Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-02
Revolutionary Men and Reminis-

a
writing from "near Leetown, Jefferson county, Vir
ginia" sends that paper interesting letter about
revolutionary men and "reminiscences, from which
we make the following extract:
In the immediate vicinity of the spot from which
l address you these lines the dilapidated and
antique residences of three distinguished Major
Generals of the American Revolution. Within a
radius of one mile and half lived long and weary
years Charles Lee, the sinister hero of Monmouth;
Horatio Gates, the loser OF the battle of Camden
and the southern campaign; and Adam Stephen,
the early friend of Washington. Ia this little viii
Lagoon whose golden forests am gazing
the shadows of the great woods here-remOte from
camps and the flashing world, these three warts
ors rusted out the remainder of their lives in in
glorious repose their swords in moth.eaten scab-
bards, no more to be drawn. Here, it / mistake
not two of them died, and soon even these lnger-
ing memorials of them will crumble aud disappear,
as their figures are fading from the general mind.
Lees house is a hundred PAGES from the little
! semblage of houses called by his NAME and is
oblong building of stone with chimneys at each
| end and midway-low, with a rude porch, depen-
! ding, as it were, above the rough door, and with
a few outhouses. Gates lived somewhat further
! from the town, in plain undecorated building;
and Stephen occupied mansion, probably built by
the earliest pioneers of the valley in which every
|
| that is neither small or confined; it is grand-e-
normous. Around it, how many good companions
must have gathered in the oden day, and what
sounds of revelry shook the rafters overhead You
NAV read Of Adam Stephen in Sparks edition of
| the writings Of Washington, and there you will
find that, among the hardy gentlemen who stood
| shoulder to shoulder with the Young chief at VIM
chester, when the Indians ravaged the valley
hundred years ago, was Lieutenant Stephen.
large landed proprietor hereabouts he doubtless
resented the tresspass of the Indians upon his
grounds, stretching toward the foot Of the great
North mountan-st least we know that he did SER
vice. lie was afterwards an effective officer Of
the revolutionary struggle, but left the army about
the period of the battle of Princeton, Disguised at
something or other-and so came hither, and
lived and died.
OF Gates and Lee more is known. The story OF
the woeiul quarrel of the latter with Washington at
| Monmouth, you may read in full 10 the recently
! published third volume of Irving's great work
Lee was not so much in the wrong the world sup
poses. That he made bunder in offering his for
| ces TO retreat and that this retreat very nearly
| ruined all the plans of Washington, and lost US the
battle this is certain; but it probably an error
of Judgment not a want Of courage. In Leutz's
great picture, he sits his horse sullenly before the
chief whose hot anger flames oct All that be did
and said afterwards was sulen, too, unfortunately
| High words indignant correspondence, Washing
ton cold aud naughty, Lee raging then court~
martial suspension for year, and Lee, in utter
disgust threw up his commission, and came hither
Ito hoe tobacco, that being the best school for
General" he said, with sheer at Washington.
| And here, in this poor and obscure dwelling as
have said, Tusted out the sharp spirit of Lee and
fell into dust and oblivion. With few neighbors,
no friends, surrounded by hounds and horses, and
meking the chase bis only occupation nearly, thus
lived the General and died. One day, long after
| IL p.,gt ha fgrnt -
ngton sent his old adversary a note, saying that
he would call on certain morning and see him
that he hoped that all past contention and bitterness
had been forgotten-he was coming TO see him as
an old eomrade in arms, as a friend.
On the day fixed for the visit Lee sent away all
his servants, placed upon the locked front door
paper with 'No meat cooked here to day" written
thereon, and then followed his servants, leaving
Washington to knock in vain. he never returned;
and with the passing year, the eccentric soldier
grew more morOse and repeliDg. The ground floor
OF his house was divided by chslk>ines merely,
forming thus four compartments. In the first he
kept bis books; in the second was his bed his sad.
dies and hunting gear in the third; the fourth
used Tor 4 kitchen. He could thus sit in one spot,
he said, With grim humor, and overlook his entire
household.
Tired Of bis dogs aud his silent misanthropy at
last he commenced bis Queries, Political and Mil
itary, 4" and attack on Washington; but the world
declined listening TO him. aud then, tired OF life,
the cynical spirit OF Charles Lee fed 10 other
realms His last words were, stand by me, my
brave grenadiersl" and so he ended.
word now Of the third one Of my triad OF war.
riors. Hofatio Gates came 10 the old house yon-
der after Camden. ID vas the Gates who had tax
en- Burgoyne, and whose popularity at one time
overshadOwed Washington's. But nov, alas how
falleul The breath Of an indignant public opinion
had blasted him; and his laurels all scared
and wthered. lie had lost the battle Of Camden
had been deposed from the command Of the
nv OF the South, 10 make way Tor Greens-over
his head lowered a cloud Of public eIeeFation al
most and Congress il was said, had prepared its
thunderbolt 10 strike him. But the bolt fell
The sad soldiers sorrou was expected. They leit
him TO die in peace hers-enough punishment thai
the magnificent drama OF the Revolution was
played Qua, independent Of one who had enacted
so splendid part IN the earlier acts
These three old wooden houses are the Visible
remains OF three vigorous lives--in them 20 the
musug eye the spirits OF Gates, aud Lee, and Ste.
phen, hover around them slill, speaking IN every
whisper Of the pine trees aud the oaks--those IN.
eient oaks Of the noble, English looking chase,
which murmur FOUNDER beneath the WiodoW--
through whose Heightened vista appears the lone
mansion OF General Adam Stephen. befe, within
gunshOi almost Of each other, these men efhst "
repOsed--though nos happily ue must conclude
afer al their struggles. The currens Of she 0pe-
ouon. resonant Ia od days with savage shouts, and
dyed with blood. murmared By them, and perhaps
spoke TO their minds Of other days--typifying ha-
man things which ever bad aud aow, and change
lke che skies Of autumn yonder-the gorgeous
leaves whose eolors vary with each day.