Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-10-16

bales of oats, and take her seat upon
the topmost of them, to be passed, she
knew not whittier, Through the lines"
some six miles back of Harper's Ferry.
The young lady went safely through,
and the mother, under the flag of truce,
came to join her daughter. The order
of Gen. Scott authorized zone person
to pass through the hostile lines, to
bring together this separated family,
and We, at the family's request, were
that person. Starting for Shepherds
town, in hack, one bright fall after
noon, for Mrs. McEudree, we struck
Sharpsburg at late hour, to ind Col
Link, of an Ohio Regiment, in COM
mand, whose countersignature was nee
essary to the passage of the lines, alb
sent from camp, and that a resort to
Col. Leonard, in command of the forces
at Williamsport, would be necessary.
The whole night was thus passed in
driving and waiting from camp to
camp, including an arrest, and being
taken before a provost officer, in the
town of Wiliamsport, where every one
but the sentinels was in bed. Near
dawn of day the order was counter
signed by Col. Leonard in his tent bed,
and, consigned to the hands of an aid,
we returned to Hagerstown and made
fresh start as the sun rose.
In was, on then reaching the river
opposite Shepherdstown, that the pic
ture Of dessolation presented itself, so
very different from the scene witnessed
on Friday last, as to revive in all their
freshness those almost forgotten recol-
lections to which we are now giving
utterauce Not soul, except a few
sentinels left at the ferry on the Mary
land side, was to be seen. The ghastly
stone skeleton of the passenger bridge,
whose frame work had been totally con-
sumed, alone stood sentinel over tho
River, now spanned by the new super
structure, as we'll az by the stupendous
railroad bridge that is glorious monu-
ment of engineering skill. The old
-four mill was deserted. Where now
stands large and flourishing paper
mill, was simply an empty gulcb, rising
into the town, and over whose rolling
stones we, solitary and alone, scrambled
up to perform our melancholy mission.
Along with the bridge had been swept
away the ferry boats, and we were Ia
ken over in little skiff, by one who,
then in the fullness and promise Of
youth, is now no more-Robert Doug
las, the grandson of Col. Blackford-
who generously volunteered as the or
ders of the guard did not permit their
going upon the River.
No deserted village ever presented q
more perfect picture Of desolation than
did Shepherdstown, then. The young
men were all off with the Army and OF
the men we met, we can recall but two
the Rev. DR.. Andrews and Mr.. Dan1.
Rentcb, who has just taken so active
a part i'll seeming the right of way for
the new road on this side of the river.
Had we not already extended these
"reminiscences to such length, we might
be induced to fill up more fully what
folio wed to complete the picture, but we
must draw to a close. Mrs. McEndree
reached her daughter, TO be recognized
by her and be by her when she drew
her last breath The next day tuner
al cor,age approached the Potomac at
this spot, which was one of the saddest
of the war. It's chief feature was the
coffin containing the remains of Miss
Eugenia McEndree, one of the most
lovely and affectionale of her sex, thus
untimely called off and sadly born to her
burial. The Maryland bank was lined
with ladies and gentlemen from Hagers-
town, and the same little skiff, skulled
across the stream by Robert Douglas at
its stern, whilst we took our seat with
the stricken mother in the bow, bore
the remains Of one so dear to all, to the
few sad friends who stood upon the sto
nv banks Oh the other side to receive
them.
Between the two excursions TO Shep-
herdstown, a vast interval and stupen-
duous deeds intervene; but who will say
that we are not people greatly bless
ed, who can, as we now do, adverte to
and dwell upon those two extremes,and
that the contrast and contemplation OF
them is not BETTING and beneitting to
ls.-HogsrsioWn Nail