Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-04
Won BoRCKES VISIT.
furnHssroxs OF VIRGINIA AFTER
TWENTY YEARS.
yxtraets from His Own Narrative
Translated from the German for
the Dispatch.

Tia visit Of Colonel Won Borcke {,
Richmond year before last Ia probably
atm fresh in the memory Of many, ant
especially Of the old friends who, IL
greeting him, revived the memory o
scenes and experiences in which he hst
shared with them the dangers Of thu
5 battlefield aud the adventures and
hsrdships Of army life. The attentions
paid him, the public and private honors
rendered him, were probably somewhat
surprising to many who knew not the
history and facts from which sprang the
feelings prompting these ovations. To
state the main points Of this history
briefly, Won Borcke is q Prussian OIL
Ger, who had made bis way over
here during the war, and ten
dered bis services to the Confede-
racy. Assigned TO duty on Stusrt's
staff, no gained the confidence and
affection Of his commanding officer, and
by valuable service won for himself
rank and distinction so much so that,
after being wounded and incapacitated
for further service, the Confederate Con-
rress voted him o resolution OF thanks.
The impression that he made upon and
the esteem in which he was held by the
friends be made here during the war
were shown in the warmth and affection
that greeted bis return twenty years
after.
To come, without further preface, to
the object OF this article, it is not
known as generally as deserves that he
has written one of the best books yet
published on the war. To recent Sec
ond edition Of this book, lately pub
lished in Germany, he has appended an
account of his visit here two years ago
that will interest many Of our people,
and from which We propose to give
few extracts. 1t may be worth while to
state that the original work was first
published in Blackpood's Magazine and
Afterwards in book form" Memoirs
Of the Confederate War" 2 volumes,
Edinburgh, 1866. Subsequently it was
translated into German, to a second
edition Of which the author has added
the appendix above referred to, de-
scribing his recent trip and giving his
observations Of US.
Passing over the account Of the voy.
age. the arrival and stay in New
York, and his reception in Baltimore,
where his old friends ofthe army showed
a generous and splendid hospitality,
here is his account Of his arrival in
Virginia:
AT FREDERICKSB URG.
As the train nearei Fredericksburg
with lively interest | stepped to the
platform OF the car to enjoy the awaken
il IS Of memory and try whether | could
make myself at home again in the we'll
remembered scenes. Looking around,
| observed an unusual crowd at the
dspot, a number Of bearded figures,
who we're hurryiug to the train, seem
ipg.s in search Of some one. All at
once they crowded towards me, paused
a moment, and then broke forth the
greeting, Hurrah {! there he is and
from all sides sprang my old comrades
from Fredericksburg and neighbour
hood, who, advised by the newspapers,
Of my arrival, had assembled for this
purpose. They pressed to the plat
form with waving hats and hands out
stretched, bidding me welcome, many
with tears in their eyes, which were also
not far from my own. The train had only
three minutes to stop, which, however,
the conductor stretched as long as pos
sible." After leaving amid the shouts
and hurrahs Of the crowd, he had time
to read the following, which had been
put into bis hand
Beloved Comrade, The ex-Con-
federates Of old Fredericksburg offer
their heartfelt greetings and best wishes,
with ten thousand cheers for your de.
votion to the Lost Cause and the gal
LIANT and heroic conduct which chaTac-
teIized your association with it. Pre-
sented on board Of cars at Fredericks-
burg, Va, June ii, 1884"
1t NEEDS not Won Bercke's words to
assure us that he was deeply moved by
this greeting, aud by the feeling evoked
by his presence that thus found express
sion. This greeting and outburst OF
old and deep feelings was but the first
Of many such that honored his pre-
sence among us wherever be went
through the State within the next
month or two. .
Unluckily, a falling rain and clouded
atmosphere yelled the landscape in
. heavy mist, concealing the battlefield
and old stamping grounds that in former
wrlibe days had been familiar to him.
lie could see, however, that the coun-
try had not yet recovered from the
blightibg effects Of hostile armies and
their conflicts.
ELIZA STATION.
At length "the train arrived al Eliza
station, where the committee awaited
me. The rain still poured down, and
prevented the parade of the Stuart
Horse Guards, who were TO form an
escort through the city. There was,
however, q large crowd collected at the
station, who received me with loud
hurrahs. The carriages were soon en-
tered, and we took our way through
the dear old well.remembered city to
Ford's Hotel. Despite the rain mum.
Der of horsemen--old comrades of Stu.
arts csvslry--ioined the procession
and gslloped along by the carriages.
OF our old couriers there were the lit
tie Dean, as Stuart used TO call him,
Wooldridge nd many others, whom,
10 their great pleasure, | at once re-
cognised,n
The passage through the streets va.
quite an ovation, and the hospitabl,
greetings On the street found culmins
ton in the welcome extended by seve
raj hundred people assembled at tn
hotel awaiting his coming, among whom
he recognized many old friends and com
rades Of former days.
The formal reception over, the frs
thought of the visitor was one OF crate
full piety and friendship, that does hir
so much honor that it must be told Il
his own words Near the hotel is tn
residence Of the Price family, who ha
received me with such friendship in
time Of terrible suffering from IN,