Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-12
BEERsHEBA SPRINGS.
An Elegant and Charming Retreat
"Reminiscences of Beersheba Du
ring Our Late ssUnpleasantnesss,-
The Summer Home for Health and

/ Enc SUMMER EAOmo tof IAeaIIh Ant
Pleasure Seekers.
| To the Editors of the Union and American:
The Saratoga of the South p Such
in ante bellitDs days, was the name usu
ally applied to that most delightful o.
Southern watering places, Beersheb,
Springs. The spacious HMounlail
House" was opened on the 18th of las
month, by s. M. Scott, Esq SO long
well, and favorably known as the prince
of landlords in the old ''City Hotel,
Nashville. Once in days gone by, hi
made Beersheba par excellence the most
fascinating and fashionable resort oil
which the South could boast. The cele
brated ''Virginia Springs" with all thei1
varieties of sulphur, alum, magnesia, and
general apothecaries chop, not excepted.
and it is safe to predict, that if sustained
by our pleasure loving snd health seeking
public, he will again take a ''new derar.
ture," and presently we shall find in the
catalogue Of agreeable watering places,
no more attractive or desirable resort than
Beersheba.
Well do l remember in the stgood old
times before the war;" how beauty,
wealth and fashion congregated there
from every portion of the South to lux.
uriste amid the varied enioyments of
this romantic spot. On summers eve
ming, when, like privileged lover, the
"wind did gently kiss the trees'-
When shadows lay reposing in quiet love.
illness on the bosom of the valley and
sunlight still fingered upon the mountain
tops; or when the full moon threw her
silvery light over all the scene, no more
brilliant sight would wish to see than
the long gallery in front of the ''Moun-
tain House" From the quiet little sob
servatory" opposite, have watched the
gay throng of beautiful belles-blondes,
brunettes and 'betweens" as they surged
like silken pillows to and fro-until one
was ready to VOW, at each new appear
ance, that
"The last was still the loVeliest"
In those days wealthy Southerners &C.
cupied the pretty summer cottages around
the hotel, whence, when the stars appear
cd of an evening, came lovely women
in pearls and diamonds, muslins and MORE
antiques, quite as star-like as the orbs
above them. And when to the parlors,
the bathrooms, and the galleries of the
Mountain House." they came in full
force, according to the usual programme,
(Byron's)
emusic arose with its voluptuous swell,
Soft eyes looked love to eyes that spoke again.
etc, etc
Like colors in a Kaleidoscope they
blazed and flushed before you, and the
picture, though half bewildering in its
brillisney, daguerreotyped itself upon
your brain never to be erased "while
memory holds her seat" etc., etc. This
was in 1S59-'6O.
But the scene changes. One fine morn
ing in 1868, was "wsked up" not like
the poet, TO find myself famous" but a
prisoner. Iato that same observatory"
l was marched, in company with several
other gentlemen, among whom was the
present genial and worthy host of the
Beersheba Hotel. On that morning
sat there, not very deeply admIring the
scene, on the contrary not admiring ''the
situation" at all, but patiently waiting to
get out. Armed sentinels in q faded
blue stood at the entrance and to pass
them might have proved uncomfortable.
The very obstinate fact was this: a band
of "bushwhsckers, bent on playing the
mischief, was upon US. We were kept
thus in "durance vile" while they rihed
the hotel of whatever it contained that
pleased their fancy. 1t was sometimes
amusing and withal somewhat exasper-
ating to see these desperadoes coming in
from their raids upon the cottages laden
with the various articles which attracted
their attention. On the graceless head of
one we saw the dainty plumed hat which
once shaded the fair brow of sweet
Minnie K-r, of Louisiana, that
"Queen.rose in tn rosebud garden cf girls"
in the shirt-front of another was arranged
six ladies' brooches in row, while another
f1Ourished filmy embroidered handker-
chief, II the centre Of which was marked
ia delicate characters the name of an
estimable lady whom we all knew-Sue
G. s..
But it would carry me far beyond the lin
its of letter, (or even a score or two of
them,) to tell one half of the incidents,
comic and tragic, which transpired at
Beershebsint the troublou5 times of which
l write. l have seen bodies of ''bush-
whackers" galloping their horses up and
down the long gallery where bellies swept
along in other days-seen them ride into
the observatory, which hoped Gin vain)
would give way with a crash; and grow
ing weary of this diversion have seen
them bring bottles of wine from the cot
tages and (haYing drank sufficiently set
the bottles on the gallery floor like nine
pins, and bowl them down with balls-a
maudlin shout rising from drunken throats
as the balls struck and the clsret flew |
have seen q stalwart female walking up
from the spring with bucket of water
on her head and No. 8 brogaDs on her
feet, arrayed in ball costume of snowy
MORE antique, the delicate laces still
fringing her decOletic shoulders, to arms
that would have becomea 'prize fighter"
The scenes and incidents which have
tTanspired at Beersheba are fuliiof interest,
and if known would make her as famous
in romantic history as she now is in TO-
mantle beauty. It was from this point
that brave cold Forrest" made his sue.
cessful raid on Murfreesboro-the quiet
valley below has resOunded to the clash
and clanSor of arms, and more than one
gallant Confederate there, 'ssleeps the
sleep that knows no waking" it was
there, from the piazzas of a summer
villa on the mountains brow, that many
Of the most distinguished men Of Ten.
nessee and Kentucky, paused to take a
last sad look before going into exile; it
was the point where hundreds of people,
either "going out" or Coming in, stop
ped to ''catch their breath, as it were
when fleeing from dangers just behind, or
dashing into dangers in front of them;
and there it was that terror reigned when
the whole place was sacked by band of
of outlaws, the dCserters and
sans cuIOtteS of both armies.
Dark hooks could tell of blood
where men were waylaid and murdered;
unmeaning looking rocks could relate how
treasures were buried among their crags,
and every Cistern even, has its own tale
of concealed velus5tes. Beersheba IS
emphatically the place whtre the artist,
the poet, and the r0mancs-w writer can
gather rich materials for their respective
arts. Blu, indeed, every one who tries it,
will find it delightful experience to
combine mine hosts fine dinners, with
pleasant walks and charming drives; also
evening lounges in the old observatory
when the cool, crisp breeze is curling the