The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-11-25

Revolutionary Relics,

S Z l. L @ II Z d.
~>>>~>>>~>~>~>~~s>~~->~>~~~
Revolutionary Relics.
Mr.. W. A. P. Morris Of Mcgregor. has don,
US the kindness and the honor, to place upor
our table two most interesting relics Of tha,
Croat War, mere reference to which warns
the heart and accelcratcs the life-current o
every American. The relics are Pair oi
Dragon Pistols once the property Of the brave
but eccentric Major General CHAnLAs LEE OF
the Revolution. These pistols were presented
BY Gen. Lee 10 Major Jacob Morris Gather ol
our townsman) Of Flat Bush, Long Island
The Major was one of the Aids of Gen. Lee,
and upon the separation Of his staff after the
quarrel with Washington at Monmouth, these
valued keepsakes were handed to his friend by
the General, as proof of soldiers regard. They
have been carefully Preserved as heir looms,
and we consider ourselves fortunate to have
been favored with sight Of them. We are
informed by Mr.. Morris that his father lived to
q great age. blessed with health to the last. His
Youngest child four informant) was born when
the father was seuenty-sir years of age:
The Pistols are about ten inches in the barrel
and carry "a once ball. the moulds for their
use being marked %. They are silver mount
ed-the end of the stock or brecch presents the
head Of a Lion handsomely carved. On the
thumbpiece is bear; on other portions of the
mounting are engraved crowns and various 9TH
or devices now scarcely perceptible from the
frequent handling they have been subject to-
The locks are in good order, and We rolled the
"6re Of the flint" from these old Liberty win
ners with devotion quite as sincere if not as
fervent as the Roman recluse who believes
himself possessed of part Of the apparel of the
Savior. The Holsters and the housing are as
sound as ever, except that they look very old,
the hair Of the latter being nearly all eaten
away by moths. leaving bare skin for the hand.
some bear-skin which once ornamen,ed the
wi,hers Of the gallant stecd of LEE.
We are in possession of a chapter in tho his
tory of revolutionary incident, that has a great.
erinterest to us now than ever before, and be.
leving it's perusal will be interesting 10 our rea.
ders we publish it as particularly ar-cros
1t is found in the Lcctown corresr ondencs
Of the Petersburg (Va9 EzFress: ...
" Revolutionary Memories.
In the immediate vicinity of the spot
from which address you these lines,
are the dilapidated and antique residen-
ces of three distinguished Major Gen
erals 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. In this little village-on
whose golden forests l am gazing-un.
der the shadows of the great woods
here-remote from camps and the fash
ing world, these three warriors rested
out tho remainder of their lives in in
glorous repose. their swords in moth
eaten scabbards, no more to be drawn.
Here, if l mistake not, two of them
died, and soon even these lingering
memorials Of them will crumble and
disappear, as their figures are fading
from the general mind F!
Lees house is a hundred PAGES from
the little assemblage Of houses called
by his name, and is an oblong building
of stone with chimneys at each end and
midway-low, with rude porch, de-
pending, as it were above the rough
door, and with few out-houses. Gates
lived somewhat farther from the town,
in a plain, undecorated building; and
Stephen occupied mansion. probably
built by the earliest pioneers of the
valley. in which everything is small and
confined but the fire place. But that is
neither small or confined. 1t is grand
enormous Around it how many
good companions must have gathered
in the olden days, and what sounds of
revelry shook the rafters overhead =
You may read of Adam Stephen in
Sparks edition of the writings of Wash
ington: 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 Lieutenant Stephen. A large land
proprietor hereabouts, he doubtless re-
sented tho trespasses Of tho Indians up
on his grounds, stretching toward the
foot of the great North Mountain-at
least. we know that he did good SER
vice.
He was afterwards an effective officer
of the Revolutionary struggle, but left
the army about the period of the bat
tie of Princeton, disguised at something
or other-and so came home, and lived
and died.
OF Gates and Lee. more is known
the story of the woeful quarrel of the
latter with Washington at Monmouth,
you may read in full in the recently pub.
lished third volume Of Irving's grea,
work. 1t is probable that history will
finally show that Lee was not SO much
in the wrong as the world supposes.-
That he made blunder in ordering his
forces to retreat--very nearly ruined all
the plans of Washington, and lost US
the batlle-this is certain. But it was
probably an error Of judsmen,-not a
want of courage. In Leutz's great pic.
ture. he sits on his horse sullenly before
the Chief. whose hot anger flows out
all that he did and said afterwards was
sullen too. unfortunately. High words
Indignant pondence-Wasbing
ton cold and haughty-Leo raging,