Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-05-16

Guards were Immediately placed before all
tho houses. /. soon became spPsront that the
inhabitants OF ;he town a. general thing had
remniued hav, visited grea! many houses,
and End the psoolo to be, with singb excep.
ton. bitter sece&'i6n;sts. Many OF them are
pao:lr ci grca! ~.ath. aul their dwellings ale
furnished with gruat taste and elegance
Many OF the latter are old, but TCry handsome
structures. The town itself is quite large,
being one Of tho oldest III America. snd having
an important historic character Ii contains
number o: churchss--.he Episcopal church
having been built long before the Revolutions.
ry war. In its graveyard sre tina tolubs and
mUnumerls Of many Of the old digniaries of
Virginia. tbs Inscriptions on the monu
mnnts, together With tho coats Of arms and
armor!al emblens Of the deceased, being
nearly eff iced by time William and Mary Col.
lege. which stands at the West end of tho prin.
cipal street, was founded in 1893, by William
and Mary, King aud Qlcau of England. The
Rev erend Father in God, Henry, Bishop of
London" wss the first Chancellor The FIRST
college building, burned in 1905 WAS rebuilt
in 1928. The original deed Of transfer To- tho
faculty was drawn by John Randolph. It is
w.tten upor fourteen beautifully illuminated
sheets Of parchment, and il now in the library
Of tho college. II is dated March 10, l729-
In l1Sl the exercises OF the college " ere sus-
pended, and tho buildings were alternately
occupied. tho summer before the memorable
sicge of Yorktown, By the British and French
troops. rs thoy were this spring by the rebel
and Unioa forc.s. The Presidents house. in
which write this lottcr, was accidentally de.
s.royed by FIRE while occupied by the French
after the seigo Of Yorktown. 1t was rebuilt,
in hetier style than before, By the French
gov ernment, aud il in excellent order
now. Ia 1888 General Washington vas
made Uharc ,llor Of the College. His origi
nal Latter Of acceptance, dated Mount Vernon,
April So 1888, is preserved in the college ii
hrarv. The library itself is richly stored with
antiquarian lore. In the vaults Of tho chapel
rcpaso the remains Of Sir John Randolph, his
son, John Randolph; Peyton Randolph, Psesi.
dant nf tho Grs. American Congress; Lord
BotetourL Bishop Madison SD Chancellor
Nelson. Among the Visitors elected since
1859 have been thn Baron d. Botetourt, the
Earl of Dunmore, Benjamin B Tson Gather Of
President Harrisonj, Thomas j terson, James
Madison, Richard Henry Loe, E;,nry Tazewell,
ST. George Tucker, John Tyler ithe frat Cow
q. S. Attorney Gen , and Johr Tyler (second
Governor of Virginia ofthat naEna). Among the
studen's bses been many non emiDont in the
history o! Virginia. The college was in opera.
tion until the breaking cut 81 the present war,
and many of the students lro now in the
Southern army have found among tho
houses, scEr-among the best in tho place
entirely deserted and stripped Of every
thing portable, but with pi,aos, books mir
rors, chandeliers, carpets and bedsteads left
behind. But such instances are rare. One Of
the handsomest houses in tho place, known as
Tazauoll Hill, was built by Lord Randolph,
aad afterwards renodcled by the Tazewell
family. il IL noE superbly furnished; and
the ladS of the house, with real good sunse,
refused to abandon it whom the Confederate
troops left. She STILL occupies it, Tith her
family, and my qusTlars will h: ~ it Tor the
present, Nth her i c)nse:i:, %! course. /
an happy tu pa i.,,t not single article OF
property, in '.".-ss occupied by the inhsbi.
lanta, has u, nosoted by our troops.
TIL uBsTINAcT OF THE REBELS.
The obstinacy of tho fight on Monday may
bo inferred from tho fact that Of ono company
of rebels in the North Carolina Fifth regiment
oniy five men are left alive The captain Of
one Of the companies, who is mere wounded, is
a graduate of West Point, and says that during
tho action the Mississippi and North Carolina
regiments stood their ground and fought till
they were literally cut to pieces by regiment
after rcgi ment of our troops.
Thor fcrts IN front Of Williamsburg are
very strong, but their great strength lies in
their commanding position. There werc no
Guns taken in the forts. The rebels had q
large body Of Indian sharpshooters, many
bodies OF whom were found on the 6s!d after
tue battle.
4 Republican State Convention of Maine
will meet in Portland on the 9th of June.