Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-11-21
SKETCHES OF TRAVEL ON THIa
SACRED SOIL,
The Notes OF Pilgrim Through the
Valley OF fVlrEinlR.-GllnlpSes al
Extra Billy smith, John q. Mari
Robert e. Scott, and others.

/
About seven miles of driving from Fau-
quier Springs gives us an. insight into the
lproyeFbial expression, "Virgini0 roads,
and an entrance into Warrenton, the most
considerable place in this part of the State.
1t cont,lins some handsome residences, and
some fine looking men and women. Its
population is little over 1000.
We had the good fortune to tallin with
an intelligent old lawyer, whose mind was
an antique picture gallery of the past OF
this somewhat distinguished town. Here
lated to us how, long years ago, at the set
ting of suItry summers day, man,
dust-worn and humbty nttired, entered the
village, bearing bundle hung upon
cane over his soldier. Stopping in front
of the inn, he handed a gentleman stand
ing there a slip of paper, on which was
written:
t'7Ee celebrated historian and naturalist,
VoLSEY, needs no recommendation from
&c. WASHINGTON"
He was full, also, of anecdotes coucern-
ing the early years of Chief-Justice Mnr-
shall, whose birth place is near this town.
and whose descendants reside there now.
He related to us also tue particulars OF the
love affair, and the duel with Leitchmuu,
of General Simon Kenton, (nlso born here,)
who, suppOsing he had slain Leitchman,
fed TO Kentucky, and became the boldest
of Western pioneers aud warriors against
the IndiAns,-eight times running the
gauntlet, thrice tied to stake to be burnt,
and marvelously saved-shnrer OF Wnyne's
vistoty-spy in Dunmure's war lie died
in Ohio in 1897, peacefully, ut tue age OF
eighty-two.
Other notabilities had lived and died
I,o.n I,nN Hty orp mora infnFnstP6 in some
of the notorieties who were all alive and
kicking.
Here was Extra Billy Smith, Ex.Goy-
ernor of Yirgiuia, ExMember Congress
United States, now Brigadter. General o.
s. A., to see whom alone, and hear his Ii.
ties Mt the same time, would have made
Hamlet, in his most melancholy mood, split
all his waiscoat buttons of with lSpghtsr.-
! A meaner, more weazeGr taCed fellow, un-
less it be his sou Austin, now at Fort La
fayette for stealing, I'VE hever saw. The
warrentouians have the utmost contempt
for Extra Billy, and it Is tavorite anee-
dote among them that, on Sunday morning
when the news came that he had been;
elected Governor, (it was doLe by :he leg
islatnre in that day,) the people were ut
terly amazed and disgusted The choir OF
the leading church had prepared, before
they had heard the news, the plaintive old
anthem, "Oh, Lord our Governor" The
repetition of this phrase by the singers had
such a lndicrous effect that the congrega-
tion Uttered, aud the choir caught the con-
taCton and broke down with laughing,-
Whereupon the whole Smith family, with
Austin g. at their head, marched out of
church in solemn processionl We were
assured that this is a fact.
How little did we think when we saw
young John Q. Marr, a rising lawyer ofthc
town, that he would ever yield to become
rebel, and so soon meet u rebels doom.
He was slain Mt the charge through Fair
! fax Court House, early in the war, and
Smith now occupies his Command
| Young Mari was a delegate to the Rich
mond Convention, last winter, aud steldi-
" to the Lust voted against Secession, but
when7the State was declared out of the
| Union, he and other "submissionists," as
they were termed, were offered these al
ternatives: either to be disgraced and per-
secuted every day of their lives, aud forced
to exile aud loss of property, or to have
leading military offices, TO beget enthosl-
asm in them for the cause they had so long
Ioathed. Young Marr, alas, chose the
worst part, which a kind Providence has
taken from him.
| Here, also, walks moodily, and seemingly
With twenty years added to his life in one
six months, the celebrated Robert E. Scott.
He is undoubtedly the ablest man in the
State of Virginia. Before judges, juries,
and in legislative halls, we have listened
to him again and again, when his words
seemed to translate tbunderholts, We did
Iexpect to the last; that this man would re-
main an Abdiel. faithful among the faith-
| less. However, we can scarcely expect
| slavery to train up Hampdens and sgd
ueys. Self.sacriiciug patriots in the South
will be found only in regions nearly FREQ
Of slaves; Z. o the mountain ranges from
Pennsylvania to Alabama. Mr.. Scott is a
tall, handsome man, with well knit frame;
he has a great brow and a clear grey eye;
/ and silky white hair, worthy to crown an
age OF fidelity and honor, However, leti
be said to his credit, he is au unhappy
man; his elasticity is gone, and it is whis-
/ pered among his t0wusmen, that he bears
a muttetins aud diseohtehted heart In his
breast, which may give trouble to Jetdom
iinithe future.
One of the cleverest men We met here
was Mr.. Richard Smtth, who formerly kept
\ a school of some note here at the same
time edited the Flag Of '9s, the Democratic
| sheet of the town. This gentleman was
full of hamor aud intelligence, but a terri
bIe disiniouist. He left the place after
ward, md Nat Tyler, now editor of the
Richmond Enquirer, took chargc Of the
Flag. Smith started the Agt In Alexan
lria, and when our troops entered thst
town, Smith was lucky enough to escape
with histype press, &c. BE was rewarded
by being elected Printer TO the Confederate
Congress In Richmond, nposition whictbc
Nv ,r - .,t IL X,s s,s,,,,,,, ,,.5+