The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-25
THE TARLEroy MONUMENT.

A Reply to Mr.. Stuart A.. Weiss Communi-
cation on 1.-TWO Interesting Relies"
| Editor The Times:
I was once riding along the westham
turnpike with the late Major Jesse Snead.
when he asked me If 1 had ever seen the
combat between some of Tarleton's troopers
! and a small detachment OF our soldiers DUR
ing the Revolutionary war. Upon my an.
swering no and expressing a desire 10 see
II, he led the way by a sort Of bridle-path,
or perhaps an obscure road Just wide
enough for a ''wOod cart" TO move in,
though brushes and stumps and second.
growth pines, and presently we arrived as
the ''monument"-a very modest shaft IN
deed. IL was so little known that I had
never before heard it spoken OF. though I
was In che habit. as a boy, OF spending
| many OF my SATURDAYS with my schooimate,
William Russell Robinson. at the small
farm belonging 10 his father. Mr.. Anthony
Robinson. ST.. or at the place occupied by
his cousin, Mr.. Miles Cary. both OF which
places were in the immediate nelghbor-
hood Of the monument.
on another occasion. while taking an
afternoon ride with the Rev. William Ncr-
wood. l conducted him to the site. and
again examined the monument and talked
about the event it was intended TO com-
memorate.
After the marriage Of the late Professor
Robert J. Morrison 20 nay stepdaughter.
Miss Kitty Heth Harrison. I'm 1891. no
bought four acres OF land fronting ON what
Is now Grove avenue" and adjacent 10
what Is now the Confederate Soldiers'
Home uDOn which he built a we'll planned
and quite an ornamental cottage residences
for himself. and IN that he continued TO
reside until a short time before his removal
TO Williamsburg. after his election as Il
professor In William and Mary College.
He took great interest in the building Of
his cottage and the o-rnameHtation 81 the
grounds around II. as he did In the re-
grading and improving OF Grove road" for
which q private contribution was raised,
partly through his fundamentally. and the
amount contributed placed IN the hands
Of Mr.. John /. johnson 10 be expended IN
the manner proposed, be, Mr.. Johnson,
having already built himself "A handsome
cottage on the same road. After that had
been done. and cottages had been built by
Mr.. John L. Wren. Captain Charles g..
Talc0tt and others. Grove road became a
fashionable driveway.
Mr.. Morrison, knowing, probably, through
my representations, OF the generally M
known and unnoticed location aud the neg
lected condition OF the picket" mOnu-
ment. determined TO have it removed and
placed IN bis front yard, where IL could be
seen by all passers by; the distance. too.
from the original site TO the proposed new
one being very short.
This action On his part was taken, not
In the spirit Of vandalism, but rather 10
give new homer. as far as he could, 20
the memory Of a somewhat notable local
event. Indeed, his appreciation Of Il was
so high that he named his place The
Picket"
IN one Of the old files OF the Richmond
ENQUIRER. In the State Library, you Will
find an account of the ''unyetling' OF this
unpretending yet patriotic memorial; and
perhaps you will note that tue crowd then
was not so large. or the enthusiasm so
great. as it was at either Of the last three
dwellings. Of which Richmond has such
good reason to be proud namely, the
Lee" the "Hill" and the "Howitzer."
Mr.. Morrison scld his place 20 Mr.. VIII
liam Henry Fitzhugh Mayo, who resided
there up to the time Of my leaving Rich
mond-twenty three years ago next spring.
Il. III. Il.