The times., 1898-07-10
OLD SCENES IN VIRGINIA.
The Experiences of an Observing OF

The Experiences OF an Observing Of
fieer at Camp AIger.
81 have been making discoveries since
| have been at Camp Alger.'' said a
| lieutenant who is assigned to staff duty
and has ample leisure. a good horse and
every opportunity to pursue objects of
| historic interest. 81 was nightly pleas
| ed when | found myself in the Old Do
| minion, which has been the scene of
| strife in every war since Capt. John
| Smith entered Chesapeake Bay. At this
| moment we stand not far from Brad
| docks line of march in his last fatal pur-
| suit of the crafty red man. In the War
| of the Revolution the sons of Virginia
! fought at home as well as farther North,
| and in the second war with England the
| British column that captured the city of
| Washington and burned the Capitol were
| almost in sight of this spot, near which
were camped both Federals and Coufed-
erats in the civil war. To ride few
| miles in any direction from this camp is
to see enough to inspire and American
| soldier
| In morning ride few days ago.
| passed d clump of trees near the village
| of Dover and learned that the house
| which was once shaded 10y the trees had
| been the home of the hero of Coopers
novel, 'TheSpy.' He was Sergt Champe,
! In the command of Light Horse Harry
| Lee But for the use Cooper made of an
| incident in his career, all memory OF his
| existence would have died away. That he
| did not perform deed to make hisl name
| live in nations recollections was the
| fault of circumstances alone. An out
| line of his story is surely worth giving
| In this daJ of heroic events. At that
time public feeling was infiamed by the
| appalling treachery or Benedict Arnold
| and people would not listen to the sug-
| gestion of leniency toward Major Andre.
| Many who were near to Washington and
| usually swayed his opinions insisted that
| the spy should be executed. Washington
| was more kindly disposed toward the
| young EngliShman, but he knew the peo-
| pie in and out of the army would be
| satisfied with nothing else than the death
| of Andre, unless they could have Arnold
| himself hanged.
! 1T was partly to appease the reasonable
| demand of the people and partly because
| he was reluctant 10 hang the lesser Of
! fender. while the greater enjoyed the
fruits of his perfidy. that Washington
| conceived. the Idea of kidnapping Arnold
| and hanging him. He asked Col Lee If
| there was a man in his command capable
| of wrestling Arnold from the British and
| bringing him into the American lines.
| explaining that II would be necessary for
| the man to appear as deserter from the
| American army in order to get within
| the British lines. Lee knew the man.
provided he could be induced TO assume
| the role of a deserter. which was par
| ticularly obnoxious, because of Arnold s
| infamy. The man was Sergt. Champe
| and he was far from respectful when
a~T,Fy, i
| initiate Arnold in appearance. Finally,
| however, he entered into the scheme with
| enthusiasm. The next morning he stole
| the best horse in camp and fed. The
| discovery was made at roll call and his
| late companions were furious that their
ranks should be disgraced by such a
| deserter. They mounted horse and fol-
| lowed the fleeing sergeant with such ar
| dor as 10 endanger his life and the sue
[ cess of the scheme. The sergeant, delayed
by some accident on the way, was nearly
| overtaken before he reached the shore
OF the Hudson. and but for the superior
quality of his horse would have been
seized and hanged or else shot in the
saddle His raging pursuers were in full
sight when he leaped from his horse and
plunged into the river and the bullets
of the Americans struck the water about
his head as he swan to the nearest
British ship.
"Champe was enlisted in the British
army, and in a short time had induced
two of the kings soldiers. by the prom
ise of a rich reward, TO aid him in carry
ing off the traitor who was hardly less OBJ
noxious to the English than to the Amer
leans. night was appointed for the ex-
ecution of their plan and there was every
prospect of success, when a sudden order
came to embark under Arnold for the
ravaging of the coast Of Chesapeake Bay
Finding no other opportunity. Champe es-
capped and rejoined his company. AS he
entered the camp in the charge of a SEN
try his former comrades cried out for q
rope and declared their purpose to hang
him. They refused to listen to him ant
Were making themselves very unpleasant
when Col. Lee came on the scene and ex
planned.
Il have found a number of histori,
J buildings about which / had never reaC
anything and about which even the ma
tive Virginians seem to know little
There are three hotels in particular. with
in a ride of 20 miles, that are associated
with great or interesting events There
are two in Alexandria that are worth
visit from the curious. OF course til.
boys In camp know of the Marshal
House. on King Street. in which Col. Ellis
worth, the first soldier victim OF the ciyi
war, met his dramatic death. The bod,
|
| have been placed in the White House il
state, He was virtually member of Mr.
Lincon's household. The ground foo
of this hotel has been changed into
store and outside stairs lead up to tn,
second floor. The other hotel is on a sid
street, nearer the river. and within
square OF King Street. This is the Brad
dock House. 1t is very decrepit but 1t Il
still evident that in its day ii was th
big hotel of this section. The wide door
way opens into an office room larger thar
many in Washington. The floor is patch
ed. sunken and infirm. The young maj
who answered my knock was not clothed
| in the uniform of the modern hotel EN-
ploye, and could tell me nothing of tn,
history of the building, into which l haC
wandered entirely by accident. From th'
| office wide door leads to a rear verandi
! that creaks and bends under a man.
| weight Here is a small court, on tn
other side of which, as part of the no
tel is the stone front of a colonial house
the door of which is not to be reached
because of the truck that fills the court
1t is solid-looking building with an elab
crate doorway, shut in from the worl
and the light of the sun, and stained
damp and messy. This fine specimen o
colonial architecture. / learned later, i
the house in which Gen Braddock lived
and had his headquarters. 1t was from
here he started out his last expedition an
here was left the heavier personal prop
erty articles that he was induced to par
with.
1.-THE other old hotel with historic as
sociations of a less painful nature 4
also in what may be called the Noun