New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-29
WITH VIRGINIA "CRACKERS.'
A WINTER JOURNEY IN STAFFORD. ORANGE
AND CULPEPER COUNTIES

"plneyn woods Of stafford County, the pzen tpoiso
fields OF Orange County, and Chinquapln NecA VI
Culpepcr.
The pineys woods embraces all that portion Oh
Stafford where Burnslde's and llookers armies -"
camped before the fredericksburg and ChancelorSVio
| fights from Falmouth ND through HARDWOOD TO INC
| Grove Church, and thence enthusiastically 10 tiic
! Rappalannock River The "plzcn" fields lhcIuuos
that part of Orange County from Raccoon foru OH Ve
Rapdan River. south through old VerdierSViiie anu
east TO the wilderness via Locust Grove, Its souNcrh
boundary being the divide of the Nye River. Lee
camped the Rebel army in this section in inc M'ilVoi
of 1S636f after the battle Of GETTYSBURG ana II
subsequently, the ground OF considerable skirmsng anu
hard fighting.
"Chnquapin Neck, is the point ncosed between
the Rappaannock and Rapldan Rivers, extending "e.
N stevensburg and the name might even be carried
as far as Culpeper C. II. Here the Army VI '"o
Potomac made its winter quarters In front OF Lee
until Grant began his southwark movement IN May
| 1864
To visit this region now, one can take horse az
Fredericksburg the Rappahannock 10 FalihouC"
and make his way around by way Of keleys foru u
either Stevcnsburg Cupcper G. H., whence Tic "a"
make a loop down into Chnquapin Neck, thence over
the Raccoon Ford bridge the Rapdan TO Ncfdcr
VILE or Locust Grove. and back along either '"e
turnpike or plank road to Fredericksburg, circuit Oh
about ninety miles.
Making tonr OF this region recently, followed the
RappalannocS to take glimpse at the ruins OF Angus
tine Washngton's house. opposite Fredericksburg,
where the Father OF his Country" spent his boyhood
DAYS. fell I'm withla man named Bustie' VINO reaulS
pointed out the locality to me, claiming at inc same
time TO be n relative Of the Washingtons' ferhaPs
ho NAV lie as mankind ntermngles. Yet irvlngs
Life OF Washington" shows only that one "Il''ann
Hustle was Georges principal competitor In the "old
field school house' kept by Hobby. the sexton OF inc
parsh The country is full Of historic interest nor
is hustle alone In his claims to ancestral greatness
Nearly every person | encountered on my "TRIP ca'o
from some good family and many OF them cla'heu N'
shin with some lord OF high degree or man OF greatness
studv ~ the folks I met would seem 10 prove thlt
tbc mass Of their ancestors English irish ana
scotch peasantry, with sprnhlng OF German OF prom
ably later date. To the philosopher. study Is presented
u the names OF Chewing, Jennings Sisson' PAYNE MOT
ton smith. Brown. Jones' Robinson ClfrK hu""u'
Hun thorough and Lamblin. followed by Kelley, Dcmp'
GOV Dorgett McConkey McVeigh. Mcdonald. Morgan,
Morris Fmbree Kcmper, Carrco. Tallafcrro, Gordon
Wills and Walker Gibson. Jameson, Strother, Nohrey
Borst IIeGelin and Hume. These are the names o1
the most numerous families and from them few con-
illusions can be drawn apparently beyond those teu
They are all either Boptsts, MethodiStS or Ep'Sco
palians The Catholics have neither church nor chapei
in tbe counties Of Cupeprr Orange Stafford or SPOTS
sylvana outside Of the city Of Fredericksburg. Inc
Baptl>ts have the numerical asccndancy ana wealth.
in the district followed by the Mcthodists with fair
representation. The Epi,copallans In former tunes
had churches and missions all over this region bt
mot ~ Thorn were long ago abandoned and the church
lands taken up until now but half dozen parishes
exist in this domain.
Pausing to look over at Fredericksburg rom inc
niles Of stone indicating the former chmneyS OF the
Washington mansion secs pretty town Of aoont
| 5000 Inhabitants sopnG back from the river SIDE
It's church spires clear and bright, ana us PhouSce
neatly painted and clean looking
Turning my horse crop on northwest along the
"Marsh Road" through the grounds where the Army
Of the Potomac spent the winter of 1-6@'03. Inc
farms along the route well kept with rail- boaru
and wire fencing until after the HARDWOOD Church is
passed Then, In the dense young timber grown up
.ince the war. for the first time the remains Of
the camp chimucys and all signs Of improvement are
como until Fmbrcc's mill. Deep Run, Is reached.
In This region the people have no afternoon. IL Is
morning evening and night. They say stars for
stairs aud char for hair. and many Of them speak
sentence very fast. drawing out the last worn TO a
ridiculous length. \ COW pen is called cuppcn''
and As in most parts Of the South, sir IS pronounced
" sab and here yeah.
Elbbts are called hars7 all through this state and
tbc old MoIlic har.' is named Is great source
- food and trade They hunt FOR it with dog and gun.
but thc liar gum" produces IT in the greatest numbers
This gun i, a box about sixteen or eighteen inches
lorg ard about six inches square closed In the back
and with sliding door in front held up by lever
running over bridge and set at the opposite end WIN
q spring This trap Is baitcd with piece OF onion
or apple but the hare goes in oft'ner Tor shelter IMAM
for food 4 prevailing superstition all over the SCUM
| Is that the hare viii not enter gum on 'hF''"''9
Dly 81 on that holiday all the doors are 1T down.
The deer are hunted with dog, most of the SpoFseh
Lelng mounted while others TAX" STANDS a. CROSSINGS
n, ,hc creeks or rivers where they think the game
will bc likely 10 come. while others again. following
the cry Of the hounds driving the deer. VII! chdcaNo'
10 p,occ themselves where the game will come out IN
vhtla
in deer chase and sometimes three or four OF the
noble animals will fall Tho game Is divided up ac
cordlng to customary rules The men owning tho dogs
who are first and second on the tran each receive "
quarter. and the first and Sccohd huH'sn'c" V'o"'"
also receive quarter each
ON the eros, road from Grove Chuich 10 heuYVlIc
7 frequently passed buucEes of pine brush SET mp by
trees or at clumps Of sprouts. These learned were
turkey blinds" The usual mode Of hunting TINS
bird i, TO hnd where has made tracks in ROAD or
path or 10 discover where it has been scratching IN
lc leaves looking for cod. Tie hunter, then bait
IN, locality with grains Of and return to their
halt in n day or two ascertain II II has been taken
by the turkeys. II they find this % be the fact they
nut up blind fifty or sixty yards from where the
corn was taken, and scatter some wheat tuneH where
| the corn had been. They repair 10 the blind be
| fore daylicht next morning and with the old muSket
loaded with No = shot or blister blues" await the
coming Of the turkey 10 feed. wien they generally
manage ~ secure of them. Another way OF
capturing the bird IS To 90 ont with the dog where
turkey signs have been The dog gets after The
turkeys and scattcrS them. They fly in all directions
and roosr apart HAT night Next morning before day
break the hunter repairs 10 the place where the game
had been and makes a blind ia which he cnscOnces
himself All his work performed as quietly aS possible
After daylight he begins calling" initiating the cry OF
the turkey hen. The caller" IS made OF the thigh bone
Of a turkey with small bono of the lower leg for n
. montlpcce packed with Il piece of rag. The sounds
arc nroduced bv inspiration at the small end Of the
caller and are m0dulaed 10y the hollow Of the hand
over IFS larger cud The scattered turkeys will answer
the call n gobblcr answering and approaching readily
vet il requires both skill and experience 10 call