New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-19
JOHN BROWNS INVASION
Correspondence Of The \. Y. Tribune.
CsARLLsTows, Va, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1852.
CoIeyrI !. LUCIUs DAVIS


HaFper's Ferry invasion be came tearing down from
Richmond in blessing haste to about il. Having
looked well and earnestly, he set himself brskly al
work to regulate thins- Ills initial step was TO let
Ooee the dogs of war. Martial law was proclaimed
in Jefferson County. BOunties, amounting to dollar
and half day, were held cut invi,ingIy before the
eyes Of the people. Volunteer companies organ
lied, An attempt was made At cavalry, but the Cover
nors order to collect together all the available equine
resources of the DeghborhoOd resulting in seven
steeds uncertain to knees and all deficient in
tie matter Of capaIisOn, tbis was given over. Foot
uoo =, however, were numerously provided, and all
found ready to rick their united lives in holding in cap
hviiy the two wounded white men and the pair Of
blacks that were to be inirusted to them. What Gov
ernor Wise wanted then a mind-a loyal, brave
and dauniless mind-a mind cultivated in arts Of war,
give proper impulse and direction the eager heart
which patriotism and dollar and half day bad
csused TO cluster around the banner Of their State.
On reflection it occurred to the Governor that the
mind he wanted was Col. j. Lusius Dayiss mind. For
Col. Davis il no common As has been written
down of ancient, but not worthier person Of
authority, he Is wise fellow; and what is more an
officer; and what is more, householder, POSSIBLY
STAKEHOLDER; and what is more, pretty piece Of
fesh as any is in Virginia; and one that knows the
law, 60 to- and rich fellow enough go to- and fell
low tbs, has had losses and that hath, no doubt,
any number of gowns and everything handsome about
him. Clearly, Col Davis was the man. He had been
educated at West Point and had served in the army.
One OF HE losses was that Of his commission in
quence of proclivities toward dueling. That Gov.
Wise should repose confidence in him was the natural
consequence Of the assistance he afforded to Mr.. o.
Jennings Wise in a recent affair of honor Honor
peciay the honor Of the State of Virginia concerning
which be never ceases to dfuse himself rhetorcsy il
his proudest boast So be was sent for and he
He was wanted and he didn't go back to Gs wigwam.
The military management Of ChsIlestown was put
into his Lands. He at organized a thorough and
complete system. The energy he displayed threw the
Charlestown people into admripg wonder The
streets echoed with such warmth Of approval that had
be been an ordinary man, the Colonel could never
have got through blushiDg a, the praise of his own
loyeliness. The newspapers took up the theme, and
showered paragraphs like this, from The Independent
Democrat:
Co.. j. Luciu Davis Of Richmond has been here since yes
erdsy week acting under the orders Of Gov Wise N placing
Col d. has been very energetic in the discharge Of hs duties as
o. 20 maze foreign invasion an npossbity The COL by his
gracious and social qualities has rendered himself quite 'oTte
in midst.
The first display that I ever saw of the ColonePs
gracious and social qualities was in little interview
which occurred between him and reporter Of The
Ner York Herald who had witten letters derogatory,
in the Colonels opinion to the honor of the State of
Virginia. The accusation was that he had described
the roll Of the diurna drum asthmatic"an insult
of such proportions that immediate measures
must be taken to obtain redress The Colonel put II
very fercely to the reporter, who was for long while
L. :. 4. ..,..k
ribulaiion, light broke upon him. and he seemed in
olined to laugh; but the sterness Of the Colonel
checked his rising fryoy and he preserved sobriety
compatible with the honor of the State of Virginia.
But the Colonel was very wrath. For himself, he
said he could afford to overlook it, but the soldiers had
become ncensed to such degree that if the apologies
were not offered, he would not for the
quences. The reporter demurred. DO you know
"wf / am, Sir ?" asked Col Davis and then mme-
diaely vouchsang the supposed desirable information
81 am gentleman, Sir, said he, "who has We y
Gently been a second in affair betwe IN two dis
" tinguished citizens of Virginia Whether the
porter was overwhelmed by this announcement not
cannot judge but be went 80 far as to say that GER
tainy be intended no offence with which the Colone
appeared satisfied; although taking leave, he said
that repetition Of any such msbehavior that which
he had felt called upon reprove would be visited by
instant Imprisonment lest the honor of the State Of F
gina should suffer-
COL Davis is one of the most remarkable of the fire.
eating species. He Is the in anation of pompous Dig
nity His style is stiff that you wonld think he had
swallowed half the ramrods of his regiment before
bidding it farewell musical New-York reader viii
understand his general appearance when say that he
resembles DIR. Guiimeite when that gentleman is
struggling TO attain the low ID in "The Creation"
The Colonel il profuse in whskers and mustsche aud
az for hair, never curious capillary comph
catio n on any other mans head He wears two long
queues Of back hair, which braided, and brought
forward, and tied in bowknot over his forehead
The effect is startling. But then everything about him
is equally startling. BE rather fearful object to
meet for the first two weeks after the invasion. AZ
there are decent in the State Of Virginia Ia
special complaint OF the Colonel he seized upon one
of Browns best rifles, appropriated it-by what night
do not know, but probably the that by which the
marines carried of the other day from HsrPers Ferry
pike apece-snd kept il always with him. II IL true
be did not understand the weapon, and had 10 get
il loaded for lin, but that was nothing He brought
IL with him 10 the hotel-table at which he break
fsted and dined. All day he bore il upon bis
shoulder, and verify believe, all night he kept by
bin. Some l-nanred persons would have il that the
Colonel himself little afraid, and undertook to
ubstanate their statement TO that effect, by relating
how, ON one night when he had received warnings Of
an approaching riot he besought the landlord Of the
Carter House to let him have the two Pennsylvania
who captured Cook, in the room with him until
morning. But this, of course, is calumny. No one
could look upon the Colonies martial bearing with hs
gun upon his shoulder ana his bayonet by biz side,
and entertain different thought.
About fortnight ago, the Colonel laid aside the rifle
Eor anr or tx h. ,rcn. ahont yerr Lizzie nnticed