The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-06-05
The wAshtngten Monument.
C2en. Andrew Lewis.


TUESDAY MORNING. .......JUNEA iseo.
The wAsAingtsn Monument.
Gen. Andrew Lswts.
W. Transferred to our columns = short time
ago a rararraph from = Rome correspondent
at the Richuoud Eaqxives, giving . dsscrtp-
ton Of the progress which Mr. Roo1ns. the
distinguished scuIptor, 10 making with thu n.
mainins statues. The aearss are all spoken
of A nd that of0sn. Lawn, especially,
axc,tAa sreat admiration. A sketch Of the lifs
OF this Distinguished person may not b with.
gu, ~interest.
Gen. ANDREW LEWIS resided ON the Roa.
noke, Ia Botstourt county. Hts father was
Jonx LEWIS, = native and citizen OF Ireland.
descended from . Hugueaot family, who tool
refuge in that country from France His rank
was that Of an Esquire. and he inherited q
considerable property which be incressed by
industry And frueality. He married MANGA
RET LYNN, daughter Of the laird Of Lecn
Lynn, who was q descendant Of the chiefsains
of = once powerful clan In the Scottish Hsgn-
lands. BY this marriage he had four sons,
three Of them, THoMAs, ANDREW and WILL
LIAM. born Ia Ireland, and CnARtHs, oorna
few months after the settlement Of the family
in Virginia. The settlement OF JOHN LEWIS
was = few miles below the site Of the town
of Stanton, on the stream which still bears
his name Patents are still extant, BY which
the king granted to him . large portion Of the
fair domain Of Western Virginia.
may be doubted whether the annals Of any
war furnish . parallel TO the cool and despe-
rate courage and sleepless activity on the part
OF the whites, and the ferceness, cunning and
~ rs, Il, az &H%A 80 sk. -as~-~ -Asnh
folio wed the settlement Of the whites in West
ern Virginia. In this long and bloody strug-
gle, the four sons of JOHN LEWIS, who he'd
himself becvme stricken ia years, were the ac-
knowledged leaders. The desperate courage
ed 70 each and all of that heroic family. Dur
ing the whole Of the indian war, CHARLES
LEWIS, the youngest son Of JOHN, 10 said
never to have spent one month At = time outof
active and arduous service. There are few
riiemen Of Virginia, where his name and
deeds are not as familiar as household words.
During this war, an attack was made upon the
settlement of Fort LEWIS, at a time when the
whole force was out on active duty. The fort
was occupied only by JOHN LEWIS, then very
old and infirm, his wife, and two young wo-
1ucA, IA WC1C . IVA SAh Az sA0' eASy
scarce moved from their seats upon the ground
floor of the fort. JOSH LEWIS, however
opened a port-hole, where he stationed him
self, firing at the savages, while MARCIA
RET reloaded the guns. In this manner
he sustained a siege Of six hours, dur
ing which he killed upwards Of a score of
sayages, when he was relieved by the appear
ance of his party. The havoc wrought by
-~-,. w.. nae 80 ~ ~n.< - ~ ~xrvvo
family, among the Indians, is amusingly illus
trated by an anecdote related in Howes His
torical Collections of Virginia. to which VI
are indebted for these facts. The white, OF
wild clover, is of indigenous growth; the red
was introduced by JOHN LEWIS, and it was
currently reported by their prophets. and be-
lieved by the Indians generally, that the blood
OF the red men slain by the LEwIsEs and their
followers had dyed the trefoil to its sanguine
hue. Another anecdote is given by the same
ton an example Of heroism and self-devotion
which was never surpassed in Roman days
When the British force under TARLETON
drove the Legislature from Charlottesville to
Stanton volunteers were called for to pre-.
vent the passage Of the British through the
mountain at Rockf1sh Gap. The elder sons OF
WIN. LEWIS (third son of JOHN, who then re.
sided at the old fort, SO signally illustrated by
its gallant defence by his father and mother.
were absent with the Northern army. Three
sons, however, were at home, whose ages
were IL, Is and l3 years. Their mother called
them to her and babe them fly to the defence
of their native land. "G,', my children, - said
she, IL spare not my youn gsst, my fair haired
boy, the comfort OF my declining years. I de.
vote you all to my country. Keep back the
foot of the invader from the soil Of Augusta
or See my face no more" When this incidens
was related to WASHINGTON, shortly after it,
occurrence, he enthusiastically exclaimed =
Leave me but q banner to plant upon thu
mountains Of Augusta, and I will rally
around me tho men who will lift our bleeding
country from the dust, and set her Free"
Of all the gallant sons Of JOHN LEWIS, til,
most dis tinguished was Gen. ANDREW LEWIS
whose statue is about to be placed on tn
Washington Monument. From q certain ma.
tive reserve Of character, he was not, perhaps
as popular as CHARLES, who was as distin
guished for bonhommis as for courage, but h,
combined the qualities of wisdom, moderation
n sound judgment, with the mostindomitabl,
yalor, 10 an extent not surpassed By any mar
OF his day, unless Gen. WASHINGTON be an ex.
Ia AAACS0s oNSA "eS 1O0 {
own opinion of his extraordinary military
skill and personal courage that when WASH.
INaToN was commissioned as ~Oommander.in
Chief, he expressed a wish that the appoint.
ment had been given to Gen. LEWIS. In in.
1repidity Of soul RICHARD Of the Lion Hear
was not his superior, and he had a persona,
presence which indicated the COMMANDING
will and energies Of the spirit within. "Gen
LEWIS says STUART in his Historical Me
moir, twas upwards Of six feet high, of un
common strength and agility, and his form o
the most exact symmetry. He had q stern ant
invincible countenance, and was of q reserve
and distant department. which rendered hi
presence more awful than engaging. He wa
a commissioner with DIR. THOMAS WALKER, Il
hold a treaty, on benaif Of the Colony Of Vir
ginia, with the six nations OF Indians, togetheI
with the commissioner Of Pennsylvania, New
York, and other Eastern provinces, held a
Fort Stanwix, in the province Of New York
In the year 1868. 1t was then remarked by tn
Governor OF New York, that the cart
seemed to tremble unde him as he wake,
along"
In BRADDOCK's war, Gen. LEWIS was in
company in which were all his brothers, tn
eldest being the captain. This corps, witt
some other Of the Virginia troops, led the ad
vance, and were first attacked BY the enemy
Severed from the rest Of The army, they Gu
their way through the enemy to their compan
ions, with the loss Of many men. He serve,
as Major at Fort Duqussne, where he acq uire,
the highest reputation for prudence and cour