The New York herald., 1862-12-12
sketch or Frederieksbur arg.

Frederick sburg The city bombarded by the artillery of
General Burnside is The chief of Spottsylyania
county, Virginia andis situated on the right bank Of
the Rappahannouk river at the head Of tide water IL
4 between figty aud sixty miles from Richmond by rail
road and sixty FIVE miles by the turnpike, in northery
direction Turnpke roads connect il with Falmouth
aud Newport-ihe former BY ferry across the Kappa
happock--snd another turnpike leading through Wilder
ness 10 orange Cour House, where railroad connects it
with Gordonsvie fhc itself Is pleasantly stu
acd in fertile valley, and has advantages Tor commerce
and manufactures. The ralroud from Washington, via
Aqua creek passes through t. and thereby large traffic
and trade doue previous 10 the rebellion. As The
through trains generally stopped at Fredericksburg sta
ton Tor about hour escs trip, not nconsidera.
ble chance trade caused thereby in the immediate
locality OF the Depot II IS distant from Aqua creek
by raroas about fifteen miles from which point part OF
the Potomac river traffic usod to be carried to Feeder
icksburg.
good canal has also Been constructed rom the town
10 point On the Ranpahsnnock river about forty miles
above by which large quantities wheat -four and tobac
co formerly received for eyporaton The river affords
extensive power which however has been much
used. The hills IN the neighoorhooa varying in height
from forty to hundred feet, abound IN fine grants
and freesone About thirty years since the prospect Of
Fredericksburg being rapidly rising town was very
great but suddenly stopped in VI prosperity and after
a. il we're standing s for about twenty gears gradu
ally retrogrsded its importance. ia is4s its population
numbered nearly osr thousand souls, and in 1880 ten
years after had only Mcreased eighiy egh, persons
iess than each year. and being about ty2 per
Decade remarkably small gefore the re-
beion il contained ve churches, orphan asylum two
semnaries four newspaper Offices and two backs.
TOE county ia which Fredericksburg s situated has
an area OF four hundred square mites two hundred
and 6fty-six Thousand acres The Harpahannock forms
the boundary the northeast the North Anna river on
the southwest and the Mattapony rises within it limits
The surface is divcrs1ed by hill aud dale. The soil is
generally fertile the vicinity Of The Two gold
mncs we're worked within the county 10 1850. and a.
before stated freestcne and granite sbundan The
canal running northwest carries the river rac far above
tho fas and the country inerseced ny the Richmond
aud Potomac Railroad spottsyvania organized in
l72o and named honor of Alexander spo,tswood at
that time Governor Virginia The capital OF the county
il spottsyivania Court House, post village the Po
river, and situated over sixty miles nearly due Dorth
from Richmond with which it IL connected by turnpike
road The last ot the population gave sixteen
thousand persons about cne.halr a whom were slaves.
Tho adjoining counties OF Stafford sua King George run
along on the opposite sde Of the Rappahanncck and
,oseher have an area Of four hundred aud twenty six
square miles. or tive hundred anu sixty.eght thos.
sand six hundred aud forty acres The surface
OF tue son l. 1iIy, partially fert!e and partially
arid. Their united population, at hast returns,
amounted 10 i5,l26 about one halr Of whom
we're slaves. Granite, frees.one and gold have
also been found hcre-tho two drst in great Quantities
The former very old county, having been formed ia
1876 and named after the tnglsh county OF the same
denomination The water power and drain gc of stafford
are very good and, II properly used would have been
sources Of wealth 70 tho inhabitants of the hborhood
The before mentioned railroad also utctscs STAFFORD
county Fauquer county aJons stafford county its
western border.
These two last named counties, bat more especially