Middletown transcript., 1869-08-14
Letter from white sulphur.
Correspondence Of the lMiddletopn Transcript
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VA. |
AUGUST 3D. 1869

Nlh EDlTOh,-GedT DtTs-SuppOSlUR u DTlcl
history of my travels through Dixey would not
be Objectionable, | will endeavor to give you as
true an account as could obtain from memory
and the rapid manner in which passed through
it, in a train of cars. We left Washington in
the steamer City of Alexandria, for Alexandria
City. The ride on the boat down the Potomac
was delightful, having full view of the Naval
Asylum and other Government Buildings and
grounds between the two points above named.
On our arrival at Alexandria we found in waiting
the most beautiful cars, all new, to convey us on
our journey. In a few moments the Iron horse
was let go, and away we went, at rapid speed,
down into the land of Dixey. The first object
of note that met our view was the celebrated
Bull Run; next the great planes of Manassas,
both Of which still bear the marks of the SAN
culinary battles fought there during the Rebel
lion. The next important points of attraction
were Catletts Station, Brandy Station, Rapid
Ann, Culpepper, and Gordonsville all of which
have become places of note in the history of the
late war. We changed cars at Gordonsville
leaving the Orange and Alexandria, and taking
the Chesapeake and Ohio train. We passed
many small places of very little note, and of
course not recollected. Charlottesville was the
next place of much Importance, very much so to
the hungry crowd in the cars, who were all sup
piled with fried chicken and soda crackers by
the darkey women of the town, who held up
their cdibles to the car windows ON large walters
until all had supplied their wants. The next
thing was 10 see the sights. The place is very
handsome old Virginia Town, with many fine
substantial houses, though not many of modern
style. A short distauce above the town is that
old and well known Institution of learning, the
| University, which has turned out so many great
men of different professions, who have given to
the councils of this great nation SO much glory
and dignity in the past; but alas they are no
more Carpet-baggers and Scalawags have su-
perceded them. After leaving the last named
| place we found ourselves stretching away for the
| Blue Ridge, so famous in war-times we finally
reached its base, and commenced ascending its
mighty heights by circuitous windings and tun-
nels, until wcreached its top, from which we had
a magnificent view of the great Shenandoah Val
ley, which still hears the torch marks of the in
vading army of that miserable in"cndiary Phil
Sheridan. The lands in the Valley are much
better than on the other side of the Blue Ridge,
but rather more rolling than like for agricul-
tural purposes.
The wheat is very fine, they say, but am free
| to say could not see it. The fields arc small
and rather far between. | have seen more wheat
on one Delaware farm than a dozen of theirs
| We went directly across the Valley, and of course
had an opportunity of seeing fair sample of it,
Their corn is worth nothing nor is it in any part
| of Virginia, the drought having parched it al
most entirely up. We stopped at Staunton,
| very beautiful town, situated about mid way the
Valley, for dinner. There found an old friend
| who introduced me to Il number of very fine gem
| tlemen. They all seem to accept the situation
cast upon them by the war with great deal Of
resignation, and think in few years, under the
administration of the present Governor elect
Walker) if let alone, they will be as WELL if
not better off than they ever were. All their
Mills and Barns have been rebuilt new and inn
proved machinery has been put in their mills
which enables them to do twice us much work in
half the time as before. They are fully awake
| TO their situation. and are determined to make
use Of the lesson learned by sad experience.
taunton is left behind, and the Alcganics are
rearing their mighty heads in the distance the
old bulginc begins to redouble his energies for
the great task before him on we go with light
ming speed, until the heavy grade is reached,
when he cries for help, when another powerful
engine is attached, pulling and blowing the old
horses pursue the even tenor of their way, when
another wall is sent up in the midst of the noun
tains for help; another lron-horse is gcared to,
and ON we 20, ut snail pace, passing through
several small tunnels, until the great tunnel is
reached about fifteen hundred yards ia length
when we made dive and landed at A,legany
Station, on this side, when we find ourselves in
West Virginia and in the United States again
Twenty-siX miles more and we land at the White
Sulphur ahcut nine o'clock at n-ht. We gave
up our checks, jumped into Buss, aud soon
i"lnd ourselves at the Hotel. Every thing look
cd gloomy enough, as they have no gas lights
about the place. We registered our names and
then made inquiry for rooms | remarked to the
{ room clerk that would like to have room as
low down as possible. | observed kind of COM
placent smile upon his countenance as much us
to say, all right YOU shall bo accommodated
He knocked down for three hundred and
twenty-four and handed the servant the number
e on strip OF paper, with request to show us to
our room. Thinks to myself, that's not very
high up, so away we went, not up stairs but
around the house and across the grounds, until !
a supposed we were very near the Depot, when
began demonstrating with the fellow by telling
him we were not ready to leave the Springs yet,
: we wanted TO be shown rooms and not the De-
pot. The reply was, "all right sir, most there
now," When we reached our quarters we found
little one-story cabin as they called them,
floor settled down on one side, carpet except
small piece in front of the bed, one little stand
{ fora water pitcher, two boards nailed upright
g and shelf nailed on them for Il ward robe. These
= embraced all the % fXens' in the shanty Pret-
ty hard quarters, | can assure you but long ira
vel and fatigue soon found us safe in bed, sound
v asleep, from which we were soon aroused by a
: delightful serenade, as first supposed, but which
turned out, when fully awake, TO be the bowling
: OF kennel of young hound-dogs located near
b our cabin. Without knowing what danger was
G IN made an attack upon them, and after shell
hing their entrenchment pretty thoroughly ST.
fenced their batteries, which left ME ''master of
the situation for the balance of the nipht.
e Next morning, to my great surprise, when our
chambcrmaid came around to call us to break
fast she began calling up her body-guards, when
; 10 and behold they were the identical serena
} ders OF the night before each having name that
struck terror to me- having some Yankee pro-
clivities about me-Lee Beauregard Stonewall
jackson, and JEFF Davis,-al awful names, and
the parties, too, that had encountered the night
| before. We took hurried view of the place as
e we passed through the grounds, to our breakfast
After getting through with our meal, which was
eaten in sadness on account of the poor quarters
they had given us, we returned again to our sol
e tary cabin to brood over our situation; but be
! fore doing So ! made appeal 10 our Host fol
1 better rooms; his reply was they were very full
u but they would do the best they could which
c was not very satisfactory but after riding quar-
i. antne until the middle of the day, we were
startled by loud rap at the door, l Ibade him com,
in, and who should present himself but tai
G good looking fellow with large mustache, bool
n in hand, interlaced with small strips of paper
: his whole exterior bore evidence of official sta
i ton. My first conclusion was that we woul,
:, have to take the lron-clad OATH but to my grea