New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-01

that closes up the rear of an advancing army is the
earnest prayer of At least one OF your special corre
spondeDts
am specially moved to this train Of thought by
visit which made yesterday to one Of the Oldest,
gIaDdest, and formerly one Of the proudest patr-
elan mansions of Virginia. The estate OF which !
speak has BEEN for months the scene OF warlike
operations, being occupied now by one army now by
the Other the estate being, OF course, always the
sufferer, no matter which Of the two conending
armies Glanced for the moment to occupy tine
ground. In every respect, this particular home
stead had been carefully made most pleasant ior
those who rightly claimed lite shelter. Every lnxu'
ry gastronOmic and bbulous, that money could pur-
chase, was thenceiorth freely dispensed. Every
tree and plant that would grow in conservatores OF
hotbeds hero found home; iu short, everything
that the most ultra good vers could require, that
tle most refined Of city bellies could ask or hope Tor
was here to be had, upon thorough exploration OF
the extensive resources Of this Southern establish
ment.
Bat now how changed
The fine old mansion has for weeks been en-
ployed es hospital for Union soldiersthe grounds
are utterly defaced and destroyed-the cellars ana
storehouses OF the mansion were long since gutted
and completely emplied-th6 fences were long since
converted into fuel to feed the watchfres OF Union
sentinels-the rare and costly exotic trees ana
shrubs have long since contributed their tcanty
fiber TO feed the fires 10 warm Tue same
soldiers any ono of whom would doubtless have
been shot like dog by the aristocratic proprietor
or his overseer az the earliest opportunity, had not
there been too great IN array Of Union bayone's IN
the immediate vicinity 10 render such man
slaughlerous experiment a safe one
The house / speak of is known as the Lacy
House" 1t stands on the left bank, the Falmouth
side of the river on the bluff that imme aely over
looks the river for miles each way, VIII the town
Of Fredericksburg lies spread out Immediately be-
fore it, only the narrow breadth OF the muddy
Rsppahann0ck intervening. The house itself is
spscious and convenient, its architectural preten-
sions being by no means contemplate, though pu''
80 many years ago.
! Tie Lacy House as il il now called Yves once
known as Tue "Chatham Place" and was small
part of the celebrated "FiZhugh Estate, which
was held by virtue OF grant from the tnBlsh
crown, dated in 1920. The bricks OF which the
house is built wore brought from England and were
laid by English masOns. the site Is most lovely,
and before this ruthless crushed out OF the land
scape all OF beauty that was susceptible oil destrue-
ton. the estate comprising the Lacy House WAS one
OF the most attractive elegant ana lovely Ill aiI
| Virginia
AIter the battle Of Fredericksburg, it became
necessary 10 proyide instant accommodations for Our
snGerlnR troops. Until the field hospitals Were
erected every house within reach was instantly re-
auired for the use o. the surgeons. who were ever
working 80 molly for the rehei OF our suffering
soldiers. Under this order The Lacy honse WIS
taken. bv the order OF DR.. Watson, the taief Msd-
cal Director Of Summers Grand Division, and con-
yer,ed 81 once into i:se hosllial
! The parlors where 30 often had the tarest aud
brightest Of Viz, mas daughters, ana her bTaye.t
and moot ChyalIic sons. met 10 ENJOY TIE hosptnl-
tie. of the liberal host aud 10 join ia the ily dance
" troin eve IA rOsy morn the dining groom " here
40 tnnny lordly fcass hhi been seIvedthe drawing
room wherein thu rmiliug host and hostess nal re-
c.iyed 70 many a Welcome gucst-'he bedrooms,
from The bridalchaniber where the eldest scion OF
IN. house al first clssp.d in his arms he wife Of hs
bosom to the low attic where the black cook retired
after her greasy labors Of tie dav Nil were closely
crowded with the low iron hospital beds. thcse
halls which had no often re-echOed the sound OF
Inusic and Of gayest voices and aso OF those lower
but more sacred tones tuat belong 10 lover now re-
sounded with shrieks OF pam and with the lower,
weaker grOans OF dying men.
The splendid furniture was put TO strange uses
the hdebOhr Of solid rosewood, ado in 'hore hon
eft dave before cabinetniakerS had learned the
rognes tfck Of vcneering instead u being crowded
vi generous wiues, or with good spTits that had
ueoy.rd f1r years IN the cellars, VS. now crowded
IN every shelf with iorbidding looking bottles 0.
! black dfAuglts, with packages OF suls ana senn..
and win iIl-oneued ll.r Of ra.ing pills, perhaps
not les destructive IL their way than shot and shell
/ O, a more Apossc sort The bulIeT- pantry ma
storcroons nnd their sLelves aud drawers and boxes
/ filled not with lelhcr, and mHrmslades, aud Ir,-
seryes and boxes OF Lemons, ani prcsery.d sinser,
and drums Of g-, and all sorts OF original plekhges
of Ar sort. Of things tOcihsome and satisying to the
paaio-bui eytn here scammony and gamboge, and
slocs aud Eprom salts. ana o,her dire weapons only
welded by the mod Il profession had obtaincd e1-
elusive SWAY.
On many a retired shelf and in many sn odd cor
nor zoo saw neglected cartr1d. e3OSer, clst-oii
belts dlscardcd caps etc, which told not of the
careless aud beediers soldier, who had lost bis ac-
coutertnonis but of the d,ad soldier, who had gone
To "A land whore II is 10 be houed be VIII have no
further u-e for MIME Iihe balls or Jipe-clayed
cross-lelts. saw, too with there other laidssio
trepuings dozens and hundreds Of Mimic and other
carr,ists never now 10 be fred Vt enemy BY the
! hand that hsf placed them IL the now Gisoafded
car,ndge-bo1.
House ike those Of most Of the old houses in Viz
oinis are celed up 10 the toy with wood, which is
/ tainted white There heavy cOrnlce IN eBoh
room; there are the huge old-iashloned ilrepace,,
the inarb e mautelpisces over the same and III the
man dining room, where 1t WIS the custom for the
men TO REMAIN after dinner, and after the ladies had
ret red was n curious feature TO be observed, that
Lave never seen but once or twice. Over the
marble mAntcl, but quite within reach, runs IA
MAHOGANY framework Intended for the reception Of
tie todd, gla after the various guests shall have
finished tho generous liquor therein contained.
TLol. are I'll some ves,igos OF the family frirni
ture renslniul--soue rosewood and mahogany eide
soaris tables, hedsteads, etc, which tue family
have not been able 10 remove, and which the occu.
pyiug eoldlefe have found no use for Inc most
notable OF these articles - u musical instrument
" hich may be described H. II compound bnrp-or
Il IT, III tact, an upright harp played by keys which
strike the wires by pianO-iorte action, which has
nm ordinary piano keyboard This il, in fact. the
ca,ie,t iorin Of the modern piano.forte. Then, in
a. san., inst,uncnt 10 orgap-be lows and pines,
the mua.c from winch l. evoked by means OF req
aratc keyboard, the bellows Is worked by foot
treadle. like that most dctesiable aboninaton
known to moderns as melodeon. Thus, in the
sanc instrument, the performer IA supposed TO
get thopowers and effect both of an upright
piano and y small organ. IL Is, perhaps, bar lily
necc-say TO say that tins instrument (which, doubt
les. originally cost Il. least s,,Oj0 is utterly
ureless tue wIres, many 81 them, being broken,