The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-07-20

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/ of the Declaration 81 81
for this day, it was with ieelin 81
Edelicacy, and a due appreciation Of
my Incompetence. to do Justice 10 a
historic picture of our prosperous
and beautiful county. Though the
| history which ] have prepared is
scrude and impeiIect, trust that its
preparation wilinot evoke your crit
icism, but that its imperfections will
be allow TO rest on this esplanade,
upon whieh we have assembled to
enjoy the pleasures of our. national
holiday, and to partake of the en-
ioyments of social intercourse.
Although this is the county of my
nativity, and even the birthplace Of
some Of my fore.fsGhers, vet my ex-
tremc youth precludes a knowledge
on my part, Of the history of this
county, except from laborious re-
search and diligent study. Noticing
those things which transpired before
the establishment of our county, we
take occasion to mention the survey
by Col. Barbour in 1772-3 of $4,000
acres of land beginning at Letart Falls
and thence across the country to the
mouth of Three Mile creek on the
Kanawha River thence down the
Kanawha to its mouth and thence up
the Ohio River to the beginning
This was the largest military survey
made in Western Virginia; fact
which shows that our county invited
the attention of strangers, when it
was nothing but u dense forest and
howling wilderness, traveresed by
mcrcilcss savaGes, and countless
hordes of wild beasts. But year or
so subsequent to this, an event occur
red upon a spot, which now comprises
n part of the territory of Mason coun-
ty, that had a singular and impor-
tant hearing upon the liberty and
happiness of a great and good people.
| refer to the notable battle Of PoinF
Pleasant, fought on the 10th of Octo-
Der, liza between the. whites, COM
manded by General Andrew Lewis,
on the one side, and the combined
forces of several of the Indian tribes,
commanded by the celebrated chief
Cornstalk on the other This was u
long and bloody engagement, in
which fell the true, the noble and the
brave. The importance of this bat
tie, and its relation to the Rcvolu-
ton, bid me ask your indulgence to "a
somewhat graphic description Of the
occurrence. Shortly after day-break
on the morning of October the 10th,
1774, two soldiers who had left the
place on the Kanawha where Gener-
al Lewis men were camping and
gone up the Ohio to hunt, discovered
a large body of Indians lust rising
from their encampment, situated on
Old Town creek not far from its smouth.
The men were fred upon and one
killed but the other escaping. return
ed to camp hallowing as he ran that
he had seen "a BODY of Indians GOV.
erinr four acres of ground" All Twas,
of course, surprise and confusion in
the camp of the whites, but the com
mander-in.chief who "calm as a sum-
mer morning" lighted his pipe with
tho utmost Sang frod, and ordered
ont the regiment under Col. Lewis,
su upposinr chat the discovery of the
soldiers was merely that of a scouting
nortv Of Indians similar to such as
Rnd watched the movements of the
army since LEAVING Fort Savannah.
Col Lewis had barely passed the
outer ouard and reached a spot which
now marks the nortben boundary of
Point Pleasant when the enemy in
araat nnmber onnearod and com
9cnccd the attack Col, Lewis, was
rorcod to fall bocl; when Col Flem-
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