Memoir of John Howe Peyton: in sketches by his contemporaries, together with some of his public and private letters, etc., also a sketch of Ann M. Peyton
History
Memoir of John Howe Peyton: in sketches by his contemporaries, together with some of his public and private letters, etc., also a sketch of Ann M. Peyton
Peyton, Anne Montgomery, 1802-1850; Peyton, John Howe, 1778-1847
Another stir has been caused by the Governor's proclamation calling for
troops for the Mexican war. Nearly everybody wants to go, only a few can
be accepted, as Virginia is permitted to furnish only two regiments. The
early bird catches the worm, and V. E. Geiger and Wm. Harman have gone
to work actively to recruit a company. Thirty have already volunteered
to go with them, and the two militia regiments of the county will be
mustered in a few days, at their usual training grounds, that these
gallant young men may speak and thus fill the ranks of their company at
once. Though it is not necessary, speeches will be made at the big
musters to the regiments [we can't do anything in our country without
speaking] by Mr. Michie, Judge Thompson, Geiger, Harman, Harper, and
others. It is believed that hundreds more than are needed will
volunteer. Baldwin's company declined to volunteer as a company. Harper
is to command the new company, at least the command will be tendered to
him, as it is said he is anxious to go to Mexico. His health is very
bad, and he thinks service in Mexico will do him good, besides he is
full of fight.
Another excitement was a fire in Long's grocery, near the Virginia
Hotel. It was soon put out by the crowd, which quickly assembled after
the alarm. As I was returning from the fire, I met the engines, followed
by a hilarious crowd, crying out, at the top of their voices, as if they
were celebrating a political victory.
But to come nearer home. Notwithstanding my father's crippled and
prostrate physical condition, he is, as ever, bent on hospitality, and
we give a dinner party next Wednesday. Invitations have already been
sent out and accepted by Judge Thompson and family, Mr. and Mrs. Michie,
Mr. and Mrs. Castleman, Mrs. Judge Baldwin, Mr. McElroy, Baldwin and
Susan, Emma Terrill, Holcombe, John Dabney, Rosa Boys, and others.
Holcombe is a clever young man from Lynchburg attending law lectures,
said to be worth capturing, so come back and let us see which of you
three can bag the game.
We have been visited by the _Harmonicons_, of Boston, whose performances
have been very successful. One would hardly suppose the peculiarities of
the negro dialect and character could be so accurately reproduced by a
company from the "Hub." All the town ladies attended, among them,
somewhat to my surprise, Rosa Boys and Susan Baldwin.
When Dabney called yesterday and asked when _Mary_ was coming back--I
lashed him into a silent fury and enjoyed the fun, by saying you might
be absent six weeks or two months. He smoked five pipes in gloomy
abstraction, and then left, apparently considerably "cut up," that is
to say, in the dumps.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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