Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-02-29
Governor Alex. McNutt.
A SKETCH BY
HON WILLIAM A GLASGOW.
AN OPEN LETTER.

AN OPEN LETTER.
LEXINGTON, VA, Dec. 3Oth, 1887.
Mr.. JOSEPH A. WADDELL,
STAUNToN, VA.
MY DEAR SIR:
1 have your request for a sketch o
alexander McNutt, Governor of Now
Scotia"
Some two years ago from a remark of {
kinswoman that she believed he was {
mere myth" felt it behooved some one o
his numerous blood relations scattered
throughout the Virginias, the South an6
West, to collect whatever there might be Of
interest in his career, which tradition told
us was not without adventure.
| l at once turned my attention to foun
tains of intelligence hitherto neglected, and
if in the lines l now trace you should think
me not altogether impartial as respects the
subject, you must set it down to an emo
tion like that which overwhelmed Mark
Twain, when in his rambles through foreign
lands-far distant from home and friends
he discovered the ''tomb of blood-rela
tion," which he recognized as that of his
'1ineal ancestor, Adam"
You may thus judge my embarrassment
in approaching the subject from my fathers
oft expressed affection for his mothers
kindred-McNutt.
Among the early settlers of Piedmont
and Transmon tame Virginia, were the
McNutts. They are traced in Orange
county before the formation of Augusta
They were of that stock who in the 17th
century with resolute spirit left the slopes
and straths of the Clyde for the heaths and
downs of the Foyle, and who stood gal
lantly for the Prince of Orange in the
siege of Londonderry and brought victory
to his banners in the battle of the Boyne.
Alexander McNutt was the brother of
the writer's great.grandfather, John Mo
Mutt, who in the early days of Augusta,
settled on the right bank of North River
Sin the Forks'') two miles below the
mouth of "Mary's Creek or South River" :"
A part of the place is the rural homestead
of Mrs. Margaret Hamilton Krebs, de-
scendant of the original proprietor another
portion constitutes, in part, the homestead
of Mrs. Katharine Anderson Paxton, an
oiher descendant of the original proprietor;
and still another portion is occupied by
Joseph Falls, and his house, lately burned
down, comprised the hearth stone around
which John McNutt ''at early morn and
dewy eye' gathered about him his home
circle and friends, and talked Of the Indian
wars in which his sons took part, and the
war of the Revolution, in which two of his
sons fell in the Carolinas following the
standard of Greene, during that eventful
campaign which terminated in the surren-
der of CORVALLIS at Yorktown.
There are now very few land-holders in
that region who are descended from the
original settlers of the land occupied by
them.
The wife of John McNutt was Katharine
Anderson, sister of Robert Anderson, the
grandfather of the late Judge Francis T.
Anderson-her name being repeated in her
3rd and 4th generations, now on part of the
land. At the house just mentioned was
entertained the wife and children of the
said Robert, who, following the emigrant
trail in 1869, sen route" from Delaware,
forded the North River at "Contention
Falls" and found on the neighboring hill
a place of safety, with his sister. for his
''household gods" while he explored the
regions of the Roanoke beyond for a place
to erect his castle.
John McNutt devoted himself to planting
civilized life in the wilderness, and to culti-
waiting the arts of peace. He raised up a
progeny whose blood can be traced to un-
counted families who have illustrated civil
life in the pulpit and the councils of the
country, aud who have ever "stood as q
stonewall' in the defence of public liberty;
notably among them the late Rev. Alexan-
der B. McCorkle, D. D., of Talledega, Ala
bama; the late Governor Gallatin McNutt,
of Mississippi the late Gen. A. G.. Jenkins,
who fell at Cloyd's Mountain the late
Gen. E. Frank Paxton, of the ''Stonewall
Brigade" who fell at Charlottesville, and
Col. James K. Edmondson, of the 9th
Virginia, who, bereft of an arm at Chancel-
lorsvillc, still survives and serves his coun-
try in positions of the highest trust and
confidence; while from the rank and file,
among the dead and living, might be count
ed an Had of heroes, whose memories, or
presence, the living delight to honor. Sad,
however, is that law of adventure and of
change that not single stock remains
throughout that region TO bear the honored
name
The career of the brother Alexander was
essentially different; he never married; his
domicil was Staunton; his bent OF mind
adventure.
When Governor Dinwiddie on the 10Th
of January, 1856, issued his instructions
for Major Andrew Lewis, Commander-in-
Chief of the forces on an expedition against
to form the command in particular man.
ner," he charged him to take with him
zone Capt. McNutt and some men proposed
on voluntary subscription" Alexander
McNutt, of Staunton, was the person in
dicated, who fell in, "free lance" with
Capt. Alexander's company part of the
command.
When the command had gained with
great hardships and considerable loss of
men and provisions, point within ten
miles of the Ohio, near the mouth of Sandy,
and it was learned that the Shawnese
towns were short distance beyond the
Ohio, a council of war was held and the
question considered, whether in view of
their losses and their distance from the
base of supplies, and the difficulties to pass
the Ohio, it would not be wise to retrace
their steps. McNutt urged a forward
movement. He insisted that now was
their chance for vengeance on the Shaw
nees for their barbarity in the murder and
robbery of our people, that their towns
should be laid 10 ashes. His counsels were
overruled, the retreat was ordered, In
which there was great suffering and loss.
| Dinwiddie appears to have been disap.
pointed and chagrined by the failure of the
expedition. 1t was said that McNutt kept
diary or Journal which, on his return tC
Williamsburg, he gave to the Governor, and
the same was lodged in the archives ol
State.< In the following year when Lewis
happened at the seat of government, and
was inquired of by friend what hs though,
OF McNutt's critique on his expedition
against the Shawnees, replied that he had
never heard of it; and being informed
where it was, acquainted himself with its
contents, and thereafter, on his first meet
ing with McNutt on the streets of Staun.
ton, regular "knock down and wallowing
in the mlre" ensued. Tradition suggests
mo doubt truly-that McNutt in this ex.
pedition was in the Secret Service Of the
Governor; the manner of his recommends.
tion to the Major for the expedition as a
| volunteer, his returns to the Governor,
with the distrust entertained by Lewis, OF
the Governors friendship to him-all sup
port this assumption as to McNutt's
| service.
Certain it is, that not long after this
| fight IN which it is reasonable to presume
| from his prowess and great strength that
Lewis got the better of McNutt, he took a
vessel for England, and it is supposed was
commended by testimonials from the Gov.
ernor, for he returned, having the honor
able prefix of "Colonel" in court dress
ever afterwards worn by him with dress.
sword at his side.
He no longer made Virginia his home
| and from cDrrespondanca hatuaon Hanor,