Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-09-18

this back woods region. So secure was Staun-
ton thought to be, that party ofTory Quakers
arrested in Philadelphia about the time of the
battle of Brandywine, were sent here for safe
keeping. But if the war did not come to us,
our people went to the war, and nearly all the
younger men served several 'tours," North and
South. The Court provided for the families of
soldiers out Of the county levy. [ happen to
know that at November Court, 1779, Mary
Waugh and Mary Lendon, soldiers wives, were
| allowed, the one forty and the other sixty
pounds for the ensuing year. Sixty pounds
Virginia money was 5000.
After the battle of the Cowpens, when Nor
gan was retreating to Virginia with his prison
ers and Cornwallis trying to intercept him,
Several companies were soon made up Capt.
James Tate, who had stood by Morgan at the
Cowpens and was with him in the retreat, COM
manded company raised in Bethel and Tink-
| ling Spring neighborhoods. When they were
about to start from Midway, the latter part of
February, 1871, the pastor of Tinkling Spring
delivered parting address to the men. Many
of them never returned. Capt. Tate and a
| large number OF the private soldiers were killed
at Guilford on the 18th of March. Some who
came back carried On their persons ever after
wards the marks of British sabres. Who does
not remember the deep scar over the eye Of
David Steele, of Midway? Samuel Steele, who
died near Waynesboro, was taken prisoner, but
escaped by smart trick he played upon the
British. Old Mr.. Wilson, of Bethel, was prob
ably the last survivor Of Guilford, in this re-
| gion. Archibald Stuart afterwards Judge at
| Staunton, went with a company from Rock
bridge He was Commissary, but fought in
the ranks at Guilford. William McCutchen,
who died not many years ago, served three
| tours during the war. While returning home
| from the first, in the Jersies, he had hard
| time getting along, on account of the small val
ue of his Continental money.
| In June, 1881, the first and only alarm of the
war, occurred at Staunton. [ believe it was on
| the 7th of June, and [ can t get rid of the no.
| ton that the day was Sunday, although have
seen statement in print that it was Saturday
[ know it was on Sunday that MIR. Alexander
St. Clair set a drum to beating in the streets
for volunteers to defend Rockfsh Gap. That
was thought at the time to be very curious
| proceeding for Scotch-Irish Presbyterian, es
pecally in county where Grand Juries pre-
sented people for driving hogs over the Blue
Ridge or unnecessarily travelling ten miles
on the Sabbath, which impressed the fact upon
my memory. Whatever day it was, there was
not yet been fully explained. The members of
the Legislature had been driven off from Char
lottesville by Tarlton, and had assembled in
Staunton, when one day, Saturday or Sunday,
the cry arose that Tarlton was coming The
legislators scampered off again, and the country
people, seizing what weapons they could,
hastened to Rockfsh Gap. Riders traversed
the country to give notice and collect the men.
Mr. William Davis, of South River, was one of
the riders, and, being in too great hurry to
break switch, used his fashionable wig as
whip for his horse. The women and old peo-
pie were busy hiding their silver spoons and
other small articles Of value. The late Mr..
James Bell, the well-knoWn Justice, then a
small boy, was so much afraid that Tarlton
would get his little bar of lead that he buried
it in the earth.
AS have said there is some doubt as to the
cause of the alarm. Lieut.. Francis T. Brooke,
caused by party Of our men from Stuben's
camp on the Rivana, which he led across the
mountain, being taken for British. This ex-
| planation never satisfied me. Certain it is
| that on Sunday, when the people were assem-
bling at linking Spring for preaching, strange
man was brought in, prisoner. -Four had
been captured, but all had escaped except one
The prisoner was dressed partly in British uni
form, and was supposed to be spy The pas
and, as a larger guard could not be spared the
| spy was turned over to young man named
Long, who undertook to deliver him in the jail
at Staunton. By command Of Long, the pris-
oner marched on before and moved obedient
to orders till they arrived at Christians creek
There Long wished to take off his moccasins,
and the spy persisted in coming on, wading the
stream with his jack boots. Long repeatedly
warned him to stop, and finally shot him down.
acknowledged that he was British soldier,
and had been sent across the mountain by Tarl
ton. From this fact it appears there was good
reason for expecting visit from Tarleton: On
Monday morning the Gap was we'll lined with
men, Most of them had guns, but some had
ouly sticks and stones. Tarlton, however, did
not come, and our people dispersed.
When the war ended, the spirit of enterprise
revived among the people of Staunton Ihave
town with water as early as 1862: But these.
did not suffice, so in 1885 Col. William Bowyer
opened third. Col Bowyer lived at the place
now called Kalorama The third ditch began
above the lanyard, passed through Mr.. Heis-
kell's lot (now Mr.. Crawford s., and through
the corner of the opposite lot, and went round
near where the Presbyterian Church now stands.
It was always called "Bowyers Ditch" but in
course of time the Town Council adopted it as
valuable public improvement. When Me
| Cues stable was burnt down, the Ditch was
believed to have saved the town from destruc-
ton. 1t served other useful purposes, also
In 1889, Mrs. Isabella Burns lived in the old
Ordinary (Tremper house), and took boarders,
if she did not keep regular tavern. [ am Ger
tain as to the date, for Mr.. Jacob Swoope came
to Staunton that year. from Philadelphia, with
a young man named John Boys, and they, OF
at least Mr. Swoope, boarded at first with Mrs
Burns At that time DIR. Asher Waterman,
Mrs Burnss son-in-law, had a distillery on the
Ordinary lot, and it was supplied with water
from 'Bowyers Ditch. Another distillery on
the same square was served with water by the
same means. Distilleries were then considered
highly useful institutions. The roads were too
bad to permit the transportation Of grain to
Richmond and Baltimore, and rye was perfect
drug in the Staunton market. There was no
way to get rid Of it but by turning it into
whisky, and then many people who had no rel
ish for the original article, managed to worry
down little now and then.
I have mentioned Judge Archibald Stuart =
He settled in Staunton in 1885. Years after
wards when the Federal and Republican par
ties were in full blast, and party spirit ran high
in Staunton, Judge Stuart was leader of the
Republicans and Mr.. Swoope of the Federalists
1t was common for both parties to have public
balls and professions through the streets, Mr.
Swoope and Judge Stuart heading their res
pective friends. The former knew how to cleo
tioneer. Young Daniel Smith and he were
once rival candidates for Congress, and went
together to Shenandoah to address the voters.
Il ' II