Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-02-18

On July the 9Th, 1902,
In the 9Th year of his age.
Patriotism and valor were the
Prominent Features of His Character,
The Honorable Services He Rendered
To His Country
During the Revolutionary War,
Crowned Him With Glory, and VIII
Remain in the Hearts Of His
Countrymen,
A Perpetual Monument
To His Memory.
The inscription above Is not copied
from the stone slab, but from Howe S
historical collections Of Virginia, pub
lished in 1915. The slab is broken and
the entire inscription cannot be made
out from it.
There is a proposition before Con-
gress to appropriate $4,000 to erect a
suitable monument to Gen. Morgan s
memory on the lot where heis now IN
TERED, and it ought to be carried out.
Congress is constantly sinking money
in the little creeks all over the coun-
try where il Will never again be heard
of, and will benefit no one but some
living Congressman. But here Is
Revolutionary General and hero-'to
whose efforts may be largely attribu-
ted the independence Of this country
lying in neglected grave, covered by
limestone slab that did not cost over
fifteen dollars.
General Morgan's example in taking
ten companies of Virginia rihemen
from Virginia to Boston, in the sum
mer of l775, in three weeks, electrified
the country and inspirited the sturdy
soDs Of New England to do their best.
His part in the assault on Quebec, on
the morning of January l, l776, gave
new life and courage to every patriot
in the land. His part in the campaign
against Burgoyne with his Virginia
rihemen largely contributed to the de-
feat and surrender Of Burgoyne, who
said to him, while prisoner "CoI.
Morgan, you command the finest reg
iment in the world. The battle Of
Cowpens, on January 18th, 1871, was
one Of the most significant victories to
the colonists, and was the beginning
of the end Of the war. The entire
credit of this turning victory was due
to General Morgan.
The erection of this monument will
do him no good, but it will enable this
generation to perpetuate the record Of
his glorious deeds and hand them down
to posterity, and this generation owes
it to itself to put in marble or bronze
over Gen. Morgan's last resting place
testimonial Of its appreciation of his
services in the Revolutionary War.
Our Congressman, Gen. EnOchs, will,
no doubt, do all he can to favor this
measure, and We owe it to posterity to
see that this is done. There is no bet
ter method of educating the youth than
to erect monuments to the memories
of the builders of our commonwealth.
At Winchester it is said that moth
ing is known of any descendants Of
Gen. Morgan. He left no sons, and as
to the posterity of his daughters moth
ing is known. General Morgan was a
man of remarkable stature and great
bodily strength and endurance, and
but for the hardships he sustained in
the Revolutionary war, which broke
down his naturally fine constitution,
he might have lived to be nOnagena-
rian. 1t is astonishing how many Of
the soldiers of the war Of the Revolu-
ton went out at about the age of 81
attributable to the effects of the war in
shortening their lives, and the same Is
true of the surviving soldiers of our
late civil war. Look over the list Of
the generals and see how many went
out at the age of 81 or thereabout--
Portsmouth Ohio Press.