The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-10-15
WAR STORIES.
The Field Of Bull Run as it Appears Today:
Seen by a n orthern Man.

the thing which imprcs sed them most
was the new meaning they acquired Of
roads and "turnpikcs. When they
had read in their historical works of
the Warrcnton pike or the Ccntrcvillc
road, they had pictured an English
highway on which soldiers might
march in company front: when they
came to sec the actual Virginia roads
OF fame, their conception Of our war
underwent one decided change.
The difficulties in getting at a place
Of this kind afford the chief discour-
agement for its purchase by the Gov
ernment for park military purposes.
1t is rather heroic trip, for short
one, even, to get from Washington,
the nearest city to Bull Run; train
connections are such that it must be
made with great expedition to get
back into the city early on the same
day. or else with delay into evening
before starting back. Locally, Of
course, the nationalizing of the farm
would be great advantage, and per-
haps when the electric trolley reaches
this town from Washington such a
park might make an objective point
for good many tourists; but. even
then, why does not the present fifty
cent arrangement fairly answer most
purposes?
1t is an interesting question how
attentive students the generations of
the future will be Of The detailed mill
tary movements Of the Civil War. A
few Fundamental facts about Bull Run
Will survive with all well-informcd
people. The railroad junction reach
ing dangerously near Washington,
which the Confcdcrates desired to keep
open, will remain and its part in pro-
voking the contest will be remember
ed. The sensational effects which the
news Of the first defeat produced on
the North cannot be dissociatcd from
popular recollection. The singular
coincidence by which two oonsidcra-
bic battles were fought on the same
ground, the second one more than a
year after, but with lines absolutely
reversed, the Federals holding terri
tory which the Confederates had held
in the earlier engagement, will always
give the field an added interest. But
beyond these things, how many of the
generations now unborn are going 10
care to know where this mans divis-
ion came in and another's regiment
dashed forth? This is the chief criti.
cism of the detailed marking of our
great battlefield parks.
While its language will still be un-
derstood, most of the facts and terms
recorded will be little moro than hier.
oglyphics to the distant future. An
exception should, Of course, be made
of students of strategy, Of military
critics and of the really painstaking
readers Of American history.
Still the plans Of Mr.. George z.
Round, who has this battlefield pro.
ject in charge, are by no means elab-
crate. He says:
Il think the land should be kept
exactly as it now is, and substantially
as it was before the war, with the ex-
cep,ion Of two or three convenient
roadways and some fencing Of per-
manent character. If possible to do
moro | suggest FROM 50 to 100 perma-
nent tablets, in lieu Of the wooden
ones erected by the Grand Army com.
mittee In 1892 These would give all
the information ordinarily sought by
visitors.
Il also suggest two steel towers, one
on Henry Hill and another on Doug
lass Hill, from which tourists could
easily see the two lines Of railroad
sud their junction at Manassas, Fair
fax Courthouse, Centreville Heights
and the whole valley Of Bull Run
from Sudley TO Union Mills; the bat
tlefelds of Blaokburn's Ford and
Chantilly; the location of Fits John
Porter column and Of two battles of
Bristow Station; Thoroughfare Gap,
Hopewell Gap and the whole length
Of Bull Run range; to the north could
be seen the vicinity of Balls Bluff,
the outlines OF the Potomac Valley
aud beyond the Sugarloaf Mountain
and the adjacent hills Of Maryland; to
the southwest would be seen Warren
ton, the outlines of the Rappahannook
Valley and far beyond the Blue Ridge
for more than hundred miles. In
fact, theowhole strategy Of the cam
no;cna of'61 $50 oDd '62 cnuld ha yoad