University of Virginia Library

HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.

INTRODUCTORY.

In the study of the history of a commonwealth, be it empire, state or
kingdom, it is necessary that we understand something of the causes
which have acted in producing and advancing, or destroying and retarding,
the various institutions—civil and otherwise—of that particular commonwealth.
Then, in order that the history of Virginia be properly
understood, it is essential that we examine the causes which led to its
settlement and organization as a State.

In the year 1492 Christopher Columbus lifted the veil which hung over
the stormy waters of the Atlantic, and exposed the American continent to
the view of Western Europe. This was the first practical discovery of
America. That the continent was seen by white men as early as the tenth
century, there can no longer remain a doubt. The examination of Icelandic
records and documents preserved in the archives of the Antiquarian
Society of Copenhagen, by recent historians, put at rest the long-doubted
claim that the Northmen were the first discoverers of America. Even so
great an authority as Humboldt says, after having examined the records,
"The discovery of the northern part of America by the Northmen can not
be disputed."

A Norse navigator, in the year 986 A. D., while sailing in the Greenland
sea, was caught in a storm and carried westward to the coast of
Labrador. Several times the shore was sighted, but no landing attempted.
The shore was so different from the well-known coast of Greenland that it
was certain that an unknown land was in sight. Upon reaching Greenland
Herjulfson, the commander, and his companions told strange stories
of the new land seen in the west.

In the year 1001 the actual discovery of the continent was made by
Lief Ericson, who sailed west from Greenland, and landed on the coast
of America in 41¼° north latitude. It was the spring of the year, and
from the luxuriant vegetation that everywhere adorned the coast the Northmen
named it Vineland (the land of vines). These adventurers on the
deep continued to visit these shores during the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth
centuries; it was as late as A. D. 1347, that the last voyage of the
Northmen to America was made. Says Ridpath: "An event is to be

weighed by its consequences. From the discovery of the western world by
the Norsemen nothing whatever resulted. The Icelanders themselves forgot
the place and the very name of Vineland." Europe never heard of
such a land or such a discovery. The curtain was again stretched from
sky to sea, and the New World lay hidden in its shadows.

He that was to announce to Europe the existence of the American continent
was to come from the classic land of Italy, and the sunny land of
Spain,—the country under whose patronage the discovery was to be made.
Christopher Columbus was the name of him whose discoveries, considered
in all their bearings upon human history, are the grandest recorded in the
annals of the world. A name around which, as time rolls away, will
gather the wreaths of imperishable fame.

No sooner had the existence of a trans-Atlantic continent been made
known than all nations from Scandinavia to the Strait of Gibraltar became
frenzied with excitement. A new world, as it were, was to be added
to the old. Monarchs, discoverers and adventurers at once rushed forward
in quest of the "Eldorado" to be found somewhere beyond the western
seas.

Spain at once prepared for the conquest of her newly acquired possessions,
and with a series of splendid triumphs in the south, the civilization
of the Incas and Montezumas perished from the earth. France was not
slow to profit by the discoveries of Columbus. Far away, hundreds of
miles toward the Arctic Circle, she took possession of the country lying
along the St. Lawrence and around Lake Champlain, and hastened to
plant colonies in the same. Between the Spanish possessions on the south
and those of France on the north, lay a territory extending from the
thirty-fourth to sixty-eighth parallels of north latitude, and from the
Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west. England laid claim to all
this region, and based that claim upon the discoveries of John and Sebastian
Cabot, who were the first to explore the eastern coast of America,
they having sailed from Salvador to the Capes of Virginia as early as
the year 1498. Nearly an hundred years had passed away, and no permanent
settlement had been made in all this vast domain. From the everglades
of Florida to the pine-clad hills of Nova Scotia, no white man had
ever landed on these shores. It was in the year 1583 that a young nobleman,
whose life and tragic death were to become familiar to every student
of English history, first appeared at the English court—it was none other
than Sir Walter Raleigh, an English gallant, who had taken part in
the French Protestant wars, and who now appeared at the British court
to make application for assistance in fitting out an expedition for the purpose
of planting a colony in North America. He hoped thus to prevent
the Spanish monarchy and the equally intolerant French court from gaining
possession of the entire continent to the exclusion of England and her
interests. Queen Elizabeth was then upon the British throne. Raleigh

POCAHONTAS,

From the DePass picture in Capt. John
Smith's "General Historie."

was young, rich, handsome and fascinating in his address. He soon
became a great favorite of the maiden queen, and she gave him a commission
making him lord of all the continent of North America lying
between Florida and Canada.

The whole of that part of the continent claimed by Great Britain without
any well defined boundaries, was called Virginia, in honor of the
virgin queen. Two ships were sent out to make discoveries. They were
commanded by experienced officers, and sailed from London in April,
1584, and in July reached the coast of North Carolina, on which a landing
was effected. Here they remained until September, when they returned
to England, and gave such a glowing description of the country which
they had visited, that seven ships were immediately fitted out, conveying
one hundred and eighty men, who sailed as colonists to the New World.
As the ships neared the Carolina coast, they came within sight of the
beautiful island of Roanoke. Charmed with the climate, with the friendliness
of the natives, and with the majestic growth of the forest trees, far
surpassing anything they had seen in the Old World, they decided to locate
on this island. Most of the colonists were men unaccustomed to work, and
who expected that in some unknown way, in the New World, wealth would
flow in upon them like a flood. Not realizing their fond hope, they became
disheartened, and when the supply ships arrived bringing abundant supplies,
they crowded on board and returned to England. Fifteen, however,
consented to remain and await the arrival of fresh colonists from the
mother country.

In the year 1587 Raleigh sent out another fleet, carrying a number of
families destined to augment the Roanoke colony, but when they arrived,
no trace of the fifteen men who remained on the island could be found,
they having been murdered by the Indians, and it was only by the promise
of the commander to hasten back to England and return with reinforcements
that they could be prevailed upon to remain upon the island.
Shortly after the fleet sailed on the homeward voyage an event occurred
which is worthy of note in a history of this country. This was no less
than the birth of the first white child in North America. The child was
the daughter of Ananias and Eleanor Dare. She was christened "Virginia,"
in honor of their adopted country. She was born August 18th,
1587. Her fate is involved in the mystery which enshrouds the fate of the
entire colony. Scarcely had the ships returned to Europe when a war
broke out between England and Spain, and the "Island Empire" brought
every available force to bear upon her powerful rival, both on land and
sea. The invincible Armada had to be overcome and the safety of England
secured, before Raleigh could send aid to his colony on Roanoke. It
was 1590 when the vessels were dispatched, and when they arrived at the
island the commander was alarmed to find that the colony had forever
disappeared. What their fate was must ever remain a profound mystery.

That they all fell victims to savage ferocity is most probable. Some
writers have indulged the idea that they were merged into the tribe of
Tuscarora Indians; but while humanity may dictate such a hope, "credulity
must entertain a doubt of the hypothesis." This was the last attempt
of the noble Raleigh to colonize America. Thus he saw the cherished
hope of his life a signal failure. Soon after, an ignominious death upon
the scaffold put an end to all his ambitions.

THE ABORIGINES OF AMERICA.

With the discovery of America were discovered the Indians inhabiting
the continent—nations having an unwritten history. Who the first inhabitants
were we do not know; for all the ages through which the New
World passed, prior to its discovery by Columbus, are destitute of history
and chronology. But that a race, far superior to the Indians, once existed
on this continent, there can not be the least doubt. From the Atlantic on
the east to the Pacific on the west, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf, in
every portion of the continent, we trace them by their vast monumental
ruins, rivaling in magnitude those of the eastern continent. Here they
built cities which may have flourished while the Pyramids were being
built, or they may have been in ruins when Cleopatra's needle was being
fashioned. But who were they? What their origin and what their fate?
Alas! we shall never know. Contemporary history furnishes no aid, for
they were isolated from all the world beside. They have disappeared from
the earth with not a vestige of history left behind them.

Whether they were the ancestors of the Indians is a question; it is not
probable that they were. Perhaps no problem has ever attracted so much
attention from historians and scientists as that of the origin of the American
Indians.

Hundreds of thousands of individuals existing in all the various stages
of society, from the lowest stage of barbarism to that of the half-civilized
state, were found roaming over the vast domain of both the Americas.
They were altogether ignorant of the country from which their ancestors
had come, and of the period at which they had been transplanted to the
New World; and although there were traditions among them seeming to
cast some light upon those subjects, yet when thoroughly investigated
they tended rather to bewilder than to lead to any satisfactory conclusions;
and the origin of these nations has ever been a subject of curious speculation
among the learned. Conjecture has succeeded conjecture, hypothesis
has yielded to hypothesis, as wave recedes before wave; still it remains
involved in a labyrinth of inexplicable difficulties, from which the most

ingenious minds will perhaps never be able to free it. Of the many
theories which have been advanced, we select the following:

Gregoria Gracia, one of the first missionaries in Mexico, after long association
with them, has formed the opinion that they are the descendants
of many nations, and therefore thinks it absurd to attempt to trace
their origin to any one nation.

John De Laet, a celebrated Flemish writer, maintains that America
received its first inhabitants from Scythia. "The resemblance" of the
North American Indians, in features, complexion, customs, and mode of
life is more nearly like those of the ancient Scythians than any other
nation.

Moreaz, in his history of Brazil, says that the continent was certainly
peopled by the ancient Carthagenians.

George Huron, like Laet, supposes that the primitive American colonies
were Scythian, but is of opinion that the Phœnicians and Carthagenians
subsequently reached the continent, and still later that the Chinese
and other eastern peoples reached these shores, either voluntarily or have
been driven on the coast by tempests. He thus accounts for the difference
existing among the numerous tribes.

Charlevoix is clearly of the opinion that they are of Tartar extraction,
and Adair says he has been forced to believe that they have descended
directly from the Israelites.

Major Carver, who was an officer in the Provincial army, supports the
theory that they have descended from the Tartars and Chinese. He is the
first writer, with whose writings the author is acquainted, to maintain the
theory that they reached America by way of Behrings Straits, a theory
since advocated by Mr. Jefferson and many others.

Dr. Robertson, the able philologist, traces their origin to the Tartars,
by a similarity of language. He says that many of the names of American
chieftains are of Tartar origin, for instance: Tartarax, who formerly
reigned in Quiavira, means the Tartar; Manew, the founder of the Peruvian
empire, most probably came from the Manchew Tartars; Montezuma,
the title of the Mexican emperors, is of Scythian origin, for according to
some authors, it was the appellation of the Scythian chieftains. But the
most recent of all is that of Mr. Wallace, who claims that they are the
remains of the inhabitants of a great Pacific continent now submerged,
and that they escaped to America at the time of the subsidence of their
native continent. In opposition to this theory Rev. Wyatt Gill, for many
years a missionary to the Hervey Islands, Polynesia, declares that there
is not the least resemblance in feature, complexion, mode of life or language
existing between the South Sea Islanders and the Indians of North
America.

Then, among this maze of theories are we nearer a solution of the
vexed problem than we were before a solution had been attempted?

That they came from Europe is altogether improbable; that they are
descended from the Israelites has little or nothing to support it, whilst
it is highly probable that they are descended from some of the tribes of
Southern Asia.

That they are the descendants of the ancient Scythians, seems to the
author to be the most probable. The following facts appear to be almost
conclusive:

First. Both the Scythians and Indians belong to the Ganowanian, or
bow-and-arrow family of men. It will be remembered by those who claim
them to be the descendants of the tribes of North-eastern Asia, that those
tribes are spearmen.

Second. The Scythians wandered over a wide extent of country, but
not tilling it, they claimed no property in land; the Indians did the
same, and both held in abhorrence and scorn the confinement of a fixed
habitation.

Third. The entire absence of anything like a fixed system of law, except
that the strictest honesty characterized both.

Fourth. The dress of both was similar, being made from the skins of
the animals belonging to the fauna of their respective countries.

Fifth. War was the delight of both, and mercy and humanity were
alien to their warfare.

Sixth. Mounds, or tumuli, which constitute the remains of the earliest
inhabitants of America, are found nowhere in Asia except in ancient
Scythia, beyond the Indus. Herodotus, "the father of history," says
the Scythians threw earth upon the tombs of their deceased relatives
until they resembled a high mound or artificial mountain.

Seventh. The same author informs us that the Scythians were the only
people of antiquity who practiced the barbarous custom of scalping
their enemies, a custom universally practiced by the Indians of North
America.

Eighth. The Scythians were divided into tribes, just as the Indians
were.

Ninth. The similarity that (according to Dr. Robertson) exists between
many words in use by both.

Tenth. The fact that they were thoroughly acquainted with the architecture
of Southern and Western Asia is fully attested by the ruined
structures of Mexico and Central America.

From the foregoing it would seem that the evidence is largely in
favor of the claim that the Indians of North America are the descendants
of the ancient Scythians. What the labors of archæological societies
and the researches of antiquarian societies may develop upon the
subject, remains yet to be seen. It is doubtful, however, whether a
satisfactory solution of the mysterious problem will ever be reached.

Such were the inhabitants of the New World, who for two hundred
years disputed the possession of this country with the Anglo-Saxon, but

who have been driven before the march of civilization to the western
confines of the continent, where their final extinction as a race is only a
question of time.

SETTLEMENT AT JAMESTOWN.

We have not space, in a work of this character, to notice in detail
that interesting portion of history known as the Period of Voyage and
Discovery. The world was ready for great events. With the fifteenth
century came the revival of learning in Europe; Copernicus had systematized
the universe; Vasco de Gama had doubled the Cape of Good
Hope, and Portuguese navigators were steering their ships over Indian
seas. The Turks had entered Europe and made Constantinople the
capital of the Mohammedan world; Amerigo Vespucci's first account
of the Western World had been published and eagerly read all over
Europe; Grecian scholars had "crossed the Alps" and laid the foundation
for that intellectual development which was to dispel the darkness
and gloom that had enshrouded Europe during the long centuries of the
Dark Ages. The printing press came just in time to supply the demand
which the thirst for knowledge had created, and now the next great
event in the world's history was to be the founding of a permanent
English settlement in the New World.

One hundred and fifteen years had passed away since the discovery, and
it was now the year 1606. In that year James I., who had succeeded his
cousin Elizabeth on the English throne, granted to a company of wealthy
London merchants a patent for all that part of the American continent
lying between the thirty-fifth and fortieth degrees of north latitude.
The London Company, as the corporation was styled, had, as the effect
of its creation, the founding of a colony on the Atlantic coast of Virginia.
An expedition was at once fitted out, and one hundred and five
colonists bade adieu to the shores of the Old World to find a home on
the shores of the New. On the 26th day of April, 1607, they reached
the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, and to the points on either side they
gave the names of Charles and Henry, in honor of the sons of King
James. Further within the bay, on another point, they bestowed the
name of Point Comfort, because of the comfortable anchorage they found
there. Captain Christopher Newport, an experienced navigator, steered
them up a beautiful river which, in honor of the king, they called
James river. The voyage was continued up the river about fifty miles,
when they landed, May 13th, began the erection of houses, and Jamestown
was founded. A distinguished historian has said, "This is the
most important event recorded in profane history." Here was planted
the germ from which was to spring the grandest republic the world has

seen. Here on the banks of the James had landed the men who were
destined to light a lamp of liberty which all the tyranny of after ages
could not extinguish.

THE BEGINNING.

Of the one hundred and five colonists who came to Virginia, more
than half are classed as "gentlemen," and the remainder as laborers,
tradesmen and mechanics. Many of them probably had been unaccustomed
to labor, strangers to toil, and improvident. Such were the founders
of the first American States. From that beginning came the Virginias
of after times.

The London Company had prepared a form of government for the
colony before the departure from England. This code of laws was put
in a box, sealed and hidden until the arrival in Virginia, when it was
to be opened and the government established according to its provisions.
By it all power was vested in a body of seven councilors, whose names
were as follows: Bartholomew Gosnold, the navigator John Smith,
Edward Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin
and George Kendall. At their first meeting Edward Wingfield was
chosen president; in other words, the first governor of Virginia. This
was the beginning of civil government in America.

While most of the colonists engaged in felling the forest, building
cabins and erecting a fort for protection against the savages, Captains
Newport and Smith decided to explore the country, and accordingly
sailed up the James river as far as the falls of that river, when they
paid a visit to Powhatan, king of the Indians in these parts. Here, just
below the falls, near the present site of the city of Richmond, was the
capital of him whose word was absolute law to the savage nations over
which no civil code could ever have exerted the least influence. This
monarch of the forest received the foreigners with courtesy, and manifested
no uneasiness at their intrusion. After a short stay the party returned
to Jamestown, and Newport sailed for England. Shortly after
his departure the colonists began to realize their true condition. They
were three thousand miles from home and friends, upon an unknown
shore, surrounded by wild beasts and wilder men, subject to pestilential
diseases over which their physicians had no control, and added to this
were civil dissensions. These resulted in the displacement of Wingfield in
the office of president, and the deposing, imprisonment, and finally the
execution of Kendall. Newport was in England, and Ratcliffe, Martin
and Smith were the only remaining members of the council. Ratcliffe
was chosen president, but being a man of neither courage nor ability, he
voluntarily resigned an office which he was incompetent to fill. Smith
and Martin alone were left. The latter elected the former president,
and for the first time not the least opposition was manifested toward
the new administration.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH,

Who, by his efficient management of the affairs of the colony, won the
title of "The Father of Virginia," was a soldier, a traveler, and a
statesman. His life is one filled with adventure and daring exploit.
He was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1579, and was early apprenticed
to a merchant; but at the age of fifteen he left his master and
went to Holland, served awhile in the Dutch army, then found his way
to Austria, where he enlisted under the flag of that country and engaged
in a war with the Turks. He was, at length, wounded, taken
prisoner, and after his recovery he was carried to Constantinople, where
he was sold as a slave and taken to the Crimea, in Russia, and subjected
to the severest treatment and his life rendered a burden. From such
abject slavery he determined to escape. An opportunity soon presented
itself. He was engaged in threshing wheat about three miles from
home, where his master visited him once a day. Smith watched his
opportunity and dispatched him with a flail; hid his body in the straw,
mounted his horse and fled into the woods. After many days' wandering
he found his way into Poland, thence he traveled through Germany,
France and Spain to Morocco, in Northern Africa, where he remained
some time, then set out for England, where he arrived just as the expedition
was fitting out to colonize the new continent of America. He
immediately attached himself to the expedition and sailed for Virginia,
where he afterward displayed those high qualities of statesmanship which
secured the permanency of the colony.

At the time that Smith began his administration the colony was on
the verge of ruin. Already disease had carried off one-half of the settlers,
among whom was Gosnold, a member of the council and one of the best
men in it, and had not the early frosts of winter put a stop to the ravages
of the pestilence, not one would have survived to tell the fate of the
colony. With the disappearance of disease and the better administration
of Smith, everything began to show signs of improvement. One of
the first acts of the new management was to begin the erection of better
buildings; the fortification was strengthened, a store-house devised, and
other preparations made for the winter. The great object now was to
secure a stock of provisions for the ensuing winter. The Indians had
grown a plentiful harvest, but to secure a portion of it was no easy task.
Smith, however, determined to undertake it, and in company with five
companions he descended the James river as far as Hampton Roads, where
he landed, and went boldly among the natives, offering to exchange
hatchets and coin for corn; but the savages only laughed at the proposal,
and mocked the strangers by offering a piece of bread for Smith's
sword and musket. Smith, ever determined to succeed in every undertaking,
abandoned the idea of barter and resolved to fight. He ordered
his men to fire among the savages, who ran howling into the woods, leaving

CAPT. JOHN SMITH,

After the original in his "General His-
torie," edition of 1629.

their wigwams, filled with corn, to the mercy of the English, not a
grain of which was touched until the Indians returned. In a short time
sixty or seventy painted warriors, at the head of whom marched a priest
bearing an idol, appeared and made a furious attack. The English a
second time opened fire, made a rush, drove the savages back, and captured
their idol. The Indians, when they saw their deity in the possession
of the English, sent the priest to humbly beg for its return, but
Smith stood firm, with his musket across the prostrate image, and dictated
the only terms upon which he would surrender it, viz: that six
unarmed Indians should come forth and load his boat with corn. The
terms were acceded to, the idol given up, and Smith and his party
returned to Jamestown with a boat-load of supplies.

Smith could not remain long inactive. No sooner had he seen the colony
in tolerable condition for this, its first winter in the New World,
than he, in company with six Englishmen and two Indians, embarked in
the pinnace and sailed up the Chickahominy river. The opinion prevailed
at Jamestown, and also with the London Company, that by proceeding
up this stream it was possible to reach the Pacific Ocean, then called the
South Sea. Smith knew the utter absurdity of such an opinion, but
humored it for the purpose of gratifying his desire for making explorations.
He ascended the river as far as possible in the pinnace, then
leaving it, as he thought, in a safe place, he left it in the care of four
Englishmen, and with the remainder of the party the journey was continued
in a canoe, and when they could proceed no further in it, Smith
traveled on foot with only an Indian guide. The men left with the pinnace
disobeyed orders, went on shore, and one of them fell into the
hands of the Indians, who learned from him the direction in which the
captain had gone. Pursuit was made at once, but when they came up
with him they found that he was no easy prey. He defended himself so
bravely that they dared not approach him until he fell into a swamp,
where he was at length forced to surrender. His captors carried him
before their chief, who received him with all the pomp and ceremony
known at a savage court. A long consultation was held to determine
the fate of the distinguished prisoner, and it seemed that the death angel
which had hovered around him all along his journey of life was about
to claim the victory. The consultation terminated unfavorably; the
executioners rushed forward and dragged their prisoner to a large stone
upon which it had been decided his head should be crushed. The awful
moment was come; the club was raised that was to dash out his brains,
and thus end his toils and difficulties, and with them the hope of Virginia.
But an advocate appeared as unexpectedly as would have been
an angel just descended from heaven, to ask his release. It was none
other than Pocahontas, the chieftain's own favorite daughter, who
stepped forth and begged that the prisoner might be spared, and when

she found her entreaties unavailing, she seized his head and placed it
beneath her own to protect it from the fatal blow. Powhatan could not
resist the pleadings of his favorite child, and yielded to her wishes.
Smith was released and allowed to live. In a few days he concluded a
bargain with the old chief by which he was to receive a large tract of
country in exchange for two cannon and a grindstone, which he was to
send back from Jamestown by the Indians who accompanied him home.
When they arrived at Jamestown, Smith, under pretext of instructing the
Indians in the use of the cannon, discharged them into the trees, at which
the savages were so frightened that they would have nothing to do with
them. The grindstone was so heavy that they could not carry it, so they
returned with a quantity of trinkets instead.

RETURN OF NEWPORT.

During the winter and spring the little colony had not been forgotten
by the company in England. Newport, soon after his arrival in London,
was again dispatched to America in company with another vessel
commanded by Francis Nelson, both vessels freighted with everything
which could be necessary for either the colony or the crew. Newport
arrived in safety, but Nelson, when nearing the capes, was caught in
a storm and driven so far out to sea, that he was forced to put into the
West Indies, where he made the necessary repairs, and then reached
his destination. Smith and Newport decided to again visit Powhatan,
who received them in the same dignified manner as on the previous occasion;
and during the conference the chieftain exhibited so much
diplomatic skill that he was on the eve of closing a bargain with Newport
which would have been very disadvantageous to the colony; but
Smith prevented the transaction by passing some blue beads before the
eyes of the monarch; and by placing great value upon them, and impressing
him with the fact that they were only worn by the greatest personages,
succeeded in exchanging a pound or two of them for about
seven hundred bushels of corn. But no sooner had they returned to
Jamestown with this new supply to their former stock, than, as is generally
the case with ill-gotten gains, a fire broke out and consumed the
greater part of it, together with a number of their cabins and some arms
and bedding.

But this was not all; Newport, instead of returning to England
immediately, remained fourteen weeks at Jamestown, consuming the
provisions that he should have left for the defenseless and helpless
colony after his departure. His delay was occasioned by the fact that
he had brought over with him several refiners of gold who had discovered
some glittering earth near Jamestown, which they pronounced

gold. All the available force was engaged in loading the ship with
this worthless clay. The idea prevailed to such an extent that Smith
says there was no talk, no hope, no work, but dig gold, wash gold,
refine gold, load gold. The cargo was at last completed, and Newport
sailed for London. When the Phœnix, the vessel of Captain Nelson,
was to be loaded, Smith, instead of permitting it to be freighted
with "fools' gold," fitted her out with a cargo of cedar timber.
This was the first valuable shipment made from Virginia to England.

Smith accompanied the Phœnix as far as the capes, taking fourteen
men with him and two open boats, which were to be used in carrying
out his long cherished design of exploring the Chesapeake. In this
work nearly three months were consumed, and three thousand miles
of coast and river were explored and accurately mapped. The map of
the Chesapeake Bay made by Smith at this time is still preserved, and
is a marvel of exactness. It is the original upon which all subsequent
descriptions have been based.

VIRGINIA UNDER THE SECOND CHARTER.

It was on the 23d day of May, 1609, that King James revoked the
first charter of the London Company, and at the same time granted a
new one by which the government was completely changed. The new
patent included all the country lying between the mouth of the Cape
Fear river on the south and that of the Hudson on the north, the
Atlantic on the east and an undefined boundary on the west. The
company was permitted to choose its own councilors, and they in turn
were to select the governor. Lord Delaware was chosen to this high
position for life. The British government now began to dream of a
flourishing empire in the west, which should be tributary to the parent
one then rapidly rising to the first place among the nations of Europe,
and accordingly surrounded Delaware with stately officers whose high-sounding
titles would indicate that they were the dignitaries of an opulent
kingdom, instead of a half-starved colony on the distant shores of
Virginia. Sir Thomas Gates was commissioned lieutenant-general; Sir
George Somers, admiral; Christopher Newport, vice-admiral; Sir
Thomas Dale, high marshal; Sir Fernando Wainman, master of cavalry,
and a long list of others constituted the royal establishment. But
the long array of titled nobility was not without its effect upon the future
of Virginia. Five hundred emigrants were speedily collected, and
in June a fleet of nine vessels sailed for Jamestown. The gentlemen
composing the new government sailed in the Sea Vulture, the largest
vessel in the fleet. When nearing the capes of Virginia a fearful storm
was encountered. One small vessel was lost, and the Sea Vulture was

driven far to sea, and finally stranded upon the rocks of the Bahamas,
and did not reach Jamestown till April of the next year. The other
vessels outrode the storm and reached their destination. When the
news of the appearance of so large a fleet in the bay was received, it
was thought to be a part of the Spanish navy, the object of which was the
conquest of the colony. Everything was put in a state of defense
against the supposed enemy. Smith had, in the meantime, by his kindness,
won the good will of the Indians, and hundreds of them now
responded to his call, and joined in defense against the supposed invasion.
Fear was, however, soon changed to rejoicing; the supposed enemy
proved to be friends. The emigrants having landed, elected Captain
Francis West (the brother of Lord Delaware), temporary president,
the council being all dead save Smith; but he obtaining the sympathy
of the sailors, refused to surrender the government of the colony. For
the sake of health, to avoid dissension between the old and newly arrived
colonists, and for trading with the Indians, Smith decided to establish
two new settlements, and accordingly selected a company of the best
men, placed them under command of Francis West, and sent them to
the falls of the James, there to erect cabins and establish a permanent
settlement. He then placed another company under Martin and dispatched
them to a place called Nansemond, with the same object in
view. Martin exhibited his imbecility by making an attack upon the
natives in his immediate vicinity, and then by his cowardice and carelessness
permitted them to return, attack his position and kill and
wound a number of his men. He then sent to Jamestown for reinforcements,
and when they arrived, set a limit to his own management by
leaving his men to their fate and going to Jamestown, where he remained
cowering under Smith's denunciations of his perfidy and cowardice.
The president not hearing of his colony at the falls, determined to pay
it a visit; and upon his arrival found that West had selected, as the
site of the projected town, a location subject to inundation and many
other disadvantages. He offered to purchase from Powhatan the site
upon which the city of Richmond now stands, but the restless adventurers,
dreaming of rich gold fields further up the river, refused the offer,
despising alike the president's kindness and authority. But Smith was
born to rule. With five of his own men he rushed boldly into the midst of
the mutineers, and arrested the ringleaders of the opposition, but a hundred
infuriated men gathered around him and compelled him to release
the prisoners. He escaped to the supply-ship which lay at the foot of
the falls, and being supported by the sailors, he here spent nine days in
making every effort to conciliate the turbulent spirits who were in a
frenzy of excitement over the "guilded hopes of the South Sea mines,"
but all in vain. Discouraged and well-nigh exhausted, Smith set out
on his return to Jamestown, but no sooner had he departed than the
Indians attacked those left behind. Those of the terrified wretches who
escaped fled to Smith, whose boat had grounded on an island above
Jamestown. Here the disturbers were again arrested. The president
returned to the falls, satisfied the demands of the savages, and left all
again under the care of West, who listened to the deceitful statements
of the prisoners and released them. Thus Smith again saw his authority
set at defiance, and for the last time left the falls of the James. His
work was nearly completed. On the journey down the river his powder
flask exploded while he was sleeping and tore the flesh from his body in
a frightful manner. Crazed with pain, he threw himself into the river
to cool the burning sensation, and was nearly drowned before his companions
could rescue him. Nearly one hundred miles lay between him
and the only surgeon, Dr. Russell, in Virginia, and to him he must go
before his wounds could be dressed. In this pitiable condition he arrived
at Jamestown, where Ratcliffe and Archer were then on trial on a
charge of treason, and, fearing his evidence, they hired an assassin to
murder him; but when the fiend saw the pitiable condition of his intended
victim, his heart failed him and he was unable to fire the fatal
shot. The term of Smith having expired, Captain George Percy, a
younger brother of the Earl of Northumberland, was elected president,
and Smith, in September, 1609, sailed for England, never to return
again to the scenes of his toils and sufferings. An eventful life was
rapidly drawing to its close. "The Father of Virginia," the benefactor
of his country and his race, he who had faithfully discharged every
duty imposed upon him, was yet to feel the sting of base ingratitude.
Those whose interests he had best served were the first to condemn his
actions. Like Columbus, Boone, Robert Harris, and a host of others
whose lives were to be known, their labors appreciated, and names honored
by succeeding generations, his name has become the most celebrated
that appears in the early history of America. Truly has it been said
that great men are never known by the generation in which they live.

THE STARVING TIME.

At the time Smith left Jamestown, there were four hundred and
ninety-three persons in the colony, all well sheltered and supplied; but
the master spirit was gone, and soon anarchy ruled supreme. Such was
the inactivity, profligacy, recklessness and insubordination, that by the
approach of early winter they were confronted with starvation. In
addition, the Indians determined upon the utter extinction of the colony,
and hung upon the outskirts of the settlements, burning houses
and murdering all who were so unfortunate as to fall into their hands.
Then a pestilence broke out, and the fatality was so great that by the
return of the spring of 1610, there remained but sixty persons alive in

ROBERT BOLLING,

The husband of Jane Rolfe, the grand-daughter of
Pocahontas.

From the original in the possession of the Bolling family.

the colony, and they must have perished had not assistance reached
them. But just as the last ray of hope was yielding to despair, Sir
Thomas Gates and his crew, who had been wrecked in the West Indies,
arrived at Jamestown; but what must have been their feelings, when,
instead of finding the colony in a happy and prosperous condition, they
met only a few famished wretches begging for bread! Gates supplied
their wants from his store-ship and assumed the government.

JAMESTOWN ABANDONED.

The few survivors had, however, resolved to abandon Jamestown at
the first opportunity, and thus forever bid adieu to a place which promised
nothing but death. In vain did the governor remonstrate. Four
pinnaces lay at anchor in the river. It was the intention to sail for
Newfoundland, and there the remnant of the Virginia colony should
remain among the fishermen until some vessel would carry them to
England. Thus, the efforts of the London Company, as had those of
Raleigh and Gosnold before, ended in failure. The colonists crowded on
board the pinnaces, and on the 8th of June dropped down the river.
But Lord Delaware was already within the bay, and ere the disheartened
colonists had reached the mouth of the James, his ships hove in sight,
bearing new emigrants, plentiful supplies, and a governor who gave a
promise of better things. The hitherto discouraged but now rejoicing
colonists were taken on board and all returned to the deserted village,
where, before nightfall, all was happiness and contentment.

Lord Delaware's administration was characterized by justice and mildness;
he endeared himself to the colonists and inspired them with hope,
but he did not long remain; in the early autumn his health failed, and
he delegated his authority to Percy—the same who had relieved Smith—
and sailed for England.

Sir Thomas Dale was already under sail to Virginia bearing a governor's
commission, and upon his arrival he assumed the government and
made martial law the basis of his administration. He was a soldier by
profession, and had served with distinction in the Danish wars. Jamestown
needed a strong government, and there was, therefore, very little
complaint against his military rule. During his administration the population
was augmented by the arrival of three hundred emigrants from
England.

The last act of Governor Dale marks an era in the history of Virginia.
This was nothing less than a division of property. Ever since
the founding of the colony, all property had been held in common, after
the manner of the primitive eastern nations; the colonists had worked
together and the products of the harvest had been deposited in one common
store-house, where all was under the control of the council. Governor

Dale changed all this, and caused the lands to be laid out into lots
of three acres each, one of which was to be given to each of the colonists—to
hold forever—upon which he might plant orchards and cultivate
grain with the understanding that no one had the right to gather
but himself. Thus the right of property in land was, for the first time,
recognized in the New World. The colonists saw the advantage of individual
labor, and the good results were soon apparent in the general
improvement of the colony.

Dale now surrendered the government to Sir Thomas Gates, and by
his (Gates') permission selected three hundred men and began a settlement
on a narrow neck of land, nearly surrounded by water, which
he called Henrico in honor of Prince Henry. Other settlements were
made on both sides of the river at considerable distances from the
parent town, and the foundation of the first American State was thus
securely laid.

VIRGINIA UNDER THE THIRD CHARTER.

It was now the year 1612, and King James, who made "change" the
rule of his reign, granted a third charter to the company, under which
many important changes were made. By it the privileges and immunities
were greatly increased; their jurisdiction was extended over all the
territory within a radius of three hundred miles from Jamestown;
they were permitted to elect their own officers, to decide all questions
of law and right—in fact, to govern the colony on their own responsibility.
This was the germ from which sprang democratic government
in America.

MARRIAGE OF ROLFE AND POCAHONTAS.

In the year 1613, Captain Samuel Argall, then cruising in the Chesapeake,
made a voyage up the Potomac, when he learned of the presence
of Pocahontas, whom he succeeded in enticing on his boat and then
carried her to Jamestown. The authorities detained her with expectation
that her father, Powhatan, would pay a ransom for her, but the
old chief became highly enraged and at once prepared for war, but before
hostilities began a Mr. John Rolfe, a highly respected young planter,
struck by her beauty and fascinated by her manners, wooed and won
her affections and the promise of her hand.

Powhatan gave his consent to the union, and sent her uncle and two
brothers to witness the ceremony, which was celebrated with great pomp,
according to the rites of the English Church. In 1616 she accompanied
her husband to England, but was very unhappy. Captain Smith, who
was then in London, called to see her, but appeared to be somewhat

reserved in his manner. This added to her burden of grief, and she
wept like a child. Smith inquired the cause of her grief. "Did I not
save thy life in America?" said she. "Didst thou not promise that if
I went into thy country thou wouldst be my father, and I shouldst
be thy daughter? Thou hast deceived me; behold her now a stranger
and an orphan." Pocahontas was warmly received. Lady Delaware
introduced her to Queen Anne, and many families of distinction paid
every attention to the modest daughter of this western wilderness; but
nothing could be done to dispel the gloom which surrounded her, and in
a short time she fell a victim to the dread disease, the small-pox, and
died just as she was about to re-embark for America.

One son, the issue of this union, became a man of prominence in the
affairs of the colony, and to him many of the first families of Virginia,
among whom were the Randolphs and the Bollings, trace their ancestry.

Early in the year 1616, Gates and Dale both sailed for England,
and left the government in the hands of Sir Thomas Yeardley, whose
administration was similar to those of his predecessors—Dale and Gates.
The colony increased in numbers, the social condition improved; obedience
on the part of the colonists and respect on the part of the savages
brought about a feeling of security and confidence hitherto unknown in
the history of the colony.

In 1617, Yeardley was succeeded by Captain Argall, who proved
himself to be the most tyrannical governor that had yet swayed the
scepter over Virginia. He was a sailor by profession, and accustomed
to the rigid discipline of the seas, where he had long held despotic sway
over the decks of his own vessel. Naturally tyrannical, cruel and
covetous, he was entirely unfit to administer the government as it then
existed in Virginia, and, as might have been expected, his administration
became a synonym for fraud, corruption and violence. When the news
of his high-handed oppression reached England, the London Company
requested Delaware to return to Virginia and again assume the government.
He yielded to their importunities and sailed for Virginia, but
died on the way. Argall continued his oppressive sway until 1619,
when he was superseded by Sir George Yeardley, who, through the
influence of Sir Edwyn Sandys, treasurer of the London Company, was
appointed to fill his place.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

With Sir George Yeardley governor, and important changes in the
London Company, the colonists expected a period of prosperity, and
their expectations were fully realized. Martial law was abolished; the

RUINS OF JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA,

The first town founded in America, and first capital of Virginia—destroyed by its own inhabitants in 1676, during
"Bacon's Rebellion," to prevent Lord Berkeley's taking shelter there—never rebuilt.

governor, in accordance with instructions from the company, divided the
plantations along the James river into eleven districts, called boroughs,
and issued a proclamation commanding the citizens to ELECT TWO REPRESENTATIVES
from each borough to take part in the government: the
election was held in the latter part of June, and the first House of
Representatives in the New World convened at Jamestown on the 30th
of July, 1619.

This body was called the House of Burgesses, and by it were "debated
all matters thought expedient for the good of the colony." A
number of acts were passed which were pronounced by the company to
be "well and judiciously carried," but unfortunately we have no record
of them.

In this eventful year, Sir Edwyn Sandys recognized the fact that the
stability of the colony could only be secured by the establishment of
family ties. Up to this time very few of the colonists had come to Virginia
with the intention of finding a permanent home; by far the greater
number were adventurers who left England with the determination to
sometime return—either after they had accumulated a fortune, or gratified
a desire for adventure. The endearments of home and friends are
the ties that bind men to a settled habitation, and now, if these could
be found on this side of the Atlantic, then would these adventurers
relinquish the fond hope of returning to seek them in the mother country,
and the permanency of the colony would be assured. To achieve
this end was the determination of Sir Edwyn, and during this year he
sent over twelve hundred and sixty emigrants, among whom were ninety
"agreeable young women, poor but respectable and incorrupt," who
were designed as wives for the colonists. Shortly after, another consignment
was made of "sixty young maids of virtuous education, young,
handsome, and well recommended." Such is the compliment paid by
the historian to the first mothers of Virginia. It has been said that
they were sold to the planters at prices ranging from one hundred to
one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco. Such was not the case. They
were transported at the expense of the company, and when they were
chosen as wives by the planters the fare for transportation was charged
and paid by the husbands. Thus domestic relations were established;
then came habits of thrift, an increase of comforts, and consequent happiness.
Within the next two years fifty patents for land were granted
and 3,500 emigrants found homes in Virginia.

INTRODUCTION OF AFRICAN SLAVERY.

It was the policy of King James to increase the population of the
colony as rapidly as possible, and with that end in view, despite the
protests of the London Company, he sent over one hundred "idle and

dissolute" persons who were in custody for various misdemeanors, and
were only transported to escape a worse fate at home. They were sold
out as servants to the planters, who endured their presence only because
of the profits derived from their labor, and the increased assistance thus
secured in carrying into effect the various industrial enterprises then
projected by the colonists.

This beginning created a desire on the part of the planters to employ
other labor than their own, and unfortunately the opportunity to gratify
that desire came only too soon. It was in the month of August, 1619,
that an event occurred which was destined to stamp its impress upon
the pages of American history; an event so far-reaching in its effects
that no prophetic eye could foretell what they were to be. No one
thought that an institution was then taking root which in the distant
future would involve the American States in civil war and almost wreck
society itself. This event was none other than the introduction of African
slavery. A Dutch vessel sailed up the James river and sold twenty
Africans as slaves to the colonists. The world knows the result.

A LIBERAL CONSTITUTION.

Another change was now to take place. A new constitution was prepared
for Virginia, and Sir Francis Wyatt was appointed to supersede
Yeardley in the government. The new code was modeled after the
English constitution, and was a long step toward representative government.
It acknowledged the right of petition, and of trial by jury; but
the most remarkable provision was that which bestowed the power upon
the House of Burgesses to veto any objectionable acts of the company.

THE INDIANS ATTEMPT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE COLONY.

Three years of prosperity had spread the settlements far and wide;
they extended for a hundred and forty miles along the banks of the
James and far into the interior; several had also been made on the
Potomac, so that by the year 1622, there were no less than eighty families
dotting the country around the Chesapeake. The only cause for
anxiety was the fear of Indian hostilities, and well indeed might this
anxiety exist, for there was now a plot being laid which if it had been
carried out in detail would not have left an Englishman alive in Virginia.
The friends of the colonists were gone. Pocahontas had died in
a foreign land, and Powhatan had also passed away—beloved and honored
by all who knew him. His brother, the cunning, treacherous and revengeful
Opechancanough, had succeeded him. He had long looked
with a jealous eye upon the encroachment of the English, and saw in

their occupation of the country the fate of his own race; and, now that
he was vested with the power which his honored brother had withheld
from him, he determined to annihilate the colony at one fell blow. To
meet the colonists in the open field only insured his own defeat, owing
to the disparity in arms; and the fact that the number of fighting men
were now nearly equal would have resulted in just what he wished to
avoid—the destruction of his own people. His only hope of success
lay in some great stroke which should destroy the power of the colony
at once; his cruelty and revenge dictated a general massacre. In order
to avoid suspicion he renewed the treaty of peace with Governor Wyatt,
and only two days before the blow was to be struck he declared that
the sky would fall before he should violate the terms of the treaty. The
friendly relations were continued up to the fatal day, even to the very
hour. They borrowed boats from the English, brought in venison and
other provisions for sale, and even sat down to breakfast with their unsuspecting
victims. The fatal hour arrived. It was twelve o'clock,
noon, on the 22d day of March, 1622, when every hamlet in Virginia
was attacked by a band of yelling savages, who spared neither age, sex
nor condition. The bloody work went on until three hundred and forty-seven
men, women and children had fallen victims at the bloody and
barbarous hands of that perfidious and inhuman people. Had not a
converted Indian, who lived with a Mr. Pace, revealed the plot, and
thus put the people of Jamestown and immediate settlements on their
guard, and therefore in a state of defense, every settlement would have
been laid in ruins and the inhabitants put to the tomahawk. But the
plot failed. There were yet sixteen hundred fighting men in the colony,
and the Indians were made to pay dearly for their perfidy. The English
pushed into the wilderness, burning wigwams, killing every Indian that
fell into their hands and destroying crops, until every tribe was driven
far into the interior. Confidence was once more restored, and a feeling
of security brought a return of prosperity; emigration again revived,
and at the end of the year the population numbered 2,500.

DISSOLUTION OF THE LONDON COMPANY.

Ditterences between the king and Parliament had produced two powerful
political parties in England—the Royalists, supporting the king, and
Patriots, defending Parliament. To the latter belonged the greater
number of the London Company, and, as a political measure, the king
determined to dissolve the company by declaring its charter null and
void. It was true that the operations of the company, in a financial
point of view, had been a failure. In eighteen years they had expended
a half million dollars, and had sent 9,000 emigrants to Virginia, only

2,500 of whom were now in the colony. The annual exports did not
exceed 20,000 pounds.

We have not space to follow in detail the proceedings, legal and
otherwise, of the crafty James. He sent John Harvey, John Pory,
Abraham Piersey, Samuel Mathews and John Jefferson, commissioners
to "make more diligent inquiry touching divers matters, which concerned
the State of Virginia." The commission arrived in Virginia
early in the year 1624, and after remaining a short time returned and
reported the company in a state of bankruptcy, and the government of
the colony in a very bad state, with no prospect of an improvement under
the present management. James caused a quo warranto to be issued
against the company, and the cause was tried at the Trinity term of
King's Bench, for the year 1624. The judges were dependent upon the
king for their places, and it was not difficult to determine the result of a
trial in the result of which James had such a deep interest. Chief
Justice Ley rendered the decision against the corporation, and the London
Company ceased to exist. But their mission was filled; the foundation
of the Old Dominion was securely laid, and it only remained for
others to rear the structure.

VIRGINIA UNDER THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT.

There was but little change made in the government of the colony.
This was not the object of the king when he canceled the charter of the
company; his action was directed against the corporation, and not against
the State, and ere the few proposed changes could be made King James
died—March 27, 1625—and was succeeded by his son, who came to the
throne under the title of Charles I. He paid very little attention to
his American subjects. Governor Wyatt was continued in office until
1626, when he went to England to attend to the private affairs of his
father, who had recently died, and Sir George Yeardley was appointed
to fill the vacancy. His previous liberal administration was remembered
by the colonists, and Charles could not have performed an act
that would have met with greater approbation on their part. Yeardley's
career was closed by death, November 14, 1627, and in obedience to
instructions to the council, they elected Francis West, governor, the day
after the burial of Yeardley. He continued in office until March, 1628,
when John Pott was chosen in his stead, who in turn was, in a few
days, relieved by John Harvey, who arrived from England and assumed
the government early in the year 1630.

VIRGINIA AND CHARLES I.

Four years had now passed away since Charles began his reign, and
during all that time he had been engaged in the domestic affairs of his
kingdom; but he now turned his attention to Virginia as a fruitful field
from which to reward his courtiers. This he did by granting them
patents for large tracts of land, regardless of location, improvements, or
anything else, and finally, in utter disregard of the protestations of the
colonists, set a limit to his recklessness by granting to Sir Robert Heath
a patent for one-half the territory of Virginia, extending from the 36°
north to Florida. But as all that part, including the present Carolinas,
was not settled until long after, and the charter finally became void because
of Heath's failure to comply with its conditions, the colonists could
not consider themselves so badly damaged after all, though the act was
an evidence of the way in which they might at any time be divested of
their rights.

THE MARYLAND CHARTER—GOVERNOR HARVEY.

Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, in 1632, obtained a patent for all that
part of Virginia embraced within the present limits of Maryland, and at
once proceeded to colonize it, notwithstanding the fact that there were
already several settlements of Virginians within the territory, to whose
remonstrances he gave no heed. William Claibourne, who had been a
member of the council and also colonial secretary of state, had obtained
a license from the king "to traffic in all American ports where there
was no license," and these permits had been approved by Governor
Harvey. Claibourne settled upon Kent Island, in Chesapeake Bay, not
far from the present city of Annapolis, and when ordered to abandon it
by the Maryland authorities he defended it by force. He was finally
arrested, tried, found guilty of murder, piracy and sedition. He escaped
to Virginia, and when demanded by the authorities of Maryland, Harvey
refused to give him up, but sent him to England for trial. The
Virginians were highly incensed at Harvey for not protecting Claibourne
and keeping him in the colony, for they regarded the Marylanders as
nothing more than an infringement upon their rights. Harvey was tried
on a charge of malfeasance in office. Of the trial we know but little.
The first entry upon the records relating to the subject is as follows:
"An assembly to be called to receive complaints against Sir John Harvey,
on the petition of many inhabitants, to meet 7th of May, 1635;"
and the next one is: "On the 28th day of April, 1635, Sir John Harvey
thrust out of his government, and Captain John West acts as governor
until the king's pleasure is known." When Charles I. heard of the
action of the colonists, he regarded it as unwarrantable insolence—little
short of treason. He reinstated Harvey in the government, and we
hear of no more dissatisfaction during the remainder of his administration,

SEAL OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER

Of the Colony of Virginia, with the arms of the
Virginia Company of London.

which came to an end in 1639, when Sir Francis Wyatt again
assumed the government.

ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST COUNTIES.

Virginia was the first State in the world, composed of separate political
divisions, based upon the principle of universal suffrage. It was in
the year 1634 that the territory of Virginia was divided into eight shires,
or counties, similar to those of England, and named as follows: James
City, Henrico, Charles City, Elizabeth, Warwick River, Warosenoyoke,
Charles River and Acomac. Lieutenants were appointed for each district,
whose business it was to supervise the military affairs. Sheriffs,
sergeants and bailiffs were to be elected as in England, and commissioners
were appointed to hold county courts in the different shires.
This was the origin of the county court system in Virginia.

FIRST PUBLICATION OF THE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

Wyatt continued in office for nearly two years, and was then succeeded
by Sir William Berkeley—a name destined to become notorious
in the history of Virginia—who arrived and assumed the government in
February, 1642. The assembly convened in March, and its first act
was to pass a solemn protest against a petition which Sir George Sandys
was having numerously signed, to be presented to Parliament, praying
for the restoration of the London Company. Much important business
was transacted at this session of the assembly. The punishment of temporary
slavery, which had existed from the foundation of the colony,
was abolished. The trials of causes were made to more nearly conform
with those of England. Laws were passed regulating land titles. A
treaty was made with Maryland respecting trade on the Chesapeake
Bay. Taxation was rendered more uniform, and the tax for the support
of the governor was abolished. This was the first meeting of the
assembly the acts of which were published.

THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION OF 1642.

The war clouds which had darkened the political horizon of England
for many years now broke forth in a storm of uncontrolled fury. Civil
war drenched the island in blood. The Royalists were defeated; Charles
went to the scaffold; monarchy was overthrown, and Oliver Cromwell
declared Protector of the Commonwealth of England, the destinies of
which he controlled until the year 1658, when he was succeeded by his
son, Richard, who held the reins of government until the restoration of
monarchy in 1660.

Throughout the period of the revolution the Virginians continued
loyal to the royal cause, not because they loved monarchy, but because
they cherished the liberties secured under the constitution which Charles
I. had given them, and after the execution of Charles I. they recognized
his fugitive son as their rightful sovereign—then an exile in Holland.
The loyalty of Virginia to the father did not escape the notice of his
son, and from a foreign shore he transmitted to Berkeley a commission
as governor, signed by his royal highness. Thus the fugitive from
England, the refugee to Holland, was still the sovereign of Virginia.

In the meantime the last opposition to the Parliamentary army in
Britain had been overcome, and Cromwell now turned his attention
to his distant colony, determined to force it to submit to the
new government.

Virginia was now rapidly becoming a nation. Under the influence
of her salutary laws, the products of a virgin soil, wrought by willing
hands, and the advantages which her foreign trade had given her, she
had increased her population from a few hundred to twenty thousand,
and there were trading to her ports ten ships from London, two from
Bristol, twelve from Holland, and seven from New England. Such was
the colony which Cromwell now proposed should submit to the government
of the Commonwealth.

A fleet, together with a considerable land force, sailed for Virginia,
and cast anchor before Jamestown. But the colonists, in anticipation
of the projected conquest, had not been idle. Many veterans from the
shattered royal army had taken refuge in Virginia. The colonial army,
thus augmented, was a power of which the Commonwealth was ignorant.
In addition, several Dutch merchant ships were lying in the river,
trading in violation of the acts of Parliament, and of course were armed,
that they might defend themselves against the fleets of the Commonwealth.
They now allied themselves with the colonial forces. The
commissioners of Cromwell, surprised at such a show of resistance,
hesitated, and offered fair and honorable terms to the colonists. By
them was insured a continuation of their liberties, the preservation of
their constitution intact, and a full and complete pardon for all past
offenses. Thus the colonists could gain by treaty all that they could
hope to gain by the most successful resistance. The articles were signed
by the commissioners on the part of the Commonwealth, and the council
on the part of the State of Virginia, "as equals treating equals."

From this time to the Restoration, Virginia governed herself, and obtained
unlimited liberty of commerce, which was regulated by independent
laws. The famous Navigation Acts of Cromwell were not
designed for her oppression, and were never enforced on her shores. A
trade was opened between Virginia and Denmark, and finally with

"every Christian nation in amity with England." When the colony
recognized the authority of Cromwell, Berkeley, who held his commission
from the exiled king, was too loyal to continue in office, and
Richard Bennett, one of the commissioners, was chosen to succeed him.
A council was also chosen to act in accordance with instructions from
Parliament, and to exercise such powers as the assembly might delegate
to it. Bennett retired from office in March, 1655, and Edward Digges
became his successor. He served two years, when an election was held,
and the choice fell upon "worthy Samuel Mathews, an old planter of
nearly forty years' standing, a most deserving Commonwealth's man,
who kept a good house, lived bravely, and was a true lover of
Virginia."

He, like most Virginians since, was opposed to long sessions of the
legislature, and in the spring of 1659, threatened to dissolve that body
unless it speedily adjourned. The worthy Samuel had forgotten that it
was the legislature that made the governor. His attention was, however,
called to the fact by the reply of the Speaker to the effect that
"the House of Burgesses, the representatives of the people, were not
dissolvable by any power yet extant in Virginia, except their own; and,
that the former election of the governor and council was void." The
old governor thus learned that Virginia, then—as well as now—regarded
her officers as servants and not dictators.

VIRGINIA AT THE TIME OF THE RESTORATION.

Richard Cromwell resigned the Protectorate in 1660. Virginia, too,
was without a head. The assembly at once convened and again elected
Berkeley governor, with the understanding that he should call the
assembly together at least once in two years, and that it should not be
dissolved save by its own consent. The old monarchist, now aware
that Charles, his beloved prince, would shortly be placed upon the
throne, accepted the office and acknowledged himself the people's
servant.

Virginia now had a population of thirty thousand. She had established
upon her soil the supremacy of the legislative branch of representative
government; had secured freedom of trade, security against
foreign taxation, and a universal elective franchise. Prosperity kept
pace with freedom. The social condition of the emigrants now coming
to her shores was vastly improved, and her hospitality was already proverbial.
Such was Virginia in the year 1660.

BACON'S REBELLION.

No sooner had intelligence of the Restoration reached Virginia than
Berkeley issued a proclamation calling for the election of a new assembly,
declaring that the acts of that body during the existence of the Protectorate,
were illegal and no longer in force. The people still indulged the
hope that all would yet be well; but they had yet to learn that Charles
II. was the worst monarch of modern times, and that in enforcing his
tyrannical edicts he would find in Berkeley a most willing tool.

The new statute was a death-stroke at colonial liberty. It provided
that all trade should be restricted to English ports and carried only in
English vessels. A heavy tax was imposed for the support of the government.
The colonists demonstrated and petitioned, but the king turned
a deaf ear to complaints, and the oppressive laws were rigorously enforced.

But legislative tyranny sank into insignificance when compared with
the recklessness of granting large tracts of land to the ignoble and profligate
courtiers who thronged his court. No matter whether these lands
were on the distant frontier, or the best and most highly cultivated in
the colony. Whole hamlets and entire counties were thus given away,
and in 1673 the king became a bankrupt in the matter of lands by granting
to Lords Culpeper and Arlington a patent for the entire State of
Virginia, together with all its rights and privileges for a period of thirty-one
years.

At the gay court of Charles II. this may have been regarded a small
bounty to a royal favorite, but to the forty thousand Virginians thus
transferred to a proprietor from whom nothing was to be hoped, and
everything feared, it appeared in a very different light. Messrs. Ludwell,
Moryson and Smith went to England and presented a remonstrance,
but to no purpose.

In the meantime a war broke out with the Susquehanna Indians. The
legislature raised and equipped an army of five hundred men for service
in the war, but just as they were ready to march they were disbanded
by the governor, who refused to assign any reason for the act. Volunteers
then flocked to Jamestown and offered to serve without any remuneration
if the governor would only appoint a leader. This he refused
to do. Then they determined to march to the defenseless frontier without
the governor's consent, and looking about for a leader, they found a
young man from Henrico county who had just returned from England,
whither he had gone to complete his education. The name of that young
man was Nathaniel Bacon. When he took command of the volunteer army
he made application to Berkeley for a commission, but it was refused, and
Bacon marched to the frontier authorized only by the will of the people
and the danger of his country. No sooner had the army began its march
than Berkeley declared Bacon a rebel and his followers traitors, and collecting
as great a force as he could raise among the wealthy aristocrats

residing in and about Jamestown, he marched in pursuit of Bacon, with
the proclaimed intention of suppressing the rebellion. Bacon continued
his march to the frontier, defeated the Indians, drove them far into the
interior, and was returning homeward when he heard of the action of
the governor. Leaving the greater part of his army, he continued by
forced marches towards Jamestown, to which place the governor had
fallen back; but he was made prisoner by one Gardiner, and carried before
Berkeley. He was finally pardoned and allowed to take his seat in
the assembly on condition that he would confess the impropriety of his
conduct, and promise obedience for the future. His soldiers, however,
were not satisfied with the humility to which then leader was subjected,
and marched to Jamestown and compelled the governor to give him a
commission, and he again marched to the frontier. But no sooner was
he gone than Berkeley retired into Gloucester and a second time declared
Bacon a rebel; who when he heard the news, fell back towards Gloucester,
and forced the governor with his forces to retreat into Acomac.
This county, located on the eastern shore, was considered a distinct territory,
although tributary to Virginia. Bacon once more marched up
the Potomac, and Berkeley crossed the bay and entered Jamestown.
No sooner had Bacon heard of the governor's movements, than he
wheeled his van and shortly appeared in front of Jamestown, attacked
the place and drove Berkeley on board the ships in the river. The torch
was applied, and in twelve hours the oldest town in British America was
in ruins.

We know little of Bacon after this, more than that he died of disease
contracted during his campaigns. With him died the cause for which he
fought. The patriots disbanded, and Berkeley's authority was soon
restored, and his vengeance glutted by hanging twenty-three of the followers
of Bacon.

Thus ended Bacon's rebellion. The only difference between that
struggle and the one of a hundred years later being that the first was an
effort to establish a free government subject to Great Britain, which could
not be done; and the second was an effort to establish a free government
independent of Great Britain, which was done.

Berkeley resigned his commission and went to England, where he
found his actions towards the colony universally disapproved, even by
the king himself. This the governor could not withstand, and he soon
sank beneath his load of crime, and died, despised in England and execrated
in Virginia.

From this time onward, for a period of nearly fifty years, there is
little of interest in the history of Virginia, save the succession of
governors, and a desultory Indian war carried on upon her western
frontier.

Sir Herbert Jeffries came over as the successor of Berkeley, but was
in a short time relieved by Sir Henry Chichely. In 1678 Lord Culpeper,
who, together with Lord Arlington, held a patent for the entire
State, came over and assumed the government, made many fair promises,
one of which was to secure the redress of grievances demanded by the
colony; then leaving the government in the hands of Chichely, he
returned to England. In 1683 Arlington surrendered his claim to Culpeper,
who thus became sole proprietor of Virginia. He came over and
began his government on the principle that he owned Virginia, and the
Virginians were his slaves, but before his acts could accomplish much mischief,
Charles II. revoked his charter because of a failure to comply
with its terms. Thus, in 1684, Virginia again became a royal province,
with Lord Howard of Effingham as royal governor.

James II. came to the throne in 1685, but there was no change in the
government of the colony for the next three years, when William,
Prince of Orange, drove James from the English throne and mounted
it himself. He referred all complaints of the Virginians to his privy
council, with orders that they should receive prompt attention. Sir
Francis Nicholson came over and assumed the government. By his
mild and conciliatory administration of the affairs of the colony he became
more popular than any of his predecessors.

REMOVAL OF THE CAPITAL OF VIRGINIA.

In the year 1698 the seat of government was removed from Jamestown
to Williamsburg, seven miles distant from the old metropolis. The historian
of that day assigns as the reason of the removal the fact that
Williamsburg was "in a healthier and more convenient location, and
freer from moschetoes."

Nicholson was succeeded in 1693 by Sir Edmund Andros, but was
restored in 1698, and served until 1705, when Edward Nott became
governor. He died shortly after receiving his commission, and the
government devolved upon Edward Jennings, the president of the council,
until the king's pleasure became known. The Earl of Orkney
received the commission, but sent out Brigadier-General Hunter to rule
in his stead. He was captured by the French while on his way to
America, and the illustrious

COLONEL ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD

became governor. He was the most distinguished individual that controlled
the destinies of Virginia prior to the Revolution. He had won
distinction on many bloody fields during the campaigns of Marlborough,
and thus secured the appointment of colonial governor of Virginia.

THE UNKNOWN REGIONS OF THE WEST.

One hundred and three years had passed away since the founding of
Jamestown, and the little colony of one hundred and five souls had
grown to nearly one hundred thousand. Hardy pioneers had extended
the domain of civilization far into the interior. There were now twenty-four
counties in Virginia, and settlements were approaching the eastern
base of the Blue Ridge, but of the country beyond the "rocky barrier"
nothing whatever was known, The most daring adventurer had not
dared to penetrate this unknown wilderness. But the conquest of the
wilderness was the mission of those determined spirits who had fled from
oppression in the Old World to find a home of freedom on the shores of
the New. Governer Spotswood determined to know something more of
this region, and accordingly equipped a company of horsemen, and heading
it in person began his march from Williamsburg through a dense
wilderness inhabited by wild beasts and savage men. Toiling on for
several days, the expedition at last reached the base of the Alleghanies,
and pushing upward through the narrow defiles the intrepid governor
and his little party reached the summit and stood upon one of the loftiest
peaks of the Appalachian range. What a spot! Never before, perhaps,
had the footsteps or the voice of civilized man been heard amid
this mountain fastness. As that little band stood there gazing westward
into an illimitable wilderness, they there resolved that its vast extent
should be peopled, redeemed from the sway of savage men, and the forest
be made to blossom as the rose. How well that resolution has been
carried into effect, let the fifteen millions of happy and prosperous people
who now throng the great valley of the Mississippi answer.

The party returned to Williamsburg and gave the most glowing description
of the country which they had visited. Amid forests of fragrant
trees and perfumed alcoves, spots more enchantingly beautiful than
were ever graced by Calypso and her nymphs, they had discovered those
mysterious hygeian fountains from which flowed these life-giving waters
which have since obtained a world-wide fame. In order to induce emigration
to the West, the governor established the "Transmontane Order,
or Knights of the Golden Horseshoe," giving to each of those who accompanied
him a miniature golden horseshoe bearing the inscription,
"Sic Jurat transcendere Montes" (thus he swears to cross the mountains).
These were given to whoever would accept them, with the understanding
that he would comply with the inscription. (See De Hass, page 35.)

SILVER MEDAL PRESENTED THE INDIAN POTENTATE, THE
"KING OF PAMUNKIE,"

By the nial Authorities of Virginia.

FIRST SETTLEMENTS WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS—"WESTWARD THE STAR
OF EMPIRE TAKES ITS WAY."

Many daring adventures crossed the rocky barrier during the succeeding
years, but it was not until the year 1732 that a permanent setlement
was made west of the mountains. In this year sixteen families
from Pennsylvania came over and began a settlement near where Winchester
now stands. They were guided to the location by a gentleman
named Joist Hite, and to them is due the credit of having first planted
the standard of civilization in Virginia, west of the mountains. (Kerchevel,
page 65.)

The second settlement was made in 1734 by Benjamin Allen and three
others on the north branch of the Shenandoah, about twelve miles
south of the present town of Woodstock. Other adventurers pushed on
and settlements gradually extended west, crossing the Capon river,
North Mountain and the Alleghany range, until finally they reached
the tributaries of the Monongahela (MS. volume of Dr. Ruffner). For
twenty years after the settlement about Winchester, the natives inhabiting
the mountains and intervening vales remained in a state of comparative
quiet; but about this time a circumstance occurred which led
to a much better acquaintance with the vast and unexplored regions of
the West. Two men, Thomas Morlen and John Salling, determined to
explore those unknown regions, and accordingly set out from Winchester.
They journeyed up the Shenandoah, crossed the James river near
the Natural Bridge, and had progressed as far as the Roanoke, when they
were attacked by a party of Cherokees, and Salling was made prisoner.
Morlen made his escape from them and returned in safety to the settlement.
Salling was carried captive into what is now called Tennessee,
where he remained with them for several years. While on a hunting
expedition with some of his tribe, they were attacked by a party of Illinois
Indians, who were the deadly enemies of the Cherokees, and Salling
was a second time borne off a prisoner.

This occurred in what is now the State of Kentucky, which was at
that time the favorite hunting-ground of all the tribes of the Mississippi
Valley. Salling was taken by his new captors to Kaskaskia, and was
afterward sold to a company of Spanish traders on the Lower Mississippi,
who in turn sold him to the governor of Canada, and he transferred
him to the Dutch authorities at Manhattan; thence he succeeded in
reaching Williamsburg, after an absence of more than six years. (De
Hass, page 38.)

About the time that Salling returned to Williamsburg, a considerable
addition was made to the population of Virginia by the arrival of emigrants
at Jamestown, among whom were John Lewis and John Mackey,
both of whom were desirous of securing land in the West. Struck with
Salling's description of the country which he had traversed, where
mighty rivers, flowing from unknown sources amid the icy fountains of
the far North, rolled their transparent waters in majestic grandeur to
the South; where stretched away vast plains fringed with primeval forests

which seemed to be the culminating point of the plant regions of the
Northern Hemisphere, they determined to visit it, having first engaged Salling
as a guide. The three crossed the mountains, and descending the western
declivities, they were so much pleased with the country that they decided
to locate and take up their final abode. Accordingly they both
set about finding a suitable location. Lewis selected as the place of his
future residence a site on a stream which still bears his name. Mackey
chose a spot on the Shenandoah; and Salling, having concluded to remain,
chose a tract of land on the waters of the James, where he built his
cabin.

Lewis made application for and received a grant of one hundred thousand
acres of land; and while in Williamsburg perfecting his claim, he
met with Benjamin Burden, who had just arrived from England as the
agent of Lord Fairfax, to whom James II. had granted five hundred
thousand acres of land to be located west of the Blue Ridge, and prevailed
upon him to accompany him to his home. Burden remained at
Lewis' the greater part of the summer, and on his return to Williamsburg
took with him a buffalo calf which he and Andrew Lewis (afterward
General Lewis) had caught and tamed. He presented it to Governor
Gooch, who was so much pleased with his mountain pet that he
entered on his journal a patent authorizing Burden to locate any quantity
of land not exceeding five hundred thousand acres on any of the
waters of the Shenandoah or James rivers west of the Blue Ridge. One
of the conditions of this grant was that he should settle one hundred
families in ten years within its limits, and for this purpose Burden sailed
for Europe in the year 1737, and upon his return to Virginia brought
with him upward of one hundred families of adventurers to settle upon
his grant. Among these emigrants were many who became the founders
of some of the most distinguished families of Virginia. Of these were
the Alexanders, Crawfords, McDowells, McLures, Moores, Matthews,
Pattons, Prestons, Tolfords, Archers and others.

ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST COUNTIES OF THE BLUE RIDGE.

In the year 1738 the Colonial Legislature of Virginia passed a bill
providing for the organization of a new county west of the Blue Ridge,
and accordingly Orange county was divided into two parts, and the new
county named Augusta. The pioneers of this county were so much distinguished
for their heroism, which struck terror and dismay into the
Indians, that during the darkest days of the Revolution, when the Pennsylvania
and New Jersey troops had mutinied, and it seemed that all
was lost, Washington was heard to exclaim: "Leave me but a banner
to place upon the mountains of West Augusta, and I will rally around
me the men who will lift our bleeding country from the dust and set her
free."

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

ENGLAND AND FRANCE—CLAIMS OF THE TWO NATIONS TO THE OHIO
VALLEY.

As has been seen, France had taken possession of that part of the continent
lying far away towards the Arctic Circle, and had planted settlements
along the St. Lawrence; her discoverers, Jolliette and Marquette,
had explored the country from the extreme north-east to the Gulf of
Mexico, and upon these discoveries she based her claim to all that part
of the continent drained by the Mississippi river and its tributaries. And
when the English crossed the rocky barrier and began to penetrate into
the Ohio Valley, she viewed these encroachments upon her soil with a
jealous eye, and at once determined to oppose them at all hazards.
France rested her claim to the Ohio and Kanawha valleys upon the
recognized law of nations that "The discovery of the mouth of the river
should entitle the nation making the discovery to the country drained by
that river and its tributaries." The claim thus set up by France and
resisted by Great Britain is exactly the same as that upon which the
United States subsequently based their claims to the Territory of Oregon.
England claimed that aside from her title by purchase, she held, under
the discovery of John and Sebastian Cabot (1498), the entire region
lying between the 38th and 64th parallels of north latitude, a zone extending
across the continent from ocean to ocean. She also set up
another claim—priority of discovery, a claim utterly absurd and entirely
untenable.

France, convinced of the justness of her claims, after addressing an
appeal to the nations of the world, determined not to yield before the
threatening attitude of her powerful rival, and immediately set about
adopting the most effective measures for maintaining her claim to the
great Valley of the West, and accordingly began the erection of a cordon
of forts extending from the St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico, the
most important of which were those at Fontinac, Niagara, Detroit, Green
Bay, Vincennes, Kaskaskia, Natchez and Biloxi. In the year 1720 she
erected Fort Chatres, in what is now Illinois. It was constructed by an
engineer of the Vauben school, and was one of the strongest fortifications
ever erected on the continent of North America.

In 1748 the British parliament passed laws authorizing the formation
of many new settlements and issued many land grants, in which the
interests of British commerce were consulted, rather than the articles of

the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Prominent among these movements was
the organization of the Ohio Company, the settlement of the Upper Ohio,
and several others of an aggressive character, the most important of
which was the sending of a regiment of British soldiers into the Ohio
Valley, where they took post at the mouth of the Monongahela.

When the French authorities heard of this movement on the part of
the English, the home government authorized the governor-general of
Canada to remonstrate against the aggressive invasion of French territory,
and a summons was accordingly addressed to the English commander.
The following is an extract:

(See De Hass, page 61.)

In the year 1749, as a preliminary step in taking formal possession of
the Ohio and its tributaries, the Marquis de la Galisoniere, governor-general
of Canada, determined to place along the "Oyo," or La Belle
Riviere, a number of leaden plates suitably inscribed, asserting the claims
of France to the lands on both sides of the river, even to the source of
its tributaries. The command of the expedition whose duty it was to
deposit those plates was given to Captain Bienville de Celeron, and consisted
of eight subaltern officers, six cadets, an armorer, twenty soldiers,
one hundred and eighty Canadians, and fifty-five Indians—two hundred
and seventy in all. The expedition left Montreal on the 15th of June,
1749, and on the 29th reached the La Belle Riviere at the junction of
the Monongahela and Alleghany rivers, where the first plate was buried.
The expedition then descended the river, depositing plates at the mouths
of the principal tributaries, and on the 18th of August reached the
mouth of the Chinodashichetha (Great Kanawha), and on the point between
the two rivers the fifth plate was buried. It was found in 1846
by a son of Mr. John Beale, of Mason county, West Virginia, afterwards
of Kentucky, and removed from the spot in which it had remained
for a period of ninety-seven years. The following is a translation of the
inscription on the plate. We have compared it with that made recently

by Professor O. S. Marshall, from the original copy-plate now preserved
in the archives of the Departement de la Marine, in Paris, and find them
to agree in every particular.

TRANSLATION.

"In the year 1749, reign of Louis XV., King of France, we, Celeron,
commandant of a detachment sent by Monsieur the Marquis de la
Galisoniere, commandant-general of New France, to re-establish tranquillity
in some Indian villages of these cantons, have buried this plate at
the mouth of the river Chinodashichetha, the 18th of August, near the
river Ohio, otherwise Beautiful River, as a monument of renewal of possessions,
which we have taken of the said river Ohio, and of all those
which fall into it, and of all the land on both sides, as far as to the sources
of said rivers, the same as were enjoyed, or ought to have been enjoyed,
by the preceding kings of France, and that they have maintained
it by their arms and treaties, especially by those of Ryswick, Utrecht
and Aix-la-Chapelle."

From the mouth of the Great Kanawha the voyage was continued
down the Ohio, and on the 30th day of August the expedition reached
the mouth of the Riviere a la Roche (Great Miami), and the voyage on
the Ohio ended. The following is an extract from Celeron's journal,
now deposited in the archives at Paris, as translated by Marshall:
"Buried on the point formed by the intersection of the right bank of
the Ohio with the left bank of the Rock river, the sixth and last plate,
August 31, 1749." This plate has never been found. After journeying
up the Miami some distance, the detachment began its homeward march,
and reached Montreal on the 10th day of November.

In the same year George II., who regarded the British possessions as
personal property, granted to a corporation known as "The Ohio Company,"
a title to five hundred thousand acres of land, to be located in
the Ohio Valley. The company was composed of twelve gentlemen, all
residents of Virginia and Maryland, except a Mr. Hanbury, of London.
This land was to be located partly south of the Ohio, between the Monongahela
and Great Kanawha rivers, and partly north of the Ohio. In
1750 Christopher Gist was sent out by the company for the purpose of
exploring and locating these tracts of land in the west. He traversed
the country beyond the Ohio, and returned by way of the Kanawha,
making thorough exploration of the country east of that river. This
was the first exploration made by the English in the Kanawha Valley,
and Gist the first Englishman who reached the mouth of the Kanawha.
His journal is now in the library of the Historical Society of Massachusetts.
Thus it will be seen that the two great rival powers beyond the
Atlantic were each determined to hold possession of the great valley,

and it became evident that the final struggle for territorial supremacy
in America was near at hand. The English, acting upon the principle
of action that "They should take who have the power," and the French
upon nearly a similar one, that "They should keep who can," were both
resting from an eight years' war, under the truce secured by the treaty
of Aix-la-Chapelle, while their commissioners were trying to outwit
each other in the matter of the disputed lands in the west. (Smollett's
George II., chapter 8.) But the calm was similar to that which precedes
the storm. The cloud of war which had for a time disappeared
from Europe was now hanging over the wilds of North America. Here
was to be heard the clash of arms, the "Forward, march," the daily
reveille, the battle cry, the strains of martial music—sounds so strange
beneath the dark shades of an American forest. The storm burst with
all its fury, and continued to rage for six long years—years characterized
by acts of the most savage cruelty known to the annals of warfare;
years in which the two leading nations of the world employed against
each other the ruthless savages, whose bloodthirsty dispositions incited
them to deeds too horrible to contemplate—deeds the record of which
will ever remain as the darkest blots upon the pages of the history of
these nations.

But the struggle ended, and the world knows the result. The dominion
and power of France have disappeared, and no traces of her lost
sovereignty exist save in the few names she has left on the prominent
streams and landmarks of the country, and in the leaden plates
which, inscribed in her language, still lie buried on the banks of the
beautiful river. Her temporary occupation of the country, the voyages
of her navigators, and the discoveries of her discoverers, live only on the
pages of history and in her archives, where she has carefully preserved
them. Thus the Ohio Valley, together with all of South-western Virginia,
passed from under the dominion of France to that of the Island
Empire. But another title to the valley was yet to be abrogated, that
of the original owners—the Indians, who, for perhaps a thousand years,
had roamed over its hills and vales in pursuit of game; who had made
it their principal thoroughfare in their missions of blood and rapine ever
since the Anglo-Saxon set foot on these shores and had began his march
in pursuit of the empire star. This title was yet to cost the lives of
many hundreds of those sturdy pioneers who had braved the perils of
the wilderness. Over its entire extent was to be heard the frightful
war-whoop of the savage, and night was to be made lurid by the flames
of burning homes. Then, to record an account of these scenes will next
be our province.

INDIAN WARS ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER.

In presenting an outline of the annals of the settlement of the western
frontier, we must remember that a dreary uniformity of incident marks
all the story of the primitive settlements in every part of our country,
from Plymouth to Jamestown, and from the northern lakes to the Mexican
gulf, and that to enter into a narration of individual efforts and
sufferings, and less important triumphs and defeats, would only render
our chronicles a confused mass of rencounters of the rifle and tomahawk,
of burnings, murders, captivities and reprisals, which confound by their
number and weary by their monotony and resemblance. A few more
prominent events only can be selected as samples of the many others.
A few names only, from the long catalogue of pioneers, can be mentioned.
The memory of the hundreds necessarily omitted lives where they
would have wished it to live—in the winter evening's recital, in the
rustic mountain ballad, and in the rude but interesting tradition of
border warfare.

The first white woman who saw the Kanawha river was

MRS. HANNAH DENNIS.

In the summer of 1761 a war party of Shawnee Indians penetrated the
settlements on James river, murdered many of the settlers and carried a
number of others into captivity, among the latter Mrs. Dennis. She,
with about twenty others, was carried to the towns north of the Ohio,
and upon arriving there the captives were separated by their captors,
and it was decided Mrs. Dennis should live at the Chillicothe towns,
where she remained more than two years, during which time she learned
their language, painted herself, and in many respects conformed to their
manners and customs. She devoted herself to the sick, and was highly
esteemed by the Indians as one skilled in the art of curing disease.
Having discovered that they were very superstitious and believed in
necromancy, she professed witchcraft and affected to be a prophetess.
Notwithstanding this, Mrs. Dennis was always determined to effect her
escape when a favorable opportunity should present itself, and having
so long remained with them, apparently well satisfied, they ceased to
entertain any suspicions of such a design. In June, 1763, she left the
Chillicothe towns, ostensibly to procure herbs for medicinal, purposes, but
really to make her escape. As she did not return that night her intention
was suspected, and early next morning several warriors were sent in
pursuit of her. In order to leave as little trail as possible, she had
crossed the Scioto river three times, and was just getting over the fourth
time, forty miles below the towns, when she was discovered by her
pursuers. They fired at her across the river without effect, but in
endeavoring to make rapid flight she cut one of her feet upon a sharp
stone.

MEDAL OR FRONTLET PRESENTED TO THE INDIAN
"QUEEN OF PAMUNKEY,"

By the Colony of Virginia, about 1676, and worn by her.

The Indians then rushed across the river to overtake her, but she
eluded them by crawling into the hollow of a large fallen sycamore.
They searched around for her for some time, frequently stepping on the
log which concealed her, and encamped near it that night. On the
next day they went on to the Ohio river, but finding no trace of her
they returned home

Mrs. Dennis remained at that place three days, waiting for her wound
to heal, and then set off for home. She reached the Ohio river, opposite
the present site of the town of Mount Pleasant, and crossed that
river on a drift log, then began her journey up the Kanawha to the
settlements in the Greenbrier country, which she knew to be nearest
her. She traveled only during the night, for fear of discovery, and at
last, having subsisted on roots, herbs, green grapes, wild cherries and
river muscles for several days, and exhausted by fatigue and hunger,
she sat down by the side of Greenbrier river with no expectation of proceeding
further. In this situation she was found by Thomas Athol and
three others, from Clendenin's settlement, which she had passed without
knowing it. She had been then more than twenty days on her disconsolate
journey, alone, on foot, but till then cheered with the hope of again being
with her friends. She was taken back to Clendenin's, where they kindly
ministered to her until she became so far invigorated as to travel on horseback
with an escort to Fort Young, on Jackson's river, and from there
was carried to her relatives on the James river. (The above we subjoin
from the very interesting work of Withers.)

MURDER OF THE CLENDENIN FAMILY.

Shortly after Mrs. Dennis had gone from Clendenin's, a party of
Shawnees penetrated into the Greenbrier country, led on by the distinguished
warrior Cornstalk, and in two short days suceeeded in destroying
every settlement in that section of the State. After having murdered
the inhabitants at Muddy creek, they passed over into the Levels and
attacked the house of Archibald Clendenin, in which from fifty to one
hundred persons had taken refuge. Of the whole number of men at
Clendenin's but one escaped. He, being at some distance from the
house, heard the screams of the women and children, and fled to Jackson's
river, where he gave the alarm in time to save the settlers from
destruction. The scene in and about the house was one that beggars
description; men, women and children lying in a confused mass, weltering
in each other's blood, while the shrieks and groans of the dying rent
the air. One colored woman, who was endeavoring to escape, killed her
own child, which was following her, crying, lest her whereabouts might
be discovered by its cries. Stuart says in his Memoir that Mrs. Clendenin

did not fail to abuse the Indians with terms of reproach, calling
them cowards, etc., although the tomahawk was drawn over her head,
accompanied with threats of instant death, and the scalp of her murdered
husband was lashed about her face. The prisoners were all taken to
Muddy creek, and a party of Indians retained them there until the return
of others from Carr's creek, when the whole were started off together
to spend a hopeless captivity beyond the Ohio.

On the day they started from the foot of Keeney's Knob, going over
the mountain, Mrs. Clendenin gave her infant child to a woman, who
was also a prisoner, to carry, and as the prisoners were marching in the
center and the Indians in front and rear, she stepped aside into a thicket
until all had passed by. The cries of the child soon made the Indians
inquire for the mother, who was missing, and one of them said he
would soon bring the cow to the calf, and taking the child from the
woman he dashed its brains out against a tree, and then threw the body
down in the path, where it was trampled to pieces by the horses. Mrs.
Clendenin remained until nightfall, and then returned to her own house,
a distance of more than ten miles, where she found the mangled remains
of her husband lying in the yard, which she covered over with
rails, after which she went into a corn-field and remained until morning,
when she resumed her flight, and, after many toils and privations,
reached the settlements on Jackson's river. It has been supposed that
the Indians perpetrating these dreadful outrages were in pursuit of Mrs.
Dennis, and, if it be true, how dearly were others made to pay the price
of her deliverance!

OTHER INDIAN DEPREDATIONS.

In October, 1764, a party of Mingo and Delaware Indians crossed the
Ohio, and, ascending the Big Sandy, crossed over on New river, where
they separated into two parties and directed their steps toward different
settlements—one party going toward Roanoke and (Catawba), and the
other in the direction of Jackson's river. They had not long passed
when their trail was discovered by three men, named Swope, Pack and
Pitman, who were then engaged in trapping on New river. These men
followed the trail until they came to the place where the Indians divided,
and judging from the routes taken that the Roanoke and Jackson's river
settlements were the objects of their vengeance, they determined to apprise
the inhabitants of these places of their danger. Swope and Pack
started for Roanoke, and Pitman for Jackson's river, but before they could
accomplish their object the Indians had reached the settlements on the
latter river and on the Catawba. The party whose destination was Jackson's
river traveled down Dunlap's creek and crossed the James river a
short distance above Fort Young in the night and unnoticed, and going
down this river to the residence of William Carpenter, at which place was

a stockade fort, commanded by a Mr. Brown. They met Carpenter just
above the house and killed him, then immediately proceeded to the
house and made prisoners of a son of Mr. Carpenter and two sons of Mr.
Brown (all children) and one woman. The others belonging to the
house were in the field at work, and thus escaped a terrible fate. The
Indians then despoiled the house, and, taking some horses, commenced a
precipitate retreat, fearing discovery and pursuit.

When Carpenter was shot, the report of the gun was heard by those
at work in the field, and Brown carried the alarm to Fort Young. In
consequence of the weakness of this fort a messenger was dispatched to
Fort Dinwiddie with the intelligence. Captain Paul, commandant there,
immediately began the pursuit with about twenty of his men, and passing
out of the head of Dunlap's creek descended Indian creek and New
river to Piney creek, without making any discovery. On Indian creek
they met Pitman, almost exhausted, who had been running all the day
and night previous for the purpose of apprising the garrison at Fort
Young of the approach of the Indians. Pitman joined in the pursuit,
which was continued down the Kanawha river until it was ascertained
that the Indians had crossed the Ohio.

As Captain Paul and his party were returning they accidentally met
with the other party of Indians, which had been to Catawba and committed
some depredations and murders there. They were discovered
about midnight, encamped on the north bank of New river, opposite an
island at the mouth of Indian creek. Excepting some few who were
watching the prisoners whom they had taken on the Catawba, they were
lying around a small fire, wrapped in skins and blankets. Paul's men,
not being aware that there were prisoners among them, fired into their
midst, killed three of the Indians and wounded several others, one of
whom ran into New river and drowned himself to preserve his scalp.
The rest of the party fled hastily down the river and escaped.

In an instant Captain Paul and his men rushed forward to secure the
wounded and prevent further escapes. To show the deadening effect
that scenes of murder and bloodshed has on the human intellect, we
here introduce the reply of a prisoner, rescued at this time. She was a
Mrs. Catharine Gunn, an English lady, who had known Captain Paul
years before. Recognizing his voice, she called him by name, just as
one of his men was in the act of tomahawking her. She made no resistance,
and when asked the reason, replied: "I had as soon be murdered
as not. My husband is murdered, my children are slain, my
parents are dead. I have not a relative living in America. Every
thing dear here to me is gone. I have no wishes, no hopes, no fears. I
would not have risen to my feet to save my life." (See De Hass.) Such
were some of the horrible realities experienced by the early settlers of
South-western Virginia.

CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES.

But now, 1764, the inhabitants of the western frontier were to enjoy
a brief respite from savage barbarity, the first since the Anglo-Saxon
had dared to venture west of the mountains. In that year the British
government, anxious to secure an amicable adjustment of the difficulties
growing out of the French and Indian war, resorted to various modes
for effecting so desirable an object. Hoping to conciliate by fair words
and fine promises, one of the first movements was to issue, through
Colonel Boquet, a proclamation in which the desires for peace on the
part of the government were made known. Thirty Indian tribes signified
a willingness to treat for peace. General Bradstreet, accompanied
by Sir William Johnson, repaired to Niagara for the purpose of opening
negotiations with the northern tribes, while Colonel Boquet was sent to
the Muskingum to treat with the Ohio Indians, and there, on the 9th
of November, 1764, he concluded a treaty of peace with the Delawares
and Shawnees, and received from them two hundred and six prisoners,
ninety of whom had been carried away from the frontier of Virginia.

THE WESTERN FRONTIER IN 1772.

Eight years had passed away since the close of the French and Indian
war. During this time the savages had remained faithful to the terms
of Boquet's treaty, and emigration was fast pouring over the mountains;
the cabin of the pioneer dotted the wilderness along the western declivities
of the Alleghanies. The great object of the western emigrant has
ever been to obtain land, and wherever that object could be accomplished,
there arose the log cabin, and there was the home of the pioneer.

The result of the last war had forever settled the title of Virginia to
all that portion of country lying between the Blue Ridge and the Ohio
river, and she now freely granted portions of it to any or all who would
undertake to found a home in the then "far west." From her eastern
part, from Pennsylvania, and from Maryland, came the conquerors of
the wilderness, either a single family, or in companies of a dozen or more,
and from Southern Pennsylvania to the Big Sandy river settlements were
being made.

As early as 1754, the first settlement in North-western Virginia was
made. In that year David Tygart and a man named Files brought
their families across the mountains and located themselves—Tygart in
the beautiful valley which still bears his name, and Files near where
Beverly, the county seat of Randolph, now stands. These were the
first settlements in that part of Virginia, and the family of Files was
to be the first in the long list of those who were to fall victims to

savage cruelty. The Tygart family escaped and returned east of the
mountains.

In the above year, Christopher Gist, the agent and surveyor of the
Ohio Land Company, and who was the first to make surveys west of the
Ohio river, settled upon a tract of land in what is now Fayette county,
Pennsylvania, but was then supposed to be in Virginia. His was the
first actual settlement on the waters of the Upper Ohio, and his presence
there soon induced several other families to come out and settle around
him.

In 1758 Thomas Decker and several others located at the mouth of
Decker's creek, but early the next spring they were all murdered by a
party of Mingo and Delaware Indians, who were determined that their
hunting-grounds should not become the home of the invaders with
whom they had disputed possession for more than a hundred years.

The next attempt at settlement was made in 1768 by a number of
persons on Buckhannon, a tributary of Tygart Valley river. Among them
were Samuel Pringle, John Pringle, John and Benjamin Cutnight, Henry
Rule, John Hacker, and John and William Ratcliff.

In 1770 many emigrants reached the Monongahela and Ohio rivers.
In that year Captain Cresap erected a cabin at the mouth of what is
now Dunlap's creek. Captain Parsons settled on the Horse Shoe bottom,
on Cheat river, and many other enterprising men, whose names
were to be rendered prominent by their posterity, "took up" large
tracts of these fertile lands. Among them were Cunningham, Butler,
Minear, Goff, Fink, etc.

SETTLEMENT OF WHEELING.

In this year, too, the foundation of "Virginia's Metropolis of the West"
was laid. The Zanes made the first settlement on the banks of "La
Belle Riviere" (Ohio) below Fort Pitt, at the mouth of Wheeling creek,
and Joseph Tomlinson made the second at the mouth of Grave creek
shortly after. They were soon joined by Bonnett, Wetzel, Messer,
George Leffler, Benjamin Biggs, Joshua Baker, Zachariah Sprigg,
Andrew Swearengen, David Shepherd, the McCollochs, Mitchells, Van
Meters, Millers, Kellers, etc., etc. These were the men who founded
Wheeling, and whose means and determined bravery went far towards
breaking the power of the savage and thus opening the country to civilization.

In 1772, settlements were made on Elk river, and in the vicinity of
Clarksburg, and at other points in South-western Virginia. Among
these pioneers were the Hickmans, the Powers, Andersons, Webbs,
Nutters, Collrials, Beards, Davisons, and a host of others prominent in
pioneer history.

These were the principal settlements made in Western Virginia prior
to the year 1773; but tidings of this fertile land had already reached
the far east, and hundreds prepared to find homes in the exhaustless
domain that stretched out before them.

But through all these years a jealous eye was watching the march of
the Anglo-Saxon in his conquest of the wilderness. It was the Indian
who saw in it all the extinction of his own race; his immediate ancestors
had been forced to leave the shores of the Chesapeake, and the banks of
the James and Potomac, and to take refuge west of the mountains, in
the very country which he now saw passing into the possession of his
enemies. He resolved to defend it against the encroachments of his
conquerors east of the mountains, and only awaited an opportunity to
commence his favorite work of murder. That opportunity, through the
indiscretion of the English, soon presented itself.

ENGLISH FOLLY—DUNMORE'S WAR.

The treaty which had continued inviolate since 1765, was now to be
broken on the part of the English. In the early part of 1774 several
Indians were murdered on the South Branch of the Potomac, by one
Nicholas Harpold and his associates. About the same time Bald Eagle,
an Indian chief of considerable notoriety, not only among his own tribe,
but along the whole western frontier, was in the habit of hunting with
the English, and on one of his visits was murdered by Jacob Scott,
William Hacker and Elijah Runner, who, reckless of consequences,
committed the act simply to gratify their thirst for Indian blood.

There was at this time an Indian town on the banks of the Little
Kanawha river, not far from the present site of the town of Elizabeth,
in Wirt county, West Virginia. It was called Bulltown, and was
inhabited by five families of friendly Indians, who were in intercourse
with the settlers on Buckhannon, frequently visiting and hunting
with them. There was likewise a German family named Strowd
residing on Gauley river, near its junction with the Great Kanawha.
In the summer of this year, when Mr. Strowd was absent from home,
his family were all murdered, his house plundered, and his cattle driven
off. The trail left by the perpetrators of this outrage led in the direction
of Bulltown; this led to the supposition that its inhabitants were
the authors of these murders, and several parties resolved to avenge the
crime upon them. A party of five men expressed a determination to
proceed forthwith in search of the supposed murderers. They were
absent several days, and, upon their return, denied having seen an
Indian in their absence. Future developments, however, proved that
they had murdered every inhabitant—man, woman and child—at Bulltown,
and had thrown their bodies in the river that their acts might

never be known. Here, then, was a sufficient cause to justify retaliation,
and forthwith there broke out a savage war along the entire western
frontier.

To meet this general uprising of the confederated tribes of the Northwest,
who had now determined to annihilate the inhabitants of the whole
western frontier, Virginia, ever ready with her treasure and the services
of her people, responded to the call of his excellency, Governor Dunmore,
and forthwith three thousand soldiers, chiefly from the counties of
Augusta, Botetourt, Frederick and Shenandoah, enrolled their names
and shouldered their rifles in defense of the defenseless frontier.

These troops were divided into two bodies, called the Northern and
Southern divisions. The Northern division was led by Governor Dunmore
in person, and the command of the Southern was given to General
Andrew Lewis. His command rendezvoused at Camp Union (afterward
Fort Savannah), now Lewisburg, in Greenbrier county, and by the first
of September General Lewis only awaited the arrival of Colonel Christian
and others from Lord Dunmore to begin his march against the
Indian towns north of the Ohio. In a few days a messenger arrived
with orders from Dunmore, who was then at the head of the Northern
division, at Williamsburg, to meet him on the 2d of October at the
mouth of the Great Kanawha. On the 11th the tents were struck, and
the army commenced its line of march through an unknown and trackless
wilderness.

Captain Matthew Arbuckle, who had traversed the Kanawha Valley in
1764, acted as guide and conducted the expedition to the Ohio river,
which was reached after a dreary march of nineteen days. Some days
after the march began several of the command were attacked with smallpox,
and were left where the city of Charleston now stands. Among
the number was Alexander Clendenin, brother of Captain William Clendenin,
and father of Andrew Clendenin, Esq., now of Mason county.
When General Lewis reached the mouth of the Kanawha, he was greatly
disappointed in not meeting Governor Dunmore, and still more so at not
hearing from him. In the absence of orders it was determined to go
into camp, and accordingly the tents were pitched upon the triangular
point of land between the right bank of the Kanawha and the left bank
of the Ohio, accessible only from the rear. This place was called by the
Indians, "Tu, enda, wie," signifying in the Wyandotte language, "The
junction of two rivers." The ground thus occupied by the Virginia army
is the same upon which the town of Point Pleasant has since been built.
Little did that band of sturdy Virginians think that ere they left that
place they were to fight the most fiercely-contested battle ever fought
with the Indians in Virginia, if not on the continent. It was not until
Sunday, October 9th, that a messenger reached General Lewis, informing

SCENE ON THE GREAT KANAWHA.

him that the plan of the campaign had been changed, and ordering him to
march direct to the Indian towns on the Scioto, at which place the Northern
division would join him.

THE BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT.

Accordingly arrangements were made preparatory to leaving on the
following morning (Monday, 10th); but early on that morning two soldiers,
named Robertson and Hickman, went up the Ohio in quest of deer,
and after having gone a short distance they discovered a large body of
Indians, just arising from their encampment. The soldiers were fired
upon and Hickman was killed, but Robertson escaped and ran into camp,
hallooing, as he ran, that he had seen a "body of Indians covering four
acres of ground." This force consisted of the flower of the confederated
tribes, who had abandoned their towns on the Pickaway plains to meet
the Virginia troops and give them battle before the two corps could be
united. Within an hour after the presence of the Indians had been discovered,
a general engagement took place, extending from the bank of the
Ohio to that of the Kanawha, and distant a half a mile from the point.

General Lewis, who had witnessed a similar scene at Braddock's defeat,
acted with steadiness and decision in this great emergency. He arranged
his forces promptly and advanced to meet the enemy. Colonel
Charles Lewis (brother of the General), with three hundred men, formed
the right line, met the Indians at sunrise, and sustained the first attack.
He fell, mortally wounded, in the first fire, and was carried to the rear,
where he shortly after expired. His troops, receiving almost the entire
weight of the charge, were broken and gave way. Colonel Flemming,
commanding the left wing, advanced along the bank of the Ohio, and in
a few moments fell in with the right wing of the Indian line, which
rested upon the river. The effect of the first shock was to stagger the
left wing as it had done the right, and its commander was severely
wounded at an early stage of the conflict. But his men succeeded in
reaching a piece of timber land and maintained their position until the
reserve under Colonel Field reached the ground. It will be seen by examining
Lewis' plan of the engagement, and also the ground on which
the battle was fought, that an advance on his part and a retreat on the
part of his opponents necessarily weakened their lines by constantly increasing
their length, and if it extended from river to river, he would
be forced, eventually, to break his line or leave his flanks unprotected.
Writers upon the subject of Indian tactics inform us that it was the
great object of his generalship to preserve his flanks and overthrow those
of his enemy. They continued, therefore, contrary to their usual practice,
to dispute the ground with the pertinacity of veterans along the
whole line, retreating slowly from tree to tree until 1 o'clock P. M., when
they reached a strong position. Here both armies rested within rifle

range of each other until late in the evening, when General Lewis, seeing
the impracticability of dislodging the Indians by the most vigorous
attack, and sensible of the great danger which must arise to his army if
the contest were not decided before night, detached the three companies
commanded by Captains Isaac Shelby, George Mathews and John Stewart,
with orders to proceed up the Kanawha river, and under cover of
the banks of Crooked creek (a stream emptying into the Kanawha about
half a mile from the point) to attack the Indians in the rear. The
maneuver thus planned and executed had the desired effect, and gave to
the colonial army a complete victory. The Indians, finding themselves
suddenly encompassed between two armies, attacked in front and rear,
and doubtless believing that in the rear was the long expected reinforcement
under Colonel Christian, soon gave way, and about sundown commenced
a precipitate retreat across the Ohio, toward their towns on
the Scioto.

The desperate nature of this conflict may be inferred by the deep-seated
animosity of the parties toward each other, the high courage which both
possessed, and the consequences which hung upon the issue. The victory
was indeed most decisive, and many were the advantages obtained by it;
but they were dearly bought. One-half of the commissioned officers had
fallen, seventy-five men lay dead upon the field, and one hundred and forty
wounded. Among the slain were Colonels Lewis and Field; Captains
Buford, Morrow, Wood, Cundiff, Wilson and McClanahan, and Lieutenants
Allen, Goldsby and Dillon. The loss of the Indians could never be
ascertained, nor could the number engaged be known. Their army was
composed of warriors from the different nations north of the Ohio, and comprised
the flower of the Shawnee, Delaware, Mingo, Wyandotte and
Cayuga tribes, led on by their respective chiefs, at the head of whom was
Cornstalk, Sachem of the Shawnees, and King of the Northern Confederacy.
Never, perhaps, did men exhibit a more conclusive evidence of
bravery in making a charge and fortitude in withstanding a charge than
did these undisciplined soldiers of the forest on the field at Point Pleasant.
Such, too, was the heroic bravery displayed by those composing the Virginia
army on that occasion that high hopes were entertained of their future
distinction. Nor were these hopes disappointed, for in the various scenes
through which they subsequently passed, the pledge of after eminence then
given was fully redeemed, and the names of Shelby, Campbell, Lewis,
Mathews, Moore and others, their compatriots in arms on the bloody field
at the mouth of the Great Kanawha, have been inscribed in brilliant
characters upon the roll of fame. The following gentlemen, with others
of high reputation in private life, were officers in the battle of Point
Pleasant: General Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky, and
Secretary of War during Monroe's administration; General William
Campbell and Colonel John Campbell, heroes of King's Mountain and

Long Island; General William Shelby, one of the most favored citizens of
Tennessee, often honored with confidence of that State; General Andrew
Moore, of Rockbridge county, the only man ever elected by Virginia to
a seat in the United States Senate from the country west of the Blue
Ridge; Colonel John Stewart, of Greenbrier; General Tate, of Washington
county, Virginia; Colonel William McKee, of Lincoln county,
Kentucky; Colonel John Steele, afterward a Governor of Mississippi
Territory; Colonel Charles Cameron, of Bath county, Virginia; General
Bazaleel Wells, of Ohio, General George Mathews, a distinguished officer
in the war of the Revolution, the hero of Brandywine, Germantown and
Guilford, a Governor of Georgia, and a Representative from that State in
the Congress of the United States; Captain William Clendenin, the first
Representative from Mason county in the Legislature of Virginia; General
Andrew Lewis, a Brigadier-General during the Revolution, twice wounded
at the siege of Fort Necessity, the commandant of the troops that drove
Lord Dunmore from Gwynn's Island in 1776, and announced his orders of
attack by putting the match to the first gun, an eighteen-pounder, himself.
Robertson, who gave the first alarm at Point Pleasant, afterward rose to
the rank of Brigadier-General in Tennessee.

The day after the battle Colonel Christian, at the head of three hundred
Fincastle troops, arrived at Point Pleasant and at once proceeded to bury
the dead. A fort was hastily erected and named Fort Randolph, in which
a garrison of one hundred men were left. The Virginia army, made
eager by success and maddened by the loss of so many brave officers,
crossed the Ohio and dashed away in pursuit of the beaten and disheartened
savages. Our next information of the Virginians is that a march of
eighty miles through an untrodden wilderness has been performed, and on
the 24th of October we find them encamped on Congo creek, in what is
now Pickaway township, Pickaway county, within striking distance of the
Indian towns, but there again compelled to await the movements of the
Tory governor, at the head of the left wing, who was then encamped further
north, at a point called Camp Charlotte, and from which place he
sent a messenger to General Lewis, forbidding his further advance into the
hostile country, as he (Dunmore) was now negotiating for peace with the
Indians. The peace was concluded, a junction of the two divisions was
formed, and the whole army returned by way of Fort Gower (at the
mouth of the Muskingum) to Virginia. Thus ended Dunmore's war.

To the student of history no truth is more patent than this—that the
battle at Point Pleasant was the first in the series of the Revolution, the
flames of which were then being kindled by the oppression of the mother
country, and the resistance of the same by the feeble but determined
colonies. It is a well-known fact that emissaries of Great Britain were
then inciting the Indians to hostilities against the frontier for the purpose
of distracting attention, and thus preventing the consummation of the
union which was then being formed to resist the tyranny of their armed

oppressors. It is also well known that Lord Dunmore was an enemy of
the colonists, by his rigid adherence to the royal cause and his efforts to
induce the Indians to co-operate with the English, and thus assist in reducing
Virginia to subjection. It has been asserted that he intentionally
delayed the progress of the left wing of the army that the right might be
destroyed at Point Pleasant. Then, at the mouth of the Great Kanawha
river, on the 19th day of October, 1774, there went whizzing through the
forest the first volley of a struggle for liberty which, in the grandeur and
importance of its results, stands without a parallel in the history of the
world. On that day the soil upon which Point Pleasant now stands, drank
the first blood shed in defense of American liberty, and it was there decided
that the decaying institutions of the Middle Ages should not prevail in
America, but that just laws and priceless liberty should be planted forever
in the domains of the New World.

Historians, becoming engrossed with the more stirring scenes of the
Revolution, have failed to consider this sanguinary battle in its true import
and bearing upon the destiny of our country, forgetting that the colonial
army returned home only to enlist in the patriot army, and on almost every
battle-field of the Revolution represented that little band who stood face to
face with the savage allies of Great Britain at Point Pleasant. But all
did not return. Many thus early paid the forfeit of their lives, but they
were not forgotten. Though no marble marks their place of rest, and no
historian has inscribed their names on the roll of the honored dead, yet
their memory lives in the rehearsal around the cabin fires of the mountains
of West Augusta, and in the rustic mountain ballads which were chanted
many years after the storm of the Revolution had spent its force and died
away.

LAST SURVIVOR OF THE BATTLE.

Belonging to General Lewis' army was a young man named Ellis
Hughes. He was a native of Virginia, and had been bred in the hot-bed
of Indian warfare. The Indians having murdered a young lady to whom
he was very much attached, and subsequently his father, he vowed revenge,
and the return of peace did not mitigate his hatred of the race. Shortly
after Wayne's treaty with the Indians in 1795, he forsook his native mountains,
and, in company with one John Ratliff, removed north of the Ohio,
where they became the first settlers in what is now Licking county in
that State.

Hughes died near Utica, that county, in March, 1845, at an advanced
age, in the hope of a happy future; claiming, and accredited by all who
knew him, to be the last survivor of the battle of Point Pleasant. He
was buried with military honors and other demonstrations of respect.

VIRGINIA IN THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

It was the year 1775, and the soldiers engaged in Dunmore's war returned
to Virginia only to find the affairs between Great Britain and her
American colonies rapidly verging to a crisis. Patrick Henry was holding
public meetings spellbound by his matchless oratory in denouncing the
tyrannical policy of the mother country toward her subjects on this side
of the Atlantic.

On the 19th of April there had been discharged a volley which was
being echoed and re-echoed along the coast from the St. Lawrence to
Florida—a volley, the first of a struggle which was to give the American
continent to liberty and make it ever after the home of the oppressed of
all foreign lands. Virginia at once prepared to play her part on the
theater of the Revolution, and her first task was to rid herself of Dunmore,
her Tory governor.

Early in the year the British government, uneasy because of the hostile
attitude of the colonies, issued orders to the various governors to remove
all military stores to a place of safety, and thus prevent them from falling
into the hands of the colonists. In compliance with these orders, Dunmore,
on the 20th of April, secretly removed the gunpowder from Williamsburg
to the Magdalen, a British man-of-war lying at anchor off
Yorktown. No sooner had the act become known than the people of
Williamsburg flew to arms, and it was with difficulty that they could be
restrained from seizing the person of the governor. A deputation was
sent to him, who remonstrated with him for the act. His reply "was
everywhere considered as a mean and scandalous evasion." He became
alarmed and placed a guard of negroes around his residence, and then
swore "by the living God" that if any violence was offered him he would
proclaim freedom to every slave in Virginia and lay Williamsburg in
ashes. These threats wrought the indignation of the people up to the
highest pitch. Six hundred men armed themselves and repaired to Fredericksburg,
ready to march to Williamsburg and defend it from the threatened
attack of Dumore, while thousands of others in all parts of Virginia
stood ready to render aid.

Virginia has ever had patriots and statesmen within her borders to whom
she has turned a listening ear, and it was so now. Peyton Randolph and
Edmund Pendleton transmitted their advice to Fredericksburg, requesting
the people there assembled to abstain from hostilities until the Continental
Congress should decide upon a general plan of resistance. This had the
desired effect at Fredericksburg, and the people there collected dispersed

after passing a resolution that they would defend by force of arms this or
any other sister colony from unjust or wicked invasion.

But with the volunteers collected at Hanover Court House it was
different. They resolved to recover the gunpowder or die in the attempt.
Patrick Henry was chosen leader, and the company marched toward
Williamsburg and halted at Doncastle's inn, within sixteen miles of that
place. Dunmore knew Patrick Henry, and for that reason sent Corbin, the
king's receiver-general, out to meet the patriots. The result was that that
officer made full compensation for the powder. Henry disbanded the
company on the 4th of May, and all returned to their homes. Two days
later Dunmore issued a proclamation against "a certain Patrick Henry,
of the county of Hanover, and a number of deluded followers," and forbade
all persons to recognize or harbor him or "any other concerned in
like combinations." On the 11th, Henry left Virginia to attend the meeting
of the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, to which he had been
chosen a member.

The Virginians read the governor's proclamation and received news of
the battle of Lexington at the same time, the combined effect of which was
to thoroughly arouse the people of every county in Virginia to a sense of
the dangers which beset them. A company was organized which secretly
entered the government arsenal and carried away a great number of arms
and military equipments, after which act, when the governor heard of it,
he sent a messenger to Captain Montague, commanding the Fowey, a
British man-of-war lying off Yorktown, asking assistance. In compliance
with this request, forty marines were sent to Williamsburg. A letter from
Montague also came to Colonel Nelson, commanding the Virginia troops,
informing him that if the marines were molested he would at once bombard
the town. This only had the effect of still further increasing the
indignation of the people, and on the 8th of June Dunmore and his family
took refuge on board the man-of-war off Yorktown, fearful of his safety
at Williamsburg. Here he remained, and "refused upon invitation of
the assembly to return to his place or to sign bills of the utmost importance
to the colony," unless that body would hold its meetings under the guns of
his ship at Yorktown. This that body refused to do, communications
ceased, and, on the last of June, Dunmore sailed down the river, and thus
forever ended the royal government in Virginia.

The assembly then declared the governor to have abdicated, and, after
issuing a call for a convention to meet in the city of Richmond, on the
17th of July following, adjourned.

On the day appointed the convention met, its object being "to organize
a provincial form of government and a plan of defense for the colony."
A committee of safety was appointed, consisting of the following illustrious
gentlemen: Edmund Pendleton, George Mason, John Page, Richard
Bland, Thomas Ludwell Lee, Paul Carrington, Dudley Digges, James
Mercer, Carter Braxton, William Cabell and John Tabb. The convention

then made arrangements to raise troops for defense, and ordered that
the force already enrolled be augmented to 9,000, there being at that time
two regiments already in the field. The other regiments were speedily
mustered and officered as follows:

                   

REGIMENT.	COLONELS.	LIEUTENANT-COLONELS.
First	Patrick Henry	Robert Howe
Second	William Woodford	Adam Stephen
Third	Hugh Mercer	George Wheedon
Fourth	Adam Stephens	Isaac Reed
Fifth	William Peachy	William Crawford
Sixth	Mordecai Buckner	Thomas Elliott
Seventh	William Dangerfield	Alexander McClanahan
Eighth	Peter Muhlenberg	A. Bowman
Ninth	Thomas Flemming	George Mathews

Of this force, six regiments were placed upon the continental establishment,
and the remaining three were retained as provincial guards.

The committee of safety ordered the army contractors to provide a
stand of colors, to be borne at the head of the various regiments, bearing
on one side the name of the district in which the regiment had been
raised, and on the other, "Virginia for Constitutional Liberty." This was
the first banner of liberty unfurled in the New World.

In October, Dunmore sent a party on shore at Norfolk, under cover
of the men-of-war lying in the harbor, who demolished Holt's printing
office, from which there had issued a newspaper imbued with the patriotic
principles of the day. The corporation of the town remonstrated
against the outrage, but Dunmore answered by saying, he "could not
have done the people of Norfolk a greater service than by depriving
them of the means of having their minds poisoned, and of exciting in
them the spirit of rebellion and sedition." Holt, however, was not to be
thus beaten. He published an eloquent philippic against the governor
in the Williamsburg papers, and declared his intention to establish
another paper to promulgate the same principles as the one which had
been destroyed.

Dunmore having heard that a force was collecting in Princess Anne
county, left Norfolk on the 16th of November, marched into that county,
attacked the provincials and completely routed them. He then returned
to Norfolk, where he established his head-quarters, and from here he
issued his celebrated proclamation, in which he proclaimed martial law

throughout Virginia, declared all able to bear arms traitors, who did not
resort to the king's standard, and offered freedom to all slaves "appertaining
to rebels," who would join his master's cause. On this, Dunmore
staked his last hopes of subjugating Virginia. Had he possessed at his
command a sufficient force to have enabled him to carry his threats into
execution some apprehensions might have been aroused. But, as it
was, his course only aided to harmonize public opinion, and proportionately
to increase public irritation.

About the 20th of November, Colonel Woodford, with a portion of
the second regiment, marched within twelve miles of Norfolk, where he
halted and began the erection of breastworks, and here, on the 9th of
December, he was attacked by a body of grenadiers, commanded by
Captain Fordyce, who attempted to storm the works, but were repulsed
by a most destructive fire from the Virginians. Fordyce retreated to
Norfolk, and Dunmore and his entire force fled for safety to the vessels
lying in the harbor. The Virginians entered the city and began a
desultory fire on the vessels, which was continued for several days. In
retaliation, Dunmore, on the 1st day of January, bombarded the town
and set fire to the buildings along the shore. Orders were then received
by Colonel Woodford from the committee of safety to burn the remainder
of the town, and thus prevent the British from making it a permanent
post. The orders were executed, and Norfolk, containing 6,000
inhabitants, and then the most populous town in Virginia, was laid in
ashes.

The General Convention of Virginia met at the capital on the 6th of
May. Edmund Pendleton was chosen president and John Tazewell
secretary. Its work was plain. The tottering fabric of royal government
in Virginia had fallen, and to rear upon its ruins a structure
more elegant, more solid and more lasting, was now the task to be
performed.

On the 15th of this month, after appealing to the "Searcher
of Hearts," the convention unanimously adopted the following resolution:

"That the delegates appointed to represent this colony in general
congress, be instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the
United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance
to, or dependence on the crown or parliament of Great Britain; and that
they give the assent of this colony to such declaration, and whatever
measures may be thought necessary by Congress for forming foreign
alliances, and a confederation of colonies, at such time and in the manner
that to them shall seem best; provided, that the power of forming
governments for, and the regulation of the internal concerns of each
colony, be left to the colonial legislatures."

Thus Virginia furnished the draft of the future declaration of independence.

On the 29th a constitution was adopted, the first which was framed
with view to a permanent separation from Great Britain, since those of
South Carolina and New Hampshire, which alone preceded it, were to
continue only until a reconciliation could be effected between the mother
country and the colonies. The plan of government was proposed by the
distinguished George Mason, and with the addition of a preamble written
by Thomas Jefferson, unanimously adopted by the convention, and
the following officers appointed in compliance with its provisions: Patrick
Henry, governor; John Page, Dudley Digges, John Taylor, John
Blair, Benjamin Harrison of Berkeley, Bartholomew Dandridge, Charles
Carter, and Benjamin Harrison of Brandon, counselors of State; Thomas
Whiting, John Hutchings, Champion Travis, Thomas Newton, Jr., and
George Webb, commissioners of admiralty; Thomas Everard and James
Cocke, commissioners for settling accounts; Edmund Randolph, attorney-general.

In the meantime Virginia had sent her representatives to the general
congress then in session at Philadelphia; and they, in compliance with
instructions from their constituency, were standing shoulder to shoulder
battling for the Declaration of Independence, and when, on the 4th
day of July, 1776, the immortal band signed that document, no less
than seven of her honored sons were among the number. The names
of those who thus signed the charter of American Liberty, were as
follows: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin
Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Carter
Braxton.

In the early days of June, Dunmore, with his fleet, had left Hampton
Roads, landed and erected fortifications on Gwynn's Island, within
the limits of what is now Matthews county. Here he was attacked on
the 9th of July by a body of Virginians under Brigadier-General
Andrew Lewis (who was in command at the battle of Point Pleasant
in 1774), and forced to abandon the island. Dunmore, now having
despaired of ever swaying the scepter over the province again, dispatched
the remnant of his followers to Florida and the West Indies,
and sailing himself away to the north, left the shores of Virginia, never
to return.

On the 25th of the month the adoption of the Declaration of Independence
was officially announced at Williamsburg amid the acclamations
of the people, the roar of artillery and rattle of musketry. The Assembly
met on the 7th of October for the first time under the new
government; Edmund Pendleton was elected Speaker of the House of
Delegates, and Archibald Casey, President of the Senate. The first
act passed by that body was one repealing all acts of Parliament
against dissenters, and thus was the first blow struck at the Established
Church in Virginia. Another act was passed providing for the appointment

MEREWETHER LEWIS,

Of the Lewis and Clarke Expedition,
(In Indian costume)

of a committee to revise the State laws, and prepare a code "more
suitable to the new state of affairs." The committee was appointed
as follows: Edmund Pendleton, George Wythe, George Mason, and
Thomas Ludwell Lee. All the work, however, was performed by the
first three.

The seat of war had now been transferred to the North, where Washington,
Virginia's distinguished son, on whom the Continental Congress
had bestowed the commission of Commander-in-Chief of all the forces
raised in defense of American liberty, was drawing Burgoyne in a trap
into which he was destined to fall.

During this brief respite from war, Virginia renewed her labors in
behalf of literature and society, as well as in the improvement of civil
relations. Dr. Small, the learned professor of William and Mary College,
continued his efforts in the diffusion of knowledge, which he had
commenced before the beginning of hostilities, under the patronage of
James Fauquier, "the ablest character who had then ever filled the
chair of government in Virginia." A literary and scientific society was
formed at this time, of which John Page was president, and Professor
James Madison one of the secretaries. This body held its meetings in
the capitol at Williamsburg, and many philosophical papers were read,
and many interesting lectures delivered, but unfortunately the continuation
of war prevented the ripe development of the association.

ALLIES OF GREAT BRITAIN.

While Virginia was battling with her oppressors on her eastern shores,
she was also compelled to defend her frontier against the savage hordes
employed by the emissaries of Great Britain to whom she paid a premium
for the scalps snatched from the heads of helpless women and children.
Thus Christian England, then boasting of the splendors of her
civilization, turned loose the ruthless savage to murder and burn at the
stake the people of her own blood.

MURDER OF CORNSTALK AT POINT PLEASANT.

One of the most atrocious acts recorded in border warfare was committed
at Point Pleasant, at the mouth of the Great Kanawha, in the
summer of 1777. This was the shocking murder of Cornstalk, the celebrated
Shawnee chief, whose nobleness of character every student of
pioneer history has learned to admire. In the spring of the above year,
Cornstalk and Redhawk came to Fort Randolph at the mouth of the
Great Kanawha and declared that he and all his tribe were opposed to

engaging in the war on the side of the British; but, that all the other tribes
north of the Ohio were determined to do so, and that his people would
be compelled to do likewise. Captain Arbuckle, commandant at Point
Pleasant, detained his visitors as hostages, hoping thus to prevent their
tribe from becoming allies of Great Britain. We subjoin an account of
the murder from the memoir of Colonel John Stewart, who was an eyewitness
of the scene:

"During the time of our stay [at Point Pleasant] two young men
named Hamilton and Gilmore went over the Kanawha one day to
hunt for deer. On their return to camp some Indians had concealed
themselves on the bank among the weeds, to view our encampment, and
as Gilmore came along past them, they fired on him and killed him on
the bank. Captain Arbuckle and myself were standing on the opposite
bank, when the gun was fired, and while we were wondering who it
could be shooting contrary to orders, or what they were doing over the
river, we saw Hamilton run down to the bank, who called out that Gilmore
was killed. Gilmore was one of the company of Captain John
Hall, of that part of the country now Rockbridge county. The captain
was a relative of Gilmore's, whose family and friends were chiefly cut
off by the Indians, in 1763, when Greenbrier was cut off. Hall's men
instantly jumped into a canoe and went to the relief of Hamilton, who
was standing in momentary expectation of being put to death. They
brought the corpse of Gilmore down the bank, covered with blood, and
scalped, and put it into the canoe. As they were passing the river, I
observed to Captain Arbuckle that the people would be for killing the
hostages, as soon as the canoe would land. He supposed that they
would not offer to commit so great a violence upon the innocent, who
were in no wise accessory to the murder of Gilmore. But the canoe
had scarcely touched the shore until the cry was raised, `Let us kill
the Indians in the fort!' and every man with his gun in his hand, came
up the bank pale with rage. Captain Hall was at their head and leader.
Captain Arbuckle and I met them, and endeavored to dissuade them
from so unjustifiable an action; but they cocked their guns, threatened
us with instant death if we did not desist, rushed by us into the fort and
put the Indians to death.

"On the preceding day Cornstalk's son, Elinipsico, had come from
the nation to see his father, and to know if he were well, or alive. When
he came to the river, opposite the fort, he hallooed. His father was at
that instant in the act of delineating a map of the country and the waters
between the Shawnee towns and the Mississippi, at our request, with
chalk upon the floor. He immediately recognized the voice of his son,
went out and answered him. The young fellow crossed over, and they
embraced each other in the most tender and affectionate manner. The
interpreter's wife, who had been a prisoner among the Indians and had
recently left them, on hearing the uproar the next day, and hearing the

men threatening that they would kill the Indians, for whom she retained
much affection, ran to their cabin and informed them that the people
were just coming to kill them, and that because the Indians who
killed Gilmore had come with Elinipsico the day before. He utterly
denied it; declared that he knew nothing of them, and trembled exceedingly.
His father encouraged him not to be afraid, for that the Great
Man above had sent him there to be killed and die with him. As the
men advanced to the door, Cornstalk rose up and met them; they fired
upon him, and seven or eight bullets went through him. So fell the
great warrior, Cornstalk, whose name was bestowed upon him by
the consent of the nation as their great strength and support. His son
was shot dead as he sat upon the stool. The Redhawk made an
attempt to go up the chimney, but was shot down. The other Indian
was shamefully mangled, and I grieved to see him so long in the agonies
of death."

Point Pleasant did not flourish for many years. There was no
church—its social condition was at the lowest ebb. Judging from the
accounts of travelers who visited the place in its earlier days, one
would suppose that Goldsmith's "Deserted Village" was a paradise in
comparison. The popular superstition was that a curse had been
laid upon the place to continue for one hundred years—a punishment
for the fiendish murder. Patrick Henry, then governor, offered a reward
for the apprehension of the murderers, but without effect.

WAR CLOUDS AGAIN HANGING OVER VIRGINIA.

In the year 1779 the British determined upon the conquest of the
Southern States, and Sir Henry Clinton, aware that their resistance
would very much depend upon Virginia, resolved to humble her pride
and destroy her resources. Accordingly, early in May a portion of the
British fleet anchored in Hampton Roads, where they compelled the surrender
of Fort Nelson, and on the 11th, the British General Mathews
took possession of Portsmouth. They then destroyed great quantities of
military stores at Gosport and Norfolk; burned the town of Suffolk;
marched far into the interior, burning private residences, barns, and
scattering destruction far and wide. Their men-of-war destroyed in the
meantime more than one hundred vessels, thus entirely ruining the
coasting trade of the colony. The army then re-embarked and sailed
away to New York, having finished, in a masterly manner, the work
assigned them to do.

The triumph of the British arms in the South portended great evil to
Virginia. Clinton determined to make her feel the effects of her continued
resistance to a greater extent than ever before, and for that purpose
sent General Leslie with a force of three thousand men to complete her

destruction. He appeared in the Chesapeake Bay in October, 1780,
landed at Portsmouth and destroyed the vessels and all other property
which he found along the coast.

Meantime, Thomas Jefferson, who had succeeded Patrick Henry as
governor of the State, was, with the assistance of the best men in the
State in the assembly, concentrating every force to oppose the invaders.
At this time General Gates, who had been beaten by Cornwallis in the
South, was relieved of his command, and General Greene appointed in
his stead. The British, fearing that a change of officers might also change
the fortunes of Cornwallis' army, ordered Leslie to withdraw from Virginia
and at once form a junction with the army in South Carolina.
This he did just in time to assist in driving Greene back into Virginia.
The day after the Americans crossed the Dan—the dividing line between
Virginia and North Carolina—Greene wrote to the Governor and also
to Baron Steuben informing them of his situation and asking for reinforcements.

Early in December, 1780, Governor Jefferson also received a letter
from Washington, informing him that the British were preparing to send
an expedition south, the objective point of which was most probably
Virginia. This prediction proved correct, for on the 30th, Benedict
Arnold, who had attempted the betrayal of the American army at
West Point, for which he received ten thousand pounds and a brigadier-general's
commission in the British army, arrived with fifty sail
in the Chesapeake, and after embarking in lighter vessels, ascended
the James river. When Jefferson heard of the approach of Arnold's
squadron, he sent General Nelson into the interior counties to raise
as large a force as possible, while Baron Steuben was dispatched to
Petersburg with a force of about two hundred men. On the 4th of
January, 1781, Arnold landed his force near Westover, and marched
to Richmond without opposition. No sooner was the capital in possession
of the traitor than her stores were plundered, her archives
destroyed, and the governor forced to seek safety in rapid flight. From
Richmond, Arnold sent a detachment under Colonel Simcoe to Westham,
where they destroyed the only cannon foundry in Virginia.

The British, now fearing an attack from the combined forces of
Steuben and Nelson, the latter of whom had succeeded in raising a
considerable force, commenced their voyage down the river, destroying
all property, public and private, on both sides of the river. Virginia
was truly in a defenseless state. All her regular force was
with General Greene, in the southern part of the State, who was
disputing the passage of the Dan with Cornwallis. Her whole
dependence was in her militia, of which only about two thousand
were in the field, and with this force she could not hope to resist
invasion.

No sooner had Arnold gone than another invasion occurred, at the
head of which was General Phillips, who, with one thousand men,
again ascended the James, ravaged Yorktown, City Point, Petersburg,
and spread desolation and terror—ever the followers in the wake of
the British army—on every side. He conceived the idea of marching
to Richmond a second time, but the fortunate arrival of Lafayette
with a considerable force of regulars saved the metropolis, and hastened
Phillips in his descent of the river. Lafayette followed, closely watching
his movements, until he reached Brandon, where he suddenly
landed, and marched again in the direction of Petersburg. The French
marquis, however, divined his true intention to be that of forming a
junction with Cornwallis, who in the meantime had forced Greene from
the banks of the Dan, and was now marching northward through Virginia.
The two forces were united at Petersburg on the 20th of May,
and Lafayette, whose force was now augmented to four thousand men,
remained in the vicinity of Richmond, awaiting reinforcements or an
opportunity to join General Greene. Meanwhile, General Wheedon collected
a force of several hundred militia, and lay at Falmouth guarding
the arms manufactory at that place. In addition to these forces, General
Wayne was on his way to Virginia with nine hundred veterans from
the frontier. The strength of the united British armies was too great
for any force which Virginia could raise, and her fate now seemed to be
decided.

From this point Cornwallis sent out detachments to ravage the various
parts of the State which had not before been visited by the ruthless Briton,
and in two months property to the value of fifteen million dollars had
been destroyed.

Colonel Tarleton, at the head of one of these raiding parties, advanced
to Charlottesville, where he hoped to capture a republican legislature,
the assembly being in session there at the time. That body,
however, received information of his approach, and all of the members,
except seven who were made prisoners, saved themselves by flight.
Governor Jefferson made his escape by riding into the mountains on
horseback. Lafayette, although unable to meet the British in the open
field, watched their every movement with sleepless vigilance. Acting
under orders from Sir Henry Clinton, then at New York, Cornwallis
descended the James and halted at Green Springs, within eight miles
of the site of Jamestown. Lafayette followed closely upon his rear.
From the above place Cornwallis moved to Portsmouth, where
he would have fortified himself had not Clinton ordered him to
re-embark and take post at Yorktown, which he did on the 1st
of August. The position thus taken was situated on the York
peninsula on the southern bank of York river, a few miles from its
mouth.

A few days later Lafayette, with the entire available force of Virginia,
took post a few miles north of the British position, and from
here sent messengers with dispatches to Washington, requesting him to
hasten to Virginia and assist in the overthrow of the entire British
force. A powerful French fleet was daily expected in the Chesapeake,
and the American commander saw that Cornwallis, with his retreat cut
off by land and sea, would be compelled to surrender, and thus the
fatal blow to the British arms would be struck. On the 30th of
August the expected fleet, with four thousand men on board, arrived
and anchored at the mouth of York river; and on the 2d of September
Count de Barras, commanding the French fleet at Newport,
sailed into the Chesapeake with eight men-of-war and a number of transports.
Three days later Admiral Graves, with a large fleet of ships-of-the-line,
appeared in the bay. A naval battle ensued, in which the
ships of the English were so roughly handled by the French flotilla that
Graves was compelled to withdraw from the bay and sail away to New
York.

On the 14th General Washington arrived at the head-quarters of Lafayette,
and on the next day visited the flag-ship of Count de Grasse,
where the plan of the siege was arranged. On the 25th the Army of
the North, which had been preceded by the commander-in-chief, arrived,
and on the 6th of October the combined forces of America and France
opened fire on the walls of the now beleaguered army, and on the night
of the 14th carried the outer works by storm. Early in the morning
of the 16th the English made a sortie, but were hurled back into their
intrenchments. The next day Cornwallis proposed a surrender; on the
18th the terms of capitulation were signed; and on the 19th Major-General
O'Hara, who appeared instead of Cornwallis, who feigned illness,
marched the whole force out into the open field, where in the presence
of the united forces of France and America, 7,247 English soldiers laid
down their arms and became prisoners of war. Thus ended the war in
Virginia, and here, on her soil, the power of the Briton in America was
forever broken.

Had Virginia done her part in that mighty struggle? Let history
answer. She had been the first to adopt an independent constitution;
she was the first to recommend the Declaration of Independence; she
had sent her noble son to become the first among the leaders of the
armies of the nation; her officers and soldiers which she kept in the
field for eight long and weary years, whether in the shock of battle,
or marching half-clad, half-starved, and barefooted amid the snows
of the North, or through the pestilential swamps of the South, had
ever evinced unsurpassed bravery and fortitude. She had furnished
the voice of Henry, the pen of Jefferson, the sword of Washington,
and that was enough. What other American State can show such a
record?

VIRGINIA AFTER THE REVOLUTION.

The most important act in the history of the State in the year 1781,
was the cession of her immense territory north-west of the Ohio to the
general government. The feeble colony of 1607, now grown to a powerful
State, stands on the banks of the Ohio and cedes to the general govment
her vast empire beyond. To this liberal act she was induced by
her desire to accelerate the general ratification of the Articles of the
Confederation of the Union.

The war was now past, and it was seen by the ablest statesmen of the
nation that the Articles of Confederation, under which the colonies had
achieved their independence, were not suited to bind together a union of
States whose territory extended over half a continent, and whose desire
was to be held together by bonds of union which could never be severed;
and now, for the first time, the subject of a federal or national constitutution
began to be thought of. This plan of remodeling the government
originated in Virginia.

After Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of
the army to the Continental Congress, he retired to his home at Mount
Vernon, and it was here, in the year 1785, during the visit of several
distinguished statesmen, that the proposition was first made. They then
prepared and issued a call for a convention to meet at Annapolis, in
Maryland, the following year, "to consider the subject of a national constitution."
In September, 1786, the convention met, but only five States
were represented. This being a minority of the States, the body, after
passing a resolution urging the several legislatures to appoint delegates
to a national convention, to meet at Philadelphia on the second Monday
in May, adjourned.

In compliance with that resolution, the convention met at the appointed
place and time, every State being represented except Rhode
Island. To that convention Virginia sent as her representatives, George
Washington, John Blair, James Madison, Jr., George Mason, James
McClurg, Edmund Randolph and George Wythe, the first of whom was
elected president of the convention.

From the day of meeting to the 29th, a discussion was kept up in
relation to the revision of the articles of confederation, when, on the
latter day, Edmund Randolph moved to set aside the articles and prepare
a new constitution. The motion prevailed. A committee was appointed,
which reported early in September. Their report was the
Constitution of the United States. Copies of the new instrument were sent
to the several legislatures for ratification or rejection.

The Virginia convention called to ratify the Federal compact met in
the city of Richmond in June, 1788, and was composed of men whose

names were already illustrious, or destined to become so in the future
history of the State and nation. Among them sat Marshall, Madison,
Monroe, Mason, Nichols, Henry, Randolph, Pendleton, Lee, Washington,
Wythe, Innes, Bland, Grayson, and many others "whose sound
reasoning and eloquence shed a lustre upon the deliberations of that
august body which has never been surpassed in the annals of the commonwealth."
On the 25th an ordinance was passed ratifying the Federal
Constitution, and the new government at once went into operation,
nine States having previously adopted that instrument.

It was then that Virginia began her career as the central figure in
the galaxy of States, and for fifty years her progress was such that it
won for her the proud title of "the Old Dominion." But our space
forbids us to notice in detail the minor events in her history during that
period, and we must content ourselves with a brief mention of the most
important only.

BURNING OF THE RICHMOND THEATER.

The saddest event recorded in the annals of the State is that of the
burning of the Richmond theater on the night of the 26th of December,
1811. This terrible catastrophe carried heart-rending sorrow to many
heretofore happy homes, and cast a gloom over the entire State.

On that evening a popular play was to be introduced, and an audience
numbering six hundred, composed of the elite of the city, together
with many others from distant parts of the State who were spending
the holidays at the capital city, had collected to witness the performance,
and just at the time the play was to commence the scenery in the
rear of the stage became ignited by coming in contact with a chandelier.
The alarm was given, and then at once began such a scene as has
rarely, if ever, been witnessed. We let the editor of the Richmond
Standard, who was an eye-witness, describe it:

"The performers and their attendants in vain endeavored to tear down
the scenery; the fire flashed in every part of the house with a rapidity
horrible and astonishing; and, alas! gushing tears and unspeakable
anguish deprived me of utterance. No person who was not present can
form any idea of this unexampled scene of distress. * * * There
was but one door for the greatest part of the audience to pass. Men,
women and children were pressing upon each other, while the flames
were seizing upon those behind. The editor went to different windows,
which were very high, and implored his fellow-creatures to save their
lives by jumping out of them. Those nearest the windows, ignorant of
their danger, were afraid to leap down, while those behind them were seen
catching on fire and writhing in the greatest agonies of pain and distress.
At length those behind, urged by the pressing flames, pushed
those who were nearest to the windows, and people of every description
began to fall one upon another, some with their clothes on fire, some

half roasted. Oh, wretched me! Oh, afflicted people! Would to God
I could have died a thousand deaths in any shape, could undivided suffering
have purchased the safety of my friends, my benefactors, of those
whom I loved! The editor, with the assistance of others, caught several
of those whom he had begged to leap from the windows. One lady
jumped out when all her clothes were on fire. He tore them burning
from her; stripped her of her last rags, and, protecting her nakedness
with his coat, carried her from the fire. Fathers and mothers were deploring
the loss of their children; children the loss of their parents;
husbands were heard to lament the loss of their companions; wives were
bemoaning their burnt husbands. The people were seen wringing their
hands, beating their hands and breasts, and those that had secured
themselves seemed to suffer greater torments than those enveloped in the
flames.

"Oh, distracting memory! Who that saw this can think of it again and
yet retain his senses! Do I dream? No, no! Oh, that it were but a
dream! My God! who that saw his friends and nearest connections
devoured by fire and laying in heaps at the door, will not regret that he
ever lived to see such sights? Could savages have seen this memorable
event, it would even soften their hearts.

"A sad gloom pervades this place, and every countenance is cast
down to earth. The loss of a hundred thousand friends on the field of
battle could not touch the heart like this. Enough. Imagine what can
not be described. The most distant and implacable enemy, and the most
savage barbarians, will mourn our unhappy lot."

* * * * * * * *

About one hundred and twenty perished in the flames, among whom
were the Hon. George W. Smith, governor of the State; Abraham B.
Venable, United States ex-senator and president of the State Bank of
Richmond, and many other distinguished persons. Lieutenant J. Gibbon,
of the regular army, lost his life in an attempt to save that of a
Miss Conyers, his affianced.

SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

When the war of 1812 came, Virginia was ready. She contributed
liberally of her treasure, and thousands of her sons from her eastern shores
and from her wide western domain enrolled themselves in favor of "Free
Trade and Sailors' Rights," and went to join the land and naval forces of
the nation; and when the vandals of Ross, who laid the Federal capital in
ashes, were ravaging her shores, her citizens rose en masse to repel the ruthless
invader. At Hampton, at Craney Island, at Norfolk, at Fort Meigs,
and along the shores of the Northern lakes, hundreds of her sons fell
upon the battle-field, and other hundreds paid the forfeit of their lives in
a climate which, to them, habit and nature had rendered uncongenial and
fatal.

REVOLUTIONARY RELICS.

GRAVE OF GENERAL DANIEL MORGAN,

of the Revolution, at Winchester, Va.

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

As already noticed, Mr. Archibald Cary, from the committee appointed
for the purpose, reported, on the 24th of June, 1776, a plan of government
for the colony. It was read a second time, on the 26th, and considered
in committee of the whole on that day, and on the 27th and 28th.
It was then reported to the House, with amendments, which were read twice
and agreed to. After being fairly transcribed, it was read a third time
on the 29th and passed unanimously.

This constitution or form of government was originally drawn up by
George Mason. Mr. Jefferson had put a draft of one into the hands of
Mr. Wythe, who reached Williamsburg after the other was committed to
the committee of the whole. Two or three parts of Mr. Jefferson's plan
were, with little alteration, inserted in the other, and his preamble was
also adopted. This constitution was in force until superseded by the
amended constitution or form of government for Virginia which, on the
15th of January, 1830, was submitted and proposed to the people of
Virginia by their delegates and representatives in convention assembled.

This amended constitution continued in force until January, 1852. A
convention to form a new constitution was called in 1850. It assembled
on the 14th of October of the same year, and the constitution which continued
in force until the time of the civil war was adopted on the 1st of
August, 1851. It was submitted to the people, who ratified it on the
fourth Thursday in October following. On the second Monday of the
succeeding December an election was held for the legislature, governor,
lieutenant-governor and attorney-general. The first general assembly
under the new constitution convened on the second Monday in January
(the twelfth day of the month), and the first governor and lieutenant-governor
took the oath and entered upon the discharge of the duties of
their respective offices on the 16th of January, 1852. Under the now
liberal provisions of this constitution, the State entered upon a decade of
unexampled prosperity. These were the halcyon days of Virginia, but
the storm came on apace and civil war hovered near.

JOHN BROWN'S RAID UPON HARPERS FERRY, VIRGINIA, 1859.

On the 16th day of October, 1859, an event occurred at Harpers Ferry,
Virginia, which sent a thrill of terror throughout the State and astonished
the entire nation, an event which was but the forerunner of mightier ones;
it was the muttering of the storm in the distance, the rumbling of thunder
below the horizon where lay the storm which was destined, erelong, to

break forth in all its fury and scatter destruction far and wide throughout
the country.

May 8th, 1858, a conference was held at Chatham, Canada, composed
of numerous representatives from various parts of the United States
and British America, the object of which was to consult upon and
determine the best plans for bringing about a consummation of their
long-cherished hope, the abolition of slavery in the Southern States.
The moving spirit of that body was John Brown, or "Old Ossawattamie
Brown," so called because of his participation in the battle fought at
Ossawattamie, Kansas, during the troubles in that State. What the
action of that convention was, never has been, and never will be known,
but an inference may be drawn from the immediate action of its principal
leader.

Shortly after, Brown and his two sons, Oliver and Watson, appeared
in the vicinity of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and under the assumed name
of Smith, leased a farm in Maryland, only a few miles distant from
the place selected as the scene of their future operations. Here a considerable
quantity of arms and ammunition, shipped from an unknown
source, was collected, and a force of twenty-two confederates joined
him, of whom seventeen were white and five were colored. Brown's
courage and resolute daring displayed in the long and bloody war which
ended in making Kansas a free State, secured for him the leadership
in the dangerous enterprise now to be undertaken. At length the day
for action arrived; Brown issued his instructions to his followers and
concluded by saying, "And now, gentlemen, let me press this one
thing upon your minds. You all know how dear life is to you, and
how dear your lives are to your friends; and remembering that, consider
that the lives of others are as dear to them as yours is to you.
Do not, therefore, take the life of any one, if you can possibly avoid it;
but, if necessary to take life in order to save your own, then make sure
work of it."

The hour was 10 o'clock P. M., when William Williamson, the arsenal
guard on the Potomac bridge, while walking his beat, was seized
and made a prisoner. The guard thus removed, Brown and his men
quietly took possession of the armory buildings, in which were stored
an immense quantity of arms and ammunition. When the midnight relief
came to the bridge and found the lights out and the guard gone, he
supposed it to be an attempt at robbery, and hastened away to give
the alarm. About 1 o'clock in the morning several of the invaders
went to the house of Lewis Washington, an extensive farmer and slave
owner, and, arousing him from his bed, made him a prisoner, and after
securing his arms and carriage and proclaiming freedom to his slaves,
carried him to the arsenal. A similar visit was made to the residence
of Mr. Alstatt, who, together with his son, was made a prisoner and

his slaves likewise proclaimed free. Several other prisoners were
also brought in, some of whom interrogated Brown as to the object
of the proceedings, to which he answered, "To free the slaves;" and
when asked by whose authority the reply was, "By the authority of
God Almighty."

At the usual hour the mail train on the Baltimore & Ohio road
arrived, but was warned not to pass over the bridge, but after considerable
detention was permitted to proceed. So quietly had everything
been managed that the town was not aroused until after daybreak,
when it was discovered that the government buildings were in possession
of a band of insurgents, who, with armed sentinels, guarded every
approach to the town, thus rendering its inhabitants prisoners. At
daylight the workmen engaged on the buildings, not yet aware of the
proceedings, went as usual to their work and were made prisoners
and confined in a large building in the yard; the other prisoners
being confined in the engine-house which the invaders after made
their chief fortress.

When the true state of affairs became known the wildest confusion
prevailed; messages were hastened off to the surrounding towns, and by
noon military companies began to arrive. Colonel Baylor, with a company
of Charlestown troops, was the first to arrive; they made a dash
toward the bridge, the invaders falling back and taking refuge in the
armory, where they checked the military and compelled them to fall
back; a desultory fire was kept up during the remainder of the day, by
which Mr. Beckham, mayor of the town, was killed; also Brown's son,
Oliver, Kagi, his secretary, and Leeman, one of his captives, fell within
the armory. In the evening a considerable force arrived from Martinsburg,
which at once stormed and carried the building in which the
workmen were imprisoned, they were all liberated and an attack was
then made upon the engine-house, which was repulsed with considerable
loss.

Brown had taken the precaution to have the wires cut, so that the
outside world should not be aware of his proceedings until he should
have firmly established himself; but late in the evening messengers
bore dispatches beyond the damage to the wires, and transmitted them
to Washington, Baltimore, Richmond, and other points, at all of which
the intelligence produced the wildest excitement and throughout the
South it amounted to almost a "reign of terror." Col. Robert E. Lee,
with one hundred United States marines and two pieces of artillery,
was at once dispatched from Washington to the scene of action, and upon
the arrival Colonel Lee sent Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart to demand an
unconditional surrender; only promising the insurgents protection from
immediate violence, and a trial under the civil laws, but Brown refused
to capitulate on any terms other than these: "That they should be permitted
to march out with their men and arms, taking their prisoners with

them; that they should proceed, unpursued, to the toll-gate, when they
would free their prisoners; the soldiers would then be permitted to pursue
them, and they would fight if they could not escape." To these
terms Lieutenant Stuart could not consent; he withdrew, and an attack
was at once made which resulted in the capture of Brown and several of
his followers, all of whom were forced to surrender only at the point of
the bayonet. One of the soldiers struck Brown, after he had thrown
down his arms, in the face with his saber, and another soldier ran a bayonet
twice into his body.

Captain Brown was carried out into the yard, where he soon revived,
and talked freely to those around him, defending his action, and declaring
that he had done only what was right. The following conversation
took place between himself and one of the officers:

"Are you Captain Brown of Kansas?"

"I am sometimes called so."

"Are you Ossawattamie Brown?"

"I tried to do my duty there."

"What is your present object?"

"To free the slaves from bondage."

"Were any other persons but those with you now, connected with the
movement?"

"No."

"Did you expect aid from the North?"

"No; there was no one connected with the movement but those who
came with me."

"Did you expect to kill people in order to carry your point?"

"I did not wish to do so, but you have forced us to do it."

An indictment for treason and murder was at once found against
Brown by the authorities of Virginia, and from this time until his trial,
he was closely confined in prison. Several of his followers were also
confined to await trial, all of whom demanded to be tried separately;
the authorities consented, and Brown was placed on trial for his life,
upon the charge preferred in the indictment. The case came up for
hearing on the 26th of October, at Charlestown, Virginia. He asked
for a continuance because of his severe wounds, but it was denied
him. Throughout the trial, being unable to sit, he lay upon a mattress.
The trial continued three days; a verdict of guilty upon all the charges
preferred was found against him, and he was sentenced to be hanged
on the 2d of December.

During the period of Brown's confinement from the time his sentence
was pronounced until the day of his execution, he was visited by many
distinguished persons, and letters of sympathy and condolence from eminent
editors and politicians poured in upon him. When the day of his
execution arrived he walked forth from the jail with a calm expression

upon his face, and a firm and steady step; mounted the wagon which
was to convey him to the gallows, and seated himself between Mr. Avis,
the jailer, and Mr. Saddler, the undertaker. On the way to the gallows
he conversed as cheerfully as if he had only been taking a morning
drive with the object of viewing the surrounding mountain scenery.
Arrived at the place of execution, he descended from the wagon and
mounted the scaffold, the first man to stand upon it. A white cap was
then drawn over his eyes and the fatal noose adjusted. Said the sheriff:
"Captain Brown, you are not standing upon the drop; will you step
forward?" Brown replied: "I can not see; you must lead me." Sheriff
Avis then led him to the center of the drop; the fatal signal was given
and the body was dangling in the air. After hanging thirty-eight minutes
it was cut down, given to the undertaker, who placed it in a walnut
coffin, after which it was conveyed to North Elba, New York, where an
eloquent eulogy was pronounced over it by Wendell Phillips. That thus
died a fanatic, a victim to a delusion which entirely possessed him,
none will deny; but that he was a brave man, possessing determined
resolution, we have the testimony of Governor Henry A. Wise, who
said of him. "Brown was as brave a man as ever headed an insurrection.
He is the farthest possible remove from the ordinary ruffian, rake
or madman."

Six of Brown's companions were also executed: Cook, Coppoc, Copeland
and Green, on the 16th of December, and Stephens and Haslitt
on the 16th of the following March. Thus ended the most tragic scene
in the history of Virginia.

THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.

We have followed the fortunes of Virginia through the old French
and Indian war; through two hundred years of border warfare; through
the stormy scenes of the Revolution; through the second war with
Great Britain; we know how her sons marched with alacrity to the distant
fields of Mexico; but now we are to see her plunged into a civil
war, the equal of which has not been recorded in the annals of nations.
Virginia, owing to her geographical position, was destined to become one
great battle-field. On her soil was to be marshaled the hosts of the contending
armies, and her mountains and valleys were to be crimsoned with
the best blood of the nation. Within her domain was to arise a new
commonwealth, and both the mother and the daughter were to reside
upon the ancient estate. The year 1861 found Virginia in a state of
civil commotion, unparalleled in history except it be France in the early
days of the French revolution.

On the one hand lay the States still composing the Federal Union,
while on the other were those which had cast their fortunes with the
Southern Confederacy. Virginia hesitated long. A majority of her
people in the east favored secession, while in the west, a large majority
was opposed to such action. But the time for final action had come. Early
in the year Governor John Letcher, influenced by the pressure of the
times, issued a proclamation, convening the State Legislature in extra
session; and, in obedience to the summons, that body convened in the
city of Richmond, January 7, 1861. Then commenced the stormiest
session in the history of that body.

Seven days after the meeting, a bill was passed calling for a convention
of the people of Virginia, the delegates to which were to be chosen
in the manner prescribed for the election of members of the legislature.
The convention was to consist of one hundred and fifty-two
members equal to the number of members composing the house of
delegates.

In compliance with the above act, the election of delegates was held
on the 4th day of February, 1861, and the convention met at Richmond
on the 13th of the same month.

THE CONVENTION.

Never before, in the history of the State, had a body convened presenting
such an array of talent. Among its members sat John Tyler,
ex-president of the United States; Henry A. Wise, ex-governor of Virginia,
and many others who had held positions of cabinet ministers in
the Federal government, or had been representatives in the councils of
the nation. There sat her most renowned jurists by the side of her profoundest
philosophers and literary characters.

That body organized by electing John Taney, Esq., a delegate from
Loudoun county, president of the convention, and John L. Eubank secretary
of the same. A committee on Federal Relations was appointed,
consisting of Messrs. Robert Y. Conrad, A. H. H. Stewart, Henry A.
Wise, Robert E. Scott, W. B. Preston, Lewis L. Harvie, Sherrard
Clemens, W. H. McFarland, William McComas, R. L. Montague,
Samuel Price, Valentine W. Southall, Waitman T. Willey, James C.
Bruce, W. W. Boyd, James Barbour, S. C. Williams, William C. Rives,
Samuel McD. Moore, George Blow, Jr., and Peter C. Johnson. Stewart
and Clemens asked to be, and were, excused from serving.

On the 18th day of February there appeared before the convention the
commissioners on the part of South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi, to
ask the co-operation of Virginia in establishing an independent government
for the seceded States. The first speaker was the Hon. Fulton

Anderson, of Mississippi, followed by Hon. Henry L. Benning, from
Georgia. Then came the commissioner from South Carolina. All, in
speeches resplendent with rhetorical flourish and literary excellence,
held up to view a new government, of a new union, in which Virginia,
should she pass an ordinance of secession, would become the chief
corner-stone. The effect produced by this visit of the commissioners
was truly powerful, and, in fact, determined the future action of the
convention.

On the 9th of March, the committee on Federal Relations submitted
a lengthy report, in which it was set forth that any State had a constitutional
right to withdraw from the federative union whenever a majority
of the people of that State chose to do so. One of the most spirited
debates of modern times now began, and continued until the 17th of
April, when the ordinance of secession was voted upon. The vote stood
eighty-one for, and fifty-one against it. Nearly all the delegates voting
against it were from the western part of the State. The following is a
verbatim copy of that document, now the most remarkable State paper
in the archives of Virginia:

"An Ordinance, To repeal the ratification of the Constitution of
the United States by the State of Virginia, and to resume all the rights
and powers granted under the said constitution.

"The People of Virginia, in their ratification of the Constitution
of the United States of America, adopted by them in convention on the
twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty-eight, having declared that the powers granted
under the constitution were derived from the people of the United
States, and might be resumed whenever the same should be perverted to
their injury and oppression, and the Federal Government having perverted
said powers, not only to the injury of the People of Virginia
but the oppression of the Southern slave-holding States:

One hundred and forty-two signatures were attached to the ordinance.
At the election in May a majority of the votes cast were in favor of secession.
The governor issued a proclamation declaring Virginia out of
the Union, and placing the whole military force, offensive and defensive,
of the commonwealth under the chief control and direction of the president
of the Confederate States. Thus Virginia withdrew from the
Union.

MILITARY OPERATIONS.

Pending the final action at Richmond, companies and regiments were
being mustered and armed all over the State, ready for service in the
Confederate army. Early in the spring of 1861, a considerable force,
under command of General Joseph E. Johnston, was concentrated at
Harper's Ferry, where possession of the government property was taken.
Other forces were collected at Philippi, under command of Generals
Pegram and Garnett. But while the forces were being collected in
Western Virginia, events of much greater magnitude were occurring in
the East. Regiment after regiment reported ready for the fray and
took post along the Potomac, ready to repel any invasion.

FIRST FEDERAL TROOPS IN VIRGINIA.

The day after the fall of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln issued a
proclamation calling for 75,000 men. The call was responded to with
alacrity by the Northern States, and by the first of May the required
number had been raised and concentrated at Washington and other
points along the borders of the seceded States; and although by far the
greater number lay at the capital, yet no advance was made until the
23d of May. The force destined for the invasion of Virginia consisted
of 8,000 infantry, two companies of cavalry, and two sections of Sherman's
artillery battalion, the whole under the command of General
Mansfield. Four thousand New York troops, under command of General
McDowell, were to co-operate with Mansfield's force. The object of
the advance was to take possession of Alexandria and drive the Confederates
from their position on Arlington Heights. The 1st Michigan
regiment was the first to enter Alexandria. They immediately took

possession of the depot and made prisoners of one hundred Confederate
cavalry stationed at that place. A Zouave regiment under Colonel
Ellsworth was the second that reached Alexandria, and at once began
to tear up the Richmond railroad. As they passed the Marshall hotel,
Ellsworth discovered a Confederate flag flying from the balcony. He
rushed through the hall, up a flight of stairs, pulled down the flag, and
was returning, when he was met by Jackson, the enraged proprietor,
who discharged the contents of a double-barreled shot-gun into his body.
Ellsworth fell to rise no more; but no sooner had the fatal shot been
fired than a private, named Brownell, shot Jackson through the heart,
and he and his victim expired at the same moment.

The first engagement of a serious nature occurred at Big Bethel, near
Fortress Monroe. Early in June, General Pierce with four regiments
was sent by General Butler to occupy Newport News. From here they
pushed on to Big Bethel, where they were met and defeated by a
body of Confederates. Pierce fell back with a loss of forty killed and
wounded.

MILITARY MOVEMENTS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.

The first engagement west of the mountains took place at Philippi, in
Barbour county, on the 3d day of June, between a Confederate force of
two thousand, under Colonel Potterfield, and a Federal force numbering
four thousand, commanded by Colonels Lander and Kelley. The Confederates
were beaten, and retreated with heavy loss. Colonel Kelley
was severely wounded, but afterwards recovered and was promoted to
the rank of brigadier-general.

BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.

On the 23d day of June, General McClellan assumed command of all
the Federal forces in Western Virginia, and immediately began a series
of movements which met with no successful resistance until the Confederates
were compelled to retreat beyond the mountains. He at once
marched against General Pegram, who, with a force of 4,000 infantry,
had taken up a strong position on Rich Mountain. McClellan, after
reconnoitering the position, sent General Rosecranz with two Indiana
regiments, and one from Ohio, together with a body of Cincinnati
cavalry, to take position in their rear. The Federals intended to keep
the Confederates in ignorance of the movement, but a messenger with
dispatches and a copy of the diagram of the route was captured, and
the plan of attack thus revealed. Pegram sent 2,500 men and a battery
of artillery to resist the advance of Rosecranz. They were the
first to reach the summit of the mountain, and here the Federals were

LARGE PENDANT, OR BROAD SEAL OF THE COLONY

of Virginia, in the reign of Queen Anne, 1710

greeted by a discharge of artillery, and their advance checked. Soon,
however, they were reinforced by an Indiana regiment, a charge was
made along the entire line, the Confederates fell back, and at once began
a hasty retreat. The mountain was strewn with the dead and wounded,
150 being buried on the field. Pegram, finding no way of escape, a few
days later surrendered his entire force prisoners of war.

ENGAGEMENT AT CARRICKS FORD.

At this time General Garnett was lying near Beverly, in Randolph
county, with a force of 6,000 men, and when he heard of Pegram's defeat,
began a retreat through the mountains to the east. He was hotly
pursued until he reached Carricks Ford, on Cheat river, where he
made a stand, but his forces were defeated, and he was left on the field
among the slain. He was a brave and meritorious officer, having won
distinction in the Mexican war.

The whole Confederate army in Western Virginia was at this time
(July 1) estimated at 10,000 strong. Of this force a considerable portion
was in the Great Kanawha Valley, under command of ex-Governor
Henry A. Wise. He made an advance down the river, but was confronted
by a Federal force commanded by General Cox, of Ohio. Wise
fell back toward the mountains, was overtaken at Gauley Bridge, but
continued his retreat without risking a battle.

ALONG THE POTOMAC -"ON TO RICHMOND."

While these events were transpiring in Western Virginia, two powerful
armies were being concentrated on the banks of the Potomac, and
were quietly preparing for a great battle. General Beauregard, who had
taken command in Virginia, after the fall of Fort Sumter, was at the
head of a powerful army at Manassas Junction, while General Joseph E.
Johnston was in command of 30,000 men in the neighborhood of Harpers
Ferry. General Patterson was in command of a Federal force concentrating
at Hagerstown, Maryland, for the purpose of preventing Johnston
from joining Beauregard when an attack should be made upon the latter.
An army of 40,000 men had now been collected at Washington, and
public opinion at the North demanded that an attack be made at once
upon the forces of General Beauregard, who had changed his location
and taken a strong natural position at Bull Run, about thirty miles
from the national capital.

General Irwin McDowell was placed in command, and on the 17th of
July all things were inreadiness. It was Saturday, and at 4 o'clock A. M.
the orders to march were given. Forty thousand men filed out from
Washington on the road leading to Centreville. It was the grandest

pageant that had yet been witnessed on the continent. Banners were
flying in every direction, and strains of martial music filled the air.
Little thought any one that ere thirty-six hours had passed away, that
magnificent army would be but a shattered fragment of its former self.
But behind the fortifications at Bull Run lay 30,000 brave men awaiting
the shock of battle. With the rising of the sun on that Sabbath
morning, came the sound of battle, and for thirteen dreadful hours
70,000 men struggled for the mastery. As the day waned away, so appeared
to wane the cause of the Southern arms, and just when the
victory of the Federals seemed assured, a long-expected reinforcement
arrived and turned the tide of battle. As Blucher slipped away from
Grouchy at Wavres, to decide the fate of Napoleon at Waterloo, so Johnston
had stolen away from Patterson, and by forced marches arrived just
in time to save the day and make a Waterloo for the Federal arms at
Bull Run. He poured 10,000 fresh troops in upon the now exhausted
regiments, and then at once began one of the most disastrous retreats an
account of which is recorded in history. The Federal army fell back to
Washington and the Confederates remained in possession of Bull Run.
Four thousand men lay dead upon the field. Thus terminated the first
great battle of the Civil War.

BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERRY.

The Great Kanawha Valley was the principal salt-producing region of
the South, and hence of vast importance to the Confederate government.
After Wise was compelled to leave the valley, another force was sent to
Western Virginia, under ex-Secretary Floyd, who took position at
Carnifex Ferry, on Gauley river. General Rosecranz, with several regiments,
among which was the 12th Ohio, was sent against him. Detachments
of the two armies met at Summerville, near the county-seat of
Nicholas county, and a severe engagement ensued. The Federals retreated
with a loss of 200 killed and prisoners. On the 10th of August,
Rosecranz attacked Floyd's forces and a general engagement followed,
lasting four hours, when night put an end to the action. Floyd took
advantage of the darkness and fell back into the mountains. The Federal
loss was 225, among which was Colonel Lowe, of the 12th Ohio, who fell
at the head of his regiment.

GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE SENT TO WESTERN VIRGINIA.

Wise and Floyd both having shown themselves unable to hold a position
in West Virginia, General Lee, the ablest officer in Virginia,
marched at the head of 9,000 men against General Reynolds, who was
lying with a considerable force at Cheat Mountain. The attack was
made on the 14th of September, and after several hours' severe fighting

Lee was forced to retreat, leaving 100 dead upon the field. Among the
latter was Colonel John Washington, a recent proprietor of Mount Vernon.
Lee's army halted on the banks of Greenbrier river, and began
to intrench itself. General Reynolds, after receiving reinforcements, set
out on the 2d of October from Cheat Mountain with a force of 5,000
men to drive Lee from his position. Colonel Kimball, with the 14th
Indiana, led the advance, while General Milroy, with a portion of his
brigade, was to deploy to the left, drive in the pickets and force the Confederates
within their intrenchment. At daylight he arrived at Greenbrier
bridge and found it occupied. A charge was made, the bridge
carried, and a crossing effected. Then began an artillery duel which
fairly shook the surrounding mountains. Soon, however, three of Lee's
guns were disabled, and he again retreated. The Federal loss was eight
killed and thirty-two wounded.

Lee left General Johnston, of Georgia, with 2,000 men on the summit
of the Alleghanies and continued his march to Staunton. Milroy
marched against Johnston, taking with him the 13th Indiana and two
other regiments, and on the 15th of December reached Camp Alleghany,
where he found the Confederates strongly fortified. An engagement
took place, the results of which were not advantageous to either side,
the loss being about 130 on both sides. Milroy withdrew and fell back
to Cheat Mountain. This practically put an end to the war in Western
Virginia.

ALONG THE POTOMAC.

After the reverse at Bull Run, it became evident that a war of gigantic
proportions was now in progress. Throughout the North regiments
were equipped and hurried to the seat of war. Recruiting went on
with equal rapidity in the Southern States, so that by the first of
October two of the largest armies ever mustered on the continent were
fronting each other on the banks of the Potomac, and it seemed as if
another was to be added to the list of the great battles of the world.
But such was not to be, for a masterly inactivity seemed to characterize
both.

FIGHT AT BOLIVAR HEIGHTS.

The extreme left of the Confederate line now lay near Leesburg, on the
Potomac. On the 8th of October, Major Gould crossed the river at
Harpers Ferry for the purpose of seizing a quantity of wheat, and when
about to recross, on the 16th, he was attacked by a force of Confederates
on Bolivar Heights, and, at the same time, a battery of artillery opened
fire from Loudon Heights, within cannon range of the Ferry. Then a
cavalry charge was made, but was repulsed by the 13th Massachusetts
regiment, under Colonel Schriber. Major Gould had sent for reinforcements,

and Lieutenant Martin with a battery of artillery now arrived
upon the scene. Unlimbering his guns in the street, he poured such
a destructive fire upon the Heights that the line stationed there began
to waver, and by a bayonet charge on the part of the Federals were
compelled to retreat and leave the field, with a loss of 100 killed and
wounded. A few days later an engagement took place at Balls Bluff, in
which Colonel Baker, a United States ex-senator from Massachusetts,
was killed and the Federal troops defeated with great slaughter.

DRAINSVILLE.

The battle of Drainsville, near Washington, took place on the 20th
of December. It was the first engagement of any importance in which
the army of the Potomac was successful. On the above date General
Ord, with his brigade, advanced toward Drainsville for the purpose of
securing forage for his animals. With him were the Pennsylvania Bucktails,
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Kane, brother of E. K. Kane,
the Arctic explorer, and an Eastern battery of light artillery. When
near Drainsville they encountered a force about 6,000 strong. A battle
ensued, which lasted about five hours, and resulted in a complete rout
of the Confederates. Federal loss was sixty-seven, while that of the
Confederates was 240. This, with the exception of a slight engagement
at New Market bridge, near Newport News, was the last fighting in Virginia
during the year 1861.

FORMATION OF THE NEW STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

We must now turn aside from the records of war, and notice the rise
of a new commonwealth—the only one ever formed within the territory
of an organized State.

As has been stated, the people of the western portion of Virginia
were opposed to the sessation of the State; this was evidenced by the
vote upon that question, a majority of which in all the western counties
was against it, and in several the negative vote was almost unanimous.
Soon after the election of 1860, the inhabitants of this section
began to express their feelings upon the questions which then agitated
the country.

The first meeting that was held to give expression to the sentiments
of the people, took place in Preston county, on the 12th of November,
1860. Men of all shades of political opinion participated in the proceedings.
Resolutions were adopted opposing sessation, and declaring that
any attempt on the part of the State to sever her connection with the
Union, would meet with the disapproval of the people of that county.

On the 24th of November, a meeting was held in Harrison county,
which declared that they would exhaust all constitutional remedies for
redress, before they would resort to any violent measures; that the ballot-box
was the only medium known to the Constitution for a redress of
grievances, and to that alone would they appeal. The people of Monongalia
county convened at their court house on the 26th of November,
and passed a series of resolutions declaring that the election of the candidates
of the Republican party did not justify sessation, and that the
Union as it was, was the best guarantee of the people's future welfare.
A meeting of the people at the court house of Taylor county, on the 3d
of December following, declared that they were opposed to any action
looking to the dissolution of the Union for existing causes.

The citizens of Ohio county convened in the city of Wheeling on the
14th of the same month and adopted resolutions similar to the foregoing.
In many other western counties meetings of like import and significance
were held.

The Virginia Convention passed the Ordinance of Secession on the
17th of April, 1861, and then began a series of meetings and an expression
of public sentiment, before unparalleled in the history of Virginia.
All united in a solemn protest against the sessation of the State
and asserted that the Union was the object of their undying attachment,
and that they would cling to it, despite the efforts of the East to plunge
them into the gulf of sessation and consequent ruin; that sessation was
only unmitigated treason against the Constitution and the government
of the United States; that Western Virginia, for a half century, had
patiently submitted to the oppression of Eastern Virginia, but that now
the measure of tyranny was full, and that if, as was claimed, sessation
was the only remedy for supposed State wrongs, the day was not far
distant when the West would arise in its majesty, sever all political and
civil relations with the East, organize a new State, and remain firmly
attached to the Union.

A mass meeting of the citizens of Taylor county, held on the 13th of
April, declared that the government of the United States ought to be
maintained, and all constitutional laws enforced; and if the eastern part
of the State should secede from the Union, then they were in favor of
establishing an independent government in the western portion of the
State. Moved by a similar sentiment, the people of Wetzel county, on
the 22d of the same month, resolved that if the State cast her fortunes
with those of the Gulf States, then, as citizens of Western Virginia,
they would deem it a duty to themselves and posterity to use such
measures as would result in a division of the State.

CONVENTION AT CLARKSBURG.

Up to this time all had been independent action on the part of the
several counties, but now a united effort was to be made. On the 22d
of April, 1861, a meeting of twelve hundred citizens, held under the
auspices of John S. Carlisle, the late delegate from Harrison county in
the Richmond convention, met at Clarksburg, and in a long preamble
declared that the means resorted to by the secessionists to transfer the
State from its allegiance to the Federal Government to the so-called
Confederate States, was wholly unjustifiable, and resolved that they
would resist such action to the last extremity. Before adjournment
the convention recommended to the people in each of the counties
composing Western Virginia, to appoint not less than five delegates
of their "wisest, best and discreetest men," to meet in convention at
Wheeling, on the 13th day of May following, "to determine upon
such action as the people of Western Virginia should take in the
present fearful emergency."

THE FIRST WHEELING CONVENTION.

In compliance with the foregoing, the delegates were chosen by the
various counties, and the 13th day of May saw a swarming and excited
multitude thronging the streets of Wheeling. The delegates convened
at Washington Hall at 11 A. M., and the meeting was called to order
by Chester D. Hubbard, of Ohio county, on whose motion William B.
Zinn, of Preston county, was chosen temporary chairman, and George
R. Latham, of Taylor county, was appointed temporary secretary. Rev.
Peter T. Laishley, of Monongalia county, himself a delegate, then invoked
Divine guidance in the deliberations of the convention. A committee
on permanent organization, and also one on credentials, was appointed,
after which the body adjourned to meet at 2 P. M.

Upon reassembling, the committee on permanent organization reported
John W. Moss, of Wood county, for permanent president, and Colonel
Charles B. Waggener, of Mason, Marshall M. Dent, of Monongalia, and
J. G. Chandler, of Ohio county, secretaries. Two door-keepers and a
sergeant-at-arms were then appointed. The committee on credentials
reported accredited delegates from twenty-six counties, as follows. Hancock,
Brooke, Ohio, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Wood, Lewis, Ritchie,
Harrison, Upshur, Gilmer, Wirt, Jackson, Mason, Wetzel, Pleasants,
Barbour, Hampshire, Berkeley, Doddridge, Tyler, Taylor, Roane, Frederick,
and Marshall.

A committee on State and Federal relations was appointed, consisting
of the following named gentlemen: Campbell Tarr, Brooke county; W.
T. Willey, Monongalia; John S. Carlisle, Harrison; J. J. Jackson,
Wood; Charles Hooton, Preston; Daniel Lamb, Ohio, George McC.
Porter, Hancock; Joseph H. Machir, Mason; D. D. Johnson, Tyler;
James Scott, Jackson; G. W. Bier, Wetzel, R. C. Holliday, Marshall;

A. S. Withers, Lewis; E. T. Trayhorn, Wirt; F. H. Pierpont, Marion;
S. Dayton, Barbour; G. S. Senseney, Frederick; J. S. Burdett, Taylor;
A. R. McQuilkin, Berkeley; S. Cochran, Pleasants; J. E. Stump,
Roane; S. Martin, Gilmer; A. B. Rohrbough, Upshur; O. D. Downey,
Hampshire; Mr. Foley, Ritchie.

Everything was now in complete working order. The fact that the
convention was divided upon the subject of immediate action very soon
became apparent from the spirited discussion which characterized the
early days of the session. One party, led by the Hon. John S. Carlisle,
was in favor of an immediate division of the State, and the formation of
a government for the counties represented, all offices to be filled by temporary
appointment. Another party, headed by Hon. W. T. Willey,
declared that this was but an informal meeting of the people, no action
of which could be made binding upon them; that no vote had yet been
taken upon the ordinance of secession, therefore the State of Virginia
still had a government recognized by the Constitution of the United
States; hence any action tending in the direction of a new government
could not be other than revolutionary in its nature. An acrimonious
debate continued throughout the second and third days, and it seemed
that an adjournment would take place before the objects for which the
body had met could be accomplished; but late at night the discussion
was interrupted by the committee on State and Federal relations begging
leave to report. Campbell Tarr, the chairman of said committee, read
the report. It was a skillful production, a blending of all opinions, a
happy mean between spasmodic disruption and authorized resistance. The
first part was a review of the secession movement from its incipiency to
that time. Then followed declarations of loyalty to the Union, which
should continue on the part of the people here represented, despite all
efforts of the east to drag them out of the Union. A recommendation
was made to the people of the various counties, that, in the event
of the ratification of the ordinance of secession, they appoint delegates
on the 4th day of June to meet in a general convention on the 11th of
the same month, at some place to be hereafter designated. A last suggestion
was that a central committee, consisting of nine members, be appointed,
with power to carry into effect the objects of the convention.

The report, after a short discussion, was almost unanimously adopted,
but two votes being recorded against it. The central committee was
then appointed, consisting of John S. Carlisle, James S. Wheat, Chester
D. Hubbard, Francis H. Pierpont, Campbell Tarr, George R. Latham,
Andrew Wilson, L. H. Woodward, and James H. Paxton. Prayer was
then offered, imploring blessings upon the work performed. A thousand
voices united in singing the "Star Spangled Banner," and the convention
adjourned sine die.

THE SECOND WHEELING CONVENTION—THE RESTORED GOVERNMENT.

On the 23d day of May, 1861, the vote was taken on the ordinance
of secession. The result showed the sentiment of the people west of the
Alleghanies. Out of about 44,000 votes polled in the counties now
comprising West Virginia, 40,000 were recorded against secession.
Delegates were elected on the 4th of June, and what is known as the
second Wheeling convention met on the 11th of the same month at
Washington Hall, in that city. Seventy-seven delegates, representing
thirt-yfive counties, were present. The committee on permanent organization
reported the names of Arthur J. Boreman, of Wood county,
for president, and G. L. Cranmer, of Ohio county, for secretary. A
committee consisting of thirteen members was appointed, to report business
to the convention. The members of that committee, the report of
which became the foundation for the new State, were as follows: Carlisle,
of Harrison; Lamb, of Ohio; Pierpont, of Marion; Hagans, of
Preston; Van Winkle, of Wood; Berkshire, of Monongalia; Polsley,
of Mason; Boreman, of Wood; Caldwell, of Marshall; Frost, of Jackson;
Porter, of Hancock; Farnsworth, of Upshur; and Copley, of Wayne.

On the third day they submitted a report entitled "A Declaration of
the People of Virginia, represented in convention at the city of Wheeling,
Thursday, June 13, 1861." Among many other things set forth, it was
declared that "the preservation of the dearest rights and liberties, and
security in person and property, imperatively demand the reorganization
of the government of the commonwealth." * * * "And that the
offices of all who adhere to the said convention [that of Richmond],
whether legislative, executive or judicial, are vacated."

The report was adopted on the 17th, and the convention at once proceeded
to reorganize the government of Virginia.

On the 19th, an ordinance for the reorganization of the State government
was passed, as follows:

"The people of the State of Virginia, by their delegates assembled in
convention at Wheeling, do ordain as follows:

"1. A governor, lieutenant-governor and attorney-general for the
State of Virginia, shall be appointed by this convention to discharge the
duties and exercise the powers which pertain to their respective offices by
the existing laws of the State, and to continue in office for six months,
or until their successors be elected and qualified; and the general assembly
is required to provide by law for an election of governor and lieutenant-governor
by the people as soon as in their judgment such an election
can be properly held." * * * * *

The following oath was prescribed to be taken by the various officers
elected by the convention before entering upon the discharge of the
duties of their respective offices:

"I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of

the United States, and the laws made in pursuance thereof, as the supreme
law of the land, anything in the constitution and laws of the State
of Virginia, or in the ordinances of the convention which assembled at
Richmond on the 13th of February, 1861, to the contrary notwithstanding;
and that I will uphold and defend the government of Virginia as
vindicated and restored by the convention which assembled at Wheeling
on the 11th of June, 1861."

In compliance with the first clause of the ordinance, the convention, on
the 20th of June, proceeded to the election of officers. Francis H. Pierpont,
of Marion, was chosen governor of Virginia, and Daniel Polsley,
of Mason, lieutenant-governor. On the 24th, James S. Wheat, of Ohio
county, was chosen attorney-general.

The convention, having thus restored the government, elected a chief
executive and provided for the election of all other officers pertaining to
the State government, adjourned to meet again on the first Tuesday in
August ensuing.

MEETING OF THE PROVISIONAL LEGISLATURE.

The third clause of the ordinance passed June the 19th, provided for
the meeting of the General Assembly on the 1st day of July, the members
of which had been duly chosen at the general election on the 23d
day of May, and in pursuance of the ordinance that body convened
at Wheeling on the day appointed. The session was held in the custom-house,
in which the offices of the governor and other State officers
had been located. Upon calling the roll, it was ascertained that there
were thirty-one members present. A speaker and clerk were chosen,
after which the governor's message was received. In it he reviewed,
at considerable length, the action of the Richmond convention, the
history of the movements which led to the reorganization of the State
governments and his own election. He informed the house that he had
entered into a correspondence with the President of the United States,
and informed him of the circumstances surrounding the loyal government
of Virginia, and had received from him, through the secretary
of war, assurances that all constitutional aid would be promptly
rendered.

Accompanying the message were copies of communications received
from the Secretary of the Interior certifying to the apportionment of
representation to which Virginia was entitled in the Thirty-eighth Congress,
according to the census of 1860. The attention of the Assembly
was called to the fact that the President, in a proclamation issued on the
4th inst., had declared vacant the seats of all representatives from Virginia
in the Congress of the United States by reason of their active
participation in the effort to overthrow the Federal government, and
he recommended that the house proceed at once to fill such vacancies by

TOMB OF MARY, MOTHER OF WASHINGTON,

At Fredericksburg, Virginia.

the election of members who should at once apply for seats in the
national Congress as representatives of Virginia under the restored
government.

The General Assembly, on the 9th of July, went into an election, and
on joint ballot elected L. A. Hagans, of Preston county, secretary of
the commonwealth; Samuel Crane, of Randolph, auditor of public
accounts, and Campbell Tarr, of Brooke, treasurer. They then proceeded
to ballot for United States Senators, which resulted in the
election of John S. Carlisle, of Harrison, and W. T. Willey, of Monongalia.
They, together with the representatives from the three congressional
districts west of the mountains, who had been elected at the
same time the members of the General Assembly were chosen, at once
proceeded to Washington, where "they were admitted to seats in the
respective houses as senators and representatives from Virginia." On
the 24th of July, the Assembly, having finished the business before it,
adjourned.

Thus the machinery of the restored government was in complete working
order; but this did not satisfy the people, many of whom had for
years entertained the fond hope that at some time their relations with the
east should be severed, and a new State, independent of Virginia, should
rise west of the Alleghanies. All felt that the auspicious moment had
now come, and it was impressed upon the

THIRD WHEELING CONVENTION,

Which convened on the 6th of August, 1861, that there was but one
duty to perform, and that was to perfect the organization of a new
State.

At this meeting a number of delegates from the Kanawha Valley
counties, who had not attended the second convention, were present,
and took an active part in the labor now to be performed, which was
none other than the partition of the old State and the formation of a
new one.

On the 20th an ordinance was passed, with the following preamble:

"Whereas, it is represented to be the desire of the people inhabiting
the counties hereinafter mentioned, to be separated from this commonwealth,
and to be erected into a separate State, and admitted into the
Union of States, and become a member of the government of the United
States."

The new State was to be called "Kanawha," the boundaries of which
were to include the following counties, viz: Logan, Wyoming, Raleigh,
Fayette, Nicholas, Webster, Randolph, Tucker, Preston, Monongalia,
Marion, Taylor, Barbour, Upshur, Harrison, Lewis, Braxton, Clay,
Kanawha, Boone, Wayne, Cabell, Putnam, Mason, Jackson, Roane,

Calhoun, Wirt, Gilmer, Ritchie, Wood, Pleasants, Tyler, Doddridge,
Wetzel, Marshall, Ohio, Brooke and Hancock.

It was also provided that the boundaries might be so changed as to
include within the boundaries of the proposed State the counties of
Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Hampshire, Hardy, Morgan, Berkeley, and
Jefferson, or either of them, or any other contiguous counties, in case
a majority of the votes cast at an election to be held for the purpose,
should declare their wish to become a part of the new State; and at
the same time elect delegates to the proposed constitutional convention,
which was to meet at Wheeling on the 26th of November, should a
majority of the votes cast at an election to be held on the fourth Thursday
in October be in favor of the formation of the new State. The convention,
after submitting the question of the organization of the State
to the people, adjourned on the 21st of August.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

The October election was held in nearly every county of the proposed
State; 19,189 votes were polled, of which 18,408 were in favor of the
new State, and 781 against it.

Delegates to the constitutional convention were chosen at the same
time, and on the 26th of November, 1861, that body convened in the
Federal court room at Wheeling, all the counties then within the limits
of the proposed State being represented except Jefferson, Berkeley,
Webster and Monroe. The session continued eighty-two days, during
which time a constitution was framed and submitted to the people, to
be voted upon on the 3d day of April, 1862. The convention adjourned
on the 18th of February.

The constitution thus submitted was voted upon, on the day appointed,
and resulted in its adoption by a vote of 18,862 for it, and 514 against
it. By the census of 1860 it will be seen that the counties voting had
a population of 334,921 whites, and 12,771 colored. The reader will
have noticed the decrease in the number of votes polled at the above
election, from that polled at the time of the vote polled upon the ordinance
of secession, which was more than 54,000; but we must remember
that up to this time 10,000 men from Western Virginia were enrolled
in the Federal army, and several thousand had gone South, and
were fighting the battles of the Confederacy. Hence the difference in
the number of votes polled at the two elections.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION—THE WORK COMPLETED.

The General Assembly of the reorganized government convened on
the 6th of May, 1862, and gave its formal assent to the formation of
the new State of West Virginia within the territory of the State of Virginia,

according to the provisions of the constitution, recently ratified
by the people. A memorial, together with the bill granting assent to
the erection of the State, and a copy of the donstitution, was transmitted
to Congress, praying for the admission of West Virginia into the
Union. Senators Carlisle and Willey presented the bill in the United
States Senate on the 27th of May, 1862. No action was taken until
December 31st, following, when it was again taken up and passed by
both houses with the understanding that "West Virginia was and should
be one of the members of the Federal Union" whenever she struck out
from her constitution the seventh section, known as the Battelle provision
for the gradual extinction of slavery within the State. On the
12th day of February, 1863, the convention reassembled and amended
the constitution according to the requirements of Congress; submitted it
to a vote of the people, who a second time ratified it by a majority of
about 17,000. The result was certified to President Lincoln, and on the
19th of April he issued his proclamation to the effect that after sixty
days "West Virginia should be one of the United States of America;
admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States in
all respects whatever."

The convention, before adjourning in February, provided that in case
the revised constitution should be ratified, an election should be held on
the fourth Thursday of May following, for the purpose of electing members
of both houses of the Legislature, a Governor, and other State officers,
Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals, etc.

The election was held at the appointed time. Hon. Arthur I. Boreman,
of Wood county, was chosen Governor, and thus became the first
chief executive of West Virginia; Samuel Crane, of Randolph was elected
Auditor; Campbell Tarr, of Brooke, Treasurer; J. Edgar Boyers, of
Tyler, Secretary of State, and A. Bolton Caldwell, of Ohio, Attorney-General.
Hons. Ralph L. Berkshire, of Monongalia, William A. Harrison,
of Harrison, and James H. Brown, of Kanawha, were elected
Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

When, therefore, the sixty days after the President's proclamation had
elapsed, on the 20th of June, 1863, West Virginia, "the daughter of
the rebellion," born amid the throes of civil war, entered upon her
career as one of the members of the Sisterhood of States.

THE RECORD OF WAR AGAIN.

We have seen West Virginia—the daughter, become "the adopted
child of the Republic," and we must now return to Virginia, the mother,
whom we left at the close of the year 1861, amid all the horrors of a
sanguinary war.

1862.

During the early months of this year but few military movements
occurred in Virginia. The first action of the year occurred at Huntsville,
in Nicholas county, January 3d, whither General Milroy had sent
Major Webster, with a force of seven hundred and thirty-eight men, to
destroy a quantity of Confederate stores known to be deposited at that
place. The work was successfully performed, six buildings filled with
provisions being burned.

On the 4th, General Jackson, stationed at Winchester, in the Shenandoah
Valley, made a dash toward the Potomac for the purpose of tearing
up the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. The Federals were driven north of
the river, and Jackson, after destroying several miles of the road, fell
back toward the valley.

An engagement took place on the 7th between a portion of General
Kelly's forces lying at Romney, in Hampshire county, and a body of
Confederates at Blues Gap. Colonel Dunning, with the 5th Ohio, won
the day. The loss on either side was slight.

THE CAPITAL OF VIRGINIA BECOMES THE CAPITAL OF THE
CONFEDERACY.

In the meantime the seat of government of the Confederacy had been
transferred from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond; and here, on the
22d day of February—Washington's birthday—Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi,
and Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, having been unanimously
chosen President and Vice-President, respectively, by the votes
of the convention of every Southern State, were duly inaugurated for the
term of six years. The oath of office was administered to the President
by the Hon. J. D. Halyburton, chief Confederate Judge, and to Alexander
H. Stephens by the President of the Confederate Senate. On
the next day President Davis sent to the Senate for confirmation, a list
of cabinet appointments, as follows: Secretary of State, Judah P. Benjamin,
of Louisiana; Secretary of War, George W. Randolph, of Virginia;
Secretary of the Navy, S. R. Mallory; Secretary of the Treasury,
C. G. Memminger, of South Carolina; Postmaster-General, Mr. Henry,
of Kentucky; Attorney-General, Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia;
all of which were speedily confirmed. Thus, on the soil of Virginia,
was located the capital of the then existing Southern Republic. The
city thus occupied had been the seat of government of Virginia for a
period of eighty-five years, the State troops, arms and ammunition, and
public records having been removed from Williamsburg to that place in
1777, to prevent their falling into the possession of the British army,
then ravaging Virginia. In May, 1779, the Assembly passed an act
making it the permanent capital of the State. It was called Richmond

because of the fancied resemblance of its location to that of Richmond-on-the-Thames,
in England.

Six days after the inauguration ceremonies, on the 1st of March, the
right wing of the army of the Potomac, commanded by General Banks,
crossed the river, advanced into Virginia, and occupied Bolivar, Charlestown
and Martinsburg. This was the first movement of a series in which
the Federal armies were intended to approach Richmond and attack its
defenses. Banks continued his march in the direction of Winchester,
where Stonewall Jackson was posted with a considerable force.

On the 11th of March the Confederates evacuated Manassas and fell
back beyond the Rappahannock, and the Federals at once took possession
of the abandoned position. It was expected that Banks would
drive Jackson toward Richmond, and that the army at Manassas would
cut off his retreat, and thus capture his entire force; but instead the
wily Jackson retreated up the Valley, closely pursued by Banks. At
Strasburg he halted and took a strong position at New Market, within
supporting distance of Johnston.

BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.

Banks now fell back to Winchester, and was in turn pursued by
Jackson. Here, on the 22d of March, was fought one of the most
fiercely contested battles of the war. Both armies exhibited the most
determined bravery. The 5th Ohio had five color-bearers killed. The
battle waged until nightfall, when the Confederates withdrew, leaving
the field in possession of their enemies. The loss on both sides has been
variously estimated at from 900 to 1300, of which the greater part was
that of the Confederates.

During the night Jackson received a reinforcement of five regiments
of infantry and two batteries of artillery. With his forces thus augmented,
he determined to risk another battle, and accordingly formed
his lines near the village of Kernstown. Early on the morning of the
23d, Banks sent forward General Tyler's brigade to open the action.
He was supported by two other brigades of Ohio and Michigan troops,
all of which soon became engaged. Here again were re-enacted the
scenes of the previous day. The result was similar. The Federals were
again victorious, completely routing the forces of Jackson, who now retreated
rapidly towards Staunton.

OPERATIONS ON THE PENINSULA.

After the evacuation of Manassas by the Confederates, they took
position near Yorktown on the peninsula, and erected the strongest
fortifications yet built in the New World. The early part of April saw

the Federal army, 100,000 strong, anchored off Fortress Monroe, and
McClellan found that the fortifications extended entirely across the
peninsula, from the York to the James river, and he at once concluded
that one of two things was certain; here the Confederates could be
cooped up on the peninsula, and be compelled to surrender, or they
must evacuate the stronghold, and take refuge behind their batteries at
Richmond. The forces were landed, and after an examination of the
works, McClellan was confident that with his artillery—a thousand
pieces—he should be able to level these works. He had seen the telling
effects of artillery upon similar ones at Sebastopol during the Crimean
war. General Robert E. Lee, of Virginia, the ablest leader of the
Southern armies, knew the same, and at once recommended to the
government the evacuation of the peninsula. Accordingly on the 3d
of May the whole Confederate army, numbering 70,000 men, marched
out on the road to Richmond, and left these works, as they had left
those of Manassas, in possession of their enemies. A rapid pursuit was
at once begun, and, on the 4th, General Stoneman's command came up
with the rear of the retreating army at Williamsburg, about fifty-eight
miles from Richmond. Here the Confederates made a stand, and, with
the pertinacity of veterans, disputed the Federal advance. It was the
5th of May, at seven o'clock in the morning, when the battle began,
and it raged until late in the evening, when Lee's forces were again
compelled to continue their march toward their capital, leaving 700
dead on the field. The loss of the Federals was 1100.

On the next day a bloody engagement occurred at West Point, on
the York river, between the forces of General Franklin and a body of
Confederates under General Magruder. After a spirited contest of three
hours, victory again declared in favor of the Federals, their loss being
80 killed, 300 wounded, and 500 taken prisoners. The loss on the
other side was about 900.

McClellan continued his march toward Richmond; at the same time a
feet of gunboats entered the Chesapeake Bay for the purpose of cooperating
with the land forces in the attack upon the Confederate capital.
On the 15th of May the fleet steamed up the James within eight
miles of Richmond, where the guns of Fort Darling opened fire, and
the Federals met their first reverse before Richmond. After a splendid
artillery fight of five hours the gunboats were compelled to withdraw
down the river to their former anchorage. This did not delay for a
moment the progress of the land forces, and on the 20th of May, McClellan
occupied a position within eight miles of Richmond.

In the meantime General Banks had again marched into the Shenandoah
Valley, where he was opposed by a force of about 25,000 men under
Generals Early and Jackson. For weeks the possession of the "Garden
of Virginia" was disputed by the contending armies; but on the
25th of May, Banks was attacked, defeated at Winchester, and forced

to abandon the valley. His retreating columns were closely pursued
to Williamsport, where they crossed the Potomac and took refuge in
Maryland.

TIDEWATER VIRGINIA MADE THE BATTLE-GROUND.

In all historical struggles of the past between nations, it is exhibited
that the final contest has been limited to a few localities, in which the
resources of the combatants were concentrated and the operations more
colossal than any preceding them. This was exemplified in the late
civil war, the crisis being reached in 1862, and the period was signalized
by contests more sanguinary than had ever before been witnessed on
the American continent. The first of these encounters between the
opposing armies before Richmond was the

BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES,

On the 31st of May, in which the Federal loss was 6,000 greater than
the Confederate, with arms, stores, etc. A demonstration by McClellan
on the next day which was repulsed by General Pickett, magnified
in the Federal reports as the battle of Fair Oaks, was an action of no
consequence. Our limits forbid a minute detail of the events of the
momentous three years succeeding, and confine us to a general view of
the war in Virginia. On the first of June the armies confronting each
other on her soil aggregated quite 200,000 men. The struggle around
the beleaguered capital of the Confederacy commenced with the

SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES

In the region of the Chickahominy, which were inaugurated on the
26th of June, by the

BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE.

General Johnston had been severely wounded at Seven Pines, and
General R. E. Lee was now in chief command of the Confederate forces
around Richmond. General McClellan had recently assumed the command
of the army of the Potomac, then concentrated on the banks of the
Chickahominy.

In order that the reader may better understand the movements now
to be noticed he should study carefully the geography of the Tidewater
district of Virginia. By an inspection of the map it will be seen that

the Chickahominy river has its source in the north-western portion of
Henrico county, whence it flows in a south-western direction—its course
in the neighborhood of Richmond closely resembling the arc of a circle—
until it reaches the south-eastern portion of Charles City county, where
it suddenly turns to the south and flows into the James, about seventy-five
miles below Richmond. Mechanicsville is situated on the northeast
bank of this river, distant five miles from Richmond, and marks the
point of McClellan's nearest approach to that city.

At the time of the engagement a portion of the Federal army had
crossed the Chickahominy and held a fortified position on the Williamsburg
road, but far the greater portion lay on the north side, the line extending
many miles up and down the stream.

It was at 3 P. M. Thursday, June 26th, that Major-General Jackson—
flushed with recent victories in the Shenandoah Valley—took up his
line of march from Ashland and proceeded south-east through the country
lying between the Chickahominy and Pamunkey rivers. Brigadier-General
Branch, crossing the former, directed his march so as to form a
junction with the corps of General A. P. Hill. Jackson kept well to
the Pamunkey until he reached the village of Raleigh, when he turned
suddenly to the west and attacked the fortified Federal position at
Mechanicsville; at the same time General Hill with a force of fourteen
thousand joined in the attack, and, after a short but desperate contest,
night settled down upon the scene, both armies holding their position,
but under cover of darkness the Federals withdrew and fell back down
the river to Powhite swamp.

Friday morning dawned clear and bright, and the sun arose to shed
his rays upon such a scene as had not yet been witnessed on this continent.
The way had been cleared at Mechanicsville, and General Longstreet's
corps d' armée, composed of his veteran division of the Old Guard
of the Army of the Potomac and General D. H. Hill's command, emerged
from the forest on the south side of the Chickahominy and crossed that
river. A general advance on the part of the Confederates now began;
the command of General A. P. Hill in the centre marching in the direction
of Cold Harbor; Generals Longstreet and D. H. Hill on the right,
proceeding down the Chickahominy, and the veteran Jackson marching
far to the left, but converging toward the river.

The position of the Federal army was now a peculiar one: that portion
lying south of the river was confronted by the command of General
Magruder, while that on the north side had fallen back to a new line
of defenses, and here McClellan had decided to make a decisive battle.

Jackson's arrival at Cold Harbor was announced by the roar of his
guns, which was the signal of battle, and in compliance with that signal
the forces of Generals Lee, Longstreet, A. P. Hill and D. H. Hill
were simultaneously engaged. From four o'clock until eight, the battle
raged with terrible fury, and a wonderful display of daring and intrepidity
on the part of the Confederates. At last the Federals gave

way, and night covered the retreat of their broken and shattered lines
to the south bank of the Chickahominy.

A memorable part of the day's fighting was that known as the

BATTLE OF GAINES MILLS,

And the repeated charges made here deserve to rank with the most glorious
deeds of the war. The corps of General A. P. Hill had made the
first charge upon the Federal intrenchments at this place, and a terrible
struggle had continued throughout the day, neither side seeming to
have the advantage—the Federals holding their position, but powerless
to keep at bay the Confederates, whose dauntless successive charges were
ineffectual to carry the works. An eye-witness says that Hill's division
made repeated charges, but were as often driven back by the murderous
sheet of fire from the formidable works. Twenty-six pieces of artillery
were belching forth their thunders, and a perfect leaden hail-storm fell
thick and fast around them. In front stood earth-works stretching for
miles away; and drawn up in line of battle were three full divisions, commanded
by Generals McCall, Porter and Sedgwick. Banners everywhere
filled the air; artillery vomited forth incessant volleys of grape,
canister and shell, and the angel of death hovered over the field amid
the sulphurous atmosphere of battle. But at last as the sun was descending
behind the western hills Pickett's brigade, from Longstreet's division,
came to Hill's support. Then came Whiting's division, consisting of the
"Old Third" and the Texan brigades; they advanced at a double quick,
charged the batteries, and drove the Federals from the intrenchments
which they had defended with such obstinacy throughout the day. Belonging
to the last mentioned brigade was the 4th Texas regiment commanded
by a gallant Virginian, Colonel Bradfute Warwick; this was
his last charge; just as the works were carried his breast was pierced by
a minie-ball, and he fell to rise no more. Thus ended the second of
the terrible Seven Days. Skirmishing was kept up during Saturday,
and on Sunday the 29th was fought the

BATTLE OF SAVAGES STATION.

On the morning of this, the fourth day, a considerable body of the
Federals were discovered occupying a strong natural position at the
place named, on the York River Railroad. The division of General
McLaws, consisting of Kershaw's and Semmes' brigades, supported by
General Griffith's brigade, from Magruder's division, made the attack at
one o'clock, and were received by a furious cannonade from a park of
field pieces. Kemper's battery was ordered to the front, and after a
splendid artillery duel which fairly shook the surrounding country, the

EARLY SEAL OF WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE, VIRGINIA

The first established Institution of Learning in America.

Federals were once more forced to retreat. Early in the action General
Griffith, a brave and meritorious officer from Mississippi, was struck by
a fragment of a shell and instantly killed. He was the only general
officer lost by the Confederates during that sanguinary week. The gallant
10th Georgia led the charge, and its depleted ranks told but too
well of the raking fire to which it had been exposed.

THE BATTLE OF FRAYSERS FARM.

Monday was the fifth in the bloody list, and on that day was fought
the battle known as Fraysers Farm. At daybreak the whole Confederate
army was moving in pursuit of McClellan's retreating regiments.
D. H. Hill, Whiting, and Ewell, under the command of Jackson, passed
the Chickahominy at Grapevine Bridge, and marched along the Williamsburg
road; while Longstreet, A. P. Hill, Huger and Magruder followed
by the way of the Charles City road, with the design of intercepting
the retreating columns. This disposition of the troops soon brought
General Longstreet's division in front of the Federals. He was supported
by Hill's division, consisting of six brigades. When he came up
with the Federals, he found that they had taken position about five
miles north-east of Darbytown, on the New Market road, the immediate
vicinity being locally known as Fraysers Farm. The attack was at once
brought on by the division of General Hill, and for three dreadful
hours it is doubtful if on any one of the bloody fields of Virginia more
heroic bravery was ever witnessed than was displayed by both armies.
The roar of artillery and the rattle of musketry resounded far and wide,
the air was filled with the missiles of death, and every spot presented a
sight of ghastly destruction and horror. The dead and wounded were
strewn thickly upon the field. But at last, above the roar and din of
battle, came the orders along the Federal lines to retreat. No order was
ever obeyed with more alacrity upon any field. In three minutes the
shattered ranks were once more in full retreat, and the Confederate
forces occupied the field and rested for the day. The sixth day, Tuesday,
was to become memorable because of the terrible.

BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL.

Early Tuesday morning, the sixth day in the awful series, McClellan's
forces continued their retreat in a south-western direction toward
his gunboats in the James. No sooner was the movement discovered
than the Confederates began the pursuit. General Magruder was ordered
to march by the Quaker road, and take position on the right of
Jackson, but owing to a misunderstanding as to which was this road,
the wrong route was taken, and, by the necessary change, his troops
were formed on the right wing of Huger instead of that of Jackson, as
at first designed.

The Federal commander having learned from the rapid march of the
Confederates that he must fight again before he could reach the naval
force lying in Turkey Island bend of the James, took position on an
eminence known as Malvern Hill, upon the summit and declivities of
which he placed in position his batteries, supported by strong columns
of infantry. General Magruder advanced to the attack, shelling the
woods and swamps as he proceeded, and at 5 o'clock P. M., when he had
reached a point sufficiently near, he gave the order to charge and drive
the Federals from their position. The order was received with a shout,
and instantly the entire command were crossing the plain which lay at
the base of the hill at a full run. But now, had that hill been torn
asunder by some mighty volcanic force, the deep intonations could
scarce have been greater. One hundred pieces of artillery opened a
simultaneous fire and belched forth a murderous storm of grape and
canister which swept the charging columns with the most terrible effect.
Officers and men fell by the hundred; but yet unwavering, that charging
column rushed on until two-thirds of the distance across the field had
been passed. But wholesale carnage now prevailed on every hand. No
body of men could stand before so withering a fire, and the column
gave way and took refuge in the woods near by. Twice again those
charging squadrons presented a living wall to that deadly fire, and twice
again were they forced back. Around that hill was a steady flame,
and at sunset it quivered with the terrific concussion of artillery and
huge explosions. Shells were flying in every direction and bursting
into deadly iron hail. Columns of black smoke shot skyward and darkened
the air. But the day waned, the battle abated, and both armies
rested on their arms and upon the field. That night a sulphurous
smoke hung around the summit of Malvern Hill and settled away in
dense columns over the valley of the historic James. Soon dark,
ominous clouds covered the sky and the rain descended in torrents,
which washed the blood-stained slopes of the little hill, carrying the
sanguinary tide into the copses and woodlands which surrounded the
base below. As twilight began to streak the eastern sky, the Confederate
officers arose ready to renew the attack, but, upon turning
their eyes to the hill from which they had been repulsed, they were
filled with inexpressible astonishment. No enemy was there: the volcano
was still, and McClellan's army was already far away on its

RETREAT TO HARRISONS LANDING.

In less than two hours after the roar of artillery had died away, the
entire Federal army was stealing away from its enemy, and at midnight
it presented all the confusion of a fleeing and routed army; and

although the distance to Harrisons Landing was but seven miles, the
rear of that broken and dispirited army did not reach its destination
until noon of the next day. The mud was in many places more than
ankle-deep. This prevented the Confederates from bringing up their
artillery, and this fact alone, doubtless, saved McClellan's army from
complete destruction.

On the 8th of July the Confederates returned to Richmond, and the
Federals lay at Harrisons Landing until the 4th of August, when, as
we shall see, it became necessary for them to move again. The terrible
seven days were past and the Peninsular Campaign ended; and what
were the results? McClellan reached the banks of the Chickahominy
with 159,500 men, and ten days later, when he reached Harrisons
Landing, he telegraphed to the Secretary of War that he presumed he
had not "over 50,000 men left with his colors;" but on the 7th of July,
when President Lincoln visited the camp, he found 86,000 men on the
field, thus showing a loss of 73,500 men in ten days. General Lee, in
his report to the Confederate Secretary of War, said:

"The siege of Richmond has been raised, and the object of a campaign,
which had been prosecuted after months of preparation at an
enormous expenditure of men and money, is completely frustrated.
More than 10,000 prisoners, including officers of rank, fifty-two pieces
of artillery, and more than 35,000 stand of small arms were captured.
The stores and supplies of every description which fell into our hands
were great in amount and value, but small in comparison with those
destroyed by the enemy. His losses in battle exceeded our own, as
attested by the thousands of dead and wounded left on every field,
while his subsequent inaction shows in what condition the survivors
reached the protection to which they fled."

As before mentioned, on the 4th of August McClellan received orders
from Washington to remove his army to Acquia creek to aid in repelling
the Confederate movement toward the National Capital. The bulk
of his army removed to Fortress Monroe, which place it left on the 23d
of August, and reached Acquia creek the next day.

BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.

No sooner had the Washington Government learned of the reverses
on the Peninsula, than General Pope was sent to Virginia to occupy the
Shenandoah Valley. His advance consisted of two divisions under
command of General Banks. General Lee, ever vigilant, sent a strong
force to repel this invasion, and on the evening of the 8th of August a
portion of General Jackson's corps, consisting of the 1st, 2d and 3d
brigades, commanded by General Charles S. Winder, forded the Rapidan
river and advanced into Culpeper county. The next morning it
was reported that the Federals were advancing to the attack, and
Ewell's division moved out three miles on the road leading from Orange

Court House to Culpeper Court House, where it took position, with the
left flank resting on South Mountain.

At 12 M. cannonading began; at 3 P. M. General Early's brigade of
Ewell's division made a circuit through the woods and attacked the
Federals on the right, the 13th Virginia regiment marching in the
advance. At 4 P. M. the action became general, and as General Jackson's
division, under command of General Winder, was advancing to
the attack, it was subjected to a galling fire poured forth with great
precision from the mountain side. General Winder had his left arm
shattered, and a few minutes later received a wound in the side, from
which he died in an hour. The battle raged until nightfall and victory
seemed to hang in the balance, but just as the full-orbed moon was
lighting up the mountain tops, the Federals gave way and retreated,
leaving their dead and wounded upon the field.

SECOND BATTLE OF MANASSAS.

After the battle of Cedar Mountain, the Federals returned to the
Potomac river, and Jackson took position on the already historic plains
of Manassas, where, on the 27th of August, 1862, the soil was a
second time bathed in the best blood of the nation. On the morning of
that day, General Taylor's brigade of Major-General Slocum's division
of the Army of the Potomac, composed of the 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th New
Jersey regiments, proceeded by rail from Camp Ellsworth, near Alexandria,
and reached Manassas about 11 o'clock A. M. Upon arriving,
General Taylor marched his men to the summit of the hill above the
valley of Bull Run, when he encountered a skirmish line, which fell
back before him. He continued onward until near the Junction, where
his command was met by a heavy enfilading fire of artillery. Unable
to withstand it, he fell back and took shelter behind the crest of a
ridge, but from which he was soon driven, and forced to a precipitate
flight in the direction of Fairfax. The Confederates followed in hot
pursuit, which was kept up until the fugitive army was beyond Centreville.
General Taylor himself, his son, of his staff, and his nephew,
were all severely wounded. Thus ended the second battle of Manassas
—not on such a gigantic scale, but in as complete a rout as the first.

GENERAL LORING IN THE KANAWHA VALLEY.

It was now September, and the Federal army had been driven completely
out of Virginia. General Loring was sent to the Kanawha Valley
to take possession of that great salt-producing region. On the 10th
he reached Fayette Court House, where he found the Federals posted in

considerable force. An attack was at once made, and after an engagement
lasting six hours, the place was captured, the Federals falling
back to Cotton Hill, where they made a stand; but after a few hours'
fighting the next day, they were driven again, and this time continued
their retreat to Charleston, the county-seat of Kanawha. General
Loring followed on down the Kanawha river, and two days later occupied
Charleston, from which the Federals had fled after firing it. At
Point Pleasant they were largely reinforced, and marching back to
Charleston, compelled General Loring, whose forces were greatly inferior,
to evacuate the town and fall back to Staunton, in Augusta county.

GENERAL LEE IN MARYLAND.

The progress of events, now, for the first time during the struggle,
leads us to a new theater of war within the recognized dominion of the
Federal Government.

On the 4th of September General Lee took the offensive, and leaving
on his right Arlington Heights, whither the shattered forces of General
Pope had been driven from the valley, crossed the Potomac river and
entered Maryland. Two objects were in view: the first, the capture of
Harpers Ferry; and the second, to test the spirit of the Marylanders,
and thus learn whether their proffered aid in support of the Confederacy
could be relied upon. Attention was diverted from this expedition by
a demonstration upon Pennsylvania, which so alarmed its governor,
Curtin, that he called out the entire available force of the State, and
made every preparation for defense. During the consequent excitement
which prevailed throughout the Northern States, General Lee was in
reality directing his movements against Virginia, and for the more
effectual accomplishment of his purpose, divided his force into three
corps, commanded respectively by Generals Jackson, Longstreet and
Hill. The first recrossed the Potomac at Williamsport, and having occupied
Martinsburg, passed rapidly to the south of Harpers Ferry, the
object being the capture of the arms and stores there. In the meanwhile
the commands of Hill and Longstreet were stationed to cover the
movements of Jackson, and thus hold at bay the forces of McClellan,
which were marching to the relief of Harpers Ferry, then held by
a force of ten or twelve thousand men under General Miles. General
Lee, foreseeing that the design of the Federal officers was to attack and
defeat the Confederates in detail before their forces could be reunited, to
frustrate this expectation, sent the division of General D. H. Hill to take
a position at the mountain post known as Boonesboro Gap. Here, on
the 14th of September, was fought the

ARMORIAL BOOK-PLATE

Of Colonel William Byrd, of "Westover," James
River, who founded Richmond in 1737.

BATTLE OF SOUTH MCUNTAIN.

At 8 A. M. of that day, General Cox's division, of Reno's corps,
moved up the country road leading toward the summit, which in the
meantime had been occupied by General Hill, and the conflict at once
began. The brigade of General Garland, of Virginia, received the first
fire, and its brave commander fell, fatally pierced by a musket ball, and
very nearly at the same moment General Reno, a distinguished Federal
officer, was mortally wounded, dying upon the field. The battle continued
to rage with unabated fury, and reinforcements to arrive and engage
at once in the deadly fray. That morning the corps of General Longstreet
was lying at Hagerstown, distant fourteen miles from the scene of
action. Hurrying forward with all speed, it reached and joined the
wearied ranks of Hill at 3 P. M., and an hour later the brigades were in
position, and that of General Toombs engaged. Evans occupied the extreme
left, Drayton the right, and Hood, with the "ragged Texans,"
the center. At the same hour the Federals received powerful reinforcements.
Hooker's corps of Burnside's column moved to the right,
Meade's division to the left, and Rickett's to the center. The first was
supported by Patrick, the second by Doubleday, and the third by
Phelps. It was a living human wall against which no force could prevail,
and at dark the Confederates withdrew from the field, but they
had accomplished their object—they had held the entire army of
McClellan, outnumbering them five to one, back, while General Jackson
succeeded in the

CAPTURE OF HARPERS FERRY.

At midnight on the 14th, Jackson massed his batteries on the heights
overlooking Harpers Ferry, and at daylight on the morning of the 15th
opened a fire which fairly shook the surrounding mountains. Just at
sunrise General Miles, the Federal commander, was struck by a shell
and his left leg carried away. At twenty minutes past seven the white
flag was waving over the Federal position, and a few minutes later Miles
surrendered 11,583 men, 73 pieces of artillery, 13,000 small arms, 200
wagons, and an immense quantity of supplies. But Jackson did not
wait to receive the surrender; leaving that to Hill, he hurried across the
Potomac into Maryland to join Lee, and assist him at the

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, OR SHARPSBURG,

Which was fought two days later, on the 17th. Sharpsburg is ten
miles north of Harpers Ferry, and eight west of Boonesboro, on the
bank of Antietam creek, a sluggish stream emptying into the Potomac
eight miles above Harpers Ferry. Here, on the morning of the 17th,
General Lee lay with a force of 45,000 men. The Federals were commanded

by McClellan in person, and consisted of the entire command of
Burnside, McDowell's corps, now under the command of Hooker; Sumner's
corps, Franklin's corps, Banks' corps, commanded by Williams,
and Sykes' division of Fitz John Porter's corps.

Lee looked anxiously for the arrival of the divisions of McLaws, R.
H. Anderson, A. P. Hill and Walker, but they did not come up until
late in the day. At dawn the work of carnage began, and continued
for twelve hours; 200,000 men struggled for the mastery. Blood flowed
in streams, and the field was strewn far and wide with the dead and
dying; the deathly grapple was yet indecisive, and at sunset when the
worn armies desisted from strife one of the best examples of a drawn
battle which history records was presented. Both armies rested upon
the field that night, and when on the next morning the Confederates
fell back across the Potomac to Shepherdstown, Virginia, McClellan's
army was too much demoralized to follow.

The Federal force actually engaged numbered 87,164, of which 4,320
were cavalry; their loss was 2,010 killed, 9,416 wounded, and 1,043
missing—a total of 12,469. The Confederates had during the day
70,000 men engaged, and left upon the field 3,000 dead, and 2,000 severely
wounded. Of the killed on both sides many rotted in the sun,
and, long after, their bones were bleaching on the mountain sides and in
the valley of the little stream.

FROM THE POTOMAC TO FREDERICKSBURG

For many days after the battle of Antietam the Federal army exhibited
a "masterly inactivity." The ever-vigilant Lee was being reinforced,
and was rapidly remobilizing his army and getting ready for his
adversary, when he should once more invade the soil of Virginia.
McClellan's force on the 1st of October numbered 150,000 men, and on
the 6th Halleck telegraphed him, saying: "The President directs that
you cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy or drive him South.
Your army must move while the roads are good." But two weeks
passed away, and still no advance was made. Halleck once more telegraphed
him: "The President does not expect impossibilities, but this
good weather must not be wasted in inactivity." November 1st the
entire force once more crossed the Potomac and entered Virginia. It
moved leisurely south along the eastern base of the Blue Ridge, while
Lee kept up a parallel movement on the west side. On the 7th a heavy
snow storm set in. Everything betokened the beginning of winter.
"Patience ceased to be a virtue" with the authorities at Washington,
and that night at 12 o'clock Lincoln ordered McClellan to turn over
the command of the army to General Burnside. The new commander
determined to advance at once to Fredericksburg, masking his intention

by a feint towards Gordonsville. Lee readily interpreted his action,
and while Burnside marched along the north bank of the Rappahannock
to Falmouth, he continued down the south bank and took position
at Fredericksburg. Here he destroyed the bridges, and prevented
the crossing of Burnside until he had time to surround himself with fortifications.

Fredericksburg lay midway between the contending armies, and it was
evident that its destruction was sealed whenever either army should
enter it.

THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

On the morning of the 10th of December Burnside's pontoon bridges
arrived from Washington, and on the next day an effort was made to
cross the river in front of the town, but the fire from the Confederate
sharpshooters was persistent and directed with such unerring precision
that the place was abandoned; but on the 12th the Federals succeeded
in crossing three miles further down the river. Lee was awaiting the
advance with 80,000 men lying behind the fortifications. "Stonewall"
Jackson commanded on the right, and Longstreet on the left. Of the
Federal force, Franklin was on the left, Hooker in the center, and
Sumner on the right. The battle began at 11 o'clock A. M.: the first
attack was made on the position of General Jackson by Meade with a
brigade belonging to Franklin's grand division. It went into the charge
with 4,500 men, and was instantly hurled back, leaving on the field
1,760 dead and wounded. The battle raged until nightfall, when
Burnside having been repulsed at every point of attack was forced to
recross the river, and on the next morning to abandon his position and
fall back to Falmouth. His loss was 13,711, while that of the Confederates
was only 5,309. The year 1862 closed, and left the two armies
lying as at the close of the battle. Here they went into winter-quarters,
and Burnside having proven himself no more satisfactory to the
Washington Government than his predecessor, was soon after superseded
in the command by Major-General Hooker, who gloried in the
sobriquet of "Fighting Joe."

THE ARMY OF NORTH-WESTERN VIRGINIA AT THE CLOSE OF THE
SECOND YEAR'S WAR.

As the year closed, it was asserted both in the North and South that
General Lee's army was rapidly dwindling away from desertion. This
elicited a reply from the Commander-in-Chief, in which he likened the
sufferings of that army to those of the French in their retreat from Moscow,
and closed with the tribute: "This army cut and fought its way to the
Potomac, crossed that stream, moved on to Frederick and Hagerstown, had
a heavy engagement at Boonesboro, another at Crampton's Gap, fought the

greatest pitched battle of the war at Antietam, and then recrossed the
Potomac into Virginia. During all this time, covering the full space
of a month, the troops rested but four days. And let it be always remembered
to their honor that of the men who performed this wonderful
feat, one-fifth were barefooted, one-half in rags, and the whole half-famished.
* * * * Their difficulties were increased by the fact that
cooking utensils in many cases had been left behind, as well as everything
else that would impede their movements. It was not unusual to
see a company of starving men have a barrel of flour distributed to
them which it was utterly impossible for them to convert into bread
with the means and in the time allowed them.

"Do you wonder, then, that there should have been stragglers from
the army? That brave and true men should have fallen out from sheer
exhaustion, or in their efforts to obtain a mouthful to eat along the roadsides?
Or that many seasoned veterans—the conquerors in the Valley,
at Richmond and at Manassas—should have succumbed to disease, and
been forced back to the hospital? * * * * That there has been unnecessary
straggling is readily admitted, but in a large majority of cases
the men have only to point to their bleeding feet, tattered garments, and
gaunt frames for an answer to the unjust charge. No army on this continent
has ever accomplished as much or suffered as much as the Army
of Northern Virginia within the last three months. At no period during
the first Revolutionary war, not even at Valley Forge, did our forefathers
in arms encounter greater hardships or endure them more uncomplainingly."

HOOKER HALTS ON THE BANKS OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK.

General Hooker took command of the army, but no advance was
made; the condition of the army and the long winter were his excuses,
but spring opened and but one engagement broke the long silence of the
lines along the banks of the Rappahannock.

That was on the 17th of March, when a Federal force of 3,000 crossed
the river at Kelley's Ford and advanced to within six miles of Culpeper
Court House, when they were engaged by the brigade of General Fitzhugh
Lee. The engagement continued some hours, but at last the
Federals were driven from the field after having inflicted a loss of one
hundred upon the Confederates, among which number was the gallant
Pelham, of Alabama, the "boy Major." He was but twenty-two years
of age, and had participated in all the battles of Virginia. His remains
were taken to Richmond, where for awhile they lay in state in the
Capitol, where they were covered with floral tributes.

THE BATTLES OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK, CHANCELLORSVILLE AND FREDERICKSBURG.

It was now the month of April, and Hooker, the successor of Burnside,
busied himself with the reorganization of his powerful army. Its
grand divisions were substituted by seven corps: the 1st (Reynolds),
2d (Couch), 3d (Sickles), 5th (Meade), 6th (Sedgwick), 11th (Howard),
and 12th (Slocum). His forces numbered 120,000 infantry and
artillery, 13,000 cavalry, and 400 pieces of artillery. Confronting him
on the south side of the river lay the Army of Northern Virginia,
62,000 strong. It consisted of Jackson's corps in four divisions, commanded
respectively by A. P. Hill, Rodes, Colston and Early; two
divisions of Longstreet's corps, those of Anderson and McLaws; Longstreet
himself, with the remainder of his command, having been sent to
the south side of James river. Of Lee's force, the cavalry numbered
3,000 men.

The 27th of April at length arrived, and it seemed that the "grand
hesitation" was at an end, for Hooker on that day ordered a general
advance. With a view of concealing his real intention he sent Sedgwick,
30,000 strong, to make a feint of crossing the river at Burnside's
Ford, three miles below Fredericksburg, while he was to move secretly
and rapidly to the right of his column, and, crossing both the Rappahannock
and Rapidan above their confluence, take a position near
Chancellorsville. This town, consisting of a hotel and several private
residences, is situated on the road leading from Orange Court House to
Fredericksburg, and is eleven miles north-west of the latter. Here the
roads leading from German Mills and Ely's, United States and Banks'
Fords, intersect.

The battle-plan of Hooker was not a simple one, but a combined operation
consisting of three parts: first, his own movement and flank
attack of Lee; second, Sedgwick's attack upon Fredericksburg; and
third, Stoneman's cavalry movement to the rear of the Confederate
position.

Lee was not slow to divine the designs of his enemy, and at once set
about disposing of his little army to the best advantage for repelling
the shock of battle which he now knew was at hand. General Barksdale's
brigade and General Early's division were left to face Sedgwick's
advance upon Fredericksburg, and Lee with his entire remaining available
force began the march to Chancellorsville, where by throwing the
bulk of his army in front of Hooker, he expected to check his advance.

On Saturday, May 2d, the town was reached, and Jackson in the
front began the work assigned him in the mighty contest. For two
hours his division passed in review of Sickles' position on the left. The
23d Georgia regiment was guarding the flank of his train, and upon
this regiment was poured the first fire. Sickles ordered General Birney
to open fire and then charge the passing train; the order was executed

FOLEY'S STATUE OF "STONEWALL" JACKSON,

in the Capitol Grounds, Richmond.

The Inscription reads "Presented by English gentlemen as a tribute of admiration for the
soldier and patriot, THOMAS J. JACKSON, and gratefully accepted by Virginia, in the
name of the Southern people. Done A. D. 1875. In the Hundredth Year of the
Commonwealth." ook there is Jackson, standing like a Stone Wall."

and the greater part of the Georgia regiment were made prisoners. But
Jackson's division was already far to the right and in position; at 5 P. M.
the attack was made upon Howard's division, which broke and ran at
the first fire. Sickles was preparing to renew Birney's attack with greater
force, and for that purpose had just ordered up Pleasanton's cavalry,
1,000 strong, when the movement was changed to check the panic-stricken
lines from Howard's right. The action now became general,
and the Confederates charged from all points. The 8th Pennsylvania
attempted to check the advance of Jackson's column and was entirely
overwhelmed. It was the same old story. The Grand Army of the
Potomac, in three hours from the first fire, was falling back before the
charging columns of that army thrice its victors.

In the meantime Sedgwick with a force of two to one had succeeded
in driving Barksdale and Early from their position at Fredericksburg,
and they were now slowly falling back to join the main forces at Chancellorsville.
Sedgwick was in pursuit, and intelligence of his approach
reached Lee just as he was making preparations for a final attack upon
Hooker. Something must be done to stay the unexpected force in his
rear, and he accordingly dispatched four brigades under McLaws and
Anderson to reinforce Barksdale and Early, and check Sedgwick. They
encountered his advance near Salem Church, but it was now night and
darkness put an end to the conflict, both parties retaining their ground.
This movement did not prevent Lee from keeping a furious cannonade
on Hooker's front.

On the next morning, Monday, May 4th, Sedgwick sent a messenger
to Hooker informing him of his beleaguered condition and asking support
from the main army. Hooker replied that no aid could be given.
Thereupon Sedgwick fell back rapidly to Banks' Ford, and under a
heavy fire from his victorious pursuers succeeded in crossing the river,
but leaving 5,000 dead behind him—one-third as many as the commands
of Barksdale and Early numbered.

Lee had not given Hooker a moment's rest, and on Tuesday night,
having placed straw and brush upon the bridge to prevent a noise, the
whole Federal army escaped under cover of the darkness to the other
side, and on Wednesday morning when the Confederates moved forward
to the attack, no enemy was to be seen. Thus ended the battles on the
Rappahannock, in which Hooker lost 17,197 men, of whom 5,000 were
unwounded prisoners. He had also lost thirteen cannon and 20,000
stand of small arms. Lee's loss was 13,000, of whom 1,581 were
killed, 8,700 were wounded, and nearly 3,000 prisoners. Among the
killed was the lamented "Stonewall" Jackson—a sketch of whose
life will be found in Volume I of Virginia and Virginians.

THE INVASION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

For a month after the battle of Chancellorsville, the two armies lay
confronting each other with only the river between them. During the
time, Hooker's force had been somewhat reduced by the discharge of
several regiments whose term of service had expired, while that of Lee
had been augmented by the arrival of several regiments of North Carolina
troops. His army too had been thoroughly re-organized, and the
question of Jackson's successor settled to the satisfaction of the country.
The President, some time in May, commissioned both Major-Generals
R. S. Ewell and A. P. Hill as Lieutenant-Generals in the army of
Northern Virginia. To the command of each three divisions were assigned,
to complete which Anderson's division was taken from Longstreet's
corps, and that of A. P. Hill reduced to two brigades, and the
command given to Major-General W. D. Pender; to these was added the
brigade of Pettigrew and another from North Carolina, forming a corps,
the command of which was given to Major-General Heth.

General Lee had for some time entertained a plan for the invasion of
the Northern States, being determined that if he could not bring on another
engagement in Virginia, by an invasion to induce the withdrawal
of the Federal forces from her soil.

On the 3d of June, the preparations being complete, McLaws' division
of Longstreet's corps began its march from Fredericksburg toward
Culpeper Court House, and the same evening Hood's division, which had
been lying near the mouth of the Rapidan, followed on to the same
place. By the 8th, the entire army was in motion, with the rear resting
at Culpeper. On the 9th, a large force of Federal cavalry and infantry
crossed the Rappahannock at Beverly's and Kelley's fords, and attacked
General Stuart. The engagement continued throughout the afternoon,
and resulted in the retreat of the Federals beyond the river, leaving behind
them four hundred prisoners and three pieces of artillery. This
engagement is known to Northern writers as the battle of Brandy Station.
The principal fighting on the Confederate side was done by the
11th Virginia cavalry, under command of Colonel Lomax.

CAPTURE OF WINCHESTER.

In the meantime, General Jenkins, commanding a brigade of cavalry,
was ordered forward toward Winchester, and at the same time General
Imboden was directed to make a demonstration toward Romney, for the
purpose of covering the movement of General Jenkins against Winchester,
and further to prevent the Federals at that place from being reinforced
by troops lying along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.

General Milroy, the Federal commander at Winchester, had a force
of 7,000 men. He was either unaware of, or misinformed regarding the
force moving against him, and therefore held his position too long. On

the 13th, General Rodes drove in a force which was lying at Berryville,
and at 5 P. M. on the 14th, General Early was within cannon range of
Milroy's position, which it was his purpose to assault, he at once began
preparations for the attack. Twenty pieces of artillery were placed in
position and opened fire, and at the same time Hays' Louisiana brigade
charged the works, which in a few minutes yielded before the charging
columns, and Milroy was defeated and driven from Winchester, with a
loss, according to his own account, of 4,000 men, 29 guns, 277 wagons,
and 400 horses. Of the fugitives a part escaped to Harpers Ferry,
and the remainder into Pennsylvania. General Rodes, having driven the
Federals from Berryville, marched to Martinsburg, where he arrived
on the 14th, and captured 700 prisoners, 5 pieces of artillery, and a considerable
quantity of stores.

THE MARCH INTO PENNSYLVANIA CONTINUED.

These operations had cleared the valley of the Federal forces, those
at Harpers Ferry having withdrawn to Maryland Heights; and now the
great movement of the war, prefaced by this brilliant introduction, was
fairly begun.

Ewell's corps was the first to cross the Potomac. On the 24th it was
followed by that of General A. P. Hill, which crossed at Shepherdstown.
General Longstreet's corps had previously reached the Maryland shore
by the Williamsport ford. The latter was composed of the divisions of
McLaws, Pickett, and Hood, while the corps of Hill consisted of those
of Pender, Heth, and Anderson, and that of Ewell of the divisions of
Rodes, Early, and Johnson. The several columns re-united at Hagerstown,
from which place the entire army crossed into Pennsylvania,
and on the evening of the 27th encamped near Chambersburg.

Throughout the North this movement produced the wildest excitement.
The public records were removed from Harrisburg, and New
York and Philadelphia prepared to receive the daring invaders.

On the 15th of June, President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling
for 120,000 militia, of which Pennsylvania was to furnish 50,000, Ohio
30,000, Maryland 10,000, West Virginia 10,000, and New York 20,000.
In addition, Governor Andrews tendered the entire military strength
of Massachusetts in the terrible crisis.

But it was not the rapidly forming battalions of raw militia that
claimed the attention of the daring invader, General Lee. He was
watching with the gravest interest the movements of that mighty army,
a third greater than his own, which he had left on the banks of the
Rappahannock, and which along the Potomac had for three years been
drilled in the science of war.

Hooker lingered for a short time on the shore of Virginia, unable
to determine whether Lee's advance was an invasion of the Northern
States or a movement on Washington. Believing it to be the latter, he,
on the 13th of June, put his army in motion northward, so as to coverthe
National Capital, marching along the east side of the Blue Ridge,
while the Confederates moved along the west side. He reached the
Potomac, and crossing at Edwards' Ferry, moved on to Frederick City.
There he yielded to the pressure of public opinion at the North and resigned
the command of the army, which was at once given to General
Meade. That officer made only such changes as were imperatively necessary.
Sykes took the 5th corps, which had been Meade's; Hancock
the 2d, in place of Couch, who had been assigned to the department of
the Susquehanna; Reynolds retained the 1st, Sickles the 3d, Sedgwick
the 6th, Howard the 11th, and Slocum the 12th. The entire cavalry
force was placed under Pleasanton. Thus the two armies were constituted
on the 27th of June; the Confederate at Chambersburg and the
Federal at Frederick — thirty-five miles apart.

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

General Lee designed an attack upon Harrisburg, but on the 29th,
learning of the northward movement of Meade, he ordered General
Ewell, then on the road toward the capital, to join the army near Gettysburg,
and at the same time he put the entire army in motion for the
same destination. The march was slow, and it was 10 A. M. on the
morning of the 1st of July when Heth's division in the advance reached
the town destined henceforth to enduring distinction in American history.
Meade had taken advantage of Lee's delay at Chambersburg, and
by rapid marching reached the place in time for the 11th corps to
engage Heth's division on its arrival.

A day pregnant with momentous issue was at hand. The mighty
armies which had ceased to confront each other since leaving the Rappahannock,
found themselves face to face at Gettysburg, on Wednesday,
July 1st.

Buford's cavalry brought on the attack at a point two miles out on the
Chambersburg road, but was soon forced back by the approaching lines
of General Heth. General Reynolds then attempted to stay the advance,
but he fell mortally wounded in the first fire, and his division in confusion
fell back to the town. Another gray line was now moving forward;
it was the corps of Ewell from York and Carlisle. He had heard
the artillery calling him, and had hastened to the point of attack. Unchecked,
they moved into the town, the Federals, under the command of
Doubleday since the fall of Reynolds, retiring to the hill beyond. This
concluded the first day's fighting.

Let us briefly notice the position of the two armies on the morning of
the 2d, which had taken positions during the night of the 1st. Lee's
army was arranged along Seminary Ridge and around to the east of
Gettysburg in the form of a vast crescent five miles in length, its concavity
facing its antagonist. Longstreet was on the right, Hill in the
center, and Ewell on the left. Meade's forces were all up by daylight except
Sedgwick's corps, which did not arrive until 2 P. M. Slocum was posted
on the extreme right; to his left lay the command of Wadsworth; then
to his left was Howard, and following in order were Hancock, Sickles
and Sykes. The corps of Reynolds was held in reserve.

There lay the forces of General Lee—the Army of Northern Virginia—which
had met and defeated the army now before it on many
bloody fields. At Mechanicsville, at Malvern Hill, at South Mountain,
at Antietam, at Manassas, at Fredericksburg and at Chancellorsville, it
had seen the Army of the Potomac routed and fleeing before it. But
now a reverse, the most serious of the war, was to be met, but not from
any want of intrepidity or the absence of heroic achievement, for here on
the field of Gettysburg, though overpowered, it made the grandest stand
in its history.

We have not space to follow all the charges and counter charges, successes
and reverses, on that historic field. Such carnage had not before
been witnessed on this continent. Well may historians class it as one of
the fifteen great battles of the world. Some idea of the terrible struggle
may be formed from its casualties. The Federal loss was 23,210,
of whom 2,834 were killed, 13,733 wounded, and 6,643 missing. That
of the Confederates was 36,000, of whom 5,000 were killed, 23,000
wounded, and 8,000 missing.

On the 4th, Lee began his march to the Potomac, forty miles distant,
which he reached on the 7th, expecting to cross at Williamsport, but
finding the stream so swollen that pontoons were impracticable, he
moved to Falling Waters, where on the 13th he passed into Virginia.
The disabled condition of the Federal army may be inferred from the
fact that although Lee lingered on the shores of Maryland nine days
after the battle, and within forty miles of his enemy, no second attack
was made, nor was any pursuit attempted save that of the cavalry which
followed in his rear.

VIRGINIA TROOPS IN THE SERVICE.

Virginia has ever been ready with her treasure and the lives of her sons
in the cause of liberty, and her patriotism and sacrificing spirit was
nobly indicated in the stern demands of our late civil war. In the autumn
of 1863 it was reported to the General Assembly of the State that
she had already furnished 102,915 soldiers to the Confederate service;

that, in addition, thirty thousand conscripts had just passed through
the camp of instruction, and that up to that time she had furnished
103,840 muskets, 399 pieces of cannon, and other arms in proportion.
The rolls on file in the Adjutant and Inspector-General's office showed
that there were then in active service,—

             

Sixty-four regiments of infantry	52,496
Twenty regiments of cavalry	14,175
Two regiments of artillery	1,779
Twenty-eight battalions of cavalry, infantry and artillery	11,717
Nine battalions of artillery, Army Northern Virginia	4,500
Two hundred and fourteen unattached companies, artillery, infantry, and cavalry	18,248
Total number of men	102,915

ENGAGEMENT AT CHARLESTOWN.

After General Lee crossed the Potomac, he proceeded leisurely up the
valley and through the gaps of the Blue Ridge until he reached the
Rapidan. General Meade, marching from Gettysburg, passed the Potomac
on the 18th, and soon the two armies were again confronting
each other in Virginia.

General Imboden was sent with a cavalry force to guard the mountain
gaps on Lee's left, and in October advanced upon Charlestown, where a
Federal force from Harpers Ferry had taken position. Upon his arrival
he found them occupying the court-house, jail, and other contiguous
buildings, all of which were loop-holed for musketry, and the courthouse
yard defended by a strong wall of oak timber. He at once
demanded the surrender, but Colonel Simpson, the Federal commander,
asked an hour's time for consideration. Imboden offered five minutes,
to which was replied, "Take me if you can." The artillery was at once
opened at a distance of two hundred yards, and in a few minutes the
Federals were driven into the streets, flying towards Harpers Ferry.
They had, however, proceeded but a short distance before they
were met by the 18th Virginia cavalry and Gilmore's battalions,
and forced to surrender. The regiment thus made prisoners was
the 9th Maryland infantry. The colonel and a half dozen others, being
mounted, made their escape to Harpers Ferry. General Imboden now
returned up the Valley and sent his prisoners on to Richmond. This,
with the exception of the engagements at Rappahannock Bridge and
Germania Ford, ended the operations in Virginia for the third year.
Late in the fall the "On to Richmond" cry had been renewed throughout
the North, but active operations were deferred until the spring of
1864.

THE GREATEST CAMPAIGN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

On the morning of the 9th of March, 1864, General Grant was commissioned
Commander-in-Chief of the Federal army, which on the 1st of
May numbered 662,345 men. This chieftain could boast a phenomenal
career. An ex-officer of the United States who had been cashiered for
drunkenness, at the opening of the war he was an obscure and improvident
tanner at Galena, Illinois. Appointed to the command of a regiment
from that State, his promotion had been rapid, and through the
unstinted praise of the Northern press he had been elevated in the fitful
minds of that people into a hero of the first magnitude. It was, consequently,
their sanguine expectation that the recent disasters to the Federal
arms under McClellan, Burnside and Hooker, would be speedily retrieved,
and that the victorious Stars and Stripes would soon float above
the doomed dome of the Confederate Capitol. They had forgotten that
the ragged Army of Northern Virginia still lay between them and the
last proud consummation.

Before entering upon the history of this, the most momentous campaign
recorded in the annals of the American continent, let us consider
for a moment the two armies which were to play the prominent parts in
the grand drama.

During the winter of 1863-4 they lay confronting each other on the
banks of the Rapidan—the Federals on the North and the Confederates
on the South. In April the new commander of the Army of the Potomac
re-formed that body into three corps, and re-distributed the troops
before composing the 1st and 3d corps. Hancock was placed in command
of the 2d; Warren of the 5th and Sedgwick of the 6th. The
entire force numbered 140,000 men. To oppose this mighty army was
that of the Army of Northern Virginia, which now had been reduced to
60,000 men. It, too, consisted of three corps, under the command of
Ewell, Hill, and Longstreet, respectively; and at the time of the Federal
advance, that of the first named lay upon the banks of the Rapidan, the
second at Orange Court House, and the third at Gordonsville.

The early days of May witnessed the beginning of the memorable campaign.
On the 4th, orders were given for an advance, and the same day
the Federal army moved southward from Culpeper Court House, and
on the 5th passed the Rapidan at Ely's and Germania fords, with
Burnside's division in the lead, and the

BATTLES OF THE WILDERNESS

At once began. An attempt was made to turn the right flank of Lee's
army. The divisions of Heth and Wilcox withstood the assault during

CONFEDERATE STATES SEAL

the entire day, and successfully too, as even the Northern accounts admit.
No shouts of victory echoed through the Wilderness that night.

Late in the evening Hancock's corps moved forward and took a position
on the left of the Federal army. At 5 o'clock the next morning
(the 6th) the second day's fighting was begun by Hill's and Longstreet's
corps attacking both flanks of Hancock's position, which in a short time
were turned and forced back. The fighting now became general and
continued throughout the day, which closed with a charge by one of
Lee's columns and the capture of General Seymour and a large portion
of his brigade. Grant's loss was more than 20,000, of which 5,000 were
prisoners. Lee had lost 10,000. This is an appalling aggregate, considering
that it was a mere incidental engagement, in which the employment
of artillery was precluded and strategic maneuver impracticable.
The Federal General Wadsworth had been killed and General Longstreet
was severely wounded. Such were the first two battles of the
Wilderness, the results of which the facts prove to have been in favor
of the Confederates. At the North, however, it was claimed that the
advantage was with the Federal army.

BATTLES OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE.

On the 7th, Grant moved slowly toward Spottsylvania Court House,
where his army arrived late that evening, and on the next day, the 8th,
was fought the first in this locally designated series of battles. The
first engagement took place between Longstreet's corps, commanded by
Anderson, and the Federal 5th corps, under Warren, who was supported
by cavalry. The Federals were repulsed with heavy loss.

On the 9th heavy skirmishing was kept up throughout the day, but
there was no general engagement. What may be regarded as the great
battle took place on Thursday, the 12th, and for long weary hours it
continued. It was a furious and dead-lock conflict. The ceaseless roar
of artillery and rattle of musketry continued from early dawn until the
darkness of night put an end to the contest. An intelligent writer, who
was upon the field and an eye-witness of the terribly sublime scene, says:
"It would not be impossible to match the results of any one day's battle
with stories from the wars of the old world; but never, we should
think, in the history of man, were five such battles as these compressed
into six days." The loss on either side was 10,000, and neither gained
any advantage.

On the 14th, Grant moved his lines by his left flank, taking a position
nearer the Richmond & Fredericksburg railroad; and here he once
more assaulted Ewell's line, but was easily repulsed. It was claimed
by the Federals that it was but an effort to turn Lee's left flank and not
intended as an attack. On the 19th and the 20th, the two armies moved

parallel to each other, and on the 21st, Grant's forces took a position at
Milford Station and Bowling Green, with the Army of Northern Virginia
in his front toward Richmond. During the 23d and the 25th, he
made several futile assaults upon Lee's lines. He had now but one alternative,
and that was to move his army around from the North Anna,
and beyond the Pamunkey. This he did, and on the 27th his advance,
under Sheridan, occupied Hanovertown on the Pamunkey, 15 miles
north-east of Richmond, but here again the movement was intercepted
by Lee. Grant, now despairing of reaching Richmond from that point,
turned away to his right, and on the 1st day of June took up his position
near Cold Harbor. This was the nearest point to the Capital City
yet reached.

BATTLE OF THE CHICKAHOMINY, OR COLD HARBOR.

Grant once more determined to try the strength of Lee's lines. On the
morning of the 3d of June, which dawned with a drizzling rain, as
soon as it was light enough to see, the word was given, and the
commands of Barlow and Gibbon, of Hancock's corps, advanced against
the outer Confederate line, which was held by the division of General
Breckinridge. It was at once forced back, but the reverse was only
momentary, for Milligan's brigade and the Maryland battalion immediately
dashed forward and retrieved the lost position, driving the Federals
back with frightful loss. Wright and Smith both charged the lines,
but met with no better fortune than Barlow and Gibbon. Many of the
best officers of these commands were killed. The Federals were repulsed
at every point, and Grant's object—a knowledge of the strength
of Lee's lines—was attained. The battle lasted but forty minutes, but in
that time the Federal loss was 7,000, while that of the Confederate was
only 3,000.

GRANT MOVES TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE JAMES.

Cold Harbor was the last pitched battle of the campaign north of the
James. Grant deciding that the "On to Richmond" route was not
from the direction of the Potomac, but from the opposite point, accordingly
put his army in motion, and after a march of fifty-five miles over
the sandy roads of the Chickahominy, on the 15th reached the bank of
the James at City Point, sixty miles below Richmond, and three days
later his rear guards passed beyond that river. Lee made no resistance
to this movement, but leisurely fell back to Richmond.

The Federal army had been from the 5th of May to the 15th of June—
forty-five days—in its marching from the Rapidan to the James; and
during that time had fought the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania

Court House, North Anna, and Cold Harbor. At the time that
Grant reached the James his official reports show that he had lost 54,551
men, of whom 7,289 were killed, 37,406 wounded, and 9,856 missing.
Lee had lost 32,000 men, of whom 8,500 were prisoners. He entered
Richmond with 58,000 troops, while Grant crossed the James with
150,000, including those of Butler's command. Here is presented by
the Virginia Army one among the most remarkable achievements in
the history of wars. For a period of forty-five days that little army
stood face to face with one nearly three times as great as itself, then
necessitating it to a cautious and circuitous progress, as in the arc of a
circle, radiating fifty miles from Richmond, and finally compelling it to
cross the James sixty miles below its objective point.

HUNTER CAPTURES STAUNTON.

We must now turn away from the theater of war around Richmond
and notice for a moment the operations in the Shenandoah Valley. A
part of Grant's plan was a joint movement up the Shenandoah under
Siegel, and up the Kanawha under Crook, their objective points being
Staunton and Lynchburg.

Accordingly, on the 1st of May, Siegel moved up the valley with a
force of 10,000 men, but was met on the 15th, at New Market, by the
Confederate General Breckinridge and signally routed with the loss of
700 men, 6 pieces of artillery and 1,000 small arms.

Crook was moving easterly from Charleston, on the Great Kanawha,
and on the waters of New river he divided his force, sending Averill
with 2,000 cavalry to destroy the coal mines at Wytheville, while he
advanced further to the north. Averill was met on the 10th by a cavalry
force under Morgan and defeated. Crook with a force of 6,000
men moved on toward Dublin Depot, and there repelled an attack, but
with the loss of 700 killed and wounded.

Siegel was now relieved of the command, and was succeeded by Hunter,
who at once took the offensive, Breckinridge having in the meantime
joined Lee. Hunter met the Confederate force at Piedmont on the
5th of June and completely routed it, taking 1,500 prisoners, three guns
and 3,000 small arms. He then advanced on Staunton, where he was
joined by Crook and Averill, augmenting his force to 20,000. He then
moved by way of Lexington toward Lynchburg. Lee foreseeing the
inevitable disasters to result upon a capture of that place, sent a strong
force to its relief, forcing the retreat of Hunter on the 18th of June.
Hotly pursued, Hunter followed the railroad westward to Salem, and
thence through Newcastle toward Meadow Bluff. Thus failed the plans
of Grant from the west as they had done from the east.

THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG.

Petersburg is twenty-two miles south of Richmond and nine miles
south-west of City Point, and was during the war one of the greatest
railroad centers of the South: the Richmond & Petersburg railroad
entered it from the north, and the Weldon or Roanoke road from the
south, while the Lynchburg or Southside Road came in from the west.
Over these lines came the supplies for Richmond, and Grant, without
losing a single moment after crossing the river, attempted the capture of
the place; but, being disappointed in that, his operations necessarily
assumed the features of a siege, knowing, as he did, that upon the capture
of Petersburg, depended the reduction of Richmond. The Confederate
authorities were fully cognizant of the momentous issue, and to
the raw troops and militia now put under arms for the defense of the
"Cockade City," General Wise addressed a memorable and thrilling
order: "Petersburg," said he, "is to be and shall be defended on her
outer walls, on her inner lines, at her corporation bounds, in every
street, and around every temple of God, and altar of man."

But the gallant little city was now to be put to a much more severe
test than any which it had hitherto experienced. It was now to bear
the brunt of the bulk of the mighty besieging army which bore upon it
like an avalanche. Butler was ordered by Grant to send Smith's
division forward, and at the same time informed that the entire Army
of the Potomac would be moved forward as rapidly as possible. Smith,
on the morning of the 14th, landed at Bermuda Hundred, but did not
get ready to make the attack until near sunset; then, with a portion
only of his command, he made the attack, and at 7 P. M. succeeded in
carrying the outer line of works on the north-east of the city, capturing
fifteen guns and 300 prisoners. Night came on and the moon was
shining brightly, when at 9 o'clock Hancock, with two divisions of the
2d corps, reached Smith, and, waiving his precedence in rank, tendered
to him the service of his troops. Smith declined the offer, but
requested Hancock to hold the captured works.

Another terrible assault was now made on the batteries from nine to
twelve inclusive, which were defended by the division of General Hoke,
whose heroic troops, after having repulsed three successive assaults,
charged over their works and compelled a large portion of one of Smith's
brigades to take shelter in a ravine, where they surrendered to the 64th
Georgia regiment.

The engagement continued throughout Friday, the 17th, without decisive
results. On the 18th an attack was made along the entire line,
and during the day three desperate assaults were made—one at four in
the morning, another at noon, and a third at four in the afternoon.
Each was repulsed, and the attack finally abandoned. Grant's loss in
the four days before Petersburg was 9,000 killed and wounded. He,

concluding that it was impossible to carry the works by direct assault,
determined to resort to "mining," a plan which had worked so admirably
at Balaklava and Inkerman Valley during the war of the Crimea.

THE MINE.

The mine, though not devised by Meade, was approved of by him and
a majority of the corps commanders. The work was performed by one
of Burnside's regiments, who had been Pennsylvania miners. It consisted
of a main shaft five feet across and five hundred and twenty
feet long, with lateral continuations extending forty feet in either direction.
The work began on the 25th of June, and was completed on
the 23d of July. The charge placed in it consisted of 8,000 pounds of
giant powder.

The explosion was to take place at half-past 3 o'clock A. M. of the
30th of July, and at the same instant Burnside's division was to rush
through the breach thus created and seize the works on Cemetery Hill;
General Warren was to support him on the right and Ord on the left—
the charging columns to consist of 50,000 men.

At the appointed time the fuse was lighted but the explosion did not
take place. Then Lieutenant Douty and Sergeant Rees entered the
mine and found the fuse separated within fifty feet of the magazine;
the damage was repaired, and they had barely time to escape when the
awful explosion took place. The charging columns rushed forward, and
behind them opened ninety-five pieces of heavy artillery. But the Confederates
were not dismayed, and in a few minutes their own batteries
were replying. On came the rushing columns, furiously assaulting the
second line of works, but behind them were men who had never flinched
from death, which they had faced on many a gory field, and who were
not now to be dismayed by the explosion of mines and the thunder of
artillery. The Federal advance was led by a brigade of negro troops
under the command of General White, who, appalled by the deadly fire,
rushed panic-stricken back through the lines of the white troops to the
rear. Terrible carnage ensued, and it is doubtful whether all the circumstantial
horrors of war were ever before displayed in such awful
intensity on any field. At last came the orders to the Federals to fall
back and re-occupy their former position. That order was obeyed with
alacrity, and thus failed the monstrous device by which it had been
hoped access would have been opened to the now famous "outpost" of
Richmond. The Federal loss was 4,000, of whom 1,900 were prisoners.
That of the Confederates was given in detail thus: Mahone's division,
450; Elliott's South Carolina brigade, which was blown up by the mine,
300; and Ransom's, Clingman's and Wise's commands, 300.

OPERATIONS IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

We must now leave Grant engaged in the investment of Petersburg,
and notice briefly the operations in the Shenandoah Valley. During
the summer of 1864, several offensive movements were planned, and
chief among them was Early's invasion of Maryland. After the retreat
of Hunter from Lynchburg, the way was left open, and Early accordingly
moved with his entire force — about 20,000—up the Valley, and
driving Siegel from Martinsburg, occupied that town. A few days later,
Early crossed the Potomac, entered Maryland, and halted at Frederick
City. At Monocacy Bridge, four miles thence, he defeated and put to
rout a considerable Federal force. Instead of pursuing them, he proceeded
by rapid marches toward Washington and Baltimore, collecting
the horses and cattle along his line of march. The Federal Capital was
now in imminent peril, and it is claimed had Early improved the opportunity,
he might have occupied the city. But instead of riding into
Washington, he dispersed his army in detachments, which were sent
about the country to destroy telegraph lines and intercept trains. Thus,
perhaps, passed the great opportunity of 1864. Re-uniting his forces at
Hagerstown, he re-crossed into Virginia, bringing with him 5,000 horses
and 2,000 beef cattle. Martinsburg was re-occupied, and from thence
he sent General John McCausland with a cavalry force into Pennsylvania.
It penetrated as far as Chambersburg in that State. The town
was fired and a considerable portion of it burned.

DESOLATION OF THE VALLEY.

On the 7th of August, Hunter resigned, and the command of the
Federal force in the Valley was given to General Sheridan. He at
once prepared for an aggressive campaign, but before any move was
made he was visited by Grant (September 15th), and between the two
the destruction of the section known as the "Garden of Virginia" was planned.
The Commander-in-Chief then returned to his position at Petersburg.

THE BATTLE OF OPEQUAN CREEK.

On the 19th the two armies met at Opequan creek, and after a hard
fought battle, lasting several hours, the Confederates were forced to retreat.
The Federal loss was 4,990, of whom 653 were killed, 3,719
wounded, and 618 missing. That of the Confederates was 5,000. Early
fell back twelve miles to Fishers Hill, where he was again attacked by
superior numbers and compelled to retreat toward Staunton, and Sheridan
proceeded to carry out Grant's orders respecting the devastation of
the Valley. His cavalry spread over its entire extent, and in its wake
destruction reigned supreme. Nowhere in the New World had such

vandalism been witnessed. At the end of three weeks, Sheridan sent
the following report to Washington:

"The whole country, from the Blue Ridge to the North Mountain, has
been rendered untenable for a rebel army. I have destroyed over 2,000
barns filled with wheat and hay and farming implements, over 70 mills
filled with flour and wheat. I have driven to the front of the army over
4,000 head of stock, have killed and issued to the troops not less than
3,000 sheep. A large number of horses have also been obtained."

BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK.

After the battle of Fishers Hill it became evident that General Early
had not a sufficient force with which to cope with Sheridan, and accordingly
General Lee sent Kershaw's division to reinforce him. Sheridan,
after having laid waste the Valley, rested his army on the south bank
of Cedar Creek, a small stream which forms the boundary line between
Shenandoah and Frederick counties, and repaired to Washington to consult
with the Secretary of War with reference to the transfer of the 6th
corps to that city.

On the night of the 18th of October, General Early determined to attack
the Federal position during the absence of Sheridan, and under
cover of the darkness, he marched his army out from Fishers Hill (to
which place he had returned and taken position after being joined by
Kershaw), and in order to flank the Federal lines, it was necessary to
move the larger column through a narrow gap in the mountains, so narrow,
in fact, that two men could not walk abreast. The marching, for
more than seven miles over a broken country, along mountain sides and
down hills so abrupt that horses could scarcely travel, occupied almost
the entire night, and it was near daybreak before a position in front of
the Federal lines was attained.

But all was upon time; everything had been conducted with the
utmost secrecy, and not even a picket alarm had been given. Orders to
attack were given, and with Payne's division in the lead, a charge across
the creek was made, Sheridan's head-quarters being the objective point.
The infantry followed rapidly on, Gordon's division following Payne,
with that of Pegram in reserve. A terrible fire was opened from all
points. It was a fearful surprise to the sleeping army, the 8th and 19th
corps of which were entirely routed, and retreating left many hundreds
slain in the camps; and 1,500 prisoners, 18 pieces of artillery, 2,000
stand of small arms, and several hundred wagons fell into the hands of
the Confederates. Fully two thirds of Sheridan's army was in rapid retreat,
but the 6th corps and the cavalry commanded by Generals Torbert,
Merrit and Dwight had not yet been engaged. At 9 o'clock A. M. the
field had been won, and had the victorious troops now pressed on and

struck the 6th corps, Sheridan's army would have been involved in utter
ruin. But instead, Early's force, for some unknown cause, halted on the
field and allowed the Federals to form a new line near Middletown. At
10 o'clock A. M. Sheridan had completed his famous "Ride from Winchester,"
and at 3 o'clock P. M. assumed the offensive, and moving forward,
vigorously and successfully assaulted Early. Gordon's division
was the first to break, then followed Kershaw's, and later Ramseur's.
Soon after, Wharton's and Pegram's lines gave way, and the field was
soon covered with flying men. It was a shameful rout. Never before
had the Confederate soldiery so behaved. Their loss was 3,500 killed
and wounded, and 2,500 prisoners, while that of the Federals was 4,990,
of whom 653 were killed, 3,719 wounded, and 618 missing.

AROUND PETERSBURG.

We must now return to the theater of war around Petersburg. On
the 1st of August, Grant had 85,295 men present for duty. On the
same day Lee's force numbered 54,751, reduced from 60,000 by his having
sent Kershaw's brigade to Early in the Valley. On the 12th, Grant,
believing that Lee had sent three divisions instead of one to the Valley,
determined to assail Richmond, and for this purpose, Hancock's corps
embarked on the James and landed at Deep Bottom, whence it advanced
toward Richmond. But it was not long ere it was learned that
three divisions had not gone to the assistance of Early. One important
advantage was gained, however—Hancock's northward movement, which
resulted in the

CAPTURE AND DESTRUCTION OF THE WELDON RAILROAD.

When General Lee became aware of the position of the Federals on
the north bank of the James, he drew the troops heavily from Petersburg
to the defense of Richmond, and on the 18th, the 5th corps under
Warren moved south of Petersburg and struck the Weldon railroad
only four miles south of the city. In doing this a gap was left open on
his right and into it Lee at once thrust Mahone's division, which succeeded
in forcing Wright farther south, and in capturing 2,000 prisoners,
but it was finally obliged to fall back. The next day another serious
engagement took place, but Warren held his position, and in three days
succeeded in destroying seven miles of the road, but it cost him a loss of
4,543 men. From this date until the close of the year, a continued
series of engagements, sorties, raids, advances and retreats took place,
a recountal of which is not necessary to our plan, and would from their
similarity of detail scarcely interest the reader. Therefore we proceed
to the consideration of the momentous events of 1865, which was.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

Winter put an end to all military operations, and both armies lay inactive
awaiting the opening of the spring campaign, which commenced
with the 25th of March, 1865. The first action was that of Fort Stedman
or Hares Hill. At four o'clock on the morning of that day, all
things being in readiness, a body of Confederate sharpshooters, 250 in
number, with empty guns left their own works and stealthily moving
across the intervening space, scaled the outer works of the enemy. It
was to the Federals as great a surprise as would have been a clap of
thunder from a noonday sky. They were driven from their batteries,
and yet not a musket was fired. This movement was followed by that
of several brigades which had been massed for the purpose. The
Federals having recovered from the surprise occasioned by the daring
adventure recited, now opened a murderous enfilading fire upon the
assailants, and soon General Gordon found it judicious to retire. In
the assault, the Confederates captured nine pieces of artillery, but being
unable to remove them, they were disabled and left behind; also,
550 prisoners among whom was one brigadier-general and several field
officers of lower rank.

This action seemed to arouse Grant to the realization that it was time
to open the campaign, and on the 29th he began a heavy movement
against the Southside railroad. Pouring forth 50,000 men, of whom
9,000 were cavalry, he succeeded after several reverses in the accomplishment
of his object. Saturday night, April 1st, was a gloomy one
for General Lee.

The Federal forces had now passed around to the south-west of his
position, thus cutting off not only his source of supplies, but also his line
of march southward, should he be compelled to abandon his works. Not
only this, but three Federal corps lay before him ready to strike the
Petersburg defenses at daylight.

The hour came, and at sunrise on that balmy Sabbath morning the
attack was made from three separate points. The 6th corps went
though first, at a point nearly opposite the western extremity of the city;
a little farther west was the point of attack of the 24th corps; while to the
east was that of the 9th corps, which succeeded in carrying Fort Mahone,
one of the strongest defences of the city. Ord's and Humphrey's
commands having carried the works in front of them, swung around to
the right and joined Gibbon's division before Forts Alexander and Gregg:
these were the strongest fortifications south of Petersburg, and with their
reduction the way to the city would be opened. The assault was at once
made, and Fort Alexander carried, but so determined was the resistance
of Fort Gregg that Gibbon's columns were forced back, leaving the
ground covered with the dead. Three furious charges were signally repulsed,

TOMB OF EX-PRESIDENT MONROE,

Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va.

but at length the gallant garrison, with smoke-blackened faces
from their blazing batteries, was forced to yield, and the works were
carried.

At this moment, Generals Lee, Hill and Mahone were in Petersburg
consulting upon their future movements. The terrible sounds of battle
were coming nearer and nearer. "How is this, General?" said Lee to
A. P. Hill. "Your men are giving way." Hill drew a rough coat over
his uniform and mounting his horse, accompanied by a single orderly,
dashed away to the front. In a ravine he rode into the Federal skirmish
line, the sound of a dozen rifles instantly rang out upon the air, and the
noble Hill, who had been foremost in so many victorious charges, fell to
rise no more. (A sketch of his life will be found in the first volume
of Virginia and Virginians.)

The day waned and with it the fortunes of the Confederate arms;
the works were carried after thousands of men had fallen in their defence.
But how different was the scene in Richmond, twenty-two miles away!
It was a beautiful, balmy spring evening, and the people had gathered
in their respective churches for worship. President Davis was seated in
his pew in St. Paul's Church. A messenger walked briskly up the aisle
and handed him a telegram: it was from General Lee, and in it he said:
"Petersburg is lost to the Confederacy, and Richmond must be evacuated
at once." The President arose immediately and left the church with a
measured but nervous step. No one save himself knew the exact contents
of that message, and yet every one in the assemblage intuitively
felt that something of dread import had taken place at the front. Quivering
lips passed the news from church to church, and the congregations
were speedily dismissed; then the rumor was caught up in the streets
and soon carried to the remote limits of the city.

EVACUATION OF RICHMOND.

Night passed away, and the day brought such a scene as had only been
witnessed in the abandoned cities of the Old World. A government
was preparing to move; wagons were hastily laden with boxes and
trunks at the departments, and driven to the depot of the Richmond &
Danville railroad. Thousands of citizens determined to follow the fortunes
of the fugitive government, and as much as a hundred dollars in
gold was offered for a conveyance. Night came again and brought with
it a reign of terror. No human eyes in Richmond were closed in sleep
that night. The city council convened and resolved to destroy all the
liquor in the city, and at midnight the work of destruction began. Hundreds
of barrels were poured into the gutters, but despite every effort
the straggling soldiers secured a quantity of it, and from that moment
law and order ceased to exist. Many stores were pillaged, the lawless
marauders crashing windows and battering down doors, that they might

grasp the coveted merchandise within. Wild cries of distress mingled
with the yells of the pillagers rent the air and a livid pallor rested upon
every face.

But the worst element of destruction had not yet appeared upon the
scene, although it hovered near. General Ewell, then in charge of the city,
now ordered the four principal tobacco warehouses in the city to be fired.
Mayor Mayo, through a committee of citizens, remonstrated against the
order, the execution of which placed the entire business portion of the
city in jeopardy, but without avail. The torch was applied, and the
rams of the Confederate navy lying in the James were blown up. Daylight
dawned upon the awful scene. The beautiful city was a sea of
fire; tongues of flame shot from block to block, and far in beneath the
dense columns of smoke might be seen the figures of the rioters rushing
amid the glare like demons to and fro, laden with plunder of every
kind. It was a scene indeed that beggared description.

The victors were near. A short distance below the city, and on the
north bank of the James, lay the division of General Godfrey Weitzel,
and to his eye and ear the lurid flames and thundering explosions conveyed
an assuring conviction. He knew that Richmond had been
abandoned by the Confederate authorities. His martial bands filled the
air with inspiring national strains, and as the day dawned orders were
given to advance and occupy the city. As the sun arose long lines of
cavalry—the 4th Massachusetts in advance—entered the city and filed
along Main street. A body of fifty cavalrymen occupied the city square,
and Lieutenant Johnson de Peyster ascended to the top of the Capitol
building and unfurled the National flag. The dread scene deepened in
awful intensity; the hissing of the conflagration, the sullen curses of
the vanquished, the shouts of the victors, the screams of women and
children united to form a very pandemonium. But at last, through the
efforts of the soldiers and citizens, assisted by a favorable change of the
wind, the flames were stayed. Martial law was proclaimed, the discordant
elements stilled, and order once more reigned.

FROM RICHMOND TO APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE.

It was a dark and moonless night when Lee withdrew the wreck of
his shattered army from Petersburg and Richmond. Orders had been
issued for the forces to unite at Chesterfield Court House, a point nearly
midway between the two cities. From this point it was his intention,
it appears, to reach Danville and form a junction with Johnston, who
was then marching northward; but a terrible disappointment awaited the
army at Amelia Court House. The orders of General Lee for the forwarding
of supplies thither from Danville had been shamefully neglected,
and with this bitter revelation all hope vanished; capitulation

was inevitable to the sorrowful mind of Lee, as it was to his meager and
starving army, the loved cause for which they had so heroically striven
for four long and weary years must be relinquished. No orders were
given relating to straggling, and of the 38,000 who started on the march,
thousands in soulful mortification abandoned the ranks. Especially was
this true of Virginians, who stopped at home rather than go on to participate
in the final bitter surrender.

Grant's forces followed on in rapid pursuit, and at Jetersville, the
cavalry under Sheridan, passed in front of the fugitive army. But now
the soil of the "Old Dominion" so long reddened with the life-blood of
her sons, is to bloom again; her hills and valleys which erst have quaked
with the reverberation of arms are to be re-attuned to nature's peaceful
music; the bugle blast of war is to be stilled; and her patriot sons, unsurpassed
as soldiers, are equally to vindicate themselves as citizens. It
was late on the evening of the 6th that several of the Confederate generals
gathered around the bivouac fire, and then decided in view of the
state of affairs to advise General Lee to surrender, but before their
action was reported a correspondence was opened between Generals
Lee and Grant, which resulted in an interview and arrangement of
the terms of surrender. After the meeting, which occurred at the house
of Wilmer McLean, in the little village of Appomattox Court House,
Grant wrote as follows:

To this General Lee replied:

The futile struggle was ended. General Lee rejoined his ragged and
shrunken army to bid it a sad farewell. In that memorable address he
touchingly said: "Men! we have fought through the war together. I
have done the best I could for you." And grandly indeed had the
simple utterance been attested! It was a magnificent pageant from the
Chickahominy to the final act at Appomattox Court House; sublime in
its realization of valor, endurance, and patriotism. Freedom records no
sacrifices surpassing it in magnitude. And the grand hero, Lee, reillumining
the lustrous diadem of his mother Virginia, is jointly enshrined
in the reverential hearts of her sons with her Washington.

Crushingly overwhelmed, the starving army of Northern Virginia
laid down its arms, but its pitiful fate only invested with mournful incense
its heroism and sacrifices. Its achievements will increasingly command
the admiration of the world during all time.

The blighting effects of the war remained. The prophecy of Howell
Cobb, uttered in the Montgomery Convention, that the Gulf States
need have no fears, for Virginia would be made the theater of war, had
been terribly fulfilled. The iron hand was everywhere visible. Materially
and socially she had been shaken to her center. As a helmless wreck,
she was seemingly helpless amid furious elements. Her industrial system
blasted, her manufactures wrecked, her wealth dissipated, her commerce
destroyed, and her once bounteous fields, her sanctuaries and the
homes of her people alike a spectacle of desolation. A funereal pall of
darkest gloom overspread and all but paralyzed the present, whilst the
dread uncertainty of the fateful future almost held hope even in chained
abeyance. But the oft-tried and as nobly exemplified spirit of the Old
Dominion again asserted itself. Her brave sons, accepting the stern
ultimatum, girded themselves about with newly-born energies and united
in the effort of reparation. Gloriously have they redeemed their misfortunes,
and righteous is the result. With grandly waxing strength,
marvelously developing natural resources and expanding wealth, her
unapproachable geographical advantages are enforcing recognition. Disdaining
the grinding shackles of arrogant and arid New England;
endeared to the great South as the votive shrine upon which was

sacrificed its best blood, Virginia is firmly grasping the scepter of
manufacture, fast withering in the palsied hands of the late arrogant
North.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL VIEW.

The Virginias lie between north latitude 36° 30′ and 39° 30′, and
1° 36′ east, and 6° 24′ west longitude, and their boundaries are as follows:
On the north, by Pennsylvania and Maryland; north-east and
east, by Maryland and the Atlantic Ocean; south, by North Carolina
and Tennessee; west and north-west, by Kentucky and Ohio, or by the
Ohio river, which flows for a distance of 300 miles along its western
boundary. A legal description of the dividing line, separating the two
States, would read about as follows: Beginning at the mouth of Knox
creek, a corner of the States of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia,
and thence with a line of and including the counties of McDowell and
Mercer, to the top of East River Mountain; thence with said ridge and
with Peters Mountain to the Alleghany Mountains; thence with the
top of the same to the Haystack Knob, a corner of Virginia and West
Virginia; thence with the southern line of and including Pendleton
county to the top of Shenandoah Mountains; thence with the same and
Branch Mountain to a corner of Hardy and Rockingham counties;
thence with lines of and including the counties of Hardy, Hampshire,
Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson, to a point on the Maryland and Virginia
line where the Potomac river intersects the Blue Ridge.

The States may be divided into four distinct physical regions: First,
the tide-water region; second, the Piedmont region; third, the great
valley region; and, fourth, the trans-Alleghany region.

The tide-water region embraces all that portion of the State lying
between the coast and a line drawn through the cities of Petersburg,
Richmond and Fredericksburg, which are situated near the lower falls
of the Appomattox, the James and the Rappahannock rivers, respectively.
This line extended would mark a point at which all the Atlantic
rivers of Virginia leap from the granite base on which stands the whole
Appalachian mountain system. Through this region flow many navigable
rivers, and into it extend numerous coves and inlets, either from
Chesapeake Bay or from the ocean; around them are extensive areas of
swamp land. The surface is nearly level, the undulations being so
gentle that the currents of the rivers are scarcely perceptible. The soil
is moist and sandy, of an alluvial formation, closely resembling that of
the Floridian peninsula. The climate during the winter is mild and
pleasant, but during the summer it is sultry and malarious.

The Piedmont (foot of the mountains) region extends from the western

SCENE ON THE UPPER POTOMAC.

limit of the former region to the summit of the Blue Ridge mountains,
and extends entirely across the State from north to south. The
soil, near the head of tide-water, is sandy, but as we approach the base
of the mountains a clay soil of great fertility is found; and here, for
the first time on the Atlantic coast, appear the primordial rocks, the
disintegration of which has added much to the richness of the soil.
Springs, with never-failing sources, gush out in every direction. Valuable
minerals abound, and deposits of limestone sufficient to supply
Christendom with lime for ages to come, lie at a short distance beneath
the surface. Its climate is temperate throughout the year, and as
healthy as any in the world.

The great valley region includes all the country lying between the
Blue Ridge on the one side and the Alleghany on the other. It is known
under the name of the Shenandoah Valley, and from the fertility of its
soil has been called "The Garden of Virginia." It is the central part
of the great valley which is co-extensive with the Alleghany range, that
part of it south of Virginia being called the Cumberland Valley.
Geologists trace it far north, even to the banks of the Mohawk river,
in New York. They inform us that it belongs to the Silurian formation,
which would place it directly on top of the Azoic and beneath the
Devonian formations. There are several varieties of slate, sandstone
and conglomerates; limestone also abounds. Many beautiful streams
flow through the valley, but owing to the absence of springs the country
is not well watered. The summer is cool and pleasant, but the winter
is cold and damp.

The trans-Alleghany region embraces all the country lying between
the Alleghany mountains and the Ohio river, and includes the entire
State of West Virginia. To describe it would be to describe the State.
In the east it is mountainous, while in the center are beautiful ranges of
hills, the termini of the western spurs of the Alleghanies, and in the
west lies the fertile region of the Ohio Valley, much of which, for its
fertility, is not excelled on the continent. This entire region may be
said to be one vast coal-field, its area being 23,000 square miles, of
which 15,000 is underlaid with the richest veins of coal. Only three
States outrank this region in the extent of its coal deposits, namely:
Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.

Over this entire region stand, in almost primeval grandeur, vast
forests, sufficient to furnish timber for the ship yards of the world for
years to come. Ages of the most active industry will not exhaust the
coal and timber of this region. It is here that the traveler beholds the
grandest scenery in America, and lofty mountains, craggy peaks, frowning
precipices, rock-ribbed cañons, rushing torrents, and roaring cataracts
meet the eye of the beholder.