Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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D notice the call of their country. Though the company as a whole was never en- gaged in actual conflict some of them afterwards died on the field of battle, while others lived to render distinguished service to that country which they so ardently loved. In 17 7 7, about the first of September, there was a requisition from the Governor for one company of militia from Prince Edward county to march to Williamsburg to repel an expected invasion by the British. The students of the college, with full consent of the President, volunteered to answer this call of the Governor, one of the trustees, and marched with their tutor, J. B. Smith, as their captain. Captain Smith, with the other officers named above, led out all of the students over sixteen years of age. They marched to the capital and there remained on duty for several days. When the alarm was over they were discharged with compliments from the Governor. 4' As the vacation was about to take place they returned to their respective homes. Several of them never returned to the academy,-some entered the United States army as otiicers and others enlisted as private soldiersfi This company seems never to have been reorganized, but nevertheless the fighting spirit remained at the college. EX-captain Smith succeeded to the presidency before the manifestation of that spirit is again recorded. In 1781, after his famous retreat from North Carolina, Gen. Greene issued pressing calls for reinforcements. ' Captain William Morton, of Charlotte, in about two days, called a company of his neighbors and set out on foot for Greene's camp. President Smith felt it his duty to offer his services by way of encourage- ment to his parishioners. and joined the company in Halifax, 011 the evening of the first day's march. The Captain, his friend and an elder in his church, with much difficulty pursuaded him, exhausted in body and with blistered feet, to re- frain from the fatigues of camp and return to cheer the families of his charge with his presence and counsels. At first glance it seems strange that none of the students followed their captain on 'this occasion. But when we remember that this occurred in the winter months, in those days the vacation, it is easily understood. On a former occasion the students bore their part. A company of dragoons had been previously raised in the counties of Prince Edward, Amelia and Notto- way, and made a part of Lee's famous legion, whose deeds are romantically rec- corded in his Memoirs of the Southern War. Lieutenant Eggleston was from Amelia, and appears to have been a favoritewith Lee, he was afterwards a mem- ber of Congress tor many years. On this alarming and pressing call from Greene, a company of militia dragoons was raised in Prince Edward, under the command of Thomas Watkins. Philemon -Holcomb, Charles Scott and Samuel Venable were the other officers. Among t-he privates was the famous Peter Francisco. This company was attached to Colonel Washington's command, it is said that Captain Watkins offered himself and company to Lee, who refuse them because 25

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lgatriniinm nf the Glnllrgr Tun HAMPDEN-SIDNIQY Bovs IN 'rms REVOLUTIONARY WAR BY Goonnrncn A. WILSON, JR. p ut played by Hampden Sldnev hoys in the Wu for Independence is by no means an etsy one In th rt day of gl eat men and gl eater deeds Htmpden S1dney's 'diop 111 the bucket was probably too small to attract the attention of the historians of the time, and we must suppose that her patriotic students and professors were too modest to hand down in writing the story of their own deeds of valor. At all events, were it not for that most valuable work, Dr. Foote's Sketches of Virginia, we of the present curriculum would know nothing about the gallant and patriotic efforts of our predecessors in the infant years ofthe college. The quotations given below are taken from the first volume of tl1c Sketches, which contains, so far as we can discover, the only records bearing on this in- teresting portion 'of Hampden-Sidney's history. 4' As the declaration of national independence spread through the cou11try, the youths were roused and offered themselves as soldiers to redeem that pledge of 'our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor! Busy as the students were in their studies, their hearts were full of patriotism, and with the arts and sciences of academic life they would learn the rudiments of the art of War .... Mr. John Blair Smith was chosen captain of a company of the students, about sixty- iive in number, over sixteen years of age, Mr. David Witherspoon lieutenant, and Mr. Samuel Venable .... was chosen ensign. The students wore uniform, viz., a hunting shirt dyed purple, and every student.. although under sixteen years of age, was mustered every month. Captain Smith was at this time a tutor in the institution. He later became the distinguished divine, the beloved President of Hampden-Sidney, and the founder of Union College, N. Y. There is more to be said of him. Lieutenant Witherspoon, whose father signed the Declaration of Independence, was also a tutor. Ensign Venable was a stu- dent, living in a hut which his father had erected on the college grounds for his accommodation. This purple-shirted company of beardless lads, led by their gal- lant captain, were in dead earnest and stood ever ready to answer at a moment's 24 HE task of portraying, after the lapse of a century and a quarter, the z ' 1 . - , 2 f 1 . I 4 1 2 A . I i ' ' 2 - ' ' ' ' .

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they were not Utne enough clressedf This company signalized itself in the battle of Guilford, in that famous charge made on the Queen's Guards. Lieutenant Holcomb uscd to relate the circumstances of that terrible charge upon the Queen's Guards, in which this troop bore a part. Leaping a ravine, the swords ot' the horsemen were upon the heads of the enemy, who were rejoicing in victory and safety, and before they suspected danger multitudes lay dead ..... When this company was formed tl1e students, already lessened i11 number by the calamities of war, pressed forward to the ranks. Peter Johnston, about six- teen years of age, son of the donor of the land on which the college stands, offered himself, and was rejected as under age and under size. He nevertheless procured a horse and oiiered himself to Lee, and was with some hesitation received. He served during that momentous campaign with great honor, tak- ing part in several actions, besides the decisive one of Guilford Court-House. He was in after life ajudge of eminence in his native state, and has left a pos- terity to rejoice in his patriotism. Some of that posterity were indeed H chips off tl1e old block.l' His son, General Joseph E. Johnston, needs no recommend- ation from my pen, his nephew, General Albert Sidney Johnston, killed alt Shiloh, is almost as well known, another so11 was United States Senator J. M. Johnston, father of Dr. George Ben Johnston, the eminent surgeon of Richmond, Va. Lieutenant Holcomb was at one time steward of the college, while Samuel Venable, as stated above, was ensign of the original student company. lt is also reported that when news of the depredations of the British forces on the Chesapeake reached Prince Edward, a short time previous to the arrival of Greene, he QPresident Smithj prepared for a campaign. The nature and results of these preparations are alike unknown. It is not known whether the students were enlisted. However, as this was a short time before the arrival of Greene, it is quite probable that his plans gave way before the pressing call from that general. '4 When Cornwallis invaded Virginia the services of the college were for a time suspended l' in order that the students might join with U all able to bear arms in Prince Edward and the surrounding counties in repelling the invader. Nothing is know of the conduct of the Hampden-Sidney boys in this final cam- paign, as they were absorbed into the body of the Virginia militia. After the capture of the invading army at York the boys resumed their studies, and very nearly allowed their patriotic efforts to be entirely forgotten. 26