The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-22
VIRGINIA LETTERS.
w1xcHrsrrn, Va. November l6

|
Let pugnacious Hoosiers, hardy and
gallant veterans, honored heroes of
. the late unpleasantness," say what
they may in opposition hereto, as
sert that true manliness, genuine no.
bility of character, is still extant in
the Old Dominion; that the sons of
the " Mother of Presidents are as
brave, sincere, frank and hospitable,
as can be found anywhere in this or
any other country; that the daugh-
tiers of Virginia are fit helpmetes,
worthy companions of brave and
honest men. The Hoosier soldier
who campaigned through this garden
valley under " Granny Banks" or the
bloviating incompetents upon whom
his mantle descended-a numerous
long succession of melancholy fail
ures till it rested on the broad
shoulders and over the brave
heart of the greatest soldier of the
warm rueful remembrance of half
dollars paid for a cOrn-dodger, a
. snack of bacon and a cup
of rye coffee, may sheer at Virginia
hospitality He should remember
the stern necessity that forbade the
exerci' of hospitable impulses, with
the near prospect of an empty smoke
house and vacant granary. Let him
revisit, as | have, the scenes of his
former campaignings; ride over the
old pixies along which he toiled, as
the Union columns pursued their
sinuous ways among these grand old
hills; drive about on the battle fields
where he faced the storms of rebel
lead, and where he left so many of
his dear companions-in- arms TO
moulder back to kindred dust, and
he will find at every farm house a
cordial welcome from the very men
who formed those rebel ranks which.
sometimes chased and sometimes
chasing, were weary long time in
getting 'subjugated.
No Union soldier whose division
was ever pitted against any division
Of Lees : Army of Northern Vir-
ginia. will deny that the regiments
of this State were made up of brave
men. They bore the brunt Of almost
every battle, attested the sincerity Of
their devotion to an unholy cause by
"a valor never excelled, and poured
out their blood upon the now broken
and dishenored altar Of a blind and
erring, but always sincere patriotism :
The other day | was riding over the
Bull Run battle field. | crossed that
stream of ugly name and hideous
memory at Sudley Church, where,
with McDowell's right, | crossed it
on the morning of that sadest Sum-
day in all the sad years of the war,
and followed up our course past the
Rhode Island located the graveyard of
hill side where Doubleday's battery
stood, and hour after, hour received
the TERRIBLE fire Of the enemy's picked
rifemen, and hurled back upon his
bleeding, staggering ranks the bolts
of death. | was trying to trace the.
line along which Johnston's forces
were deplored as, late in the
afternoon, they came upon the
scene to retrieve the fast fail
ing fortunes of Beauregard and
snatch a brilliant victory from the
very jaws of ignominious defeat. Old
landmarks had disappeared; the ty-
Biography of the country seemed
changed, and [ was wishing that
had brought a guide, familiar with
the incidents Of the battle, and the
positions and movements Of the differ
eat commands, when How are you,
stranger?" In Enthusiastically Virginian
tone, fell upon my ear, and, turning,
| was glad to find, in the fresh ar
rival, man whose appearance stamp
ed him at once as native, and to the
manor born" Returning his saluta-
ton, we readily fell into familiar dis
course, and | soon learned that he
had been a participant, on the rebel
side, in the scenes [ was trying to re /
call Residing in the neighb0rhood,
he knew every foot of the ground
on which both the battles of Bull /
Run were fought. My assurance that
[ had fought on the losing side in
those memorable engagements. far
from checking the cordiality of his |
demeanor, seemed rather to heighten |
it, and saying it was too near night to |
go over all the ground | wanted to
see, and do all the talking we should !
have to go through with, he asked me |
to ride home with him Ga Virginian is
always mounted) and stop till Rext
day, when we would ride up aud down
Bull Run, and over Manassas Plains, /
fighting our battles over again. The
proposition was too tempting to be
declined. and was therefore gratefully
accepted [ am not going to describe
the Virginia farm house, the matron
" on hospitable thoughts intent" the
blooming daughters, @