[Colonel Kangaroo]

The citizens in this country all seem to be afraid of us they treat us very kind though. I believe it is done through fear. The most of our Virginia boys treat them verykind though there is some of our extreme southern troops has treated the people badly. I am sorry they do so. It is against General Lee's orders to interrupt private property.

"The most of our Virginia boys treat them verykind though there is some of our extreme southern troops has treated the people badly." That's the point- most soldiers, Yankee and Reb, treated the people kindly. Most Yankee troops did not burn ladies looking for loot and most Confederates did not gouge the eyeballs out of citizens and then make sport of the blind man's agony.

Lee, like Sherman, had nice orders regulating foraging, but that didn't stop Lee from leaving PA. with hige trains of Yankee loot.

[central_va]

The argument is about policy, Northern policy condoned destruction of civilian property. Southern policy prohibited it. When Yankee troops didn't pillage that was news, when Rebs pillaged that was news also. Get it, dip?