Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-07-23

the way. One reads: ITO Bull Run,
three miles" The legend on another
is: "To Chantilly, four miles," A
third is inscribed ITO Aldie, IL
miles," The fourth points the way to
Fairfax courthouse seven miles away.
Centerville is not a stirring place. 1t
does not feel single busy throb. If
ever village was killed in battle, it
was Centerville. To-day it bears
wounds and scars. Bullet-pitted walls
and shot-riven trees, sunken graves
and vine-veiled redoubts may be seen
here.
A dozen houses compose the village.
Rusty cannon ball and shell, har.
vested from the old camps and the
at tree trunks, and in some fence cor.
ners, though many of these relic piles
have been sold for old iron and tons
of war metal have been converted
into implements of peace per
haps literally into plow-shares. There
are no houses in Centerville in
which gun barrels, shattered gun
stocks, broken swords, distorted
bayonets, tarnished belt buckles
and dented canteens are not used
as ornaments. Shrapnel and cannis-
ter rest on tall mantelpieces over cav
ernous fireplaces.
There is road which, beginning at
the south shore of the Potomac river
opposite Washington, leads to the
west. Six miles along this way is
Falls Church, town of much history,
but most of whose historic features
have been overwhelmed by saw, ham,
mer, progress and new comers. Seven
miles further along this road is Fair.
fax courthouse, where the first confed-
crate soldier killed in action was slain.
Seven miles further on is Centerville,
and the fields Of the first and second
battles of Bull Run stretch away to
the west.
Perhaps there was no regiment in
the Union army of Virginia, the army
of the Potomac or the army of north
ern Virginia that did not march and
| fight along this highway. The stones
| in this road were worn by the feet of
the hosts of Mcdowell, Pope, Burnside,
Meade, Kearney and Porter, Lee, Jack
son. Beauregard, Longstreet, Stuart
and hundreds of other soldiers of re-
| nown.
When Mcdowell moved to the attack
of Beauregard behind Bull Run, it was
from his camps at Centerville. 1t was
at Centerville that he made final effort
to rally his beaten forces. When Jack
son dashed upon Pope's rear and
burned the federal stores at Manas-
sas, he retired to Centerville. 1t was
from Centerville that he moved to Sud-
ley and Groveton for the second fight,
When Pope yielded the field to Jack
son and Longstreet he retreated to
| Centerville. When the troops from
the south pressed forward to Chantilly
they swarmed through Centerville.
Beauregard's first plan of battle was
to fall on McDowelps left flank in the
Centerville camps-while Johnston, evad
ing Patterson in the Shenandoah val
ley, should pass through Aldie and
strike the federal right and rear.
Beauregard's second plan after being
Joined by Johnston was to strike with
his combined force the union left at
Centerville, crossing Bull Run by way
of Blackburn and Mitchell fords. This
plan was to have been put into exc
cution on the morning of Sunday, July
81, 1861, the very morning Mcdowell
moved out of Centerville to turn Beau.
regards left by way of Stone Bridge
and Sudley.
Centerville has played great role
in American history.