The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-21
HISTORIC ARENA OF WAR
SCENES AMID WHICH TWO GREAT
ARMIES BArTLED FOUR YEARS.
spots from which the Confederate
Army Came Forth and Closed i'm
Bloody Graphic with Its Foes

conductor announced 'Gordonsvillc. TO
the two or three veterans who sat IN the
smoking room OF the Pullman exchanging
"reminiscences OF years ago the announce
ment aroused vivid recollections OF years
so distant that all OF them had grown ola
with their passing. "GordOnsviile' here
was frequently the center Of Lees opera
lions. Hidden and fank-protected by the
Blue Ridge, Lee marched backward and
forward on the west side Of these mis-
From there he launched his thunderboits
into Maryland IN September, 1852, when
eliminated in Gettysburg in July, lSeS-
From this point Lee sent forth those orders
which poured his veterans through the
well-known passes Of the Blue Ridge to bal
ne and beat back the over-confident Pope
in August, 1852. During the fail OF lS'5'
after Cettysburg. Lee. behind the curtain
OF the hills, played hide and seek with
Meade. both anxious for a decisive battle,
but each afraid take the risk
The train passes eastward to the other
slope of the hills and into the arena where
more men marched and countermarched
for a longer period than in any other por-
ton Of the country during the war. For
three years IL bore every mark Of wars
fan upon a land without war-a desolation
which s-seeps away houses, bridges Tor
ests. leaving In ruin that which armies
cannot destroy. Even the verdure OF the
fields Is poisoned by the tramp Of the
armies Two winter camps OF the Army
of the Potomac swept away all the forests
and left II a desert. In all this region east
ward To Washington, for miles on either
side of this line of railroad, there are few
acres that have not been the camping
places Of troops.
Here Is the Rapidan." said one of the
veterans. A small stream of water to-day
of which no one speaks, but to 1t the eyes Oh
the country were turned at two PERIODS
OF the war. 1t was crossed by tederai
troops for the last time when Grant hung
his columns across it to fight the blooIy
battles Of the Wilderness and Spottsyl-
vania III was this Rapidan which IL was
suggested to Grant. after the second day Oh
the Wilderness, he had better recroSS 10
be out of harms way, and when cahed
forth the notable declaration: 1--WE Will
fight IL out on this line If 1t takes all sum-
mer." 1t was in this vicinity that Meade
halted after the Gettysburg campaign
The train rushed past station, but not
so quickly that did not read the
name, "Culpeper" Here 1t was that Grant
first met Meade. and the Army of the Po-
tcmac gazed with something more than
curiosity at the silent. unostentatious sol
der with a smaller staff than a brigade
commander. Soon Brandy Station was
whirled past. 1t is of no account now, but
in 1852 and 1863 how often these names ap-
peared in the newspapers.
BRISTOE STATION.
soon the train halted at Bristoe Station.
About it lounged a few rather dilapidated
white men, while others sat on the benches
scarcely noting the arrival-a slothfulness
not peculiar to Virginia, but to too many
villages IN the North. On those benches
the affairs of the Nation are discussed.
Some of the occupants must nave peeh
Confederate soldiers. In a field near by Is
the only sign of industry-a negro plowihg
with a pair of slow-moving mules. Colorea
women appear with fried chickens, short
cake and pitchers Of milk, who seem to be
taking in all the money in that section:
~ do not remember 10 have seen any
chickens here when Pope ran US up and
down about here in August, 1867, was the
quiet remark Of one. THAT day Pope flung
US upon the best part of Lees army, ad-
yancing, under the misrepresentation that II
was a part of it retreating. We had no
time TO look for chickens.
The veterans went TO the platform and
one of them said that those cuts were occu-
pied by the Second Corps. in October, 1862,
. in great haste, the rest OF the army hav-
ing left 1t TO its fate through some misap-
prehension OF orders and was marching for
dear life TO Centerville 10 get there before
Lee. who had no thought OF seizing IT. AS
the rebel army came up said the Second
Corps man, I'VE beat off its leading bril-
gades in fine shape, but as night fell the
whole Confederate army confronted US and
a broad sun was at our backs. If Lee had
fallen upon US he could have destroyed the
Second Brigade, but he imagined that all
OF Meades army was III the vicinity. Soon
after dark word was passed along, almost
in whispers, to move. and TO move so ST.
lently that there would not be the rattle
of a lineup upon cartridge box. We passed
so near Lees outposts that we could hear
the men talk. Long before day We had
crossed the run and Lee had lost an oppor-
tunity."
BULL RUN.
Here is Bull rum" said another, pointing
TO a rather sluggish stream. fifty or sixty
yards WlOe ana quite deep. Nndt d IaleIul
stream it was. and yet it is not named on
the railroad maps, probably because the
enterprise OF the publishers of railroad
maps lind more profit in heralding caverns
IN the distance. in large letters to the curl
osity seekers We are now the plains of
Manassas-upon which two battles were
fought. If the first Bull run could be called
a battle.
Were you in the first battle of Bull
rum" asked one veteran OF another.
Not exactly was the reply. but was
IN The skedaddle TO Washington"
A year later, real battle was fought by
a disciplined army, but it was lost by the
incapacity and misunderstanding OF lead
ers. For two years this was unlucky and
unfortunate ground for the Union
army. People who did not under
stand IL sneered at the Army of
the Potomac. They did not note its
valor. as marked by its shocking battle
losses. Blunders of leaders were attributed
70 that splendid army. So spoke one of the
veterans OF that past. and a wrathful look
came over his face as he thought of the
injustice. and of such bloody fields as
Manassas, Fredericksburg and Chancel-
r<.rex an Of