The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-04-26
How Jefferson Was Warned.
Southern Lutheran.

i few years ago. visiting Char
= ,ttesville. Va. Jaw student of the
Un.. erSity OF Virginia, Mr.. Charles
Kagcv. took me ior drive to Month
cello. the old home OF Thomas Jeffer-
son.
When we reached the lodge at the
entrance to the park, the old negro
gate keeper sounded the bell that
announced to the mansion the coming
OF visitors.
On our WY through the grounds,
we stopped by little graveyard, en-
closed with an iron railing, to stand
with uncovered heads by the simple
shaft on which is carved: Here is
buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of
the Declaration OF Independence, of
the Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom. and the Father of the Uni
versity OF Virginia.
.Afterward as we stood upon one
OF the columned porcheS OF the house
in which he once lived. my friend
pointed out the pathway by which
Jefferson rode for safety and perhaps
Tor lie. escaping from the British
General Tarleton. who was seeking
his capture.
1t was in the spring OF 1881. The
British army under the traitor Bene-
dict Arnold and General Philips was
laying waste Eastern Virginia, and
it looked as If Richmond must fall
into the enemies hands. The legis-
lature left Richmond to meet at
Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson,
who was then governor, came back
to his home at Monticello, two miles
from the town. In some way Corn
wallis learned of this action of the
legislature and sent General Tarleton
to capture its members and the gov
ernor 1t seemed almost as if his
plans would not fail, for they were
carried out with the utmost secrecy
and Tarleton must reach Charlottes-
Vile before the tidings OF his propos-
ed raid could possibly be carried
to the endangered men in the little,
shut in mountain village. If he had
succeeded, history would have been
written differently. In the legisla-
ture were Richard Henry Lee,
Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Benjamin
Harrison, the ancestor Of two of our
Presidents: Patrick Henry and other
no,ld men, and there was Jefferson.
We can not help asking, What if
Tarleton had succeeded? What if
Jefferson. Lee, Harrison, Patrick
Henry and the rest had been cap
tured, tried for treason, transported to
England, or perhaps hung?
We must still have in the end won
the battle for Liberty and Indepen-
dence. but how much longer would
have been the struggle. Jefferson
would never have been president. The
Louisiana purchase, told of in the
preceding article would not have been
made. The great country west OF the
Mississippi would have been New
France. or We would have had before
us another bloody war.
Upon what seemingly little things
hang great results. One morning II
early June. Tarleron reached Cuckoo
Tavern. about iorty miles from Char
lottesville. 4 young 'inn-keeper o.
Charlottesville was at Cuckoo Tavern
and he suspected Tarleton's design
and made up his mind to warn JET
ferson and the legislature. He wa:
riding the 'bes1-bred and fleetes,
mare in seven counties" and he
knew OF an old abandoned trail
brier grown and almost impossible
shorter than the main road. by
which Tarletons men must travel
To think wiki him was to act, ano
with the though: he was off like the
wind. Two hours latter. with cloth
! ing torn By the lhorns and face scar,
red and bleeding, having ridden
more than thirty miles, he reached