Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21

AsiSSE PAST, now 20 haply
&< changed. Now the soft
southern wind, fragrant
with the breath Of buds and flowers, was idly
huttering my window curtsins, distilins the
very balm Of rest and peace. without the neon
was silverins roof, tres and garden, and silence
lay ever this quaint, sleeping city with bloody,
| tragic history-a silence broken only by the
deep, solemn tones Of Christ Church bells
tolling the midnight hours just as soiemnly as
they did through al the dreadful revelry Of
| shot and shell, snguish and death, Of thirty
years age.
On those hills over there beyond the river,
now lying in dirk, silent silhouette against the
horizon. liz, 600 Union soldiers were quietly
sleeping that Hateful December night-to many
OF them their last sleep on earth. The flower
Of the north was there, fresh from college ana
forum, the counting house and the Workshop
mothers boys; the heroes Of bYight-eyed
sweetheafts; the papas Of lisping, curly headed
tots; the hearts life Of loving wives IN the far
of northern homes. There they vert, wrapped
in siumber, bright Visions Of home and flowed
ones floating before them. &nd the death angel,
unseen. lowering over all. i think sadly this
night over my own loved and lost who were in
that gallant array. Comrades, brothers, tried
and true, voiceless now and gone forever.
A SLEEPING ARMY.
along the crest Of those frowning heights, were
147 black-muzzled cannon in fearful array,
whose deep tAroats were on the morrow to
vomit out a sulphurous whirlwind Of fiery hail
on this devoted city and open up the bloodiest
tragedy in history. And the heroic leaders,
what Of them? Back there behind these hills,
In the old PHILIPPE House, afterward swept
away in the red tide of war, were gathered IN
stern and solemn council the men on whose
swords loyal nation depended in this supreme
and breathless hour. Burnside, in all the flower
of his imperial manhood was there; Hancock,
the superb; the lionahearted old SUMNER the
loved and knightly Reynolds. whose brilliant
immortality at Gettysbnrg; fighting Joe Hooker,
sturdy French. who .safently led the
assault two days later over against
the stone wall at Mafye's Heishts-an
assault as desperate and more hopeless than
Pickett's famous charge and Humphreys, who
but hopeless struggle, and Couch and Franklin,
and Sykes. the reliable, and a score of others
were there-heroes all-rand where are they to-
night, and where the gallant divisions they led
to certain but sublime defeat? This gentle
midnight wind brushes over those hills where
once they trod and through these streets where
10 900 Of them we're massed in close array wait
ing for the signal 10 assault; but they are gone,
and TO me this soft wind comes laden with signs
and requiems and silent army OF specters are
massed in the streets of Fredericksburg.
But what OF the other side? On the crescent
of hills circhng round this city, inelosing it
like the rim of a saucer. slept that night TO- 200
men who wore the gray-men just as brave.
with hearts Just as wafm, homes just ~ loving
as those of their blue-coated brethren across
the river-and tomorrow these men were to
grapple in the struggle of death. And between
them slept this doomed city on the night of
December IL, 1852.
80 slept Ponpef tower and hail.
THE SIGNAL FOR THE FioaT.
30 it slept till, at 4 o'clock in the morning.
two cannon shots doomed out on the stiffness of
night from Marye's Heights, the agreed signal
to the confederates that the Union forces we're
attempting to cross the river. and the dance Of
death had begun. What followed history tells
But who shall tell what sights and scenes, what
sobs and groans, what terrible dying agenies
took place in these now silent streets II these
inanimate stones and bricks eead voice their
experience the record would be 80 sad no human
being could read the story. Some of the good
people here tell me that after the Union army
retired across the river the dead soldiers we're
lying IN the streets, ON the door steps, in the
houses, door yards and gardens. One lady told
me that when she returned to her house four
dead Union soldiers were lying on her parlor
floor, and that floor is today stained
with their blood. Last summer visit
He
sought out her house and recognized the place
where thew had brought their wounded COM
rades to die alone in the haste of the retreat
Others tell me that when Gen. Grant was en-
gagged in his death struggle with the enemy in
the Wilderness and Spottsy wanna long trains of
roads leading to fredericksburg, the ambu-
lances dripping blood. day after day, till every
church, public building and most Of the private
houses were filed and 10000 wounded men
conferred there.
Sad as were my midnight reveries by that
open window, few hours sleep in the COM
Portable beds Of the hotel and q substantial
breakfast which awaited our party partially
drove the gloom away; and right here NAV
say, in passing, Fredericksburg now has q good
hotel.
DRIVING OVER THE FIELD.
Through the kindness Of the Charlottesville
Battlefield Association our party had at it's dis
posal Immediately after breakfast Ave comfort
able, well-equipped conveyances-carry-a lls-
seating six and drawn by teams OF wen-fed,
well-groomed horses with plenty Of life and grit.
First we drove through the streets where the
hand-to-hand fighting occurred on the 18th of
December, and then driving out by the way Of
the Telegraph road we followed the line Of the
columns that marched to the assault ON the 18th.
The red brick house 70 often spoken Of IN the
descriptions Of the battle Ii standing Just az II
WaS tHeHs AHs Is lOcatcO NDOut AoO yofuB ffOm
the famous stone wall, which has now disst-
peared. though the road IL bounded IL much
travelled and well built up. Speaking Of this ad-
vance Couch says. "Toward 10 O'Clock the fog
began to lift French reported that be was
ready. sigRaled to Sumner and about II the
movement was ordered 10 begin. French threw
out q strong body Of skirmishers aHa his
brigades filed out Of town az rapidly as possible
by two parallel streets, the one 70 the right,
which was Hanover street, running into the
Telegraph road and both leading TO Marye's
Hill the stronghold Of the enemy. Once across
the canal (on the UutsAirts Of the towh) The At
lacking forces deployed under the bank border
ing the plain over which they were TO charge"
Longstreet, who was ON Marye 9 Hin, ays: ''fhs
federal troops swarned out OF the city hhs bees
out Of q hive, coming in double-qaick march
and filing the edge OF the field in front Of
Cobb (who lay with his men behind the stone
valid. This Is just where we had expected the
attack and was prepared 70 meet IL The held
| was literally packed with federals from the vast
number Of troops TIA: had been msssed In the
| town" Before them--these brave men Of the
| north-lay the terrible stone wall, whose very
| existence was apparently undreamed Of By our
| generals.
| BEHIND THa brorE WALL.
| Packed In behind that In RANKS four deep
were the sons Of Georgia and Mississippi aWnit-
ing the onset. slipping upward behind them
was Msrye's Hill it, crest literally covered with
the mtirdefous guns Of the Washington artillery
4 ~ New 0r1oooa kl~vspdoS obi<h Of srxSf-