Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-12-13
For the SPECTATOR.
Unwritten History.

Mr.. Editor: Soon after the war adj
dressed letter to an old friend and
connexion, DR.. George Med. Moffett,
of Parkersburg, W. Va. the last sur
vivOr now of the late James Med Moi
fett, who owned the farm on which the
late Rev. Dr. Hendren lived. The oh
ject was TO learn whAt he remembered ~
tradition touching certain bits of hie-
sdFy OF which I had caught up much
from. boy hood, and my frequent rides to
and from Staunton would keep fresh in
memory as I passed in sight of the
scenes of their occurrence. His grand
father.
COL GEORGE MCDOWELL MOFFETT,
owned the farm at the mouth of Moi
fett Branch, of which Augusta OF
StribIing Springs is one Of it's sources
flowing past PArnassus, jeiDs Middle
River not far above the Springhill
crossing. II has, for half century
been the property nf the late Bailey
Dunlap and his descendants There ID
. very pretty cOnical shaped hill, that
catches the eye very pleasantly, that
rises to the height Of several hundred
feet on the northern border of the farm.
IT WAS CALLED MT PLEASANT
In the days Of che Revolution. Hsv-
ing early in life learned that In It's dense
forest Thomas Jefferson and his asso
ciates foundNoncealment at the tune 0i
Tarleton's g approach to Charlottesville,
that caused him. then the Governor .0l
Virginia, and the Legislature then In
session there from an adjournment al
Richmond,
TO FLEE TO STAUNTON,
where 1t finished Its session, nevel
looked on it that memory did not bring
up this scene. And as Col Moffett wa
then from home in the army, 1 haG
often heard my mother refer to the cir
cumstances of the interview between
the Colonel's wife and this party of ref.
ugees, who, as it proved. we're strangers
to her when seeking the hospitality O.
TIER home l bad communicated Il
DR. Moffstt my versioAof the incidents
of the interview, and desired 10 know
from him how they coincided with
what they remembered, AZ detailed t
him by his father and others, mucf
more likely to be both more accurat,
and full than any had Before enter
ing upon the narration. as given us b,
the Doctor. it il proper that should re
fer to the circumstances of our last In
terview, in itself q deeply interesting
one, as it was by q camp fire.
ON THE BANKS OF HATCHER's RUN
beyond Petersburg. at one of the event
full periods of our recent Revolution
We had received from our warmly at
tached friend, the late N K Trout,
most earnest and touching appeal t
make visit to the army and see Gen
Lee on q matter of great moment I,
him We at once obtained leave from
L~<, r = u
ing Petersburg. was The guest of on
! worthy friend. since deceased as we be
lieve, the late Alex DODDan, If we ar
correct IL his name Because of sever
iilness aG .he time, @+ found Governor
THEN GEN HENRY A WISE,
was sheltering under the roof of MI
Donnan. He gave us q most cordis
and warm re-. eptio I, h.ving ever fourt
him sincere Trend. although differiD
in politics. We shared with him for tn
night q separate lounge in small offic
in corner OF the yard. and remembe
that old Somnus was banished uncere
moniousiy from the domicil, for th
| reason that the General fought the en-
| tire campaign over between hlmself an
Gen Floyd. from its commencement
the end / might say in truth, ths
| lu0 U0kIc0 vi 0nCCllOu OctWCcD GttH
two prominent gentlemen (both yer
sincere friends) might be measured b
the commonly used expression of tn
love the devil has for holy water.
Early the next day reached m
point of destination, and having attend
ed to the subject matter that hrough
me in personal
| COMMUNICATION WITH GEN. LEE,
I presently sought the tent or head
quarters of nay old and most esteeme
personal friend, Col John Hoffman
The Commandsnt OF the 31st ViEgini
Regiment Of Infantry, If we are nt
in error as to Its number. He had RI
ceived q most severe wound that da,
and
LOST ONE OF HIS LEGS,
and my friend Dr. Mnffatt, the surgeo
of his regiment, with some Others, bs
Ijust amputated the limb. We spel
much of the night in his marquee. I'll
State of West Virginia sustained an q
most irreparable loss, few years ag
in his death, occupying at the time
aoat which he 1ranssd IN tho honr.h