Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-03-29
CAMP CORRESPONDENCE.
FoRT ELLSWORTH,
March Is. 1862.

FORT ELLSWORTH,
March Is, 1862
TO the Editor Of The Telegraph.
FRIEND REED:-Since my last letter |
have been on a visit to Washington | saw
most of the public buildings and visited the
Capitol. 1t is large, magnificent building,
elegantly flashed inside, so far as DONE
As one enters the rotunda, he is struck with
amazement at its immense size. From the
outside you would not imagine it to be more
than forty or fifty feet across, and on enter
ing you are surprised to find room one
hundred feet in diameter. The frst thing
that attracts your attention on the left is q
magnificent painting, IL by 90 feet, repre-
senting the scene Of the surrender of Corn
wallis, to General Washington in 1882. 1t
is striking and life like picture and inter-
eSting to every American, from the fact that
the event it calls to mind virtually closed
the War of the Revolution and sealed the
fate of British rule in these colonies, and
established Free and Independent Gov.
ernment, the best, the freest and most
equitable in the known world, under which
we have lived aud prospered and grown
rich and powerful, and taken rank amo ng
the FIRST Nations Of the earth
And there are six or seven other pictures
around the rotunda, the same size as the
one described. Among them are the en-
barkation of the pilgrims from Holland; the
discovery Of America by Columbus-the
declaration of independence, etc. Iu the
centre stands three large wooden spiles in
triangular shape which support the still
unfinished dome. On each side of the tri-
angle, hangs a most magnificent picture
One is that of Washington accompanied
by Baron DeKalb, Lafayette and Rocham.
beau, giving orders to commence the in.
trenchments at Yorktown. On another
side is that Of General Jackson standing by
The side of very spirited looking horse
On the third side is an equestrian picture of
the veteran hero and patriot, General
Scott ] understand it is there for sale and
l think the government ought to purchase
it at once, for the General adds true patri-
otism to his many other virtues, and he has
carried the Stars and Stripes Victoriously
through many hard fought battle. The
picture represents him as he appeared after
the battle Of Chepultepec when the Stars
and Stripes we're being planted on the earth.
1t is painted life size, mounted on splen
did white charger, and his majestic pro-
portions gives him physical pre-eminence
over bis contemporaries.
Leaving the rotunda passed to the Sen
ate chamber, but was not allowed to enter
as the Senate was then in secret session; so
l returned aud went to the House Of Rep.
resentatiVes. Mr.. Shanks Of Indiana had
just commenced to make speech, the chief
object of which seemed to be to defend
General Fremont against the charges Of
the Van Wyck committee, and be said,
throw the blame where 1t properly belong
ed. He said that Fremont failing to re- en-
force Gen. Lyon was to be charged upon
General Ripley who was at the head Of the
ordnance department, for not furnishing
him with arms for his troops and be blamed
General Ripley for selling the old cOudemn-
ed muskets that might have been made
available for short time; for, said he, ever
with such arms Gen. Fremont would have
sent men to re.enforce Gen. Lyon and might
thus have saved the defeat of Springfield
and the surrender Of LexiangtoB, but be
could not send men without arms. II,
claimed that General Halleck had only car
ried out the plans laid down by Fremont
and said that he (Fremont) in charge oI
that department, Nashville aud Columbus,
would have been in our possession before
the 6rst day Of October last. He intimateC
that Gen. Fremont was removed because be
belong to the volunteer forces and had new
er been to West Point, and was in fai
way to win greater laurels than many o
the regular army officers Aud this coulC
not be permitted so he.wAs removed Whel
the gentleman from Indiana closed bi
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