Year: 1863

\
war, and even now, to q large extent, it
was and is the great tobacco mart of Vir-
ginia. Itwas the place whence the most
tobacco was sent-down the James river,
and its prosperity was chiefly due to the
tobacco business. As town, it is tolerably
well built. It is situated on the south side
of the James river, and located on the face
Of very steep bluff The bluff is SO steep
that the streets running toward the river
are scarcely passable for wheeled vehicles.
The streets running parallel with the river
line rest upon level benches. Hence a
drive over these is tolerabiy pleasant one,
afferdinga rather good view of the some
what picturesque and romantic surround
ing scenery. "A great portion of its inhab-
itants are highly aristoeratic in the order
of their actions and degree of their feelings
"Lords of creation" born gentlemen, chiv-
alric, courteous and intelligent, they were
in the habit of considering manual labor as
an unfortunate 'disgrace'-of course never
intended to mar the course of life as map
ped out by Divine Providence for gen
tleman and Lynchburg Southerner-and
those who were compelled to work with
their hands as fit only to be clasl@.'d in the
lowerstrata Of social and human existence.


Having glanced at the town and US peo-
pie ina very general way, we will.now turn
to the surrounding neighborhood, and here
we expect to find those facts of so much
Importance in the military interest About
twelve or thirteen miles below the town the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad crosses to
Al ca ap a nv n
wooden viaduct ef thousand feet in length
and then again the same railroad line re-
crosses the same river, between half and
three quarters of a mile below the town, to
the south side. A little west, and about
half mile, perhaps little more below this
double crossing, the james River Canal
communicating with Richmond and passing
through a very fertile eection of country,
crosses the James river from the south side
by wooden aqueduct of much value and
Importance, taking into consideration its
length and the time necessary for such a
construction.


WHAT COULD BE- DONE.


By this it will be seen that within the
compass of few miles opportunity is of
fered for the immediate destruction of a
railroad and canal lines, now in use to their
utmost capacity in transporting supplies to
Lees army and to the people and the troops
in and around Richmond, and the rebel
troops stationed elsewhere to watch Yam
kee movements and prevent Yankee raids.


10 prove that am correct, wilrefer to
the condition Of other sections of Virginia.
The territory comprising Bedford county is
very beautiful locality. 1t is rolling in
its character, but still comparatively level.
1t is fine country forfarmiug purposes and
good deal cleared out already. This sec
ton of country is well suited to rapid mil
itary movements.


SALEM AND LIBERTY,


on the line of the Virginia and Tennessee
Railroad, is a small place Of from eight hun
dred to one thousand inhabitants. In the
North it would be STYLED village. Liberty,
another little town on the line of the same
railroad, twenty-five miles from Lynchburg
is of the same character as Salem. From
Liberty you have fine view Of the
peaks of Otter. Beside the railroad there
is good turnpike road from here to Lynch
burg. Big Duck and Bonsack's, between
Salem and Liberty, are small paces-sta-
lions, depsts-with few houses and such
like The enemy has kept guard at these
different points.-Until this was not par
ticularly strong one. Butord's Gap EN-. e
ces wild ascent. Iu going through the
gap the traveller is to no extent worthy of
mention affected by the rise. Staunton is
very considerable depot for army supplies.
The surrounding counties, particularly Au
gusta, Rockbridge, Highland, Allegheny
and Greenbriar, have and are furnishing
much in the subsistence way to the inter.
ests of the rebel army. These counties
are rich III corn and cattle-in fact, in al
most everything necessary for the immedi-
ate wants of the rebel troops, SO far as the
feeding Of them is concerned.


VALUE OF THE ROAD TO TIE REBELS.


This is the reason why We find so many
important stations on the line Uf tue Vir-
ginia Central Railroad, and the reason why
the enemy so tenaciously holds on to Char
iottesville and GordonsviIe and the real
reason why Lee keeps force of cavalry
constantly moving around beyond Staunton,
to prevent raids and to give the earliest in
formation Of the approach Of any Union
force likely to threaten an interruption Of
this railroad line. The other counties on
or adjacent to the Virginia and Tennessee
Railroad line contribute their stores to be
transported by this latter and the canal
route. Union is a small place--a mere
village. Oovington is another trifing viii
lage, of between six and eight hundred in
habitants. 1t is miserable place The
town must have been founded in fog, and
the inhabitants forndered in fog ever
since. The cold, chilly winds Of December
appear to have filled the inhabitants either
with fear or despair.


In passing along will remark that the
distance from Cumberland to LyDchburg,
by common road is about q. miles. At
Bousack's, stages connect with the railroad
for the Sweet and White Sulphur Springs.
Before the war, the latter was the great
Southern watering place. Sine tlen the