Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-04-21
GEORGE BANCROFT GRIFFITH.
Travels in North America in the Year

Travels in North America in the Years
1760-'S1-'S2, by the Marquis de Chastel-
leux, one of the 40 members of the French
Academy, and Maj. .-Gen'l in the French
Army, serving under the Count de Ro-
cbambeau. Journal of tour in Upper
Virginia, i'll the Appalachian Mountains,
and to the Natural Bridge"
On the 9Th of April, 1882, he set out from
Williamsburg, accompanied by ''Mr. Lynch,
then my Aide de- camp and Adjutant, now
General; Mr.. Frank Dillon, my Second
Aide de- camp, and M. LIE Chevalier
dOyge, of the engineers, so that our little
caravan consisted Of four masters, six SER
wants, and eleven horses" After a most
graphic and interesting narrative of the
trip, the visit of four days to Mr.. Jefferson,
&C., the party were in Albemarle, approach
ing Rockfsh Gap, "but not being able to
set out from Mr.. McDonnelPs until halt
past 4, and having 12 miles to 60 before we
passed the Blue Ridges, we were happy in
meeting on the road with an honest travel
ler, who served Us as a guide, and with
whom we entered into conversation. He
was an inhabitant of the county of Augusta,
who had served in Carolina as q common
rf1eman under Morgan at the Cowpens. He
was Wcn HOuuUCd anu dppCaiCu ut
his ease, and narrated TO us some of the cir
cumstances of this battle, an event, the
most extraordinary of the whole war, which
had always excited my curiosity. Here
Morgan, with eight hundred militia, de
feated the famous Tarleton, at the head o.
his legion, a regiment of regular troops ant
of different pckets drawn from the army
making near 1 200 men, of whom 800 wert
lyi1lo6 nrY ,aHa r,riSnpprC Tho p,nHpStu n
simplicity with which Gen. Morgan gave
the account of it have been generally ad
mired. But one circumstance in this rela
tion had always astonished me. Morgan
drew up his troops in order of battle in al
open wood, and divided his influence upor
the two wings, so as to form, with the line
a kind of tenaille Ia trap, which collected
tie whole fire, both directly and obliquely
on the centre Of the English; but after thu
first discharge he made so dangerous
movement that, had he commanded tn,
best st-disciplined troops in the world, shoult
be at loss to account for it. He ordered
the whole line to wheel to the right, anC
after retreating so or 40 PAGES, made then
halt, face about and re-commence the fire
I begged this witness, whose deposition
could not be suspected, to relate what h
had seen, and found his account perfectly
conformable to Morgan's own relation.
''Our conversation on war and battles
brought US to the foot of the gap, or, as i
is called the neck of Rockfsh, which, in al
extent of more than so miles, is the onl,
passage to cross the Blue Ridges, at leas
in a carriage. We assembled very commo
diously for about two miles, and on arrivin!
at the top of the mountain were surprised t.
find little cottage lately built, and inhab
tied by white people. l enquired Of m!
fellow-traveller what could engage them t.
settle III so barren and desert place? Ill
told me they were poor people who expect
ed to get some assistance from passengers
1t was almost night when we arrived at tn
ford of South River, and the waters, con
| siderably augmented by the late rains, wer
very high. Two hundred PAGES from th
ford, but more than 40 miles from which
set out, / found the inn which Mr.. Jefferso
described to me. 1t was one of the wors
in all America. Mrs. Teaze (the name usu
ally spelled Tees or Teas), the mistress o
the house, was some time since left a wild
ow; she appears to be in fact the widow c
her furniture, for surely never was hous
so badly furnished. a solitary tin vesse
was the only bowl for the family, the ser
wants, and ourselves. As we wer
four masters, without reckoning the rifle
man who had accompanied us, and whom
had engaged to supper, the hostess an
family were obliged to resign to us thei
beds; but at the time we were inclined t
use them, tall young man, entering th
chamber where we were assembled, opene
a closet and took out little bottle. I er