1862 February 5 Steamer "Sally List" on the Ohio River

[from the diary of Charles Hay, of the 23rd Ohio, returning from furlough]

Steamer “Sally List,” Ohio River, Feb’y 5th., 1862.                                                                                                                                            
  Awaking about 2 this morning, I found that
our boat had stopped at Mariotta, and, as her time
for leaving was 5 A.M. she would be obliged to remain
some time, consequently, your humble servant turned over
and prepared to take another snooze.  At 6 o’clock
we were at Parkersburg, Va., an inconsiderable place
at the mouth of the Little Kanawha, but it has
obtained some notoriety in consequence of being the
terminus of the North-Western Branch of the Balt.
and Ohio R.R. which intersects the main road at
Grafton, about 100 miles north-east of this, (Parkersb’g)
     About 7 A.M. we left Parkersburg, and but a
short time after we were passing the famous “Blen=
=nerhassett’s Island,” which has obtained such a
celebrity in consequence of the incidents connected with
it, and its former occupant and proprietor.
     Not withstanding the morning air is quite sharp & cold,
yet bracing and invigorating.  I consider this place
worthy of a view, and a sight of it remunerative
enough to forego the comforts of a cosy steamboat
cabin and warm stove for a few moments, and I
ascend to hurricane deck, to see what I can see.

It is a portion of land some two or three
miles in length I should estimate, a bit narrow
and laying near the middle of the river.  The
soil appears quite fertile, and well adapted to
the growth of Indian corn.  I noticed two or
three apple orchards, and some common=looking
dwelling=houses.  Nothing of interest is noticeable,
and the traveler might pass it fifty times, and
be hardly conscious of its existence, were it not
for the incidents connected with it, and the
associations clustering around it, and which have
given it an almost world-wide celebrity.
A trifle over half a century ago, a gifted foreigner
resided here in the enjoyment of health, wealth,
contentment of mind, and the pleasant society of friends.
He left his home in a foreign land, and came
to America; the fame of which had begun to
spread abroad, and here, on this beautiful isle, he
selected and prepared a place for his future home.
But the wily Here he lived, and here he labored,
content and happy. But the wily destroyer came, at
length, and what was before an Eden, compared to the
tumultuous and diversified world all around, is    
                                                                         
suddenly transformed into an abode of wretchedness and
despair.  Alas! what a change.  The once happy occupant
is, in a few short months, arraigned before the country
as a traitor and felon.  The family, sharing his guilt,
suffer with mental agony sad to contemplate.
      Whether, indeed, Blennerhasset was guilty of the
grave charge of treason, or whether seduced unwittingly
by the artful misrepresentations of the gifted Burr
to countenance such a conspiracy for which he was
indicted, is hard to determine, but, certain it is, that
History would fain erase the foul blot which this
has associated with the name of Blennerhasset; and
heap the ignominy and disgrace upon Aaron Burr, who,
though gifted and talented, and who occupied prominent
positions in our government, at last, steeped his hands
in the blood of a former friend, and one of America’s
best men, and attempted to overthrow the government
that had nurtured him, at the same time attempting
to drag others into the conspiracy, only eventually
rendering himself an “outcast and vagabond upon the
face of the earth,” his kindred a reproach, and causing
his name to find a place beside that of Benedict
Arnold, that most heinous of traitors.~~ But we

will drop this subject, and, as the day is really
pleasant and pretty, and our time unemployed, we
can look around us, and speculate upon things past
and present.  Most naturally, our thoughts turn to
ourselves and our immediate surroundings, which
are constantly changing, but, as a whole, is one & the same.
Within the present century, a most wonderful rev=
=olution has taken place in the affairs of the
world, but in nothing has there such a change
or improvement taken place as in modes of travel
and communication.  When Fulton first applied
the power of steam to its present use, he inaugurated
a new and wonderful era in the affairs of nations,
little thought of by him, I conjecture, and, though
less than a single lifetime has elapsed since the great
inventor first launched the first steamboat on the
Hudson at New York, now can be seen hundreds
and thousands of the same, dotting our rivers, lakes
and oceans, being the fruits of the clumsy little
foundling that in 1807 made its first trip, amidst
the skepticism and disbelief which existed, at that
time, as to the probability or feasibility of such an
undertaking.  The slow=going flatboat, has long ago,
                                                                         
been superseded by the elegant and graceful steamer,
navigation, travel, and intercourse have been greatly
facilitated, the productions of foreign countries have
been easily brought us, and in return, we have
exported the fruits of our own industry.  And
the simple application of that apparently vapory
element, steam, has accomplished all this.  Not only
has navigation been benefited, but, if we look at
our railroads, almost literally making a checker=
=board of the country, we see distant points made
nearer, apparently; and time almost annihilated.
     The country I see around me, was, at the
beginning of the present century, a wild, unsettled
forest, inhabited only by the wild Indian, who hunted
the still wilder animals of the forest.  The only
habitations were the wigwarms of the savage, who lived
here savage and undisturbed.  Now what a change.
The forest has been cleared away, and we see pretty
villages, neat farm=houses, well=tilled farms, domestic
animals, evidences of civilization, and, about all, we greet,
instead of the dusty red man, the enlightened white
man, who, by a proper application of his intelligence, has transformed
the wilderness, so as “to bloom and blossom as the rose.”

                                       Gallipolis, 7 P.M.
Arrived here a couple hours ago, and, finding
that no boat leaves for the Kanawha until
tomorrow morning, I engaged lodging at the “Valley
House for the night.  Took a stroll through the town
awhile ago, and like the looks very well, being
a neat, pretty looking locality, good houses &c, and
a place of some business.  This is the county seat
of Gallia County, Ohio, and is 207 miles from Cincinnati,
and 170 from Wheeling, by the river.

                                       “Valley House”, Gallipolis, 10. P.M.
Attended meeting at the Methodist Church tonight.
Whether all Methodists do as some did tonight, I
can’t say, but if so, I haven’t much respect for
their religion.  For my part, I think that if a man
“Does as he would be done by,” if he tries to do good
when he can, and does it in all sincerity, and with
the intention of doing good, “not to be seen of men’”
he is as sure of a reward from his Heavenly
Father, as though he had observed all the forms &
ceremonies imposed by the strictest sect, and made
devout professions with a long visage and sanctimonious
voice, to convince the world he is a Christian.
                                                                             
I judge a man’s sincerity, his religion and Christianity
by the acts he does, and the motives which impel him
to their performance.  The thousand and one different
plans submitted by as many different individuals, to
guide you to the world beyond, seem to me to be
designed to lead you away, and in your debate about
the different theories you get to wrangling, and lose
sight altogether of the object you have in view.
I don’t believe Christianity is a theory, but consists
in practice, and if one really desires to be a Christian,
let him cast aside all theories, and observe the
Golden Rule: “As you would that others would do unto
you, do you even so unto them.” ~~ To go through the
forms of religion as many do, and then become so
vain=glorious as the self=conceited Pharisee, who, when
he went up into the temple, and publicly prayed,
thanking God that “he was not as other are;” or
to bellow vociferously with an auctioneer=like voice,
at every meeting, indicated to me, a rather spurious
kind of religion, and it seems as though they
are conscious of receding farther from that God whom
they pretend to worship, and must clamor thus, to
obtain audience before Him.

MSS 13925