The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-06-23
CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, D. @. juno 10, 1865.
INTERESTING CEREMONIES AT BuLL RUN.

WASHINGTON, D. O. Juno 10, 1865.
INTERESTING CEREMONIES At BULL RUN.
On Sunday; juno llth, ut 6 A. NJ, spc-
cial train. with party Of oxcursionists, left
this city for Fairfax Station on tho Orange
and Alexandria rail road. Tho party con.
sisted chiefly Of officers Of the army and navy
and few gentlemen from the Departments,
accompanied by their ladies, to witness tho
highly interesting ceremonies Of the dedca-
ton Of a monument on each OF the historic
battle fields Of Bull Run. On the arrival Of
the train ut Fairfax, the nearest point by
railroad to the battle-ground, the party was
transferred to ambulanccs, and was soon on
the way to Centreville via Fairfax @. H.. and
reached the ground of the first Bull Run
battle about noon.
Your correspondent, in company with the
poet of the day, the Rev. John Pierpont,
God bless his honored white hairs of eighty
years y started, in accordance with dis.
patch from head. quarters, few hours later
in the morning. but owing to chapter Of
accidents and delays which shall be nameless
here. but for which city railroad companies
and Government railroad agents shall BIO nc
countable hereafter. wo did not succeed in
getting across Long Bridge before the hugo
draw was open and oil communication with
the Virginia shore suspended for tho day.
It is said that "whcre there is will there is
a way" 30 tho writer, possessed of the requi.
site amount of zeal and not ovcrburdened
with years. surmounted all obstacles and
soon placed the Potomac between himself
and "My Maryland; and was soon steam.
ing behind the iron horse towards Alexan-
dria; while his less fortunate companions
were obliged to seek consolation for their dis.
appointment amid the heat and dust of WASH
ington city. 10 Mrs. Pierpont, whose ride
on the iron horse has become historic. and
the other lady, whose unhappy fate shall not
be recorded here, Twill say that what hap.
pened at Bull Run that day may be found In
the columns of the UNION AND JOURNAL.
whose especial" correspondent was ON the
spot.
Arrived at Fairfax and finding no means of
conveyance, We made up n small party and
procured saddle.horses of "Uncle Sam" for
the ride to the battlefield eighteen miles dis
tant, and were soon dashing through the
tITRt1Iu tHtCktlo WHiCt utNC cO o'tcii uuOiu-
ed protection to the guerillas, and over the
well-remembered Culpepper turnpike which,
on the memorable 2lst of July, 1861. wit.
messed the FIRST grand retreat Of the Union
army, and which on that disastrous day was
completely blocked with thousands OF citi.
gems and soldiers, army wagons, horses, mules,
cannon, caissons, &C., as tho ION to Rich
mond" was so suddenly and so Unexpectedly
turned to son to Washington" Charging
up the heights of Centreville against the
forts which once bristcd with rebel cannon,
we were in the town of Centrcvillo, now a
place OF scarcely dozen houses; proceeding
on our course VIC passed, four or five miles
onward. the famous Bull Run Creek, with
its rustic bridge, and high, perpendicular
sides of red sandstone. looking. in the bright
sunshine OF that Sabbath precisely us they
must have looked on that hot July day Of
81, when scores Of retreating Union soldiers
plunged into its rushing current to escape
the pursuing rebels, and unable to scale its
perpendicular sides. were carried under the
food, or killed by the bullets Of the rebel
sharpshootcrs.
Passing on from Bull Run creek we were
soon ut the monument which marks the most
holly contested spot of the first Bull Run
battle. The monument is situated on gen.
tie elevation in the middle OF vast cultivat.
ed field. now green and beautiful with u fine
crop of grass. 1t rests on the spot where
Heintzeman fought on the right in front Of
the memorable stone house where the l4th
Brooklyn, LIST Michigan, and LIST and q
Maine were most holly engaged and where
Ricketts, and Griffin lost their famous batter
les. Scarce q dozen PAGES from the monu.
inent are tho shapeless ruins of the house of
widow who remained on the field till the
battle had commenced, and was crushed by q
shell and fell pierced by five bullets at the
same moment. Her grave is still there, en-
closed by rude board fence. A short dis
lance off is small cemetery where during
the battle, said member Of the 9th Ohio
battery, Virginian, to the writer, "thc
wheels Of my gun rested against the mound
of my mothers grave"
The monuments are quadrangular pyra-
mids twenty.one and twcnty.seven feet high,
built of rough, irregular blocks of red sand-
stone, by soldiers detailed for the purpose,
and was informed by them that the only
tools employed in its construction were
couple chopping axes. The monuments
stand on base of stone, which rests on a
mound Of sodded earth, thrown up to the
beigh, Of four feet. At each of the four
corners of this base rises a pedestal about
three feet 10 height, which is surmounted by
a l0O.pound conical shell. The capstone Of
the monument is surmounted by q Compound
ParrOtt shell.
On one side Of the first is inscribed on
tablet of white cement. ain memory of the
Patriots who fell at Bull Run, July 2lst,
1861" and on the opposite side -"Erected
June 10th, 1866" The other monument
hears the inscription. ain memory of the
Patriots who fell in the battle of Groveton,
August 90, 1862" with the same inscription
on the opposite side.
Appropriate addresses were delivered. and
n hymn composed for the occasion by the
Rev. John Pierpont was sung at each monu-
ment. Gen. Heintzleman, who was wound.
ed, and Gen. Wilcox, who was captured at
the first Bull Run, were present and were
heartily cheercd by the soldiers.
The performance of "Shermnn's March
through Georgia" by the fine band Of the
9th Penn. heavy artillery, and u salute by
the 10th Massachusetts, battery, closed the
ceremonies.
The party then partook Of refreshments.
and returned to Washington, highly pleased
with their visit to Bull Run, reaching the
city about midnight.
RErENrAST REBELS.
Among the rebels now suing for pardon
are said to be Gen. r. Z, Lee and A. II. Ste