Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-10
CHAs. 7. DUNCAN's LIFE
SETS SPLENDID EXAMPLE
Passing Of Noted Lee County Con-
federate Veteran Is IRE
vocable Loss.
HE WAS GALLANT SOLDIER
High Tribute Is Paid to Him by K.
A. Ayers, OF Big Stone Gap-Was
Relative Of Governor Henry Carter
Stuart.
BY n. 4. AYERS,
OF Big stone Gap, Va.


first met Judge Duncan i'm 1866,
and was at once attracted by his genial.
pleasant and kindly disposition. and the
acquaintance later ripened into warm
personal friendship, which extended
over period of nearly nifty years.
Judge Duncan was descended from
family of sturdy pioneers among the
hrst settlers of Southwest Virginia.
from whom he inherited the sterling
MIN through life His grcat,grand-
mother was shielded from the Indians
at Fort Blackmore. in Scott County.
where Daniel Boone and his party re-
treated there after being attacked by
the Indians on their first attempt to
settle Kentucky. His grandfather was
one OF the first settlers of Moccasin
Gap. His father was John Duncan, and
his mother was libby Carter. a relative
OF Dale Carter. Governor Stuart's
grandfather and both lived at Rye
Cove. Judge Duncan was born on the
9th day of July, 1898. and was educated
IN the common schools Of his day. Rye
Cove having maintained one of the
best In the county. After he was
grown he taught school. and many
men now living in the county were his
students.
INSTANCE RELATED
OF HIS GALLANTRY
II is not surprising that. with such
ancestry and such traditions behind
him. he fred with enthusiasm and pa =
trlo;!sm when the tocsin Of war was
sounded and Virginia called upon her
sons TO repel the invader. Judge Dun.
can responded TO the first call and be-
came II private In the Thirty-Seventh
virginia Regiment, commanded by
Colonel Samuel V FuIkerson, and
served until the close OF the war. He
was soon promoted TO leutenarcy
aud served on Colonel Fulkerson's
stan and was with him when he fell
mo;tally wounded. holding his hand
"hen he died. Duucan's gallantry was
proverbial. The late General w B..
Taliaferro once related to me an in
stance OF his courage AT the battle Of
Port Republic. Jackson's army had
marched TO the bank OF the Shenan.
!oah River and campcd opposite the
town and Jackson had crossed the
bridge and spent the night in the town.
Early the following morning the Fed
erals, under General Shields, charg ed
into the town and rushed battery TO
the bridge opposite Jackson's army,
over which he would have 10 cross IN
order 10 rejo!n his troops, jackson and
mis- stan ga!loped rapidly TO tha river,
when. seeing the battery with guns
bearing on the bridge. he. with gallant
daring and resourcefu!ness. rode UP TO
me officer and said What are YOU
doing with the gun over there? Bring
yH la ~
ing him TO be Federal commander.
II once unlmbered and began 10 re-
move the gun, whereupon jackson and
his stag salloped quickly across the
bridge. followed By shots from the
hastily replanted guns.
General iTaliafcrro said that his
brigade was formed upon an elevation
fronting the bridge, with the Thirty
seventh Virginia. Duncan's company, in
the lead: that jackson gallowed up to
him. pointed back and said: General,
take that battery at all hazards"
Ta!iaferro a once ordered the Thirty
seventh Virginia TO charge. riding with
Them TO the bridge urging them on.
Duncan led his men into the bridge
with drawn sword. going like light
ming and in an incredible short space
OF time emerged. throwing themselves
upon the battery, which they captured
He said that Duncan was the first man
through. and captured the first gun
just as charge OF grape and can
mister was being rammed home, and
that IL was one of the bravest acts
he witnessed during the entire war;
that he never expected 10 see him alive
again, that he fully expected the bridge
to be swept by the enemy's fire, but. for
some reason for which he never could
acctunt, the battery failed to fire until
the infantry were upon them. The
prisoners were not collected before
Jackson, with the whole army. was
pouring across the bridge, and tho
Thirty-seventh, still in the lead, was
ordered TO charge General Shields's
army in the town. which they did,
routing and driving them out of Port
Republic. and down the Shenandoah.
General Taliaferro said to ME: Ayers,
/ never saw a Drawer man than Charlie
Duncan" Coming from man Of
Taliaferro's character, this was praise
indeed.
OF LEE COUNTY
Judge Duncan was captured and i'm
prisoned for several months before the
war closed and while III prison studied
law. and some time after the surrender
came TO the bar. He was a member OF
the convention which gave us the I'm
derwood Constitution, under which Vir-
slnia was readmitted to the Union. and,
together with the gallant minority of
conservatives, did all he could to
ameiiorate the provisions Of that
odious instrument. Soon after Judge
q u to 1at
attorney for the Commonwealth of Lee
County. and served eight years He
was then elected judge OF the county,
and served six years. He practiced law
for forty years. meeting with uninter-
rupted success. and at the time of his
death represented the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad and number Of
other important corporations. He was
loved and esteemed by all who knew