Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-11-12
Daily A'irgiaiau.

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AMERICAN kNIonrnoop. tvol. ii. p 27S).---lt
Was in lili that tho expedition referred to wns
undertaken and brought to n successful end, and
under the lead OF the Governor in person He
well fitted for such command, both by long
experience in military affairs ON the Continent of
Europe. under the great Marlborough, and through
the personal influence he exercised over tho sub
jects of the Crown in tho colony. His chiyalrous
character, too, had won the admiration of thu
youthful, high.spirtcd gentry of tho country. Mt
the same time that his more matured wisdom and
judgment conspircd to secure their respect and
confidence, Under these circumstances, when tho
enterprise which to open to tho tide-wa-
ter population of Virginia, the great country be-
yond the Blue hills of the West; was suggested,
it wns with little difficulty that worthy leader
was enabled to enlist under his standard force
adequate to its accomplishment. We do not pro-
pose however, To giyca historical review of this
renowned adventure; nor shul we discuss the
question whether King George honorcd Governor
Sposwood III tho way mentioned by Graham, or
whether the gallant leader himself first suggested
and Of his own authority undertook TO establish
the courly cxpcdicnt of rcwarding his followers,
by decorating thcm with knigh,y honors. From
what follows though, We think the LITTER ut lcnst
Is tho fact, and that tho most gracious king will
lngly acknowledged the validity of 40 graceful
tribute 10 the honor and chyalry of his colonial
subjects.
u
tr"d''' - which If true, gives the reason why the
device of the hor~ shoe wns selected us the hndge
Of the newly instituted" order Of he yoidta horse
shor.' 1t is as follows:
"When the Cavalier train, with its followers
baggage end proyisinns--wnggons. ut cetcra, left
il'ainshurG III their r"rlous march those COM
posing ii were mounted on fine. wcll-brrd horses
These horses had never been shod for the reason
thai in the son sandy country TO which they had
been accustomed such precauton was nnnccos-
saiv. The consequence Of this state OF things
was that when he expedition had truverscd the
tidc-watrr country and had entered the high lands
on tho borders of the roughcr Piedmont region.
their gallant stccds began to grow cg-wenry and
tendrr-i footed and at last became so lame TINT II
failure ofthc enterprise on this account was seri-
ously npprchendcd by Spotswood and his youth
full al,enturcrs. II was found necessary, there
fore, Ia call halt and consider how this unforeseen
difficulty could he removed In the midst of these
deliberations, whilst some were anxious To aban-
don their horses and advance on foot. and others
were advocating nm immediate rctrcnt the heroic
ndvenurrrs were suddenly relieved Of their cmbnr
rassmcnt by happy bu, most natural expedicnt.
Ii Was suggested that among the followers ri
tho camp there was ono who knew how to shoe
horses, and that il permitted to try his skill, ho
eenla soon couyert the iron the wagon wheels
aud elsewhere into shoes enough to put the cavalry
once more ON n safe and sound ra tootipy. Ac-
hastily erected under the orders of tho Governor,
the irst blacksmh's shop in the western wilder
ness was opened and in due time, there rode away
from bclor"it rude portals as gay nnd gallant
troop as has ever cattcrrd tho rocks of old
Augusta County II is said that Spotswood him
self did not hesitate to assume the Office Of "shih,r
to the smith in his cagerncss to forward the ends
OF the expedition
II thus appears. then, that the success of this
mos, important, aud in some respects renowned,
enterprise was due to this incidents; hence II was
that the simple aud homcly device Of the horse
shoe was most appropriately elevated to tho dig
nifty Of knshly honors.
Not many years ago one Of these relics Of colo
NAL chivalry was in the possession Of tho descen
danis Of one who acted his part in tho memorable
march from Williamsburg to the Appalaches.
whcrc tho savage and the wild beast were for tho
first time disturbed in their primcval solitudes.-
II was ma!c Of pure. old-iashionel yellow gold
richly set with sanets.
II may not le uniss To- add here, as y matter Of
inerrs,, the namns OF some of the most prominent
gentlemen who accompanied Governor Spotswool,
shared his pcrils Of and his pleasures Of camp.
and finally returned 10 their homes, The honored
conquerors If n vast and valuable region. whicl,
now lies basking in the sunlight, between ranges
of blue m m,unara, yielding its millions Of wealth
10 the tlth of frugal husbandry. Thosc are some
of them:
Thomas Fairfax r.anci. Lee. Bernard Moore.
Ralph Wornlcy, Nath. cambridge, Mann Page,
John Rnndolph, Kit Carter. Dudley Digss, John
peyton. Thes,as Bray. Pcyton Skipuith. Peter
Berkeley, Wm, Byrd, Charles I.udweIl, John Fitz
hugh, Francis Brook, John Washington. llugl,
Tyler. Alexander Mott, Thcoderic Bland, William
Beverly, Charles Mercer. Edward Saunders, BENZ.
Harrison, VIM. Mosely, Oliver Yel,cron, Edmund
pendlcton, George Hay, George Wytbc, johl
Munroc. j.
Richmond Va, Oct 1858.