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THE COMMON WEALTH.(CTThe Washington Monument, erected by the State of Virginiu on the Capital Square at Richmond, which is crowned by Crawford’s Bronze Equestrian Statue of the Father of his Country, has now around it, and on the ba9e of the monument, the statues of George Mason, Pat rick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson—three of Virginia’s most illustrious sons. The Legisla ture of Virginia has ordered also a statue of Gen. Andrew Lewis to be placed with those already erected. We clip the following, in relation to General Lewis’ history, from the Richmond Du ily Dispatch: ' \ jThe Washington Monument—Gen. An-We transferred to our columns a short timeugo a paragraph from a Rome correspondent of the Richmond Enquirer, giving a description of the progress which Mr. Rogers, the distinguished sculptor, is making with the remaining statues. The figures are all spoken of as admirable; that of Gen. Lewis, especially, excites great admiration. A sketch of the lile ot this distinguished person may not be without interestGen. Andrew Lewis resided on the Roanoke, in Botetourt county. His father was John Lewis, a native and citizen of Ireland, descended from a Huguenot family who took refuge in that country from France. 'Hid rank was that of an Esquire, and he inherited a considerable property which he increased by industry and frugality. He married Maig.»ret Lynn, daughter of the laird of Loch Lynu, who was the descendant of the chieftains of a once powerful clan in the Scottish Hi^h’ands. By this marriage he had four sons, three of them, Thomas, Andrew aud William, born in Ireland, and Charles bom a few months alter the settlement of the family in Virginia.— The settlement ot John Lewis was a few mile? below the site of the town of Staunton, on the stream which still bears his name. Patents are still extant, by which the king granted to him a large portion of the fair domain of WesternVirgWKj^r^^-y^i1 * TO i! 11It may be doubted whether the annals of any war furnish a parallel to the cool acd desperate courage and sleepless activity on the part of the whites, and the fierceness, cunning, and barbarity on the part of the Indians, which followed the settlement of the whites in Western Virginia.— In this long and bloody struggle, the four sons of John Lewis, who had himself become stricken in years, were the acknowledged leaders. The desperate courage and physical enercy of the father had descended to each and all of that heroic family. During the whole of the Indian war, Charles Lewis, the youngest eon of John, is said never to have spent one month at a time out of active and arduous service. There are few families among the descendants of the border riflemen of Virginia, where his name and deeds are not as familiar as household words. During this war, an nttack was made upon the settlement of Fort Lewis, at a time when the whole force was out on active duty. The fort was occupied only by John Lewis, then very old and intirm, his wile, and two young women, who were so much ahrmed that they Fcarce moved from their seats upon the ground floor of the fort. John Lewis, however, opened a port hoie where he stationed himself, firing at the savages, while Margaret reloaded the guns. In this manner he sustained a siege of six hours, during which he kill ed upwards of a score of savages, when he was relieved by the appearance ol his party. The havoc wrought by Andrew, Charles and the rest of the Lewis family, among the Indians, is amus ingly illustrated by an anecdote related in “Howe’s Historical Collections of Virginia,” to which we are indebted for these facts. The white, or wild clover is of indigenous growth; the red was introduced by John Lewis, and it was currently reported by their prophets, and be lieved by the Indians generally, that the blood of the red men slain by the Lewises aud their followers had dyed the trefoil to its sanguine hue. Another anecdote is given by the same authority, showing in the succeeding generation an example of heroism and sell devotion which was never surpassed in Roman days. When the British force under Tarleton drove the Legislature from Charlottesville to Staunton, volunteers were called for to prevent the passage of the British through the mountain at Rockfish Gap. The elder sons of Wm. Lewis, (thitdson ol John, who then resided at the old fort so signally illustrated by its gallant defense by his father and mother,*) were ab sent with the Northern army. Three sons, how ever, were at home, whose ages were 17, 15 andof Virginia troops was killed and wounded, j “This battle,’* says Col. Stuart in his historical j memior, “was, in fact, the beginning of the revolutionary war, that obtained for our country the liberty and independence enjoyed by the United Slates—and a good presage of future success; for it is well known that the Indians were influenced by the British to commence the war, to terrify and confouud the people, before they commenced hostilities themselves the following year, at Lexington. It was thought by British politicians* that to excite an “Indian war, would prevent a combination of the colonies for op posing parliamentary measures to tax the Americans •• Among the gentlemen of high reputa tion in private life, who were officers in this memorable battle, were Gen. Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky, and afterwards Secretary of War; Gen. Wiliiam Campbell, and Col. John Campbell, heroes of King’s Mountaiu and Long Island; Gen. Evan Shelby, afterwards a favorite citizeu of Tennessee; Col. William Fleming, an active Governor of Virginia during the Revolutionary war; Gen. Andrew Moore, of Rockbridge, afterwards U. S. Senator from Virginia; Col. John Stewart, of Greenbrier; Gen. Tate, of Washington; Col. Wm. McKee, ot Lincoln county, Kentucky; Col. John Steele, a I ter wards Governor of Mississippi Territory; Col. Charles Cameron, of Bath; Gen. Bazaleel Wells, of Ohio, and Gen. George Matthews, a distinguished officer of the Revolution, Governor of Georgia and U. S. Senator from thatState. ' .. , t m ’ rlifSISGen. Lewis commanded the Virginia troopswhen Lord Dunmore was driven from Gwynn’s Island, in 1776, and announced his orders for attacking the enemy by putting a match to the first gun, an eighteen pounder, himself. He died, in Bedford county, in 1780.I Such is a brief sketch of the career of one of the most illustrious of Virginia’s great men Mr. Rogers is said to huve entered upon the 9tatue of Lewis con amort, and to have achieved a brilliant success. Having procured au admirable photograph of a venerable descendant of John Lewis, still living—Gen. Samuel H. Lewis, of Rockingham, between whom and Gen. Andrew H. Lewis, there is said to be a striking family resemblance—the likeness of the Moun tain Chieftain will be faithfully preserved in a work of art, which, if all we learn ol it be true, will be worthy of its subject, and will place the name of Rogers in the front rank of the sculptors of America.Louisville Challenge Cop.— R. A. Alexander, Esq., of Woodford county, Kentucky, has drawn up the following stake, which is likely to prove the most interesting one ever proposed in the United States. We take great pleasure in submitting it to the attention of breeders andturfmen?* }.**• *.*A piece of plate of the value of $1,000, to be bought by public subscription, which, when purchased, shall be delivered to the Treasurer of the Woodburu Association, by him to be kept till run for by horses, mares and geldiugs carrying weight tor age according to the rules of the Acsociation, a race of a single dash of four miles, under the following conditions:The race for the cup shall be like a stake race, to be run on the Saturday previous to the regular Autumn meeting, $500 entrance. Each per son desirous of conteuding for it shall make a sealed entry on Wednesday of the regular Spring meeting on the Woodlawn Course previous to the Autumn meeting at which he proposes to run, stating the name, age, color and pedigree of the horse, mare or gelding he pro poses to run, in which shall be enclosed the forfeit money, $250. The challenge to be accepted by notice to the Secretary by the following Saturday, or the cup to be delivered up to the Secretary. J/JyfThe entries, forfeits and cup, together with such money as the Club shall add, are to be hand ed to the winner of the race by the Treasurer, on the order of the President of the Club, the said winner giving bonds, with approved securi ty, to the amount of $1,500, that he will return said cup to the Treasurer of the Club on the Sat urday previous to the first regular Autumn meet-iug after he shall have been challenged for it, when he, or any one else, may again run for it, having challenged, or accepted the challenge, asabove directed.Should any one desire to do so he may chal lenge with, or accept the challenge with, any number of horses, by inclosing forfeits as in aAny one person winning the cup three years ia succession, or holding it during that time without its having been won from him, shall become the absolute owner of the said challengecun.etlt;tlVItleiivahcasa1bblh(V 1 CVdV t c € t € cItcIceQ 1 J t I i y \ ctt]c(i\i]
Newspaper Details
Frankfort Tri Weekly Commonwealth
Frankfort, Kentucky, US
Fri, Jun 15, 1860
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
B B.
OR, USA 04 Mar 2020
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