Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-10-01
ON THE BATTLE-LlNE
VISIT TO FIELDS MADE FAMOUS
DURING THE REBELLION.
Gettysburg As II Is and As 1t Was
When Meade and Lee Met Tn r
Bloody Antietsm--Historic HarpeTs
Ferry--Scenss About Frederieks-
buro That Recall tn Big Fights

: Ever see a Jim Crow carr They
are for the accommodation of eolored
passengers. They are peculiar to the
South. Up North here the negro rides
in the same coach as the white, If be
J has the price. Different customs pre-.
t vail below Mason 4 DiXon's line. There
the color line is drawn-right IN the
middle OF a train, if you please. The
whites have their cars, the negroes
theirs, and there is not the least mix
ing up among passengers, whatever
the proyocation.
An amusing incident came to our
notice while the Richmond, Fredericks-
burg and Potomac passenger train was
making up in the Pennsylvania station
at Washington (the station, by the
way, in whose waiting room President
Garfield was shot down by Guiteau.)
The white day coach--so desig-
mated by a cardboard sign inside-was
more than crowded. The aisles were full
We could look into the "Colored" car
ahead and see plenty Of vacant seats.
We got impatient. finally, an irritat-
ed pater familias, whose small brood
were cllnging to his legs and squirm-
inc about, remarked in an expressive
way that "he didn't care q = for the
niggers; he was going TO sit down,
and led his flock into the Jim Crow
quarters. We watched 10 see what
would happen. II wasn't a minute be-
| fore trainman "shooedn the party
out, very warm under the collar. And
didn't the darkies grin to see the "su-
periorn whites turned out Of their car
On this road, at least, there is no
difference In quality between the cars.
The "Coloredn car is as good as the
"Whiter-Gntil the sign goes up. The
day coaches, of both kinds, are divided
and one end used as a smoker. Even
the soothing influence OF the weed
doesn't bridge the race gap. However,
the division seems satisfactory % both.
Even q Northern negro worshipper
naturally grayitates toward the
White car, in preference TO the |
other.
It is a two hours ride to Fredericks- |
burg, following most OF the way the I
Potomac as it widens into an arm Of /
the Chesapeake. IL is fashionable 10 1
rave about the beauties Of this locality.
but we couldn't see them. The country /
Is low and fiat, mostly, the streams are
a muddy OoZe with odor TO match. On
our way down we caught a glimpse Of
the flying machine that Prof. Langley
is trying to introduce TO its proper ele-
ment, II rested on house boat out in
the Potomac. Thus far il has shown
decided preference for swimming, In
stead OF flying.
Long before the grim guns of Union
and Confederate hurled their defiance
at each other across the Rappahannoek
between stafford Heights and Maryes
Heights, southwest Of Fredericksburg.
this locality possessed historic interest.
George Washington was born and
reared on plantation opposite Fred
and little below the town.
His mother spent her whole life aud
died there, and You can visit a lofty
marking her resting place
within plain sight. Ii Is said that the
old lady's uncleanly ways and habit OF !,
smoking clay pipe discouraged her /.
1onored son from taking her to Mount !
y ernon after he married the rich and i
Widow GUSTS, though he !
amply provided for her wants here.
Fredericksburg has grown consider /
lbly since the war. II is the most inn :
1ortant station between Alexandria !,
md Richmond, from each of which il /,
5 about equi-distant. Il lies at head y
layigation on the Rappahannoek and =
erYes as depot for water shipment i
or the back country. There are also
ONE mill and factories. The popula- !
ion number about 5000, of whom prob. !,
bly, one-hali are blacks. So large a !.
roportion Of negroes looks odd 10 a !
'orthern Yankee. The more numer- !,
us they become the more striking are i
heir characteristics boofiack y
rama, such puffy lips, such shamb- =
ng gaits, such kinky hair, such CLEAN. :
lg eyes and teeth. But they are all hap !
J and interesting TO observe-from a =
tile distance. =
We inquired as to the locality of =
ne battlefield and were directed half a Il
Tile or so 70 the southwest, in direc- \
on away from the river. Ii is built II
Z now almost the entire distance "a i.
ne Federal cemetery. which occnpies
ne Knoll Of the famous Marye's 4
.elghts, where two bloody fights oc. :,
1rred, one in December, 1862. when :;
urnside undertook to dislod0e lee !,
al JAILED mourniully, the other in -
lay OF the next year when Sedgwick :.
nd the sixth Corps CALAMITY carried =.
he position during Hooker's disas- -
Gus OnancellOrsyille movement
Entering at the cemetery gate. we :.
.et with good fortune in finding the n
lperlntendent at leisure and onite y,
opposed 70 show US about. explain me y
ittles aud point out the objects 81 IN "
rest. his gentleman. by the way. + !. y
Massachusetts Yankee, transplanted ~
Minnesota, who served in a teoi- -
eht from the latter state. and fou6bt -
Doth engagements here al Bred ~ I.
leksburg. He hasn't an ABIDING az p
ctlon Tor the people among whom he -
now called to dwell and whose fra y. ~
.tlons are so different from his own "a
e says they are not Reconstructed and e
nat Is worse, "they don't want ~ ~ ~
Z. As an evidence OF their septi. ~
ent ne says i is very unusual to see ~
Z american dag displayed In Fred ~
= WI