Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1899 — Rev. Middleton’s Southward Journey. [ARTICLE]

Rev. Middleton’s Southward Journey.

Editor Republican:— We left Rensselaer on Tuesday night at 11:04, and reached Cincinnati about 7-30 the next morning. Here we changed to the “Queen and Crescent Route,” leaving Cincinnati at 8:35 a. m. and landing at Chattanooga at 6:10 Wednesday evening on a flying journey of 790 miles in about 19 hours. It was a fast train and we made but few stops. It was quite heavily loaded as it carried a “Home-Seeker’s Excursion.” It brought us on a direct line south from Cin. through Kentucky and across Tenn. We came over highlands and mounrtains all the way passing through 40 tunnels enroute. The mountain scenery was very charming indeed. We stopped over night in Chattanooga at the St. James Hotel. On the following morning we looked up a furnished room which we found with Mrs. Lamb, who keeps a boarding house at 209 King St. Here we took up our abode till next Monday, when we shall go ta central Georgia. We are boarding ourselves, as we fear to try the rich diet of the Southland. So, my good wife packed a big basket to start with, with a quart of jelly, 2 lbs of Miss Alma Stire’s good butter, stewed chicken, apple sauce, eggs, bread and a quart can of her sliced cucumber pickles, etc. etc. Here we sleep at night and eat our meals, and during the intervals of the day, do the city and surrounding sights. Yesterday we took the forenoon to settle and rest. In starting out in the morning to find rooms I was directed to offices of the Chattanooga News, (a copy of which I will send you.) Here, on presenting my card to a young lady, the book-keeper, I noticed that she startled a little, and then told me that I carried her father’s name. He is Capt. H. M. Middleton, Justice of the Peace of Chattanooga, with office in TempleCourt, and residence cor McCallie and Lindsay sts. Of course we saw the Middleton resemblance in each other at once, and greeted each other as cousins. In the afternoon we called upon the Capt. at his office and had a delightful visit. He is from the South Carolina branch of the family, the same as was Arthur Middle ton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, while I am from the Eastern branch which came originally with the Penn Colony to Pennsylvania. Miss Middleton took us through the News Building this morning. It is a handsome brick structure and fitted up with five “M ergent haler Linotype machines’’ at each of which sat a man manipulating a bank of keys similar to a typewriting machine. Yesterday afternoon we took the “Valambrosia and Heights” st car going north. It took us across a very long bridge over the Tennesse river and up its mountains lying north of the city. We then returned and walked up onto the “Cameron Hill” which is the northwest corner of the city. Here we stood on the ground where was the Signal Station of the “Army of the Cumberland.” Xt was growing dusk and a heavy cloud was gathering in the northwest, which broke upon us with a wind,* lightning and rain just as we got to our quarters. From this hill we had a good view of the city. This morning we went out to “Look Out Mt” It was a little too hazy and smoky for us to get the best view of the surrounding

i country, yet it was a grand prospect. We went up the celebrated Incline railway. It was like going straight up into the cloulds. The round trip fare is 75 cents per capita. '>At the mountain top we were met by a colored gentleman, Mr. B. C. McCanley, who is a guide and driver for visitors. He took us in a surrey around over the mountain to the points of interest The most interesting of which we saw were the Signal Station of Gen. Stephenson, from which point he signalled Gen. Bragg at Chickamauga. Here we also stood upon Pulpit Rock, where Jeff Davis delivered his famous address to Confederate soldiers. Here also we stood on Point Rock, which gives a magnificent view of the battle field below where “Hooker fought above the clouds,” and noted the place where his men scaled the cliff above and here first planted “Old Glory.” From here Grant was signalled that Hooker was successful and could reinforce him. Back of Pt Rock also, we stood under Umbrella Rock. From here we had a commanding view of Moccasin Bend in the Tennessee river. Next we went to Sunset Rock. This is on the west side. Directly opposite us was Hooker’s Gap between the mountains, and directly below in the valley was the Wahatchie battlefield. We then came around to the natural bridge, where the Confederate hospital was located. Thence back to the Museum where we viewed many relics of the war. We then returned down the Incline Ry. and took the street car home. On the car returning we fell in with Judge Nathan Green, Chancellor of Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tenn. Evangelist Jas. D. Lewis, of Jackson, Tenn., President Chas. E. Stokes, of Bethel College, McKenzie, Tenn., and Rev. W. D. Rodgers, pastor of the Grace church, Nashville, Tenn. Judge Green is said to be the most famous law teacher in the south. These gentlemen are representative men of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and were looking up the mountain as a possible location for a Summer Bible School for their church. This afternoon and tomorrow we expect to visit the National cemetery, Bald Knob, and Mission Ridge.

H. M. MIDDLETON,

Chattanooga, Tenn. Oct. 20, 1899.