The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-11-12
A TOWN IN VIRGINIA.
FREDERICKSBURG RICH IN HIS
TORiC MEMORIES.
tragedy of Marye's Hill Where 1000
Northern Soldiers Were Sacrificed to
Burnside's Mad Attempt to Storm
Lees I~mpregnabIe Position. q

Like Zoar of old, Fredericksburg,
Va, is but a little city,"and yet in his
toric memories and associations it is
great beyond the million-peopled COM
mercial centers of our land, says the
New York Post.
1t lies in a green valley, upon the
Rappahannock, which, after its spray
crowned leap over the great falls above
the town, foams and RACES round green
and rocky islets and rushes swiftly
seward under the long bridges. 1t is
a rapid, turbid, yellow river, in strong
contrast with the broad, placid Poto-
mac-a little river, flowing past a lit
tie town-and yet in the course of each
are found wild whirlpools and danger
Gus rapids, but at the last peace.
In 1903 Capt. John Smith sailed up
the .Rappahannock, and had a fierce
fight with the Indians just where the
town now stands, and in 1875 a fort
was established close at hand by Maj.
Laurence Smith-probably the founda-
ton of Falmouth, for this settlement is
about fifty years older than Fredericks-
burg, which was founded in 1927, and
named in honor of Prince Frederick,
the father of George III.
The great man of the town during it's
infancy vas Col. Harry Willis,of whom
it is related that he wooed three maid
ems who rejected him, but later in life
married him as widows. When his
second wife died, her cousin, Mildred
Washington, then the widow Gregory,
wept immoderately. When asked why
she showed such excessive grief for the
loss of her cousin, she replied:
1T is not only for my cousin that l
weep, though l loved her fondly, but
l know nov that old Harry Willis will
what to do with him.
In spite of her tears, however. she
became Mrs. Willis, and, W. trust, was
easily reconciled to her fate.
Another historic courtship took
place about this time. Lady Spotswood,
widow of the great governor of Vir-
ginia, was wooed by a clergyman nam
ed Thompson. Personally the reverend
gentleman was acceptable to her, but
she found it hard to make up her mind
to become plain Mrs. Thompson after
having enjoyed a title and high station
for so many years. Nothing daunted,
the parson wrote her a love letter
which still exists and is certainly I'M
ique. With infinite pains he quotes
verse otter verse of holy writ, connect
ing them by a lengthy and convincing
argument whereby he proved that so
far from descending from her high es-
tate she would rather rise to one more
exalted In becoming the wife of him
who held an honorable position in
the heavenly court. Thus exhorted,
the lady yielded, and was speedily ad-
vanced to the rank of the Rev. Mrs.
Thompson.
A glance into the annals of Freder-
icksburg establishes the astonishing
fact that for some years after the set
Element the only physician was a Mrs.
Livingstone, who is spoken of by a
contemporary historian as "a gentle
woman that was a notable female doc
%tress," who cured rattlesnake bites
with Oriental bezoar and dittany. and
did double duty by keeping a coffee
house as we'll. st. Georges vestry paid
this lady a salary in tobacco for her
attendance upon the parish poor.
But Hugh Mercer was the Freder-
icksburg physician to whom all hearts
rendered loving homage. He was
born and educated in Scotland; was
appointed assistant surgeon in the ar
my, and, like many other loyal Scots
men, fled to America after the battle
of Culloden. He settled in Fredericks-
burg, and his house still stands on the
corner of Caroline and Amelia streets
small and transformations, as best
suited its owners modest character
When the Indian wal of 1855 broke out
he unhesitatingly left his large prac,
tice and accepted a captains commits
sion under Washington.
After this war Mercer returned
home and resumed his practice till the
outbreak of the revolution once more
called him to arms. 1t is related that
when applications were being made or
every side for commissions in the ar
my, Mercer sem a note to the speaker
of the house of Burgesses containine
these words:
Hugh Mercer will serve his adopted
country and the cause of liberty in am
rank or station to which he may be
appointed.
He was given the command of three
regiments, which became models of dis.
cipline. Just before the battle O
Princeton he said: "We are not engag.
ed in a war of ambition. l have one
object in view-the success of the
cause God can witness how cheer.
fully l would lay down my life to Sc.
cure it."
A few hours later he fell, mortally
wounded, fighting to the last with ex
treme gallantry. He lies in Chris
churchyard, Philadelphia.
In the crowd of memories aroused BY
the name OF Fredericksburg two arr
dominant-that of the oma who
with firm but tender hand, guided the
childhood and nodded the character O.
the greatest of our countrymen; ant
of the civil wal contest, where men O.
equally, indomitable courage, will
equally, strong convictions of the sa,
credness of their cause, met in one O
the most bloody battles of modern
days. 1t is said that within a radiu,
of twelve square miles around Fred
ericksburg more battles have beer
fought than in any other spot of thu
size in the whole world. Yet on ;