Smyrna times., 1888-08-08

WHEN we wrote our Editorial cor
respOndence from the Blue Mountain
House for the issue of the TIMES of last
week, it was after having been there
only day and consequently descrip-
tive of only small part of the trip and
the impressions gathered on the edi-
tOrial outing. We can but reiterate,
however, what we said of the Blue
Mountain House, its complete man
agement by J. P. Shannon, who is also
the proprietor of the well-known Scar
rOllton" " House, of Baltimore; its
beauty of situation, the grand prospect
from whose pOrches are ever presented
to view-the splendid rooms, elegant
table, ample accommodations of every
kind, will make it linger in the mem
ory as one of the most delightful hos
telries that the Peninsula Press Asso-
sociOtiOn has ever visited.
After a delightful experience in
climbing or riding through the noun
tains and washing their hands in the
Clouds" lin the metaphorical sense
that this expression is understood) they
were ready to accept the kind offers of
the authorities of the Western Mary
land road to travel to the extent of its
lines, embracing several hundred miles.
Hence, in companies of from three or
four to a dozen, Hagerstown, Cham
bersburg, Waynesborough and Gettys-
burg were visited, with scenery to de.
light the eye on every mile of the way.
A third or more of the company visited
the Luray Caverns, travelling over an
other road from Hagerstown, which
was not at their free use as was the
Western Maryland system.
More than half of the excursionists
visited, or took Gettysburg in on their
way home. Nothing can be more in
teresting than the battle fields of Get
tysburg and the cemetery which forms
part of the ground. In its line OF
nearly dozen miles it is illustrated all
the way by shafts and monuments OF
beautiful or striking design, until they
seem to number hundreds, and places
are designated for apparently as many
more, and the work of erection con.
tinually going on. Delaware has two
marking the position ol the first and
second regiments in the great battle
that do credit to the State, though they
are far surpassed in beauty of design
or cOstliness by those of many Other
States, regiments or brigades. They
mostly represent the positions held or
the sanguinary fields, but some repre-
sent where this or that hero fell, o.
where bloody contest had been de
cided.
The company that the writer was il
numbered twelve, and accompanied b.
a guide or rather lecturer, Capt. Long
who had himself been in the war, it re
quired about four hours to ride oye
Che field and haye the battle explained
in the varying fortunes of the thre,
days fight. Cemetery Ridge, the van
tage ground chosen by the Union Arm,
ending in Big Round Top, is especially
at this end of the line, beyond the con
ception of Peninsula man in its i'm
mense bOulders and projecting rocks
and the wonder is how infantry, mucl
less artillery could fight oyer it. TIL
valley in front of Little Round To
through which the rebels made re
peated efforts to reach and capture tn
artillery on the latter rocky hill, bear
the designation Of the Valley {
Death," " from the ghastly piles of dea
men that lay strewn all over it of bot
armies, but mostly Confederates. Th
elimination Of interest of the yisitoi
however, is the centre Of the line. les
wild but rugged enough, where PicL
ett's famous charge was made in th
face Of belching cannon and fiery lin
of musketry, reaching the Union linl
but so cut to pieces as to acknowlede
themselves whipped and unable /
continue the fight. The hills Of Ge
tysburg were made famous, but at q
expense Of carnage that can only
properly conceived by going over an