Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-08-15
For the Spectator
GEN. ANDREW LEWIS.

For the Spectator.
GEN. ANDREW LEWIS.
In passing over the Virginia Mid
land Railroad several times In the past
eight or ten years, my attention has
been called to q c!ump of hawthorne
bushes, on the farm of the late Capt.
Pascal BufOrd, now the property of his
son, James H. Buford, sixty to hun
dred yards south of tile railroad, and
marking the spot In which the dust oi
Gen. Andrew Lewis reposes. 1 have
often reflected oD the shameful neglect
on the part of Virginia, in failing to dc
honor to one, certainly of her most
distinguished sons, and on the 18th ult
addressed the following communication
to Messrs. J. Ran. Tucker and Geo. D.
Wise:
NEAR FISHERSvILLE, VA, I
July 18th. 1882 !
Hons j. Ran. Tucker and Geo. D.
Wise:
Gentlemen,-There is propriety in
my addressing to you this letter Jointly
as you will see upon its perusal.
lam aware, from indications, that il
in Oh Ospect of speedy adjournment
yet the Importance of the subject will
I am sure, command your attention
and arm well assured, as my medium o1
reaching the ear of the nation, meet
that success it Innst justly deserves.
Now, that the Golfers OF the Govern
ment are go distended. (see Pension
Bill,l that one of your greatest perplex.
tiles is to know what to do with the
money, makes it particularly opportune
in bringing its attention to u subject
am sure Will arouse its patriotism and
secure iis profound attention.
Of the group OF six Of Virginia's most
distingu ished sons. deemed worthy OF
occupying place ON that ornament Of
her Cap ital, to the memory of the Faith.
er of his country, Gen. Andrew Lewis
stands out in basso reliev0.
He it was that Washington himself
deemed the m an most suited in all the
qualities nece ssary to make Com.
mander-in. Chi eff to lead our armies In
the war of The Revolution. With
Washington in i752 at the Little Mead
ows, he was also under him in 1855 in
his endeavor to r. ascue Grant from his
rash adventure, q I'D was taken prisoner
It was there the historian Stuart said o1
him: "Upwards Vt six feet high, Of
uncommon strengt IA and agility, and
his form of the mo 1t exact symmetry
that I ever beheld in human being
The Governor Of N sw York observed
about him, while acting as commits
sioner from Virginia at The treaty OF
Fort Stannix 1.-THE earth seemed tC
tremble under him as ne walked"
1t is work of super, ,rOgatiOn to add
that at the battle of Point Pleasant, the
introduction, 80 to speai1, Of the Revo'
luton, his consummate SKI u and bra
very caused victory to p erch upon oul
standards.
Yet strange inconsistency, whilst the
pen of the historian has seem. d to dc
him justice, and the chisel of G. -awford
makes him stand out SO promine. ntly in
that immortal group, his body re- ats in
an ignoble grave, and 1 doubt If even
you, gentlemen, if called upon, c. ould
inform the inquirer where it may bt
found.
In an old field, hard by the line of the
Atlantic, Ohio and Mississippi r all
road, (Norfolk and Western, and Few
steps south of it, and perhaps four mi lee
east of Buford's Gap, in the county ol
Bedford, he sleeps, amid clump Ol
hawthorne bushes, which annually sen d
their fragrance abroad, and shed thei
bloom over his otherwise unmarke,
tomb. Since the death of Col. Pasca.
Buford, we know of no one who can,
from tradition, give the circumstances
connected with his death.
Whilst the nation has 80 recently
been moved at the proposition to re-
move the remains of Mr. Jefferson from
Monticello to Washington, and Vir-
ginia has indicated becoming resent
ment, we may suppose she would, for
the same reason, object to the removal
of Gen. Lewis's remains.
If may be pardoned for the sugges.
ton, hope Congress will not hesitate
to at once consent to make liberal ap
for the removal of his re.
mains to the city of Richmond, deposit
them in Hollywood, and erect over
them a monument, with inscriptions
setting forth the sterling quail
tiles of Gen. Lewis as citizen, and one
of the first military men of that MEM
orable time.
Believing, as I do, gentlemen, that
this is most propitious time to call the
of the nation to this too long
neglected subject, and thai you, friend
Tucker, on the soil of whose district he
sleeps, and you, Mr.. Wise, as feeling q
pride in having his dust mingled with
that Of the many great aud honored
sons of our common mother In that
lovely spot on the banks of the James,
will both take pleasure in being the
medium of carrying out my wishes, I
subscribe myself
Your obedient servant.
J. MARSHALL MCCUE.
In private note to them, said
would at once endeavor to gel all the
information on the subject. as touching
the burial of Gen. Lewis's re- mains at
that spot. To this end wrot g to my
old friend, Col. VIM. M. Burwell, Of
New Orleans, satisfied that he was,
since Capt. Pascal BufOrd's de ath, the
best informed man on the local history
of Bedford I could think OF. He re-
piled promptly; but. apart from the
tremor of age, accustomed to- write for
the press that is no doubt familiar with
his orthography, I am sure that Cham
pollion deciphered the hierc glyphics on
the Temple at Thebes with more ease
than can what he says on this subject.
1t is to me in truth a sea led book.
also bethOught me of w ,nerable gen
James M Mattt iews, of Lib
erty, who might be inf, ,rmed on the
subject. He turned my letter over te
Rowland D. BufOrd, ESQ ., q son of Capt