The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-22
rcorrespondc 10. q, the richmond Dispatch.l

,rl' rem. ant, how few new facts remain to
e! related OF this interesting pnrtion Oh
Virginia. This letter Is not designed TO con-
ain any new facts, but simply lew eX-
racts from nv pocket notebook OF q trip
rom Richmond on the Ariel last Saturday
o Old Point, a visit to the Soldiers Home
, salt to the Capes and Norfolk. and rev
other " donations" as George WildeWould
coli them. OF one of the most del1gntlul
Trims in a short time ever taken by hlch-
That's all propose to tell, ana TO
tell that very simply, and perhaps unintef-
estingIy to the reader. There are NJ pulls In
It, which. by the way, may be its redeem
ing feature. We left Richmond at 7:l3 A.
nj. Saturday and reached Old Point at B Z.
NJ.
ORIGINALITY OF A ToBACcoSIsT.
Mr.. T. c. Williams, OF Richmond, was
one OF the passengers on the Ariel for OLD
Point. When we reached City Point
number of gentlemen were seated on the
forward deck of the steamer, where we
could see everything going on. just IN
front OF us lay the bark Gamma" She
was a good.looking craft, and attracted the
attention OF all the passengers who were
on that side Of the steamer.
aThat's GOOD name." said Mr.. Will.
liams: " but don't think have ever seen
II before. Read it backwards or forwards.
II ia the same. Pll remember that. and
when I get home I'll adopt the name for .
tobacco brand. She's fine bark, and III
use 1t for my fine 6drher.'"
MIR. Williams visits Old Point for bis
health, and will probably remain there seVe'
raj weeks.
THE wYANoKE-CAPTAIN COUCH.
I always take pleasure in giving Captain
Couch, OF the fine steamship Wyanoke
credit for his enterprise and courtesy, anC
want to mention in this letter an incident
insignificant, perhaps, but one that wa:
nevertheless very interesting to me, that oc
Cured Saturday night about 8 O'Clock
while ! was sitting on the parapet at tht
fort: Two or three gentlemen were chatting
there very pleasantly, when we noticed
large steamship coming down the Roads
and, instead OF taking the usual channel Oh
vessels bound out, she came in not only
close 10 the Old-Point wharf, but very neal
the hotel pavilion. The pavilion was
crowded The band was playing, and The
dancers were enjoying themselves to theil
hearts content. The hundreds OF lights
from the hotel lit up the Roads far out from
shore, pre-. enting pretty sight. Presently,
when the vessel was abreast OF the pavilion,
Il coSton signal was displayed. and we re.
cosnlzed the Wyanoke instantly. Next
was salute from Captain Couch's whistle,
then Il rocket, and finally the vessels gun
was fired, and soon she was lost to our eyes
Now, this little performance OF Captain
Couch's was as commendable as it was in.
terestinr to those who witnessed it. Cap
tain Couch is a trump, and whether he Is
bemmed in an ice.gorgc or blessed with q
fair wind and summer weather, he is equally
at home.
EX-PRESIDENT DAVIS.
Now am not going to worry the reader
with long recital Of the incidents con
nectcd with Mr.. Davis's incarceration al
Fort Monroe, but only intend to mention
one or two facts connected with his sojnurr
at Old Point. Mr.. Bodell, one OF the right.
hand men there, carried me all through tht
fort Saturday evening. When we had gone
I'D flight of steps in an anccnt-lookln@
building on the left OF the fort and within
the moat, "This," he said, "iS the room
where jeff. Davis held forth for some time
We went in. Lying on the bed in this
room, which was plainly furnished, was a
I~'"'re, ""'.- -" -. GO
duced as Lieutenant j. Ii. McAulitfc, of
the Fifth United States artillery, who is
under military Instruction. The officer
got up aud welcomed us, and after apo
logizins for his appearance, told us with
Mr.. BodelPs interinealions) all about
Mr.. Davis's life at the fort, bis first
place Of confinement Ga casemate on the
other side of the enclosurcl as we'll
as his soiourn in the officers quarters we
were then occupying. Five men guarded
MIR. Davis in those quarters, and quite as
many as when he was in the casemate.
After leaving the building we walked over
On
THE RAMPARTs,
where one has fine view OF the CheSa-
1eakc, and 10 fact view OF the Capes.
e was DELIGHTFULLY."- cool. The thermome-
er could not have been higher than to-,
I that. \ stiff breeze was blowing from
he east, and the sky was without a
cloud. 1t was delightful evening indeed.
could not help contrasting my situation
hen with that Of the past week in Rich
nond, when the mercury was not only in
he nineties, but even more than hundred
n the shade. Those who are not similarly
ituated can hardly realize the delightful!
ecrehtion that short evening afforded the
writer.
Mr.. BodeIl told me that Lieutenant McAu-
life was one of large number OF young
,ficers, graduates Of West Point, who have
O spend two years at the fort for military
Instruction after leaving West Point. But
voc be to that man who goes to the fort with
,ut having first been = g West Pointer
JOLLY SOLDIER.
Governor p. r.. Woodfin, of the Soldiers
lone, Is the man that this heading fits.
everybody in Richmond who takes any in
crest ia Old Point and Hampton knows all
bout the Soldiers Home, I suppose. and
,ery little need be said about the excellence
# that splendid national charity. Wood
in," as everybody calls him, is we'll known,
90, in Richmond. he has been out to
and "around with the boys" and
when he gets 10 Richmond his friends never
want him to come away.
Captain WoOdfn saw service rs captain
II a Massachusetts battery, and at Culpeper
bullet from some eX-Confederaie left
lifelong mark on bis face. At Reums's Sta
ion his battery was captured by the Con-
ederates. He married niece Of General
;. F. Butler, but not for that reason, but
rom his merits, does be now reign supreme
8 governor OF the Soldiers Home. No
'ody should come to Old Point without also
listing the Home. He can dispose OF more
business and in ashorter time than any man
think ever saw. He Is Just the man for
be place be holds. When be took charge
1 it the grounds were poor apology for a
'retty lawn. Now the place is tastefully
aid off with beautiful walks and flower
eds and other ornamentatloD, and it is q