Copy of a letter written by the late Colo- Lewis ordered out his brother Col. Charles nel Andrew Lewis,* of Montgomery county, Lewis with three hundred men, expecting Virginia, to the author of the preceding Me- as the spies had made no discovery of the moir from the original communicated to me approach of the Indians, that it was a small together with the Memoir, and now in my party, as small parties had been frequently possession. seen watching the movements of the army, "Sir, your letter of the 27th March, I re- from the time it marched from the Savannah. ceived a few days ago. The extract you Col. Christian with his command arrived at mention did not come to hand, which I am the camp Point Pleasant on the night of the sorry for. The whole proceeding relative same day of the action. Col. Charles Lewis to the campaign of 1774 was familiar to me had but just passed the out-guard when [he some years past, but no doubt some of it met] the Indians and about sun-rise the acmay now escape my memory. So far as I tion commenced and was one constant peal can recollect I will give you. Governor of firing until about eleven o'clock in the Dunmore, a Scotchman, was the commander- day, when the Indians began to give way. in-chief. My father, General Andrew Lewis, Their retreat was not more than three miles, had the command of all the troops from this when night ended the conflict. They were quarter. Col. Charles Lewis commanded obliged to keep it up until night to get their the Augusta troops; Col. William Fleming wounded off. The number of Indians found the Botetourt troops; Col. William Chris- dead on the battle-ground was between twentian the Montgomery troops; all of which ty and thirty. They were discovered throwwere to rendezvous at what was then called ing their dead into the Ohio all the day. the Big Savannah, at or near the place where Col. Charles Lewis was wounded early in Lewisburg now stands [in] Greenbrier. My the action, but did not let his wound be father and three of my brothers were in the ac-known until he got his line of battle extended tion. John Lewis, his eldest son, command- from the bank of the Ohio to Crooked creek, ed a company; Samuel and Thomas were a branch of Kanawha. He then asked one privates. While encamped at the Savannah, of his soldiers to let him lean on him to the General Lewis received orders from Dun- camp, and died about twelve o'clock. He had more to meet him at Point Pleasant on the been a very fortunate Indian hunter and was 2nd day of October. Col. Christian's troops much lamented. Whether the killed of the had not arrived at the place of rendezvous Indians were buried or not I cannot say. Col. early enough for my father to comply with John Stewart, late of Greenbrier, who comhis orders. He therefore was compelled to manded a company, and was in the action, leave Christian's command, with orders for wrote a narrative of the expedition, the best Christian to march on as soon as possible to which I have seen. I think I had it, but canPoint Pleasant, as soon as his troops arrived. not lay my hands on it. In his narrative, as General Lewis arrived at Point Pleasant as well as every other account, every fifth man in well as I recollect, on the 2nd day of Oc- the army was killed or wounded, Col. Charles tober, at which place Dunmore never ap- Lewis killed, Col. William Fleming wounded peared. My father's force was then from severely, Capt. Robert McClanahan killed, 1000 to 1200 men. The spies were out Capt. Thomas Buford do., John F——— do., from the 2nd of October and made no dis- Col. Fields do., Samuel Lewis wounded slightcovery of the enemy. On the morning of ly, General Lewis had to erect a fort immethe 10th day, of October, before day, two diately at the junction of the Ohio and Kamen-a Mr. Robinson and another whose nawha for the protection of the wounded, name I have forgotten,-started from the en- the command of which was given to Capt. campment so as to get far enough from the Arbuckle with his company. All this time camp before it was daylight, to travel off the nothing was heard from Dunmore. So soon bells of the packhorses and bullocks, to hunt. as the wounded were thus protected, GenerThose two men fell in with the Indians up al Lewis crossed the Ohio and marched for the Ohio. One of them was killed; the the Scioto, where the Cornstalk lived, who other made his escape into camp. General was the king of the Shawnees. On Thursday the governor sent several expresses to * He died in 1844. VOL. XIV-4 General Lewis to return. All the army al-ernor after he left the encampment in Greenmost had lost relations,-the General a fa- briar. So soon as a fort was erected for the vorite brother. They could not be stopped. protection of the wounded, he crossed the After the battle the Indians immediately river and marched for the Scioto, where the ran to the Governor. After two or three ex- Shawnees then lived. You ask where the presses to stop the army, the governor came governor's head-quarters were on the day of himself with two or three Indians with him. battle. They were supposed to be ten or General Lewis had to double and tripple the twelve miles distant. General Lewis never guard over his marquee, to prevent the men did arrive at the Governor's head-quarters. from killing the governor and the Indians. There was no treaty made until the spring afThe whole force of the Indians was formed ter the battle when General Lewis held a on the bank of the Scioto, to give battle if treaty with the Indians that composed the the army could not be stopt. I do not know six nations, Shawnees, Delawares, Mingoes of any of the chiefs besides the Cornstalk, and others. In the treaty made by General but the Blue Jacket, a Shawnee chief, who Lewis with those nations, they were comwas known to be at the governor's camp on pelled to keep of their chiefs so many hosthe 9th of October, and in the battle on the tages at the fort Point Pleasant, and the Corn10th. On the day of battle, Dunmore and a stalk their king, while a hostage at the fort, Col. O'Connelly were walking together, after- was inhumanly butchered. The fort at first wards a noted tory. The governor observed was created merely for the protection of the to him that Lewis had hot work about that wounded, but by orders of the State it was time of day. He evidently intended Gene- thought proper to continue or keep it up for ral Lewis' army to be cut off and if you could the protection of the frontiers. I cannot say see Col. Stewart's narrative it would con- how long it was kept up. I was at Point vince you and every other man that the bat- Pleasant in the fall of 1784. There was but tle at Point Pleasant was the first blood shed little or no sign of the fort then to be seen. in the revolutionary war, and that it was the old Scotch villain's intention to cut off Lew Yours, ANDREW LEWIS. BROKEN LINKS FROM A RHYMER'S CHAIN. BY A. B. MEEK. I. is' army. Old Col. Shelby and his son, the late governor of Kentucky, were in the battle, but I know nothing, as I never heard that Shelby was sent to outflank the enemy. He was a fine officer, whatever he was told to do he would execute. The distance from the battle to Dunmore's camp probably ten or twelve miles. General Lewis was never ordered to cross the river, nor was there any treaty made until the spring after the battle. General Lewis held a treaty with them, in THE DEATH OF RICHARD HENRY WILDE. which they were bound to keep hostages of The harp that sang "the Summer Rose," their chiefs at the fort Point Pleasant, when In strains, so sweetly and so well, the Cornstalk in his capacity as a hostage That, soft as dews at evening's close, was inhumanly butchered. I have heard my The pure and liquid numbers fell, father often speak of his being the most dig- Is hushed and shattered! now, no more nified looking man, particularly in council, Its silvery chords their music pour; I am getting rusty in what But, crushed by an untimely blow, Both harp and flower in dust lie low! he ever saw. passed sixty-six years ago. Respectfully your ob't serv't, S. L. CAMPBELL, Esq., M. D. P. S.—SIR, I could not make a letter fully answer your request. You ask when did The bard-alas, I knew him well! General Lewis receive orders to cross the He caught the sweetest beams of rhyme,— river? He received no orders from the gov-'The TASSO of our Western clime! Fair daughter of Virginia!-the Autumn months Kind daughter of Virginia!-few days I've known again Have, 'mid their yellow sunshine, their foliage, fruit, and grain, Brought back the happy morning, when to the smiling skies, Like young and dewy blossoms, first oped thine in fant eyes; When friends, in joyous greeting, stood 'round with smile and tear, And hailed the cradled beauty, as a missioned Angel here; And now when bright fulfilment has crowned those early dreams, And again thy natal planet in diamond beauty beams, thee here, Yet, like redoubled sunshine, they've made thee loved and dear. I love thee for thy beauty, thine innocence and truth, Thy frank, confiding spirit, thy mind so bright in youth. For though a lonely stranger, from friends and home afar, Thy smiles have lit my pathway, like the beauty of a star! Then long as memory liveth, I shall recall, with pride, The fond and joyous moments I've lingered by thy side; I too would bring a tribute for one so fair and sweet, And ever on thy birth-day, my heart and harp And strew a poet's blessings, like flowers, beneath thy feet! would twine The roses of affection to decorate thy shrine ! III. THE SEA IN CALM AND STORM FOR MUSIC. In sunny cove and crescent dell, Lies lulled lies lulled! In sweet tranquillity. But now away, the waves are stirred, And echo back!-and echo back! An hour agone, upon the sea, The Sabbath of the seas! But now the storm, the mighty storm! IV. TWO YEARS AGO! Two years ago, Medora, I pledged my love to thee, By all life's fondest visions, and my soul's integrity; And thy gentle heart responded to the echoes of my own, And, like a wind-touched instrument, gave back affection's tone! Two years ago, Medora, in the soft moonlighted breeze, That swayed the dappled shadows beneath the cedar trees, What rapture, and what visions made either bosom warm As, with lips in love united, I pressed thy trembling form! Two years ago, Medora, I breathed a sad farewell, In those grouped and silent cedars, and the moon that 'round us fell; But we plighted vow and token,-"Fidelity through pain." Ah! dost thou not remember the ring we broke in twain? Two years have passed, Medora, and again my heart has come, Like the worn and weary Hebrew to his early hopes and home, But I find thee strangely altered, those trysting scenes forgot, That ring changed for another's, those vows remembered not! Two years! two years! Medora,-is this the life of love? Its winged and silver circle, the shortest star's above? Are breeze, and beam, and shadow, the emblems of its stay? And Hope, and Faith, and Feeling, the dreams of yesterday? Two years! alas, Medora! I write the words with pain, The epitaph of passion!-inscribed upon my brain ! And sinks amid!-and sinks amid! Well, read, and scorn the lesson!-thy new love The breakers' roar! 'Tis thus the sea, the bright blue sea, What mountain waves her breast deform! The image of the image of! strive to please, But thy heart shall weep hereafter for those moonlit cedar trees! V. THE HEART AND THE BIRD. There is a white bird of the sea, No eye has ever seen him rest; That gem the dimpled wave, Where blue-eyed summer ever smiles, And pearls, the waters, pave ;'Mid snowy shells, bright flowers above, He keeps his hidden nest of love! My heart is like that Southern bird; Its pinions never rest Amid these scenes, where naught is heard It sports around on fluttering wing; It seems a gay, unthoughted thing; Hid from the vulgar gaze, Yes, dearest, though afar from me, A green isle in life's sunniest sea,— Oh, would my weary heart could fly, Bird of the ocean! soar above! THE STATUE OF SANTA MARIA. direct miraculous interference from heaven, which thus expressed its approval of Orcagna's work; others, less imbued with superstition, build on it a most romantic adventure; and although the first may seem most conformable to the spirit of the times and land in which the artist lived, yet as the latter is certainly more probable, we have chosen it for the ground-work of our story. During a whole month, Andreas had labored incessantly at this statue, which, in honor of the church, for which it was designed to form the chief ornament, he styled "Santa Maria of the floral kingdom;" and from morning till night, he might be found in the tasteful studio, erected for his use by Count Cafarelli near his own palace, busily engaged at this work, which he had promised to have finished by Assumption day, on the express condition that no one should previously seek to obtain a sight of the composition, and that it should be conveyed to the choir of St. Mary's church, concealed beneath a large shroud, which he himself would remove after placing it on its pedestal. In a city like Florence, where the fine arts are held in universal esteem, this secrecy imparted a higher value to Orcagna's labors, and while the members of the Ducal Committee and the refined nobility ventured a thousand conjectures and made countless bets among themselves, whether the virgin would be represented standing or in a sitting position, whether bearing the infant Jesus in her arms or not, or whether she would be attired in blue or crimson, the common people gave fuller scope to their imaginations, anticipating something actually beyond nature in this secret composition; and as there are but few steps from the strange to the marvellous, the most unfounded reports quickly spread through Florence concerning Orcagna's work, and many persons actually believed that the blessed Virgin sat in person for her likeness, at the earnest prayer of the pious artist, and that at twilight, when the usually crowded streets were veiled in darkness, she, every evening, descended from heaven amid a legion of angels, who were Andreas Orcagna was not only one of the first hidden however from mortal eyes by the clouds painters of his country and his age, but in certain which hung in fantastic forms against the Western respects, the creator of Italian sculpture and ar- sky, and gliding along by the Cafarelli palace, chitecture. Assisted by Giotto, Gaddi and Bru- where the air became redolent of perfume as she nelsco, he accomplished the wonderful basalisk of passed, secretly entered the sculptor's residence. Florence, which won from Michael Angelo the In truth, a page, belonging to the Count's houseremark, that art might imitate, but could not hold, produced great excitement in the whole square surpass it. Above all, he executed carving in on one particular evening, by exhibiting a bunch wood, with the aid of colors, in such perfection, of white lilies wet with dew which he had picked that no other artist attempted to rival him; and in up immediately before Andreas' door, and which the following sketch, we will particularly refer to were declared by several florists to be beautiful his "Santa Maria of the floral kingdom," that enough to have grown in the garden of Paradise, chef d'œuvre of the palette and chisel, which was thus affording strong reason for the conjecture that destroyed in the very hour of its most successful they must have been accidentally dropped by the completion. Virgin herself in her descent towards earth. Above Biographers and chroniclers explain its disap- all, it was asserted by many who had intentionally pearance in different ways; some ascribing it to a returned home that way, that every evening about (Translated from Pierre Chevalier.) |