The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1905-04-13
In the "OId Dominion"
Editor KEMpRR HERALD:

Mr.. g. G. Matthews, in Loudon
County, Va, and thought proba.
bly, an account thereof might
prove of interest to your readers.
/ lett Meridian OH the 10th of
December, in company with Hon.
Adam M. Byrd and his family,
who were on their way to Wash
'ington. / will always appreciate
their kindness to me on this trip.
Mrs. Mary Byrd was a Miss Gul-
ly, a member OF one of the oldest
and most respected families in
Kemper, and one which is noted
for making everybody feel pleas
ant and at home; she being a
grand daughter of old "Uncle"
Phil Gully, could not be other
wise than kind. .
Arriving at Washington the
morning Of December 18th, /
took the train for Leesburg, Va,
the old historic town that | have
heard my father and mother
speak SO much about, where the
battle of Balls Bluff was fought
lin which my father participated
My cousin Charlie Matthews,
whom l had never seen, met me
at the train, helped me into a
sleigh (the first l had ever seen),
and we drove to his home, a dis
lance of ten miles, which we made
in about an hour. It was a very
cold day, but I didn't suffer from
cold in the least; | enjoyed the
ride, and the ringing OF sleigh
bells.
found my uncle's family to
be "a very fine family, and such
pleasant people. 1t was a source
of pleasure to me to visit the
home, and the same house, that
my mother was reared in; and
to see the old mill that my grand
father used to run fifty to sixty
years ago-and it is still in use.
And SO much pleasure to me to
meet with m mothers old
friends, whom she knew when a
school girl; and to see the school
building where she spent SO many
hours.
/ spent several days at the
home OF MIR. John Cochran, at
Land Mark, Va. He is seventy
eight years OF age, and / listened
with interest while he told OF his
aud my mothers childhood days.
And little did l think that |
would ever walk the soil that my
father trod during the war. |
went to the ground where my
fathers regiment (the 18th Miss
had camped, and I also visited
the grounds near OAKLAND where
the 18th Mississippi regiment had
camped. I was in the Benton
Institute, which is near my un
cle's, and which was used as an
hospital during the war.
/ had the pleasure OF visiting
the old mansion of President
Monroe. It is owned now by
Senator Henry Fairfax, a son Of
the Gen. Fairfax who was Gen.
Longstreet's Adjt.. General dur
ing the civil war. The home is
beautiful. The place is well kept,
aud the house is open tor sight
seers. I also saw the burial vaults
OF Mrs. Monroe and her daugh-
ter, whose remains were moved
to Richmond two years ago. 1t
would seem that Senator Fairfax
spends a great deal of time and
money in keeping up the place,
and is constantly making i'm
provements. The tenement and
out houses resemble a small town
The farm is a large one, and is
comparatively level. 1t is used
principally now Tor a stock farm.
They keep no stock but the best
breeds. In passing through the
farm I saw, | suppose, two hun
dred or more blooded horses. |
suppose that they had herds OF
the different breeds of blooded
cattle.
I was at Aide a number OF
times, a small town. have heard
my father and mother speak OF
quite often, and saw the building
where my brother, DR.. J. E. Tins
ley, attended school.
I also saw the battle field
where Gen. Stewart decoyed Gen.
Pleasanton and his forces into a
lane at the cross. roads Zone mile
from my uncle's), ambushed and
annihilated them.
I also visited Middleburg and
the cemetery in which my Grand
mother Matthews and other rela-
tives rest. Middleburg is one OF
thu ancient towns OF Loudon
County.
Cousin Belle Matthews and
spent three weeks at Landmark,
and visited the homes of the