Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-29

pisuiy CNiiLeu anu eullgutoneu pOpuiot'on'
Tits was probably owing to the fact OF her
reckoning the famous Peter Francisco, the
Virginia Samson" az be has been called,
among Der citizens. Peter was the least a
bully of all men in the world. lie was good
tempered and kind-hearted to fault But
be was the strongest man IN Virginia,
probably, iu the world, and that was enough
to procure him infinite annoyance. The
country aboundcd with champions, who
could not rest till they had broken lance
with such a paladin. They came from tue
most distant counties to try their strength
with him. He usually declined, until pro-
voked by a blow, when it cost him a mere
push with his arm to lay the stoutest of them
rolling in the dust. % one occasion, it is
said, an ambitious bully travelled all the way
from New Kent or Charles City, to encoun-
ter the champion. Not finding him at the
court house. he went to bis bone, where he
found him in an enclosure, shearing sheep.
Riding in and dismounting, he announced
his business, and was told that he should
have trial as soon as the sheep then under
the shears had been dealt with. No sooner
had this jpb been finished, than Peter seized
bin, though he was man Of large size, and
threw him over the fence, ten rails high, as
boy burls stone from sling The astound-
ed bully; gathering himself up in the best
way he could, and not liking to venture in
side Of the enclosure again, accosted Peter
with please, SIR, just throw over my horse,
and let me be going" Whether Peter COM
piled with this very modest request or not, We
do not recollect to have heard. According
to the rules of chivalry, however, be was GER
tainly entitled to retain the steed and trap
pings of the vanquished knight
Another aucedote of Peter was related to
US by pers IN who was an eye witness. 10
the year 1885, party of neighbors were as
sem bled, one Saturday, at the Little.store on
the Three notched road, in Goochland county,
to shoot for beef, when, having disposed of
all the beef they converted the occasion into
regular shooting match. Among the crowd
were three noted DULLES, all of them men of
more than ordinary strength and reputation
| in their line. In the midst of the sport, q
tall, powerful mao, mounted on stroug black
horse, rode up, from the direction OF Rich
mond, and seeing what was going on, got
! down, deposited his pistareen, and borrowing
! q gun, fred at the mark. He did not touch
the board, and, Of course, lost his money.
Alter making several other trials, with no
better success, be accused the three DULLES OF
"greasing his gun," an operation, which, we
have been told, causes the shot to fall out OF
the muzze, at the feet of the marksman.-
They furiously denied it, and one OF them
stacking bis rags" as the phrase was,
challenged the stranger to battle. The lat
ter, with great indifference, iptimated that he
would not belitte himself so far as TO fight
one of the party, but if all three would come
at once, be might be induced to think about
/ it, provided only they would let him take
post in an angle formed by the pslings and
smoke-house, precauton which he said was
necessary to proven. them from attacking
him in the rear. This arrangement was
agreed to, but as there was an Ox-cart lying
in the way, and forming the base Of the
/ triangle, there arose difficulty about getting
it away. This difficulty the stranger soon
solved by applying his right arm TO the body
and upsetting it so completely, as to leave
the bvtton-side uppernost. This was enough
for the bulles. They fell back from the
stranger as though be had been the Angel OF
Death, and muttering peter Francisco" lett
him undisputed master OF the ground. =.
The mention of Peter Francisco has led
US into long depression. We will continue
it little farther. A Northern paper dates
his death in 1884. lie died in February,
1881, as may be found by an examination OF
the files either Of the Wing or Enquirer, at
the Columbian Hotel in this city, kept at the
time by Mr.. Crenshaw. lie was Sergeant
at.arms to the House OF Delegates, at the
time of his death, and all the members OF
the Legislature attended his funeral. at his
own especial request, his funeral sermon was
preached by the Right Reverend Richard
Charming Moore, at that time Bishop OF the
Protestant Episcopal Church, IN this diocese.
The tales that have been told of his extraor-
binary strength are not exaggerations, and
his courage was equal to bis strength. lie ser
we'd in the South, under Gen. Gates, and was
present at the baltic OF Camden, where he
performed extraordinary leats of valor, and
lost horse, for which he petltioned the
Legislature to pay him, about thlrty-hve years
ago, we believe, without success. lie AFTER
wards served under General Green, 10 the
company Of which the late Judge feter
Johnson was first lieutenant. Who the cap
tain was, if we ever knew, we have forgotten.
One of the descendants CT Johnston told US,
AZ coming from the Judge, that while the
troops of General Green were engaged IN the
siege of niuety-six, Peter used to auuse MN
self and his comrades by sbouldering dis
mounted six-pounder, weighing about twelve
hundred pounds, and walking with it around
court house that lay thin the lines. his
su ord, nearly Elk fee; long, was in possession
of the late joseph r. Bentley, at that time
ensign Of the Public Guard, for several years
after his death. What became OF 1t hnaliy'
we never knew. Peter was man OF power
full understanding, though entirely ubcul'
tivated Rich. Wing.
.cpIcULTUKAL IMPLEMENTS, &C.