The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-20
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
Aug TO- S64-Gen Shedan Army which Had Fallen Back from Cedar
Creek Before the Forces of Gen uba Early Was Hailed Charles
town. Where John Had Died-Sheridan Marking Time

had left a heavy mark upon historic
Charlestown also.
The sight OF this war-scarred town In
which had been enacted & scene that vir-
tually ushered in the war. always APP
pealed TO the sentimental interest Of the
soldier.
There is one village in the Shenan-
doah Valley through which the Union
army always passes playing the tune OF
Of Old John Brown That village is
Charlestown." wrote a correspondent
with Sheridans army. Il remember the
first time this army entered Il. At the
very threshold Of the main street all the
bands, silent before. began. one by one,
that fantastic strain.
The forenoon was calm, but foggy.
The streets OF the town were lily peopled
at the best, and. as the music OF the
thousands OF soldiers. who were march
ing on, up the valley. half the heads at
| the windows were drawn sullenly in
Within sight was the courthouse where
| John Brown was tried, and within mus
ket shot stood the tree under which John
! Browns body. before it 'moldered in the
ground was hung. The residents some
how or other did not like to be reminded
Of these occurrences in this way"
DeSoIate CharIestow
This writer thus described John
| Browns town"
The village Of Charlestown is a lonely
sight. Here are no stores. no hotels. not
even a barber shop. Only a thin, wan
about its doorways. Shut up is the sign
that stares US plainly. as If written in
letters from half the doors.
The dwellings of Virginia ancients
stud and environ this disconsolate VII
lage. Not fifty yards from the spot
where this letter is written stands man
sion in good care, which saw almost in
its completeness the days of the RevO-
luton. The name Of Washington is not
Infrequent in the valley. Young BushrUd
Washington, a relative of the original
Washington by descent is a member OF
the Confederate cavalry under Rosser''
"A female member of the Washington
family. said to be the nearest relative
from the first President then living, was
the wife Of a gentleman named Packard,
whose residence, the building of which
dates back to the Revolution. was the
scene of fighting August p, 1854.
The sharpshOoters of Gen. Getty's d.
vision occupied the house." the CORE
spondent continued, which was shelIed
by the enemy. Nine shells penetrated the
walls, and a literal storm of bullets
ranged about 1t for several hours. The
entire family OF Mr. Packard, together
with three young ladies Misses Wash
ington. nieces Of Mrs. Packard, occupy.
ing the cellar at that time. The ladies
escaped from the building while the fight
was still going on, and though the bullets
were thick along their pathway, gained
the rear unframed.
They have since reoccupied the dwell
ing. which is entirely a sight to behold.
Examining the rear wall from which
direction the enemy's shots were hred,
one cannot discern a spot where human
body could have placed itself without be-
ing hit. Every square foot OF brick has
been Clipped by bullet, and every shell
that struck pierced the walls entire. A
shell exploded in almost every room, and
the marks of bullets, entering through
the windows, are seen in the walls, the
ceiling, the floor and the furniture The
latter. in some apartments, is completely
ruined. An old bureau, once owned by
Gen. Washington, sits against the wall
where the first shell entered. The upper
portion OF it was torn to pieces, and the
splinters have been taken as relics by nu-
merous visitors"
Copyright, lslIj
Tomorrow Grant seiEes the We'll
dom Railroad. Houth of Peterahurr,