USA > Virginia > Washington County > Washington County > History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 > Part 41
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By Captain George Byars-May the American eagle subdue the British lion. Four guns.
By Mr. Parker Smith-The memory of Captain Nathan Hale, who fell a martyr in the cause of his country with the firm intre- pidity of an American and the amiable resignation of a Christian
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
hero-May his worth and memory be enshrined in the hearts of his countrymen as long as we enjoy that liberty and independence for which he freely gave up his life. Five guns.
By Mr. John Phaup-The Virtuous Sons of Freedom-May they never taste the bitter apples of affliction. Four guns.
By Mr. Campbell Anderson-The Federal Compact-May it stand firm and unshaken as the pillars of heaven. Two guns.
By Mr. Pleasant Smith-The Honest Farmer-May his industry always be rewarded with an abundant harvest. Five guns.
By Captain Andrew Edmiston-The tyranny of Great Britain. May it be completely subdued and American independence reign forever. Three guns.
By John Byars, Esq .- General Montgomery-May we never want such men to march to the plains of Abraham, to teach the enemies of our free and happy country that we will not submit to the insults heretofore practised on us. Five guns.
By Mr. Robert Beattie-The Memory of General Washington- May his courage and patriotism be an example to our generals of the present day. Four guns.
By Mr. James Robinson-James Madison. President of the United States. Two guns.
By Mr. Daniel Hughes-May we all stand united and firmly agree to rally around the standard of sweet liberty. Two guns.
By Captain James Cole-The Tree of Liberty-May it continue to produce unfading blossoms, and may its branches extend to the remotest part of our wide extended territory. Five guns.
By Mr. A. K. Love-Thomas Jefferson-May his virtues be an example to his countrymen, and may his patriotic services be bald in grateful remembrance. Four guns. .
This account of the celebration of the 4th of July by the citizens of Washington county is obtained from a copy of a paper published in Abingdon at that time, and. if we may judge from this account, the sentiments of the people of the county must have been strongly in favor of war: and their enthusiastic devotion to their country unexcelled.
John Gibson, a citizen of Abingdon and a partner in business with Connally Findlay, was, on March 12, 1812, commissioned a captain in the regular army and was assigned to the Twelfth Regiment of
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Southwest Virginia, 1746 -- 1786.
Infantry ; as a result, a dissolution of partnership between himself and Findlay was rendered necessary, and soon thereafter the fol- lowing notice appeared in the Abingdon paper :
NOTICE !
"The partnership between the two persons involved, Of Gibson and Findlay, is this day dissolved ;
With hearts smooth and easy right onward we went, And this day we part by mutual consent.
All those who have claims come to Findlay for pay, And those who owe us must not long delay,
But to pay their accounts, I hope they'll agree, And not trouble Gibson, but pay them to me; The business henceforward I mean to conduct, And all my good customers freely instruct ; That all sorts of saddles, neat boots and fine shoes,
They may come and examine and buy what they choose ;
With saddle-bags, bridles and best tanned leather, Which shall brave the hard clods and defy the bad weather ; And pray, gentle friends, let me tell you besides, I'll purchase your skins and buy all your hides, For which I will pay you the cash in a trice, For every article at market price ;
And now you may think what I say is but fun, You all may trust me, but, faith, I'll trust none.
"JOHN GIBSON, "CONNALLY FINDLAY."
On Saturday, the 2d day of May, 1812, the settlements on the western extremity of this county were visited by a most tremendous hail-storm. Robert Preston suffered the loss of an extensive crop of rye and much other damage done to his plantation. Several others in the same neighborhood suffered severely. On the Jones- borough road, was the greatest loss suffered, though Joseph Gray and others were severely handled. Large trees were torn up by the roots and fences destroyed in all directions. Some of the largest of the hail that fell on Saturday was gathered on Sunday and carried to Abingdon, where it was still as large as the largest nut- meg.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
The track of this cyelone and hail-storm was perceptible as late as the year 1882.
This county was again visited by very severe hail-storms in the year 1814.
The American army, stationed near Buffalo, experienced some pretty hard fighting about this time, and the soldiers from this county bravely maintained the reputation of our people. In the month of October, they had a skirmish near Fort Erie, an account of which is given by Major David Campbell, in a letter written to a friend in Abingdon, and is as follows :
"We last night took two vessels from the British, when they were at anchor immediately under the guns of Fort Erie. The vessels were taken by volunteers from our brigade and some sailors in two row-boats, and 150 men. Our men rowed alongside, fas- tened their boats to the ship under fire from her, they also firing, and boarded her sword in hand-we have lost eight men-the British number not known, it is supposed, however, 50 to 40. One of the vessels was immediately brought safe to shore. Her cargo has been taken out, and is estimated by General Smyth at $150,000. The other they ran aground in the river near a small island-she is the Brig. Adam, laden with 2,000 stand of arms taken from Hull. and the cannon taken there also. This morning carly a messenger came to camp and informed General Smyth, that 2,000 British had landed. We immediately paraded and marched to the scene. The cannon was roaring from both shores. When we got there we found no enemy on this side. They had been at the vessel nigh the island. but had left her. We left the Fifth and part of the Eighteenth regiments to protect the vessel and returned. They have made two other attempts during the day to retake the vessel, and have been completely repulsed with great loss. We have not, since morning. lost a man. It has given me great pleasure to retake the arms taken at Detroit. We have also retaken thirty or forty prisoners, our brave countrymen taken there."
Among the plunder captured by the American forces at this time. was a bell, from one of the British vessels, which bell was brought by General Smyth to his home in Wytheville, and by him given to Wythe county to be used as a court-house bell. This bell is at this
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day in the old court-house at Wytheville, in an excellent state of preservation, and bears the following inscription :
"De Welfahrt van Het. Schip. De I. Iffrauw. Elisabeth- Voor De Heeren- Casper, Voice & Compagni- Captain Daniel Joachim. Rahlap Anno 1781. Me-Ioh : iven-in Hamburg."
Which being translated, is :
"The welfare of the ship. The Lady Elisabeth. For the Sirs. Casper, Voice & Co. Captain Daniel Joachim Rahlap. Anno 1781. 'Me' Ioh' iven' in Hamburg."
On the 10th of October, 1812, the volunteer rifle company, com- manded by Captain Henry Dixon, was ordered to assemble at Cap- tain Robert Davis's, which order was as follows :
"ATTENTION !
"The volunteer rifle corps attached to the First Battalion, One Hundred and Fifth Virginia Regiment, are directed to attend the regimental muster at Captain R. Davis's on Friday, 16th instant, (completely armed and equipped) at 11 o'clock A. M. Each mem- ber will furnish himself with ammunition and one day's rations.
"GEORGE W. DIXON, Lieut. "Comdt. V. R. C. 105th regt."
At this meeting, the following order was published :
"COMPANY ORDERS! ATTENTION RIFLEMEN !
"The Battalion Court of Inquiry for the assessment of fines in the First Battalion of the One Hundred and Fifth Virginia Regiment, is ordered to meet at Mr. James Crow's on Friday the 23d instant. The regimental court will assembly at Captain Robert Davis's on the 5th day of November next, at which times and places, excuses to offer for delinquencies, may attend. A correct list of all the delin-
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
quents in the Rifle Corps will be left with the printer of the Politica! Prospect, for the inspection of its members.
"G. W. DIXON.
"Comdt. V. R. C. 1st Bat. 105th R.
"October 17, 1812."
And on the 28th day of February, 1813, Captain Dixon issued the following order :
. VOLUNTEER RIFLEMEN.
The members of the Volunteer Rifle Company of the One Hun- dred and Fifth Regiment will punctually attend at the court-house in Abingdon, on Saturday the 6th day of March, without uniform, on business of importance.
H. DIXON, Captain.
This company of riflemen were not called into service until the summer or fall of 1814.
On the 20th of April, 1813, Lieutenant Peter C. Johnston, of the regular army began recruiting in the town of Abingdon, but what success attended his efforts I am unable to ascertain.
Captain L. L. Henderson had organized a company of artillery in the upper end of Washington county, and an order was issued effect- ing this company on May 3, 1813, which order was as follows :
"ATTENTION !
"The members of the artillery company commanded by Captain L. L. Henderson will attend a battalion muster at Mr. James Crow's on Friday, the 28th of this month.
"WILLIAM SMITH, "Lieutenant of Artillery."
This company was not mustered into service until the year 1814.
On the 12th of March, 1813, Major David Campbell was pro- moted and became Lieutenant-Colonel of the Twentieth Regiment United States army, and participated in the arduous campaigns on the St. Lawrence and near Lake Champlain, which position he resigned on the 28th of January, 1814.
Upon his return to his home in Virginia, he again entered the service of his State, as aide de camp to Governor James Barbour, and rendered valuable assistance in organizing the large force of
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troops called into service in the neighborhood of Richmond and Petersburg, in the summer of 1814.
The General Assembly at its session in the year 1814, provided for the raising of ten thousand troops, and, under this law, Colonel Campbell was elected general of the Third Brigade.
On the 25th of January, 1815, he was appointed colonel of the Third Virginia Cavalry, but was afterwards transferred to the Fifth Regiment of Cavalry.
Under the law enacted by the General Assembly in 1814, most of the companies from Washington county proceeded to Richmond, which point they reached about the 9th day of September, when information reached Richmond that the enemy had landed on the Northern Neck. The forces from Washington county formed a part of the Third Brigade, and upon receipt of the news that the enemy had landed, three companies of riflemen and one troop of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Coleman, were ordered to the Northern Neck.
This force marched to the place directed and were out sixteen days. They marched day and night to attack the enemy, but failed to overtake them. They frequently encamped on the same ground a few hours after the enemy had marched. Upon this expedition, the first encampment was one mile from Richmond, at Camp Mitchell.
About this time the militia was transferred from the State's ser- vice to the service of the United States, to serve six months. A por- tion of the Washington county militia marched for the city of Washington a few days after Colonel Coleman marched for the Northern Neck, and, upon the return of Coleman's forces to Fort Mitchell, the field and staff officers of his command were ordered to Washington city. The troop of cavalry and riflemen were ordered to Charles City courthouse, from which point they passed to Camp Snowden near Snowden's Iron Works, Maryland, at which place the troops were newly equipped with guns and ammunition, from which point they marched to Camp Cross-Roads, Maryland, where they were encamped on the 15th of November. At this point our forces were commanded by General James Breckenridge as briga- dier, and Major-General Pegram. The health of the Washington companies was fairly good, although 109 men were sick on the morn- ing of the 14th of November, 1814. A very few of the number were dangerously sick.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
A number of the Washington county troops, in the fall of this year and the spring of 1815, marched to Norfolk, under the com- mand of General Francis Preston and other militia officers, but as to their services I cannot obtain any information.
It is lamentable that no record has been preserved of the services of our countrymen upon this expedition to Norfolk.
We publish in the appendix to this book, an official statement of the militia officers of Washington county, for the years 1810- 1815; which gives, beyond queston, authentic information of the officers, with their rank, during this war.
Peace was proclaimed by the President of the United States on the 18th day of February, 1815, one month and ten days subsequent to the battle of New Orleans.
With the exception of the battle of New Orleans, the record of this war, as far as it effected the land fighting, is humiliating indeed, to the average American citizen.
The failure of our military expeditions during this war must not be attributed to the want of patriotism or valor on the part of our people, but was due to the ideas of our rulers, none of whom, either by principle or practice, was fitted to conduct a successful war.
In this war Colonel James Campbell died in the service at Mobile, Alabama, and Colonel John B. Campbell fell at the battle of Chip- pewa, where he commanded the right wing of the army under Gen- eral Winfield Scott. Both were sons of Colonel Arthur Campbell. the "Father of our County." Colonel Arthur Campbell himself died at his home, the present location of Middlesborough, Kentucky, in the year 1811, and his body was buried at that place according to the directions of his will, which is of record in the county clerk's office of this county.
When Middlesborough, Kentucky, first attracted the attention of the business people of this country, and great developments were in progress at that point, the grave of Colonel Campbell was discovered in an out-of-the-way place, and his remains were removed by his Tennessee relatives, and the grave newly marked.
The grave of Colonel Arthur Campbell was marked with an iron slab, upon which the following inscription was found :
"Sacred to the memory of Colonel Arthur Campbell, who was born in Augusta county; Virginia, November 3, 1743, old style, and after a well-spent life, as his last moments did and well could
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approve, of sixty-seven years eight months and twenty-five days, ere a constitution preserved by rigid temperance, and otherwise moral and healthy, could but with reluctance consent, the lamp was blown out by the devouring effects of a cancer on the 8th day of August, 1811, leaving a widow, six sons and six daughters to mourn his loss and emulate his virtues.
Here lies entombed a Revolutionary sage,
An ardent patriot of the age, In erudition great, and useful knowledge to scan In philanthrophy hospitable, the friend of man,
As a soldier brave. Virtue his morality. As a commander prudent.
His religion charity. He practised temperance
To preserve his health.
He used industry to acquire wealth.
He studied physic to avoid disease.
He studied address to please.
He studied himself to complete his plan.
For his greatest study was to study man.
His statue tall,
His person portly, His features handsome, His manners courtly.
Sleep, honored sire, In the realms of rest,
In doing justice to thy memory A son is blest.
A son inheriting in full thy name
One who aspires to all thy fame.
COLONEL ARTHUR CAMPBELL."
At a meeting of the General Assembly in the fall of the year 1814, a new county was formed from the territory of Lee, Washington and Russell counties, to which was given the name of Scott county, in honor of General Winfield Scott. The boundaries of the new county as fixed by the Act of Assembly, of date November 24, 1814, were as follows; Beginning at the head of
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Washington County, 1977-1870.
Reedy creek, where the wagon road crosses the same in Washington county ; thence down the Tennessee line to the south fork of the Clinch river ; thence northward passing the Flag Pond to the top of Powell's mountain, in Lee county ; thence along it to the Russell county line; thence along the Russell county line to the Kentucky line; thence along Cumberland mountain to the head of Guesses' river ; thence down it to Clinch river; thence to Kendrick's Gap, in Clinch mountain; thence by the western end of Samuel Hen- sley's plantation to the beginning.
The boundaries of Scott county as thus given were altered at the same session of the General Assembly.
By the same Act, John McKenney, Reuben McCully and James Wallen, of Lee; Jonathan Wood, Samuel Ritchie and James Moss of Russell; Andrew McHenry, Jacob Severs and Abraham Fulker- son, of Washington county, were appointed commissioners to select a permanent location for the county seat of Scott county.
The first County Court of Scott county assembled at the house of Benjamin T. Hollans, at Big Moccasin Gap, and organized with the following officers :
Justices of the Peace.
John Anderson,
William George,
Samuel Ritchie,
Reuben McCully,
James Gibson,
James Albert,
John McKenney,
John Berry,
John Montgomery,
James Moss,
Jacob Severs, Richard Fulkerson,
Benj. T. Hollans,
Isaac Skillem,
James Wallen.
Sheriff, John Anderson.
Deputy Sheriffs, Isaac Anderson and Isaac Skillem.
Clerk, William H. Carter.
Deputy Clerk, Alfred McKenney.
County Surveyor, Jonathan Wood.
Commonwealth's Attorney, Andrew McHenry.
County Militia. County Lieutenant, Henry Livingston.
Lieutenant-Colonel, John Wood. Majors, Robert Gibson and Isaac Anderson.
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Southwest Virginia, 1746 -- 1786.
Captains of Militia.
Richard Fulkerson,
George George,
John McHenry,
Hiram Kilgore,
William Fugate,
John Berry,
Cornelius Fugate,
James Watson.
Lieutenants of Militia.
Jonas Wolfe,
Robert Spear,
Goldman Davidson,
Wood Osborn,
Elijah Carter, Isaac Low,
Jeremiah Culbertson.
Ensigns of Militia.
John Martin,
Daniel Wallen,
Clinton Godsey,
James Gibson, Jr.,
Meshack Stacy,
George McConnell,
William Bickley.
The commissioners appointed to ascertain the proper place for holding the courts and erecting the public buildings for the new county made their report on May 9, 1815. The lands donated by James Davidson, Sr., the present site of Estillville, or Gate City, were selected, and the public buildings erected thereon; and this is still the county seat of Scott county.
By this Act Washington county lost a considerable extent of val- uable territory and many valuable citizens.
In the year 1816, a convention assembled at Staunton, for the purpose of devising measures for obtaining a Constitutional Con- vention for the State. Thirty-five counties west of the Blue Ridge were represented in this convention, but if Washington county had a representative present, I cannot ascertain his name; but the object of the convention affected Washington county as much as any of the territory west of the mountain.
The object in view in amending the Constitution of the State was to correct the inequalities in the representation of the different sec- tions of the State in the General Assembly of Virginia.
This convention, by a vote of 61 to 7, adopted a memorial in favor of a convention to amend the Constitution.
The country west of the Blue Ridge at that time contained a white population of two hundred and twelve thousand and thirty-six,
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
with four senators: while the territory east of the mountain con- tained a white population of one hundred and sixty-two thousand seven hundred and seventeen and had thirteen senators.
General James Breckenridge was elected president of this conven- tion and Erasmus Stribbling, secretary. This subject has been agi- tated in Virginia from the earliest time, but the people of western Virginia have never succeeded in obtaining a fair representation in the General Assembly of Virginia, and. to-day, the inequality of representation between the two sections is greater than it has been at any time heretofore in our history : considering the wealth and population of Western Virginia.
In the election of members to the General Assembly from Wasb- ington county, in the spring of the year 1819, the certificates of election were awarded to Peter Mayo and William Poston. The elec- tion was contested by William Preston Thompson. The depositions were taken by Thomas Edmondson, William Snodgrass, Reuben Bradley, John Goodson and Charles Tate, commissioners appointed by the County Court of Washington county for that purpose, and upon the final hearing of the case in the General Assembly, Mayo was unseated and Thompson awarded the certificate, but in the fol- lowing year Peter Mayo and Nathaniel Dryden defeated Thompson by a good majority.
On the first day of July, 1819, the County Court of Washington county tried a negro by the name of Sam for larceny, found him guilty and ordered him to be burnt in the hand in the presence of the court, and that he receive ten lashes on his bare back at the public whipping-post.
By Act of the General Assembly of Virginia approved March 10. 1819. a voting precinet was established at the house of James Meek, on the north side of the middle fork of the Holston river in the upper end of this county. From the organization of the county until this time, every voter in the county was required to attend the election at Abingdon, the only voting precinct in the county.
In the month of May. 1819. John Preston. Jr., was commissioned colonel of the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment of infantry, and James White, lieutenant-colonel of the same regiment. William P. Thompson was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Seventieth Regiment, while David Campbell was commissioned colonel of the Third Regiment of cavalry of the militia of Virginia, and in the
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following year Robert Beattie was commissioned major of the Sev- entieth Regiment.
The number of tithables in Washington county in 1820 was 3,137, and the proportion of the tax due from each tithable was fifty cents. The taxes collected from the people in the years 1819-1820 so far exceeded the expenditures of the county that no taxes were levied for the year 1821.
On the 15th of May, 1821, the County Court of Washington county entered the following order in regard to the width of the roads of the county.
"Ordered that the public roads of this county be of the following widths, to-wit: The main Island road, the main Kentucky road, the Wataga road below Abingdon, the Blountville road, the Russell road by Michael Fleenor's, the main Saltworks road from Abingdon, the River road above the Saltworks, through Lyon's Gap, remain as at present established, thirty-three feet wide each, and that all the other public wagon roads in this county be twenty feet wide."
By order of the county court of date June 22, 1820, a new road was ordered to be established, leading from near Smith's cabin (now Greendale), to the north fork of Holston, said road to be eight feet wide and to be located at or near the "Lawyer's Path."*
Colonel James White at this time was operating several iron fur- naces in this county and in Johnson county, Tennessee. A consid- erable forge known as "White's Grove Forge," and a furnace known as "Elizabeth Furnace," had been established on the north fork of the Holston river, some miles apart, and business among the citizens of the county was excellent, and had been so since 1815.
It is to be regretted, that the minute books of the County Court of Washington county covering the period from 1821 to 1837 were destroyed in 1864. For this period I have been able to gather but few facts of historical importance, and such as I have gathered are principally from the Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia.
By Act of the General Assembly of Virginia, of date January 15, 1823, Henry Bowen, John Smith and John Cecil were appointed commissioners to locate and open a wagon road from the Kentucky line on the north fork of Sandy river to the Richlands in Tazewell county.
* The early name of the road from Abingdon leading through Little Moccasin Gap.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
In 1823 a dispute arose as to the correct location of the boundary line between Washington and Russell counties from Hayter's Gap, east to the Tazewell line, and the General Assembly on the 28th day of February, 1824, authorized the county courts of Washington and Russell counties to appoint one commissioner each, to run and mark the line between the two counties, but, for some reason which I cannot now ascertain, the boundary line was not run.
On the 26th day of January, 1825, the General Assembly of Vir- ginia appointed John H. Fulton, of Washington county, and George W. Johnson, of Russell county, commissioners to run and mark the line between the counties, beginning on the top of Clinch moun- tain, where the road from Abingdon to Lebanon crosses the same at Hayter's Gap, and from thence east to the Tazewell line. Pursuant to this order, the line was run and marked in the same year.
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