Wilmington journal., 1872-07-26

| INC pTSScnc0 Ot senator wilson III OIL
city about this particular date, inyoluntarily
brings to us the memories Of other days
On the 18th day of July, 1851, was fought
the preliminary battle Of Bull Run; OH
fought upon the banks Of the same stream
and over the same ground, almost, the first
battle of Manassas.
Now it so happens that this large hearted
christian, this South-loving Massachusetts
Senator, who now calls himself Henry
Wilson, but who was born to another
name, just eleven years ago to-day, re-
galed himself muchly at Bull Run. In
deed, we never hear Of Wilson that we do
not think Of Bull Run, and we never hear
of Bull Run that Wilson does not at once
spring up before our minds eye. And We
doubt not that our piOus Senator often re-
turns in his dreams to the spot he visited
this day eleven years ago.
The Senator said OH Thursday: mo
braver men ever lived than you of
the South. You gave your lives and
property for your cause" Well might
Henry Wilson say this to a Southern
audience on the 18th day of July, and
with even more appropriateness may he
repeat it to- day.
The 18th and 21st of July are proud
anniversaries in Southern annals. 1t was
upon these days in the year 1861, that the
little stream of Bull Run was made
famous.
1t will be remembered that on this day
eleven years ago, the Northern army
was ignominiously, shamefully, and dis
gracefully driven back to the very gates of
Washington, by the much despised "South-
ern chivalry." The route and panic OF that
day still stand before the wsrld ithout a
parallel.
1t will be remembered, also, that this
same Henry Wilson, Senator from Massa-
chusetts, was one Of party Of ladies and
gentlemen CD who on that lay left the
Nations capitol, and went pic-nicking on
Virginia soil. The gay party went with
carriages, and ambulances, and wagons,
and wines and liquors, and hamper-baskets
Of provisions and ice, and music and ban
ners, and bethought them, after winning
and dining upon :he shady banks of some
purling brook, TO see the fun OF
blue-coats driving gray-jackets before
them like chafr before the Wind
This Christian, large-heated, South-loving
Wilson and his gay and festive party did
indeed find brook, and for while all
l>on a.
little stream bore no love for them,
and ere long its waters, as they pllrled
and bubbled and meandercd, musically
mTmured: Run, Yankee, run, Beaure-
gard catch you! Run, Yankee, 1un, Beau
regard catch you.'
And Yankee did run, sure enough,
straight for Washington. And the South
ern boys ran too, but they ran straight
for the Yankees. The large-hearted
Christian, Senator Wilson, and his party
started "tO hum" at once, but they
had bad luck. The terrible Sudley bridge
had to be crossed. Some of the ladies, it
is said, lost their clothes in the terrible jam
and panic. One lady, indeed, horrible to
bareback" and being unaccustomed to
such exercise, it is said, suffered muchly.
Finally, however, the party, no longer gay
and festive, reached the Nations Capitol
without loss of life or limb.
Imagine the sanity Senator astride
horse bare-back, with blind-bridle, riding
nip and tuck, for dear life, with one of the |
gay and festive ladies mounted in like |
style, his long limbs dangling and pro-
truding far through his breeches legs, in |!
frantic efforts to quicken his jaded steed!
Of the lady's appearance we have simply |
to remark that it was summer time and |
that large hoops were then much in style. |
Then as now, to Bull Run as to Will
with his gay ladies, came to witness the |
defeat OF Southern men and 10 gloat |
over their death struggles and dying
agonies.
Did ever mortal man, outside of the Can
nibal Islands, deliberately select a fresh |
battlefield for picnic ground, for place
TO feast and dance, to eat and to drink, /
and to pop champagne eorks and to enjoy |
the society of gentle woman2
One would think that an ill
spot for enjoyment, where the earth
was freshly torn up by cannon ball
where trees were standing with shattered
trunks and broken limbs still dangling, and
falling at times-where dead men and |
dying were lying about everywhere-where
,he air was filled with meanings and
yroanings, and worse and more horrible
still, that terrible, piercing cry which,
when once heard, can never be forgotten
80 long as life shall last, the cry of
man calling for water! water
water! No man who has lain a night
upon battlefield can fail to remember it.
We venture to say that outside of the
Islands, never before did party
1f ladies and gentlemen eyer seek such ac-
to social pleasure! And yet this
nan Wilson boasts himself to be overflow
ng with the milk of human kindness To
Is he seems to possess the nature Of a
1yena, rather than that of man.
The man who went with party of ladies
AID gentlemen to junket and feast, and ca
rouse amid dead and dying Southrons,
cannot deceive us with few soft words of
can't and hypocrisy.
We well remember the stencil of that
,ame battle field upon which the Christ
an, large-hearted, South-loving Senator
came for q picnic, but that stencil came
not from the bodies in gray jackets.