Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-04-29
- : :, II 1EsrrREs'fiyd HI History. sHs sS.''''''

- . e1g1As~ 80 -
Il Mr.. EprroR:EThe late Judge Francis
Brooke. Of the Coart Of Appeals of Vir:
gina In the better5 days rof the Republic
father Of the late Capt. Robert s. Brooke
first q son-in-laW of. Joseph Smith, and
Afterwards Of his brother Abraham Smith,
and Of Mrs. DR. II sRerkeley-~some years
before his death ~ oteseat small volume
Of his early. history, that he had a few cop
!; les Of published for his children, grand.
Ichildren, &c. As portion ofait gives the
fnarrativeof hts connection with the United
4 States army at the time of Tarleton's raid
upon Charlottesville, and of his visit to
that place, aud after, across the Blue Ridge
at Howardsville Gap, as think, and via
Il EWaynesborO' to Staunton, it will be inter-
Testing history now.
Al Through the very great kindness of Mrs.
Kate B. Iglehart, Of Annapolis, Md. who, at
the sacrifice of much time and labor, her
self copied it from copy of the volume,
now in her possession, am indebted for it,
and am sure that you and your readers
/ will appreciate it the more on that ac-
count. She is sister of Capt. Frank and
Lieut.. Carter Berkeley, Of Staunton. She
commepced on page 4 OF the. narrative.
The Judge says: s'The condition of Vir-
4 SlhId CdA Adiuly UO AA1dklAOO' lCl oOlulCl .
were nearly all in Gen. Greene's army;
her military stores exhausted by constant
supplies to the Southern army; yet there
was spirit of energy in her people to
overcome all her difficulties. was con-
tinued in the command of the magazine.
Lord Cornwalls having crossed the James
River at WcstOver, l was ordered to re-
move it to the southside of the river, and
carried it to Brittain's Ferry on the oppo-
site side of the river, from which l was Or
dered to remove it back again to Westham,
where it remained until | was ordered to
throw the cannon into the creek, and carry
the rest of the stores to the Point of Fork,
| columbia now,) which I did. From
thence / was ordered to carry large por-
tion of the powder and small arms, &C., to
Henderson's Ford, now Milton, four miles
below Charlottesville; there l remained un-
| til Col Tarleton came to the latter place.
| There was Capt, Lieut.. Bohannop, who
had come a few days before, and who Or
dered me to remain where 1 was and defend
the magazine against any detachment that
might be sent to take it, until heard that
Tarleton had crossed the river at Char
lottesville, after which I should join Baron
Steuben at the Point of Fork. About II
O'Clock, I heard that Tarleton had crossed
the river at Charlottesville and driven
away the Legislature. then COM
menced my march to join the Baron Steu-
ben. My Orderly, through an opening in
the wood, pointed out some of Earleton's
dragons on the mountain, those that had
been sent to capture Gov. Jefferson. I
continued my march, but took the Blen-
helm road, instead of the Point of Fork
road, by mistake, by which escaped Tarle
| ton; as he says in his book, which l have,
that Immediately on dispensing the Legisla-
ture and Governor, he took the road to the
Point Of Fork to meet Lord Cornwallis's
Eighth Infantry. By the road l took,
was thrown on the south of him, and about
a quarter of an hour by sun, met man
who, on my enquiry, informed me 1 was
| five miles from the Baron's encampment,
then occupied by Cornwallis's light infan-
try, who had driven the Baron across the
| ing ordered me, if 1 could not join the
Baron, to proceed to Staunton, and from
thence to join the corps to which ] be-
longed in the army of Marquis La Fayette.
| required the man to conduct me to the
nearest crossing place On the south branch
of James river. This is evidently an er-
ror, as the Judge had not crossed James
River, and, instead of south, he meant
north branch, which was the Hardware
| By sunrise the next morning, he con-
Quoted me to the mouth of Hardware, and
1 then crossed the river. The next day
| met Col. Davis, who, under the Baron,
had the ordering the new recruits and de-
tached parties. | had known him before,
and without any sslutation, asked where I
was going? ] told him was going to
Buckingham Courthouse to get provisions
| for the men, for that though had an i'm
| rrQc nj in bot 1,,yf
| to execute it when public stores could be
got; to which he replied that Lord Corn
wallis would be there before me- / said l
had left them in the Fork the night before;
| on which he said: 'sYou will do as you
please" Such was the panic everywhere,
that on the next day the soldiers under my
| command seemed to have caught it, for in
| turning lane on our march, some recruits
| of Capt Armand's troop came in front,
and most of my men fled and left ME stand
ing in the road almost alone; yet these men
had fought under that gallant officer, Mai
Porterfield, at Gates defeat! They returned
however, to their ranks, and we continued
our march to Staunton, to which place I
was ordered, as l have said, if couldn't
join Baron Steuben at the Point of Fork.
The next day 1 crossed the ridge about six
miles to the south of Rockfsh Gap, as 1
now understand, as there is large lime
stone spring on the top. When l got to
where Waynesboro' is, found large
force of 800 men or 1000 rifemen under
the command of *Gen Mcdowell, who Gov.
Mcdowell told me was from North Caro-
lima. He stopped me, saying he had orders
to stop all troops to defend the Gap. I re-
piled that | belonged to the Continental
| army and had orders to 60 to Staunton,
and said to the men, ''Move on" and he
let me pass. At that time suppose reg
mental coat had never been seen on that
side OF the mountaineering but hunting
| shirts. | marched with drums beating
and celors flying, and some one seeing the
| troops, carried the news to Staunton that
Tarleton had crossed the mountain, and
the Legislature then sitting there ran off
again; but learning the mistake, rallied
and returned the next day. In the morn
ing entered the town. There, for few
days, heard Patrick Henry, Richard
Henry Lee, George Nicholas, and my
neighbor, Mann Page, of Mansfield,
though had heard Patrick Henry before,
when schooltoy in Fredericksburg, in a
great case of Mrs Middleton against man
by the name of Houston, saddler, for
breach of marriage contract. Houston had
married beautiful girl from North Caro-
lima, Miss Johnston, who, after the death
of Houston, married Maj Forsythe, and
was the mother of Forsythe, the late Sec
retary of State.
| 1t may seem strange that so young as l
was, not seventeen years of age, that l
should have the command that had. My
| twin brother, who was the oldest, but a
younger officer, had left me at Henderson's
Ford, being ordered to Albemarle old Court
house, [where was it?] where there were
public stores. had been in command of
about 70 men to guard the magazine and
to make cartridges, .port-fre, SC. When l
arrived at Staunton, Col. Davis, whom I
found there, insisted on retaining me in
that service, but Capt. Henning Gaines,
who belonged to Harrrison's regiment of
artillery, ordereu me to join my corps as
speedily as could in the army of the Mar
quis, and furnished me with his horses and
servant to do so. In few days 1 left
Staunton, and took the road by what is
now called Port Republic, to cross the
ridge at Swift Run Gap. A curious incident
occurred; one of the horses was taken
lame, and / stopped at smiths shop to