The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-07-29
HISTORIC PL A G E S.
SOME HOMES AND HAUNTS OF
FAMOUS CAROLINIANS.

Rnncombe Hall-The Houses OF the
Armsteads and Pettigrews-Josfah
Collins Palatial Residence-OldE Epis-
copal Churches-Capt. Teaches Bur-
led Treasure-Some RecolIectiens of
the Late War--The Confederate Ram
<.AIbemarle''-Roan Island Sir
Walter Raleigh's Colonial Settlement
The Birthplace of Virginia Dare
An Eastern Picture-Nag's Head.
Written Specially for The Sentinel BY ". Cot
ten Do,eming
Mackey's Ferry is in Washington
county? Well, Washington county
is so full of interest to the newspaper
correspondent it is impossible to quit
its hospitable shores without mention.
Yes, here we have 'sBuncombe Hall,
the residence of Col. Edward Bun
combe Of revolutionary fame; the
homes of the Armisteads and the Pet
tigrews; the residence OF the late Hon.
Josiah Collins on Lake Phelps-in
ante-bellum days one of the finest in
South; very old Episcopal Churches
creeks along whose shores old-time
yarn-spinners tell US the famous pirate
Capt. Teach buried numberless pots
Of his stolen treasures; and endless
other items we refrain mentioning.
We now reach Plymouth and are
reminded of the civil war, for here
battles were fought and Hundreds of
brave men perishsd AS l ride into
the town l can but think of the past.
On the upper end Col Mercer was
killed and the gallant w 6. Lewis
won his spurs; in the centre Hoke
himself commanded and In person led
his victorious army to the very walls
of fort "Williams ;" on the lower end
the intrepid Matt. RANSOM led the at
tack and captured the eneny's works
amid a perfect hurricane Of shot and
she'll | was mere boy when all
this happened, but we'll 1 remember
it. q went over the battlefield imme-
diately after the surrender of the
town. The awful spectacle indellibly
impressed itself upon my mind. Death
and destruction had held high carni-
val, Dead men and horses were ly-
ing everywhere the ground and
breast-works scanned and torn where
the murderous ball and bombshell
had ploughed and exploded; but as it
is not my intention to describe bat
tie will go on to the river and embark.
Down the beautiful Roanoke we gent
ly glide for seven or eig ht miles and
Albemarle Sound is reached. What
lovely sheet OF water How it re-
minds me of the opening Lines of "The
Fire Worshippers:"
"rTis moonlight over Oznans sea;
Her banks of pearl and .palmy isles
Rask in the night-beam beauteously,
And her blue waters sleep in smiles"
Leaving historic groeand we are on
no less historic water Out here took
place one of the few naval engage
ments of the war: the fight between
the Confederate Ram 0Albemarle''
and six big, "double-e&der" Yankee
gun-baats. 1 had the good fortune to
witness this also. and naust say it was
one OF the grandest sights / ever be-
held. How gallantly our little craft
repelleA them !. And oh. how tear
full was that the enemy would be
victorious. The fight reminded me of
six GoEaths encountering one David.
Will not attempt description. On
down the lovely sound We ga, passing
towns aad fisheries until Ee come to
Roanoke Island. OH nou here we
can go back into the mighty past in
deed. Here for untold centuries the
Indians held sway, bathed ia the surf,
fished and hunted, loved and married,
lived and died. Here Sir Walter
Raleigh latded and planted colony,
which in turn was planted by the red
skins, near here Virginia Dare was
born, here Col D. M. Shaw was killed
by the Yankees and just across is
"Nag's Head" famous summer
resort where the mighty fingers of the
Atlantic are ever playing upon Caro-
lina's grand, golden keyboard, while
every note can be heard from the soft
and gentle murmur of the evening
zephyr to the hoarse wild shrek Of
the storm. Out, out as far as the eye
can reach rolls and surges this mighty
volume of undying music-this awful
bass in natures anthem" Standing
here upon the ebbing strand of old
ocean with every wave tinged with
gold and every ripple rejecting liq-
uid fire. listening to the solemn ca
dence of its perpetual roar, hearing
the sea-birds scream with savage wild
ness as they dip their dripping pinions
in, the briny spray, methinks Bob In
gersoll even would acknowledge there
was God
Oh ye noble, chivalrous sons and
fair, lovely daughters of the west
Ye who dwell where fountains are
ever springing and purling brooks
are ever dancing where rhododen-
dendrons bloom and lofty mountain
peaks are ever famed by the purest
breezet of heaven where the violets
grow and the mocking birds are sing
ing their sweet songs in .'the land Of