The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-08-18
WARTIME PICTURE OF FAIRFAX COrRr
WE'RE INTRENCIIED FIFTY YEARS AGO

riage accident while visiting the mill.
tary camps Oh the Virginia side Of the
Potomac.
The most important event OF the
week concerned western Virginia. On
June 20. the very day that Mcclellan
left Cincinnati for Grafton. the Wheel.
Ing convention ci,s'tcd n governor and
other officers for what eventually be-
came the new state of West virginia.
There were skirmtshes during the
week near l.eesburg and on the Rap.
pahannOck river. Washington an.
nounced the name Of officers appoint.
I'D 10 the newly created regiments Of
the regular army. Among the colonies
selected were Sherman. Heintzciman
and Fitz.John Porter.
On June ~ Professor Lowe. by use
Of light wires. successfully teiegraphcd
from war balloon. the first time Il
was ever done In America.
This II q bare skeleton Of events u nj
II 40 dry that the bones rattle. IL II
mere catalogue OF deeds. each OF
which was Of life and death interest.
To comprehend them even dimly We
must transport ourselves To- mn 10y,
that. though only atty years removed.
In so unlike our own AS To he scarcely
recognizable. We must see nation
every other home IN which had n hus.
band. a father or a brother az tn.
front or preparing 10 go to the front
We must see n peoplc-then two pep.
ples-feverish In their anxiety. impn.
tient IN their zeal aud played upon In
turn by patriotism. anger. clation and
despair We must see them eager for
every scrap OF news. torn by n thou.
sand wild rumors. fearing the loss OF
loved ones. the capture Of their capt.
tai. the destruction 81 the nation itself
We must walk with Lincoln In the
still nights back and forth through
the silent white House or 10 the tcie
graph office and 20 with hun through
his days Of conflicting advice and heart.
breaking reports. All this and much
more we must see aud experience. and
then We shall not be 10 hailing dis.
lance OF the realization We mus, he.
hold our own fathers. sons. brothers or
husbands at the front. our own dag In
peril. before we can even begin 70 un
dcrstand.
II was the constant cry Of the north
ern orators that not one star should be
erased from the flag, Well. not one
| star was erased. although eleven were
long hidden behind the smoke OF war
Indeed. a new star was added. West
Virginia being born AS a direct result
Of the conflict.
West Virginia Born.
On June 20 Hfty years ago the new
state was taking form, On assembling
in convention at Wheeling nine days
earlier the delegates had taken the
following oath; I'VE solemnly declare
that We will support the constitution
Of the United States and the Ia WIS
made IN pursuance thereof as the 50.
preme law Of the land. anything In
the ordinance Of the convention that
assembled In Richmond on the 18th
day Of February last to the con.
trary not Notwithstanding. 20 help Us
God" On the Goth such progress had
been made that a governor. a lieuten.
and governor and council were elected
and the governor indicted into office.
The legislature Of the new state met
on July 2
Francis Harrison Pierpont. the FIRST
governor Of West Virginia, was a pro,
nounced aboTiti6nist lie was horn In
Virginia IN lSfi. educated at ALE