The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-21

patriotic and public spirited, and never negli'
geut in celebrating the returns OF the pub
lie DAYS which are usually kept as secular
holdays-if such "a phrase can be allowed,
In the times # which write, there were
numher OF excellent volunteer companies,
well oiiicered and drilled and handsomely
uniformed aud equipped-so that festivals
aud paraiss were alwaya easy 10 he prepar
ed, aud generally passed off with consitefa-
BILE eclat. There was, | remember hen
was bey--a large cavalry troop-an arth
lerv corps with some brass field pieces--a
rife company and three or four infantry
comuanies- the Independent B!ues-the La
fayette Guards--the Independent VoInn-
teers, &c, &c. Who can ever forget the
Muster Days" as we used to call them,
when, in addition to the Volunteer Compa-
MES, the Country militia turned out, aud
were ''Repiewed" on the Cuta pa lot, at the
north end If the town? AT the general
muster." mnslere were furnished to the
militia from, The a.mory as the lower esd or
King street, TO BE- taed Tor the day only, and
returned when the parade was over. Ihe
fiat feet" as he boys called them | never
knew why,) shouldered their tirelocks and
went through the fatigue of their brief
campaign, with as much zeal, ii not with
the same regularity, as their uniformed COM
raJes-and always enjoyed the Joke:"-
they were hilarious and som .times upfoari-
ous-while the volunteers, as IN duty bound.
were very serious in the whole busness.-
T1pts were spread over the green turf Of the
parade ground---a marquee for the othcers
rai>t d-and retreshment tables scattered all
northumberland when the order to ''dlsm.ss,"
during the heat of the day, was given, l
have s4en more eating and drinhtn9, then
and there, than | have ever seen since, at
any publie gathering tot exceptnga wing
barbecue or a Democratic meeting, in the
woods. As to the military maneuvfes ON the
iieil--the wheeling TO the right when the
wo,d was given to wheel to the Itit-the
n,usketry practice, when the patooas fired,
nte t!an after another, aud never altogether
the inex5rlcable confusion toto which COM
p.nles were thrown by the incorrect orders
ut officers OF tue ignoranee or carelessness OF
the IN N the despair Of Che generals, colo
neIs aud major at the strange and compll-
Gated evolutiQas before Gheir eyes and the
desperation of the captains, when they
would cry out-'d-n you, why don't you
stop" when they had been calling in vain
for . ialt--of all these, "it beseems me not
to cell - The pen of Dickens could have
been kept busly engaged in sketchng the
scenes and incidents of one of these days
nor DO | know where better idea Of the
appearance, actings and doings of the spec
tpip,s Of the scene, Can be found, than in
Que OF his Pickwick papers, where he gives
an account Of military review in England,
at which the venerable chief, and his suite,
Wrinkle, Snodgrass, &C., were present. and
where they received the charge of a whole
resimenG, and awoke to consciousness, Hat
on their backs, and their hee!s 10 the air
The great d.y with u.s. in old Alexandria,
was " ashington's Birth Day-the 22d of
Fcbruury--the anniversary of the birth Of
ear fathers friend and neighbor, as we'll as
the Father of his Couotry-"carum ct ven
erablle nomen" There was more general,
public, united celebration of that day, than
there was even of the 4th of July On the
latter occasion, the heat Of midsummer-the
dusty s,reets--,he danger of exposure to the
sans rays. and the natural yearning for
shade, air, and co springs, scattered the
population. and sent them, in companies,
and parties lo seek I'll. wo.ds adjacent to
town, or other "~eque>tered retreats III the
country. Tnete was almost always II 4ih oi
.July Grafton aud IA Parade-but, rs soon as
these were over. the military separ .ted, and
wens to their respective places OF enjoymen,
" the day where IA good dinner, and plenty
of uunch AMI wine, were discussed t. every
,Jy's tW coatent. AT the dinners, the
.toa, ts' were Away, part of The enle,
tain,,snt: aud these were collected, and af
ierwarIs published in the Alexa' dria Ga
zete. the au,h RS frequently pfidiny them
selves upon the wit, or satire, or eloquence
or patriotism they were thus allow ed to ex