The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-09-06
MORE ABOUT SOUTH
WEST VIRGINIA.
The Last Of a Series OF
Articles on the Early HIS
tory of Our Own and
Adjoining Counties.

AS the published state records end
vita the year 1908, our account oil
the early days on the southwestern
frontier must necessarily come to a
close with this article.
In December, 1857, Gov. Randolph
was petitioned by Arthur Campbell,
Dan'l Boone, and others connected
with frontier affairs, to establish
some new forts in PowelPs valley
and on the Kentucky road and 10
add to the defences two companies OF
Rangers of fifty men each.
Detachments were to be placed at
Parks Spring, in Powells Valley at
Yokum's Station, in what is now Lee
some twelve miles from Big Stone
Gan below Turkey Cove, at CaS'le-
woods, and at Rye Cove.
Muskets were to be used instead oil
rifles with bayonets for night attacks,
and 500 lbs. of powder was ordered
for Washington and Russell countie,
with lead equivalent" ga stan'
Of colours, drum ard fife" was also
thought to be useful for each com
pany. =, x1or.
in the annals of Virginia was com
mitted about this time near the Ivy,
Cove settlement where a man named
Wallen and his family, consisting o.
his wife and eleven children lived
On March Is, this settlers house
was attacked, and his wife an'
children all killed or taken captive
except two. The bones Of one O
these were found III the ashes OF the
burned dwelling. The other was
carried off. The grief stricken settle
found his wife and youngest chic
dead about a mile from the house;
This was probably the waller
from whom the Ridge and Creek were
named.
No record is left Of his own tate
The awful memory of the sudden an'
cruel death of all who were deares
TO him must have rested like a blacf
cloud over his whole life-a verltabl
babtism of blood.
Grain became scarce IN Powell
Valley and Rye Cove settlement
during May, 1887, and request t.
Col. Campbell, forwarded to tn
Executive, is on record. .
The Indians, when not engaged 4
actual warfare, evinced a partlcula
rondness for stealing horses. Mos
of these were taken from the expose
Valley, and often in the skirmiShe
with those who resisted, a man woul
be killed, or perhaps fatally wounded
Col. CampbelPs son now com
manded the troops in Powel's Valley
who were in need Of the actual nece'
saries of life. In letter to the Gov
ernor in July, 1892, Col. Campbe
expressed his anxiety regarding the
situation, and proposed to visit tn
post at once.
Gov. Lee was at this time contem
Mating a visit to the as. w. TER
torv," and had sent word by Gap
Andrew Lewis to that effect.
This is the first mention OF Cap
Lewis who afterwards commando
the troops stationed in Russo
county. He was appointed to IL
command in November, l'9l' al
left Richmond for the post IN Decen
Der Of the same year.
A little while later he wrote to Il
Governor that his situation va
"truly disagreeable." lie ma
stationed himself at Rye Cove,
what was then a part of Russell, ct
| the ADVICE Vi tHc DVoV "NO"
the country" Rye Cove was II
center Of the long portion OF lrontl'
he was supposed to guard.
His territory included Powell
Valley also with its exposed situate
and scattered settlements.
In connection with the deiences,
may be interesting to note the salarl'
paid to officers, &c, IN the army.
In the account of expenses rende
ed it is shown that the Captain
were paid $4,000 per month, Lieutel
ants $4,000, EnSigns $500, Scou
$25.00, and the others in proportion
Lee county was taken from Ru
sell in 1892, and its first Justices
the Peace were:
Chas. Cox, Joshua Ewing, WI
Neal, Chas. Garter, Isaac Chrismon
John Hunter, VIM. Ewing al
George Gibson.
Up to 1900, from the time Cap