The Washington times., 1902-10-11

IomlIy WHO were BoOu people, ant
brought up the child with great tender
ness, and gave her (for the child wa,
q Crib a fine education. nave sine,
lost all trace Of her. but world GER
tainly like to meet her or hear from her
II she is the daughter of old man Hen.
ry. Of the Henry house. as stated in. tn,
newspaper account"
This interview contains so much error
that to one who knew "Old Man Henry
and the tragic connection Of the home
and the family with the civil war, It II
only ludicrous.
1t disables this story woefully to sub
tract from it. nrst. Mr.. Henry. who Wa
not killed in any battle. but died at the
ripe age Of seventy-six on June 30,
1898. The wife and baby must also b
relegated t the limbo Of fairy stories.
for "Old Man Henry" was notably a con-
firmed bachelor. who never married.
and therefore never left q months
old infant. Mr.. Henry had niece, Miss
Ida L. Henry. who resides in California.
But the fated Henry house did indeed
lend itself also to the bloody scene Of
the Second Battle, more than q year
after the memorable day whom all
Washington went on gay picnic to Wit.
ness the diverting spectacle Of chas-
tising the Southerners. and then-weut
back to Washington as best they could.
sauve quf peut-in the most riotous RIM
on record.
Positions Of armies were curiously re-
versed in August. 1862. the plateau
around the Henry house being occupied
by the Federal Generals Sykes and Roy
nolds. who had assisted as subordinate
officers in the effort to dislodse the Con-
federates. July n, 1861. and now them-
selves withdrew under cover of dark.
ness before the Confederate General
Longsteet, after a desperate fight.
The Henry house was rebuilt not long
after the war. "Old Man Henry" after
career Of forty years as teacher, re.
tired. as has been already said, to pasa
the evening Of his life on the spot where
tragic events had made 1t a possession
of the nations history, and given him Z
heritage Of bitter memory.
For a time the old gentleman gave hin
time and the freedom Of the place to
the many visitors who came from ey-
erywhere to view the famous battle.
field; but. being of very limited means.
yielded finally to the advice OF friends,
at whose suggestiSr he charged a fee
for admission and .'peronally conducted"
inspection Of the ground.
The property is now rented and oc-
cupied by veteran of the Union army
an Iowa soldier.
The notable points Of interest to vis-
itors are the grave of Judith Henry.
mentioned. and the monu-
ment erected near the dwelling by the
troops and dedicated June II,
1865, bearing the inscription:
In memory of the Patriots who fell at Bull
Run, July 21. 1861.
1t is said that Mr.. Henry refused an
offer of $4,000 for his farm. the offer
being made. 1t is believed, by Northern
parties.
1t would seem that the National Gov
s.nment should own the Bull Run bat
tleheld, including the historic Henry
house. Wrapped in classic memories,
The little house seems most unnaturally
TO remain in private hands while it is 9
standing wonder that a monument erect
ed to commemorate those who fell in
battle should stand on ground the title
10 which is vested In a private name- !
A petition. or memorial" to Con- I
,ress was last year laid before thoi
zouse Of Representatives by Hon. John ,
;. R.xey, in which the memorialist sets
orth the facts at full length most elo-
uently, and prays that the Government
take the proper steps to acquire tbs .
title to the land and so much (
( the adjacent country as will enable
he people of the United States, and .
ourists from abroad studying our his (
ory, to view the said battlefield with ,
ut trespasing upon private property"
The memorialist who thus voices the
sntiment held by many persons Is Mr..
Gorge Carr Round, himself an ex-Un-
N soldier, who has been a resident Of
Ianassas for over thirty years.
In 1892. when the encampment Of the
rand Army of the Republic was held
Washington city. the battlefield was
,e Mecca of the delegated hosts. After
,reful veriication Of the spots on the
cid, where notable incidents occurred,
,e Grand Army placed over them COM
lemorative tablets with the following
scriDtions:
Colonel Cameron WAS killed here July
= n, 1851
Lieutenant Ramsay, CT Ricketts, Bat
terry. was killed here. July 21. 1861.
Here Jackson wns wounded and got
the title Of ''stonewall.
General Bee was killed here, July Il,
1851.
Colonel Barlow was killed here. July
q. 1851
Colonc, Thomis. of Joseph E. john
ston's staff, was killed here. July 81,
1851.
Colonel Fisher. of the Sixth North
Carolina Regiment. was killed here,
July 81, 1861.
Lieutenant Mangum, OF the sixth
North Carolina Regiment. was killed
here, July o. 1861.
Location of the cavalry charge ON the
Fire Zouaves.
Wade Hampton was wounded here.
July 81, 1861.