 | CHAPTER IX. History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 |  |
THE WAR OF 1812-1815.
By the opening of the year 1812, the situation of affairs was such
as to strongly indicate war between the United States and Great
Britain. The American public was greatly excited and seemed
to be anxious for the conflict. The government of the United
States was making every preparation for war.
In the spring of the year 1812, the Congress of the United
States passed a resolution by a vote of 79 to 49 declaring war against
Great Britain, over the protest of the Federalist members of Congress,
among the number being Daniel Sheffey, the member from
this district, and on the 18th day of June, 1812, the Senate of
the United States, by a vote of 19 to 18, concurred in the resolution
of Congress, and war was formally declared.
On July 6, 1812, David Campbell was commissioned a major in
the Twelfth Regiment of Infantry, A. S. A., and, raising all
recruits possible, he proceeded to Winchester, Virginia, where he
joined his regiment. The Twelfth Regiment of Infantry was
officered as follows:
Colonel, Thomas Parker.
Lieutenant-Colonel, James Patton Preston, of Montgomery
county.
Major, David Campbell, of Washington county.
John Gibson,
James Charlton,
Charles Page,
Willoughby Morgan,
Archibald C. Randolph,
Thomas P. Moore,
A. L. Madison,
James Paxton.
Captains:
L. B. Willis,
Lockville Jackson,
Richard P. Fletcher,
J. G. Camp,
Angus McDonald,
R. G. Hite.
Lieutenants:
Russell Harrison,
John Keys,
Matthew Hughes,
O. W. Callis,
William Stone,
John Kenny,
John Towles,
Robert Houston.
Second Lieutenants:
J. W. McGavock,
John Shommo,
Philip Wagoner,
Isaac Keys,
Bailey Bruce,
W. C. Parker,
Thomas B. Barton.
Ensigns:
On the 10th of April, 1812, President Madison issued an order
for 12,000 men for the regular army from Virginia, which men
were to be taken from the several militia regiments of the State.
To make up this number, the Seventeenth Brigade was required
to furnish 488 men, of which Captain Francis Preston's rifle company
was to furnish fifty men, Captain Tupper's company, of Montgomery
county, fifty men; Captain Hale's rifle company, Grayson
county, fifty men; Captain Steffey's company, of Wythe county,
fifty men.
It is probable that the forces thus levied accompanied Major
David Campbell to Winchester. Upon the arrival of Major David
Campbell at Winchester, he immediately proceeded to assist in drilling
and recruiting the regiment, which regiment, on the 29th day
of August, 1812, marched for the lakes of Canada, where it was
placed under the command of Alexander Smyth, of Wythe county,
who, on the 6th day of July, 1812, was commissioned by the President
of the United States, inspector-general with the rank of brigadier.
General Smyth, on the 15th day of June, 1812, was in
Washington city, and addressed a letter to a gentleman in Abingdon
in which he stated:
"It is whispered, and I have no doubt of the fact, that to-day
the Senate passed the bill from the House of Representatives for
declaring war against Great Britain.
"The recruits west of the Blue Ridge in Virginia are intended
for the North. Considering this circumstance together with the
land bounty, the abolition of corporal punishment, &c., I shall
expect the recruiting service to succeed well."
Upon the first intimation of war, many of the citizens of this
county immediately volunteered their services to their country.
In March of the year 1812, a volunteer troop of cavalry was
formed within the bounds of the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment,
and was officered by Captain William Duff and Lieutenant Samuel
Brown.
On the 31st day of March the following order was published by
the officer of the troop:
ATTENTION!
WASHINGTON VOLUNTEER TROOP OF CAVALRY.
"Our muster, of course, is at Abingdon, on Saturday the 11th
day of April, when you are to appear in uniform with your arms
and accoutrements in good order, at 11 o'clock A. M., with six
rounds of blank cartridges, for the purpose of exercising.
"At a crisis like the present, when war is more than anticipated,
we presume your patriotic spirit will not suffer a single member
to be delinquent.
"By order of the Captain.
The next order that we find in regard to this company was
issued on September 12, 1812, and was as follows:
"ATTENTION!"
"THE VOLUNTEER TROOP OF CAVALRY, attached to
the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment. You are hereby requested
to attend private muster at Abingdon, on the last Saturday in this
month, for the purpose of exercising and for other purposes that
the times demand.
"SHOW YOUR VALOR—BE PATRIOTIC.
On the 25th day of April, 1812, the following advertisement
appeared in the Political Prospect:
"THE TOCSIN OF PATRIOTISM.
"A MEETING of the young men of the county of Washington is
requested at the tavern of Mr. Soule's, on Saturday, the 2d day of
May, 1812. The object of the meeting is of the highest importance,
and it is desired and hoped, that every young man, whose bosom
burns with the holy fire of patriotism and feels the multiplied
wrongs of his country, will be present at this meeting.
The young men of the county met, pursuant to this notice, and
organized a company of infantry, and selected Peter Mayo captain,
to which was given the name of the Light Infantry Company, and
time and the Bell Tavern in Abingdon as the place of meeting to
select non-commissioned officers, and directed their captain to issue
his orders accordingly, which order was as follows:
"INFANTRY!
"Pursuant to a resolution entered into on Saturday last, notice is
hereby given, that there will be a meeting of the Light Infantry
Company on that day two weeks, precisely at 11 o'clock, at the Bell
Tavern in the town of Abingdon, for the purpose of choosing non-commissioned
officers, and of making other arrangements for the
regulation of the company. All those whose names are enrolled on
the list of the said company are requested to attend without fail,
as the objects of the meeting are of much importance to its prosperity.
Those who feel a disposition to become members of the
company may do so by attending and enrolling themselves on that
day.
description will bring them on that day."
On the 15th day of June, 1812, Captain Spotswood Henry, of the
Second Regiment of Artillery, U. S. A., arrived in Abingdon, and
proceeded to recruit men for the regular army, and by the 6th day
of September, 1812, he had recruited a full company of regulars.
The Political Prospect, in speaking of the departure of Captain
Henry and his recruits from Abingdon, says:
"On Sunday last Captain Spotswood Henry marched from this
place for Philadelphia with a full company of regulars enlisted in
Abingdon and the surrounding country. Captain Henry was not
quite three months enlisting his men, and we venture to say no
officer in the same period of time ever enlisted as fine a company
of men, most of them young, active and strong, a large majority of
them sober and men of good character. We believe it may be said
with truth that during their stay in Abingdon their conduct (with
a few exceptions) has been good, infinitely better than that of any
other body of new recruits we ever saw. Captain Henry, though
a new officer, seems to possess the art of being both loved and feared
by his men. He is true to the cause he is engaged in, and we trust,
disgrace his country.
"They were accompanied on their road about two miles, by almost
every citizen of Abingdon, and after partaking of some refreshments
at Captain W. Jones', they continued their march, accompanied
by the prayers of all who witnessed their departure, for
their success and happiness."
The services of the companies organized by Captains Mayo and
Duff were not accepted by the government, and it is very probable
that numbers of their men enlisted with Captain Henry. I cannot
definitely ascertain what disposition was made of Captain
Henry's troops upon their arrival at Philadelphia, but it can be
stated with some certainty, that most of the recruits from Southwestern
Virginia, in the regular army, were in the Second Regiment
of Artillery and the Twelfth and Twentieth Regiments of
Infantry, commanded by Colonels Parker and Randolph and Generals
Smythe and Van Rensselaer.
No further efforts were made to organize and equip additional
troops from this county this year, so far as I can ascertain.
In April of the year 1812, in the contest for member of Congress
from this district and for members of the Legislature from
this county, Honorable Daniel Sheffey was elected a member of
Congress, defeating the Honorable Edward Campbell, of Hall's
Bottom, by a considerable majority, Campbell's majority in Washington
county being seventeen. The vote for members of the House
of Delegates from this county was as follows:
| Colonel Francis Preston, | 344 |
| Captain Reuben Bradley, | 314 |
| Captain James Meek, | 266 |
| Mr. John Fulton, | 151 |
On the 24th day of February, 1812, the General Assembly of Virginia
appointed the following persons, for Washington county, to
conduct the presidential election to be held in November of this
year: Francis Preston, James White, David Campbell, Benjamin
Estill, Francis Smith, John Preston and George Dixon.
But, for some reason, the commissioners thus appointed did not
act, as will appear from the following notice:
To the Freeholders of the County of Washington.
Citizens:—You are hereby notified to attend at your court-house,
on the first Monday in November next; for the purpose of voting
for twenty-five electors to CHOOSE A PRESIDENT AND
VICE-PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES. At this important
crisis of affairs, it is hoped that no citizen of Washington will
show the smallest backwardness in coming forward on that day with
a determination of supporting our Republican ticket.
Commissioners.
At the election held in November, being the first hotly-contested
presidential election in the history of our country, the counties of
Southwestern Virginia, between James Madison and DeWitt Clinton,
the contesting candidates, voted as follows:
| Madison. | Clinton. | |
| Washington, | 355 | 80 |
| Lee, | 67 | 00 |
| Montgomery, | 181 | 58 |
| Wythe, | 129 | 19 |
| Russell, | 126 | 00 |
| Giles, | 60 | 04 |
| Grayson, | 73 | 45 |
Early in this year Captain Henry Dixon organized a corps
of volunteer riflemen, which was attached to the First Battalion
of the One Hundred and Fifth Virginia Regiment of Militia.
Many of the young men living in the vicinity of Abingdon joined
this corps, the lieutenant of which was George W. Dixon.
The patriotism of the people was unbounded, and it was arranged
to celebrate the Fourth of July, 1812, at Abingdon, in a manner in
accord with the sentiments of the people. The citizens of the upper
end of the county likewise celebrated the day in a manner befitting
patriots.
The 4th of July, 1812.
[8]
"This day was celebrated by Captain Dixon's Company of Volunteer
with their accustomed conviviality and mirth. The declaration
of war had fired the breasts of that band of citizen soldiers with an
unusual portion of pride of country, and they consequently
expressed with great freedom their determination to rally to the
standard of their country in defence of its rights, liberties and laws.
Captain Mayo's company of infantry were invited by the riflemen
to join in the entertainments of the day, in which they displayed
an equal degree of patriotic ardor and love of country.
The rifle company met at the court-house at 8 o'clock in the
morning, and, after performing several evolutions and firing a
number of rounds, marched to Captain Dixon's quarters, and fired
three rounds, then to the eastern extremity of the town and did the
same, then, returning to the court-house, were dismissed until ten
o'clock, when they again assembled, at which period they were
joined by Captain Mayo's company of infantry. After mustering
through the town and performing several evolutions and firing,
which occupied until one o'clock, they were marched to the camping
ground at Piper's Spring, where they partook of an elegant dinner
furnished by Mr. R. Soule.
Colonel Francis Preston was called to the chair and Colonel
James King chosen vice-president.
After the cloth was removed the following toasts were drunk with
great cordiality of sentiment.
1st. The Day. May its celebration only cease with our national
existence.
2. The President. May he continue to deserve the confidence of
a free, enlightened people.
3d. Congress. In declaring war against Great Britain, they have
echoed the voice of the nation.
4th. The Heads of Departments. May the spirit of '76 animate
their councils.
5th. The Memory of Washington. May we look upon his like
again.
6th. The Venerable Clinton. He will still live in the hearts of
his countrymen.
7th. The Heroes of the Revolution. May their posterity inherit
their virtue and their valor.
8th. The Union of the States. Liberty's surest pledge—Hail
Columbia.
9th. The army of the United States—Composed of freemen, it
cannot fail to merit the glorious boon of independence.
10th. The navy of the United States. The choicest sons of Neptune
will brave every danger in defence of their liberty.
11th. The volunteers of the times. Hailed by your countrymen
as the gallant defenders of their dearest rights.
12th. The Heroes of Tippecanoe have set their countrymen a
glorious example—Soldiers return.
13th. The Militia of the United States will defend their rights
when assailed by tyrants.
14th. The Tree of Liberty, may its branches ever succor its supporters.
15th. John Randolph, D. Sheffey, &c. May their constituents
furnish them with a suit of Tory uniform, tar and feathers! Rogue's
March!
16th. The 18th of June, 1812. The day that adds solidarity to
the foundation of our independence.
17th. The Impressed American Seamen. May they return to
the bosom of their country, with their hands imbrued in the blood of
their enemies.
18th. The Fair Daughters of Columbia. Their smiles will reward
their defenders.
The volunteer toasts were very numerous, but we have been able
to collect only a few of them.
| CHAPTER IX. History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 | |