The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-08-26
A Letter from fanssin.

/ DEAR JOURNAL '-l sndIl gossip with you to-
day about that which you are more familiar with
than l. am myself--about that which you see
and read Of almost daily--it is of the scenery in
and about Peuysburg. and Of the historic inter.
est connected with this locality. To be sure |
can say nothing new, nor can impart new in
terest to this almos, classic locality; but can
talk to you ismilarly of it, and tell you in q
common. place wey, the impressions and inter.
est awakened in me, while visiting some Of the
more noted places in your immediate vicinity.
Taught, as have been, to think the Maumec
Valley a marshy, swampy, musquitoish, and fe-
ver-and-nguesh country, was little prepared to
see so beautiful river, lined as il is on either
side, with n country not less picturesque and
charming for the eye than ii is rich in SOIL The
scenery, to be sure, is not bold and mountainous
but the banks are high the land rolling, and the
winding stream, as it seeks an outlet into Lake
Erie, adds picturesque effect TO. the natural and
quiet beauty ofits banks, lined as they are with
villas, farm-houses, beautiful fields of corn, and
pasture lands with their herds of grazing cattle,
together with the majestic woods, which here
and there tower high above the placid water of
the river
Buttbe scenery OF the river, quiet, gentle, and
beautiful, as it is, will never awaken sogreat an
interest in the stranger as the historic events
| sociated with IL. II is here that brave men en-
dured hurdships, fought, bled, and died for their
country One cannot visit these battle fields
without emotions far different from those
awakened by viewing beautiful scenery-emo-
tions far deeper hoier--they have their orr
gin in the soul. There is secret something
which one feels while standing on battle field,
viewing with the naked eye the ground which has
once been shaken by the artillery OF opposing
mad men, which has been made familiar with
the roar of cannon, the music of musketry, the
exullant shouts Of victory, and the shrieks
groans, and blood of the inturiaed dying--a
something say, which can never be expert
enced while tracing geographical lines on maps,
or while reading the descriptions given by his
torians. These, to be sure, give the facts, the
movements and maneuverings of the opposing
armies, but the position of the camps, the advan-
tages of the ground the Qualifications the field of
battle itself must be SEEN in order to in(use life
aud reality into the facts, to give force und an
imaton to historic descriptions, to make you
feel the realities Of the deadly conflict. The
Soul-sirring recital then takes full possession Of
your being; you see the whole battle enacted
over again you hear the thunder of artillery,
the roar of muskelry you see the opposing
officers flying here and there through the hottest
OF the fight, iniusng courage and hope into their
soldiers; you see them battling hand to land
with glttering bayones, or rushing madly up
to the cannon's mouth. as if it were merely a
harmless playthng All the paraphernalia of
the maddened combat lies stretched out before
you, not as an imaginary picture but as the
Identical bloody battlefield
But there is another feeling awakened in the
breast Of every lover OF this country, while visit,
ing these fields, once stained by the blood of
\ those who were willing to lay down their lives
in its deience--a more humane feeling than
hat excited by the din aud bistle Of contend :
ing mad men it is the reflection on the fate oi
the departed dead, whose blood once soaked
aud whose bodies once carpeted the very ground
on which you stand-the reflection that you are
treading on the graves of the patriotic slain
Aput u''iNu'y '"S'hS,S shSh u'S o"ult "pi'o lou
sympa thze with the souls Of the fallen. Yoa
feel that you are standing on consecrated ground
that you are treading upon the ashes of de-
parted husbands, brothers, and sons, wept
and lamented by their friends and by grateful
country.
The history of the battles fought in this vi
cinity is doubtless familiar to all the readers OF
the Journal, and shall not, therefore, attempt
their description have visited Forts Meigs, and
Miami, and the battle field of Col Dudley, as
we'll as several other points of interest, as con-
nected with the battles fought here during the
!, last war. To me, they have thousand times re-
paid the trouble and time spent in studying
them.
n have been pleased, dear Journal with the
natural beauty Of the place, and with the pros
perity and enterprise OF your village But to
speak of these things to name the attractions
aud advantages of Perrysburg- the excellence OF
, your schools, the more than usual ability o.
your clergy, the besutilul steam boats which ply
between the village and Toledo, as well as ma
/ ny Other things might name--would be super
huous, These are familiar facts which make
Perrysburg what it is-a pleasant place to visit
!, aud desirable place to settle in But fee
that am growing tedious, with assurances
= that shall remember my first visit 10 you
u town with no ordinary degree of pleasure, re
y main, as ever your friend GOSSIP.