Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-05-01
PERRYvILLE.

Perryville is rising into distinction. Mil
lions who never heard of this place before,
now read OF it every day. 1t figures in de-
spatches and correspondence from the frontiers
of Canada TO the borders of Texas and through
ont s.the great Northwest Being hitherto
unknown 10 fame, it suffers considerable at
the hands OF the rather hasty gentlemen of the
pen and note book. We have before US, at
this writing, letters and kilograms in which
this focal point of public interest is variously
etdoBn under the names of fssPerrymansville,"
"Prettymansville, sParrysville," sFerry
ville," "PIycevi!le." and everything but
Perryville. which is its true name. AS the
present is the only chance it has ever had, or
ever may have. for achieving historical dis
tinction, appeal to all generous journalists
to be careful to write out the name in plain
characters, and see that it is printed ssPerry
Vile"
1t may be worth while 70 describe, or, at
least, localize, Perryvilie. This now famous
place is situated in Cecil county, Maryland,
sixty -one miles southwest of Phlad elphia, at
the point the east bank of the Susque-
hanna River where il Is crossed by the great
ferry of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Rail-
road. 1t is from this latter circumstances
that it derives all its present Importance, for
otherwise it is sort of sspoint-no- point"
There is no village; and the only houses,
with perhaps one or two exceptions. are the
railway depot. engine houses, workshops. and
woodsheds. These are now in use as quar-
ters for the troops concentrated there to pro-
tect the line of communication, and they al
ford very good Accommodations for this purpose.
On the west side of the Susquehanna, op-
posite to Perryvile, is Havre de Grace, in
Hardford county, Maryland, from which the
railroad is continued thirty-six miles into
Baltimore. Between Perryvlle and Havre
de Grace the railway communication is Kept
up by means of the powerful steamboat
Maryland, which can easily accommodate two
thousand people, and has railway tracks
the upper deck. upon which an entire train
of cars, locomotive and all, can be transport
ed across the river. 1t is by all odds the
completest, best worked and most capacious
ferry arrangement in the United States, and
perhaps in the world. The ferry steamer a.
bove named is now in the service of the Gov
ernment.
Below the Susquchanna, the Baltimore Rail-
road crosses several very broad but quite shal
low streams, or rather sheets, which are the
estuaries of small streams. The first of these
is Bush river, about eleven miles southwest of
Hayre de Grace. This is somewhat over a
mile wide. The next is Gunpowder river "a
bout seven miles further on, and of about the
same width as Bush river. The third is black
river, within six or seven miles of Baltimore,
and about an eighth of mile wide. All these
are crossed by railway snperstructure laid
upon piles driven into the beds of the streams.
There is fourth bridge, of the ord mary
kind, over a small creek at Canton, q suburb
of Baltimore.
The last of these is totally destroyed, but
the others have been only damaged to an ex-
tent sufficienlyto obstruct the passage oftrains,
their very nature preventing any extensive
destruction by fire. 1t is destruction or OBJ
struction of the bridges over these numerous
large and small rivers, below the Susqaehan-
Ma, which detains all travel southwark, wheth-
er civil or military, at Perryyille, to which
place let us now return.
geographically considered, Perryville is
an important point, being situated at the con-
fuence of the Susquehanna river, with the
head of Chesapeake bay. At the railway
landing there is sufficient depth of water for
large steamboats,, and from that point there is
excellent navigation to any locality the
Chesapeake, including Baltimore, Annapolis,
the mouth of the Potomac and Forf Monroe.
For the present, Annapolis, which IS about
fifty miles distant, is the important point.
The run down from Perryville is made by the
local steamers and freight boats in about five
hours. From Annapolis over to Washington
there are two routes. one 10y rail and one by
the stage road. By the latter the distance is
about twenty eight miles-a long day IS march,
The railroad connection is by branch line of
nineteen miles to the Washington railroad,
which it intersects at point seventeen miles
from Baltimore and twenty miles from Wash
lngton. Some damage was done to the An
napolIs line by the Secessonists. but we be-
lieve it is now repaired and in use by the Gov
ernment.
Such is Perryvile. and such the surround
ings and circumstances which give it import
ance at this iuncture, in the eyes of all who
love their country and its flag. 1t is occupied
now by formidable body of Pennsylvania
troops, and is the key to the only free line of
military communication between the Free
States and the Capital City of the nation.
We trust it will nor be long before other lines
will be opened and occupied, for while the
Chesapeake and the steamboats, may be aud
certainly are very convenient row fifty miles
of water transit make the present line rather
slow and precarious for the operations made
necessary by the traitors proceedings of the
Southern States.