Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-05-11

Order OF The Knights OF The Golden
Horseshoe Revived.

/ Order OF The Knights OF The Golden
Horseshoe Revived.
The order of the knights ofthe Golden
Horseshoe" instituted in l7l6 by the
Colonial Governor Alexander Spotswood,
of Virginia, has been revived in Wash
ington.
II was just 200 years ago that Governor
Spotswood, man of vision as wellas action,
dreamed of crossing the Appalachian
Mountains and was the first to successfully
achieve his purpose. John Fontaine,
who accompanied the expedition, wrote
OF the adventure Hugh Jones, A. NJ,
chaplain OF the Honorable Assembly"
and minister at Jamestown, Va, retold
the picturesque'narrative in l724; Howe,
the historian; Edward Inglc, of Balti-
more, and many others to whom the ad-
venture made appeal, told the story, each
in his own way.
From these painters of past events is
glimpsed picture of Governor Spots
wood and John Fontaine setting gayly
out, on August 20, l7l6. TO attempt that
which had hitherto been deemed impos-
sible. They were joined enroute be-
tween Williamsburg and Germanna by
several gentlemen, IA rangers and four
Meherrin Indians. They carried ample
provisions and did not lack liquid re-
freshment, for their scribe enumerates
"white and red wine, asquebaugh, brandy
shrub, two kinds of rum, champagne,
canary, cherry punch and cider"
Before beginning The ascent, the we'll
mounted, well-armed company had their
horses shod. horses being accustomed TO
traverse the low country, where there
were few stones, without shoes, and then
camping and eating and drinking by night
and pressing sturdily on by day the party
finally reached the mountains summit,
where they cut his Msjesty's name upon
the rock OF the highest peak, naming II
Mount George, in honor OF their SOW
ereign, King George |, and the nexthigh-
est peak Mount Alexander, in honor OF
Governor Spotswood. Finally they de-
scended TO the Valley OF the Shenandoah,
loaded their muskets and feasted. They
drank the health of the King in champagne
and fired volley; the health OF the
Princess in burgundy and fired volley |;
the health OF all other members OF the
royal family in claret and fired volley,
and wound up by drinking the health OF
the energetic Governor who had led them
to this promised land-not forgetting the
volley.
And then they rode homeward as cheer
lily as they had set out, reaching Williams
burg September II, and having travelled
43S miles. To commemorate the event
and encourage new enterprises and SET
Elements westward, Governor SpotSwood
gave to each of The company miniature
golden horseshoe, set with garnets 10
represent nail heads. Upon each was
the inscription "Sic iuvat transcendere
montes" thus il is delightful TO cross the
mountains) and on the reverse side was
inscribed the tramontane order. Thus
the members OF the expedition were
known as ''the Knights OF the Golden
Horseshoe" and any gentleman was en-
titled to wear this golden horseshoe that
could prove he had drunk his Maiesty's
health upon the summit OF Mount George.
The golden emblem was handed down
from year 10 year, but il is believed that
all have now disappeared. Among the
last upon whom the honor was bestowed
was an Indian. On September II, l722,
Governor Spotswood ended the confer
ence with the Five Nations by giving TO
the Indian speaking for the tribes the
horseshoe which he wore upon his breast.
He bade the interpreter tell the Indian
the badge would help him across the
mountains and could be carried as pass
when his people came back to Virginia.
Edward Ingle wrote in The Magazine Of
American History in 1887 "As the mid
die figure in the field of Western discovery
between Christopher Columbus kissing
the ground of San Salvador in 1892 and
the explorers Lewis and Clarke making
their way in 1896 to the Pacific Coast,
stands Alexander Spotswood, drinking
on The summit OF the Blue Ridge Noun
tains health TO his English sovereign" 4"
The order of the Knights of the Golden
Horseshoe was revived April IS, 1916, al
theresidence of DR.. Joseph g. B. Bulloch,
Washington, D. c. Its purpose is his
torical. Only those are eligible whose
ancestors performed service, military OF
civic, ofthe highest degree in the Colonies
The personal qualifications OF the eligible
descendants must also measure up to
standards specified in the constitution.
One day, among ether questions, re-