The Portland daily press., 1880-05-13
VIRGINIA REVISITED.
Rev. Henry S. Burrage on the Battle o }
Fredericksburg.

Last evening, at the First Baptist church.
Rev. Henry s. Burrage gave very interest
ing account OF his recent trip to the old battle
fields of Virginia, and of the battle of Freder-
icksburg.
The speaker said the city of Fredericksburg
has changed but lit tie in appearance since the
never-tO-be-forgotten days of December 1862.
The effects OF the terrible bombardment. to
which Fredericksburg was subjected during
the laying of the pontons, Dec 18th, were
still visible in many places, though of course
the damage from shot and shell has for the
most part been repaired. The houses of
worship are in good condition, and the corner
stone of new chapel, which wealthy New
York gentleman is to build for the Presby-
terrain church, as memorial of recently de-
ceased daughter, was soon to be laid Cross
ing creek We saw the rise of ground under
which French and Hancock formed their lines
for the attack. Between this rise and the
Heights, at the lime of the battle were open
fields, with one or two small houses These
still bear the marks of the terrible conflict
which ragged around them on the day of the
battle. Soon we came to the old telegraph
road at the foot of the Heights. Only a small
portion remains of the memorable stone wall
behind which the Confederate troops secure
ly stood and poured their deadliest fire into
the advancing Union lines, while their artil-
lery on the Heights above aided in the des-
tructlve work. Memorials of the battle are
still found in these fields, and we saw shell
which was taken from garden in front
OF this wall only few days before our visit
Passing along the telegraph road we soon
come to the National Cemetery, which en-
braces the eastern portion of Marye's Heights
The slope towards the city has been beautifully
terraced at an expense of 100000 The
superintendent house, near the entrance to
the Cemetery, was built of stone taken from
the wall behind which the Confederate line of
battle was formed; the heights upon which
our dead are burned were occupied by Con-
federate artillery. The Superintendent, a
Virginian, but Union soldier during the war,
kindly accompanied us in our walk about the
Cemetery. The whole number of our soldiers
who are buried here is To- PSI. Of these 2,48S
are known, and 1859 unknown. Only small
number died here, but the remains of Union
soldiers who were killed or died at Chancel-
lorsville, tho Wilderness, and Spottsyvania.
have been taken up and here laid to rest. At
the head of the grave of each soldier whose
name is known is granite monument bearing
the name and regiment of the dead. The
graves OF the unknown are marked by granite
pests which are numbered. Nothing stirs the
heart more in passing among these long rows
of our unreturning soldiers than the sight of
these unknown graves. The Cemetery is well
cared for, and workmen with lawn mowers
were cutting the grass for the second time this
season.
From these Heights we had fine view of
the whole field of battle, and can we'll believe
what Gen. Fitzhugh Lee says in a reference to
the conflict here waged: Gas stood at one
time during the day on Hoods lines and saw
this gorgeous pageant beneath me-over one
hundred thousand men in line of battle, line
of blue with bristling bayonets, both Of those
TANKS were visible-it was the grandest sight
my eyes ever rested upon; and in history can
not recall its parallel.
Subsequently we visited the rifle pits near
the Mary house. The earthwork in front of
the house has just been levelled. Mr. Lane.
who now occupies the house, desired to pre-
serve it as memorial of the battle but the
rains made it more and more an unSightly OBJ
ject upnn his lawn, and he reluctantly order
ed its removal. Leaving the Marye house,
we made our way to the Confederate Gene
terry, which adioins the city cemetery The
graves are marked by wooden posts. each of
which bears painted number. The corner
stone OF monument to the Confederate dead
was laid in 1874, but nothing has been done to-
ward the erection of the monument itself, and
to the eye there is marked contrast between
this Cemetery and the National Cemetery on
the Heights beyond.
1t is easy to criticise Gen. Burnside's plan of
battle. Gen. Lee, after the war, gave an
opinion of newspaper generals, which was not
very complimentary to the editorial fraternity
1t is plain, however that if the soldiers had car
ried Marye's Heights, Burnside could not have
occupied them, as they are commanded by still
higher ground in their rear. 1t should be re-
membered however, that Gen. Burnside de
signed that the weight of his assault should
fall upon Gen. Lees right, and his mistake
seems to have been that his force at this point
was not greatly increased, and placed under
the command of an officer from whom he
could expect the most hearty support.
We did not cross the river to the northern
bank, but from Marye's Heights we looked
across to the fields which were familiar to us
both before and after the battle and thousand
memories of the camp came in upon us like
flood. The Phillips house. which was Gen.
Burnside's headquarters, has disappeared and
on the broad acres in the rear, which formed
our drill ground, the laborers were preparing
for another harvest.
The quartette furnished some fine music in
Guiding the dirge sThe Fallen Brave" dedi-
Gated to Memorial Day.