Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-08-22

we'll and further rains will lreduce this
estimate materially.
vessel, with guns shotted, bearing on the
place. all eonspired to add to the unress
Of the tir1id and to exasperate the bold
| er inhabitants who believed that this
| occupation was the first step toward
bloody .usurpAtlon OF Virginia's rights
and stu pioodier defence.
Altho0kh once a part of the District of
Coiunnbia4-th4 Virginia portion OF which
was rSttoceded to the state in 1s4e-Alex-
andria was to feel the weight OF war as
much az and perhaps more than the re-
ooter southern cities in arms.
It's Very nearness to washington was
to make It suffer.
GHOST OF ITS OLD SELF.
The erect. Of war on Alexandra was
thus described at little later period IN
the great conflict:
This city. ordinarily contained about 10
900 Inhabitants, mostly engaged In COM
rnerces Grain, sfour and tobacco were It's
| urinofpai exports, and it's domestic trace
| v,as in y ne xroee. for the sale OF whom
there were two thriving slave pens.
con the possession of Alexandra by
our troops the greater portion OF tne
leading people, who were devoted TO tne
/ SGcoSSlO1,
! and allowed II to become little more than
barracks for soldiers or refuge for the
negroes whom their masters could not
compel to 1y with them.
! : ..Its communications with the interior
! BY, means OF canals and railways ana
| with other ports by the Potomac were
ont OF by the war, and the city now pre-
sents but a ghost of its former SELL Inc
| great warehouses; and mills on the
4 = here
ana there one which has been opened as
guardhouse for soldiers or receptacle
! for munitions of war.
| THE little river steamboats, stu ply
between washington and the town, but
/ convey only. armed soldiers or rev
privileged visitors who can neither en-
bark nor disenbark without submitting
| their passes to viligant sentinel.
'aTne main street, still bearing in It's
/ name. King reverental reminiscence
I OF colonial loyalty is silent except to the
/ rtimbiink Of heavy baggage wagons OF
the cIattAt of the mounted dragon. Most
Of the shops are closed and their shutters
heavily barred with iron. The few which
| remain open show the timid anxiety Of
| their occupants by the darkened WIN
dows and Nhalf-opened doors.
"The villas in the suburbs are desert
ed. with the vines hanging from the YER
andas in tangled neglect and the gardens
overErown with weeds.
! THE pu1blic halls and hotels are turned
into barracks and private mansions and
schoolnouses into military hospitals;
churches and chusch yards are locked
and, Abandoned by priest and sexton
"Soldiers are on guard at the corner
az every street But few of the ordinary
inhabitants OF the town are to be seen'
except some, poor whites who may be
seer1 slinkink out OF novels or into the
rrogeeries, and he negroes, who are
| idly chatterinR as they lie in groups upon
the ,doorsteps or striving to support
their sudden, independence by selling
fruits and pastery and other dehcacies 10
loungins soldiers.
! Among the soldiers quartered at Alex
Andria,i 80 years ago the time and
| throughout the war, the greatest respect
was shown for everything pertaining
I to the name of George Washington.
| His home at Mount Vernon, but few
| miles below the city, was visited by
many of. the soldiers, who left their arms
at the, gate. Later in the war the. Of
ncers and enlisted men OF both sides
visited Mount Vernon as sort OF neu-
| trail ground. BY common consent II Yves
protected, as q sacred place, in plans for
military operations.
The. occupation OF Alexandria natural
ly turned public thought to Mount YER
non. Shortly before the advance Of the
union troops from the capital report was
| current that the remains of washington
had been. secretly removed from his tomb
on the Mount Vernon estate.
To determine. the truth or falsity of
this runor, shortly before the union adj
vance Gen Daniel z. Sickes,- command
| ing a brigade Of New York volunteers
sent three messengers to Mount Vernon.
They were officers, but wore civilian
! dress. = 4 -
Not far from the Virginia end of Long
bridge they were halted by Confed-
crate picket, who asked their business
| He was informed that they were travel
ers bound to Alexandria.
Every two miles mounted pickets were
met, who allowed the travellers to pass.
At Alexandria they repaired to a hotel,
ordered dinner and announced that they
were riding to Mount Vernon, as they
were anxious to deny the rumor of
the removal Of washingtons remains.
on leaving the hotel the party was
| questioned and appraised that their char
acter was known since one Of them rode
on q United States government saddle.
Nevertheless they were allowed to pro-
coed on their journey
Within four miles of Mount Vernon
they we're overtaken by scouts, who an
nounced that they would accompany the
party to the tomb OF Washington.
| This they did. engaging their travel
| ing companions in frequent conversation
as they rode along.
| The tomb was found TO be intact, with
cobwebs undisturbed about the entrance.
One OF the Confederate scouts then wrote
out a. certificate for the federal party.
stating that they had visited the tomb, |
and requesting pickets to pass them. as
they were bound to Washington to con-
tradict an Infamous libel on the state
| Of virginia" The writer of the pass de- |