The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-07-21
wars Re,ribu,ions In virginia.
lFrom the Watchmap ana Reeec,o,l

We had hard, dashing, dusty ride
from the encampment at .Morgohick to
the Pamunkey. II was glorious, however,
In the early morning to sweep along the
winding forest road-the headquarters
flag in advance. Wherever its silkea
folds were upfurled there the two com
manders might be found Gen. Meade
commanding the Army of the Potomac.
and Gen. Grant, the commander of ali
the forces of the Union in tho field. We
passed the long line of troops, crossed
the Pamunkey upon pontoon bridge,
rode mile or two across the yerdant in.
tervale, and halted beneath the oaks.
magnolias and buttonwoods of an old
Virginia mansion. The edifice was reared
a century ago. 1t was of wood, stately
and substantial. How luxurious the sur.
rounding shade; the smooth lawn: the
rolled pathways bordered by box. with
moss roses, honeysuckle and iassemines
seeming the air. and the delicate white
prupefalia dotting the green sward The
sweep of oaen land-viewing it from the
wide portico-the long reach of cultivated
grounds; acres of wheat rolling in the
breeze like green waves of the ocean:
meadow lands. smooth and fair; distant
groves and woodlands, how magnificent
IL was an old estate, inherited By success
siye generations-by those whose pride il
had been to keep the paternal acres from
being diminished; to preserve them from
curtallment. But the sons had all gone
A daughter was the last heir She gave
her band, and heart, and the old home.
stead, sheep, horses, cows, oxen, : great
STOCK OF bovlnes. and hundred negroes
or more to her husband. The family
name became extinct, and the homestead
OF seven or eight generations passed into
the hands of one bearing another name a
short time before the commencement Of
the war.
When Mcclellan was ON the peninsuls
the shadow of the war cloud swent nast
the place. One or two negroes ran aTay
but at that time negroes were not tolerat.
ed IN camp. The campaign Of 1862 left
the estate unframed. But sher;dan's
cavalry, followed by rhe Sixth corps in its
magnificent march from the North Anna
bad suddenly and unexpectedly disturbed
the quiet reposs and security of the old
plantation. There was rafting Ere fron,
carbines, the uproar of the canuonade.
men wounded and dead, a fierce E; obt
fences broken, fields of wheat and clover
trodden, stable, corn-bius, meat houses
Iansacked, cattle slain, sheep. horses
hogs, all disappear. 'e'
But to 60 back a little. The nronr;e,or
OF this estate srdently eypoused secession
his wife was as ardent as he. Tbey b..
ed the North. They loved the institn. |
tons and principles of the South. Tber
sold their surplus negroes in the Rich.
mond market. They parted husbands .na
wives, tore children from the arms IS
their mothers, and separated them g..
ever. They lived on unreou;ted l.ho.
AND grew rich Though raising negro chill
dren Tor the market. o""
nheh the war commenced the owner
OF this magnificent estate enlisted in IN.
army and was made Colonel of cav.Irv
He furnished supplies and kept Oman
house for his comrades in arms. hut ho |
,sh 10 eavairy engagement on the Rap !
r;fa ty'A' IN ocaooer' 4 863, leaving a /
VIE Auu .afee young children. The ad.
vance OF the army--its sudden appearance
on Inc Pamunkey--left Mrs. mol
tune to remove her personal estate o. 10
send her negroes 10 Richmond f,r ..ea
Keeping: Fitz Hugh Lee disnuted ,shss
idan's advance. The fighting hecsn -:
shisestate. Charges by sousdros. "a
were made through IN ~
fields. Horses. cattle, hogs, sheen -a.u
seized by the cavalsymen. Thu co. ~ Je.e
ilied with young vegetables, was spoiled
10 an hour there wss complete esolatior
The hundred negroes,- oook, steward
shambssmaid. house and Geld hands. old
md young, all left their work and follov. 7
ID the army. Mrs.. VA LETT . Is 4,