The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-03

An Interesting Document Rsosntly Discovered in
Virginia.

Fl
Not counting the Jnmonville affair,
which nevertheless, cuts quite a figure
in French history and literature, the
first regular conflict delivered BY
Washington was the battle Of Fort
Necessity, IN the Great Meadows, now
STYLED tlIe Glades OF the Allegheny
mountains. A document, yellow and
stained with theaecidents Of . century
and more. has recently been found IN
Virginia which tells another story Of
4 the disappointment Of the brave. II
proves that to be shot aud have your
name sp II wrong in the Gazette" is
4 but one Of flames many mockerles.
1 The soldier whose plant is here set
forth, long survived the fight, but fail
ed, as it appears, TO secure his share
OF the reward Of land conferred by
Virginia upon her soldiers. Led by
rle current Of emigration then setting
southMard, Philemon Waters became
a citizens of South Carolina. Among
! the remote hills of 0rangeburg, then
practically more distant than Oregon
/ is now. he had learned of no llmita
/ ton of time for the presenting Of his
claim. Perhaps, thinging it a safe
reserve in the way of legacy to his
children. he allowed this part of his
presumed assets to slumber unrealized
! for twenty years. Then he was IN
/ formed by a traveller from the rallying
ground of the small but famous expedl-
/ ton that Ills right had probably laps
ed, and that for its Ieyiyalit behooyed
him to be up and stirring. The Coio-
Incl Hite tmisspelled Hight named in
the manuscript was descendant Of
EJoist Hite, one Of the first settlers Of
i Virginia Valley, familiar is history for
4 his legal contest with Fairfax, which
involved the title to 100000 acres Of
4 land, lasted Just half a century -from
i 1876 to 1856 and ended in Hite' 3
favor. The colonel's visit to South
\ Carolina was probably connected with
the running off Of someAof the family
slaves by Southern Indians in the
4 French war. Hite never recovered his
4 negroes. Possibly their blood might
be traced in Tel-le-quah or among the
Cherokee remnant lett behind on the
II Georgia and Carolina uplands. Gen
eral Stephen, who establishes Waters's
claim to the first shot, was a man OF
note IN the lower valley.
Among his descendants are Nir-
, ginians highly distinguished in the
!, councils Of the state and the union.
" Here is the manuscript:
CHARLEsTowN, S. c.,
i, Sd June, 1772.
Z HoN'D SIR:I am informed by sey
eral gentlemen from your parts, and
y by Colonel Hight particularly, that
there is two hundred thousand acres
of land laid out on the Ohio river for
those men that were in the engage
ment in the year 1854 with Colonel
Il Washington and your honour at the
| Meadows.
{ | have therefore taken this oppor-
i tunity to acquaint your honour, that
am in the Land of the living end to
/ beg YOU will write me letter by Colo
! mel Hight, or by the post, directed to
! the post Office in Charlestown, in which
1 letter be p elsed to inform me whether
i ii Is worth my while to come and claim
!: my property in that survey on the
! Ohio, or whether there is any obJec-
tions against my receiving it as my
dividend in the land. Your answer
to this by Colonel Hight or the post
Office will much oblige,
: Hond. Sir, .5.5
/ Your most obedt huml. servt.
& PHILEMON WATERS,
r To col. ADAM STEPHEN in Va.
: Mr.. Philemon Waters:
s SIR: 81 received your favor by Jacot
8 Hite, and had not opportunity of an
0 swering before this.
4 You are intituled to 600 acres d
ii land by your being at the battle o.
q the Meadows, and had it depended up
y on me yon should have had a donblt
Y share for firing the first gun at the
i enemy that day, July 3, l754.
f That country is settled l00mlles be
: low Fort Pitt, that is l53 miles belov
Girt's plantation, and there is a great
run to it as ever was TO Carolina
They could raise about 5000 fighting
. men over the mountains.
f They whip the Indians wheneye
J saucy.
{ 1t viii be an excellet country in
! short time, and some spots of land sci
= at a pound per acre already. | vii
] be glad to hear Of your welfare.
i am.
Z Dr.. Phil,
i, Your most huml. serv't.
i ADAM STEPHEN
i BERKELEY COUNTY, Virginia,
July 17,1779
do hereby certify that the bearer
Mr.. Philemon Waters, was soldier q
y the battle Of the Great Meadows i
! the year 1754, and that day applied {
me to receive his claim to land unde
Mr.. Dinwiddie's proclamation OF l745
But as the 200,0 900 acres granted b,
= that proclamation hath been loni
since surveyed, distributed, AM
n patents issued in the names Of thos
who put in their names before Nov.
y I773, it is not in my power to Civ
"a him any relief now.
q Given under my hand this goth da.
e Of April, l775. Z M,
n VIRGINIA, Prince William County.
n Sat, May 23d, l775
7 This day came before me the sub
E; scriber. one of his Majesty's Justice
q of the Peace forthe said county, Phile
mon Walters, Jr., of Orangeburst Dis
trict il the Colony Of South Carolina
III 4 II u