West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-11-21
RATTLE FIELDS OF THE SOUTH
An Old Prcstonian Writes an inter.
esting Article From Way Down in
Dixie.

Special correspondence OF TRH AR0rs
Peabody Normal College Spec
ial, University of Nashville. "
was the label floating from the
train which left Nashville for At
ianta, Oct. Goth. October 3oth
had been set apart at the Exposition
as Peabody Day" in honor of this
school, and as several hundred OF
the students wished to 60 to At
lsnta, special train was secured.
Nothing of interest arrested our
attention except the beauty Of the
country till we approached Stone
River and saw the bloody battle
field of Murfreesboro. This looks
like peculiar place for great
battle. The country is nearly level
as far as one can see, and it must
have been sublime scene that
greeted the New Year of 1868.
Here were arraigned two great
armies, fighting for they scarce
knew what, and reddeniug the
stones Of Stones River with kindred
blood. This old scene of carnage
was vividly brought before us when
We saw the old breast works on a
dozen knobs. standing almost un-
altered. But even these signs Of
the battle could not more than give
us a dim notion OF the cold, rainy,
muddy, New Year Of '63 when the
hosts of Rosencrane and Bragg con-
tinued to slaughter each other on
the very spot on which we were
looking. AS we ran on toward
Tullahoma, we went the same way
over which Gen. Bragg led his re.
treating army from Murfreesboro.
1t is not strange that there two
armies should winter so close to.
gether, Rosencrane at Murfrees boro
and Bragg at Tullahoma, for the
surrounding country Is very rich,
and no doubt, contributed largely
to the support of both armies. Near
Murfreesboro, is an old brick man
sion occupied by Mr.. Garter Har-
rison, brother to Ben. Harrison.
He is well-to do farmer and is
respected as a quiet, oongenial old
man.
As We approached Lookout Noun
tain, the Tennessee River came in
sight. 1t is d large river even this
far up, aud is navigable for steam
boats. But the curiosity of Ten.
nessee, and indeed, the whole South,
is Lookout Mountain. This noun
tain rises abruptly from the river
and the city Of Chattanooga for al
most two thousand feet. 1t WAS on
this mountain that the famous
"Battle Above the Clouds" was
fought and won. Now there are
two hotels on its top aud it is vis-
tied by hundreds each day. There
is an incline railroad extending
from the city to it's summit. This
incline rises at at angle Of 45o in
places, so steep is the mountain.
The encline is two miles long.
When the train reaches the foot of
the mountain, it stopped, aud four
teen ofus got of to climb the noun
tain, while those who remained on
the tram ran on into Chattanooga
and came up on the incline. From
where the train left Us, we could see
the Point Hotel, looking like
bird cage on top Of the mountain.
We found a pike leading splrslly
around the mountain. We follow
ed it for over mile, and it led rs
along the brow of cliff which
seemed to overhang the river. AS
could be expected, some Of the party
began throwing stones toward the
rIYer. Soon we heard a female
voice with an Irish accent coming
from below "1f you throw down
here again, I'll shoot yes 'arts out"
Some one who had not heard the
cry threw again, and bang went a
shotgun. Some Of the boys who
had been behind, now took the lead
and we climbed the mountain rap.
idly. We learned that where we
heard the shotgun fired, we were
nine hundred feet above the river
and that the railroad and some
dwellings we're between the river
and the mount0in. We vert as
nearly straight up the mountain as
VIC could climb, and it took us over
an hours fast walking. We went
up the same way as Gen. Hooker