Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-10-27
Reflections on the Late War.


the preacher, all is vanity =!
Reflections on the Late War.
TIE scenes and incidents Of the late
war, besides the record Of many OF them
on the pages of History, will furnish per
jpetual food for conversaliUn,' IN all this
section Of Virginia, not only tor the pres
ent generation, bot for their children $
children. Tradition viii then take up the
story, and transmit 10 future pos'erity
what so many now living have seen with
their own eyes. In she coming years, ,1he
young will
In winters tedious nights, sit by the fire,
With good old folks; and let them tell the tales,
Of what our people saw and suffered.
There is hardly hill or valley,a moun'
tain or stream, fam AOnse or vii
lage, around which does not cluster re-
collections connected with the fearful
strife; and often, with the gallant achieve
mems and successes Of those who Tough!
% bravely, or contended so earnestly, for
,he "losl cauSe." Even now, aged men
who could only look on at the contest az
II ragged. and staIwarl youths who took
part in the shock Of arms, many oi whom
bear on their persons, the wounds recelV-
ed in battle, when recOunung what they
were he witnesses Of, or participants IN,
viii have that
"Meling heart and brimfnl eye"
which is so contagious among the listen
RS, and with which the bravest OF those
who took The opposite side, do not fail to
jsympathize, if they cannot approve. ! he
rhuked utIerance. the deep sigh, tie ST.
lent tear, are more eloquent than the most
eloquent language.
PEOPLE used TO call, after the OLD Indian
ware. Kentucky, ",he dark and bloody
land" But ours was the "6Ioody land,
|or four Of the long years jnss past! j.
was bahed in blood and lighted up with
fire We, who live on the land, can
hardly ourselves ye. realize what that
WAR was when compared with the other
wars which have taken place in Europe
and America within ihe last century.
! The beautiful Valley of Virgiula-aI-
most The richest and loveliesl land upon
earih-and all the heighboring Piedmont
and River counry-lhe frontier o! virgin
Ila,-was The arena wheIe cOnlendlng ar
mics fought-where the hercesi encoun'
lers ensued, and wee grim vissged war
never, during the strife, "smoclhed his
horrd front" they will take you now
to the hiI! tops. and poin. out to you toI
miles and mil, around-as far as the eye
can reacE-ihe spots from which arose
the smoke and flames Of Hunters bum
ings. They will carry you through Win
chester, and Berryville, and other towns.
and show the marks of bullets upon the
houses in the streets, the charred and
blackened walls Of The dwellings and
stores, and The remains Of the destruction
in every direction. They will conduct
you TO Edwards Hill, near Leesburg,
from whence Fitzpatrick hurled his IRON
missiles upon delenceess town. iuIl OF
women and children. They will lei you
know, that here, on this declivity, Mos
by 10 one Of his raids, turned upon his
prrsuers, and with his own hard capIJr-
ed those who undertook 10 follow hun;
and that, on tba, road, he made a-dsr'ug
dash, and scattered those who thought
they had surrounded him. They Will 90
with YOU 10 the scene Of conflict at Ball :
Bluff, Vienna, Kearneysville, kabIelown'
and hundred other places. Here was q
cavalry charge-lhefe was skHmish.
Here are The "s,onewalls," there Me
woods, from which rifles cracked. and
muskels poured their volleys. On that
field the serried hosts Of The Federal
fuoops lay encamped- on This, the Con
federates bivouacked. Deeds OF bravery
will be narrated, the localities of which
! are all around YOU, and over which you
walk or ride. " hat is so calm and peace
/ frl no,y, was then the theatre OF carnage
and death. Nor will history narrale ha''
The incidents which marked ihe progress
of The war, in The section Of country Id
which we refer. .......,
There are among The people lefi. and
WIN are now, sla,ost 10 a man, engaged
in the peaceful pursuits Of llfe' no hare