Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-05-02

spots often carry home relics which
they find in their wanderings through
this immense body of woods viewing
the old battle grounds, such as old
/ muskets. bayonets, an old canteen or
camp-kettle. One reason for the re-
markable preservation of these breast
works is the fact that there has been
no effort made to clear up the country
for cultivation, but, on the contrary.
much of the land that was tnen cleared
has since grown up in dense pine
woods, with the exception OF small
strip extending along the railroad men,
toned before. running from Fredericks-
burg to Orange. Charlottesville, OF
which we have heard so much in con-
nection with the history of the war,
presents exactly the same appearance
to-day as it did when General Hooker,
the commander of the Army of the
Potomac, made it his headquarters. 1t
consisted of solitary house con-
structed of brick, with large porch,
IN which General Hooker was standing.
leaning against one of the posts, when
cannon ball struck it, stunning the
General so much that all who witnessed
| 1t thought he had been killed. The
house is a large one, built in simple
style and situated in small opening of
the woods. This place presents
charming appearance to the traveller
who has been making his way through
dense woods for many hours when he
sees the green meadow that surrounds
this old house situated in a grove of
trees. A few outhouses, such as
| stable, barn, etc, complete the scene
of Charlottesville.
The Wilderness, with its tract of
broken table-land, extends southwark
nearly to Spottsylvania Court House-a
small place composed of a few frame
dwellings-and. like Chancellorsville.
presents no remarkable change since
the war, but deserves a place in the
hearts of all to be remembered as the
spot where many fell in the bloody con-
fiict of May 20 and 81, 1864
The country around, including the
Wilderness, is a mineral region, pro-
ducing both gold and iron. The iron
mines have been worked with some
profit, and one of the reasons that
caused the heavy timber to be cleared
away was the use of it as fuel for the
miners. The gold mines have been at
tempted to be worked several times,
but have not proved a success. In sew
eral places shafts may now be seen
that have been sunk several hundred
feet and then abandoned. In going
down one of these silent black holes
one is struck with awe on beholding
the decayed beams that had been used
when the mine was in operation. The
little log huts which were used by the
miners may now be seen in places, all
decayed and ready at any moment to
fall down.
This vicinity has of late years
abounded in game, such as deer, wild
turkeys. rabbits, quail, pheasants and
other small game. During the war all
the deer were run out, and until the
last few years there were comparatively
few, but they are now very plentiful
and rapidly increasing. Notwithstanding
the fact that many sportsmen from the
North come in the hunting season to
join in the fine sport. Nearly all of the
farmers keep a pack of hounds, and
during the idle hours of the winter
months have plenty of sport deer-hunt-
ing. These old hunters are generally
more successful with their trusty mus
ket than the city sportsman who comes
silver-mounted breech-loading gun and
every other convenience. Turkey
hunting is also much indulged in, and
housewives complain of the hunters
bad sight in not being able to detect
the difference between wild and do
mestic turkey.
Though the returning warrior sees
very little change in the region of the
Wilderness since the war. probably the
next few years will witness quite an inn
provement, from the fact that. having a
railroad running through it, people
will naturally settle in this country
where there is so much need for i'm
provement. Where now stands this
immense body of timber one may look
for fields of growing grain owned by
enterprising farmers from the North
and South. The small log cabins will
give way to large farm-houses and the
wood-choppers will become tillers of
the soil.-N. Y. World.
STRANGE WAR STORY.