Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-07-04
SERMON.

anu 4. y. IlauShey'
SERMON. !.
WALTER NEWMAN, tho subject :of this
discourse, was born Of German parentage,
in Lancaster county. Pennsylvania, Sept.
81. 1853, His father wasthe first Sher.
in Of his native county. When the call
was made, for volunteers to defend che
colonies against the oppression 1of the
mother country, his father early obeyed
that call, and was jim one Of the first bait
Ties between the infant colonies and the
mother country, in which he received p
wound, and had t9 return home. Upon
coming homie, he sent his two sons, twin
brothers, between Is and u Years Of age,
70 the tented field, in his place. Walter
was taken first as d cook 10 a captain; tlle
other brother was soon in q hot engage,
ment, where he received a wound, from
which he never recovered. Walter was
soon transferred FROM his first post to that
Of the regular and active service, +
Some Donthslago, ! took from his own
fips nj account Of his former trials and
sufferings, .butI found bis memory cxcee.
dinghy detective. Col Davidson was
more fortunate than; myself in obtaining b
fuller and more accurate account Of the
campaign through which he passed. The
A Colonel has kindly furnished me with his
notes, an abstract Of which shall use Oh
the present occasion. l need notgie>the
full details, the historian has done this;
and the bare mention of the engagements
he was in will recall TO the memory Of
every one the attendant circumstances
He was in the battles of Long Island,
Rrandywine, paoli, Germantown, Red
Banks. Nonnso4sth, Storming Of Stony
Point, Springfield, Camden, Cowpens,
Gulfor6 Court house, Eutaw Springs, and
a: Yorktown when CORVALLIS Hmsde d
surrender Of his forces to, General Wash
ington. " @
From this enumeration it will be seen
that he was in the hardest battles Of the
campaign. He asin camp at tho time
the news--to them, heart-cheering news
them that Congress made the
Declaration Of Independence, and partici-
pated in the joy Of that occasion-an oc-
casion long 10 be remembered.
He was for more than sir Years in the
regular service. and three. years in the
southern army, and shared largely in the
sufferings incident to those "times that
tried mems souls''--suiferings that we
can form very little conception Of. The
country was divided in opinion upon the
subject Of the revolution; many took part
against it; and, in fact, in the South, the
i people were nearly equally divided in sen.
timent; one part hocked to the standard
of our army struggling for liberty agains
fearful odds, and the other to the royal ar.
my trying 70 maintain what they thought
were the rights of the crown. II Tho
country had rallied TO man, to our army
II would have been far different from villa
It was. He was in the army when they
were tracked over the frost and snow BY
the blood that came from their bare, fro
zen, and lacerated feet. Our army wa
not always victorious, but was often de
feated, and then they had 10 make foreet
marches; and on one occasion, they wer,
under a forced march from Guilford c
H., for two days and nights, without foot
or rest. Finally, ON this head, he wa
present at orktown: when victory finall,
perched upon the American banner-whel
the lion Of England quailed before tn,
American eagle, and the tree Of liberty
shot its branches high up into the heavens
and struck its roots deep into our soil. !
The company to which Mr.. Newman
belonged at first numbered fifty brave AMI
hardy men, but now when they were dis
banded, numbered only fifteen; thirty -fiy
had fallen by death in the open field or b,
disease. The whole fifteen, when the'
were discharged, had not clothing enough
to have clad one man. They were literal
lly without clothes, money, and had mono
Of the means Of life. Friends they 'hat
now many. All hearts were now open
and all hands liberal in supplying thei
wants. Brave meni God undertook
their cause, and fought their battles fo
them! After the sound Of the spirit-stir
ring drum and the booming cannon hac
been hushed into silence BY the voice 0
peace, and the eagle had spread its broad
pinlons over our happy land, Mr.. New
man returnedto enjoy the blessing Of Iii
parents, and the liberties for which lie hac
fought. Subsequently he married and
settled in Western Virginia, in or near
Point Pleasant, and from there he moved
/ 10 Gallipolis and established the first No,
!: tel kept by an American citizen ii tha'
place. After having. lived for sexera
j years in Gallia county, he removed into
Fairfield county, and from there 10 thi,
place, where he has finished his DAYS
There are many things in the history o
Mr.. Newman. though .nniv a nri,nta. I'll;