Morning journal and courier., 1891-08-01
The Sauth Rextsited.

AAo SOuth 1ACrA6AsO$As
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
"Befo' the war" resided for some time
in Virginia and North Carolina. A few
months ago I revisited the old spots. I
took notes of what saw and heard, and
propose, with your permission, to lay
them before your readers.
took passage for Richmond on the Old
Dominion steamer, Captain Couch. set sail
Saturday at 3:37 p. m. Heavy sea during
the night. Passed Cape Charles and Cape
Henry Sunday $40 and 3:55 p. m. En-
tered Chesapeake bay p. m. Touched at
Old Point Comfort, $40; Newport News,
7:15. While portion of the cargo was
being discharged, went ashore to see the
town. Dropped in at the Methodist church
and heard sermon by Presbyterian
minister, who said, ''there are 100000
young men in Virginia leading immoral
lives!'' Prevailing color of hair dark. Did
not see ight-haired young man in the
congregation.
City Point, on the James river, at $50
a. NJ, Monday. Steamer stopped to dis
charge cargo, and went ashore for stroll.
Situated on bluff; a miserable, struggling
village. Chimneys all built outside. Saw
General Grants headquarters, white
house in good repair; breastworks just
above.
Clutch Gap" at 9:15. A canal dug by
General Buffers soldiers during the war
to save the "nine mile bend" Thirty
years ago while sailing around the ''bend"
I remarked to a fellow-passenger, eff this
were in New England it would have been
canalled long ago."
Conversing with Scotchman from Rich
mond, he said: 'The south should be let
alone. We pay the taxes, own the prop
erty and hire the negroes. At an election
said to me: MY vote kills yours They
are all ignorant and lazy. Before the
national election the Richmond council
employed negroes on the public works.
They voted for Harrison, and after the
election we discharged them"
Passed the malaria breeding, chickahom-
my swamps, where SO many of the "boys
in blue" died of fever. Quite portion of
the land has been reclaimed by inclosing
it with levee. Wages of farm hands are
from rs cents to 81 a day, without
"rations." With rations, $40 a, month.
This is equivalent to about $50 month
for white labor. Great numbers of duck,
Canvass back and wild turkey
Malvern Hill is above City Point. Chick
ahominy between Newport News and City
Point. Above City Point are earthworks
all the way to Fort Darling, which was as
far as our gunboats could get. Naviga-
ton was obstructed by sunken vessels. In
1879 an ice gorge ten miles in length
formed, which was broken through by
Captain Couch, for which he received the
thanks of the City of Richmond upon
parchment. The most formidable battery
| was at Chapin's Bluff. Mcclellan and
| Butler were little above and the Feds
| and Rebs might have shelled each other
l out.
The passage here is only thirty-fve feet
| wide, and was filled with old steamers and
vessels loaded with stone. Passed Fort
Darling now overgrown with trees. The
steamer Ironsides attempted to pass, but
was met with "plunging" fire, and forced
to- retire. There was no fighting above
| Fort Darling. The army came by the way
of Petersburg when Richmond was taken.
Passed dredges at work between Fort
| Darling and Richmond, according to Cap
tain Couch, spreading the appropriation
and doing no good"
| The southerners think Mcclellan the
greatest general of the war, and say he
was 'ill-treated by the North" No other
Federal general (say they could ever have
4
Passed the Randolph colonial mansion,
built of bricks brought from England.
John Randolph was born here. The car
penter work is very fine, and in excellent
preservation. Jetties keep the river in
the channel. See turkey buzzards on the
bluff. Richmond comes in sight, foul
miles away. Seven monitors laid up on
the left bank, about 100 officers and men
on board. Temporary quarters, built Of
boards, on deck.
Pass old St. Johns church, in which
Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty. o,
give me death!' 1t stands on "Churct
HILL" the heart of the city of Richmond
The spot where Pocahontas saved tn
life of Captain John Smith is pointed GU
Oh the right bank. 1t is called "Pwoha
tan Plantation and Cemetery" ALI tn,
old plantations have private buryins
grounds.
Arrived at Richmond at 1 1 a. m. Mon
day. 1t is built on seven hills, upon the
right bank of the James River, 100 mile
from Norfolk
In my next will give my impressions Of
the city. VIAToR.
New Haven, July 30, 1891.