Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-01-09
JAS. 3. HAMLToN, Sec'y.
WAyDERINGs IN THE OLD DOMINION

James Grant Wilson, ESD the accomplished editor OF
The Church Record" published at Chicago, ILL.,, visited
Virginia during the past Fall to attend the sngs OF the
! Episcopal Convention. He embraced the opportunity
thus afforded to visit many other interesting portions OF
Virginia and from notes taken at the time has been en-
abed furnish lis readers with series OF very readable
and entertaining letters From OF these letters we
extract the following concerning Petersburg and its sur
roundnCs
! No one could have wished for a more magnificent
morning than that of Friday, Oct 22nd when, in COM
pany with JOAN X. Thompson, Esq, Editor Southern
Literary Messenger" we took early train from Rich
mond for the old of Petersburg principal OBJ
ect being to visit the remains of Bandord Church.
of the most interesting and picturesque ruins in the whole
country The edifce is crucifOrm, and built of large
brick imported from England Its exact ageis unknown
but from the dates the tombs in the burial ground Is
known have been erected before the year 1925. This
interesting colonial church has recently had new roof
nut upon it. in the exact style of the old 1t is no
longer used the old tenement being dsmaned of its in
terror decorations also Of its doors and windows.
'rhey are all passing from the land
Those churches old and gray,
In which our fathers used 10 stand,
In years gone by, to pray"
Some of the mosscoyered monuments and tomb-sones
on which we observed the names of Burns and Bruce
Dunlap and Douglas, Stewart Campbell Wallace and
many other Scottish names, presented most pic
turesque appearance being almost hid from the view by
ivy and other creeping vines, with which they
cred.
Banford is now but suburb of Petersburg the glory
of the town. like its church, having passed away hun
dred years ago when Petersburg was in its infancy,
Blaniord was popuous town. and the centre of the
fashion and refinement OF that district of country. In
1871 it was the scene of a engagement between
the Americans under the gallant Suben, and the Brit
ish, under Phillips and Smeoe.
Petersburg now the third city Of Virgnl in respect
to population containing about 10000 inhabitants
the scene ofaerrble cOnagraton in 1915, when above
400 houses were destroyed. 1t is situated on the Apo
mattox river and possesses extensive facilities for bus
ness
Among the numerous ancient dwellings in Petersburg
is Bolng gbrook the residence of the Boiling family Dur
ing the Revolution General Phillips and the traitor Ar
mold occupied the spacious mansion as their headquar
terS.
We had the pleasure while in Petersburg of spending
an hour or two with Charles Campbell Esq, the author
of an admirable History of Virginia, new edition of
which is about being published. He showed US many
rare aud exceedingly valuable manuscripts among others
letters by Washingtcn the Lees, Randolph, &c, and
leaf from the accOunbook of Robert Burns, which he
kept while acting as Excseman 1t is written with
neatness and regularity and at the foot of the page
bears his bold and familiar signature with the name OF
an official who endorses il being correct On our way
to the railway station, Mr Campbell pointed OUT at one