The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-10-06


H'\WKEX W,h>i in Dixie. where may
| lHhL EGkp|"HiW be said to have oc-
EtH CN%& IN Cured. in q sense, a
ffSlXlS/NHt,L\S>H war of the races The
tSSH' TL31ll SII fortunes of war did
~ ~,YrX,rrH.F not at any time turn
my footsteps up the
Shenandoah Valley.
With the Army of the Potomac. after Gettys-
burg. had crossed the Potomac River on a
pontoon at Harper's Ferry, crossed the Shen-
andoah on another near by. and wound about
over the nose of the Blue Ridge, at this point
called Loudoun flights, into aud up the Loudoun
Valley but that was all. The time had come,
however, for me to attend to this neglected
part of my education. One thing only seemed
lacking for such an expedition. Would that
some old comrade of the 34th or 35th Mass,
or the 9Th Vt, not to mention many moro.
were with me to point out the exact spots
where they struck for God and their native
land. But vain all wishes. and boarding the
train away We go, reaching Harper's Ferry
about 1 p. M. My plan contempatss riding
to the head of the Valley and there drifting
back, and acting upon this plan between and
p. M. l am at Stra5burg. A beautiful spot,
which must not stop to describe. l locate
at the Central House, small hotel OH the main
street. Here found two ex-Jobunies from near
Fredericksburg boarding-Gordon by name
and good fellows, too. Ordering team to
carry me to Fishers Hill, take run up back
of the town while waiting, to investigate
fortifcation which beetles ON contiguous hill.
1t is locally known as Banks Fort, tradition
claiming that it was constructed by Banks's
men early in the war; but it was occupied
afterwards sometimes by Union and sometimes
by rebel forces. 1t overlooks the entire town
and vicinity, and commands charming pros
pect, with the Massanutten Mountains as back
ground Its parapet was never blood stained.
Returning to the hotel l enter buggy with
Robert Lee Keller as guide, very accomodat-
ing young man who has part interest in tho
hotel. Our road is the "good broad highway"
which leads down to Winchester, but we are
pointed the other way, and along this road a
portion of Sheridan's troops advanced to the
attack on Fishers Hill. There is the hill be.
fore us, with young Fishers house on its crest.
AS we draw near the base the hill appears
more rugged. At the base we cross the north
fork of the Shenandoah and begin the ascent.
Down there in the hollow at our right stands
the spectral walls of Fishers Mill, and near by
is the old mans late residence The climb is q
difficult. one. Early held a strong position,
and my respect for the courage Of that part of
Sheridans army which advanced up this road
was wonderfully increased as / noted what it
had to contend with.
Anon we reach the outer gate of young
Fisher, who has built substantial house di-
rectly in front of the old rebel line. 1t COM
mands splendid view down the Valley. We
pause at his front door for few minutes to
take in the prospect and hear his story of the
battle lie was too young to have been par
ticipant. He invited me into the house to in
spect his war relics picked up Oh the place, but
politely declined my offer to remove to Yankee
land one or more of the shells. Later / OBJ
tanned Hotchkiss fuse shell thrown from
Union gun and found in the moat in front of
the rebel line on an adj acent hill. Small WON
der that Early felt secure in this rugged mount
ain fastness. 1t seems to NE to be the strongest
position ! have found on any of the old fields,
and great credit is due the men who fought or
fanked the Johnnies out of it.
Returning to town spent the night in the
sleepy old town of Strasburg at the Central
House, and at o'clock, with my team and
driver of the day before, head downstream, re-
traversng the turnpike, but in the opposite d.
rection. About mile from town my guide
points out the residence OF G. f. Hupp the
headquarters of Gen. Banks. The house is of
brick, but its surroundings wear an air of neg
lect. l alight from the buggy, go to the front
door, and knock lady appears, to whom /
make known my desire for "reminiscences of
the place. She informed ne that the old gen.
tleman, Hupp. was not now alive; that the old
house was burned, and this one was built since
the war; She brought from the house photo
graph of the old house to show me- 1t had
deem uSeu, sue bdlu ds Il Dy fjauKS,
Milroy, Shields, Early, Stonewall Jackson, and
Sheridan.
During our conversation a gentleman past
the middle age joined US. 1t was Mr.. George I.
Hupp. the present proprietor. He was iii the
Confederate army, and, finding that | was in
the Yankee army" urged me to accept his
hospitality for "a hours, and talk over old
times, courtesy | was compelled &c decline.
He turned the conversation or 10 politics, and
as n Cle6 m OF Ru,. !. ttcau II
Harrison man.
Moving along the pike we approach Cedar
Creek. Near by is the ruins of another of the 20
mills which Sheridan dismaatied after the
battle of Fishers Hill, and my guide draws mp
near farmhouse aud leads out into the field
to mineral spring which has very sui
phurous flavor. Continuing our course we
cross the creek and, debouching on higher
ground, are on the battlefield of Get. 10. 1864.
Observing a monument ON an adjacent hill, I
leave the buggy to investigat and find it to be
one erected by the 9Th Vt. on spot at and
near which that gallant regiment was SO fear
fully shattered in the fight A mile distant,
on the opposite side of the turnpike looms
Belle Grove Farmhouse, now owned and occu-
pied by j. w. smille, but at the time of the
fight used by Sheridan as headquarters. A
visit to the house was, of course, In order.
There / found the proprietor in, aud just then
engaged in ministeripg 10 the needs of some
ponies, of which he has many. He is an Eng
lish gentleman who cares nothing for the war;
and is disposed, as SO many Of his countrymen
are, to minimize everything American. But
he cordially invited me into the house and
gave me interesting "reminiscences of tho place,
stating that all the prominent commanders Oh |
either side who had been in the Valley had |
made the house headquarters, and that Presi-
dent James Madison sojourned there some |
weeks after the burning of the White House
in the War of 1872 Accepting from him some |
relics of the field, and thanking him for courte-
,ies, stepped into the team, and Robert Lee KEEL
Ter drove me to Cedar Creek Station, less than |
half mile away. where / took the cars for
Winchester, of which latsr.-B., Boston.