Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-05-28

to be lost by unnecessary fences, no fertility
is consumed by weeds, no time or labor i
thrown away, one crop prepares the way TO
another and the pillow follows close upon thu
footsteps of the reaper.
We arrived at Winchester about noon. Il
is perhaps one of the most ancient places in
the State. The town is well laid out, hai
many landmarks of interest, whilst the PEG
pie are industrious, intelligent and hospita
BILE. tits crowded with gigantic and thrilling
memories which took us back to those days
when many Of our omn brave boys gave last
ing evidence of their heroic valor and virtue
who, when this honored commonwealth
called the roll of her brave and faithful sons,
they took their stand side by side with the
bravest and fully shared the dangers and
bloody engagements which characterized
and made memorable the "Valley Cam
paign." A camp-map which will ever be con-
spicuous with the light of bravery and VIC
tory, land which will be studied by military
men through all coming time as the cam
paigns of Caesar and Napoleon" 1t lisa part
of our county and State pride to know that
their names are enrolled among that hand
full of Confederates, whose courage, endur-
ance and resolution caused them to march
in rapid and victorious succession from bat
tle-field to battlefield, until they had ac-
quired the appellation of foot cavalry and
on until they had fixed the most brilliant
stars that glittered in the wreath of victory,
that adorned the brow of the greatest mill
tary captain of modern times-"Stonewall
Jackson. The mastery generalship, the
skillful strategy, the tenacious will, the i'm
petuous valor, the rapid marches, the sue
cession Of victories, the endurance and suf-
fering Of that campaign, will ever throw a
halo Of glory over the beautiful valley of the
Shenandoah as lasting as the mountains
which guard and skirt its borders. II was
at Winchester where jackson, for the first
time in his military career, appeared In the
least to be overcome by excitement. "He
caught his cap from his head and waving it
in the air, cheered for the first and last time
time on record" So great was his affection
for the people of this place, and his soldier
pride so profoundly gratified at his triumph
ant return to the place he had been COM
PEELED to retreat from that he lost control Of
himself"
Leaving Winchester, every spot Of ground
over which we passed until we reached the
terminus of our journey, contains its own
special chapter ofinterest and has long since
been transferred to the great volume of his
tory. That history may serve for future
generations to tell of the desperate courage
and proves of both armies, but many of its
most touching interests as well as the black,
deeds will not stand recorded. 1t cannot
give us the silent prayer of the sick and
wounded boy or the last words of his dying
moments. 1t cannot tell us of those sunny
moments when the visions of the loved ones
at home wandered through the stiffness of
the midnight, and like guardian angels stood
sentinel around and during the hard hours
of sleep. 1t soiu nerer portray the true and
frightful colors of the deep and damnng
blackness of the fiendish heart of Phil Sher-
idan when he let loose brutal soldiery to
pillage and plumber homeless and defence
less women and children, or the delight
which was pictured in his countenance as
his bloodshot eyes gazed upon the lurid
glare of the incendiaries torch as it doomed
up from every hilltop and valley.
Rapidly we passed through Kernstown,
Middletown, Newtown, Strasburg Capon
Road and Front Royal From the first two
named places jackson drove Milroy and
Banks, having first swooped down like a
hawk and put to ignominious flight Shields
and Fremont from Strasburg and Front
Royal.
At Strasburg We plunged into the midst
of the Valley Of Virginia. The country is
undulating in its surface, of limestone for
nation and is distinguished for its romantic
and beautiful scenery. 1t lies like rich
jewel in the embrace of the Massinutton and
the great North Mountain. Through this
valley flows the picturesque Shenandoah,
one of these rivers still bearing its ancient
Indian name, too poetic and expressive to be
changed. Everywhere magnificent scenery
bursts upon us. Healthful and bracing airs
wander over region thousand times more
beautiful than the virgin land which Spots
wood first gazcd upon when he led thither
the adventurous Knights of the Horse Shoe.
Here the painter loves to linger over his
canvass-here the poet warps into verse the
the sweetest music So beautiful is this por
ton Of the State, so rich and productive its
lands, that scarcely can its inhabitants be
charged with prejudice in asserting ait to
be the garden spot of Virginia" The noun
tains abound in game and whether covered
with foliage or capped with fire, rejecting
and dispensing the rays of the rising and
setting sun, they impart variety to the see
merry and render it grand beyond the power
of description. Virginia is and ever will
be beautiful and attractive, whether II
be among her endless mountains where
steep above steep the continuous ranges
mount towards the clouds and mingle their
forest with the deep blue sky or that other
section of the State where the stately rivers
flow, watering its rich low grounds waving
with corn and tobacco, where no mountain
breaks the level horizon with lis azure
peaks, and above whose wide-spreading
fields or its humid cyprus swamps, rise
those ancient edifices which looked upon the
troops of Bacon in 1876, and to-day flourish
In hale and vigorous old age, sheltering
still the families Of the race who raised their
massive walls
II Is not in every mood Of the mind that
you can enjoy and appreciate in their fullest
extent the beauties and the harmonies Of
nature; much more Il this the case when