The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-10-22

lived. for the poblc aud gallant conduct OF
Col Charles Lewis IL that battle as well
as in the entire campaign. This is tradlt.
ioaal history which koo. to be true, aud
delight to declare.
The number killed aud wounded of Viz
GINA troops according to ny information
was abou, go. never learned the pam
Der killed aod wounded or the side of the
Indians. 5u: the genera! belief was their
loss exceeded tia! Of the whites.
/. sas no Goub. the r9os. considerable
and mos, bloody Of Ialiaa battles ever
sough; 10 virginia. or any Of the colonies
or States Of the Uaion The battle Of
Tippecanoe resembles it aoFe nearly than
any other cvcr fought 10 North America
itLai a most salGiary effect in our Revoiu
tionary contest with England. The army OF
1 Lewis marched Oh 10 the 5cio'o, in OHIO,
where A treaty was maGc with the inclan
tribes west u the Ohio, which tended 10 re-
press Indian agsressious on Virginia as well
as Pennsylvania frontier, during the war OF
the Revolution. But these latter considera.
I tioas ure not entirely germAnc 10 the subiec!
before US, therefore shaH pursue them 10
further. ,o,
As rear as I can rrco!iec:, in iae year 1893
Ia ! became member Of The Virginia histor
1 ical Society. which had its ofiHe, and conyen'
cd annually, in the city Of Richmond This
Society collected as far rs hey could, all the
ancient records aud other aat;qua:ed memoir.
ais olthe State, which would tend TO illustrate
! It's carly history. They were deposited III
their o:Fice at Richmond with the Secretary OF
/ The Society Between the years 1850 aud
| 1883. vent TO the Office OF the Society, aad
with the aid Of Dr.. Socrates Maupir, then the
Secretary Of the Society. We spent more tia"
half day 10 exploring these records ard me
MORALS. On that occasion We ioand a'ciume
put together in the marncr OF stitched acts Of
The Legislature, consisting Of az eight By zen
newspaper published at Williamsburg in the
wear TIA. I at once locked for the account Of
the battle Of FONT Pleasant, and there found
it. | read it oy,r carefully ana recu!lrrt TIA,
the facts there stated corresponded sub.;an
iiallv with my traditional rec0lections. Thc!e
was in nv fathers family very nca. smll!
gun. the history Of which was follows: When
the Indians rcirca.cd. Captain Daniel Smith
ioinea in the pursuit. He had progressed but
short distarcc when he came 10 fallen tree,
There he saw a young Indian lying behind the
BODY Of the tr9c, with 4 small handsome gun
resting at oae cad Oh the log or tree, an the
brcech s. his shoulder, apparently ready TO
fire. Unfortunately 70: the Indian while oc
cupying this position. soldier bad fred a;
him. aud struck, with bnliet. the centre Of
bi, forehead. which. as was supposed, Instant
liz killed him. as Captain D. Smith passed
he observed The Indian ard Ills gun, and hen
resolved 10 get the sra as a present. for ny
father.
Asmy tradition r,porls there was public
auction ofthe captured property at the camp,
shortly after the battle, at which auction this
yetitable gun was sold, bought by Capt. D.
Smith and br5ush: home and given 10 my
father. |. was III The family many years, and
what disposition was made oft, do not rec
oIlcct, mos; probably it was gi:en over to
Judge Daniel Smith, who bad passion for
family relics, many Of which lie obtained
from my father.
In The newspaper referre! 10 i is distinctly
stated that sill the captured property was sold
a, public auction in the caGP, shortly after
the battle and that the property sold for ia
Is 81, a now rccullrct. This fact OF The
sale with many OIhr.s stated in the psfcr,
concur;pg so precisely with ray traditions.
greatly increases my confidence IN The acccra.
cy OF all had heard.
There is another important source CT intor-
nation, conarmotory of what1 have stated. 10
which beg leave to refer: Col. William Glen
denim iormany years 4 resident OF the County
of Mason, and Who died in that county. was
in the battle Of Point Pleasant 1t was my Sooc
fortune to make his acquaintance when was
Young. and to have had much conversation
with him in relation 10 that cattle. found
no Substantial difference between his personal
knowledge and my traditional information.
In one important fact We fully agreed,
which was that Col. Charles Lewis received
his mortal wound, rot in the frs; lire. as has
been declared, 10 many accounts Of that battle.
but about the middle he afternoon OF that
day &c pointed out to ne the line Of
battle from the Ohio River TO Crooked Creek,
which as now rccollect was short distance
above the Court House, where il now stands
have been induced TO add this confirmation
OF my statements from the fact that since wri
ting what precedes have read several very
imperfect, and some very inaccurate details Of
this battle 4. has been declared by some OF
them that Col. Lewis fell at the first fire.
This is in direct conflict with all have heard
from those who were in the battle, and wholly
in confist with The statement Of Capt Daniel
Smith, who stood al his side at the time the
iirst fire issued from the ambuscadc. Some
early errooeous Published statement has been
copied into others. so as thereby perpetrate
The falSkood. 90 not charge the Publishers
with w;lful error. but with negligence IN as.
certaining the'fac:s,
II is pleasant 10 me, 10 be here GU this day,
and to meet so many OF the descendants of
those gallant men who fought on this very
field, this day one hundred yeasS past. 4
better, drawer OF mere honorable body t! man,
never net together on field Of battle. II has
been ny good fortune to know personally
many OF the descendants OF the men, who
composed that army, as well as some few o!
those who were Of il. have invoked all my
powers Of mind and memory 10 aid ne IN
review Of their life and history. And having
done so, it is to NE source Of un5ounded
pleasure and qualification to be able TO declare
that haze not Been able to fluid from personal
knowledge, or deriva,iye information, that any
one who was of that army, or the descendants
Of INV one Of them were ever charged, tried
or convicted OF any dishonorabe offence or
disgrlcelul ac; Their blood was pure and
noble. and has been transmitted with all its
nurilY End nobility. unlainted and undecided.