The national Republican., 1862-04-14

:: !: !: i: !: =: E.: =
The passengers were obliged to 60 to Alexa|
dria In order 70 take The cars. This, however,
was no special inconvsnienoe, O. the neat, sub.
stantial steamboats, to Alexandra furnished |
cheap and delightful trip down the river to the |
latter city. Here We found Col. McCallsm, The
excellent. and eflcie4t military director aud
Of railroads, 10 attendance 70
the embarkation Of the numerous
passengers. l-,., su -.
There were FIVE passenger cars, with about
two hundred and fifty excursionists, one third
Of whom were ladies'. We noticed In our party,
Hon. G. A. Grow, Speaker Of the House Of Rep.
sentatives, with party Of ladies'; Senator Fos.
ter, Of Connecticut, with his wife; Representa-
uves f., A. Conkling, Of New York, with bis
wife, Hale Of Pennsylvania, Noble Of Ohio,
and other distinguished cbaractera -:
We were soon on our way down into Dixie"
and after passing our great Notifications back
Of Alexandria, the passengers began TO look
for the appearance Of "desolation," which
Others have described; but, save the prostra-
ton Of the beautiful groves within cannon
range Of our Notifications, we could zee nothing
unusual in the appearance Of the plantations
along the route. Wherever slavery exists, the
land always presents more or less Of the " God
forsaken' appearance which writer's uuaccus-
toned 10 the South have ascribed 10 this
vicinity. .e ... .t'
There appears to be portion of the coun.
try, twelve or fifteen miles in extent, between
the two msnacing armies, occupied only by the
pickets, which has escaped the destructive In.
fuences Of the war, with the exception Of the
railroad bridges across the numerous ruts"
every one cf which were destroyed, and their
ruins are lying near while now and substantial
bridges are erected 10 their stead.
Arriving at Fairfax station, the cars stopped
about twenty minutes to allow The party 70 cx.
anime objects Of interest in this locality, Of
which there are comparatively few. ...,.-,
We then started for he great Mecca of all
Union travellers and curiosity seekers. Cro-s.
ing the far.fsmcd Bun Run, much larger
stream than We had supposed, which should
have been called Occoquan river, as It ID the
Upper part Of II, we soon began 10 see desc
laticn " sure enough. Among The first objects
Of interest were a number OF graves Of rebel
officers and soldiers, most Of which had rough
slabs Of freestone TO mark the spot where The
misguided warrior sleeps his last sleep.
Then came the outer fortiGcations and camp.
Of Manassas, ruined, blackened, aud deserted
And now we are at Manassas Junction What
picture Of " wars wild desolation," devasta
ton, and ruin !
II We mounted the ruined ramparts of the high.
est fort, where we found We could command
the whole scene. We could not fail to be I'M.
pressed with the admirable selection which The
rebel generals made when they chose this place
a. their great stronghold, while at the same
time We could sec no evidences Of remarkably
II formidable preparations to. meet the great en-
emy which they knew were monaSing them. An
irregular row Of iorti6cstions In circular form
enclosed an area Of several ,acres, on the high
sst part Of the plains, In which were, evidently
. large number Of we'll constracted winter hut,
and other buildings filed with coinmirsary
stores, &c. 10 q nortberly direction from us
the villages Centeeville could be plainly ,di,
Oerned, while The Intervening space Is q low
wooded land, through which winds the famotI
H Bun Run, on and near the banks Of which Is.
great battle was fought 4 little TO the lslt o
us- as ws face Centreville, aho con,rsbAuts l,eiS
point 10 white flag glhterns 10 the sunlight
as the spot on which the hottest of Tho contes
on Sunday altsraOon took place.. This Ii trul,
an Interesting scene. ',,' ,. & - b'a'
n The passengers have oil alight,d, aud al.
wandering through and around ~ forts, SOM
III eagerly searching amid the charrsd and black
ened ruins for the military relics which will b
q eagerly examined and coyetel BY" friend
Nj Al home.' Gu eaoh side various regiments q
N our toroes arsei'Oving aUout which; with "
music o. their bands A l the Gambling Of ii
II drums IN tllc distance, sdds very much 10 III
warliks appearance oi this place. To tke south
west Of US the plains stretch far away for miltl
tnal they reach the ba.sss Il tie Blue Ridge, q q
who,o lofty sides lay large patches Of SNOW. %
But our time would not allow US to RENAL
long, 70. enjoy this prospect, 50 we descende
among the curiosity seekers, in order 10 oh
tain our portion Of the spoils. The rebels ha
burned everything in their retreat, In, on
place, lear the railroad track, the ruins CAV
indicat ons OF being the site of large stor
house. Here were the remaants Of carpenter
4 tools, nails, carpet bags, clothing, bacon, fou
rice, beans, &e., &c. From the appearant
4 there must have been over, :, 900 BbIs Of matt
manufactured, as was indicated, by ts.Ths 0I
Y Dominion Nail Coz Of Richmond. On q
4 barrel head 10 inscribed, "Pure Cider Vinpgsi
from Fleck u Christian, Richmond, va. "r n
remnant Of stove revealed the fact that II w
y called the AGem OF the South" patented lS5
y Asa Snyder, Richmond Va. On one side
y this stove, among its ornamental mounting
4 the American eagle was quite con,piciou
q with The ser0ll ''E Pluribus Unumn In
talons, which might have conveyed to the u
lcttcrcd contrabana, while preparing 'massa'
n food, or 10 tho rebel master himself, what 4
4 nation once was, and what 1t most assured
hall LA