The Daily Dispatch: October 13, 1862., [Electronic resource]

Another Horrible murder by Federal troops.

‘ On Thursday, the 4th, some Federal cavalry had passed down from Memphis to Hernando, and about twenty of them returned on Friday, reaching the widow White's about 1 o'clock P. M. They stopped for water, when they were informed that there was a well just on the roadside about half a mile further on. They proceeded, and when about half way to the well were fired on by some of our partisan rangers. The Lieutenant commanding the company and some four or five others were killed, while the rest of the Federals fled in all directions. Mr. White was not at home at the time, and had never belonged to any military organization, though he was making arrangements to join a company of rangers in a few days.

’ About sunset some two or three companies of Col. Grierson's Illinois regiment, under command of Capt. Bycourt, arrived at Mrs. White's from Memphis and inquired for Mr. White, alleging that he was among those who shot the Federals in the morning, and that if he could be found he should die.

This was stated to the wife and mother, and to two other young ladies of the vicinity who were at Mrs. White's. About this time Mr. White who had seen this large force stop at his house, and feared some rudeness to the ladies there, came up in order to pacify the Federals if it could be done. They instantly seized him and proclaimed their intention to kill him. He protested his innocence, declaring that he knew nothing of the matter until it was over, and that he had never belonged to any military company.

His assertion was treated with cool contempt and he was told he must die. His wife and mother entreated, begged, implored, knelt in agony at the feet of these heartless ruffians; but woman's prayers and tears were of no avail. A citizen, who was a prisoner, and who was observant of most that passed during that terrible scene, states that Capt. Bycourt said that there had been a time when woman's tears and pleadings would have been all-sufficient with him, but now he could willingly see every man, woman, and child in the South killed.

When the order was given to shoot Mr. White, some dozen caps went off, but the pistols hung fire. He then started to escape. He was near the yard gate, when some one of the crowd by whom he was passing, shot him in the breast near the shoulder. He ran down the road, pursued by a number of the enemy; and soon after he reached the woods, a half dozen shots were heard. In the mean time, these brutes ordered the females not to go after him, threatening to shoot them if they did so.--Dutch soldiers presented their pistols and made the wretched wife and mother stand within the light made by the flames then leaping up from their home. House, kitchen and outhouses were all soon in ashes, and these poor women forced to stand and see this crowning act of vandalism. When the order was given to fire the house, they had been permitted to take a change of clothes, tied up in little bundles; but even this was subsequently refused, and they were made to throw them all to the flames.

Pale with terror, and overwhelmed by an agony of grief such as none can describe, the wife and mother stood watching the red flames in the deepening twilight; yet seeing nothing, for their yearnings were toward the husband and son who they knew must be mortally wounded, and perhaps then in the agonies of death.

His body was found next day in the woods, about a half mile from the house. His head and face were horribly mutilated--five balls passing through his brain, his eyes shot out, and his head, before and behind, having six ghastly sabre cuts, all showing that a carnival of hellish sport had been held over the dead.

After returning from the pursuit, they threatened any of the women with death who might attempt to find his body, and then proceeded to the house of the next neighbor, setting it on fire, and turning out in the night air, shelterless, a delicate lady and three sick children.