Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-08-21

or, that is, that he will be ever loyal to the
United States, aud if hereafter found in arms
against the Union, or in any way aiding her
enemies, the penalty will be death.
JOHN SMITH.
On our way we first passed Clark
Mills equestrian statues of Jackson and
Washington. The former is the centre
of the square, in front of the PresideH-
tial mansion, and the latter is on Penn
sylvania avenue, about mile out from
the " hite House. Each is of colossal
proportions, and as works of art have
been much criticised. Not being Judge
of either shall give no opinion.
Georgetown is an elderly looking
place, and in appearance is considerably
behind her larger sister city Washington.
There are, however, many quite villas
and country seats on the eminences
around, but in the town itself there is
still great room for improvement. Bust
ness is entirely suspended. The Cheese
peak and Ohio Canal, the great artery
of trade between the town and the West,
has been in the custody of the secession
lists until quite recently, and all trans
portation upon it was consequently sus-
pended. Even yet their proximity is too
great for the safe transmission of flour,
grain, etc, and until the canal is fully
under the control of the United States
Government and business resumed along
its line the city Of Georgetown must con-
tinue to feel the disastrous consequences
Of secession.
We crossed tie Potomac near the
frowning guns of Fort Corcoran, which
overlooks the heights on the Virginia
side. From this point to Alexandria
the distance is about eight miles along
the heights, and the whole space is dot
ted with encampments of the regulars
and volunteers now in the service Of the
country. We had scarcely landed on
"sacred soir before we were painfully
impressed with the fact that we were
surrounded by circumstances unusal in
this hitherto free and happy country
We were stopped on the public highway
and compelled to show our passes. We
did not grumble, of course not, because
that is what we got them for. The sign
manual of Drake De Kay" Abide
Camp, which sentinel jocularly re-
marked he could read half mile off"
was sufficient for all purposes.
The heights opposite Washington City
are the range of hills bordering on the
river. They cannot be called mountains,
and should think the highest of them
is not over four hundred feet above the
river. Still as Washington City lies on
very low ground, and as the heights are
not more than two miles from the Presi-
dents House, nor three from the Capt.
tol, their possession was absolutely nee
essarv to the Government in order to
retain possession of the city, for a bat
terry of rifled cannon plac ed anywhere
between Arlington House and George
town would have commanded and could
have easily battered down the Capitol
and city. At Georgetown the Potomac
is only about 600 yards wide and rushes
forth through the heights, whose precipi-
tous bluffs come up close to the southern
side. From thence the heights gradual
ly recede from the river, until at Alexan-
dria their line mnst he nearly mile
from the river. The sides of the heights
are covered with beautiful groves, and a;
various points in these shady hooks may
be seen the residences of the landed gen.
try and wealthy citizens of the city, and
no more beautiful nor healthy locations
can be found in the New World.
The ascent to Fort Cocoran is guarded
by several block houses erected of hewd
logs and intended to shelter sharp shoot
ers, whose duty it will be to pick off the
advance men of an enemy. North of
Fort Corcoran is another Fort that we
did not visit, and whose name / have
have forgotten and there are others
scattered over the interior at various
points, and as we gazed around as far as
the eye could reach we saw in every suit
able field and shady wood the tests of
the soldiers.
The Arlington property is an estate Of
1000 acres, lately the property and resi-
dence of George Washington Parke
Quits, the adopted son of George Wash
ington.
Mr.. Curtis was adopted by General
Washington in 1886, when only six
years of age, and remained in his family
until the death of the Great Chieftain in
1899. In 1s02 he began the erection
of the present mansion, where he lived
SO years."
The above words we saw written on
one of the doors of the mansion, and |
thought that here this good old man
whose name is familiar as household
words for his generosity and cordiality
had lived Gin undisturbed repose" for
more than half a century, dispensing bis
princely hospitality to all the great and
honored of the nation-a last link be-
tween the patriots of the revolution and
the present-and here be died, and was
buried beneath the. cool shades of the
forest that he doubtless saw grow up
around him. darlington House" is Wis
IDLE from almost any part of the city OF
Washington. 1t occupies very com.
handing site upon the brow of the bluff,
more than three hundred feet above the