St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-06-12
MONTICELLO.
An Interesting Account OF a Trip to the Old
Home Of Thomas Jefferson.
Correspondence Of the cALEDoNIAN.]

comfortably in the eighties, the
National Geographical Society of
Washington held its annual field
meeting. Associated With were the
Sons and Daughters of the Revolu-
ton, the Society for the Preservation
of Virginia Antiquities, and the Co.
lumbia Historical Society. Promptly
at 8 a. m. a special vestibuled train,
carrying 307 expectant people, left
the Washington station, bound for
Charlottesville, Virginia. Among
the party were Gardiner G. Hubbard,
founder and president of the society,
Thomas Nelson Page, ex-Secretary
John W. Foster, and General A. w.
Greeley, the chief Of the weather
bureau. Tiny knots of blue and gray
marked each member, supplemented
in some cases by the red, white and
blue button Of the Loyal Legion, in
Others by the blue and white button
of the Revolutionary Son, or by the
distaffpin Of the Daughter. symbolic
union of the many memories cluster
ing about the historic battle-ground
through which the train was to make
its way. Between Washington and
Alexandria nothing claimed attention
except an unusually fine view of the
old Lee home at Arlington, so the
time was occupied in greetings. One
new acquaintance disclosed an init
mate kno Wedge of st. Johnsbury and
its people, thus many items of Yer.
mont news flied in the gaps between
the battlefield sites. Fort Ellsworth,
one of the first three forts built, is the
first point of interest after leaving
Alexandria. Then comes glimpse
of Braddock's Road, over which he
marched his troops on their way to
Great Meadows in 1855. The site of
Fort Worth is now occupied by a
private residence. This marks the
outer line of the defenses of Washing
ton in 1861. Between this point and
Charlottesville, the railroad passes
near the sites of more than so battle
fields and skirmishes. At Fairfax
Station occurred a cavalry fight in
1864. Just beyond Clifton Station
the railroad crosses the so.called
stream of Bull Run, which looks like
nothing more than a wide, muddy
ditch. Just here is view of the old
Bull Run mountains in the northwest,
and on either side Of the track are
visible traces of the old entrench-
ments at Manassas. The region be-
tween this junction and Calverton,
formerly known as Warrenton June
ton, was the favorite raiding ground
of General Moseley and his Partisan
Rangers. Many bitter, skirmishes
and cavalry encounters took place
near the Rappahannock, beside
severe battle under General Sedg-
wick, in 1868, and the greatest cav
airy battle of the war in November
of the same year. Culpepper, the
next place of any Importance, was
founded nearly two centuries ago,
and is of interest as having been the
scene of Washingtons first work as
surveyor, as well as the center of
several encounters during the late
war. Near it is fine national GEM
etery. In the southeast can be seen
Perry and then Cedar Mountains,
while the ground on either side Of the
track takes on the rounded, billy
look so characteristic of Vermont.
Far to the northwest tower the peaks
of the Blue Ridge, among them three
near the cave of Luray. To the
south the mountain peaks seem
crowding asst in hasteto reach Char
Iottesville before the train. The Rap
idan river is crossed, then Orange
County Court House passed. Near
the latter, severe battles took place.
Four miles below Orange the train is
stopped to give the passengers full
view OF Montpelier, the home Of
Madison. About mile distant, on
a slight elevation, stands the red
brick house with its lofty, white pill
lars. The house was built in 1874
by Madison for his bride, and re-
tanned as his home until his death
there in 1886. The train arrived at
Charlottesville at IL 80 and the party
took carriages for the drive to Mon
ticello, three and one-half miles dis
tant. Charlottesville is mold South,
ern town with no particularly inter.
esting features, but the drive from
there to Monticello is delightful