Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-06-17
vith fatal aim. Ii vet told. and well believ-

with fatal aim. Ii is yet told, and well beliey
ed among their descendants. that these me
scarcely lost single ball in all that battle.
| With other lighter armed militia they wer,
posted 10 the front lines, ard commenced th
action; but panic seized the troops statione,
as their support, and the Valley rifemen wer
left standing alone. Tradition tells that Capt
| Tate, who commanded the Augusta company
| mortified at the cowarlice Of the desertion
| feigned not to hear the order then sent his com
pany to retreat, and stood his ground fghtiul
| till himself and great numbers of his men fel
dead upon the field, and Tarleton's resistles
| cavalry cut through their thinned ranks. Tht
British General, CORVALLIS, made special in
quiry, after the battle. concerning 'the rebe
troops that were stationed in the apple orchard
and fought so furiouslv;;'' and the American
commander, General Greene, afterwards sale
to Maj. Arch Stuart, of this Regiment, thai
there was time in the fortunes Of that day
when, If be could only have foreseen the un-
flincbing bravery and fatal fire Of these noun
tain rifienen, he would have annihiated tbs
army of CORVALLIS -5 g
Capt Tom Smith, 'The great fighter" a:
Gen Blackburn called him, who owned and
lived at Lebanon White Sulphur Springs. il
Augusta, commanded company at this battle,
and Gen. Blackburn took great pleasure in tell
ing Smiths descendants, (the CARRIERS. and We
should have added the Clarkscns and Macken-
zies of Kentucky and Missouri to them, and
we here correct the statement that Aunt
Reid was the first white female child bora in
Augusta-Eizabeth Cunningham, wife OF Cap
tain Thomas Smith, was the first, Of his ex-
plofts at Guilford and other fights. In the re-
treat there, Gen. Blackburn and Capt. Smith
mistook each other for Englishmen, and both
brought their rifles to their shoulders, at dis
tance OF one hundred yards from each other.
TIE steady sight over the barrels enabled then,
TO recognize the Continental uniform and each
threw up his. gun and continued to retreat by
opposite ways. They had never met before
and about year after saw each other across
Courthouse yard in Staunton, and immediate
ly walked forward and congratulated each 9TH
er on their first lucky recognition of the CONT
mental uniforms, at Guiford, and warm and
lifelong friendship sprung up. Capt. Tom
Smith took several Companies out during the
Revolution aud was at the seige of Yorktown,
and saw CORVALLIS surrender. He died, at
Lebanon, about 1890 and is buried near there.
His brother John, was also a soldier of the Rev.
His grave is 10 the CARRIER and Niche lot.
Trinity Church yard Michael Garber's wife,
Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Capt Tom. in
herited Lsbanon, and many Of the family lived
there for years, and there the writer Of this
sketch was born.
KINGS MOUNTAIN.
The memorable battle of Kings Mountain
was won by men of this same race; MANY OF
whom, like their gallant leaders Campbell.
Shelby and Sevier-were born or reared In Au-
gusta. tried in her forest conflicts, and conspic-
uous 10 the bloody battle of Point Pleasant.
The mountain men" of North Carolina ard
Tennessee were Of the same stock; and it is
probable that all engaged in the action were
immediate descendants of the Scotch Irish set
tiers. General Wm. Campbell, the chief ccn-
mauder, wore upon the field the same trusty
sword his Grandfather bore in the Highlands
of Scotland. The leading incidents Of the bat
tie are characteristic Of the people themselves.
When the news came that Ferguson and his
formidable band were invading their mountain,
homes, their intrepid spirit was aroused to In
slant resistance. They awaited not to organize
an equal army, and march in solid column
against their formidable foe nor needed they
any baggage trains or camp equipage to delay
and cucumber their movement. Their tried
rifles ever hung ready IN their reach; their
strong steeds we're saddled at the wcrd /; the
sound of the invaders approach was their cali
to the field, and their instructive rallyiog place
was the front of the foe. ''All Of sudden" "
says chronicler in Ferguson's army, "a nu-
merous. fierce and unex pected enemy sprung
up in the depths Of the desert; the scattered
inhabitants of the mountains assembled with
out noise or warning, daring, we'll mounted and
excellent horsemen" The numbers assembled
reached two thousand, but lest the enemy
should evade them, nine hundred of the bes;
mounted pushed on-mauy Of the officers 10 the
ranks as private volunteers-aDd soon brought
L.. - g..
which he b0asted that all the rebels from he'll
could not drive him" But, in short hour,
the naughty Briton and bis army were sur.
rounded aud pressed in alright upwards to the
mountains crest his men fell Ike leaves be-
fore the ieaden bail; the fiery circle closed fast
er around him, and soon lis own white borse
came careefipg, riderless, down the mountaic
side, and his surviving troops threw down theil
arms in unconditional surrender. But row that
the victory was won, the work of this ia
promptu and patriot army was over. TIE few
words Of the historian, Irving, truthfully tel
the remainder ofthe characteristic story: This
victorious army of mountain men, did not fol
low up this signal blow. They had no plan o
campaign it was spontaneous rising of tht
sons of the soil to revenge it on its invaders
and having effected their purpose. they re
turned In triumph to their homes"
TARLEToN's RAID.
And nearer our own homes tradition loves still
to tell of another time when the ''sons of tht
soiT' rose in patriotic ardor to avenge it on the
threatening invader. The dashing Tarleton. a.
the head of his legion of DEVILS" mounted OF
the swift race-horses, pillaged from the stable
of the planters in Eastern Virginia, swept u,
the valley of the james river and the Rivanna
made descent upon Charlottesville, and int
the very portals of Monticello, driving the Gov
ernor of this proud Commonwealth, a refugee
| into the forests of Albemare, and the Legisla
ture 10 basty flight across the mountains t
| Staunton-the frontier town of the State
Flushed by his successes. it was thought b
would follow iu pursuit and invade this noun
tain girt valley, never as yet profaned by tn
| foot of foreign foe.
And On one quiet Saturday evening, whel
! the rural inhabitants We're resting from the la
bors of the week, and awaiting with accustome
| reverence TIE heller rest OF the coming Sabbath
an express rider came dashing across the noun
| tain with the startling tidlngs that Tareto1
was already approaching towards Rockfsh Gap
The express passed on his way house wher
religious service was holding, and one who wa
then present, and yet lives In green old age
tells with faithful memory how the pious ant
patriotic (Rev. Archibald Scott at once, il
| thrilling tones, invoked his people to rally al
their strength, and, with their lives In thei
| hands drive back the Invader The wives an,
daughters he hastened to their homes to he'll
prepare their husbands, brothers and lovers fo
the defense of their fresides aud their honor
By nightfall, the men mounted on what horse
could be had, or on foot, we're all moving to
wards the mountain gap, armed with thei
| lxv .f1n5 httE forr g