The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-23

rE7rgR OF REv. DE. WILLIAM j. uoGE--TorCB-
ING INCIDENT OF IRE UNION OF THE HEARTS
% "rHE RIvEH AND TIRE GRAY"
special Correspondence of Richmond Dispatch.I
FRErESiCEeDuRs, VA, Dec. %. 1874.
Spot>yIran'a county was formed in 1920
from Essen. King William, and King and
GGccn, and was named IN honor OF Governor
Aic<aNilcr Spotswnod, who subsequently,
,natic his homo within its limits. In 1914
This section MAS on the ,gestet7i frontier, and
m ACT Of the Assembly established " fort"
It the falls OF the ttappahannock, and az
ranged for a garrison Of one hundred and
tjcvc0 men 10 meet the incursions OF hostile
indians from 1.-the Vest
Eren the county was first organized the
>,ur,.Do,lsc was located nj Gcrmanna, in 1882
It was moved TO Fredericksburg, and about
!TS0 the county-Scat was removed TO tho pre-
sent small village, which was destined to be-
come the historic SpotsyNapia Courthouse.
The village of Gcrmanna was founded ny
Governor SpotSwood, the "rubal Cain" of
V;r.iDia. who lived here and vigorously en-
.a.cd in mining the rich ores for which this
.pu,l old county has always been famous. A
massacre OF the inhabitants by the Indians
shortly after the establishment of the town
realty imIcdcd it, progress. the hopes Of
Governor Spotswood were never realized.
anil Fredericksburg finally became thu E,ea
fropqlis Of the county mud the emporium of
trade FOR large section OF country. This
GOOD old burg. located Oh the south side OF
the R.ppahanuock al the head of tide water,
and $50 miles from lis mouth, is 56 miles
from Washington, and 81 from Richmond.
l. was founded bv law in 1927 and named
after Prince Frederick, the father of George
III.
Frctlrrigk>bul-, secured nj once il good
trade which gradually Increased ;lS the sur
rounding country was settled up with those
Old Virginia !anlilce VINO were famous for
;icic high living and princGIy hospitality.
For years the counties OF Louisa, Orange,
Cutrep1r, Rappahannock. &c., found in this
GOOD old town their market, and the streets
were also crowded with cover the-mountain
hcIl-tcamS.' The Orange and Alexandria
and the Virginia Central railroads inter-
ceyed much Of this trade; but Frcdericks.
burg was still showing considerable pluck
and enterprise when the war broke out, and
her patriotic people were called to drink Of
lis bittercSt cup.
Many Of her best citizcGs, who were
driven out on that bleak December day TO
l,ccr,nc ''retugccs in different parts ofthc
~HJth, never returned.
The destruction Of property by the wanton
hombardment OF the town. and It's Sllbse-
qllent occupation and seeking hy the Fcdc-
II! army has never been fully required, and
~" rity hfi> had therefore, 10 struggle against
p"culE,y difficulties. And yet one will sec
in what has already been accomplished TO-
wards repairing the waste places, and in the
spirit Of enterprise manifested by The pco-
pie, an earliest nt 4 brighter future.
The railroad TO Charlottesville il again I'M
der way, and il is understood that il is now
hciny pushed by the Pennsylvania Central,
who viii also extend the road from the city
70 -omc point on the Potomac. where Il con-
nccliou vii! be formed with their projected
line from Baltimore, giving them advantages
IN competing for the through northern tltl-
Vel.
1t is also proposed to build q narrow-@augc
road from point on the Frcdcrrk> burg and
charlottesville road ra Culpcper Court
hp,I>r up into the heart of that rich country
from which Fredericksburg used tG draw its
trade. The merchants seem confident that
with such Il connection they can regain their
trade, and cite rs proof hat for several years
l'a,t many Of the FARMERS Of Culpcper and
itappabannock have found it 10 their inter-
at /" abandon the railroad and haul their
produce 10 Fredericksburg. Tie umgnil-
cent wGter-power here enables the millcr> TO
tl"n out an article Of -four that has become
widely celebrated and TO pay Il better price
Tor wheat than they 10 III Baltimore.
fhrr are also utilizing their wi.trr-pOwcr
Icy tic establishment OF various mauufacto-
rivs.
Few towns possess more historic interest
10 the visitor.
Here once lived General Hugh A. Mercer
and General George Weldon. Who so di>tn-
GuIShcd themselves in the war of the Revo-
luton. Colonel Fielding Lewis, who mar
l'cd Elizabeth, Il sister of George Washing
ton, resided here, and during Tie Revolll-
ton silpCrintcndcd an extensive manutac-
tory of arms in tiIc nci%hDorhood.
Opposite Fredericksburg is the Washing
ton farm" where the FEATHER OF his Coun-
Try" spent hi, cgriy youth, and which is
lmiIuwcd by the mcmnry OF the sterling vl-
tues ot Mary the Mother Of Washing;on.'
In the graveyard at fredericksburg lie the
rrmains OF the eccentric hUt brave and tai
cntcd Lewis Lttelugc, a ward of Mr. Jay,
who 50 greatly distinguished himself in for.
ci"n service. especially in that oi tue unior-
tuntic StaniSIauS Augustus, King OF Poland
The able and eloquent john Forsyth, OF
GEORGIA, who was Il member OF Congress,
United States senator. Governor Of Georgia,
Minister to Spain, and Secretary of State
under both Jackson and Van Buren,, was
born in fredericksburg; and many ether
men OF mark first saw the light III this genial
soil.
But Fredericksburg will hencciorth be
chiefly remembered rs the scene Of grand en-
plUits during the " War between the States.
The hills Of stafford will ever mark tie spot
where Burnside planted his guns and ralned
destruction upon 4 town crowded with Wo-
men and chidren-thc vacant lots and the
scar, upon the houses will tell how we'll the
work was donr; various points along the
streets Will recall tiic gallant defence OF
Hark>dae MiSs.>ippianS, and the heights OF
epalsyl,ania vii! stand perpetual monu-
meat Of how Lee and his veterans hurled
Ia * three times their numbers, torn, bleed
me- and utterly defeated, and failed 10 make
Their destruction more CONFLICT" only be-
cnslSc the Christian Chi,!tlia would not tire
u;.Yu women aud children even when his
v1e.ny covered among them.
And then, too, one is reminded Of many
uIcasant "reminiscences OF the troops quar-
IrYcd in the town; their practical Jokes !;
tI"ir consryauccs Of pine-bnk boats, by
which they exchanged newspapers or traded
fo':;rc, for .cotlte and SUGAR with their
friends across the river; their school
s,l!"re al! The branches Of Il liDeia! education