Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-18
OUR BATrLEFIELDs.
A NORTHERN LApYs DESCRIPTION OF
SOME OF THEN.
ro~ she was Entertained in This CITY
A colored Youths Romaneihg In
Richmond, &C.

Richmond, &C.
mr.. Elizabeth X. baden IN Taggsrts fnl'
sd,iphis sunday Timtal
In the war time. when the popular
.,v vss .. On TO Richmond" ! used to
,h,pk / would keep as far of from Rich
mon6 As possible to the end Of my days,
;nf,pspced doubtless by . wholesome
Co, Of the bloodthirsty southerners,
Who. i. was supposed, would delight in
making mince-meat Of even the smallest
,necimtn from the North who might
FAN into their hands. On the 2lth Of
June, however, by the invitation Of
Colonel and Mrs. John II. Taggart, l
accompanied them TO the capital Of the
late Southern Confederacy, and spent
some delightful days in driving over the
batilefelds and around the city. =
OUR FIRST EXCURSION
was down Main street and through the
part of the city burned at the time OF
the evacuation. IL Is, Of course, re-
built with handsome stores. Our first
stopping place was a little stone house
distinguished as having been General
washington's headquarters. The jani-
tor was q colored boy about twelve
years Of age. Unlocking tho door. he
thus addressed the party: Enter,
strangers, and behold the mansion
honofed as the abode Of the Father OF
bis Country. This is the room where
he wrote his papers. This" turning
10 the left, ais where no dined. Here
is the tree to which he tied his horse,
and here are the iron hooks to which
his bride was attached" It's needless
10 say that the tree was in small yard
in the rear Of the house, but as this was
fenced all around the horse must have
either jumped the fence or walked
through the house to reach the tree
pointed out.
Returning TO the right-hand room,
The youth proceeded, with great flu
tncy:
This house was built by Powhatan
as wedding present for Pocahontas
when she was about to espouse Captain
John Smith, but the lady was tickle.
She subsequently married Colonel
Rolf, and here together they enjoyed
the delights Of domestic felicity.
Within eyesight Of this mansion lies
the stone on which Captain Smiths
head reposcd when the proud warriors
of Powhatan were about to club him,
and he was rescued by the Indian
maiden. to elucidate the glories Of Vir-
einia. In the same locality Powhatan
lies beneath another stone. Pause,
strangers, and reflect. His spirit
hoyers over you. In the order OF
Providence i. was ordained that Pow
hatsn should build this house, that
General Washington might have head
quarters BETTING his immortal name. "
Here the orator laid bis hand upon his
btsrt and bowed to each one Of the
party
AL Of this is 9 reckless assault
upon the truth of history, and nom
,erse of the widest description. Dis
Y0tch.l
"Now," said he, continuing, III
you've got all that, you can look at the
old newspaper OIL the desk advertising
five dollars reward for catching runaway
slaves, in 1886, and then we'll come to
the photographs" These he produced
and sold al twenty-five cents each
There is no furniture in the house but
ore old wooden desk. 1t has window
on each side Of the door and three dor.
mer.windows above. There is room
on each side of the entry, which runs
through the middle Of the house, and a
mulborry.tree stands in tho yard. The
youthful janitor Of oratorical propensi-
ties is, however, sufficient attraction K
repay ore for the trouble Of visit.
In the grounds Of the Capitol some
conyicts in their striped jackets wer'
trimming the grass. Subsequently, vi
saw number Of convicts standing
around carts in front Of the penitentiary
They bowed very politely as the car
Iisge passed them. The driver told US
that formerly the conyicts did all th'
STRENGTHENING, paving, &C., bat thu
Knights ofLabor objected, so nov they
ore only employed around the Capitol
One lame convict was toiling up the
hill that leads to the penitentiary, ap9
the driver being asked why hs did no
escape, replied
THAT man has lived ut the peniten
tiaIy twenty-three years, and kind 0
feels at home there"
All the convicts were black excep
one, and all looked happy and con
tented. The farmers use the oldest
looking little market-carts. They ar;
not much larger apparently than th'
hand.carts in Philadelphia, but thy ar
drawn by mules and have white cover
over them. They look like miniature
emigrant-wagons. There are long pro
cessions Of them going out the cOantrI
roads every morning, aud usually tn
drivers are asleep, but the mules know
how to turn out for passing vehicles
At the markets these vehicles are
ranged around the pavement With thei
shafts down--the mules having beer
remoyeG--so that the fresh vegetables
and ripe fruits may be inspected. IL i
avery pretty sight.
NEWMARKET CROSS ROADS.
As it does not happen to every 40
man to visit the scene Of celebrated
conflict with an officer who held an i'm
portant command in the battle, perhap
the views Of non-combatant NAV nav
their interest. Mrs. Taggart and mg
self started out with Colonel Tssgsr
gsily, but before we got back we thor
oughly realized the horrors of war
Our carIisge was quite luxurious al
fair. 1t had an ivory card.csSe on on
side and an ivory hsnd-mirror on tn
other, and Mrs. Tsggart, with wis
forethought, had taken q well-provide
lunch basket. OF course the drive
took us I'D hill and down hill 70
miles, and at last he got into
country road. Farms were on bot
sides of it. but no fences. There is
fence law in Virginia which enable