The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-11-28
Correspondence baltimore County Union.
SUMMERING IN THE SOUTH.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., November 23d, 1885.
Messrs. Editors From Mount Vernon we had
a pleasant run down the river during the night,
touching at Glymont, Lower Cedar Point and other
minor places, landing at Fortress Monroe. This
place is quite summer resort, having q number
of large and commodious hotels, as we'll as the ad-
vantages for fine sea- bathing. At the extremity
of the neck of land stands the fort, Cerberus-like
with its surroundings, guarding the approach by
water to our National capital. 1t is the most
powerful regular fertilization on the continent and
was the base of military operations throughout the
war. Its most exciting time was the day that the
propeller William Clyde brought Jefferson Davis
and his cabinet here as prisoners of state. A, ID.
Stephens and John II. Reagan were sent to other
places of confinement, while casemate No. A in the
fort here fitted up for Mr.. Davis. On the Esd
of May, 1865, he was transferred to his limited
quarters to await the pleasure of that government
that he only knew by its blessings, but which in
an evil hour he tried so hard to destroy. These
Notifications belched forth grand salutations to
his honor when he used to land here as Secretary
of War during the Pierce administration. Here
is picture for the study of human philosophy
few months ago he had powerful army at his
command, and representatives, though unofficial,
at every court in Europe; but now he sits upon
his prison bed sobbing he rocks to and fro cry
ing out in broken sentences: go, the shame; o,
the shame" What commentary on the ambition
of selfish and designing men.
Running up the James river we touched at New
mort News, the terminus of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad. The company has large elevator
here at which two ocean steamers were taking IN
grain for Europe. The town is growing and is
destined to become a place of Importance. Further
up the river is Hog Island, which has been pur-
chased by a Chicago firm and turned into grazing
farm for breeding fine cattle. 1t is splendidly
arranged in all its appointments and well adapted
| to such purpose.
Landing at Jones' wharf, in Surry county, Twas
met by my friend Rev. j. NJ. Brown, who gave
me warm welcome and made it pleasant during
| nv stay in the community. This land is well
adapted to the peanut crop and it has become the
stable product of the farmers in this section of the
4 crate. w men Jne price was -FOUR dollars = lei
| the farmers made money; but it is only two now
and consequently there is little more than liiing
for the farmers in the crop. They should chlnge
it for corn wheat the land is adapted to 10Th
While here Joel Savedge, Esq, sheriff of surry
county, took across the river to jamestown, the
birthplace Of our national life, having been found
ed in 1907. The original name of the river was
| Powhatan and it ought never to have been changed
| The town and river was named for James l OF
England, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. George
Buchanan, his preceptor, on being reproached fol
having made the king pedant, declared it was
the best he could make of him. 1 guess he was
second growth timber and soft of fibre, Ike the
| American politician of more modern time.
We made our boat fast and spent severtl hour;
among the ruins which only consist now of the
| old church tower, the broken tombs in tn, grave
yard and some old mulberry and sycamore tree;
that seem to stand as guard of honor tothis an
| cient place. No one has lived here for Years.
| The ruins of the old church foundation can be
easily traced by the bricks that remain among thu
| shrubbery and thick underground. 1t is 56 by q
| feet-a fair-sized building for its day. The towe
is Is feet square and 80 feet high the top being
| wood, which is entirely gone. This was the fourth
| church built here. The first one was an old sal
hung upon trees to keep off the sun, wooden rail-
for walls, unhewn logs for pews, and bar of wooo
nailed to two neghboring trees for pulpit. Mr.
| Hunt was the rector. The second one was plaiI
log building destroyed by fire in the third year o
| the colony. The third one, better and more sub
stantial, was further enlarged and improved t.
| accommodate the governor and his council. Her
| Lord De Ia Warre for whom Delaware State anC
bay named, attended church every Sunday
surrounded by his officers and gentlemen, ant
| guarded by fifty men armed with halberds wear
| ing his lordships livery of snowy red cloaks.
took half of the able bodied men in the colony tt
| get the old governor to church and back again t
| his cabin in q manner becoming the dignity OF
great lord in bowling wilderness; but they al
| went to church, and that was something for thos
days of national incipiency. Here on this spo
originated events that have gone into the war
| and wo0f OF American history, custom anu me-
In 1919 q Dutch man of-war brought to James
town twenty negroes who were sold as slaves TO
| lfe This was the commencement of slavery, tina
| peculiar institution" in America that found it
fearful negative and demolition in our day ami
the rattle of musketry and the of artillery o
the bloody fields of Gettysburg, the Wilderness
Spottsylvania Court House and Cold Harbor Tn
disease had eaten into the very vitals of the natio
and million of bayonets with their bloody com
pliment was the only adequate remedy to remov
from the body polite the fearful malady. But
have the consolation of knowing that the dyin
groans of men in the war were the birth pangs {
new national life, the fullness of which has com
to US in the years that have interviewed.
| SILvANUS.