Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-23
VIRGINIA SKETCHES.
An Albemarle Snuf.BoX With an In.
terestinS History.
THE SHAFT IN SHENANDOAH.
Marks tho Spot Where Two yirgipians
Werc ESecuted-Rockfish Gap and
Building Of the Tunnel.

|
Ivy. in Albemarle county. is a snuff- box
with an interesting history. Miss Mary
Rails, sister of Mr.. Abelps paternal
| grandmother. about the middle Of the
second decade Of this century, married
| Count John Baptist Herard, a gallant
| Frenchman, who had followed the Cor
sican-born genius In his varying fortunes
from the plains OF Hispanla, on the west,
to the foot of Mt. Tabor. iR,th far-off
East.
, The snuff-box, which Is OF polished
wood. is circular, about three inches in
| diameter. and three fourths OF an inch
! in depth. and was carried by Count
Herard in the NapoleonIc wars. Upon its
| top Is n bust painting. and on the
side is the name Up. II. Melanchton."
| Count Herard was banished from
| France after the second abdicaton. and
| although he made his home in Peters,
| burg. Va, such was his aversion to the
| English that he would not even learn
their language. Herard and Lafayette
upon one of the visits of the latter TO
America, met and kissed each other.
This noble man, dear alike to the two
great republics of the world compli-
mented Mrs. Herard upon the purity Of
her French.
In the party of Lafayette was
young Frenchman, who fell in love with
one of Americas fair daughters at
grand ball given in honor OF the visitors
from across the waters. Mrs. Herard
acted as interpreter in such a pleasant
and successful way that he who was
reared beneath the "tricolor" offered his
,4c1 Ixrh har ttgh N
first saw the light beneath the silken
folds of the banner that caused the red
cross Of st. George to be brought low.
ACCOUNTS FOR IT.
Mrs Herard died at "Rox." the present
home of the Abells and this accounts for
the snuff-boX falling to this branch of her
family. AS to-day we look upon the heir
loom we think of the warriors who trod
alike Itala's viae-clad hills and citron-
groves, Egypt's burning sands. the plains
of Austria, the heights of the Alps, the
sunlit shores OF France. and the SNOW
wrapped wastes of Russia: we almost hear
the booming Of the great guns az Ulm.
at Austerlitz. at Jena: the rattle of
musketry falls upon our ear at Eylan, at
Wagram, at Friedland: the clash OF steel
resounds from Tudela, Eckmuhl Smo-
lensko. and then from the Old Guard at
Waterloo came the words. "The Guard
dies, but never surrenders!' and We drop
tear when we look upon him
"Who warred with world which van
quished him only
When the meteor of conquest allured him
too far"
Yea. our very hearts. filled with
sympathy, beat funeral marches
pairing for his eternal bivouac. upon
ST. Helena. standing alone among the
oceans waves.
\ VALLEY OBELISK.
There Is simple but stirring poem
called THE Georgia Volunteer" in which
we are told Of a soldiers grave,
Ear up the lonely mountain-slde."
covered with thick moss. the bramble.
and the weed. while below rolls the Shen-
andoah, TO unite its silvery waves with
the golden food OF the Potomac.
In Shenandoah county. somewhere be-
tween New Market and Strasburg. on
the western side of the far-famed "Val-
ley pike" not on the mountain. but IN
the plain, stands a locust obelisk, feet,
perhaps. In height. Upon 1t may be seen
these words: Captain George w. Sum-
mers and Sergeant y. Koontz. Of Com
pany y, Seventh Virginia Cavalry, were
here executed, on June 27 1865. by order
of LieutenantCo Colonel Huzzy, lO2d o. V.
NJ. l., without the privilege of any KIND
of trial; they having been arrested at
their homes, in Page county, brought
here. and shot"
Kind hearts erected there the simple
shaft but had we the pen of Byron or
of Tennyson their memory would be Kept
green through the power of martial song.
Could they to-day speak of their unjust
execution and of
"How they fought we'll and bravely, too
And held their country dear
no doubt those who once wore 1.-THE gray"
would buckle on their swords anew in
order TO avenge their death.
THE c. e. o. R'Y AND ROCKFISH GAP
Mr. Oscar Lipscomb. who lives near
Crozet, in A.bemarle, made his home
when a boy. at the historic Mountain
Top Inn, cituated in Rockiish Gap. His
father, Mr. William G. Lipscomb, was
the owner Of that well-known resort, and
young Lipscomb knew every mountain
trail that started from the main road,
wound around among the laurels, the
ivies. the ferns, and the pines, and finally
"ended in equirrel-track and ran up
tree"
About 1865 the Chesapeake and Ohio
railway had been built up to the foot Of
the mountain on the Albemarle side, and
nuu ncCn ldlu IIOIl SlduHtOH u w dy yncS-
boro', in the Valley. The Rockish tunnel,
which is seven eiehts Of a mile in length,
was then being constructed at a cost OF
Si,500,O00. NJ. Crozet, n Frenchman, was
the chief engineer. Under him were 300
Irishmen, who for three years were en-
gagged in tunnelling the mountain. Not
Ear from the inn was a Catholic chapel,
where each month a DR.. Downey minis
tered TO the sons of Erin in spiritual
things. This place was named in honor
of Engineer CroZet.
AN ENGINE HAULED OVER A PASS.
The company desired to convey rail-
way engine from the eastern to the west
ern side OF the mountain, but as there
was not even temporary track over the
mountain at that time. 1t was decided
that the mighty machine should be taken
TO Waynesboro' by way Of the carriage
road Twenty-Five mules were hitched to
the engine and the ascent began. Before
arriving at the top Of the mountain very
short turn In the road was reached. and
there 1t was found necessary to lack
around" the rear of the engine in order
TO get II straight with the long team.
Slowly and with stately tread the mules
stepped up the mountain, and then with
an equal steadiness they moved down
the slope At last Waynesboro' was
reached-the engine was placed upon the
rail and, ike a fish once more In its
native element. 1t moved off like a thing
OF life.
TOM CUBBAGE OF NETHERS.
Mr.. Warner Vowel. who lives near Slate
Mills. in Rappahannock county. enjoys re-
lating "reminiscences as much as any
man 1 have ever seen. Tom Cubbage.
SAYS he. who lived near the little hamlet
OF Nethers, In Madison county. was in
his day great fist-fghter Many were
the champions that he laid low upon
public days at the place where he was
''monarch of all he surveyed" so far as
pugilistic encounters were concerned.
Mr.. Henry Snyder. Mr.. Yowelrs father
in-law. was an exception, however, to
the rule. for he would not submit to the
muscular Toms bulldozing. One day they
had three fights and almost wore each
other out The next morning at an early
hour Tom knocked at Mr. Snyder's door
and told him TO get up. that he wanted
TO have that fight out Snyder was pluck
10 the backbone, and yet be admitted
afterward that he was never so near
.,,ora nm" In his life He dressed at