The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-09-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
crnox opr SPECIAL conrrsroaprsr.l


WASHINGTON, Sept. 9th, 1880
Well. ! couldn't help it They all
went. so | had to go to. It's one OF
my weak points, 50 my wife says,
and I hall believe shes about right
Sav soldier. decoration monument
and l ana with ouevcry time. How
/ got 10 Sharpsburg, il would be OF
no interest to relate, but got there
all the same. after declaring it was
inpnossible TO go. When the "old
vets" cot in ranks and started for
the depot to the tap Of the drums, !
thought | would help to give them
a GOOD send of. But, pshaw when
| got to the train it was no use. Il
couldn't stay away solvent along
Nc had a most delightful ride from
the capital city. Hardly had we
zone beyond the district limits ere
some Of the boys commenced point
inr out spots OF interest, having
war history and where some OF them
had done picket duty. From the
NoDocraiv to the Point of Rocks
war life was the subject Of converse
ton. refreshed in the mind by the
scenes through which they were
passing. In the midst Of this agree
able conversation the road brought
Us parallel with the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal and within few feet OF
lis bank. At this juncture a boat
came alonrliying the American flag.
That was the signal for loud hur-
rains. and after honors had been paid
ibc national colors. Garfield and
Arthur came innext for cheers. The
canal-boat being doubtless the sug-
costing medium 10 awaken cnthusl-
asm for the hero Of the tow-path.
From the Point Of Rocks to the end
of our Journey, tongues were not Idle.
MANY p soldier recognized some
place he had visited once before, but
under different circumstances. Then
deyastation- of war showed the de-
struc,ioa of country. Now, Pleas
amt Valley, with Its green fields, wa
wing corn. herding cattle dgrazing
sheen. rive evidence Of the change,
Is fail and complete. The farmer Is
turning his soil preparatory to seed
inc. and the stacks studdlng the
fields demonstrate that the harvest
was good and the husbandman viii
receive remuneration for his toll.
Nearly all the vcstiges of the war
have departed and prosperity seems
to have returned on all sides. As the
train rolled along over the ground,
contiguous to the battlefield Of An
teitam. the band PLAYED Rally
Round tie Flag, Boys. and the
grand army boys chimed in with
ihcirvoices
we eol safely into the little one
horse t0En in good time Every
thing was hustle and confusion
The fact that it was the occasion OF
the unveiling OF the Private Sold
iers p Monument at Anteitam Gem
eterv. viii explain why the town
suddenly aroused from its sleepy
state and assumed one of life and
ACTIVITY. The streets were blocked
with vehicles Of all characters and it
was with great difficulty that one
could move about. for the streets
were a perfect swaving mass Of hu-
manitv. / should not say streets.
but it it is down, so let il 90, for
Sharpesburg can be said to have but
one street, and that is the turnpike
passing through it. There was moth
ing attractive about the village un-
less il be the connection it bears to
Sept. 18th, 1862, when this locality
was the scene Of several hotlv con-
tested and bloody battles. Friday
was ad extremely hot day and dust
was abundant Ut was a kind, too,
that proved most annoying. The
powdered limestone mixed with the
yellow Maryland clay, was sufii-
ciently light to scatter without force
and it was most searching in work
ing through the clothing and had a
singing effect upon theeycs. Fully
10000 people were present The
event was signalized by the presence
also of n large number OF distin-
guished men, the Grand Army of
the Republic, the Fifth Maryland
Regiment, battery of United States
Artillery and several companies OF
soldiers from Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania. 1t was a holiday very gen
orally observed by the inhabitants
Of all that section of Maryland with
in easy access of Sharpsburg, and
those present appeared to be fully
in sympathy with the occasion which
had called them together. The blue
uniforms of the Grand Army of the
Republic, the gray of the Fifth Ma
ryland regiment mingling with the
sombre attire of the civilian, and the
delicate finery Of thcwomon, brought
no recollections of grim yisaged
war, and while groups Of veterans
stood together and pointed out to
each other such old, familiar points
rs the old bunker church. the stone
mill, the bridge and the plowed lot,
The face of the country was so chang
cd that there were few but what
were at fault in locating the different
corps on the day of the battle. Ev-
crybody fraternized with everybody
else, and those who had not been at
Anteitam listened eagerly to the
"reminiscences of those that had.
The cemetery ia situated on the
south side Of the turnpike about one
mile east from Sharpsburg, stands
oa a high Hill. and il Is said to be
about the spot where Gen. Robert
f. Lee stood watching the battle Of
Anteitam eighteen years ago.
The view is a grand one. or to
the left lies the bridge near the old
mill that Burnside attempted to cap
ture and cross. but did not succeed.
4 short distance to the north could
be seen the lane where the dead and
wounded were piled deep one upon