The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-01-08

msshing the spot where the Old fashioned: chin
ney slood-,he old well, now aea-Iy closed here
aud there the mars Of where a fence once
stood, nunber o. dec,yed trgH a. de6aug dis
tinciiy the limits of al apple orchard. al tel
feaiiully Of the pssssge OF the great No!och,
which would now destroy the Government that
at an earlier day gave To this section greatres-,
and would now, bui for The pOllutiUg preseIce of
slavery aud its twin sister, treason From this
We pass into catk gloomy pine torrs,, The trees
probably century old, now ST :d.us where
once the iespers merry song bespoke rich har
vests and a season OF plen:y; there the prssene-
OF civilization, except possibly the trunk Of ar
cient Fl ut trees. which has d, fed tie ravages of
time, is entirely oblitorAted the old house tie
fence line, tie wall, all al, gone. Slavery bat
tied long with nature, but succurnbei at lssr,
and the sighing OF tie wind through the tai!
pines ever sings OF ner victory. Passing down
what wss once splendid gfaveiei carriage
way, We follow this until il is merged In an i'm.
passatle ravine. No, liking the app, atarce OF
the ravine AID thicket, We re;race our steps and
following rapidly in the wake of the Major soon
emerge iicih tue WOODS anu - old ftloS, ana
fBd ourselves on q beautiful plain. Standing on
al enineuce, aud looking down upon thi, beau.
uiul plain, We would suppose il the very eIabyui
of prosperity On little lillocks surrounded by
tef-- 4 nearer approach io",veI Sh.s the sup
posed hsicS mansion - D. but ihv raarfea,
bacbcEcd r,r..us al u bea ritui l~sjte...v.
Auothet tlrni IS visited srui IS suye'anaa;si
ncgroes ure ali Of lie tia j. to bc found, TIE
owners, Ihe crops, 81. stock alt gene, the fences
des,ro, I'd. the plantations highway and but
for the rich soii, this hae plain would soon b.
o,elgrown 10y pines, As Iha: above described
Va, Nth its terrible scOurec has been here
and lett an iudcll.b:e mark. Such il Virginia.
Coming suddenly on negro sh,uty in ti.e woods,
ws irg ghtened half dozen pickaninuies almost
out OF taeir wits. i few pennies thrown gG the
ground brought them from their hiding places
grl already in her teens and shOSins set Of
ivory that would please even Evans, was asked
where her father Was. II don hab none" was
never hab any" Ne concluded she was ver-
liable Topsey, and turned away.
Hearing OF the presence Of the enemy in an.
other quarter, We proceeded TO the place of rem
devious and taking company of cavalry star.
ted to fLd them. Or nearing the place designa
ted We met couple oi young ladies, WHO told
US there had been 10 enemy the re for "a week
A few minutes siterw ard scout returned with
the information that the enemy bad been found.
We learned aiterward that the father and brother
Of the adies were surgeons III the rebel service,
hence their urreliabity. The escort hurried to
the front, but the enemy wisely gave US the
slip and disappeared in one Of the numerous
bye roads that i this country, a d lead 10 per-
son knows where, but which always furnish an
outlet for the enemy. We returned within our
own lines to spend the night. We stopped with
a true z nion man, one of natures noblemap. lls
and though he traces his origin to the same an
cestry as does the rebel commissioner Mason,
such is the influence OF proper early education,
that he has not been tainted with disloyal,y but
while surrounded with those who were feasting
on the flesh pots Of Egypt, he stood monu.
ment Of patriotism around whom rallied whole
settlement Of loyali-ts, that are now reaping the
reward of their devotion the Union. "WoOd
lawn" The name given 10 Mason's plantation by
the ashngton family, was originally part o
the Mount Vernon estate. 1t was Inherited by
Major Lewis, a nephew Of Washington. b,
erected the splendid brick Mansion that now
attracts much attention from the tourist. Tht
| Il NJ
the Potomac, the valleys Of Douge Run and H.,
Accotink. ard the plain occupied by the Quake
settlement. The latter shows hone Of the effec,
of the war that is so terribly evident in all Othe
parts Of the State tha! we have seen. None O
those depreda,ions that have characterized III
marching Of Union troops through Virginia hav
! been perpctratcd in this locality on account Q
: the uudoubted Union principles Of the inbabil
: ants and they have been unmolestedby the reb.l
els through Of meeting Union troops, whom the
knew had such firm friends in the loyal Quske.:
But though these have suffered little loss
property on account OF the war, their intens
suffering of mind incident to their unce rtain tat,
r must be indescrbable. The father and sOrs, tug
e tives within the enemies line or remaining
home in imminent peril OF their lives and feeir
e TO the " woods ON each slight alarm, ,hrea,ene
e with imprisonment or death by special proc
nation Of the rebel general, those devoted 10y
r alists had a price set upon their heads and kue
! not when it might be paid, aud their proper,
e confiscated to the cause they hated. The prom
d ised destruction of their property and home
d the ,avshmeut Of their wives and daughters, /
{ published resolutions Of armed mobs in the
c close proximity, we're circumstances tha. wou
l. not render their six months imprisonment betwe,
e the lines of hostile forces life Of ease or co:
fort. Some have lived Efe time, in this hs
IS year ci terror and suspense. Locking anxious
e for a "forwsrd To RichmonG" movement, th
e they nigh, be releas d from this terrible all
'e iety, they rejoice as only the imprisoned kno
er how 10 rejoice, when restored TO liberty. VII,
- the Union masses moves against the cohorts
r, slavery In order 10 realize the intensity of ,h.
ID feeling and suffering, you must sit by one
"a these moral heroes and hear him tell With sh
's anguish and terror they saw our worn out al
L. dispiritod fragments of divisions s,raggle hoI
r. from the Bull Run disaster How husbands a,
is fathers collected together ;heir household goo
ig and consigning them to the keeping OF Pro
as dence, take a hasty, and they knew 10, but
~ last farewell. and fastened with the retreati