American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-08-17
correspondence Of the Citizen.
FAIRFAX County, VA, !


The 18th Mississippi Regiment has moved
I forward and temporarily encarnped upoT
Braddock's road, leading Nortbward vi,
;, Leesburg-the path which, lin the old French
4 and Indian war, led that famous general tt
his memorable defeat The future move
ments and contemplated maneuyres of oul
Southern forces, itwould neither be wise mol
prudent TO communicate to the public press
as our plans thus displayed might, in some
way, reach the vgiant eyes Of our enemies
All these things, in fact, may be very safely
entrusted to the sole keeping Of onr skillfu
and patriotic commanders, who are in every
way able to guard the arcana, and preserve
from the hands of our Phlistine foes, that
holy ark in which are deposited the safety
and success of the South
No vestige, of the Yankees remain in this
portion of the county, except, perhaps
where they broke down the fences and fields
of grain in their breathless retreat; and they
are now .cFOuching like covering hares close
upon the banks Of the Potomac. The fear
full knowledge of the unparalleled system OF
|
practiced upon them for the purpose of'Eead-
ing them into this desperate, hopeless and
unnatural war, has suddenly burst upon them
I-thundered from the mouths of our cannon
and musketry of the 21st, and paralysis, too
deadly and benumbing, has followed the
stroke.
In the forgetfulness and excitement of the
first few days of astouishment which follow
ed their overthrow, we see that the North
.ern papers, forgetting their accustomed habit
people, were lured into the publication of
something near the truth IN reference to
their ignominieus reverse; but now their
chcanery has restored itself-their aceus-
toned mendaeity of soul and tongae regained
some equanimity; and we find them in every
conceivable way disappearing the facts of
our victory, and attempting to covert its ru-
nous effects upon their unrighteous cause.
| see that they swell our numbers to seven
times the truth-charge US with fighting be-
hind breastworks and forts-with masked
batteries, and with making dishonorable use
of their flag, and also with inhumanity and
barbarity in our use of victory; all of which
Is but a specimen Of their usual habit Of I'M
principled and INSCRIPTIONS lying, as we had
but 10000 men, met them upon an unex-
pected and open field, saw the Confederate
flag in their oeR hands, ct tic head of their
columns, and treated their wounded and pris-
oners with far more kindness ,than,was mer-
tied, as our whole army and their men now
in our hands can testify
The 18th, l7thh and 18th Mississippi Reg
iments constitute Gen. Evans Brigade of
Infantry. lie comes to us highly recon-
mended, and the most perfect satisfaction is
anticipated.
The portion Of country which we now oc-
cupy presents a most magnifcentappearance
The lofty hills of the Potomac on the East,
and the parallel line of mountains to the
West, form the boundaries Of large and
beautiful body of rolling valley land. The
scene of our military operations here is, also
Gf | may discriminate between sections of
the Old Dominion.) more noted for the
manner of its former inhabitants, and has
more Of a classic history to boast of than any
other portion of the State. Not far to the
North lies the valley of the Shenandoah
where lived the g Lowland Beauty" where
Washington went to school and lost his
heart in first love. The old Courthouse of
Fairfax contains in its archives the deeds
and conveyances of those vast and princely
estates of the old aristocracy. The family
Of Lord Fairfax Tin honor of whom
the county was named when divided from
Prince William in the year 1742D is yet
standing; and there are numbers of his .lineal
descendants living and doing yeoman service
in our Southern army. A granddaughter
of his (Mrs. Carey) is now at Culpepper,
kindly and periodically administering to our
sick and wounded soldiers.
The residence of the distinguished George
Mason, whom jefferson once characterized
as " man Of the first order of wisdom and
of the most urgent power of arguments" the
famous q Gunston Hail." where the accom-
plished Kitty Washington was wont to out
vie all the bellies Of Virginia in beauty and
the dance, is still to be seen in most of its
ola 'fnaghlncence
Six-miles from T airfax Courthouse, where
our scouts are accustomed to rendezvous,
stands the dark old ivy-grown Pohick !
Church." seven miles from Mount Vernon. |
This was the Church of Washington's ances-
tors, and he, when young, was an active
of its vestry. Along the Potomac,
and out in the country, stand the old resi- t
dences of Washington, Lawson, Lee, Brent, |
Fitzhugh, Mercer, Col. Frank Thornton,
Thacker Washington, McCarty, Col. p hilip
Lee, and Others of honorable standing in /
those old aristocratic days.
But, friend Citizen, my letter is growing
rather longer than was anticipated so
goodbye from your friend, ENSlS.
--~@--~-~~y~--~~~
GE. KIRBY >SmIrH.--our readers will |
be delighted TO learn that this gallant officer
the battle of Manassas, in which he |
performed SO skiilful anu resolute part,
although he was terribly wounded. Still he
lives. and his recovery will be prayed fer by