Evening star., 1926-10-10

onr history and the greatest among
all civili;e1 people in all history. 1t
emhra cee the field where two great
battles ehhed. the nearest battlefield
TO the National Capital. both battles
being fought especially for the pro
lection nf the same. This was the
fold whero Jackson stood like stone
wall in the first battle and Sykes,
Reno and Re''-N'Ae in the second. the
lines of hattie being reversed in the
two enga gemerts and the result. so
far as the field was concerned being
reversed also. the Confederates hav-
inc held the Henry House at sundown
July 81. 1861. and the Union forces
at sundown. August 30. 1862.
"In this same field exactly half a
century later the Blue and the Gray
lined up. the one on the North and the
her on the South. and shook hands
in friendship and ate and drank to-
Cether as a token Of peace and good
will. An event absolutely unpreCe
dented in the history of the human
race.
THE Henry Hill is the location of
the first monument erected on any
battlefield of the great war. The site
was selected hv the veterans them
selves from All possible sites between
the SusqueNanna and the Rio Grande.
In the opinion of the soldiers. who
fought the great war 10 finish. il is
worthy Of consideration AS the most
interesting spot In the 'far-funC
hattie line the fact Of its deliberate
selection IN the Spring Of 1865 and
the most impressive ceremonial and
formal dedication Sunday. June H..
1865. leaves no manner OF doubt as
TO what the soldiers themselves
thought"
Region Rich In History.
None Of the battles of the Civil War
has been more strkincly or bril-
liantlv described than those two.
which are covered in detail in the
Life of Sonewall Jackson" by the
late Col. Henderson of the English
army In those encounters there
were numherieSs incidents of individ-
nal importance, one of the most Strik-
ing being that in the first battle Jack
son received his sobriQuet as stone
wall" and was slightly wounded, and
in the second battle the same great
soldier. Gen. Lee being in commando
grappled with the Federal Army
under the command Of Gen. Pope.
Practically all of the country ira
was all the time within the area Of
conflict during the Civil War. and is
fun of memories OF events that took
place.
1t was the scene of most of MoShy's
operationS Al Fairfax he captured
Cen Stouchton. When the news was
communicated to President Lincoln.
he said that II was not such a serious
matter TO lose one hrigadier general
hut II was very bad thing to lose
lot Of horses A little off the highway
westward from Fairfax are monu.
ments indicating where Gen. Phil
kearney and Gen. Stevens were
killed.
The country is full of historic in
terest relative to happenings prior to
the Civil War. The old courthouse
at Fairfax was put in operation the
year after Gen. Washington death.
Mount Vernon being in the SUutherly
part of the county The clerk s office
contains The original wills of Gen.
Washington and his wife. and the
minute books of the court. kept dur
ms the period when Gen. Washington
and George Mason Of Guns'on Hall
were among the gentlemen justires.
ON the court green At Fairfax stands
a monument concentrating the first
open fighting Of the civil War. which
took place there on June !. 1851, and
nearby Is a monument to the memory
cf the boys of the county who died
III the World War.
The two battlefeids are located in
Prince William County, and how rich
tia: and tns adjoining counties are in
historic interest is admirably evi-
denced By Fairfax Harrlsons recent
work in TWO volumes entitled Land
marks Of Old Prince William"
On the two battlefields are few
monuments and markers. but not a
great dea 10 present suff1ciently
vivid picture of what took place. In
constructing the new highway, no use
is made of the stone bridge across
Bull Run. which is SO often mentioned
in accounts of the battles, but al
though a new bridge will be built, the
old one Will be preserved
A. Centerville. on the highway to
the battlefield. is the house which
was the headquarters Of Gen. Me
Dowell prior to the first battle.