The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-26
AT MANASSAS.
Monuments for the "Blue"; neg
Iect for the Grey"

Generals Bee and Barton fell in the
field to the southeast of the Henry house,
and it was the former, who a short time
before he was killed, baptised jackson
and his brigade with the name which has
since become immortal Said Bee to his
wavering troops: See, there is Jack
son, standing like stone wall; let us
resolve to die here and we will conquer"
To the left as we faced westward was
the thicket of pines where Ricketts, Bat
terry changed owners not less than three
times perhaps more. In front, running
below the brow OF the hill, was this same
Sudley road, whose sunken tracks had
served the Federal soldiers as a trench IN
both battles, the only. difference being
that they had used the east side of the
road and faced the Henry house in 1861,
while they used the west side and faced
in the opposite direction in 1862.
The Henry house was itself the scene
of one of the most tragic incidents OF the
first battle. 1t was small lQSbr frame
house on the very top of the Mill, consis-
ting of two or three rooms on the ground
floor with only garnet or loft over them.
Here lived an aged lady, Mrs. Judith
Henry, with an unmarried son and daugh
ter, who were themselves past middle
life. Mrs. Henry was the daughter of
Langdon Carter, Sr., whose large estate
of Pittsylvania lay mile to the north.
She married DR.. Isaac Henry, of the
United States Navy, vino was surgeon on
board the Constitution when commanded
by Commodore Truxton. DR.. Henry
died in S29 and his widow had reached
the age of 50 at the time Of the first bat
tie. She was bedriddcn and was cared
for by her children. How rudely was
the quiet of the summer Sabbath about
her home to be broken When the wave
OF battle first began to sweep towards this
hill her son and daugh hter maDaged to
carry her from the house to ravine in
front for safety. but this ravine proved
to be in the path Of the advancing Fed
erals, and when the shots began to fall
thick in it her children carried her back
to her house and bed, not knowing where
better to 20 for refuge. Soon the battle
closed round the house itself, which at
times came to be the very focus of the
| fire. Shells tore through it, some ex-
plodlng in the room in which Mrs. Henry
| Law. Numbers of soldiers fell in the yard.
There was no cellar to the house, no place
of shelter, and the old lady lay in bed
during this terrible time, while her daugh-
ter sat beside her. The son remained in
the yard. Mrs Henry was wounded in
several places by pieces of she'll, and died
! from the effects some hours after the
! fighting was over. Strange to say, neither
the son nor the daughter was struck, and
/ though the house was fearfully torn by
/ the shot and shell it was not set on fire.
The house was rendered uninhabitable,
and was pulled down some time after the
| battle.
The present house has been built OF
recent years on the exact site of the old
one Mrs. Henry lies buried in the front
yard. few steps from the spot where
she had passed more than thirty-fve
years of her life, and a neat stone marks
her grave. la the yard in rear Of the
| house Is a solid monument of rough hewn
stone erected to the memory OF the Fed
eral soldiers who fell at this spot in both
battles As Mr. H. F. Henry, the present
i proprietor, aud son Of Mrs. Judith
/ Henry, took Us to where a few loose
stones and cedar bush only mark the
spots where Barton and Bee fell and
where nothing remains to tell the future
where Jackson and his men stood wheu
! they won their immortal soubriquet, We
could not help feeling that in this case
the weightier natter" had been neg
! lected.