Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-07-22
THE BATTLE OF TIE POINT-1774.
A Historic and Revolutionary Ballad.
Written for the Hillsboro' Gazette. by Jno. A.
Trimble, IF Ohio

Come listen to soldiers tale of a battl
fierce and sore,
That was fought with Cornstalk and his brave.
on Wild Kanawha's shore.
Twas near the point of meeting with Ohios
placid stream,
This famous conflict happened, the burthen @
my theme.
1t was fearful battle, where Virginia blood
did flow,
Among her gallant soldiers, with savage In
dian foe.
Where Cornstalk, leagued with Girty. from
forest and from fen,
Lay close in ambush to surprise brave Lewis
and his men,
Who from Augusta county came, and men
from Botetourt.
With Rockbridge ready rifiemen. in conflict
sore and hot
Our leaders all were brave and true as lions in
flight.
And each was noted far and near, and each a
fearless knight.
There stood the brothers Lewis, on fame's me-
mortal roll,
| Whose courage and whose chvalry enshrines
| the patriot soul:
The one was chief commander, the younger
led the way
Where deeds of valor were performed that
| fam'd October day.
| Our march led through the forest midst perils
everywhere.
Oflurking foes III front apd rear. whose cum
| ming was q snare
Awaiting as at every step, as our chiet was
| well aware
Yet through the winding labyrinth of noun
tain pass and glen,
| Brave Lewis led his rangers on, of full twelve
men.
| And yet with all mis- practic'd skill the crafty
Indian lay
| Close in ambush, to surprise our camp at open.
ing day.
Our blvouac was near the point where two
| great rivers met,
And all was safe within our lines when even
ing sun was set.
1t was on the tenth October and th' Indian
Summers haze
Had tinged the forest leaves around with Au-
tumn's mellow rays,
While peacefully each soldier slept, with pick
Ell guards around
Our lone encampment, soon to be fearful
battle ground,
Quick, ralying at a signal gun, that echoed
the alarm.
And loud The calls of Captains rang for every
man to arm.
Then each. surprised, the danger spurned, and
grasped his rifle true,
And rallying where the danger pressed re-
solved to die or do
First fell our noble Colonel, Charles Lewis
none more brave
And by his side Hugh Allen lay, to fill a hero's
grave;
While Fleming, leading hravely on through
out the raging fight.
Was borne by comrades from the field as day
was closed in night.
There Mofhtt, Christian, Mathews, led, with
stern McClanahan,
All Captains ofrenown that day, as chiefs of
Scottish clan,
And loud the yells of savage rose as fierce each
warrior came
Face to face with gallant men of tried and
dauntless fame.
their lioted chieftain's clarion snout "Be
brave and fight like menp'
Was echoed through the battles din from for
est and from glen.
From early dawn to latest eve the conflict was
full sore.
And when the fearful work was done four hun
dred men or more
Lay pale in death, TO find a grave on that far
distant SEOTe
0, there were tears of sorrow there, where
friends and brothers bIed,
And many heart with anguish throbb'd while
gazing on the dead.
Here oft the father closed the eye of fondIy
cherished son,
To feel the one consoling thought, "a PATRIOTS
duty done.''
For country, not for fame, they fought, and
honored be the name
OF each of those twelve hundred men who
from the Valley came.
They rallied at their countrys call to face
lurking foe,
(While Dunmore's treachery had designed
their secret overthrow
Stern vengeance th en- wss Drawing to crush op-
pressfon's laws
And patriots fast were gathering to assert the
peoples cause,
For this historic battle was prelude to the
storm
That gave new light to freemen, and to free
dOm's laws form,
When the genius of our statesmen and their
patriot worth was shown,
That illum'd the page of history with science
then unknown,
OF mans inherent freedom, and his manhood,
to ignore
The follies of past ages, and the light of truth
restore.
This mission came to Jefferson and his col
leagues to perform,
For Patrick Henry TO enthuse and fearless of
the storm
OF coming Revolution, that held the world
amazed,
At which all tyrants trembled, and their pris-
on walls were razed.
His eloquence of words and mien gave out i'm
passion'd power,
To move the souls of patriots In that imperiled
hour.
And when their work was finished and the
peoples cause was won,
The glory of their fame was crown'd in the
matchless Washington,
The writer, travelling through the Ka-
nawha Valley at an early period, crossed
the Ohio at Point Pleasant, and found
hospitable welcome at the residence of Ma
jor Alexander, in the vicinity of the famous
battle-tield.of the "Point." His venerable
father-in-law, Capt. Arbuckle, was a men,
Der OF the family, and being introduced to
the old soldier, he recognized the name, and
was cordial in greeting me as a son of his
young comrade, Capt. James Trimble, who
shared with him the perils of that memora-
BILE campaign under Gen. Andrew Lewis.
fine specimen of the Spartan Virginia ran
ger, six feet In stature, erect and well pre-
served at upwards of four score years.
He was fluent and graphic in his thrilling
description of the slow and dangerous march
through the wilderness, and Of Gov. Dun
more treachery, who moved with his regu-
lor in, a no oI