Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1856-12-20
Revolutionary Men and "Reminiscences

Revolutionary Men and "Reminiscences
A correspondent Of the Pcler,hurA IN
press, wiring from "mear hee'o"n, JET
(erson county, Virginia. sends Ioa' pa
per an interesting Ict}er about revoulinna-
~ men and "reminiscences, from which
we make the following extract
In the immediate vicinity OF the spot
from which address YOU these lines are
me GiIapIdated and antique residences oi
three distinguished Major Generals OF the
American Revolution. Within radius
Of one mDe and half lived, long and
weary wears, Charles lee, The sinister he
70 OF Monmouth ilo,aUo Gates, the To-
ser of the battle Of Camden, and the
southern campaign and Adam Stephen,
the early friend Of Washington. In this
tHtIe village, on Who>e ijen forests
cm gazing, under the shadows OF the great
woods here, remote from camps and the
Ansh!uG wogia, these three warriors, rust
I'd out the remainder Of their lives IL m
glorious repose, the swords, in moth ca
zen scabhards, no more TO be drawn
Here, if mistake not, two of them Gied,
and soon even these lingering memorials
of them will crumble and disappear, as
their figures are fading from the general
mind.
Lees house is a hundred PAGES from
the lille assemhIage of houses called by
his name, and is an obIong building OF
stone, with chlmneys at each end and
midway-low. with a rude porch, depen-
ing, as if ii were, above the rough door,
and with a few oul-houses. Gates lived
somewhat further from the town, in
plain, underoraed building and Stephen
occupied a mansion, probably built by the
earliest pioneers Of the valley, in which
everything is confined and small but the
fire. place. But that is neither small or
co fined it is grand-enormous Around
it how many goud companions mus lhave
galhertd in the olden day, and what
sounds of EeyerIy shook he ra(rers Over
head You may read Of Adam Stephen
III Sparks edition Of the writings of Wash
inglon, and there You will find that, among
the hardy gentlemen vino STOOD shoulder
to shoulder with The young chief At Win
chester, when The Indians ravaged the
valley hundred years ago, was Leuten-
ant Stephen A large landed proprietor
hereaboUtS, he doubtless resented the tres
pass of the Indians upon his grounds,
stretching toward the foot of the great
North mounlain-at least we know that
he did good service. lie was afterwards
an effective officer Of the revolutionary
struggle. but left ,he army about The pc
rod of the battle of Princeton, dlsgusted
at something or olher-and so came hlIh-
er and lived and died.
Of Gates and Lee mo!e is known. The
story of The wolul quarrel of the latter
with Washingtont al Monmouth, YOU may
read in full in the recently published third
volume OF Irvings great work. Ii is
probable that history Will finally show that
lee was not so much in the wrong as tie
world suPposes. That he made blum
der IN ordering his forces 10 retire at--and
that this retreat very nearly ruined all the
plans of u asnngtOn, and lost US the bat.
lle-lhat Is cerlaia but il was probably
an error of judcement-not want OF
courage. Ia Lenize's great picture he
sits his horse 4uienly before tie chief,
whose bot aueet flames ont. All that he
did and sald afterwards was sulIen. too,
unfortunately. High words-indIgnant
aShInglOa cold and