Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-06-21
NV Trip Down the James
River

RiChmOnQ, Va on my 4SIoA IL $3.50 -
boat down the James river to Ports
mouth, and again pick up the Seaboard
Air Line and thus reach home IL was
hot and murky when our train puilea
out of the magnificent Union depot at
washington. and as we plunged into the
tunnel that goes under that city, the
close atmosphere indicated thunder
storm I was therefore deprived OF
seeing a good many objects of interest,
for the rain fell so furiously, driven
by the high winds, that you could not
see a thing outside the car windows
for half the distance to Richmond
But it was all historic ground and we
passed near the house in which Gen.
Stonewan jackson was carried to breathe
his last after he was fired upon by
squad of his own command that mis-
took him for a federal foe. Perhaps he
died in a good time for himself, as 1t
would have been sore trial to him, as
it was to others, to see the Confederate
cause go down in defeat
But it is of Richmond and what
saw as we went down the James on
the good boat Pocahontas that start
ed out to write you. 1t was dark and
rainy when I arrived at the Richmond
hotel, and 1 did not know l was just
opposite to old st. Paurs church until
next morning. This is the church where
President jefferson Davis, of the Con-
federacy. worshiped. and he was sit
ting in one of its pews on that fateful
Sunday In April. 1865, when messen-
ger from General Lee brought him It'd
ings that the surrender at Appomattox
could not be longer delayed.
1 stood for a few minutes. near the
church, as I imagined his feelings as he
came down the same steps, and recogniz-
aI hot all n the south save
honor. He could not foresee the future,
but he knew enough of the temper OF
his enemies to foretell their antagonism
to himself. Few men in any crises Of life
had more to dread than he and he did not
mistake the poyer and cruelty OF his
| foes.
All about Richmond we can place the
battlefelds OF that period-Gaines' mill,
Mechanicsville, Cold Harbor, Seven Pines,
Savage Station, Frazier's Farm. Deep
bottom and Yellow tavern. Richmond was
| the key to the situation, and it was the
defenses on James river that defended
| Richmond until the end came from the
direction of Petersburg. The gunboats
never got higher than Drewry's Bluff, un
til Richmond fell into the hands of the
| enemy.
All these things flashed over me, as
| rode through the city down to the wharf
The Pocahontas was being loaded at
| the wharf and / found a great boat over
| 200 feet long, nearly 60 feet wide and IL
| feet in the hold. Here was the size Of a
big city lot built of steel and furnished
with silk hangings and velvet carpetings,
| with electric lights and steam heat.
There were a number of fine staterooms.
and the deck was furnished with cushions
of brown plush.
fy, Nha vi at h
mond is four feet, and we had to face
a strong wind all day.
Perhaps l was more interested in the
Dutch gap than any particular point on
the river.
When Gen. Ben Butler set out to take
| Richmond he concluded to cut across a
( narrow neck of land that would cut of
seven miles of the river navigation. as
| the river made great loop at that point,
but Confederate gunboats and sharp
shooters made life misery to him and
he failed.
After the war the United States gov
eminent cut a new channel and turned
| the course of the river into what Bu.-
| Ter called Dutch gap. So we went float
| ing through a canal as wide as big riv-
| er that was cut like they are cutting the
Panama canal right now. There is an
other loop that will be cut some time,
| improved thereby.
Carries neck is a beautiful spot once
owned by the Randolph family, and fur
| Their on is the home of General Pickett,
| Of Confederate fame.
/ Malvern Hill comes in sight very soon
and then Shirley, once the home of
Gen. r. e. Lees mother. who was Miss
Carter.
Bermuda Hundreds and City Point are
familiar names to the old Virginia vet
Grams, and Berkeley, known at the north
as Harrison's landing, where President
! W. H. Harrison was born, the GRANDPA
Their of President Benjamin Harrison.
| Here the exchange of prisoners was car
| ried on until the north concluded to stop
| exchanges and allow the poor prisoners
to die without mercy.
Westover was the beautiful home OF
the Byrds. of Virginia, and owned by
Major Drewry during the war 1t is now
the property of a wealthy Mr.. Ramsey.
| Northern millionaires are prompt to ap-
preciate these beautiful localities on the
noble James river.
Brandon is still in the hands of the
original family OF the Harrisons, and the
house is said to be filled with fine por-
| traits by famous painters. 1t is a fine
old colonial home.
Claremount is a most interesting place,
once called the finest estate in Virginia
II embraced 1900 acres and the dwelling
was an exact reproduction of Clare
mount, in England, where Queen Victoria
was born. The Southern railroad con-
meets Claremount with its main line Of
railroad.
So much was written of jamestown is
land during the exposition that it is I'M
, necessary to say much here. We passed
near enough to see it clearly with its
ruins and the Capt. John Smith monu-
ment.
Those who took The Journals trip in
1907 will recall the beautiful sights that
jamestown island afforded, and as the
earliest English settlement in America,
its interest will be ever-increasing as the
ages roll on. The Pocahontas passed
near enough to the old site of the ex-
position in the vicinity of Norfolk for its
passengers to see the many large build
ings that are still intact since the close
of the exposition. will not occupy space
to more than mention Scotland, Kings
Mill wharf, ''Homewood," the elegant
home and immense plantation of Mr.. Ed
ward Barney, where the James river
widens out to six miles and will write
more of Newport News. where the NAM
moth elevator of the Chesapeake and
Ohio valley looms up on the horizon
There is a gerat shipbuilding and dry
Of