The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-08
[ORIdINAL.]
Ell l. EN- E ARl Y
A Tale of the late War.
BY e. }. D.
3 Y e. }. D.
CHAPTER T.


Provokes to arms, or trumpet's clangor
shrill,
Affrights the wives or chills the virgins
blood"
. The late civil war, terrible in it's
character and disastrous in its results,
has ended, but the many stirring
scenes and painful trials to which it
gave rise, and the daring heroism and
fortitude that were displayed, will
never be obliterated from the minds
Of those now living, and will furnish
themes on which future generations
will dwell with wondering and curious
interest. The pen of the historian
will fail to chronicle many of the
events and incidents of those exciting
and trying days, but story and song
will gather them up and hand them
down decorated and embellished with
the garlands of romance and the
colorings of fancy.
It was about the middle of May,
in the year 1862, that the writer
visited Virginia for the first time.
He went on business connected with
South Carolina brigade, then com
manded by the heroic and lamented
Maxcy Gregg. He found the brigade
encamped among the hills of Spot
sylvania, some five Or six miles from
Fredericksburg. The Confederate
forces had evacuated that town some
weeks before and fallen back to the
strong position they then held, in
expectation of the advance of the
Federal army, whose numerous can
tonments could be seen spread over
the plains and heights of Stafford,
beyond the Rappahannock River.
a new picket line had been formed
by the Confederates along the North
ern side of the Massaponix, small
river that runs, ut this point, almost
parallel with the Rappahannock, into
whichit empties some distance below.
This picket line was about three
mules from Fredericksburg. Some
Federal troops had occupied that
place, and it was thought the main
body would cross the river as soon as
their preparations were completed
and advance in the direction OF
Richmond. Thus posted the two
armies watched each other, and for
several weeks nothing occurred ex
cept some slight skirmishing on the
outposts.
The Massaponix, which is nothing
more than a pretty brooklet babbling
along its pebbly bed, rms through
one Of the most beautiful valleys that
we ever beheld. 1t appeared to us
then charming in the extreme, ex-
tending for about a mile on either
side of the stream and winding,
according to its course, as far as the
eye could see, covered with green
fields of wheat, oats and clover. On
the sides Of the valley, scattered here
ana there on the gentle slopes and
siignt plateaus formed by the shelv-
ing Hills, We're the residences of the
farmers, each with its cluster of out
buildings, surrounded by shrubbery
and Hover gardens and half hidden
from view by magnificent shade trees.
Numerous sleek cattle lazily cropped
the clover on the rich and yeriant
pastures, or recined contentedlv in
their favorite retreats. Oneyerv farm
there wore we'll filled granaries. or.
chards that produced the finest of
apples, pears and cherries, and cool
dairies filled with the most delicious
milk and butter Such were some of
the beauties and comforts that sur
rounded the happy dwellers in the
valley Of the Massaponix. II was NJ,