T. E. Story # 71

Well, Josh and I were listening for the return of the sheriff' and his men, but I didn't hear anything.  I am very appreciative of your involvement since the alternative would have been very unpleasant.  I understand that you and Dan like living in caves, but I must admit that I really prefer a ballroom with a bowl of punch and a lovely lady to share it with.  I guess that I am spoiled, but God help me I do enjoy the music and dancing!  I am wondering why Col. Abert didn't see that problem.  He is usually a pretty sharp old man.  Maybe it was too close to him to be seen or determined.  I had no idea at all that the Capt. was involved in anything like this.  I knew that we usually disagreed, but hat isn't unusual in engineering where each person has his own views about what needs to be done and how it gets done.  He had never to my knowledge voiced his political views, but I would suppose if it comes to a war, politics will play a large part in the overall plan. I will leave it to you and Dan to dispose of the remains, and we will move on.  The target is still the Ferry boat, so we will move ahead.  I think that I will alter my route to some degree.  The road we have been traveling on seems sound for artillery (3) and freight wagons (4), so I am going to take the lower road.  It should be about the same time, and you and Dan have already been over the upper road along the river so we know what that road is like.  Josh and I will drag the wagon out of the brush where we had it hidden and get it on the road again.  One of the horses has strayed a bit but Josh has the problem in hand.  As soon as we get the horses all set we will move on down the road.  Leaving Matawoman Creek and the bridge behind we are moving into a deep forestland on the left while to the right from the road to the river the land seems to be used primarily for grazing.  Both horses and cattle.  There is a stone rubble wall that keeps the cattle on the field, but the horses are tied (two front legs ).  About a mile down the road is a road to the right which goes over to an alternate road going south to Port Tobacco and Hilltop, both villages n the lower part of the peninsula.  Mr. Wills lives along this road somewhere.  This would be a good road for "JJ" to ride and make some notes.  Another mile and we will take the left hand road and head for the feeder stream to Matawoman Creek.  This is a ford, about two feet deep, with a gravel bottom.  Water is barely moving, but some brush along the other slope indicates that it can get pretty high here in wet weather, perhaps as much as four feet.  Marbury and Skinner live close by the creek.  There is a long drive on the left leading to Green's house and Clemet lives close by the road to the left.  Stone has a house on the right.  This would probably be a good community to stop and have lunch if we were not in a hurry to get to the ferry.  Mr Speaker has another long drive to the left and the last house in this group is Wheeler close by the road on the left.  The road is macadamed but has not been kept up and in several places the surface as deteriorated.  This would be a hard go for artillery (3) or fright wagons (4).  I would have to rate this road as a cavalry(2) and infantry (1) road only.  About three miles further on we come to the headwaters of Chicamawon Creek.  This is a ford as well, the water is less than six inches deep, and the bottom is a bit rocky.  The water flows steadily about 1 02 mph, and there is no sign of flooding.  However there are two rock abutments of dressed stone directly across from each other which says to me that there was once a bridge here.  I asked Josh to stop the carriage and I got out to explore a bit.  there is a heavy timber imbedded in the creek bottom, and one end still bears the charring of a heavy burn, probably a lightening strike.  We did the last six miles smartly, and finally came back to the main road and saw Posey's house ahead of us.  It looks like they have a farm stand, but nobody is there now so we go on.  There was a patch of woods and a road leading off to the left with a sign pointing to Hilltop about 12 miles away.  The fields on both sides of the road for the last three miles were lying fallow and overgrown with weeds and brush.  We will stop at the Posey House and water the horses and give then a bit of a rest.  Josh wants to give each one a measure of grain and I see no harm in that.  I go to the house and ask Mr. Posey to water the horses and he says certainly.  As soon as he sees the wagon sign he asks who is the letter writer.  I tell him that I am, and he has three letters he wants to write.  So, while the horses are being water, fed, and rested I am busy writing letters.  he lady of the house (Mrs. Posey) a delightful personage asks about the sign painting, and contracts for a nice house sign to put along the road.  I collect my four dollars, and have a long drink of cool well water, and we move on.  It is now about 3:0 P.M. and it will be another hour before we arrive at the ferry.  hat should be about right.  We will find a place where we can see the ferry slips and we will wait there until the ferry comes. I hope "JJ" can ride the length of the road with the dotted line from Wills house to the ferry that will give us a great deal of information about the peninsula.