Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-11-17

EERSBURG IND RICHMOND.
The town of Petersburg bears many
marks of the violence of war Most of
the prominent buildings have been made
recipients of unwelcome guests from the
mortar batteries which during many weeks
showered their destructive missiVes upon
the city. It was rather grim attempt to
be facetlous when rebel letter writer
stated during the siege that the people of
| Peters burg were having fine opportuni-
ty for the study of ferruginous concholo-
gy." But the most ardent sGUaqlt would
hardly envy them the benefit of their in
vestigations were he to witness the proofs
of the difficulty and danger which accom-
panied the pursuit Of this species Of
knowledge. Yet, considering all the cir
cumstances, the beleaguered town escaped
wonderfully well. The nature of its stu
alton afforded it great protection against
the damaging effects of our shot. Being
built in a sort of bowl surrounded byhigh
ridges, the missives could not reach the
main portion of the town in direct line,
and hence could only be dropped, like
avenging bolts, from above. The destruc-
ton of property was the refore cempara-
! lively trifing-nothing to be compared
(
used by Sherman upon the city of Allan
ta- But in the latter case our guns we're
firing at target situated upon a superior
plane, so that elevation of range just suf-
ficiently modulated the downward course
of the projectiles to produce the greatest
effect
The city tit would be ungracious to call
so dignihed place to10n), of Peters
| burg is not devoid of attractions There
/ are MANY apoiprt laOl-iDo CHI
steeples so towering that one is prone to
think they were built when the Southern
mind travelled farther in that direction
than it has done in more modern and more
degenerate years. Many of the residen-
ces have an aristocratic air, and are built
after the plain, substantial style adopted
in the earlier and better days of the Old
Dominion, and transmitted unchanged
through the long ancestral lines of the 3.
+. VS.. The hair Drained Yankee style
of architecture has been studiously es-
chewed and it would doubtless stir the
very shades of Peter if his urban name
sake were desecratad by the introduction
Of New England " Gothic . model.
"All up and down, and here and there,
With who-knows-what of round and
square,
Stuck out at random everywhere;
Indeed a house to make one stare,
All corners and all gables.'
The town has a dingy, venerable ap-
pearance, and seemed to regard frowning-
| ly the noise and hustle made by the le-
gions of Northern invaders swarming
through its streets The columns of the
Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps
were flowing through it in motley streams,
crowding its thoroughfares with the trav-
el-worn paraphernalia of the nomadic
Army of the West. The patriarchs Of
the city, grey bearded and dignifed-0 la
e. E. Lee-gaZed with uncomfortable
composure upon the noisy throng, and
seemed to receive unpleasant but whole
some Impressions of the mighty power of
certain lately disowned avuncular rela
tive. The ladies too, pretty and rebelllOus,
were not unwilling to be seen by their
"eonquerors, or to repay their inqulsitive
admiration with scornful glances.--
Lounging about the trellised Yerandas
were scores of rebel officers whom the
| fortunes of war had returned to unhappy
ease, and who seemed to
''In this weak piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time"
An auspicious morning sun shone on
our way as we set forth from Petersbur-
gian confines in a genuine ION to Rich
mond. 1t is due to ourselves to say that
for neither the plan or incentive of this
movement were we indebted to the New
York Tribune, and that it's incipiency was
adroitly concealed even from the reporters
of the Herald. Neither the Secretary of
| War, General Halleck, or even a Member
of Congress had ventured to embarrass
our arrangements by official interference
or private advice. This was doubtless
owing to the fact that at this time these
officials were engaged in a quarrel with
General Sherman which occupied their
whole attention. This happy conjunction
of circumstances was a harbinger OF sue
Ecess, and we swung boldly from our base
on the Appomattox, having $ Headquar-
ters in the saddle and not caring for
lines of retreat, or "bases of supply. =
| Our munitions of war consisted of re-
volver, field-glass, and a map of the
country, and were considered amply sutfi-
cient for all possible contingencies.
Crossing the Appomattox by the ident-
| ical bridge over which Lee S army had re-
treated we soon left the spires Of Peters
| burg glimmering far in the rear. A two
hours ride brought us to Point WalthalI
near which the line of Union works ter
minated on the left and recommended on
the right bank of the river The country
above this locality spreads itself out into
level tract, partly wooded, and affording
no special advantages of position to
either party. The defences on both sides
were mostly artificial and of the most
elaborate construction. As in front Of
| Petersburg, the combatants had pushed
their lines up close to each other and had
grappled in tremendous struggle, with
spade, musket and cannon as implements
of offense and defence. At one place on
the Union line there were no less than
seven splendid forts within a quarter of
mile. The range from these works to
those of the enemy was hardly more than
five hundred yards At such close quar-
ters the combatants could only live by
burrowing, and this they did with the in
dustry and skill of badgers. The living
and the dead alike made their homes
under ground the former seeking shelter
and the latter repose from the storm of
death that swept the upper air. How
cruel and unnatural a thing is war Who
that looks here upon these deserted
trenches, so long the comfortless tene
ments of those who fought, and there,
close by, upon the long, melancholy rows
of mounds the unmarked sepulchres of
those who perished, cannot join in the
execration;
go hide thy head, abominable war!
/ Ofcrimes and ruffian idleness the child
From Heaven this life ysprung, from hell
thy glories viled."
Far to the Northward over trampled
and dusty plain stretched the zig-zag lines