Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-07-21

hhoW IA VIC pSopiC uoWu hSiO oi""yS
rode horseback on a bull.
After leaving Salem we had fourteen
miles to ride before night Down fur
ther we passed Bethel Military Acade-
my on Our left and at 5 o'clock rode
into Warrenton. Here we found the
streets crowded with darkies and upon
inquiring learning that they come from
! Washington on an excursion train. We
had almost forgotten that it was the 4th
of July. Passing through Warrenton
down Culpepper street, we went out
the Springs Road three miles and spent
the night at one of those hospltable
mansions, for which Virginia is justly
celebrated We met large crowd of
children coming from the Springs where
they had been on Pic Mic. On this
road we also met Col Mosby the cele-
brated Confederate officer.
Warrenton has the reputation of be-
ing the prettiest town in Virginia, and
Justly too 1 think. On Culpepper
street arc many beautiful residences,
many Of them occupied by prominent
men. Among the most noted are Ex-
Gov. Smith (better known as Extra
Billy,) Gen. Lomax, Gen. Eppa Hunton,
and others We LETT Warrenton July
5th at o'clock, with the prospect OF
lonely ride Of forty miles, through the
most desolate country in existence. No
more grassy fields, no more tat cattle,
no more fields covered with wheat and
corn. Only long, long road through
woods, and poverty stricken fields,
sometimes for miles and miles without
seeing human habitation until we en-
tered Stafford County and reached the
vicinity of the Rappahannock river.
Here the prospect began 10 brighten,
the corn looks bitter. The clouds that
all the afternoon have been gathering,
now assume threatening aspect and
warn US to seek shelter from the coming
rain. At full speed We made for
house on the road just ahead and we
had hardly gotten our saddles off, before
the rain came down in torrents. The
storm was of short duration and in
short time we were again in the saddle.
We soon reached Stafford Heights and
magnificent spectacle greeted us
there. Below US, just across the river
lay Fredericksburg, beautiful Freder-
icksburg like child asleep. Down
the river the clouds are black as mid
night while beautiful rainbow spans
the river like Bird ge. The SUI bursts
out from behind the clouds and the tall
spires are gilded with his golden rays.
Over there on the Heights we see the
old embankments which remind us OF
another day long ago when redder
glow illumined the spires, and darker
cloud rested Oh the hills down the riv-
er. When other thunders shook the
foundations of these everlasting hills,
and other lightnings flashed along their
SUBMITS Poor battle SCARED Fred
ericksburg Where now are the noble
''boys in gray" that SO brayely defend
ed their loved soil here? And where
are those "boys in blue" that SO thickly
covered these very hills Il? Are they all
gone ? Mol not all A mighty army
still guards the hill over there. Marye's
Heights are covered with them yet.
They still 'hold the fort" they died to
win. But they are silent now. Silent
ly the army is sleeping, sirfy thousand
strong on yonder hill, waiting tor the
Reveille 10 sound which calls them up.
These are the "boys in blue" The
''boys in Gray" are here too. In the
Valley there. some of them are sleeping
too, but only handful compared to the
great host of ''blue boys" on the hill.
Just as it used to be-ten to one.
Back there we see a white monument
which raises its head beyond the GENE
terry. That is the monument started by
patriotic souls whose patriotism cooled
before the monument was finished. 1t
was to be SACRED to the memory of
Mary the mother of Washington" but
now it is sacred to nobody, for the
shaft is lying where it was unloaded
from the wagon that hauled it, these
and the balance of the monument is
ruined by relic hunters
Fredericksburg is beginning to re-
cover her former glory and is now said
to be better grain market than Balti-
more. There is tremendous water
power here and many mills, factories
&c, but still room for many more.
Quite number of new buildings are
going up and the town has assumed a
thrifty growing look. There are two
railroads running into it and it is situat-
ed at the head OF navigation on the riv-
err. We spent the night with an old
friend and after twenty mile ride
reached home the next day. The crops
are good all the way down. There are
magnificent crops on the river equal 1
think to the valley crops. Here we
are having drought. In Caroline it
is very dry and lower down the river
the crops are almost ruined. Farmers
are generally busy threshing and some
of them have already finished aud sold
their wheat. Respectfully,
MEMO
Port Royal, Caroline Co., Va.