. Battles and leaders of the Civil War : being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers . used to helaid was again at ones elbow. Rusty l)olts were drawn and rusty fire-armsloaded. A watch was set where never liefore had eye or ear been lent to sucha service. In short, peace had flown from the liorders of Virginia. Although the newspapers were full of secession talk and the matter waseagerly discussed at our tables, I cannot remember that, as late as Christmas-time of the year 1860, coming events had cast any definite shadow on ourhomes. The jieople in our neighborhood
. Battles and leaders of the Civil War : being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers . used to helaid was again at ones elbow. Rusty l)olts were drawn and rusty fire-armsloaded. A watch was set where never liefore had eye or ear been lent to sucha service. In short, peace had flown from the liorders of Virginia. Although the newspapers were full of secession talk and the matter waseagerly discussed at our tables, I cannot remember that, as late as Christmas-time of the year 1860, coming events had cast any definite shadow on ourhomes. The jieople in our neighborhood, of one ojiinion with their dear andhonored friend, Colonel Robert E. Lee, of Arlington, were slow to accept thestartling siiggestiou of disruption of the Union. At any rate, we enjoyed theusual holiday gathering of kinsfolk in the usual fashion. The old Vauclusehouse, known for many years past as a center of cheerful hospitality in thecounty, tlirew mde open its doors to receive all the members who could begathered there of a large family cirili\ The woods about Avero despoiled of VIRGINIA SCENES IN 6i. i6i. TAnCLLSE—A VIRGIXIA HOMESTEAD, holly and spruce, piue and cedar, to deck the walls and wreathe the jjicture-frames. On Christmas Eve we had a grand rally of youths and boys belongingto the clan, as they loved to call it, to roll in a yule log, which was depositedupon a glowing bed of coals in the big red-parlor fire-place, and sit about itafterward, welcoming the Christmas in with goblets of egg-nog and apple-toddy. Where shall we be a year hence f some one asked at a paiise in the merrychat; and, in the brief silence that followed, arose a sudden si^eetral thoughtof war. All felt its i^resence; no one cared to speak fiist of its grim j)ossibilities. On Christmas Eve of the following year the old house lay in ruins, a sacri-fice by Union troops to militai-y necessity; the forest giants that kept watcharound her walls had been cut down and made to serve as breastworks fo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidbattlesleade, bookyear1887
