Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-11-17
GENERAL ANDREW LEWIS.
a FAMILY OF VIRGINIA HEROES.

/
contest of Western ViTgInians with the savage at
their doors, well with the tories aud fed coats
rn the CarollnaS, which they volunteered to march
hundreds Of ILieS to fight aud to defeat. They
would stare vacant surprise, it asked who was
Andrew LewiS-though he won a fame second
only 10 WaShingtOn's, IN command OF the Virgins
buckskin's at Braddock's defeat; though he COM
n1anded in the most desperate of all the anil
Revolutionary Indian battles at point Pleasant,
though Re was urgently nominated by Washington
as Major Genefel, 10 the Congress which select
ed himself as the first Commander in Chief OF
the American Armies-a man Who III the rugged
energy Of his military character, was TO the pol
ishtd Washington in the field what Jefferson was
afterwards to Madison IN the cabinet"
There are some additional facts Of interest con-
nected with the subject of this just eulOsiln, and
with this remarkable family, contained in a traui-
tim of the race, which was found among the pa
pers Of the late John Howe Peyton, Esq OF
SlauRton, and published by his son, John Lewis
Peyton, in the Virginia Historical Register. From
this source, and from Howe's Historical Collection,
we make the following condensation:
John Lewis, the iEStIof the family who emigrated
to Virginia, was citizen of Ireland, descended
from Huguenot family, which OOk.reiug= IN that
kingdom. His rank was that Of an Esquire, and
he inherited handsome estate, which he incTeas-
cd ty industry and lTugality. He married Marga-
ret Lynn, daughter of the Laird Of Loeb Lynn,
who was descendant of the chleltians ola once
powerful clan in the Scottish Highlands. He had
four sons by this marriage, Thomas, Andrew and
William, born in Ireland, and Charles the child Of
his old age, born i'll Virginia.
The emigration OF John Lewis 10 Virginia was
the result OF brutal and ferUcous attack upon his
legal rights and domicil, by Irish noblemau aud
u party Of armed deSperadoeS whom he had en-
plOyed for that purpose. Lewis, unarmed and un-
assisted, killed the nObeman and one of his ser
wants with a club, when the rest, terrified by his
ierte resistance, made preclpitate retreat. This
awful occurrence Brought the affairs Of Lewis in
Ireland to a crisis. The connections of the noble
man were rich and powerful, and it was deemed
by the frieuds OF Lewis rash and unwise, that,
even with Justice on his side, he should sur
render himself to his enemies. He accordingly
left ireland i'll the summer of 1882, and established
his residence in Augusta county, Va. After the
investigation of the affair by the authorities in Ire
land, pardon was granted 20 John Lewis, and
patents are still extant, ly which His M;jeS:J
granted TO him very large portion of Western
Virginia.
We could fill this journal with thrilling details
Of the heroic featS OF the Lewis amilY in repellIng
the assaults Of the Indians. and conluering them
| throughout Western Virginia. The names of the
four sous OF John Lewis have become like house
hold words in the annals Of Indian warfare in the
West. The tests OF CHARTS, (who afterwards
fell at the head of his regiment, leading on the
| attack at Point Pleasant have not been equaied
in romantic heIUiSn since the days fCspl. John
casion, John Lewis, then very old and inlirm,
occupied fort which was attacked Ivy the lndi ms,
The only occupants of this fort were the old Lero.
his wife, and Two young women. Lewis, how
ever, opened pOrt-hole, from which he fired at
the SavageS, while his wife loaded the guns. In
this way he sustained siege OF six hours, during
which he killed upwards OF a score of Indians,
when he was releaved 10y the appearance OF
party of friends. An old settler relates an anec-
doe illustrating the Indians idea of the proves OF
the LewlSes: The white clover is of Indigenous
growth, the red W. s introduced Ivy John Lewis,
and ii was generally reported and believed by the
Indians that the blood OF the red men slain by the
Lewises and their followers had dyed the ttefoi
| to its Sangune hue.
The women Of the family shared the spirit Of the
men. When, in the of the revolution, vol
umteers were called for TO prevent TaIeion from
passing RocGtiSn Gap, the wife of William [3d son
OF J0hm) called her only three SOCS who were not
| in the army, whose ages were II. IS and 10 years
aud said: Go, NY children; spare not my young
EST my tAlr haired boy, the comfort of my decli-
ming years. devote you all 10 my country. Keep
back he foot of the Invader from the soil OF Au-
gnsta, or see my face no more" II was when this
incident was related 10 Washington that he made
the famous exclamation: Is Leave me but a. ban
ner 10 plant upon the mountains of Augusta, and
VIII rally around me the Inen who will lift our
bleeding country from the dust and set her free''
Gen. Andrew Lewis, TO whom statue is 10 10
erected IN tie Washington group, was the second
son al John and Margaret evils. In BraddOck'S
war he " as IN company in which were all his
HrolherS. They were especially distinguished al
braddock'S defeat. They we've in the advance and
the first attacked by the enemy. Severed from the
rest ut the army, they cut their way through the
enemy 10 their companies. In the attack on FoIt
OUQneSne, Andrew Lewis was a Ma jOr, and his
conduct acquired for him the highest reputation for
courage and prudence. He vas the comma nder OF
the Virginia troops at the battle Of Point Pleasant
fought May 10th, l774. The vaor AMI skill dis.
played IN this memorable occasion were Iewarded
ny the total defeat OF the Indians, who ere dnv-
en- west Of the Ohio. "WaShingtun," says Howe
''in whose regiment Lewis had once been Major
had formed so high an opinion Of his bravery and
military skill, that at the commencement of the
Revolutionary war, he was induced to recommend
nm 10 Congress as one of the Major GenetalS In
The American army" II is also said that when
Washington commissioned as Commander in
Chief, "he expressed wish that the appointment
had been given 10 General Lewis. He command
ed the Virginia troops when Lord Dunmore was
driven from GwynnS Island in 1916, anu an
bounced his order for attacking the enemy by put.
tInS match 10 the first gun, an eighteen FOUNDER
himSe!i.''
Gen. Lewis says Stuart, in his Historical Me-
moIrS' was upwards OF SIX feet high, of uncon-
mon strength and agility, and his form OF most
exact symmetry. He had stern and inyinclble
coun:enance, AMI was Of a reserved and distant
uePottment, which rendered his presence more
awful than engaging. He was a Commissioner
with Dr. Thomas Walker, to hold teat6, on be.
half of the Colony of Virglnis, with the Six Ma.
lions of Indians, together with the Commissions rs
from Pennsylvania, New York and other Eastern
PROVINCES, held at Fort Stanwix, in the Province
OF New York, in the year 116S. II was then re.
marked by the Governor of New York, that sthe
earth seemed to tremble under him as he walked
along His independent spirit deSpised sycophan-
tic means Of gaining popularity, which he never
rendered more than his means extorted.''
Gen. Lewis died in Bedford County, in 1850. nm
his way home from the army
AMoNsrRous scnEME.--We learn from the NIadi-
son Argus that body of desperadoes lately attnt-
Ell to blow up RAILROAD train in Wisconsin,
Their plan was 10 sink joint of stove pipe, filled
with powder and stopped up at the end, under the
tracks to have train of powder leading from the
mine several yards alongside of the track, and