Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-09
SHENANDOAH VALLEY AFTER THE WAR.

DESCRIPTION By THE CORRESPONDENT OF
THE LONDON NTIn1Es-THE DEsoLATIoN OF
THE iyALLEY-TE1IpER OF THE pEopfR
-EFFEcr OF PRESIDENT JoHNsoN's RE-
CONSTRUCTION poIIcY-THE TFsT-oArH.
tFroni tie London Times, Nov 2s.l
WINCHESTER, October 81. 1865.
The Shenandoah Valley. or the g Valley
of Virginia" as this beautiful district is in
differently called, was the great battle ground
OF the Confederacy during its struggle for in
dependence. Before the days of trouble it
was the iuexhaustible grain country of the
Southern States, remarkable for the loyeli-
ness OF its naturalscenery, and still more re-
markable for the richness of its soil. That
part of the Alleghaney chain which is called
the Blue Ridge, runs through it, and on the
opposite side, the North Mountains make of
ita valley proper 1t was from the popula
ton of this valley that some of the best sol
diers of the' Confederacy were drawn-the
very flower of the population went into the
first armies OF the war, and by far the larger
part of their number now lie beneath its fields
and along its roadsidcs, or fell in the awful
carnage at Gettysburg and Antetam.
The FlrSinians held their cause very dear
and gave up all they had for it, and now they
have little but their dead and backenea
fields; desolation and bitter memories, to look
upon as the result of their tremendous strue
| gle. Throughout the Valley all the youaas
men and many of the old, went to the FIGHT
and few Of them returned, -Four long wears
OF war drew out the very hearts blood of the
State, and left its homes in condition of its
waste places are an emblem. Yet those who
survive bear up with noble spirit against
their many losses, and find solacc for their
troubles III talking over with each other the
| oXniNItS wbioh +hou how
splcGous part or which they have borne
part, or which they witnessed, and in feeling
themselves drawn closer together by the com.
mon bond Of misfortune Their old
homes-and Virginia homestead was very
precious to The household been sacked
aud burnt; but they can still meet together
IN rooms which their slaves would formerly
despise, and look back upon the glorics and
disasters of theirs arms. They desire no more
war; the common voice is, " We gave ali
VIC had in the world to win we would do so
aagln lift all had to be done over again but
| having stakcd our all and lost it, we want to
be at peace wlth the government. We want
to be left alone with our dead We do not
want Northern soldiers iii our midst 4
gallant man, still very Young, who was all
through the war, and fought in ffty.seven
pitched battles and over serenity ski.:nisfics
who WIS one of St0neWali Jackson S faguritc
aides, expressed this sentiment, which [ have
heard from many others, well that cannot
do better than to repeat his words g. en-
tered this war, said he, "becausc l thought
it was right Fortunately or unfortunately,
[ was educated to believe that l owed nv
first duty to my state. Under that belief I
fought to the last for Virginia, and [ cannot
be sorry now that did so. cannot pretend
to be ashamed OF my cause. did all thst |
could, and having fought as becomes man,
am not going to sit down and behave like a
child because [ cannot fight any longer. 1
| believe that speak the thoughts of all the
young men left in this Valley. when say
this am willing to be true to the present
government, and begin to work now, for We
have had enough of destruction. Gen Ice
has set US the example, and what our dear
General orders us to do we shall perform
Proud OF the valor their troops have shown.
and recalling affectionatcy every brilliant
episode III their long aud desperate struggle
this is the temper Of the people, but the
| government has nothing to fear from them.-
The policy pursued by Mr.. johnson has at
once grotfied and touched them. Since they
must go back into the Union, they could not
be LED by gentler hands. The first saw of
the Valley Of the Shenandoah was on the
road between uarper's Ferry and Charles
| O"t11 dISLSslCC VI dDUuL ClHiE miles, L En
turnpike runs through an open moor, which
is intcrscctcd by numerous smaller roads ans,
| appears TO have been waste country from
J time immcmorial. But this moor was Il few
months ago divided into farms, corniields and
! orchards--now wiped clean oft Of existence
| There are no fences even to show where the
! fields were once marked off, and the trees
stand out guant and spectral in the wide
waste, their branches shot away or torn down
for fuel by the succession of armies which
passed up and down the sorcly harrasscd Val
ley. Here and there, at long intervals,
heap of charred wood and stones denote
where u handsome dwcllir"-housc stood r.,
fore the war. One such pile OF 0line ,aae..
the eye i'll tine meadow surrounded by trees
with the desolate fields rank with weeds at
its back That house was burnt by the cuu.
sin OF the gentleman who owned it.
In different part of the valley I saw the
bare walls standing of an equally fine house.
burnt by the same General in token of his at.
lection towards another cousin who lived in
it. And there was still third house ia
which the gallant Generals niece had been
often entertained and SO, out of gratitude.
he burnt that likewise. In one of the house
thus destroyed, the daughter of the family
was playing on the piano when the soldiers
came up to destroy it. Virginia ladies were
not then, and are not now, ven to asking
farors of Federal soldiers; but this young
girl had an attachment to her home, and At
least desired to save her music, a harp and i.
piano. from its wreck. She pleaded for them,
but when the flames were winding round the
curtains of the room in which she stood, with
the soldiers by her side, she sat down and
played the hymn" Thy will be donc and
SO left, knowing that those whom she loved
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