The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-20
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch
r..~,. 10 1854

PgrHRsHrRa, January 10, 1865.
I, scarcely needs the drearness Of winter 20
add 10 the picture of desolation when 'he
country round this city presents since Tue
mination of hostilities. From the Appo
Iox to BURGESS mill there - q oei' - 80,
miles in width that looks as II II hao oseA
80, ,,-,,h rho hesom of destruction. The
forests have all been feiled the FENCES oe
$3.50 .na Tho comfortable farm-hou
which formerly dotted il, with ont rev soil
49,, .xoan,ions Given over TO the flames, or
town down. 10 be converted into soldiers ca
hins. Over all this region numberless remains
OF camps are still visible, indicating almost as
accurately rs the musterroll the overwhelm-
ing force by which we were hemmed in. The
cabins and the timbers of the Notifications,
having served their purpose, have been USED
for fuel, since they were abandoned-a portion
being turned over 10 the proprietors OF the
land some distributed 10 the poor, but by iai
the larger half retained by the military a"'ho'
rites.
There is only one encampment "heis any
effort has been made 10 arrest the prosi "a
decay, and that is the quarters OIL the f'isi-
neer corps Of the Federal army. Truly they
were men of architectural taste, those ensi'
neers The buildings are all OF the rustic
order the material and decorations OF whicI
are pine poles and pine branches. IL Is at this
locality that the Poplar Grove Church-'a hea
rustic structure erected by the same cofps-f
situated, and which was made over py 'hehn
10 the trustees of the church OF lhat haihe
which existed for long years anteceoeht 70 Tue
war The whole camp Is laid on Win lhaIh
NAUTICAL precision, and would be pheasant
summer resort if it We're not in The midst OF
grove of old field pines, which is an abomiha-
ton to all whose early associations are con
nected with the old-field school, The place
has since been converted into freedmen
camp, but from the perishable nature OF the
materials it will soon be nothing more than i
heap of ruins.
To the east Of the city were the splendio
mansions of Mcssrs. Charles Friend, Joseph
Jordan and Otway Hare. These gentlemen
were among our best farmers; they worked
large number of slaves, and were surrounded
by every comfort that heart could desire
Their houses were the seats of hospitality
That of the first-named gentleman alone Is
standing but in a dismantled condition, while
no vestige of the out buildings is remaining in
either case. 1t was at Mr.. Jordan's farm, on
which there is n commanding elevation, that
the celebrated fertilization known among the
Confederates as Battery 80 was erected,
from which daily showers of the most terrible
missiles were poured on the devoted city
Fort Steadman was situated in 4 large grove
of grand old oaks, near the site OF MIR. Hare :
house, but the trees were so mutilated by shells
rs to have been shorn of all their glory. a
little farther TO the south stood the mansion
of the late Timothy Rives, and others in the
same vicinity; and mile or TIVE still farther
were the elegant residences of Colonel Avery
and William TSylor-the latter the home OF !
distinguished man in the early part OF the cen
tury, namely, George Keith Taylor, one OF
the midnight judges of the elder Adams. All
these places shared the same fate.
West of the city are some interesting local.
ties. General Lees headquarters We're at Mr.
William Turnbull's. The house, a beautiful
new building, was burned down at the time o.
the evacuation NIayfield, the residence o
Mr.. Thomas Whitworth, and for generation
the abode of the Peterson family, was hret
seyeral times but it was of such solid struc
1ure-having been built in the colonial days
that il was rescued by the servants from tn
flames. And then the Model Farm-the prld'
of the Agricultural Society, and the pet OF th'
most princely of Virgnians, the late Mr
Bruce, who richly endowed it-looks as IL /
might have been sowed with SAT- MOI oh'
stone is left upon another.
But the catalogue of misfortunes might p'
indefinitely extended, only il is too painful u
pursue il further. SS""pEN'