Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-02-20
For the SPECTATOR.
Capt. Charles BaskinS.


and pleasant, was a memorable one In
Thinking Spring congregation. 1t will
be remembered by persons in that re-
gion, in your town, in Augusta church
congregation, that of Waynesboro', &c. /,
as the one when Jeannie Bell was laid
away in the old church yard 1t will
be noted in Lexington Presbytery, aye,
and in the Synod of Virginia. as the
day when one of the most prominent
and popular ministers, SO favorably
known in both judicatories, the Rev
DIR. Strickler, preached his last sermon,
the funeral of that beloved lady. With
a friend, we fingered after the congre-
CATION left the church-yard. We copied
the inscription of
THE JOHN PRESTON MONUMENT.
| Bat more of that at another time.
Besides copying the names from other
tomb-stones. of the history and chalac
ter of several we shall presently have
something to say, our present duty is to
write up briefly the history of one OF
Augustus Revolutionary heroes. of
ner people know nothing,
CAPT. CHARLES BAsKINs.
He was born in South Carolina about
1740; died on what has for some years
oeen known as the John Byers' place.
op Christians creek, August 11th, 1922,
eighty-two years old His wife was
Mary, daughter of that famous divine,
the Rev. John Craig, the
FOUNDER.
of the "Old Stone" and thinking
Spring" churches. She died December
18th, 1916, about 10 years of age. Capt.
Charles Baskins bore the rank of Cap
tain in the Continental army, and no
one reaped more hOnors or wore more
scars than he did. At one of the fights
under Gen. Green, Capt. Baskins, with
Samuel Steele, the grandfather of Mr..
Samuel II Steele, and OF whom I will
have something to say again, and Sam
uel McCune, (who will also be the SUBJ
ject of a chapter,) were associates, and
perhaps mem bers of the same company.
On one occasion, de; ached from their
command, who were not far off,
A SQUAD OF TARLETON's CAVALRY
,ncountered them. They were passing
through long, narrow lane, when the
cavalry armed with heavy broad
swords, and four to one rode them
down McCune had mounted to the
crouched position, lodged blow aimed
at his head. when the cavaIryman
making his horse leap the fence so close
to him, the animals knee knocked him
10 the other side Falling on his hands
and feet. musket in hand, rose to his
feet snd emptied the saddle. With
empty musket. and in the field, at
tempted to join his comrades at some
distance in skirt of woods. Running,
he was soon ov ertaken by one of the
cavalry, who was in the act of cutting
him down, when a comrade in the
woods, seeing his danger,
BROUGHT HIS RIFLE TO BEAR AND
SAVED M'CUNE
The latter was intent on saving the
fine horse of the cavalryn,an, dashed
at the bride, but missed, when a COM
rade more fortunate captured him,
Capt. Baskins, at the same time, armed
with only a light. straight, officers
sword, was dashed upon by one or more
troopers, and defending himself as best
he could, it was shivered into pieces,
and bit six inches in length, all
LETT of 1t, with which. he defended him
self the best he could He sank at the
horse's feet with head and shoulders
d,
and left by them for dead. He crawled
through the fence, and seeking the shell
ter of clump of bushes, presently en-,
countered another and novel enemy
IN A WILD, HALE STARVED SOW,
that trailed him up by his blood He
waged the contest for some time, when
with mouth open, bristles up, and to
intimidate at the same time, she came
at him with that peculiar noise we can
not describe, he resisted her by break
ing sticks over her nose. Presently,
the troopers returning, and surprised at
not finding him dead. instituted search
that he narrowly escaped. His COM
rades presently carried him off, when
the surgeon seeing his mangled condi
tion, said in Baskins' hearing, as he was
desperately wounded. he would give his
first attention to others. B cried out in
his Irish brogue, "You'ra a liar, accursed
me hearts whole yet" The command
ing officer hearing his remark, sternly
reproved the surgeon. He, smarting
under the reprOof, caused the mangled
hero all the pain he could. and minced
as the flesh was, shaved off all his hair
After, by shameful neglect, vernaa,a
saOarn1ed in his aOOunds, yet. as he sta
ted, Re survived It all, lived honored
and died universally lamented.
JOHN CRAIG BASKINs,
was soldier in the war of 1872. He
died Decembe Der 2Sth, 1888, aged &C. years.
John Craig Baskins left children, Will
liam, Ann, Charles. Thomas s, John
Craig, Peggy, John Guy, Elizabeth, and
james. William, a son OF Thomas s !.
tell at First Manassas, gallant soldier,
Capt William, in his eighty third year,
Elizabeth, Mrs. Neal, of West Vir-