The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-09-06
Visiting Scenes q Yore.

cQltOF ne MdQUtuE 4lluSS.~ " LIZ
terest and to entertain the readers OF
The Times will tell them of ny visit
a few weeks since TO Washington, Bal
timore and other points.
On the 18th Of July last left home to
visit my son, Mr.. Robert L. Jones. who
is now and have been for several years
q resident Of Baltimore. My son meet
ing me at Washington we proceeded to
Baltimore, 40 miles distant from Wash
lngton, and resting over till on Thurs
day evening July 10th, we left Baltimore
by way of Washington to attend the re-
union of the Blue and Gray at the battle
field of Manassas on the 2lst OF July, be-
ing the hftieth anniversary OF the battle
Of Manassas. The town of Manassas is a
pretty little town, and does not look like
it aid when I last saw it, and is situated
six miles from the battle leid OF Man
assas. At the town of Manassas | met a
good many Of the veterans, both OF the
Blue and the Gray, and they each ap-
peared to have the kindest feeling for
each other. At the town of Manassas 1t
was the good fortune of the writer TO Is
kindly entertained by some of the good
ladies who treated him kindly and re-
spectfully and I will further add with
marked attention.
On Friday morning after hiring a
hack and driver we wended our way
to the battle field of Manassas, reach
ing there about nine o'clock a. m. On
reaching the battle field we found a
scattering lew, but as the DAY grew
rolder. the people from the surrounding
country began to pour in. and when the
people ouit.coming the crowd was estl-
mated at being six thousand.
The place of meeting was in the yard
of the Henry house and in the near VIC
Unity. The part of the battle field lay
ing TO the right of a road leading from
a pnblic road to the Henry house was
selected for the movements of those
takicg part in the exercises. On this
part Of the battle field it is said some
hard fighting was done between the
Blue and Gray on July 2lst, 1861. On
this part of the battle field are several
markers showing the spots where prom
inent warriors in the battle yielded up
their lives. There was marker on
which the inscription reads: Here is
where the 7th Georgia Regiment cap
tured Ricketts, Battery"
4 short distance from the Henry
house and on the edge OF the yard re-
pose the remains of Mrs. Judith Henry,
who was killed in the house during the
battle of Manassas. Surrounding this
sacred SPOT is a small iron fence with a
fine tomb stone and on the stone reads:
"Sacred to the memory OF Mrs. Judith
Henry in the S5th year OF her age,
and who was bed ridden and was killed
July 3lst, l861.' 1t was said OF this
poor old lady that when the battle be:
gan she was left alone in the house, and
during the battle she'll struck the
house, went through the room IN which
she wes confined and the shell in pass
ing through the room exploded, and the
old lady was instantly killed by a trag-
rant of the bursting shell.
At the field of Manassas was assem-
bled about three hundred United States
regular cavalry, and State National
Guards. and the Regulars took up their
part of the program by performing many
military maneuvers, doing some OF the
prettiest riding I ever witnessed.
Governor Mann and his staff with a
few distinguished Virginiaus was pres
ent ard made speeches along the right
line. President Taft it was given out
would visit the battle field and address
the veterans. but for some reasons he
never put 10 an appearance.
The clasping Of hands between the
Blue and the Gray took place between
one and Two o'clock an3 seemed to be
pleasant indeed between the once bitter
foes. The sun was intensely hot at this
time, but this part of the program was
nicely carried out.
At the O'Clock the crowd left the bat
tie field and returned to the town OF
Manassas. At the town the people as
sembled on the court house square to
receive and hear speech from Presl-
dent Taft. The president arrived after
being an hour late owing to down pour
of rain having caught him on his route.
The president spoke briefly and his
speech was we'll timed and was well re-
ceived. The president came by the au-
tomobile route and had a pretty trying
experience with swollen creeks and q
muddy road. After the exercises on the
court house square the president LETT Tor
Washington by rail, not wishing to risk
the automobile on the home stretch.
The school girls OF the town carried
out their part of the program 10 their
drill and other maneuyers assigned to
them in pleasant ana creditaole mar
ner. There were forty six OF the school
girls representing the forty six states OF
the American union. Thirteen OF the
larger girls representing the thirteen
colonies and the rest OF the states were
represented in military style, the tall
est on the right, or the first state ad-
mitted on the right and so oo down the
line. So ended the Manassas Peace Ju.
bllee and the reunion OF the veterans OF
the Blue aud the Gray.
We left the town OF Manassas about
six O'Clock on the evening OF July list
and reached Baltimore at eight O'Clock.
Baltimore is large and pretty city and
is said to contain six hundred thousand
Inhabitants. I spent pleasant time IN
Baltimore taking in many OF the places
of amusement and visiting many places
of note. We visited old Fort McHenry.
Fort McHenry is situated on the Chesa-
peake Bay and is five miles ride on
trolley car from the centre OF the city
of Baltimore. The fort guess contains
about three acres of ground. There is
in this fort Twelve cannons consisting OF
eight smooth bore and four riied guns,
the whole is fitted for sham battle
only, for in a conflict with battle ships
carrying modern guns. every gun 10
this fort could be dismounted in twenty
minutes. In 1914 during the lombard
ment OF Fort dcHenry by the British,
Francis S. Key, an American. while be-
ing detained on board an English yes
sci wrote the song, The Star Spangled
Banner"
On the Both of July we left Bal
timore with other eXcursionlsts TO
visit Gettysburg and the battle field
arriving at Gettysburg at eleven
o'clock. From general appearances OF
this town, think there has been very
little improvement since the war. After
partaking of fine dinner we were as
Spa boo ,irb civ others in.