Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-03-15

corps into column OF attack, by regi-
ments, to storm the bluffs found im.
pregnabIe by ths fiercest fighters in the
army. Gen. Summers last service to his
country was rendered in persuading
Burnside to forego this maniacal under.
taking.
/ lsft the neighborhood OF the stone
wall and entered the National Cemetery
which covers about twelve acres and
contains
The Bones Of Fifteen Thousand Soldiers
and more OF the Union army, all but a
few hundred of whom were killed in the
dreadful battles in Spottsylvania county,
already named. The old private
burying.ground, in rear OF the batteries
on Marye's Heights, remains as at the
time of battle. The federal bullet marks
are thick in the northern roads, and
the round spot and shell handiwork is
evidenced by ruined trees and broken
monuments. The grass.grown graves
OF some rebel gunners, killed at their
posts are still visible in this portion Of
the field, although most OF the confed-
crate remains have been consigned to
their own cemetery at the other side OF
town. Looking from the high ground
and viewing the formidable range OF
hills, which the rebels crowned with
works running east and west as far as
vision could reach, the failure OF Gen.
Burnside's attempt is explained. When
/ returned to town | met the old toll
bridge keeper and he said: "Well were
you up looking at the heights" / said
yes.
Those were lively times" said he,
but the affair in this place, did not last
long. Lee was unassailable as Burnside
ought to have known. But you ought
TO have heard the firing at Spottsylvania
court hous in May, 1864! Good God !!
Ii fifty towers OF Babel, twenty-one miles
high each, kept falling every minute
their noise would not have 'equaled the
internal din of Spottsylvania! My son
was there. You may judge what a fight
il must have been when, from Marye's
Heights up there,
We Could Hear the Musketry
as plain as il it ratified in the streets
Of Fredericksburg at distance OF ten
miles! / didn't think that man could
get out OF it alive. And that stipend.
Gus roar never ceased from daylight
until the sun went down. We must
have had twenty thousand wounded in
here before the afternoon was far ad-
vanced."
81 suppose you want no more such
times?" questioned.
"Not by Jug full? We fought it out,
and that ended it with me. 1t was hell
while il lasted, sure enough" And he
turned away, muttering as he went:
"Ay, Spottsylvania beat them all. Old
Lee thought Grant had eaten him up
there, sure"
In spite OF its historic memories, l did
not unnecessarily prolong my stay at
Fredericksburg. took the first availa-
BILE train to the ex-rebel capital, and
was glad to see the rushing waters Of
the far-famed James.
The sombre shadows of approaching
night were lit by the factory fires OF the
Tredegar works, as we reached the
bridge across the rocky bed OF the
james river, and saw, in the near
distance, Belle Isle, where once, as in
Libby,
The Federal Captives
shivered and nearly starved. With a
crowd OF other passengers, among them
Two of the plainest English gentlemen,
as the phrase goes, that | ever
gazed upon-I entered a "bus" al
the depot, and drove through the
narrow lanes and hilly streets OF re-
nowned Richmond to the principal no.
tel. 1t was too late to do any sightsee'
ing, 80 had to dispose Of time as best |
could in my room, which is not par
ticularly cheerful mode OF solace.
This morning started out to explore
the city, and, naturally, directed my
steps toward the Capitol Square, the
highest ground in Richmond, wooded
sparingly with large trees. There rose
majestically the equestrian statue OF
Washington, facing the west, with his
finger indicating "the course OF the en-
pire." He IS surrounded at the base OF
his lofty pedestal by other patriotic fig.
ures, representing different periods OF
American history, and by flags, cannon,
bayonets, and bullets, festooning, as 1t
were, shields on which are emblazoned
the DdttltS
east by south of this heroic memorial,
observed not many PAGES from the
park railing. the stalwart figure OF
soldier in bronze. He looked square TO
his front and his long military boots,
careless, yet martial bearing, and sword
leaning on block or two OF imitation
cut stone, emblamatic Of wall, pro-
claimed once
The Darling of the Southern Heart
the man against whom the God OF
battles turned the bullets OF his own
soldiers in the very hour OF his traitor
triumph over Hooker's host at
Chsncellorville-"Stonewall' Jackson.
And on the panel OF his pedestal read
this inscription, which made my heart
exult that he had fallen by comrade
lead becaus, OF the sinister sympathy it
expresses, and because OF Nirginia's
sectional acceptance of such memorial
from persons whose grandfathers would
have willingly hanged George Washing
ton:
Presented by English Gentlemen,
tribute for the admiration for the
sOldier and Patriot,
THOMAS J. JACKSON.
And gracefully accepted by Nirgiuis,
In tho name Of the southern people.
Done \. D., 1875.