Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-06-10
NUMBER Sc.

Z with themselves, and were assuming and i'm
perious in the presence of all others not of their
nation" Cornstalk was their fitting type and
chleftaln. He is described as distinguished
for beauty of person, for agility and strength of
! frame, In manners graceful and easy, and in
movement majestic and princely'
BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT.
The famous battle of Point Pleasant, 80
mourntully familiar to the memory of the de-
scendants OF those engaged in it, was the most
noted pitched battle ever fought With the H.
dlans on THIS continent. Corustalk command
ed the lqdIan force, which was composed of
over one thousand picked warriors, the flower
OF their tribes. The time and the ground for
the battle was selected By COrnstalk with the
most copsummate sagscity. He designed to
cut eft by surprise the army OF General Lewis
while worn cut with the fatigue of its long
march through the mountain wilderness, before
the approaching reinforcement under Colonel
Christian could arrive, and before it could form
a Juncuoq with the main body of Virginians
under Lord punmore, who was marching leis-
ureiy along the open road of Braddcck's expe-
dllon. The battle begun at early dawn, and
was most hercey fought until the sun sank be-
hind the western hills. An actor in the scene
says, '.:the long lines Of the opposing armies,
stretching tor mile between the banks Of the
kanawha and the Ohio, were often within
| 1"CEty ISSs VI odCn ULutT, aDA IDr q timo tho
nght was hand to hand with tomahaWk and
war-c!ub and knife, in deadly struggle" The
towering form OF Cornslalk was constantly seen
passing rapidly along the Iudian lines, and his
Gear commanding voice was distinctly heard
above the din of battle, cheering his braves
with his battle-cry, Be STRONG BE STRoNap
One OF his warriors appearing to falter, the
stern Chief with blow of his own tomahawk,
| was seen TO cleave the coward skull. Moth.
10 hraU nd
courage of Andrew and Charles Lewis, and
| Col. Christian, and their experienced officers
aud hardy men, could have withstood this
fierce onslaught; but their unfiinching Valor
triumphed aad the confident Iudian was driv-
en- back across the Ohio, never again to appear
10 battle array on the uneOnquered soil of Vir-
glnla. Capts. Walker, Ton Smith, McClena-
han, VIM. and James Robertson, Fulton, Turk,
| Bumgardner, Blackburn, Graham, McPhee-
ters, Leslie, Green!ee, Harman, Gamble, For
beses, and others, were also in this battle either
| as prlvates or officers.
| Some months ago, we published an account
of this battle, which took place October 18th,
| IVA and which deserves to be called the in
| cipient battle of the Revolution. Among the
many sons of Augusta there, none were truer
| than the father CT the venerable George Mayse,
| OF Bath, who Is now s. years old, For manly
| fortitude and womanly courage and devotion,
We have never known the following incident of
that battle to be surpassed, aud rarely, If ever,
| equaled -
Mr. Mayse's father, at the time of the bat
| tie, was n years old and married. He was
badly wounded, ball having struck the knee
cap, glanced down, passing between the bones
not find it. We do not know how long he was
detained there, or how he Jared, but nee
essarily considerable interval elapsed until
| his young wife heard of the battle but could
| not hear. any particulars as to his fate. Her
anxiety and suspense must have been terrible.
yet she did not nurse it. She was more than
| two hundred miles distant, with trackless for
| est, and large, rapid deep rivers with perhaps
| no trace but that made By the troops as they
went on foot aud horseback, there we're no
roads aad no vehicles and the country swarm
| ing with Indians, to say nothing OF the wild
| beasts of prey. She saddled her horse. with
| second horse saddled for him, and such COM
| forts as she could pack on the led horse, set
| out alone, with suspense, anxiety and doubt
| ranking in her bos0m-yet, heroine as she was,
| with bravery and a true courage that deserves
| to be commemorated in verse, she set out to
| fad him, and bring him home. Let US imag-
ine how she passed over that long, lonely read,
| with the chill autumn winds driving the leaves
over her dim, uncertain path, and signing to
| her sad bosom, the requiem OF the hundreds OF
| her brave countrymen, sleeping hard by the
Ohio and Kanawha, and for aught she knew,
her husband among them yet Hope, aud the
true woman courage eheered her on.
| She reached her destination, found her hus-
band and brought him home. After some
time, blush appearance near the ankle at
tracted attention. 1t proved to be the ball; it was
cut out, and for forty years he got On comtor-
tably. At the end of that time, his leg became
| painful, ulcers formed, and fears Of the neces-
sity Of amputation arose. He bat.lsa with it
six years, aud then travelled in his carriage to
Staunton to consult surgeon OF eminence,
| then living there Tie probability IS that it
was Dr. Mcintosh. He conferred with DR..
Boys, but 10 definite arrangement was made in
regard to its amputati0n. He returned home,
aud feeling that something must be done soon,
sent to Lynchburg tor Dr. Lewis He came,
and thought of amputatiog between the foot
and knee. But before he lit, became satisfied
it ought to come of above, and performed 1t
successfully. He was then about 6S years old.
He survived twenty years afterwards, aud with
his crutch and the aid of servant, who always
accompanied him, was az active aud useful Cit
izen, and who is there that will dare TO say he
was not patriotic? As TO his brave heroic
wife, We feel that we are not able to do her
justice
La the conferences for peace which followed
this battle Cornstalk ext0rted the highest prals-
es from the Eoglish officers for his remarkable
| 6tOQu6GCe. w USu OOIUStdik TUSe lO I6piy "
Lord Duumore," says Colonel Wilson Ia Brit
ish officer present. 'he was in no wise con-
fused or daunted but spoke IN a distinct and
audible voice, without s.ammering or repeti-
tion, and with peculiar emphasis. His very
looks, while addressing Dunmore, were truly
grand, yet graceful and attractive" As he adj
vanced and became excited his voice rose In
swelling cadence until he could be distinctly
heard over all the camp-ground. Colonel Will
son adds, Il have heard the first oraters in
Virginia-Patrck Henry and Richard Henry
Lee-but never have heard one whose powers
of delivery surpassed those Of Cornstalk."
The well-knOwn story of bis death, which oc-
Cured but few years later so little to the
credit of those concerned, was but characters
tic of the chieftain himself. Faithfully regard
ing the treaty of peace, he visited the fort at
Point Pleasant to warn the garrison of the ef-
forts OF British agents to ircite the Indians to
take up arms against the Virginians iu the rev.
olutionary war. But Cornstalk was detained
as hostage, and his son, the young chief Eli
pipsico, in 6lial devotion, came to the fort to
share his father confinement. A reckless par
ty Of soldiers, infuriated at the murder of
comrade by prowIing Indian, alleged to have
been companion of E.linipsico, rushed to
avenge themselves on the helpless hostages.-
Cornstalk seeing their approach, and having
on that same morning expressed presentl-
ment of approaching death, readily OWNED