Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-05-20

Il en- then q Wish, mind Its power
wish that to my latest hour,
Shall strongly heave my breast
That l, for poor auld Scotland's sake,
Some usefu' plan or beuk could make,
Or sing sang at least"
Burns
In carrying out the long cherished design of
the writer, of collecting and putting into shape
the annals Of first settlers of his native county
of tracing her growth aud progress since Spots
wood and bis gallant Horse Shoe Knights first
looked with enraptured eyes upon this fair
Valley of the SHENANDOAH from the top of the
Blue Mountains, at Swift Run Gap in 1921,
and snatching from the fast fading past the
story of how those brave Scoth Irish moved,
lived and had their being, he deems the words
Of Scotland's greatest bard not an inappropriate
expression Of the sentiments and feelings which
have melted him to and encouraged him in his
task. In early youth his greatest pleasure was
to talk to older people and hear about those of
whose lives and way of life he now purposes to
give the present generation some idea, aud since
arriving at more mature years he has let no op-
portunity pass Of adding TO his knowledge oi
their history. A natural desire to see other
States and people, added to the urgent demands
of poverty, and the request of friends, forced
him to leave this grand old county when boy
After years OF absence, spent in various States
from Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico, he returned
to it private soldier from the State of Missis-
sippi in 1861, to fed that 10 all his wander
ings he had seen no land so fair to the eye, 50
hou G,,t 10 f1r Iot -, Ill,
and nowhere had he met more chvarous
or hospitable people. During the war his du-
ties in the Army of the Valley, under Jackson,
Ewell and Early, led him to know the people
of the Valley Of Virginia thoroughly. He saw
their soldiers in the field, acknowledged among
the ''best aud bravest," and the shouts of Joy
that rose from the braves of the old 2od corps
whenever they came In sight Of the mountains,
from the lower country, we're only surpassed by
their glad cries as they crossed them into our
Valley, which to them had become, and was
fondly called, ''home." To hear those bronzed
veterans, from every Southern State, talk of
the Valleys patriotic people; to see how no.
bly, the ''granary of the Coniederacy'' poured
forth her all for the sacred cause; to watch the
matchless devotion of womanhood, whose
heroism surpassed that of the Carthagenian ;
women who not only gave up jewels of orna-
ment, but those of the heart-to see them
tending the wounded and the dying-cheering
the weak and faint -hearted-or right royalty
welcoming the triumphant Jackson as he drove
his flying foes dowa the Valley and through
heroic Winchester. could but make him prouder
than ever OF his people and lead him to search
out more earnestly the history OF those grand
old sires from whom they sprang.
The war, and variety OF other causes since,
prevented the carrying out of ideas conceived
during its progress, and even now he enters
upon the task, with painful knowledge OF his
| many impertections, and can only hope that an
| honest desire to do right and love of his sub
| ject, may enable him 10 at least truthfully
group together the facts, upon which some fu-
| ture historian may build structure worthy of
the Great Valley and the people who have
made it what it is.
| The great Macaulay, speaking Of History,
says: 'Ihe perfect historian is he in whose
work the character and spirit of al age is ex-
hiblted in miniature. He shows us
the court, the camp and the Senate. But he
shows US also the Nation. He conceives no
anecdote, DO popularity Of manner, no familiar
1
saying, as too insignificant for his notice, which
is nos TOO insignificant to illustrate the opera
ton CT laws, of religion, and OF education, and
to mark the progress Of the human mind. y
An intimate knowledge Of the domes-
| tic history of nations Is therefore absolutely
necessary to the prognoss of political events y
La his essay on the life OF Sir w N. Temple, he
approves the Insertion OF the love letters of his
vile during their courtsbip and says, very
little in the diplomatic correspondence of these
days was SO we'll worth reading and adds -
There is a vile phrase, OF which bad histo-
rians are exceedingly fond the dignity OF his
tory" which leads them TO suppress anecdotes
and simple details, illustrative of the inner life
OF people, and give to the world only the re.
suits of great battles and the mock heroics o
Kings. Believing with Nacaulay, while the
writer can not presume to initiate the inimita.
BILE, he will try, with the lights before him
and the assistance SO kindly rendered by nu
merous friends, to give such a picture of the
past as may lead us all to know our fore-tather.
better, honor their works more and ever en-
courage us to do nothing to tarnish a record 81
full Of all that should enoble a people and slim
ulate them to still higher endeayor.