The Camden daily journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1864-1864, 1864-11-19


Picture Of Desolatiom.
RICHMOND, October 27.-I will give your
readers an account of trip to Fredericksburg,
whittier curiosity and a desire for change Of
scene aud air led me some weeks ugo.
The evidence of the encmy's' vandalism be-:
gins a few miles out of Richmond, and increases
every stepas it advances towards the Rapnalan-
mock. The burnt depots and bridges remind
me very much of the road between Macon and
the Oconce river, just after the Stoncman raid
But the constant succession of rifle pits and re-
doubts thrown up for cannon, told a very differ
cnt story of the struggle in Virginia 10. com
pared with that Of Middle GcorSia. 4 matter
OF surprise to the passengers, most of whom had
been over the road, so to speak, a thousand
times. was the great height aid by no means
inconsiderable length of the North Auna
bridge, which had been burnt by tho enemy
tor the third or fourth time, and is still unfin-
fshed. Passing over the top of bridge inside
the cars Is one thing, and crossing the stream
on foot over plank trcstlc is another. What
surprised me as much lis the great stream
bridged at the North Anna, was the cheerful
ness Of the few people we met at the blacl,cn-
ed ruins Of the depcts, and the unconsciouspess
of the war displayed by the passengers: who
.eat in the cushioned scats rcndipg newspapers
and eating grapes and peaches as costly and
contentcd as though war never existed
: When you get to Hsmilton's. crossing, the
desolation of war breaks fully upon you A few
trees remain upon the hills near the site of the
depot, but there is not fence nor an inhabited
house all the way to Fredericksburg A few
cattle may be seen graziuss Oh the rich plains
which bear no crops now but crops of fluxnriant
Seeds. There cattle belong to the people OF
Fredericksburg, who club together and hire a
poor old man to attend them while grazing
There are no hands ut work in tire fenccl"ss
fclds-no signs of animated life about the de-
serted houses--thc drowsy crow OF the cock.
the neighng of the horses, the cawing of the
crow, and the laughter Of children in the ward,
and the, "wo-haw" of the pow-,lvivcr, ar,, 10
longer heard in this blasted region. All is still
as death for miles and miles under the sweet
autumnal sur.
Fredericksburg itself is torn as by hurri.
cane. Much Of it has been burnt, and the tall
chimncys standing all alone tell woful tale of
rhin. l'art Of the town is destroyed by fire.
caused by shells, aid part by the torch applied
by Yankec hands. All the lower and ali the
upper portion Of the town have been so s.,atter-
ed as to be unuhabitablc; the Stores have been
gutted ot their shelves and counters to make
dry places for the countless thousands Of Yam
KEGS wounded 'at the Wilderness and Suottsvl-
vanIa to lie on. The churches have been rc-
pcatcdly struck, and SO have most of the pri-
vate dwellings. | counted twenty or thirty
holes in the fine mansion Of Douglas Gordon.
which was nearly complete before the war
broke out. A shell had passed dagonally
through the house in which i staid, and one
had exploded in the paror under tho room in
which [ slept. Looking out Of. my bedroom
window | saw naked chimneys and deserted
houses in every direction"
OF course, went to Maryc's Hill, and saw
tho famous stone fence which served as a ram.
part for our men. I walked over the wide
fields which the enemy had to pass before they
got within range Of our deadly rifles, and stood
under the tree which Cobb leaned against when
he was killed. This tree is just behind the
house OF Mr.. Stephens-a small frame build
ing-which must have at least thousand bull
let holes through and through it. Mr.. Ste
phens showed me where Yankee after Yankee