Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-10-28
Richmond Letter.

correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
RICHMOND, Oct. IS i came to Richmond
Tuesday on the Noriulk train, which reached
Petersburg at Il a. III. Now it is needless TO
say that the train was ianmed, aud yet every
one bore the discomforrs without grumblipg,
Tor at noon they would reach the capital. Sn
at least the time table said, and excursion tick
cts were sold. At Petersburg, where passcu-
gers change cars and take the Richmond and
Petersburg Railroad to Richmond, they found
to their dlsmay that they would have to wait
an hour and hall before starting. 1t was
outrageous! On such day, when people from Il
distance desired 10 max" close connection, so
a. To witness the grand procession, % have 10
wait III hlIhy waiting room OF depot was
not conducive to ones temper, aud then the
surroundings OF waiting room are not intense.
~ Interesting. This road will be remembered
by all the old veterans of the army aud the
| train makes as much boise and goes as SLOW us
| ever, and 1t has had more curses hurled at il
than any other railway, if ex2ept the Wash.
| iEeton ADD Alexandria road, than any railway
| IN America. For Incompetence, high charges,
| aud nule-headcd officials, commend me 10 the
! Richmond and Petersburg Railroad. May the
| devil, as Mickey Free would say, or Tom Scott,
| H. away with it.
did not get In Richmond in time to see the
procession III detail, but | saw what made the
pulse throb and the heart neat--thc long lines
OF the old veterans A. n. v in solid columns
| filing slowly on. You could tell them got by
| the badges which they wore, but by the solid
tread, junty bearing, and dressed line, and
their old profession came back to them like
magic at the tap Of the drum. Our State has
no reason to be ashamed of her military The
| Virginia Military Institute Cadets staud fore
most tor perfection of drill. They probably
cannot be equaIlcd by any battalion in America.
Go. f., Of Richmond, drilled Suprrbly, and
have that easy martial bearing that only long
practice can give. The Williamsburg C. mp;t.y,
| Wise Light Infantry, commanded by Captain
| Wise, the sou OF our old Governor, are credit
to their town The Richmond llowiz~rs, Jour
guns and fifty men, would, believe, in any
review of the European armics, either at The
English Wimbledon or the praSSian 3 .rlin re-
view grounds, carry off the palm for perfect
discipline and soldierly bearing. Bat what at
trac'ed the most attention was the four guns of
the Virginia Military Institute commanded by
| Captain Marsden Manson. Those guns were
the same used by Jackson at the first battle of
Manassas. n royal salute of tweuty-uue guns
was fired at the unvelliug Of the statue, ADD
| from their brass Threats then flashed the same
| flame and burst the Samc thunder hat echoed
| 10 the valleys, the plains and the mountains of
many battle field When the foot cavalry"
| fought IN the glorious old time.
| Ii was estimated that there were ~ 900 pco-
pie on the streets as the procession passed,
aud many an old friendship was briefly yet
warmly renewed AS old comrades would come
| face to face.
The bronze statue of Jackson is noble gil't
| to the State, and the im,gc brings wildly back
| to the old SOIil Is the lorm OF their loved chief
The likeness is good but uot perfect.
cannot close this letter without paying a
| tribute To DIR. llogc's address. 1t was most
| beautiful Grafton, and the concluding perora-
! ton expressed the sentiments | know of
! every Confederate soldier present, and told the
| inner thought OF every Southern man. IL: said
II over those Statos nrc welded trgrthor in
| one great frstrrnml, enduring Union, with ono
heart pulsating throu I'll tho entire fame rs tho
| tides thrnb through the bosom Of the sen it
Will be whom they all stand Oh the Sslnn level
with such jeai Gus gard Tor each others rights
THAT when the lnlcre Us or honor Of on, is as
sailed, ali the rest feeling the wound even rs
tho body leols tho pHin inflicted on one of lis
mcmncrs-w! Einde with Just resentment AL
the outrage, because IN il iucy done !p II part IS
| not only wrong but m indignity offered tu the
whole But if that cannot be, then L trust the
lay will never dawn when the Southern pcoplc
will add degradation to defeat and hypocrisy to
subugation by protesting love 10 the Union
which denies to one Of Their States u single rirht
| accorded to Massachusetts or New York-to
| such II Union will never be heartily loy,l
| while that bronze hand gra<ps its sword while
yond"r river chants tho requiem Of sixteen
thousand Confederate dva who with Stuart
among them, sleep on tho hills ul HOLLYWOOD.