The Louisiana Democrat., 1865-10-11

was dangerously wounded, thguuglhplg
both had very parlrrew, escapes. j
The occurrence Of course broke up
The meeting. .at5s' y ',' i
- .: ,s 4ol
Seat Of War i'm Virginia.
A graphic writer, saysfthe New Orleans
rimes,3for the Cincinnati Commercial. who
is traselhng over the seat of war in Vir-
ginia, gives some sketches worth transcrib-
ing. Those familiar with the topography Of
the country will read them with peculiar in
terest. Wegive i few spec inens:
TIE COUNTRY.
From Washiiiytoa TO Cdlpeper the devas-
tation Of arm es is MOTTO be mistaken. Ey-
cry araac Of former ciiliyatioais er .setl, and
desolation reisus. Alter leaving the fort
| tcatious about Alex andfia (which has been
really an outpost for Washington-yau ride
| though couauy tba. seems TO have b Ell
given ov,r to devastation. Every knob aud
lF.ds. bears the mark OF some rude lntrencl-
ment, while the mere prominent p0intsshow
| the outlines of massive eArthworksa These
|intreachmtnts are now tnfled with grass,
and nature has changed Tho soliR " l.de-
| i.,ed ihes into ragged nound., washed by
the Su,amer's rains. The com ,,act sides IN
| the en,brasares 70 redouOts that have lren-
Ibed with the discharge of artillery, have
craMaed away before The fresls Of Wiuter,
Tor the potter OF the rain drops, ua il now
ltbey seem like snme rude pas>a55e.way dug
|iato earthen Pens by tie animas thai roam
iunrestranedioyer the barreatraets. It viii
be wears before the pnsb lndIn,p willfence 10
these wastes, ur 'iufroW with lis. pow these
Fortified heights these September winds
are scattering pleaifa!y the seeds from
.thist!es ana tares over tnese broaI acres,
Land another Aatunn wilf'bfing forth eveh'a5
| ,icher Weld from wild nl,ure's harvest The
Eforess llave been feie,i for fuel or for forti
Efcatip1s, and The undsrhrush, springng up
Iabont every stump, or the deadeniLg
branfcc',,es thilt bill fhtraviiiesSor show their
Jagged points where they baqe been planted
rs abaitis, make.a picture SO wild aud anlat-
ural as to sadlen tlte. heart. .-~--~--.-~.--
] Tneir houses have been leveled to the
dust, aud s,their barns and gTapaFiesI are
bea ed in asaes. | The bare walls Of some
stately mansions, moss covered and overrun
with yjpss; batte4sd With shot and shell, or
perforated with musket balls, are yet s'aed-
Ing amidst the bare trunks and leaf 50
branches Of trees that once shade / their i>rd.
Iy masters the ,..irst fsMilies Of the proud
lod Goaiudwealth" Ia Sc are ft inoni-
.meats standing. up in the wild vases that
]surrouad tam, aud giyea iias.lto the pic
ture that words can u,yer pant.
Bat ,hls triumph of war and nature must
be overcome. These wild batren acres mast
he again ineised, and the plowshare mast
|furr,w the hills and aravines. 'lAe knobs
have many of them ben used for camps
The stakes and dtchcs mark where many.
who may, perhaps, r ad tbeseyllnes pitcned
their shelter tents, and rested tn,;ir we ~
limbs. The debris OF camp has eariched
| the soil; The trees have been fe led, and the
knobs would be excellent spots for the
grape. The feds caa b. Scsiliyaled, and
iarli product OF al, klllds raised. The iauds
ear. be bought fer inte or. nothing, Iand IN
i,lne we shall no DOUBT have our Northern
men there, ,lnakipgr with their subsoll pIows
aid dung carts, fertile land ont Of tracts
| liong briore the War g,veq oyer BY the F i
/ s for barilen. THIS is what war has doue
i for Northeastern Virginia. Tue, .nlmlrs
have marched IN pursuit and retreat over
the hills {; the peop fed to other parts for
4 safety, and the devastation | have enieav.
uled 70 picture IS the result,
4 e THE Bull RUN BATTLE FIELD. s
j AtMauuasass We saw, IN thedlstance, the
4 grea, Bull Rliii battle6fd Ne,Tsahe rail-
4 road some of the,delensiye works thrown up
4 by the reb.ls are to be seen, but the monu
. meuls in the distance ma,k where tie fierce
conflict took pace. A numbsr .! horsenleil,
j evidently visitors, could be- seen riding over
/ ltbe historic gfoeni. 'rhyFuins pf tue Man
asass Gap ltaijroad are plain. II was up
4 this road, flom the Junction to the battle
4 fsid, that Johnston carried lhis relDforc,
E,nents aud ~deciltd the contest. Your rea
{ deus will remember all the details Of that uD
4 fortunate battle. AL who purpose visiting
q this Geld should do so now. lbe accom-.
da,ions are sufficient good.
BIZ visiting it n,w The stranger has a
4 trler picture Of what the field was when ths
! battle ended, ttan he will ever get again.
!. fine, you know, deals cruelty with battle
4 f. ids. 1t changes the picture very material
". The sbatt,fed trees put out rev
bIanc les and leaves; the burrows that shot
aud sh Il make as they tcochet over til.
! field grow over again, and the balls are car
red of or are buried in Che grass or cins
.ers Of bushes the broken wheels and tx
! ploded caisso,is or timber chess, are lost
7 apd everything. in truth, that goes to make
: the reality ii a battlefield Is gone. Nnv
] while the ruin is yet complete, while fenep'
i arr gone, ani houses are standing just as tn,
, mad passions uf the contending sotdiery lef
them, visit this historic fed, aud carry ii
your mind the scenes left by this first 6erc
battle of our'gieat revolution. Passenger
can leave Washington at seven in the morl
s ing, have time to visit the field and retur
). Iby the evening train.
5 Twspty.four miles further down Ye. cross