The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-09
MANASSAS#III. {
Veteran Who Saw Manoeuvres

wi axes LS83NOlnpaIlSOn.R
The following story, taken from the
Atlanta Constitution, is not exactly Cons
federate history, but it 81 Is mot out OF
place in ouri Confederate Column:
OF the thousands Of soldiers and civil
ian visitors at Manassas last week, there
were few who enjoyed themselves. more
than Conptroller-G eneral William a.
Wright. III 30
For him 1t was a revival Of old mem
cries, some sweet AID pleasant and others
sad, as well2as Il pleasant outing. In the
old days when the lighting round Ma.
nassas was Of a-sterners sort than the
mock business Of tho other day. Colonel
Wright was there and on that bloody
Il limb.
And after being thus wounded. as told
in yesterdays Constitution, he spent
many happy days growing strong again
as the guest III "a charming Southern
homo near by There were fair hands and
willing hearts to minister to- tho wounded
soldier then and q smiling garden adj
joining that home, Wherein the SCARED
warrior could lie beneath spreading trees
and inhale the odorous breath OF roses
while lie waited for n return of strength.
During his Visit OF last week Colonel
Wright renewed some OF these old ac-
quaintances. His fair nurse. the bloom Of
youth stolen from her check blythe in
tervening years, was still there to greet
him. but others Of her family We're alb
sent. The passing, years hug claimed them
and theirs was the absence 4 eternity, Z
And yet, witlal, it was q. happy visit
Perhaps there hovcred over the old home
d sacred shade Of melancholy LAID there
BY the stormy. terrible days Of old, but
that was nlore.a holy peace and tender
ness than Il present. aching grief, And
though the old battlefield echoed with
the rattle Of rifles and the roar tof cans
non, as OF old, It was mimic war, and IN
! the camor and dust the spirit Of peace
| spread her glad wings. S
All these things combined to mako the
/, visit delightful for Colonel Wright. The
/, present and the pastywcre woven and In
| terwoyen III one, charming whole. and
when the Comptroller-General appeared
! at Ills desk in the Capitol yesterday
| morning ho was brimful or Manassas
! memories and anecdotes.
cit was Just such weather III 1867 when
| we marched into that country" Ito said,
"The heat was something frlghtful and
! tho dust, pale, yellowsh dust, was thick
on tho trees and grass the caisons and
| tho uniform OF tho men Just as It was
when we assembled there forty-two years
ago determined to capture Washington.
I The old scene WAS as vivid IN my
| memory MS tho last one Is now, andA1
| vas struck by the snmcncss. outwardly,
! OF the two. The faces OF the soldiers en-
| gaging in MIMIC warfare We're begrimed
| and brown Just as our faces We're. Tho
powdery dust lay just rs thick OH then
uniforms and was sprnkled all over tho
| landscape. There were tho same tracks
| OF many feet, the same long sinuous lines
nude by lie gun wheels. the same strng-
IN
I and then on the dusty tuimpikcs. 1t was
| the Manassas OF war days over again as
1! though some one had painted picture OF
| the old scene.
There has bceih little change In tho
! country round about. and everywhere
| saw well remembered houses and other
| objects. didn't got to the spot whore !
| WAS wounded, THAT was TWO miles nill
ismorc away from Thoroughfarc Gap,
4 where General Corbin's headquarters
| were ana 1t was almost impossible 70 se..
| cure conveyance. Every horse una mule
! in AL that country was simply tagged
out AM, worked to death. They We're tho
! wear!est looking lot Of cqulnes I've seen
! in many y year.
| THAT the scene had familiar memories
J for others besides myself was evidenced
1 by an Incident that happened one day
1 during the munneuYres. General Bell,
commander OF the I3rowns, ordered up q
/ battery at Iiaymnrket station. &. point
| jackson occupied for time. This bat
| fiery came up on the run, lmbcrsd up
ana began booming away Tho first shot
4 had Scarcely ceased echoing when a
| grizzled old veteran hobbled up, shont-
4 ing to General Bell, who sat on his
| horse nearby:
1 ''If you hold the place like Jackson
did once gin'ral, all hell can't drive YOU
4 Out. NE
''rhere WAS one circumstance about
tho manocnvres that amused mo. Tint
| Was the fact that people residing IN the
4! Yicn.tS' of The nlanoeuNrcs grounds, all
thought the Blue army was made nj Oh,
tlrcly Of northern troops and the Hrowl
army made up ~ Soatherners entirely
/ This mistake lead to sonla cosnical be
4 sharior on the part Of the residents o.
h the surrounding country When sol
der stopped at a form house for q drink
OF water, for iifformat!o, OF, for am
X other ptlruDEe. tile uprupauts of the hClIS.