The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-03

amused myself after uinncr pS counting
| tho canteens.
news that our brave and fearless General
Ashby has fallen on the field. but, THANK
God! lie whipped the Yankees alto pieces
nevertheless my heart grlcves for his
family and for his country. How can we
bear such q loss?
one of the loveliest characters OF those
anxious times. whose memory Is still
fresh IN the hearts Of the Wnrrentonians,
was the wife Of Col. Mosby, who died
about 1850. Although woman Of deep
religious fcrvor and exquisite gentleness
Of nature. Mrs. Mosby glorled In hT
husbands laredevltry. and is reputed to
hnva inspired many Of his most hazard.
Gus and successful exploits.
Mosby's Men.
Mosby men kept tho Yankees constantly
specializing, who naturally suspected that
every woman In the Piedmont region was
III league with his command. At one time
the estate Of Major Richard II. Garter.
In upper Fauquier was n stronghold OF
the rangers, which Infatuated the Fedcra ~.
against the Inhabitants. IT was war with
picturesque and romantic settlng! And
here II was that wonlanly valor found
heroic expression worthy of the Maid OF
Orleans When the Northern troops m
vaded this section, they threatened to np-'
ply the torch to this beautiful old home
Of the Carriers. whose occupants were un-
protected women and children. The Of
ficer in command had given the order to
fire the buildings, when the favorte
daughter Of the household, who had be-
come the wife Of the late lamonted At
torney-Gcneral r. Taylor Scott, took her
seat with her little boy In the parlor, and
calmly defed the enemy In these words:
well, my son, If they will burn this dear
old bone. we will perish In the flames.
Astonislled with admiration at such for
titude, the Yankee general cotultermnnded
the order.
The following Interesting bit of his
tory which reveals a genuine touch OF
pathos and pi1unint hunor, has recently
come TO light. It serves to Illustrate
very forcibly the deprivations endured
by tho women and children during that
period, and tho Spartan sacrifice and
versatility which was characteristic of
the Southern mother. 1t appears that
tho wives OF two officers Of the Federal
forces occupied rooms III the house OF a
gallant captain Of Confederate cavalry,
whu".had gone to tho front as practically
nil the men and boys OF Wnrrenton had
done, leaving behind young wives and
children. Zone day." to quote
verbatim the wife of this Virginia SOL
der while ] was lieart-stct and de-
pressed over my Impoverished condition,
| expressed the wish that could sell |
my hair. that might buy the neces-
stiles OF life for my seven little children.
sister In law md her two children, The
wife OF Northern army officer, who
was present remarked that she would |
buy 1t. what do you ask?'' she said.
y replied, Anything you will give mo-"
She then offered me ten dollars. took
ny scissors and cut it off, 1t mado two
ong braids. then said I would rather
ave n barrel of flour. whereupon she
secured it from the cnomS's commits
;ary. used onc-half OF the barrel to
make pies and biscuits. and realized
sixty dollars. A Yankee soldier re-
marked in my hearing. Your pastry is
lot very good l retaliated by saying,
or course not Do you suppose l
would make It good for you Yankees !
.ealizeG enough from that barrel Of flour
70 Take care OF my household all win
ter.
An Interesting Character.
An Interesting character, endowed with
brilliant mental powers was Mrs. Ma 1
tIlaa Sern.nss. who was Miss jenkins,
OF Charles county. Maryland, the aunt of
Admiral SeElnes and mother of the late
Thomas j. Se!nnles who served IN the
Senate and ranked as the
was Generals Mcdowell. Russell and
Sumner IN turn took possession OF the
nome Of her son-in-law at Warrenton for
staff headquarters, and 1t became q Gus
tom with the Old lady to visit the camps
and haransue the soldiers. She had dned
II the same table with Webster, Clay ana
and had been acquainted with
avery President from Monroe to Lincoln.
while personally she had entertained at
~ sy,C
Watkins Lee, Bob Toorrbs. Writ.
oinckney, Bayard, Alex. Stephens. and
,ther distinguished men OF the day. She
yas therefore well equipped to preach the
States rights both In the fine
fiction and with the clinching logic Of
hose giant debanrs AS the Alabama
vas at that time the mistress of the
seas, whose cruise was the topic of the
,our Mrs. Semmes had effective ammuni-
ion 10 fire at the Union soldiers in her
lhilipplcs, and many amusing anecdotes
IT her are still remembered. After one OF
Ter lectures, in moment of confidence.
the told her auditors that she had coop
If young chickens which q farmer had
,ivcn her, nnd warned them that If one
vas missing she would report the theft
o the commanding officer and have the
nlscrcant dismissed from the service.
Next morning Mcdowell and his staff
lad broilers for breakfast Later in the
Law. Mrs. Semmes received n courteously
,hrused note from headquarters thanking
Ter for her Virginia hospi,ality!
7, A Poet Laureate.
The poet laureate of Warrenton is Miss
Fanny Mari, whose pen has paid such
ender and graceful homage TO the spirits
If the Lost Cause. Her brother. Captain
John Quincy Mari. who commanded the
,yurrenton -.iilcs, was the first enlisted
soldier killed If battle on the Confederate
side His epitaph reads: Fell on June
|. 1871. a, Fairfax Court House. Upon the
threshold Of his native State this Vir-
sinan me, the invader and was the first
to fail for the rights of the South"
Prominent among Warrcnton's daugh-
tiers Of the Coonfelerucy Is Miss Mary
Smith, whose father Governor William
Smith, Richmond has honored with
monument, and whose brother the gal
LIANT Colonel Thomas Smith, was Chief
Justice OF Mexico during the Cleveland
AS one of the promoters
Of the Memorial lay custom in the South.
Miss Smith is widely known and es-