Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-13
LIEUTENANT TO HIS MOTHER.
A Virginia Soldier Writes of a Trip
IN 81 Augustine, Fla.

The following letter was received few
days ago by a fond mother from her son
at jacksonville. giving an interesting ac-
count OF trip he had taken TO Ancient
ST. Augustine:
Jacksonville, Fla. July G.
Dearest Mother,-You have not gotten
your two letters a week as usual because
i have had so much TO attend 10 that
have not had a moment TO spare, but
now can tell you OF my delightful trip,
on last Wednesday, 10 st. Augustine. Mr..
Stringfellow, Mart, and myself left camp
at A. NJ. and boarded the train. riding
through long stretches of woodland thick
ly draped with the picturesque hanging
moss through the forests OF palmetto,
reaching as far as the eye could reach
After occasional glimpses OF the Atlantic
we pulled into a station very much IKE
our Union Depot. Then little feeling
of disappointment came over us-things
looked 20 modern-but getting out OF the
station we caught a view or the maSnIl-
cent Ponce de Leon Hotel, built In span
ish style, its gardens and groves of tropi-
cal plants and trees and the huge but
beautiful proportions astonishing and be-
wildering this novice Of traveller. Inc
Alhambra flashed into my mind. St Au-
gustine boasts an age OF more than three
hundred and fifty years, which or ltseh
entities IL 10 much respect. and Of being
the oldest city in the Union. one OF us
streets, the st. George" appears den
tcally as il did three centuries ago, not
spoiled by improvement, as you think SO
many things have been. mother. l wish
you could have been with me; you Ike
old things so, and sometimes do not have
patience with new ones.
The artificial plaza. San PauTs Cathe-
dral, the Ponce de Leon. are all ancient
in style, but bearing the stamp OF modern
ism.
We entered the old street, barely wide
enough for our carriage 10 pass. The
houses are long, low, fiat-roofed, hanked
by gardens surrounded by high walls, all
built OF cochena and "A kind Of natural
shell concrete. The little windows were
sealed with heavy wooden shutters. we
climbed a ladder 70 peep into the garden
OF an uninhabited building. In it were
orange, psmegranite, and luNuriant fg-
trees. Passing through the city, so quiet,
we came 70 the ancient gate, where In
days long gone, at sundown, the gate
changed and the sentry stood in the little
stone box with a Sgilant eye for hostile
Indians, and stoically received the be-
lated citizen. who must remain without
until dawn. This is very much the same
who are behind-time St. Augustine was
never walled, as 1 have thought, but
flanked by a deep moat. which, con
Meeting with MantaZus river, protected
II from the land attacks of the Seminole
Indians. This old gate was the only egress
and ingress to the city. After looking at
II with reverence, we passed on 10 the
old fort San Marco, now Fort Marion.
1t is built OF the same gray shell compost.
We enter over the remains OF the old
draw-brldge and glance at the English
cannon-ball scars as we pass. II Is all
angles. running in a kind Of star. we
pass in. and again back three hundred
years. as we go down into the dungeons.
There are arches in solid masonry. dark
and damp, and on the walls are numerous
inscriptions in Spanish; also, marks where
the racks of the inquisition once stood.
In two iron cages were skeletons. and we
thought. oh. Spain. you are reaping the
fruits Of your cruelties, tottering now, and
soon 10 fall.
We go 10 the beach and then start for
camp. Lovingly, G.