The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-20
On the Eve Of Battle.

On the Eve Of Battle.
Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler in the Independent
CULPEPPER, Va, April 23.-I never thought
should become a high churchman; but am
ensconced to-day in the gallery of deserted
Episcopal church, in the ancient aristOcratic
Culpepper. My writing desk is candle box
q cooking stove beside me bOils the coffee OF
the Christian Commission delegates; the din
ing table, on three packing boxes is beyond it;
in the opposite gallery is our dormitory, where
sweetly after our days marches among the
tents. Down in the broken pews on the lower
floor the Pendletons, Hills and MERGERS, and
other Culpepper patricians, have "said or
sung" the English liturgy for generation or
more. In the organ loft is huge stack of
religious books and newspapers which the
Christian Commission are scattering broadcast
through the army. This indefatigable Com
mission circulates eighteen thousand papers
per week from Brandy station alone-fOrty
thousand is the average weekly circulation
through the Army of the Potomac. These
papers are greedily sought and devoured by
the soldiers.
the family of Gen. A. P. Hill who was born in
yonder old brick house on the corner. The
tents ofour men stand close up to the graves
of the proud old aristOcracy of the days of
Madison. A few rods off is the Methodist
Church (pro-slavery, though bearing the saint
ed Wesley's name(, and, by an awful retribn-
ton, it is now used as cavalry stable.
GEN. GRANT.
Hard by it, in once elegant mansion, Gen.
Grant is now sitting, with New York paper
in his hand, quietly enjoying his cigar. My
town, and myself dropped in for chat with
him, and like every one else who meets him,
were charmed with his modest quiet simplic-
ity and manly bearing. He is o low voiced,
difident man, with fair skin and brown hair
looks younger even than Fremont, and talks
slowly, like one used to keeping his own Sc
crets. He says he "never had even head
ache" God grant he may have no heartache
during the coming eventful month! When 1
rallied him pleasantly about the traditional
"cigar, which he used as Napoleon did the
snutf.box, he smilingly replied, "When the
war is over, I am going to give it up" He
has the most unbOunded confidence of the
troops; in every tent we hear the same spon-
cuLrEprER. ,ea.a-.0 So E
Culpepper-which is now the central point
of interest to the civilized worlds in the lap
of lovely landscape. Before wars remOrse.
less plowshare desolated its fields, swept away
its fences, felled its forests and tore up its
lawns, and orchards. it was one of the garden
spots of Virs inia. John Minor Bolts fine old
mansion and grOunds-now in sight-are al
most the only estate which has been spared.
In the principal mansions of the village the
wives and children of Confederate army Off
GERS still linger, many of them gaining their
daily bread by boarding the officers of our own
army. This morning, one Of the F. F. VS.
was milking her surviving cow, the scores of
slaves having long ago walked into liberty un-
der the light of Father Abraham's prociama-
ton. Opposite his house reside an aged and
aristocratic widow and her two invalid daugh-
tiers (wives of rebel officers, who are entirely
supported by the hard labor of two household
slaves, who are practically free, and yet cling
to the helpless family, under whose roof they
were born. And this is the "barbarous race
whom the London Times said would cut the
Threats of their former masters. H.
THE GRAVE YARD. :r.. -
On the edge of the village is well-kept rebel
graveyard, with long rows of neat, white
boards, labelled 10th s. c. Vo;s.," " 9TH Ala.
Regt.," etc.---a melancholy Aceldama In the
row stands similar board, inscribed sc An I'm
known Union Soldier, who fell at Bull Run"
Last evening, as we were strOlling among the
graves, We met q party OF secessiOnist ladies,
who were eying closely the fresh earthworks
just thrown up by our troops. wonder
whether any of those patrician fingers will slip
nice description of the rile-pits into the
" underground mail which goes over to Lees
army beyond the Rapidan ENTHUSIASTICALLY
A GLIMPSE OF OUR ARMY. .,
This morning had glimpse of that IA
nous army. Col Fowler, Of our gallant Brook
Ign Fourteenth, furnished Mr.. A. and my
self horses, and an orderly to ride to the top
ofPony Mountain, one of our signal stations.
From the summit we had a magnificent view
OF our army, which stretches twenty miles
from the Rapidan to the neighborhood of
Warrenton Junction. Before us rose Cedar
Mountain, on whose slope Banks fought his
brave and disastrous battle. The cloud of dust
to the northeast marks Brandy Station; around
it lie leagues Nof loyal tents; on every side
baggage trains are moving across the plains,
batteries of flying artillery are mahOuvering,
and the sharp volleys of musketry, engaged
IN target practice, give us the impression
OF battle opening beneath us. Capt. Paine,
OF brooklyn.f the gentlemanly signal officer,
showed us pleasant attentions, and told us how
calmly General Grant sat on a candle-box, the
other day, and smoked his cigar in the face Of
General Lees army, encamped on the opposite
bank OF the Rapidan. With the naked eye WEI
could see long lines of rebel tents on the face
OF Clark Mountain and down towards the river
banks. General Lees quarters are under the
cloud OF smoke that oyerhangs Orange Court
House, That long line of tents now contains
eighty-fve Thousand men. When Longstreets
force ALI come up, they will reach round hum
dred Thousand. Concentration is the policy
now on both sides. How many men there are
in the ranks OF union and freedom will be
known when the bulletin of the coming victory
is announcer. Our men are in admirable COM
the host, IN anticipation Of the Impending
e4 asS'ei q ..a-4 20 sI2!-- lAa- - :. :aeH.
"A one-armed soldier from Massachusetts,
has been appointed messenger for the United
'Statey~ Senate.