Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-10-18
Incidents of Rockbridge Men in
Greenbrier County
FRANKFORT, w. VA, Oct. 12tf

> VI OaSSHSAAStS 40 Wis OOuuhJ VIC
called in the old histories, an
: this too is a Gland of Memories
in the truest sense.
frankfort had its beginning /
a stockade Indian-fort, hence tn
name frankfort. Capt. job
Stuart, the historian, from whor
we quoted in our last letter, becam
Col. John Stuart of Greenbrier
and the State of Virginia granted
him a tract of three THOUSAND
acres of the very finest land in tn
Greenbrier Valley that runs RICH
up to the edge of the town Of
Frankfort. There is no doubt il
the mind of your correspondent
but that the name Of Frankfort
the capital of Kentucky, came
from this village, and the though
has occurred, what would the citi
zens of the handsome Kentucky
daughter think of their stale
little Virginia motherP
During the late Civil War, the
Greenbrier Valley was border terri
tory, being first in the hands Of
the Confederates, and then occu.
pied by the Federals, consequently
there was many a bloody drama
enacted in this beautiful valley.
In the fall of 1862, three CON-
panies of Confederate cavalry
were camped seven miles west of
here in Sinking Creek. One Of
these companies were Rockbridge
county men. The Federal troops
stationed at Summersville de-
termined to capture them and by
a night march got between the
Confedelates and their pickets.
The result was a complete surprise
and a great part of the Confeder-
ates were captured.
Among the prisoners, was the
late Lieut.. Arch Lyle, who will be
remembered by many of the readers
of THE GAZETTE. Lieut.. Lyle was
put On a horse, that the saddle be-
longed to a man with very long
legs, g nd compelled to ride to Sum-
mersviile, a distance of thirty.five
miles, in that condition. The
writer has often heard Lieut.. Lyle
relate the circumstances.
Mr.. John II. Whitmore, who is
80 we'll and favorably known about
Lexington, was there and a men,
er of the Rockbridge company.
Mr.. Whitmore escaped and in
doing 80 performed one of the
most daring feats of horseman-
ship that was ever performed in
Greenbrier county throughout the
entire war. The only means of
escape for the flying Confederates
was a rickety old bridge over
knights mill. race and the man in
'front.' of Mr.. Whitmore went
through the bridge, horse and
-ider. Mr.. WhitmOre, having a
Iplendid mount, drove the spurs,
md horse and rider cleared the
bridge and made good their escape.
And now, whenever any of the
vOung fellows of Greentrier begin
o boast of their horsemanship, the
lid CoBfederates take them to
Knights mill-race and show them
ohm WhitmCre's famous leap;
nd as Robert Burns account OF
Tom O'Shanter's race over the
ridge of Doom, has ever been a
lessing to che young people of
he land of "MOor and Crag, like
rise has John Whitmore's famous
ide been an inspiration to the
Dung men of Greenbrier.
Seventeen miles north of this
lace on the old State road Is {
1here the battle of Droop-Moun-
ain was fought on the 9th day of [
November, 1853. The battlefield {
J on top Of the mountain on the
orsh side overlooking the Little {
,evels of Pocahontas county.
here are a great many men yet t
wing in Rockbridge county who
8 members of the 18th Virginia ,
'avalry participated in this bat
le; and when you ask them if
hey were at the battle of Droop- I
fountain, you will see one of the 6
weetest smiles creep over the l
ace. This smile, in every case,
J the result of the recollection Of
ow we'll they ran that day, and
Ow "live to kick another day."
One member of the 18th Cavalry !
id not run SO well, and was cap ,
lred. This man was John ShGri- :
an Of Lexington, then green,
rave Irish boy of seventeen years {
f age. Ma jOr Bailey of the 22nd !
irginia Infantry, rallied the Con- :
sderate forces after their line
'as broken. Young Sheridan was 9
ne of the men who supported him 5
/ this last stsnd. The Major :
Ill mortally wounded right near \
heridan and the latter was cap
ired and taken to Camp Chase,
hiO. (Why this vile pen of a
risOn should be named after the {
hief Justice of the Supreme
curt of the United States, has .
ways been mystery to the I
riter,) After remaining for a q