Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-10-14
Col. r. F. Chew.

/
The Baltimoreaa of a recent date
contained excellent portraits of Gen.
Turner Ashby, Genl Rosser and Col.
II. P. Chew, with sketches of the last
two. We append the sketch OF our
townman
"Col. R. Preston Chew, the Chief
of Stuart's Horse Artillery, was born
in Loudoun county, Va, April 9tG,
1843. He received a good education
at the Charlestown CIV. Va Acad-
envy, and the Virginia Military Insti-
tute, graduating at the latter school
in 1861. Shortly afterwards he en-
tered the Confederate service as n
Lieutenant of artillery.
In November, 1861, then being but
Is years old, young Chew organized
battery of Horse Artillery. the first
of the kind formed in the Confeder-
ate army. Under the name of Chew $
Battery, this company gained great
repUte, sharing honors with StonewaII
Jackson in many of his brilliant
achievements in the Shenandoah Val
ley. Chew's Battery was early iden-
tilted with Ashby's old command,
which afterwards was known as the
'Laurel Brigade .
On February 81, 1864, Captain
Chew was promoted to the command
of a battalion of Horse Artillery un-
der Gen. Stuart, and subsequently
was put at the head of all the Horse
Artillery connected with the cavalry
corps of the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia, then consisting of five batteries.
In this capacity Col. Chew served
with Gen. Wade Hampton until the
close of the war, rendering service
that won the praise of his official
superiors in every respect.
As "boy' Captain, though full
of dash, he was noted for great intre-
pidity and judgement in action. As
tue Chief of Stuart's Horse Artillery,
he so handled his batteries as to great
ly contribute to Hampton many vic
tories. Col. Chew and Major Pelham
were probably the youngest artillery
officers of their rank in the Confeder-
ate army, and the tactics of both were
similar in warfare-rapid firing and
effective work. Frequently their
guns were in advance of the main
body, pouring destructive shot into
the enemy.
As in war, so in peace, Col. Chew
enjoys conspicuous leadership in all
movements that look to the public
good. Three successive terms have
the people of Jefferson county, W.
Va, sent him as their delegate TO the
the 6s'' Jeffersonfi5hn ben6Scfa6y,a Sc ,ali ana iiG
did his State much valuable service.
Great credit is due Col. Chew for
the passage OF. the Australian ballot
law in the House of Delegates though
the measure was defeated by the Re-
publicans in the Senate. He is very
popular with the best people through
out West Virginia, who will doubtless
call upon him in due time to serve
them in the highest official trusts of
the State.
At present Col. Chew is President
of the Charlestown CIV. Va.) Land
and Improvement Company, also
President of the Goshen (Ya. } Land
and Improvement Company, and en-
gagged in other enterprises.
In 1871 Col. Chew married Miss
Washington, the accomplished daugh-
ter of Col. Augustine Washington, a
near descendant of Gen. George
Washington. Mrs. Chew's father,
Col. Washington, was an aid to Gen.
r. f. Lee in the early part of the war,
and was killed in West Virginia, when
the armies of Lee and Mcclellan
fought in the mountains.
Col. Chew resides in Charlestown,
w. Va, and his charming homo is
blessed with four interesting children.