Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1921-03-22
COL. R.P. CHEW PASSES AWAY.

COL r. p. CHEW PASSES AWAY.
Col. r. Preston Chew died at his
home in Charles Town last Tuesday
night. He had been in failing health
for some time, and had never COM
pletely rallied from a surgical opera
ton about a year ago. He was born
in Loudoun County, Virginia. on
April 8, 1S43, and was brought to
jefferson county in 1886 by his par
ents, Roger and Sarah West CAL
dridge) Chew, who located at Hermit
tage Farm about miles southeast of
(, Charles Town, where young Chew
grew to early manhood and attended
school at the old Charles Town
Academy.
When the War Clouds broke in
1861 he was a student at the Vir-
ginia Military Institute, at Lexing-
ton, Va, under Thomas ]. Jackson,
afterwards known to fame as Stone
wall Jackson one of the immortal
leaders of the armies of the Confed-
eracy. Upon receiving his diploma
he responded to the call to arms of
his native state of Virginia and his
beloved Southland, and his military
record is one of which he might well
have been proud. Entering the Con-
federate service in the Cavalry, he in
company with Captain Milton Rouss,
schoolmate of his at the Virginia
Military Institute, organized the bat
terry of Horse Artillery that was af-
forwards to become famous. 1t was
in a piece of woods at Flowing
Springs near Charles Town that
Chew's Battery was organized, in the
spring of 1861, and Roger Preston
Chew was selected as its Captain.
Chew's Battery was attached to Ash
by's Cavalry until the death of that
brilliant Cavalry leader, June 6, 1862
and was in almost continuous action
with the enemy. In Jackson's re-
treat up the Valley, Ashby's Cavalry
protected his rear, and Chew's Bat
terry fought rear-guard actions from
almost every hill, along the Valley
pike from Winchester to Harrison
burg General Jackson in a letter
to General Lee spoke very highly of
the brilliant handling of his battery
by Captain Chew. Chew's Battery
was afterwards attached to Stuart's
Cavalry. In 1864 Captain Chew
was made Chief of Artillery of the
Stuart Cavalry, with the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel, and up until the
end of the war was in command of
all the Horse Artillery of the Army
of Northern Virginia. When Grants
Legions were encircling Lees Army
lat Appomattox, Col. Chew with a
small squad of daring men from his
battery eluded the encircling Federal
forces. They retreated South, their
object being to join General Joseph
E. Johnston then in North Carolina.
A flood on the Roanoke river imped-
ed their retreat farther south with
their guns. To prevent the Federals
from capturing the guns, the gun
carriages were burned and the can
non themselves were buried along the
bank of the river. The men sue
|ceeded in crossing the river and in
joining Johnston with whom they re-
luctantly surrendered a few days
later. After the war the Colonel
made several visits to the Roanoke
river in an effort to recover the
buried guns, but never succeeded in
locating them. The. spot was sur
rounded by immense stretches Of
pine woods far from human habita-
tons, making it impossible to ideh-
tify the location.
With the war over and the Stars
and Bars of the Coilfederacy fupled
forever, Col. Chew took up the oc-
cupation of farming in Jefferson
County. Col. Chew was a prominent
member of the West Virginia Legis-
lature from 1884 to 1890, having
been elected as a Democrat for three
successive terms from Jefferson
County. He always had at heart the
advancement and upbuilding of
Charles Town and Jefferson County,
and his efforts were untiring in this
direction. He was at the head of the
Charles Town Mining Manufacturing
and Improvement Company, which
about 1890 laid off the subdivision
which now constitutes Ransom. And
it was his enterprise which gave
Charles Town its water system at a
time when it was sorely needed.
Enterprises which he promoted or
tried to promote for the upbuilding
of the community were many
As man he was an upright Chris
tian, with that courtesy and manner
that is characteristic of the true
Virginia gentleman.
He always took great interest in
Confederate Veteran organizations,
and was commander of the Jefferson
County Camp of Confederate Vet
Grams since it's organization and was
President of the Lee Memorial Asso-
citation.
Col. Chew married at Blakely, this
county, Miss Louise Fontaine Wash
ington, daughter of Col. John Angus
tine Washington, descendant Of a
brother of the first president, and the
last owner of Mount Vernon, by
whom he is survived. He also leaves
one son, Mr.. Roger Chew, of New
York, and two daughters, Mrs.
Brantz M. Roszel, of Winchester,
and Miss Margaret Preston Chew, at
home; and also one sister, Mrs. Mary
Norris, wife of Mr. w. o. Norris.
Funeral services were held in Zion
Episcopal Church, of which he was a
member, on last Friday at IL o'clock,
Bishop Tucker, Bishop w. L. Gravatt
and Rev. Conrad H. Goodwin officiat-
ing, after which his remains were
lid to rest in the family lot in Zion
Churchyard.
| The Confederate Veterans, Sons OF
Veterans and the Perks-Jackson Post
of the American Legion attended in
a hadn