Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-08

49, VIC RAoocout, CoouuS W6tcLs oomc ottc bu6-
sested that it was time for genera laundering,
and all except Willis fell in with the idea. His
experience ct Monocacy robbed him OF any de-
sire to further compete with the celestial
he.then. The rest went TO work with zeal and
ctded to wash not only the spare shirt and I'M
derclothing, but those they were wearing as we'll
They had Just finished nicely and were spreading
their laundry out on the ground to dry, when
one Of those sudden, heavy summer storms
swept up over hill which had hidden the
gathering clouds and sharp peal Of thunder
gave warning that shelter was needed The
haste with which they crawled into their wet
garments In their anxiety to avoid q wettfng
spite Of the fact that every stitch Of their cloth
Ing had been Just wrung from the water
they rushed for shelter from the coming rain
with as much anxiety - the rest, and when q
friendly roof was reached q few hundred yards
further on did net cease to congratulate each
other upon their narrow escape from q wetting
THE TOWN OF WINCHESTER.
Winchester Is one Of the most interesting
towns In Virginia, and It is interesting in spite
OF Its ambitious efforts to become q city II
has been afflicted with boom, and it is doubt
iul which wrought the most material injury to
Its citizens, the six months Of boom or the five
years OF war, which made II camp and Its sur
rounding hills battlefelds. The town was laid
out in 1852 and was one Of the frontier ports
that marked the advance Of settlement toward
the Ohio valley. It was one of the line of forts
which Virginia established in support of her
claim to the country west Of the Alleghenies.
the claim which precipitated the French and
Indian war. At Fort Loudon or Hill Fort
Washington stopped on his perilous winter
journey to warn the French Of the English
claim upon the country they were entering,
and 1t was probably stopping place when be
brought back his Virginia volunteers after
Braddock's disastrous defeat Evidences of
the old stockade and fort are still to be seen,
and the well which furnished water to the gar
rison more than hundred years ago is still
pointed out It has been q strategic point in
the wars Of two countries.
TAKEN AND RErAKEN EraHrY-rHREE TIMES.
During the civil war It was tho center of mill
tary operations, from the beginning, in 1861, to
the close, in 1865, and during those years it is
said to have been taken and retaken, or rather
occupied and reoccupied, eighty-three times.
The tide of war surged over it and rolled back
In and out as the waves roll up and are broken on
an ocean beach, and yet Winchester town saw
but little fighting. The battles were on the
bills and plains around. No one made q stand
in its streets, and even in the fierce cannonad-
ing from surrounding forts but few stray shells
battered the town. A reason is apparent: The
town, while on HILL is surrounded BY other
hills, crowned with earthworks, still visible, and
these In turn are commanded by others still
further out To hold Winchester force large
enough to hold the surrounding country for
miles out would DO needed, for It is, as i. we're,
the center OF q circle, surrounded again by
other circles, each outlying circle Of hills lit
tie higher and commanding the next inner one.
With an outside commanding height captured,
the next inner position would be untenable,
and SO on until the town is taken. No one tried
to simply hold it, each side moving in and out
in accordance with the varying fortunes Of the
battles fought around it. Before the war closed
tho dispatch Winchester is taken" became
as much OF joke as the announcement that the
Dutch have Holland.
TWO CITIES OF THE DEAD.
But II Winchester streets escaped battle
there are mute but eloquent evidences that the
surrounding country was one vast battlefield.
On commanding height overlooking the city
there are two camps Of the dead, and the 5000
green mounds and white headstones tell of the
rich harvest which the Great Reaper gathered
in those hills and valleys Going up from the
main street Stonewall cemetery is first reached.
Its graves are laid off by states, and 1t is said
to be the only confederate cemetery with this
arrangement. Each state represented in this
silent camp was asked to erect a monument to
her buried sons. Only Virginia and Maryland
responded. In the center is @ heroic monument
surmounted by private soldier and beneath
1t rests the remains Of $50 unknown dead. The
inscription is, "Who they were, none know;
WHAT tney were, ali know. In but one thing
10 there an exhibition of spirit to be regretted
On the Virginia monument, erected by the
ladies of Winchester to the 1893 Virginia SOL
diers, the inscription Is. "Who fell in defense Of
constitutional liberty and the sovereignty Of
their state"
Across a narrow lane Is the National ceme-
tory, where $500 federal soldiers are at rest
There are but few elaborate monuments, simple
white stones marking the lines drawn up for the
final roll call, and "old glory" waves over them
Between the two cemeteries tho lane runs
through slight depression, SO that it is not
hard to imagine that even in death these hosts
are drawn up facing each other in serried ranks
as they faced each other in battle array on VIM
chester's hills thirty years ago. B. VS..