The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-25
A GREAT BATTLE.
Revisitina the Field OF spotsyIyania Court.
mousse ana what Thoughts u Inspires-The
"Death-AnRle," aud what Remain. 10
"hrh the Scene Of the Fierce Confict-The
Work OF Relic-IIunters, etc.
correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
SP0TsYLvANIA COURTHOUSE,

April 20, 1888.
FROM wanderings which 1t seems will
never cease | return, after an absence OF
eighteen years, TO this land Of gold mines
and battle-iields. The ground on which |
! stand is truly historic. Though once the
theatre of charging squadrons and burst
ing shell, " grim-ysaged war hath smooth
ed his wrinkled 'front.'" and save where
round patches OF newer brick tell OF the
| perforations OF cannon balls in the court
house, hotel, and store, the traveller would
never be reminded that $50, 000men rushed
upon each other like thunderbolts for the
mastery here.
Knowing that the bloodiest and most
terrible muShrtTy OF this or any other Sc
ries Of conflicts occurred about one mile
north OF this place, on the McCool farm, /
accompanied an old resident along a line
Of well-preseryed brcastworks running
northwesterly TO q point about 300 wards
north Of the McCOOl house. Here the line
detected somewhlt abruptly to southwest,
thus constituting the famous angle known
to many rs "Death's Angle" from it, hap
tism in the blood OF thousands on the 10Th
of May, 1864. II will be remembered that
it was on this point. and under cover OF a
dense fog OF day-dawn, that General Grant
concentrated his best troops, which he bITl-
ed in such solid combinations as 90 result
in the sudden disruption Of Lees line, and
the capture OF JohnSon's division OF over
5000 men and eighteen pieces Of artillery.
In the endeavOr te recover the works Lee
made five assaults, and 50 inceSSant and
concentrated was the consequent fire OF
muskctry that a tree over eighteen inches
ia diameter was cut down by bullets alone.
Inquiring OF my guide for the location OF
the stump Of this tree. | was rointed to 4
partially filled excavation, out OF which
stump and roots had long since been re-
moved by rehc-hunterS. The tree itself
il preserved in Washington a. Il memorial
Of an unprecedented fire Of small arms.
Many other trees OF the size OF this one
were so shivered by bullets that they died,
and after the war were cut down and re-
moved for fuel Certain il is that. with 4
very few exceptions, the original growth
on an area Of five or six acres in the "an-
gle" has been succeeded 10y dense second
Growth which eighteen years have given
the height OF thirty or forty feet. Follow
ing the line OF brc2>tworks by STOPPING and
pushing aside the scrubby limbs OF the I'M
dergrowth, my attention was constantly al
tracted by pieces Of cantccnS, scraps of felt
hats. warped and wrinkled cartridgc-bOXcs.
and other time-Tustcd memorials OF that
day OF carnage.
ON the south Of the road leading TO
Fredericksburg is situated the Confederate
cemetery, wherein were inferred By the
Ladies Memorial Association the bones OF
our soldiers from several battle-iiclds. This
is truly "neglected spot" II seems TO
have been originally laid OF i'm squares and
walks aud snugiy enclosed by plank-and-
post fence, but i'm several places the railing
is down and cattle roam at will over graves
on which briars and shrubs prOmiscuOus
grow" Alas that the loving hands can
not further "bless The turf that wraps the
clay" OF our fallen heroes
grasp tie cordial hand OF many old re-
sidenis, who cannot forget the days o!
dlld iQRG Slpie in their attention TO guests !;
cannot forget the old Virginia way OF gra-
cious welcome and unstintcd' hospitality.
Having divided my soiOum IN the county
with Or. Thomas W. Finney, Joseph i.
Gale. and Thomas W. Waller, ESqs., !
bear testimony 10 the solid worth OF men
who are types OF q class Old Virginia will
not Willingly let die. But my faithful
,tced champs the bIt for a resumption OF
our pilgrimage. Yet, before | give rein, /
must say
Brother. farewell. The fast declining ray
Fade, to the twilight Of our golden day.
some lessons yet our wearled brains NAV learn
some leave. perliap In HES tllu volume tuTh'
How few they seem. ls I'm our waning age.
We count them backward 90 the iitic-page.
on! let us trust with holy men % old.
Not an tie story here begun b. told.
So the tired spirit waiting to bee freed.
ON life's last leaf with tranquil eye nall read,
By The pa & glmmcT 0f The torch reversed,
No; fntS. Int The end Of volume first
49, Ifp