a man and a soldier, you will not intrude further
upon me." Upon which after some further remarks, he
took his leave in a more respectful manner.--On
monday at 7 in the morning, some of the 17th N.Y. took
a bridle from the stable and were for a long time trying
to catch a three year old, unbroken colt, which they
declared their determination to have. It however escaped
them & after looking in at the windows of my sitting
room and raising a window, which I called to them to leave
they went off.--Such has been the terror and suffering
what I have endured for 13 days.--I wrote several
letters to Genl. Blinker imploring his protection, which
meeting with no response I presume were never received.

Margaret H. Dickens
Ossian Hall

Louis (Ludwig) Blenker, 1812-1863, a German emigre and businessman, began the war as Colonel of the 8th N.Y. After Bull Run was promoted to Brigadier.

[See also the letter written today by C.S. General Joseph Brevard Kershaw to Mrs. Dickens's daughter Fanny on the reason behind the arrest of her father]

MSS 5533-k