Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-14

good state Of preservation, and its owner will
NOT allow 1t to be despoied. Farther east is
Fort Jackson. the bold proportions Of which
are stil visible for long distance.
| AT BALLS BLUFF,
on the Potomac, about three miles from Lees
burg, was fought one of the earliest battles Of
the war. Here the brave Col. Baker Of the
hrst California regiment. which, in fact was
raised In Philadelphia, Pa, and many Of his
| gallant men were killed and nearly all tho re-
| mainder OF our troops driven into the river
| ana drowned, their ammunition and their
| strength having been exhausted In the little
| cemetery near by monument has been erected
Dy comrades to commemorate their noble
deeds, and loving hands still keep green the
graves of those there buried while the ripping
waters OF the Potomac ever sing requiem to
! their memory.
| SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
throughout the county these are numerous,
this school district having about twenty-five of
the former and several OF the latter Educa-
tional facilities are exceptionally good and in
many respects superior to those of agricultural
sections elsewhere. The standards OF qualifca-
ton for teachers are high and only the best are
employed. This il largely due to the fact that
the early settlers were themselves well edu-
Gated, and the systems they then inaugura.ed
| have been continued and improved. Another
reason is that this county has never been SUBJ
)ected to the inroads Of an ignorant foreign
population, such strangers as have come in
belng themselves cultured and progressive,
thus adding very largely to the native qualities
and characteristics These educational and
modifying influences have produced a refined
class OF people, both old and young, with
whom 1t ID pleasure to mingle.
PROHIBITION
prevails throughout the entire county except
at Leesburg, and thus the people are not SUBJ
jected to the greatest curse ever put upon the
earth. Here, at least, we are free from the
awful suffering wrought by LIQUOR and homes
are not despoiled by its pernicious effects As
indicating the influence this exerts let me say
that at recent "bush meeting" held for three
days near here, and where at one time there
were assembled ten thousand people. not a
single case OF drunkenness was seen or known,
and in no way was tho great encampment an
noyed or injured by its presence. These
noble people have ever spurned wines and
liquors In every form, and today they enjoy
that freedom from their blighting and blasting
influences, which must BIO boon indeed,
and which would make a paradise of our
whole land were it as free as this.
Smokers GAP,
through which the armies SO many times
passed. is some ten miles to the west, in the
Blue Ridge mountains, and in the history Of
the great struggle for the Union it bore an inn
portant part and the mention Of its name
always suggests hardship and suffering Yes
terday we paid II a visit and from it's SUBMITS
and projections magnificent views of the
shenandoah and Loudoun valleys are obtained.
and 1t would be hard to find a more beautiful
picture than these present. Looking southeast
saw the battlefelds of Bull Run, Chantilly,
Aldle, Manassas Gap, Fairfax, Balls Cross
Ihorofare, &C.. and on the west, looking over
that remarkable Shenandoah, through the
length OF which We so many times chased and
fought the brave "Stonewall' Jackson under
conditions OF trial and suffering rarely expert
enced, could see Borryville Charlestown
Martinsburg, Bunker Hill and Winchester all
resting in peace, and enjoying the prosperity
wrought by the armies of the Union.
ROUND HILL AND HAMILTON.
These are both pretty villages Of about 1000
inhabitants each, who are easy-gOing, refined
and agreeable, with very pretty and comforta-
BILE homes, which are devoted to tho entertain
ment of health-and- rest-seekers in summer
their patrons being principally from Washing
ton. Each is very pleasantly located and each
afford restful accommodations. Hamilton has
two newspapers and both have good schools
and churches. Round Hill is the present ter
minus Of the Washington and Ohio railroad. 81
miles west from the nations capital. The road
Is to be extended through to the Shenandoah
valley and is graded almost to Snickersyille, at
the foot OF the mountain.
BIT OF HISTORY
During the last months of the year 1862, after
the severe battle of Antietam and tho oppos-
ing armies had crossed from Maryland into
Virginia, the brigade Of Gen. John W. Geary
was III part bivouaceu on Loudoun Heights
and to the headquarters in Harper's Ferry re-
peated complaints had come from the people
OF the loud valley Of depredaO1s from
Gen. Geary determined to give them relief
and on a certain night a strong column consist
ing OF the fifth, seventh, twonty- ninth and
sixty-sixth Ohio and the twenty-eighth, twenty
ninth and one hundred and forty-seventh
Pennsylvania regiments KNAPP splendid Penn
sylvanla battery, squadron of cavalry and a
corps OF engineers marched out from the Shen-
andoah around the foot of Loudcun Heig hts into
the Loudoun valley, every man of that COM
mand feeling that much risk was involved for
the enemy was as wary as he was troublesome,
being composed largely of Whites cavalry and
Mosbys guerrlllas. who seldom practic hon
orable warfare. In due time the enemy was
overtaken and brisk action ensued, resulting
In the capture of many prisoners with slight
loss to ourselves and affording peace to the
people of this section for a long time after
This was near to the village of Hamilton, of
which have just spoken. Gen. Geary was a
man OF iron will and indomitable courage and
he hated rebel copperheads and bushwackers
with the intensity born of a noble heart and
honest convictions. He had early in the war
been In command of the Union troops along
the Potomac and in the neighborhood of Har-
per rerry, ana the ulslOyal elements there
had given him much trouble; so, at the time
l MENTION when he had come to the command
Of Gen. E. b. Tylers famous brigade,
to which had been added his own
splendid Pennsylvania organizations, he had
the means OF showing what he could do, and
he did it, as he had in Kansas during its
struggle for admission to the Union as a free
state, in which he was a companion of the mar
tyr, John Brown. He was also a kind hearted
man. as all who knew him will assert and as
the following incident will show: On the march
just described the writer in very poor
health and was also suffering from q recent
wound. Noticing this the general took my gun
and carried it many miles and in other WAYS
made the march for me as easy as possible
He was firm in command and noble in his hu-
manity, making for himself and those who fol-
lowed him to the end fame.worthy of emula-
ton. After the war he was twice governor of
Pennsylvania, and when death called him to
the last camping ground he was mourned by
the people Of the whole country.
LOYAL TO THE UNION.
As a rule these people were unionsts; a few
were disloyal, and in both armies there was
small representation. This valley was, how
ever, the theater Of much trouble, pillaging
and marauding inflicted by the camp fol-
lowers and guerrilas. Barns were burned.
houses sacked, horses, cattle, grain and per-
sonal property stolen and men made prisoners
the people feel reasonably secure. l have
listened to the stories and recitals of many of
the older residents, and all agree that life was
oil int 10 xuh,l he.