The Wilmingtonian., 1884-08-16

SATURDAY AUGUST ., 1854.
THE BREEZY BLUE RIDGE.


For THE WILMGNGToNIAN.
endearing in the very sound of these soft
labials how far sweeter the reality! Here
in Delaware we have rocks and ridges, rills
and woodlands, beautiful as dream, and
scattered in prodigal profusion, but in "lIy
Maryland the lamp of History has lit up
every scene W it'll mournlul spendor, and
the thoughts which crowd on the brain of
the soiourncr on the submits of the South
Mountain have the grandeur of immortality
about them. Tho writer spent but three
days ON these blue breezy hills returning,
he felt like Rip Van Wrinkle, that score of
years had passed over him. To attempt to
compass description of such visions in the
scope of single article is to count the
stars from an attic window, to measure the
sands Of the sea with thimbie. Just mere
passing glance n few lines where volumes
might be written this is all that can be
done.
The Maryland section of the Blue Ridge
may be conveniently reached in two ways:-
by the Baltimore and Ohio to Frederick, or
by the Western Maryland to Pen Mar. Each
has its peculiar advantages. From Frederick
as a centre Harper's Ferry and the Potomac
valley can be taken in, while Pen Mar gives
us the mountainous and rugged aspect, the
picturesque peaks and boundlcss prospect
which the ridge affords
Through the ready courtesy of the officials
of the Band o. and Western Maryland lines
the writer was enabled to test the merits of
both routes, going by one and returning by
the other.
FREDERICK CITY.
The main stem of tho altimore and Ohio
passes through Frederick Junction, whence
a branch line, operated by the company, con
veys passengers to the city by u short run
OF three miles. The journey from Baltimore
is very agreeable, and though three hours
are occupied by the slower trains in running
the 60 miles, there is abundant compensation
en- route. The track branches off from the
Washington line at the Relay House, and
there after follows the valley of the South
ern branch of the Patapsco for about forty
miles The scenery OF this valley Is very
haps loveliest at Ellicott's Mills, where for
mile or more the stream rushes rapidly over
the boulders in its shallow bed. AT Sykes
vile, 81 miles from the Monumental City,
'Jeb Stewart" halted in one of his raids
causing the proroundcst alarm both i'll Balti-
more and Washington.
Frederick Junction is the next point of
interest. Here on the south side of the city,
three miles out, was fought the battle of the
Monocacy, July 9th, 1864. The Union troops
under Wallace were formed up in slightly
concave line on the East bank of the creek,
the present depot being almost exactly in
the centre of the line. The rebel troops
under Early occupied the opposite bank,
nearer to Frederick, their line being gcner-
ally parallel to the creek and crossing the
Baltimore and Washington pixies. The
remains of Wallace's entertainments are
still visible in many places.
BARBARA FR.TCnIE
Who has not read of Barbara Fttchie, the
heroine of Frederick town? To confess the
truth, the matter belongs to the realm of
myths like the cup guards and at them of
Wellington at Waterloo, the Druids, or the
good King Arthur and the Knights of the
Round Table. There was however, an aged
dame by name Barbara Frtchie, who was
living in Frederick City at the time Stone
wall jackson passed through in September
1862, as recorded in Whtticr's splendid poem.
But, more's the pity, poor old Barbara was
bed-ridden at the time, and the rebel troops
passed through Frederick at two o'clock in
the morning when the old lady was sleeping
the sleep of the righteous.
Not that Barbara was disloyal on the
contrary local accounts concur in reprcsen-
ting her to have been fully capable of way
ing the uniontlag in the face of all the lcaiuns
that Lee ever mustered. But, as already
stated, the good old lady was fast asleep that
September morning and the real heroine
was Mrs. Mary Quantrill of Frederick,
who actually did tlaunt the stars and stripes
in the faces CT Jackson's men, till one of the
'rebs" snatched the banner from her hands.
A second "reb' politely restored it to her
and the incident ended. Three of Mrs
Quantrill's daughters are still living in Bal
timore.
The writer was shown the creek which
flows over the spot on West Patrick street,
where Barbara's house once stood. Her
grave lies in the old Reformed Church yard
She was full Of years when she died, three
months after Jackson's march through the
town. Barbara's maiden name was Haner
aud she was born Ill Lancaster, Pa in 1906.
A cane made from the window sill of her
house is in the possession of General Grant,
and before the tenement was pulled down
to widen the creek, the place was almost
torn piecemeal by relic hunters. SIC transit
gloria!
EMMITTsBURG.
From Frederick City the writer proceeded
northward along the eastern base of the
South Mountain to Emmittsburg, % miles
distant. The South Mountain is a northern
spur of the Blue Ridge, and is a compact
mass of Silurian limestone, Astounding in
rills and springs of the purest water The
plain which it overlooks on the east is of the |
Red Sandstone formation. All along the |
route to EmmiUtsburg the ridge rises on the
left like gigantic rampant fashioned by ma
turc to protect the Capital and the great |
trading cities of the eastern seaboard The
blue color of the ridge is chiefly due to
atmospheric causes; it is much more marked