Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-16

! -,
of stony Point Major GibbOn. on the soti
Of July. l779. Uhen lieutenant ana ol
nineteen years OF age.) led one OF tw
'forlorn hopes OF twenty men each whe'
! General Wayne carried the fortress ~
| stony Point by storm. OF his twenty
men seventeen were killed and wounded
He was greatly respected and tstetmt q
and HIS remains were inferred at she ckoe
| Hill cemetery with the highest civic aho
military honors."
And here again In "Howe's History OF
| Virginia" is a sketch OF the brave Peter
| Francisco, wherein IL is mentioned that
/ "he was the first after Lieutenant Gibbon
TO scale the ramparts OF stony Point
! have often heard my father speak OF
I that desperate charge. when. with sword
/ In hand. be gained the ramparts and
! found himself face TO face with the red
/ coated British. while a dozen NAKED
| swords flashed about him. That he should
| have escaped with but few Tesh-wounds
seems truly marvellous. My mother al
ways said that IL was htaring Of his gal
| lantry on this occasion which first touch
ed her heart. Those are my parents por-
tiaits those in the heavy gilt frames on
the wall there. Ny sister Elizabeth. or
Bessie. as she was called. rcsembled my
mother, while / was more Ike my father,
as you may sec by my portrait pointing
out one with laughing eyes ana snort
curls). Besides ourselves our parents had
two sons-Frederick and James They
were both young officers in the navy, and
at the time OF which ] speak-the winter
Of lIl-werc expected home from two
years cruise in 30. - '.. -~ouean.
THE YOUNG HERO.
/ well remcmner the evening early in
November on which my brother James
came home. He came up from Norfolk to
Williamsburg. and thence 10 Richmond
or the mail-cOach, for there were then no
steamboats, on James river and the pack
cts were slow. ] can recall how proudly
my parents looked upon their tail ana
handsome sOn-he was only a at that
time--and the delight Of our family ser
wants when he went to the housekeeper's
room to shake hands with each. As Tor
old black nanny" his nurse, she fair-
~ Rugged and cried over him.
As it happened. we had promised TO
ATTEND that evening large party at the
% sidence Of Major Robert Gamble, and
not feeling at liberty 10 break the engage
ment We persuaded James 10 accompany
rs. Major Gamble had died in 1Sl0J
You have often seen that large, square.
olo "a shioned brick mansion standing in
what is now known as Candles Hill |
Park, and directly overlooking the James
river falls, with their pretty willow
frineed islands The scene Is now dis
figured with The ugly. smoky Tredegar |
Iron Works. bat al the time Of which /
speak 1t was truly lovely scene. with, /
on the right as you face the river. heavy |
pine and oak wooks reaching to the foot |
Of the hill on which the house stood.
Well, it was here that the party was held
On the evening Of when / speak.
/ wish thar ] could present TO your
View. as / still behold ii in memory. the
brilliant company Of distinguished men
MA elegant NOmeL who made up that
gay assembly Many Of the names you
would recognize as historic. First, there
vas the tall form or Chief-Justice Mar
hail, plainly dressed az usual, and with
us hands clasped behind him as he
onversed with Nj. Henry Lee. Judge
larshsil was not a graceful man in So
iety. He was abrupt and nervous in his
lOVenents. and could not hand a lady !
chair except most awkwardly with both
ands. or Il cup OF tea without spilling it.
ouspcuous for his tall and stately form
as Colonel Bushrod Washington O3ussy |
is intimate friends called HIM, the ia
orte nephew Of General Washington, |
no had often visited him in Richmond. |
here were Judge Debney Carr and his
ogant wife; Charles Carter, Of Shirley:
r. John Brockenbrough afterward Judge
]
rchibald Carey, II Ampthill who
aimed 10 be hereditary Earl Of Huns ]
on. a direct descendant Of that George /
arey, Earl HunsdOn, who was Queen q
liZabeth's first cousin and favorite
here was also another present who 5
aimed the title Of Eerl-Colonel Thomas 5
airfax. Of Fairfax county OF younger j
en there were plenty-Carter Beverley
nd Abel Upshur. the latter afterward
ldge Upshur; and wild Tom Marshall, j
IN Of the Chief Justice: and the brilliant /
enry ST. George Tucker, half brother +
Randolph OF Roanoke, with many 2
hers whom | could name. OF the ladies J
lere We're Mrs. Martha Randolph a f
liet and painly-dressed matron, daugh- O
r OF President jefferson, and the cle- {
mt Mrs. Peter Chevale who had been I
lmircd at the French and English b
'urts. a group Of three beautiful sisters, h
lown as The Three Graces. We're much v
lmired-daughters of Major Edmund 5
of Craigton. One of them
ettie. became the mistress o. the White v
ouse as wife Of President Tyler But y
he person who attracted most attention f
as a stranger-a young woman of b
lcOmmon and striking style Of beau 1
p; very fair, with jet black hair Il
I'd brows, and large, luminous "
.ep-gray eyes. she had a love-
though somewhat sarcastic mouth. "
I'd pretty nose, which some Of the la b
IS called turned up" She had not a a
ciety air but chatted away saucly and
tuly enough TO the crowd OF gentlemen II
ways surrounding her. | remember she "
pre- a rich, cherry-colored velvet dress. h
tn white satin facingS and white satin Il
ppers with red silk stockings. l soon 81
armed that this was the famous Marga- s,
/; or, as she was called, Peggy ONeil.
no had turned the heads OF half the | {,
my and navy officers at Washington. c,
here her father, u poor Irishman, had | ID
pit little tavern. or. as we should say, u
tel. which his daughters wit and beau O.
made famous. Humble as had been ! n
cir sphere of life. they were descend If
Us OF that Hugh O'Neil, Earl Of Tyrone. | h
nose TebelliOns made 50 much trouble d.
r queen Elizabeth; and Peggy would | o.
init no ones superiority 10 herself i'm DO
cient and honorable lineage. She was f.
w just married 10 Purser Timhorlake. | fl
Norfolk, with whose family she had 5,
me on visit 10 Kiclnoud. This was o.
q woman who 'fterward as me nOto- C..
)us Mrs. General Eatop-she having 81
iven her first husband 10 sucide--broSe q
President JacksOns Cabinet The | n
Ives of the Cabinet officers refused 70 u
tend the receptions at he White House h.
which she was invited: and the Fresi- q,
nj, bitterly remembering the social per-
cuuon of his own lost wife. warmly "
ok her part, in consequence Of which 50
me members Of his Cabinet, influenced
their wives, resigned. lie finally APP Ia
inted General Ea,on Minister 10 spain. "a
iere his wife's daughter. Virginia Tim So
rlake, became an intimate friend OF the ~
fanta. now queen Isab Ella. and married n
French Count. Their daughter is wife | 40
one % Tho RoLhsnhilds. and 20 tho | W