Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-05-18
WHERE PREsBYTERY MET.
The Scene of Historic BattIes-Trees
Still Retain the Marks Of CARNAGE.

The Scene Of Historic BattIes-Trees
Still Retain the Marks of CARNAGE.
This body. an account of whose SEES
sion appears elsewhere, met last
week at Horeb Church in
this county, of which church
the Rev. DR.. D. P. Junkin is
the pastor. There could not be a more
ideal spot for such meeting and the
season was we'll chosen. The church
stands in a splendid grove of oaks
about half mile east of the road lead
ing from Stanton to Port Republic,
on road leading down South river to
met Mt. Meridian, and about half way
between the village of Mt. Meridian
and the historical village of Piedmont.
The section about the church and in
which the congregation resides is I'M
surpassed for beauty of scenery and
richness of soil. as we'll as for points of
historical Interest. Close to it ia
| Weyer's Cave where since it's dis
cOvery thousands have gone to roam
through the chambers shaped by ma
ture' hand, and on whose decorations
Old Time Is now and has since the
foundations of the earth were laid been
at work. A few miles below are Cross
X owe aDd Dor< PannhI;o tho lat or <,.oc
a point of interest commercially. be-
cause it was the head of navigation Of
the Shenandoah before the turnpike 81
we're built, and long before the iron
horse swept through this Valley. but
which point together with Cross Keys
was afterwards made famous to the
world by the mastery military genius
of ''StOnewall'' Jackson. The Sabbath
stiffness of the Sch of June, 1862, was
rudeiy broken by the thunder OF his
guns, as be fell upon the forces of Ere
mont and hurled them back north
ward. the next morning before the
sun had risen be was beset by another
army greater than his own by three to
one, and in one of the bloodiest battles
OF the war for the numbers engaged
he repeated the lesson of the day be-
fore, establishing his genius as a war
riOr and making forever famous these
hitherto almost unknown points.
Those members of the Presbytery who
could find the time to visit the battle
field of Port Republic. and behold the
ground where SO many gave up their
lives did so. The ''coal pit" where
the Federal battery did its murderOus
work upon Wheat's Battalion of
Louisiana Tigers" when it charged
down upon it. is unchanged save that
the tracks of the cannon wheels are
long washed out, and SO is the blood
which smeared the soil where Wheat's
battalion suffered such frightful loss.
On this spot stands an Episcopal
church, of whom the patron and pill
lar is Miss Eleanor Wheat, So well
Aho"A IL O1nudUOi, kTduu ia uS uCOI
of Gen. Lewis, whose estates once
this entire battle field. She
is also cousin Maj. Robt. Wheat, who
the battalion referred to,
on the day of the memorable battle.
The aged DR.. J. c. Wheat her father
so revered in this community, from
whom SO many men of Staunton drew
their earliest literary Inspiration re-
sides here, in the old Gen. Lewis home
stead, which has, however. been some
what changed by additions made by
Miss Eleanor in furtherance OF her
school. The house is bullet and shell
marked. but has stood the storm of
time and tide, and war, because it was
built az they builded in ancient days.
Those members of the Presbytery
who visited this noted spot, and recall
ed the stern CalviniStic and COrnwel
Ian instincts and habits of Jackson |
no doubt drew from them fresh in
spiration for their own battles in life, |
as his is all example OF profound rich |
ness to those who go forth to war with |
weapons of which the Bible Is the chief.
Some of the Presbyters such as DIR.
Finley, of Thinking Spring, who fell
wounded beyond the historic stonewall
It Gettysburg, no doubt participated
n the events OF war surrounding Horeb,
'ut to the younger members, the grain
Waving in the sunlight, the quiet roll
ng landscape, the pastoral peacefulness
i the prospect stretching from noun !
ain to mountain, could hardly sug
est at this day the tread of armies,
be roar of cannon, the rattle of mus
etry. the frightful carnage and death
t thirty-slx years ago. Yet all traces
I war in this quarter are not wiped
way. Piedmont which is in sight of
ioreb, shows yet the ugly marks of
be teeth of the dogs of war.
Here we stopped for while on our
ray coming and going. Some boysl
1ere cutting cord wood by the road
lde, where the heavy fighting was ON
re day of that battle and from these I
e procured number of bullets they (
ad just found in the trees. Every
rec here shows marks of bullets and in
small pine they had just cut which at
MS day was less than IL inches in !
iameter. they had found seven minnie t
ais. An oak stands there which pres l
It's curious feature. A shell passed U