The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-15
ny WILLIAM u. SIMMONS.

Sunday. July - is Z. memorable day
10 INC history of THIS couUtry J,
3rcuaht tho rrst great latte or The
War Between tho Stat.p. called b. tho
tonf'dcrat"s Manassas. is inc FeIoiaI
iiull Run. ptner ihan the 'l0udl.ss
BATH" % fort sumter There had h.er
q fc" mere skirmshes. Manaesas was
ne r"nl beginning Of inc bloody s;sug-
zic
TO US ~ St paui's ina day dawnoa
blissrul and scrcn" Wc knew thnt
armies wer" nas-lng in Northern var
s!nia, but tho Potomac - "A long way
from IN. cdisto, so wa saw mo- camp
nreS aud heard nothing Of Ito in"as-
trcd tread Of armed mep We break.
tasted III peace md were dressed ready
for church when at 9 o'clock IN.
family carriage rolled np 70 the front
cate Tn. morning "nS sultry 80 ".c
had not ride over the long. sandy
road under tho pines. The little air
stirring made the pines whisper OF
pyacc. Nothing in tho prospect sug-
Sested "ar. ! do not remember tho
nbjec' OF even the tenor Of Mr. Dick
sons sermon. but am pretty sure s.,
vas not concerning war.
The little church was full The CID
ers were attentive to the sermon but
kho" that II least one of The young
or folk vas more attentive 20 thc re-
CURING raubl- OF distant ,hunccr Ete.
'orc the Close OF the serTron there was
SltHti Alflbi nance at tho rear
IN" church. caused by the entrance or
Some one, ana not = f-w turned their
heads TO see who was Inc latc Coiner.
That person WAS evidently wanting IN
reverence. for regardless Of the rrfHch.
"r he foil at once into whispered ror-
versauon with his nclphbors. to whom
ne communicated visible excitement
som" persons left the church and be-
for" u" henedictiou was pronounced
nearly all ilc men in tho rear part %
h.. .ln tasa
~ Was most unusual proceeding, ana
-omc OF the more r!gId Journalists
were inclined to disciplinary measures
unt!l they learned that the intruder
mad ridden hastily from tho Adams
Run raill on ! station to bring news OF
"a great battle going on In Virginia
His Information, cleaned from passen-
Hcrs on tho passing train. vas rucnpra.
uut hiEu!y exciting Great nu'uher.
If men were engaged. tho battle be
sun early in The morning: @Hs sim
raging; slaughter on both sides was.
dreadful, ana, glorious to relate. the
C"niederat"s had the Yankees on III.
run
THIS last assurance occasioued great
elAtion. and predictions were freely
made that by night the Confed.
would 90 In Washington and the cap
ture OF thu Federal Capital would OF
course. end tn. war The portcutious
news so absorbed every one, and go alb
Sorhinr was the animated discussion
- aroused. that 4 gathering thunder
storm broke almost unnct!ccd The
men came near g.ttiuE = shower bath
before they could rush FOR shelter into
tn" church, where the ladies HAD all
jhe while remained. And waat q thuu.
dcrstorm' Flash followed flash OF
vivid lightning i'm quick succession.
zeal after peal OF dcafeninC thunder
shook the little wooden structure and
made the tall pines rattle. Rain fell
In sheets II was as If the fury of
the battle on the Potomac had mounted
The atmosphere and ridden to the re-
hottest parts Of the Southland.
As soon as the storm ahatcd every
body hurrchiy set out for home, but
Tcttine there was not such an easy
matter. The roads were obstructed by
fallen timber and the streams were
wollen above their banks. One little
'ill, locally called run" we had TO
cross. usually a mere splash OF water
At the bottom of ravlnc, had become
rushing torrent, and the water was
50 high 1t come into the carriage
Nevertheless, wc reached home WITH
out serious m!shap. hut Drovohint,ly
bate for dinner
The remainder OF tho summer wore
away without uuwonted excitement
We even felt sense of security after
tn" great victory, although washing
ION did not fall. Various theories were
advanced. by the way. to explain why
u did not fall. Some OF the wise ones
alleged Bcaureguard's hcsitancy; others
restraining order from Jeff Dayiy
10 the commanders on the field
The advance OF autumn disturbed our
serenity some what. but not Il great
deal. Federal fleet gathered off the
coast and II soon became evident that
Port Royal was the object OF attack
Yet we were assured That Port ROYAL
was impregnable. so we looked forward
confidently to another glorious victory
Because OF our fancied security the
bio" fen with intensified force.
Early one morning we were aroused
Uy the booming of heavy guns TO the
southwest. and the booming soon IN.
creased to roar. After BREAKFAST
rather, my elder sister and myself sci
out in the family carriage for ADAMS
Run. where there was n telegraph Of
fee. with the hope of getting some
news. II was ten-Inilc drive mostly
over n sandy road. so the forenoon
vas well-nigh gone when we arrived In
%he village There we found much cx-
cited expectancy. but no news nv
that time. however, the firing had
somewhat abatcd and We deducted from
hat fact the rcpulse of the Fedora!
fleet.
The telegraph Office was at the rail
road station. about three miles from
the village. Farther went on to the sta
''oi Win sumo iiitiuS, Wnllc my SIS
ter and myself remained In thctvillage
ut Uncle Morton Clements house For
a long time no one returned from the
station, so we heard nothing, hut some
Tine during the afternoon a messen-
ger rushed back with appa ling infor-
nation. Port Royal had fallcn.
The little community was thrown
into n panic. The widest rumors cir
culated and gained ready credence. The
enemy were overrunning the surround
ing country. They had already seized
the railroad and were speeding to
ADAMS Run and Charleston by train.
some families made hasty preparations