“YANKEE” INGENUITY. 33 early hour, for the sun dispelled its virtues, and as he rose they fell. Young ladies resorted to the spring, which they found to deepen the hue of the roses on their cheeks, and juveniles of the opposite sex went to fill the glasses and admire the roses ! Finally, a suggestion was made to the prosperous proprietor, that a regular hydropathic and Hygeian establishment should be opened for the convenience and benefit of invalids, and the advantage of the city. A handsome sum was at the same time offered for the property; the bargain was closed, and the Northern sharper, having pocketed the proceeds, retired from the neighbourhood. After a while the waters were considered to have lost their pristine virtue, a circumstance at first attributed to an unusually heavy fall of rain. A season of drought, however, succeeded, but did not enhance their strength, so it was resolved to have the well cleansed and examined. The process was duly commenced, when, to the dismay of the new proprietor, upon reaching the bottom sundry bags of brimstone, rusty nails, pieces of iron, et hoc genus omnes, were discovered. The saline and other soluble ingredients had long before disappeared. The term "Lynch Law" originated thus. An officer of the American Revolution, named Colonel VOL. I. D Charles Lynch, brother to the founder of Lynchburg, took up his residence at Staunton, in the south-west part of Campbell county. At that time the county, being very sparsely inhabited, was infested by a lawless band of desperadoes. On the principle that desperate diseases require desperate remedies, the Colonel apprehended some of the marauders, and by the infliction of summary punishment dispensed with the necessity for any superfluous legal ceremony. For many years afterwards the practice of "Lynching" was followed up, and became applied to mere cases of suspicion of guilt, not admitting of regular proof. "In 1792," observes Wirt, in his Life of Henry, "there were many suits on the south side of James River for inflicting Lynch's law." After a disagreeable journey of four days since I had left Lexington, I reached Richmond on the 15th of June. Although the route I was compelled to take through the West proved necessarily tedious and disagreeable, nevertheless it was productive of advantages which the course through Washington and Baltimore would have failed to produce. I was thereby enabled to judge of the spirit and bearing of the people who separated themselves from the Federal Government, and who are now defending their territory against armed aggression and invasion. EXCITEMENT OF THE CITIZENS. 35 Upon arriving at the Seat of Government, I found the greatest possible excitement prevailing amongst the citizens. The streets were crowded with military running hither and thither, whilst others collected in sundry groups upon the doorsteps, the balconies, and in front of the hôtels, all seemingly engaged in eager conversation. I put up at the Ballard House, and had some difficulty in getting accommodation, as there were already eight hundred guests in this monster establishment. The excitement I allude to was occasioned by the intelligence of a defeat sustained by the Federalists, during a recent encounter with the Southern troops, at Great Bethel, in Elizabeth county. 36 CHAPTER II. THE BATTLE OF GREAT BETHEL, AND THE Strength of Belligerent Forces under Magruder and Pierce -Mistaking the Enemy-Taking up Positions-Brilliant Cavalry Charge-The Defeat-Official Report-Wholesale Dispossession Evacuation of Harper's Ferry— Burning of Bridges and the Arsenal-Topography of the Village-Jefferson's Rock-The John Brown Raid—Execution-Secret Plans-A Panegyrist-Religious Delusion -Brown's Address to his Men. THE Confederate troops having advanced from Yorktown, took up an entrenched position at Great Bethel Bridge, situated between the boundary line of York and Elizabeth City counties, under command of Colonel Magruder. Bethel is fifteen miles from Yorktown, nine from Hampton, bordering upon Fortress Monroe, and lies nearly in a direct line between the two points. Colonel Magruder's forces consisted of 500 strong-one artillery corps, numbering 100 men and 6 field MISTAKING THE ENEMY. 37 pieces, and a cavalry corps of 100 men, in addition to 300 riflemen and infantry. General Butler, who commanded the military department of Virginia, having ascertained the position of the Confederate troops, and that they were gradually extending their outer line, made instant preparations for driving them back. Orders were accordingly dispatched for several regiments to hold themselves in readiness for the march, and at the same time the chief of the Ordnance Bureau received instructions to prepare a battery of howitzers, consisting of four 12-pounders, with a detachment of artillery. Ere long a force of about 3,000 strong, commanded by Brigadier-General Pierce, were on their way, having struck their tents shortly after midnight on Sunday, June 9th. This force comprised the New York Zouaves (Colonel Duryea), the Albany Regiment (Colonel Townsend), the 7th Regiment (Colonel Benedix), with a few companies drawn from other regiments. The Zouaves started fully an hour before the other troops. A very serious occurrence took place on the line of march, owing to some blundering or another, which was attributed to a misunderstanding with reference to the signals. Colonel Townsend's regiment, having been mistaken for a detachment of the enemy, was fired upon |