Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-04

"the West Point of the Confederacy,
was an object OF intense hatred, and 10
destroy Il would be the acme OF all good.
Hunter came with fire and sword. and
most effectually did he accomplish his
purpose The barracks. mess-hall, on-
GERS quarters, library containing low'
volumes. and all the apparatus and In
struments of the various departments OF
the school were quickly reduced to ashes.
From providential causes the home OF
Superintendent Smith escaped destruc-
tion and was the only building left stahd-
ing upon the grounds. The statue Oh
General Washington, which stood IN froht
of the institute. erected by resolution VI
the General Assembly, and was taken
down and hauled away. Some ancient
cannons, of no use whatever, except as
ornaments, taken from stranded freh0n
man-of-war more than one hundred yeArs
ago. were also hauled away. The statue
and cannons were recovered after the
war, and to-day stand where they loE-
merly stood.
For some reason the enemy did not
burn Washington College. At the first
alarm of war company had been raised
here, largely from among the students
Of the college and known as the Liberty
Hall Volunteers, the germ of the college
having been old Liberty Hall Academy.
This company was a part Of the Stone
wall Brigade. The enemy was content
with destroying the chemical apparatus
of the institution, and number OF valu-
able books, principally scientific works,
but which would be of little value now,
except as relics, as science has left them
in the rear. The Federas used the lee
ture-rooms of the college as stables for
their horses, and In many ways defaced
the antiquated buildings. Through the
efforts Of Hon. John Randolph Tucker.
after the war a claim for $1,000 damages
was allowed and paid. The home of
Virginia's war Governor, John Letcher,
was burned to the ground, the family not
being allowed to take anything out Of
the building, and barely escaping with
their lives. This ended the burning in
Lexington.
MURDER OF CAPTAIN WHITE.
An incident occurred here during Hunt
ers occupancy of the town that stirred II
from centre TO circumference. II was the
deliberate murder of Captain Matthew y.
White. IL was so atrocious and unwar-
ranted that many generations will not for
give or forget Hunter. Captain White
belonged TO one of the most highly-re-
spccted families of the town. and was a
man Oi wealth and social influence. Be
cavalry company here and his company
was the first to leave the county when it
was known that actual hostilities could
not be avoided, being mustered into SER
vice at Harper's Ferry April %, 1851. His
was made Company I. First Virginia
Cavalry. During the summer Of 1851 he
resigned and returned home and joined
a company from this county in my regl-
ment as a private, Company II, Four
teenth Virginia Cavalry. For several days
previous to the coming Of Hunter he was
at home.
For two weeks previous to the raid and
invasion two men were boarding at the
Lexington House, claiming to be from the
far South. and ostensbly enjoying a fur
Tough. The sequel shows they were Yam
kee spies. On the day Hunter came to
the suburbs of the town, Captain White
had secuted about four miles out, and un-
I'll he met an armed man dressed in citi-
zen's clothing. / do not know whether
Captain White knew him or not, but it
was John Thorn, who was thought 10
have led the Yankees through the lower
end of the county and on towards Lex
ngton up to the time he met his death.
Thorn was a man well known by people
of that time, and a citizen of Rockbridge,
a farm laborer by occupation. From the
statement made by the toll-gate keeper,
i'm front of whose house the tragedy oc-
Cured, and from a description the woman
gave Of the man and the little white mare
he rode. it was evidently Captain White
who killed Thorn. When Captain White
returned from his scout he met at the
hotel his supposed friends. and, enjoying
together a glass of whiskey. he Incident
ally mentioned to them that ne had been
scouting and had shot man at the toll
a.fr, "a rn
three miles west of town, that night. and
next day the Yankees entered the town.
1t was a surprise to the people Of LeXing-
ton TO see these two men who had been
at the hotel for several weeks riding at
the head Of the column. having left the
night before and joined the Yankee
forces. Next morning Captain White was
arrested at his farm, and taken through
the town, and three miles beyond. near TO
the place where Thorn was killed, and
there murdered.
SHOT IN THE BACK.
1t was said that he was first hung and
then shot but the testimony OF the two
men who prepared his body for burial
Mayor John w. Haughawout and Alex
ander McCown-who are living to-day. is
that ne was shot in the back, the large
ball going entirely through his body. He
was told TO walk i'm front Of the two men,
who were his guards, and they evidently
shot him when h was not aware or their
intentions.
These two men returned 10 Lexington
and informed Captain Whites mother
that her son was safe. and would not
be harmed. and after having. not an hour
before, assassinated him. His body was
left where il fell. and but for an accident
would not have been found. An Irishman'
~ .-fr r1an 4r-nW
never been naturalized, and claiming TO
be a British subject, kept his horses AZ
home but the old man having two SONS
i'm the Confederate service the Yankees
paid no regard to his protestations ana
the British lion and took his stock. Inc
bridge that spanned the river between
him and town had been burned, and ne
went down through an unlrequehteu
wood to where he knew there was
canoe. which he intended using TO get TO
Lexington and see Hunter and get MS
horses back. He, however, never got
them. as Hunters and AverilPs upper
most idea was 10 denude the country OF
stock On his way down through TINS
dense forest he came upon the BODY OF
Captain White, and went back and IN
formed the Misses Cameron, on whose
land and near whose home this MURDER
had been committed The Yankees had
left the place and gone towards Lyhch-
burg the same day. A messenger was
dispatched 10 Lexington. informing Cap
tain Whites aged mother and father or
the murder of their son, and Dr. James
McCleery, with the assistance OF several
colored men, brought the body TO town
and inferred il in the Lexington Cene-
terry.
Poor Mat, friend of my youth and boy
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