The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-11-16
gusta. An account which closes with these
chaste and elegant paragraphs

~ 'eeutfy Ou tiic cSthtC OWhCu III AOS~
d. G. McGuffin, Mrs. j. A. Hartman, and Car
John NJ Opie, Lewis pitched his tent, callir
the place eBeIlefont.n which portion of
still bears, from a bold bright spring issuin
from the hill side He was the first to occur
the scene no axe had ever before rung thr
that forest /; no spade had ever turned up tn,
soil nature had delivered il into his hands
its untouched virginity, and it was for him |
say where, and how 10 what extent labt
should minge with it, and art adorn and eI
rich it, Here this man, nurtured in high civ
ilizatoD, but by sinister fortune deprived {
his position and banished from his country
planted himself-making a home which be
came his tumb-delighting in the tralqullll
and independence of his secluded retreat
Here, amidst the deep shadows OF the wilder
ness, he built stone dwelling, which, with 1t
TANKS formed one side of Fort Lewis, and Ii
this half dwelling, half fortress, he maintaine'
a long struggle with savages, and under 1t
stout walls the infant colony grew in tim
strong enough to defy every foe. portion
of this old fort still remains in 1882, and
occupied as a dwelling by the proprietor !
is the oldest house in the Valley, and thougl
without architectural beauty or pretensions, i
one of the most interesting of our historical
relics.
In this hitherto unvisited region. amidst
beautiful landscapes and grand points o
scenery, the old hero spent the remaining
years of his life, finally closing his eyes upoI
a country blooming in cultivated fertility ant
enliveped by the arts of civilization"
We come now to the history of the LITTLE
colony on Lewis creek, from 1889 to 1746, ane
it is told in graphic and picturesque maDnel
which impresses it very strongly on the MIND
We see a community whose intercourse will
the outside world is difficult and dangerous
and which travellers legends invested with
more than was ordinary of the marvellous. bu,
which was in reality very bard-working and
prosaic little world behind the mountains
world in which all worked with will, but in
which there was play as well as work, and in
which many of the customs of the present
prevailed We could fill our columns with de-
scriptions of those primitive days. The fol
lowing will suffice: ~ g ri4b -le.,
"The evenings were devoted" says Col. Pey-
ton,"to amusement,to social pleasure,tO friend
ship, to some object that cheers or soothes the
heart. Music and dancing were both practiced,
adding much to the general happiness by les
SEEMING the laborious mOnOtOny of their lives.
The round dance of the present. so much
praised by poets and denounced by preach
ers, was not then known. Upon the young
the beneficial effects of both music and dane
ing were apparent, particularly of music
which is so well adapted to softening the
manners and humanizing the feelings, The
Young people were introduced in the evenings,
and entertained strangers with their songs,
the girls often singing the airs of the countries
beyond the seas which their parents had left
never to see again, the boys accompanying
them on the flute, tlageolet or violin. The
cultivation of taste for music and poetry
probably led to descanting in the wild style of
the rude MINISTRIES of the Middle Ages. The
souls of these children of the woods quickly
took fire at the beauties OF poetry, and the
most important benefits of poetry were thus
produced, by promoting repugnance to ev
erythng mean and ignoble; by the study of
nature in the purity OF her pOetical forms !; by
the innocent, and at the same time agreeable,
direction which the pursuits of taste impart
to the idler propensities OF the mind; by the
influence of generous and pathetic verse, in
keeping open those hearts which are in danger
of being cboked with the cares of business.
The influence OF poetry can be seen in the ell
oquence of such men as Patrick Henry and
Rev. Samuel Dawes. Music and dancing were
therefore, considered an essential part of their
and the old field school-houses were
the academies where they practiced both.
History was in this repeating herself for from
the earliest ages, music has been much in use.
The anciehts attached vast importance to it,
and ascribed the malignity, brutality and ir-
religion of some of the peoples of antiquity
to their absolute neglect of it. In the days of
Laban music was much used in Mesopotamla,
where he resided since, among other reproaches
be makes to his sen-in-law, Jacob, he COM
Mains that, by his precipitate flight, he had
put it out OF his power to conduct him and
his family with mrth and with songs, with
tabreL and with harp"
An account is given of the good relations
existing between the early settlers and the
and this is followed by history of
all the religious denominations seated in the
Valley previous to the Revolution. The col
ony is then carried through the old French
war, the wars of 1854, 1774 and the war for
IN independence, with an account of the raids.
Indian massacres, and other thrilling and ORA
matte incidents of this long and bloody period
Our author does his work in brilliant and
original manner. Included in this part of the
book is a lucid explanation of the dispute be-
eWSSh vi ihio oAo lfdhio as W tICu
boundaries, aud its final settlement by the
Mason and DIXON line, the true history of
which is given. From 1890 the history of the
present county is given up to this time, in.
Guiding mention Of the city of Staunton and
all the villages of the county. Also the topog-
raphy, geology, mineralogy, &c., of Augusta.
In regard TO the issues which led up to the
civil war and the sentiments of the people of
Augusta, Col. Peyton thus speaks in the style
Of statesman and historian:
"On the 4th of February, 1861, the Confed-
crate Government, composed OF the Southern
Cotton States which had seeded from the
Federal Union, was formed at Montgomery,
Alabama, and Jefferson Davis was on the same
dav elected President, and on the 12th-13th of |
Apri, Fort Sumter S. C., was bombarded, |
when President Lincoln q5th of April took
The first material step for reducing the re-
belous States to obedience by issuing proc
amation calling forth $4,000 militia, in which |
be appealed 10 all loyal citizens to favor, |
facilitate and aid this effort 10 maintain the |
honor, the integrity and the existence OF our |
National Union" Thus, from a state of per-
ect tranquility, the country passed into one
Of war, and the whole land resOunded with |
the noise of armament, and the treasure of |
The people was exhaused in vast preparations
for hoStlities.
In all the Southern border States there was
l large Union party, and on this party Pres
dent Lincoln relied for support--toO conf
lently, as the sequel will show. In the county |
Of Augusta, a great majority of the people op-
posed secession, and were also opposed to CO.
srciOn. -Aif A4' D. ht.tUs = .t'4
The people of Augusta had contributed
their all in men and treasure to the formation |
Of the Union and they believed 1t still capable |
Of protecting every interest of themselves and |
The entire country. At this crisis they wished |
TO act in the spirit of moderation and compro- |
mise which characterized the trainers of the |
Constitution, and as if the venerable forms of |
those who bequeathed it to US were blending |
down to behold us, from the abodes above and |
as if that long line of posterity were also |
viewing us,whOse eye is hereafter to scrutinize |
our conduct" They felt that no local policy |
or feeling, no temporary impulse, should cause |
them to abandon their fOothOld ON the Con-
and the Union, but that, SO far as |
honor would permit, they should exert them
selves to the emu that these States should con- |
tinue unted-"united in interest and affection. |
united in war, for the common defence. the
renown, and the common glory, and |
united, compacted, knit together In peace, for |
the common prosperity and happiness of
themselves and their posterity"
Entertaining these sentiments, and viewing |
The progress of affairs with painful distrust |
Of the future, the people of the county after |
due notice-the sober and solid men-met in |
Staunton and appointed committee to con-