The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-16

You will therefore be gratifed 10 learn, beyond
a doubt that Lower Brandon" ~ ruin; and
as She journals Of civilization, as well In your en-
BghfeRed and humane city Of Boston as elsewhere
throughout the great, glorious, and free United
States are not full and circumstantial with regard
20 the deva,tatiOnb Of the Federal troops, you
will probably be thankful for some account, from
A ViTginian, OF this latest achievement of your
arms. Il Is enough for the Northern newspapers
10 state, in bref that such mansion has been
pilaged and consumed, so many acres impover-
ed and reclaimed 10 the military possession Of
the Federal Government. Nor do the official re-
ports OF your puDdering commanders go beyond
general sia'emeut Of dcsolatiOn. The Federal
general makes a solitude and calls it a restoration
Of the Fed,ral authority. He does not descend
to the vulgar incidents OF spoaton and uvage,
nor narrate how he has eudeavOred 10 convert his
acquired territory into a wilderness.
You may recollect, sir the fair lawns across
which lay the walk from che river 10 Brandon
mansion. Nowhere, ! think, on this continent,
did the turf wear a richer green, nowhere did the
roses display more grace and profuson. Ihe
datksOme COverts which the mOckng-bird made
musical the tall elms which looked down upon
the quaint old edihce aud caught upon their
duivering leaves the too fierce heats Of the Vir-
eiha sun ;the trellises of hOueysu murmurOus
with insectlife; tho ample width of grcensward,
with here and there vase OverTun with myrtle
all these surroundings gave an indescribtble
charm 20 the place, and harmoni1ed with the
rcpose and refinement tha. dwot under the roof
tree The visitor saw all around him the evil
dences OF ta,to and culture, the growth Of CEN
tury or more Of uninterrupted occupancy by the
ssmc family.
These lawns, you will be pleased TO know, have
been despoiled; not the CalvpsO's Isle Of Blen-
ncrbassctt, IN the beautiful river OF the West,
whose mouTnil dtflCemcnt our own Wit de-
scrbed with 10 much plthOs-not the FESTIVE
Villa Borgl csc, just outside the walls OF BOme,
when cruel war and republican rage has shat
tered it, foundation and prOstratCd It's plantations,
could have preson cd picture OF destruction
.5EU, ~. 60 nHtl
of Lower Brandon" were Rebels, and upheld
the ancient fame of Virginia in the hour OF her
agony and trial, they have been Wei repaid in
this waste Of the grounds they so loved 70 adorn.
The tTaiiOTOus utf has been clJvcn and cut up
by the hOofs of the Federal cavalry the rebel
lOus roses may, perhaps. burst forth in their
beauty again with the smiling spring, but 10 VIII
be only TO mock the fallen STATE Of the whole es-
tablshment; and every disloyal Dryad that fire.
quCntt the copses around has been scared away
into her native woods.
The Brandon House, as you may or may not
REMEMBER, was very crazy, rambling, old
fashioned, agc-colored building, that would have
been thought shabby in New York or MAssachu-
sets. Quite unlike the marine vii as that sparkle
on the heights OF Staten lSlanl altogether differ
CIt iTOm he superb structures that line the banks
OF the Hudson, and crown the bills around BOs-
ton. Not an Italian corridor, not q mulliOned
window about IT, BIicks, mall and glazed. brought
cut in George the seconds time from England.
Rooms rather large aud wainscOted, windows low
and narrow, nrc.plhces nuRc, stalrctScs also OD-
jcCtionable rs regards economy OF space. What
furDiufe these deserted rooms still contained,
most of it mellOwed by time, was taken ont by
tie Ftd,Tal cavalry and burned upon the lawn,
as was proper YOu win likewise approve the
tearing down of waiuscOts, the breaking up the
paneliDg cf the doors, and the demolition OF the
stone payements Of the purticoes. Or the window
panes word.
II had been the habit OF the Brandon people to
preserve on these fragile tablets the autographs
OF their visitors for mauy, many years past.
When party came, in the season OF strawberries
or in the midst OF the Christmas cheer, aud made
pleasant holiday at Brandon, they were asked
TO scratch their signatures with diamond on the
panes before their departure. The names Of many
tmir ent gentlemen OF England, France, and the
United States were thus recorded. Your own
most illustrious name was there, with the names
of Millard Fillmore and Martin Van Buren,.
The pretty custom was always hOnored; and
looking over the Inscriptions, from the more
recent TO those Of a generation gone by, the
past, with its clear associations and rosy faces,
long mis- ed but untorgotten, came back upon
one in n strange, sudden sort OF way, that made
the eyes moist and the lips tremulous. Somebody
once wrote some verse; about these panes, in
which the diamonds and the bright eyes and the
fdr-aWay festivities OF other Christmas seasons
were mixed up and made metrlCal in truly
memorable manner Well, the window panes
were all smashed Why, bless you, 1t WAS great
fun for the hulking cavaTymen u knock them
out with the POINTS Of their sabres. Qne route=-
UoUSg
Among the dwellers in Brandon, Mt the time of
your visit, were dozen vr mOle graceful ladies
and gentlemeR in the gay flowing costumes, the
IuillCs and point lace Of some stately period OF
which Sir anthony Vandyck and Sir Godfrey
Kneer have transmitted to US so many charm
ing representatives. There was the Earl of
Orrery, and Halifax, and Colonel the Hon.
William Byrd OF WestOver, Esq, and the Colo
nePs fair daughter, Mistress Evelyn, and other
historical persoDages They had been members
of the Brandon household from the beginning,
and lived on the walls of drawing room and
dinir groom, giving very little trouble TO any
body, and passing their lime in the hours OF
daylight in looking placilly down on the good
cheer and social enjoyment which belonged 70
these apartm enis There was Il tradition that
sometimes in the silent witches of the night
during Christmas tide especially, they came do Nh
from their frames and held wasslil Mt the board
or danced a minUet de Ia cOm in the ruddy glow
of the blazing yue,
Your satisfaction in hearing the details Of thu
Brandon raid may possibly be le5sened by thC
fact that these ladies and gentlemen were not m ld
| prisoners by the United States Army, having
| accompanied the living members of the family /
| Richmond, when they were constrained, by
| well-tounded distrust Of Yankee chivalry, L
leave their beautiful home and carry thcl
| cherished Lares and Penates with them. Get
| mcOmBiode. But there is compensation In tn
| thought that tue negroes belonging 20 this estate
| 10 the number OF one hundred or more, wer
taken of, despite the earnest cntreatics and pro
| teslatoBs of many Of them and made TO acceJ
| their freedom at the end of the cowhide and tn
| point of the bayOnet. Celia console.
| All, the negroes There are some facts cor
| nCCed with those remaining nc Brandon sine
| the commencement of the war; and their abduI
| ton thtrefTCm, 10 which beg 10 call your attcr
| ton. The first is that The owners of them a. AN
time these three years, might easily enough hav
removed men, women, aud children from tide
water, ana transported them 10 Middle Georgi
| fOr luIity, or sold them az immense prices an
| inycstt the proceeds in cotton bonds. The Owu
| Crs cid rot do this. Not that they were blind {
| they Wcietoo humane 10 resort 70 such measure
| Oh, Iol They knew nothing Of humani y,
| course. Humanity has her home in Boston. Til
| lToWptings Of pity, the teachings Ol teniCne
tor ite or black sorrow, sickness, or adyersitl
| al Tie emotions that belong 70 what Sfcrne ca
The "sY eet sCnsibl ity Of mans nature" stir IA
| the htsTtS Of SHAREHOLDERS.
| lei as suIpOFe That the BraGdOu proprietor
| JUmt'ed ne nCgTOes TO remain ON the Cstl
| through the stOid inat'entiOn to their own iite
Ist which characterize tie Nirginian--bscau
thcy "wein't smart" BE that o. It may. Lea4
ways, anyhow, nevertheless, nOtwithstaudiu
| thCro The negroes did remain IN close, comf1rtab
cHbus, each head Of bis own family with hi, p
az jtu, and his garden patch 10 supply the sam
aud hs Iicauiuncs toddiing around him, 10
ltilo C hes ot shadow in The sunshine dark
| happy, those IegrOCs, On roaming not Of distHr
auco-a picture, as yOn will say, Of degrade
| CtmestlclN and bCnghiCd COutcntment Or
| UCmbCr of Tie B.andOn iamily-Oi the "Whi
| folks I WlAI-h4d remained with them, no,
much for he maintenance Of discipline as for q