Viewing page 22 of 113

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[start page]]
Monday June 3rd    We had Drs [[Hannday?]] & [[Wines?]] to preach for us yesterday They have just returned from the meeting of the general assembly & took a warm part in the discussions relative to the State of the country. It cannot be too much regretted that the political questions of the day [[strikethrough]]should [[strikethrough]] were agitated in that body. ^Judge [[Bates?]], the attorney general telegraphed to the clergymen in answer to a question of one of them, that he hoped all such subjects might be excluded from their deliberations. That the Old Schools Presbyterian General Assembly was the last collecting link between the North & the South he hoped earnestly it might not be broken. Dr. [[Hogdes?]] resolutions were defeated [[strikethrough]] however [[strikethrough]].

We have just returned from a visit to the fortifications on the other side of the river. We were stopped at the foot of the Long Bridge & obliged to show our pass to a very good natured looking officer We first visit the N.J. camp the men were busy at their embankments. After again showing our pass twice we entered Arlington grounds These are very beautiful carefully cultivated man has so skillfully concealed his share in the work it seems as if nature & [[d?]] the whole. The ^green sunny slopes & the [[hew?]] of shady [[?]] dotted with white tents & the soldiers gray dress was [[?]] wholly picturesque. Each [[turn?]] in the road added new charms to the picture.
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
In one spot a number of men were lying upon the ground [[strikethrough]] with [[strikethrough]] by the side of their houses, [[bundles?]] in hand ready to start at a moments warning an attack is expected to night from a body of secession troops [[strikethrough]] said [[strikethrough]] about 14 000 strong said to be stationed near Fairfax county court House. The old House the home of the descendants of Wash. we found filled with soldiers, a sentinel was [[maintained?]] with measured step in the wide portico. The view from the grassy slope in front seemed never more beautiful the city lay before us in the rays of the setting sun each public building already & distinctly defined We saw how readily this latter might have been [[demolished?]] & the Southern [[succeeded?]] in securing the post & placed their [[batteries?]] there. Farther on opposite Georgetown are found the 49 N.Y. regiment camp. Here every preparation had been made for a speedy attack. numbers of trees & been felled & placed in front of the encampments across the road between some [[the?]] [[field?]] to intercept the expected cavelry. We crossed the river at this [[point?]] in a ferry boat. It was very sad to think how many of the fine young men we had seen [[might?]] be cut down [[strikethrough]] by [[?]] [[strikethrough]] [[before?]] [[??]] deserved.

Prof. [[Felton?]] who has been with us since Thursday
[[end page]]