The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-08-06
LETTER FROM GEN. GIBSON.
NO g.
lDIL I-IIllItIlNU 7 IIlIII !. EIt'TI.IT-s
FREDERICKSBURG. July %, 1869.

navigation, on the Rappahannock.
and though founded in 1927, contains
but 5000 people, of all races and
colors. 1t was once the centre of a
prosperous trade, and enriched by the
visits of commerce. A fort was built
here as early as 1876, but in 1920
SpOttsylyania county was organized
and named in honor of the then Gov
eruor, Alexander Spottswood, who es-
tablished Court at Germania in 1922,
and near there he afterwards lived,
kindling fires in the first iron furnace
built in America. The river here
runs east, and is the boundarybetween
his and Stafford county. A mile
west on the north bank is Falmouth,
old as this place, but now containing
only few miserable houses and one
distillery, where "tangle leg is man
ufactured to cheer the reconstructed.
Above that point are the rapids, a
mile long, at the head Of which is a
fine dam conducting the water into
the city, giving fall of sixty-two feet
and water power equal to Lowell.
1t drives a few mills and small fac
tories, but a Rochester firm is about
to purchase, with a view to use the
whole in extensive manufacturing
At an early day this section was rich
in agriculture, but it is estimated that
full wo-thirds OF the lands once cul-
tivated have been surrendered to for
ests and brambles. The fathers died
and generations arose who despised
labor and made merchandise of la.
borers. Long since, warehouses fell in
to decay, and trade forsook the streets.
Now, old patriarchs 60 about the
streets "like mummies, . hunting their
rights "under the Constitution"
which for four years they vainly tried
to find, through war and barbarism
and carnage. They are relics of that
past, over which the genius of liberty
sweeps. They are genuine specimens
of that degenerate aristocracy, which
usurped political control and looked
with scorn upon the millions of free
labOrers, who with free schools and
free churches have founded opulent
commonwealth along the lakes and
beyond to the Western Ocean. They
are great on blood and family pedi-
gree. 1t is disgusting to hear them
talk. An cid saint who had been
robbed of his negroes and forced to
sell to Yankees, expatiated to me
long and earnestly about the great
ness Of Virginians and the great name
of Fredericksburg.
Northeast, and in full view, is the
old " Washington Farm" where
George was reared, and in this city
he was educated. Here George
romped and hunted and fshed just as
boys do, and right here my old lin
mindtor assured me George stood
when he threw the stone across the
river, feat never accomplished ex-
cept by the ''Father of his Country"
Cn crossing over, l found no traces
of the old home. How all things
perish Here was the ground trod |
by the youthful Washington, but the
house that sheltered him and the
shaded lawn whereon he sported, dis
long years since, and the
farm was used by a minister for
breeding Gods poor for the markets.
His heirs are selling the land at from
SO to S35 an acre to Yankees, whose
white cottages begin to gem the des-
olate slopes. These people must sell.
They don't know how to farm. In a
few instances their sons are at work,
and occasionally Northern soldier
marries a daughter and takes hold.
A large portion of the sons of such
planters went to war and got an eter-
nal "leave of absence"
Along every road and at every
street corner and shop you meet men
from the North, who have settled
here or are about to invest. Well,
let them come. They are the only
hope of this smitten region. Traces
Of Gods avenging wrath meet US at
every turn. The city, battered and a
fourth Of its buildings destroyed by
Oombardment, is being rebuilt by
Yankee capital and enterprise. West
ern New ork is sending hundreds here
The use of muck and manures will give
growth to clover, aud here, as in East
.rn Maryland, worn-out lands will be
made productive and valuable.
My old friend, clinging to the inher-
tance of names, reminded me that
J ohm Forsythe was born and educated
lere. Not j ohm of rebel fame in Mo-
oilc, but his father, who was Secretary
If State under Jackson and Van Bu-
en-. [ was unable to see in that any rea-
on why land should be high. "Did you
ver hear of Hugh Mercer2" said he
Mercer" he continued, "was a Vir-
ginian Of good family, and lived
md doctored in this city" He point
d out where Mercer lived. 1t is
doubtful if he knew, but I drew on
ny faith. 1 then opened on him, in
ny best style of biographical lore, in
he words following: Hugh Mercer
vas Scotch Presbyterian, who fed
o America after the memorable bat
lie of CuliOdon, about 1748, settled
lere, was a captain in the Braddock
was with Montgomery at
quebec, and fell mOrtally wounded at
Princeton, holding the rank of Briga-
n ...l II II