Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-03-10
MEMOIR OF TURNER ASHBY.
No. !

,o snp1ces Of Information from Pei'",''
who had represented themselves as 'he
friends of the deceased, anu lFoh VIM"
the writer had reason TO eXpec' "i'i,ig
snd warm c0-oprrallon. has compehe',
bin 10 defer tie execution OI mS Original
and cherished purpose OF giving I" me
pullIc a worthy biography OF one whose
name is a source OF lmmoual pride TO The
Sop,h, and an enduring ornament to Iht
chiy.lry Of Virginia. But the few incl
den's roughly thrown together here may
have a certain iuleres;. They give ih'
KEY 10 The character of one OF tie mos
remark .blr men of the Sr; they Afford al
example 20 be cmula,ed by our soldiers
they representa- type of courage peculiar
~ Southern N their aspect; ana lhey
add an uni8dlng leaf TO The chapIrI oi
el.rv which Virginia has gathered on the
blood. stained feeds of the war.
l. is nuI Improper here 10 STATE Ihe
WEI. hi and significance given to The pres
enl ,rvoIurioL by the secession OF Virgin
ia. takes lime for revelations 10 ac'
qnire lhcir meaning and proper signih-
cancP. Iha; whIcr was commenced by
the Cotton States of the South, attained
i,s glowlh. Developed irs purpose and be
cane Instantly and ,hurougi ly in earnest
at the period " hen the StcOHd SSCeSsl0A'
arg Increment, inAOgur4ted by Virginia.
cOrlromIrd lie powers al washington
with it, sublime spectaces.
Virginia dlG not secede in either The
circumstances or sense in which The Got
ton States had separated themselves from
the Union She did not leave The Union
with deusive prospects Of peace to com
fort or sustain her. She did not seceGe
in The sense in which separation from the
ULlon was The primary object OF her Sc
ces>lOn. Her act of secession was su.
b rIInale; she as called upon TO oppose
practical and Overt usurpation on the
parr OF the Government at Washington in
drawing lis s2 ord againSi the sovereignty
OF States and insisting on 'he rlghI OF co.
ercior; to contest .hls her separation from
the Union was necessary, AMI became a
psinlu! fnrmalily which could not be dis
pensed with.
A Just and philosophical observation o.
events must find that in tins second Sc
cessIunary movement Of the Southern
States the rev0lulIOn was pul on basl:
infinitely higher and firmer IN all lis NOR
al aud con ,lluional aspects; that al this
period it developed itself, acquired It's
proper significance, and was broadly
translated into war Of liberty. The
movement, Of Virginia had more than any
thing else added TO the moral influences
Of the revolution and perfected lis lusli,
fication IN The eyes of the world. Ii was
plain that she had not seeded on an IS.
sue of policy, but one Of distinct and
practical constitutional right, and that,
100, in the face Of war hich frowned
upon her own borders. and which neces.
sarily was To make her soh the principal
theatre Of It's ravages and woes. Her al
tschmenI TO the Onion had been proved
by the most unuriug and noble efforts to
save II; her Legislature originated the
Peace Conference, which assembled al
Washington in February, 1861; her rep
resen!atiVes IN Congress sought in tina,
body every mode of honorable pacfica-
iiOn; her Convention sent delegates 10
Washington To persuade Mr.. Lincoln 10
a pacific policy; and in every form oI
public assembly, every expedlent of ne
eotialiOn was essayed 10 save the Union
When these efforts al paci6catlon. which
Virginia had made with an unsel6shness
withou, parallel, and with nobility oi
spirit that sconed any misrepresentation
Of her office, proved aboriive, she did
not hesitate 10 draw her sword IN front o
the enemy, and 10 devote all she posses
sed and loved and hoped for 10 the for
tunes of The war.
What has been said here Of Virginia
and her characteristics in the present rev.
oiuuon. is the natural and jus, preface 10
what we have 10 say of the man who,
more than any one else in this war. illus
iraied the chivalry Of the Commonwealth
and the 'lrues of her gentry. Turner
Ashby WAS thorough VMeinian. He
was an ardent lover of the old Union. Tie
was brought up in tha, conservative and
respectable school Of politics which hesi.
iated long &c sacrifice a Union which had
been, in part. constructed by the mos, il.
iusulOus of the sons of Virginia; which
hao conferred many honors upon her; and
%n'ch was the Subject of many hopes in
'"e 'n'Nre. But when il became evident
,nS' We lie Of the Union was gone, and
VI me SWORD was drawn for constitutional
Ips'N' ;mps'' We spirit of Virginia was again
illustrated by Ashby, who showed a de.
,S', !" ,"e heId even more admirable
'"ap %, 'ne virtue Of political PRINCIPLES.
'i"sl AS"oy was the second son OF