Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-06-25
THE AsHnY BROTHERS.
SKETCHES OF THEIR LIVES.

of monument over the grave Of Turner
Ashby ani Richard Ashby renders
sketch of the lives of these devoted broth
erS and noted cavalrymen altogether ap-
propriate. Col. Turner Ashby, the faith
er of Turner and Richard Ashby, was the
child of John and Mary Ashbv, of Fau-
quier county, Va, and married Dorothea
F., daughter of James and Elizabeth
Green, of Rappahannock county, Va.
From this marriage sprung six children,
and in the following order, at Rose Bank,
in Fauquier county: Elizabeth, born July
4, 1925; James Green, born July Is, 1927;
Turner, born October %, 1928; Mary, born
June %, 1880; Richard, born October ,,
1881 and Dorothea F., born November
10. 1885. Thus, had Gen. Turner Ashby
lived until the 25th of October, 1881, he
would have been 53 years of age, but
yielding up to his young life on the 9th
day of June, 1862, he was not quite 81
years of age when he was killed, in all
the strength and promise of manly prime.
He inherited from his father, Col. Turner
Ashby, an officer of the war of 1872,
love of arms, amounting well-high 10 4
passion. When he was mere boy OF six
or seven summers his father died, and
thas, as in majority of cases when men
distinguish themselves, did Il widowed
mother coin the character and fix the
mould of him whose life is here sketched.
Mrs. Ashby employed good teachers for
her children 1T her delightful home, where
her bows were taught, like the young
MeGes in the days of Cyrus, TO ride, 10
shoot, and to speak the truth. Here II
WAS, in this sweet home Of his mother,
that he felt the coinage OF those safeguards
which went so far towards the preserva-
ton of that purity of inner life which
gave him such strong hold Oh all those adj
mitted into close relations with him.
Possessed Of manly and unselfish spirit,
in his habits he was retiring, grave ana
thoughtful. lie was very fond of books
and generally preferred history. After
he became man for some time he lived
with his mother, but after while he
bought farm within rihe-shot OF old
Rose Bank. He named his new home
"Wolf's Crag," and here he lived until hc
was called to take his place in the lists of
death. In politics Gen. Ashby was what
was known ms an "old line whig." belicv-
ing that the weight of conservati m lay
with that party, and the last vote he cast
was for Bell and Everett.
THE BROWN RAID.
When on the 7th OF October, 1859. John
Brown made his raid on IIarper's Ferry,
Young Ashby Immediately collected
company of mounted men and rode day
and night until he reached that border
now so intimately associated in its met
dents with his name. He often remarked
that the war began not at Fort Sumpter
in 1861, but at Harper's Ferry in 1899. AT
this eyentful period In Virginia's history
began that friendship between Stonewall
Jackson and Turner Ashby which contin-
ed till by death they were separated. The
pleasure with which Jackson in after
days sought to honor Ashby argued the
fullest confidence in him as, at the head OF
his cavalry, the right man In the right
place. When the Brown raid was over
Ashby's company presented him with a
beautiful sword and an elegant service OF
silver in testimony of the admiration and
love they had for him.
THE WAR AND THE PART AsHBY TOOK ~ IT.
Gen. Ashby was no seccssionist, but
reyOlutionist in the fullest. sense OF the
term. just so soon as Sumter was iired
into, or rather just so soon rs Lieut.. Cafes
by Jones commenced the destruction OF
the government works and arms at Har-
pcr's Ferry. Ashby, at the head OF his old
company, fastened down the Shenandoah
Valley, and from that day 10 his death,
fourteen months, his life was one OF al
most ceaseless scouting and fighting.
Such was his boldness, tempered by pru-
dcncc. that he crowded the deeds and dar-
ing of years within that space. Ii Is fact
noteworthy that neither Ashby nor Jack
son were ever furlOughed. They never
asked for such rest. Up to the time OF
Ashbv's death the mighty battaliOns on
both sides were, so far as efficient drill Is
concerned, largely in an inchoate state.
1t WAS expressly along the border parti-
san strife. Ashby's military life was
spent along the border, and he had but lit
tie TO tlo with heavy battal ions, and thus
he was never tried a. To his power In COM
binatiOn over very large forces. Therefore
he cannot fairly be compared TO stuart,
Hampton or Forrest, who had large COM
mands and lived a longer time to develop
their powers. But Stonewall Jackson In
his official report of Ashby's death said:
'"rhc close relation which Gen. Ashby
bore to my command for most Of the pre-
yious winter months will justify me In
saying that, rs partisan officer, / never
knew his superior. His daring was pro-
verbal, his powers of endurance almost
incredible, his tone Of character heroic,
and his sagacity almost instructive In
divining the purposes Of the enemy
AsHBY's S COMMAND.
Soon after Ashby received his commits
sion, OIL the 18th OF June, 1861, as licuten-
ant-colonel Of the Seventh Virginia Cav
airy, which was composed OF the best
horsemen Of Maryland, Piedmont, Virgin
ia, and the Shenandoah Valley, he was
ordered to the South Branch Valley Of the
Potomac. The regim entail staff OF the
command at this time was Colonel, Angus
w. Mcdonald; lieutenant-colonel, Turner
Ashby; major, Oliver X. Funsten; adjn-
tant, 4. w. Mcdonald; surgeon, A. p.
Burns; assistant surgeon, DIR. L. l.. Set
tie; assistant quartermaster, Thornton L.
Pendleton; assistant commissary OF sub
sistence, John ID. Richardson; chaplain,
Rev. James Il. Avirett, now rector Of Sill
yer Springs parish, Montgomery county.
Nd. The captains were: Company A,
Richard Ashbv, Fauquier county compa-
ny b, J. Q. A. Winfield, Rockingham
county company {, ). ID. Myers, Shcn-
andoah county company ID, Macon Jor-
dan, Page county; company 4, Walter
Bowen, Warren county company j, Geo.
III. Sheets, Hampshire county; company
G, Frank Mason, Maryland; company II,
A. Harper, Shenandoah county; company
I, J.Shands, Rockingham county; COM
pany X, VIM. Miller, Shenandoah county.
Tn ese companies thus officered formed
the basis Of what was afterwards known
as the Ashby or Laurel brigade. With
them Ashby formed that remarkable bor-
der guard which rendered such efficient
service along the Potomac river from Har-
per's Ferry TO the mouth Of the South
Branch OF the Potomac, protecting the
counties Of jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan
and Hampshire from Federal foraging
parties.
DEATH OF RICHARD AsBBY.