Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-11-27
MisrellaufnMs.
FORTRESS MONROE.
From the Kentucky Journal.

| have just returned from visit to th,
famous valley Of the Shenandoah, wher
accompanied Gen. Robert Patters OF
in the campaign of June. 1861. Gen
j. X. Johnston had been posted at Har.
per's Ferry, ready to open communica.
tion with friends in Maryland. Nc
Dowell. from Arlington Heights, was
preparing to move upon Manassas, and
Gen. @, P. Stone, at Edwards Ferry,
was placed so as to move towards Lees
burg and interpose between Johnston
and Beuregard, or reinforce McDowell's s
right at Manassas.
A grand quadrangle is here formed by
the four points--Harper's Ferry, Wash
ington, Richmond and Staunton-and
these places played a most conspicuous
part in the war, The mountains of the
Blue Ridge, the Atlantic Coast and the
Ohio river, from Wheeling to Hunt
ington, form grand lines of singular par
allelism and the rivers Potomac and
James form the north and south bound
ing lines of our quadrangle A glance
at the map will make all this apparent.
In plains great and decisive battles
are fought. as at Manassas aud Gettys-
burg in the mountains it is most diff
cult to concentrate and to combine the
movements of artillery. &c McLellan
would not follow Lee into the valley
after Antietam.
When Patterson crossed the Potomac
and drove Jackson from Failing Wa
ters" he was warned not to press John.
ston least he should drive tho enemy
upon Manassas He was recalled and
Col. G. II. Thomas with his cavalry
taken from him Gen. Patterson pro-
posed by letter to combine with Stone
and move on Leesburg to Manassas
but Mcdowell refused the offered as
sistance, and this well-matured plan of
keeping out Of the Shenandoah operat-
ing along the eastern base ef the Blue
Ridge was abandoned.
Stone had set his heart on the move
ment through Leesburg, but he and
Gen Sanford, of New York, were sent
to remain out of reach and useless in the
Shenandoah Valley. But when the
battle was lost the blame was thrown on
Patterson and Stone. igaQH ubne4
Then Stone lost the battle of "BaIl's
Bluff and now he who had strenuously
labored in the beginning Of the war to
save the Union, to protect Washington,
to secure the quiet Inauguration of the
President, was seized as traitor, and
cast into a dungeon, whore he was kept
for six months. But while the names of
his enemies are execrated that of Stone
is immorlalized with the statue Of lib
erty EnIigbtening the World" whose
pedestal he built up.
Fortress Monroe is one of tho most
complete and picturesque fortresses |
have ever seen in this co untry or in
Europe. a.s.
1t consists of seven Fashioned fronts
a sheer wall of granite rises vertically
20 feet high from moat, Of from 100
to 200 feet in width and feet in depth,
which reminds one of the great canal at
Venice.
|hc main sally port looks to the west,
single front with two bastions on the
north side, single front on the east side
and double front on the south side.
The sally port on the southeast front
is masked by formidable covered way
and 40 by 10 inch Rodman guns, and at
its northern extremity zen barbette"
you see three 15-inch guns, which call
the "Three Sisters of Charity" The
flagstaff baston, is on the southwest
corner of the Fort, beneath, in the care.
mates, you find the club rooms Of the
officers most tastefully decorated with
portraits of noted officers and military
subjects. The principal "curtains" have
double ramps by which you can readily
ascend to the top of the parapet.
took many pleasant walks around
the old Fort on the tops Of the "supc-
rior slope of the parapet, and one day,
accom- panied by an old friend, we jump
down to the "terreplein' from the top
of the interior crest. | told him | was
afraid he would 90 out no more with
me. We descended the sloping ramp
in front of the commandants quarters,
passing out by the tunnel through the
parapet, out the sally port and over the
raw-bridge, thence across the wide
moat, and examined the great water bat
terry, with its forty ten-inch Rodman
guns. This outwork covers the curtain
and sally port at the southeast angle of
the Fort. just in front of the quarters Of
the Commandant. Col. Royal 7. Frank.
Opposite to the soldiers barracks,
across the parade grounds are benches,
for the convenience Of visitors who de.
sire to enjoy the sight Of the ceremonies
Of guard-mounting or evening parade,
drills, etc
To the rear Of the benches are grouped
many military trophies--cannon balls,
mortars, howiizars and big guns Some
Of the last we're captured at Yorktown,
and bear the dates OF the years 1927 and
1881. The old brass pieces have handles
over the trunnions, and engraved upon
them you will read "Dieu ct mon droit.'
also the more impressive motto of "Ul-
TINA ratio rcgum." The greatest men
the world can produce are its kings, and
as Americans are all sovereigus, we are
ever ready to meet any nation with the
very best arguments, Of tho sort they
think 6t to select. The grand bird which
the nation has chosen for its emblem is
capable Of soaring to any height, and if
it carries bunch of arrows in one hand,
is carries an olive branch 10 tho other,
which proclaims TO tho world the senti-
ment Of Americas grandest soldier, 10
the words "Let US have peace "
rhe engineers, acting on the motto Of
"Semper paratus," are constructing a
] r.