The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-12-05
REVOLUTIONARY MEN-RENlNIs-
CENCES.

county, VA Scllus tH"s f"t'i ."
letter about revo utlonary men and reminis
cences, from which we make the following
extract:
T, tho immediate vicinity Of the spot from
which address YOU these few lines, are The
diI,nida,ed and antique residences OF tnree
dis,;ognish.d mainr-generals OF the American
parnio,io, Within II radius OF one mile
ond h,If lived long and weary years, Chas.
~ ,l,, sinister hero of Monmouth; Hortio
Co. the Loser Of the battle OF Cumberland
,Le Sontbern campaign; and Adam Stephen,
The early friend of Washington. ln this Iit
lie villngr, on whose golden forests am gaZ
inc. under the shadows of the great woods
here, remote from camps and the flashing
world, these three warriors rusled out the
remainder of their lives in ingOrlOns repOse;
the swords in moiheaien scabbards, no more
TO be drawn. Here, if mistake not, two
of them died, ard soon even these lingering
memorials of lhem will erumbe and disap.
pear, rs their figures are f,ding from The gen
eral mind.
Lees house is II hundred PAGES from the
little assembage OF houses called by his
name, and is an oblnng building OF stone,
with chimneys at each end aud midway; low,
with rude porch, depending, rs 1t were,
above the rough door, and with few out
houses. Gates, lived somewhat further
from the town, in u plain, undecorated build
ing; and Stephen occupied mansion PROB
ably built by the earliest pioneers OF the val
lev in which everything is small ana comm
I'D but the 6re.place. But that is neither
small or confined; it is grand, enormous
Around il. how many good companions must
have gathered in the oden day, and what
sounds of revelry shook The rIiters 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 Winchester, when
the Indians ravaged the valley hundred
years ago, was Lieut.. Stephen. a large
landed proprietor hearabouts, he doubtless
resented the trespass of the Indians upon has
grounds, stretching toward the foot OF the
great North mountain; at least we know that
he did good service. lie was afterwards IN
effective officer Of the Revolutionary sIrug
Gle, but left the army about the period of the
battle of Princeton, digusted ut something or
other, and so came hither and lived and died.
OF Gates and Lee more is known, The
story of the woefu quarrel Of the latter
with Washington ut Monmouth, You may
read in full in the recently published Sd vol
umn of Irving's great work. 1t is probable
that history will finally show that Lee was
not so much in the wrong us the world sup
poses. That he made a blunder in ordering
his forces to retreat--very nearly ruined all
the plans of Washington, and lost us the
baltle-ths is certain; but it was probably
an error of judgment; not want OF courage.
In Lentzs great picture, he sits his horse sui
lenly before the chief, whose hot anger flames
out. All, that he did and said afterwards
was sullen, too, unfortunately. High words
indignant correspondence, Washington cold
and naughty, Lee raging; then court'mar'
tial; suspension for year; and Lee, IN utter
disgust, threw up his commission, and come
hither TO noe tobacco, that being the school
for II general he said, with II sheer at Wash
ington. And here, in this poor and obscure
dwelling, as have SAID, rusted out the sharp
spirit of Lee, and fell into dust and oblivion
With few neighbOrs, no friends; surround ed
by hounds and horses, and making the chase
his only occupation nearly; thus llved the
General and died. One day, long afterwards,
SAYS tradition of II neighborhood, Washing
ton sent his old adversary note, saying that
he would call on u 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 comrade IN arm'
ills friend
On the day fixed for the visit, Lee sem
away all his servants, placed upon the locked
front door II paper with no "Meat cooked
here to-day" written thereon, and then fol
lowed his servants, leaving Washington Ia
knock in vain. He never returned, and
with the passing year, the eccentrlct sodeI
grow moro morose and repelllng. Th'
around floor of his house was divided by
chalk lines merely, forming thus four com
partments. In the first he kept his books; il
The second he kept his bed; his saddle bags
and hunting gear in the third; the fourth
was used for kitchen. He could thus 81
on one spot, he said, with grim hnmoT, anC
overlook his entire household, Tired OF hi
dogs and his silent misaDthrophy ut last, he
commenced his Queries, Political and Militia
ry,' an attack on Washington; but the worlc
declined listening to him; and then, tfred o.
life, the cynical spirit of Charles Lee filed t.
other realms His last words were:-"StanC
by me, my brave grenadiers" and SO h'
ended
A word now of the third one Of my triaC
of warriors Horntio Gates came to the ole
house yonder after Camden. 1t was thu
Gates who had taken Bdrgoyne, and whos'
popularity at one liwe ovsrshadowcd Wash
ington's. But now, alasl The breath of NJ
indignant public opinion had blasted him
and his laures were all scared and withered
lie had lost the battle Of Cnmdrn-had beer
desposrd from the command of the army o.
the South, to make away for Green-ove
his head lowered n heavy cloud of public cx
ecration almost, aud Congress, it was said
had prepared its thunderbolt to strike him.
But the bolt never fell The sad soldier
sorrow was respected. They left him to di'
in peace here; enough punishment that TIN
magnificent drama of the Revolution was
played out independent of one who had en-
acted so splendid part in the earlier acts
These three old wooden houses are tn,
visible remains of three vigorous lives; II
them, to the musng eye, the spirits of Gates
and Lee, and Stephens, hover around then
still, speaking in every whisper of the pint
trees aud the oak; those ancient oaks OF tn
noble, English looking chase which muir
muir yender beneath the window, through
whose heightened vista appears the on'
Mansion of Gen. Adam Stephen. Her
within gunshot of each other, these mel
of history reposcd, though not happily W
must conc!udc after all their struggles
The current o: the Opequon, resonant in oil
DAYS with savage shouts, and dyed wit
blood. murmured by them, and perhap
l.. - has, a tNR tlVin