Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-08

oIru rrul1. r11v nrauory there was one day when each division or corps commander fought on his own system. After seeing the roads across which these six or seven detached battles were going on simultane- ously ono is not at all surprised to read that both Leo and Grant reported the re- suits of the day as livery unsatisfactory. Yet all this field has been surveyed and mapped out, and he who cares may study the maps and mutual contradictions of the generals and tho wholesale contradiction of all of them by tho war historians.
 A narrow gauge railway from Freder- lcksburg to Orange Court House crosses tho Wilderness in n direction southwest by vest and every mile or so the timber cut ters have made practicable roads across 1t from north to south, so the veteran can easily reach that section of the field where he fought. Having traversed all the east ern part on previous trips took that road leading down along the extreme western edge of the line of battles as far as the Sedgwick monument and the bloody angle.
 The AIattapony.
 In the western part of the county nu- merous rivulets draining little ponds and swamps run together and form tho four streams, Mat, Tn, Pc and Ny, which unite in Caroline county and form tho Matta- pony river. In many parts of the Wilder ness, however, ono might como within a rod of ono of these streams and never sus- pect its vicinity, and in somo places he would only discover one by falling into 1t. The dark and yellow water, with its slug gish current and overhanging brush and shadow which makes the monday seem like twilight, reminds me powerfully of some of those queer wild rivers have seen | In the remote west, overshadowed by black rocks or pines, to which Indians, French men and Spaniards gave such suggestive | names, as River of Shades, River of Souls (Las Animas), Purgatory and Water of Suffering.
 The northern two of these, the Ny on the north and the Pc on the south, inclose | In a horseshoe shaped tract a sandy flat of perhaps ten miles in diameter, in the cen ter of which stands Spottsylvania Court | House. a hamlet of some 300 people, which apparently brides itself on looking exactly | as it did 40 years ago, except for the marks | of a few cannon shot on some old brick | houses. I will not go so far as to say that | these aro renewed from time to time, like that ink spot on the famous door which Luther made by throwing his inkstand at l the devil, but they look remarkably fresh. After the terrific slaughter of May 12 l Grant moved off eastward into Caroline, and Lee marched down through this will l lage and southward to again confront the Federals at tho North Anna crossing. I had, however, followed their route long enough to weary me, and so I climbed upon a farmers market cart and rode up hero for days rest and still moro for a daily paper, as the tramp of week in tho Wilderness is like Q voyage across the At lantic for dearth of news.
 Where StOnewaII Jackson Died.
 This was an important station during the latter part of the war and boasts of one interesting sight. A mile or more to the north is the house in which Stonewall Jackson died. It is rather poor excuse for house, and the room they show with some pride is even plainer than the average southern "spare bedroom" but it is q place of renown and pious pilgrimage tO
 the people, and in many house may be seen a conventional picture of the scene at the hero's deathbed. This and compan'
 ion picture, "The Death of General Lee, ' are great household adornments in every
 part of tho south, and next to them come
 pictures of famous charges made by Con
 federate troops and alleged portraits of Jet
 Stuart and Turner Ashby in all tho
 pomp of cavalry uniform, with drawr
 sword flashing in tho sun and mounted or
 such horses as I at least never saw in the
 real army.
 | I note tho fact that I have not yet HeI
 in Virginia n picture of Longstreet ol
 Mosby either displayed in a private house
 or in any public gallery, and I am not a
 all surprised to find that the conversation ! sometimes grows dull when either of theSl
 is named. J. H. BEADLE.