Legends of the Skyline Drive and the Great Valley of Virginia Part 8

Also in these caverns is carved the name of John Lincoln, possibly John Lincoln, Jr., who was one of Jacob's four brothers, or perhaps "Virginia John" the pioneer, great-grandfather of the President. There is no date carved by the name of John Lincoln.

In April, 1862, during the Civil War, a Federal soldier drew a rough portrait of President Lincoln with charcoal upon a wall farther back in the caverns. These Lincoln signatures and this crude portrait can be distinctly seen in Melrose Caverns by visitors today.

New Market

A little later in becoming settled than other Valley towns was New Market, the progressive little place situated at the intersection of the Valley Pike and Route 211 to Luray. Its charter was granted in 1785 as the result of efforts made by Peter Palsel, an early settler.

Thomas Jefferson's father, Peter Jefferson, was among the party of surveyors who ran the land grant boundary for the Proprietor of the Northern Neck, Lord Fairfax. This was done in 1746. The old line is a short distance south of New Market.

The town was the scene in 1864 of the battle in which the young and inexperienced but dauntless cadets from the Virginia Military Inst.i.tute at Lexington took such prominent part. The wounded from their ranks were cared for by devoted women in nearby houses. And what a percentage there was either wounded or killed! Forty-six of the former and eight of the latter out of a corps of only two hundred and twenty-one!

New Market is the center today of the caverns in the Valley, for Shenandoah Caverns are to the north and Endless to the south, while within a short drive you may reach Luray, Ma.s.sanutten, Melrose and Grand Caverns. Accommodations for the tourists are numerous and fair throughout the vicinity.

Several years ago a re-enactment of the Battle of New Market occurred in which the corps from the Virginia Military Inst.i.tute pitted their strength against the United States Marines. Among the spectators to this stirring War Between the States encounter was the Secretary of the Navy.

He was impressed with the majesty of the Shenandoah Valley and the legend of the name. Later he determined to name the new navy dirigible Shenandoah--"The Daughter of the Stars." For her christening a bottle of water from the meandering Shenandoah River was used. And on her maiden flight from her berth at Lakehurst the graceful ship flew over the lovely, peaceful Valley from whence came her name.

ENDLESS CAVERNS

On the first of October, 1879 two boys went hunting. Their dog chased a rabbit up the long slope of Mr. Reuben Zirkle's pasture. The rabbit ran for his life and disappeared over a huge rock.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "THE CYPRESS GARDENS", A SCENE IN ENDLESS CAVERNS]

The boys gave chase and boy-like, when they reached the rock and found no rabbit, they pushed aside the heavy stone. Imagine how their eyes bulged when they looked down into a great hole in the hill. Here was a find! Here was adventure, for who can resist exploring a cave? The boys thought no longer of the rabbit. They went in search of candles and a rope. Soon they were seeing for the first time the lovely and strange kingdom underground.

The boys, no doubt like visitors, wondered how Nature had carved these miracles. Today science has answered the question for us and for the sake of those inquiring minds we will give in part the story of how Mother Nature builds her caves.

"Thousands and thousands of years of surface waters, seeping down through the earth, have dissolved and carried away the limestone rock through various tiny cracks and crevices. As each drop worked its way downward it carried coloring matter--iron, maybe copper, which tints the beautiful columns. Tiny bits of limestone formed and gradually built them up from the bottom; these are called stalagmites. Others slowly forming from the tops of the cave hung there and are termed stalact.i.tes.

Then through the years these grew until they met and formed the arches and columns."

Though explorations were carried on for several years no end to the rooms was seen. One channel after another was found, and one room after another came into view, hence the name Endless Caverns.

People from far and near came to see the wonders, and dances were held in Alexander's Ballroom. The musicians had a high rock on which they played their fiddles. Huge iron circles were fastened to the ceiling and candles placed in them for lights. One night one of the bold boys took a candle and pushed farther into the cave. By the weird light he saw a glistening lake, sparkling like diamonds. Upon investigation it turned out to be a pool of clearest water and it reflected the white glittering crystal roof which sheltered it. The name "Diamond Lake" was given it and it has been admired by thousands of visitors.

Then for thirty years the beautiful caverns were closed to the public. A party of visitors came to the Valley. Colonel Edward Brown who stopped in New Market was fascinated with the stories of the old caverns. He bought the property and the next year the caverns were opened--in 1920.

Today his son, Major E. M. Brown, is the progressive owner.

"The old entrance house has been replaced by a unique cave house built of limestone boulders from the mountain side. Great gates of hand-wrought iron bar the head of the stone steps which lead downward. A lone lantern hangs from the arch of the stone roof and accurately placed, at the exact center of the top of the entrance, is a huge boulder in the shape of a keystone, set there by the Architect of all the earth many thousands of years ago."

No one can describe the beautiful shapes and designs to be found in the caverns. They must be seen to be appreciated fully and no matter how many caves one has seen, he will not regret the magic time spent here.

Luray

The question is often asked as to the origin of the unusual name of the town of Luray. Legend disagrees as to its derivation. There are some who claim it came from the name of an early settler, Lewis Ramey. He was familiarly known as Lew Ramey and the contraction Lew Ray might have followed naturally. The site of Ramey's little log cabin is at the corner of Main and Court streets.

Some citizens of the town insist that the Huguenots who escaped from France and finally migrated to the Valley named the new settlement Lorraine after their province in France and that Luray is a corruption of the former name.

There are reminders near this town of former years of struggle. During the French and Indian War the settlers decided upon building "cellar forts" for protection against Indian raids. These cellars dug under the log homes were large enough for living quarters and were generally supplied with a spring of water. They were so constructed with rocks serving as a ceiling that even in case of fire in the house proper, the occupants of the cellar would be unhurt. Several of these ingenious little fortifications remain in Page County, Rhodes Fort and the Egypt House being good examples of them.

In the Hawksbill neighborhood, not far from Luray, there lived a long time ago John Stone and his family. In 1758 the Indians came to his home while he was away. They had little difficulty in carrying off Mrs.

Stone and her baby, a son about eight years old and another boy, George Grandstaff, who was sixteen.

The marauders sacked other residences in the neighborhood and killed a number of persons. It is possible that when they set out for their own settlements some distance off they found Mrs. Stone's progress impeded because of carrying the baby. At any rate, they murdered those two and continued on their way with the boys.

Three years later Grandstaff escaped as their prisoner and returned to Mr. Stone. Young Stone remained with the savages for a number of years and when he did come home he sold his father's property and with the money in his pockets he went back to the Indian village. No one ever heard of him afterwards.

Luray was laid out in 1812 by William Staige Marye, son of Peter Marye, who built the first turnpike--a toll-road--to cross the Blue Ridge from Culpeper into the Shenandoah Valley. Near Luray is the Saltpetre Cave.

During the War Between the States the Confederates established a nitrate plant there and used the products in their manufacture of ammunition.

One of the most beautiful drives in Virginia is that leaving Luray, crossing the mountain and entering the Valley Pike at New Market.

Of particular importance to this section are the Luray Caverns. An entertaining history is attached to them. As far back as 1793 there was knowledge of the existence of the caves, for Joseph Ruffner's son had explored several pa.s.sages just about this time. Ruffner's property took on the name of Cave Hill.

The Ruffners were among the largest landowners in the Valley, their property extending twelve miles on both sides of Hawksbill Creek. They received a part of the land through inheritance and bought other tracts.

Dr. Henry Ruffner, a member of this distinguished family, was at one time President of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University at Lexington.

Fighting during the War Between the States occurred near the town of Luray and about two miles south on the Lee Highway there is an old oak tree which marks the place where Sheridan's famous Valley ride was halted for a time.

There are interesting landmarks remaining in the town today which have witnessed the pageant of history, among the most pretentious being "Aventine." This home originally occupied the present site of the Mymslyn Hotel.

Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign

Too much s.p.a.ce must not be consumed in this book in presenting the facts regarding Jackson's Valley Campaign. We feel justified in devoting more than a comment to this notable feat of war, however, for some of the heaviest fighting of the four years' conflict took place on the land you may see in driving over the Valley Pike and along the Skyline Drive.

At the outbreak of hostilities in the War Between the States Thomas Jackson left the chair of higher mathematics at the Virginia Military Inst.i.tute and volunteered his services in the Virginia army. Educated at West Point and trained during the Mexican War he was a welcome addition to the Confederate forces, although no one antic.i.p.ated the conspicuous role he would play in the subsequent events. At the early battle of First Mana.s.sas he earned the name of "Stonewall" because of his quiet, dignified and unafraid manner in the face of danger.

Lt. Col. C. F. R. Henderson's invaluable two volumes, _Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War_, were consulted and are the source quoted hereafter in giving the account of the Valley warfare. The First Brigade of the Virginia army was recruited from the Valley and partic.i.p.ated under Jackson in the first battle of Mana.s.sas and for a long period of time thereafter.

"No better material for soldiers ever existed," said Henderson, "than the men of the Valley. Most of them were of Scotch-Irish descent, but from the more northern counties came many of English blood, and from those in the center of Swiss and German. But whatever their origin, they were thoroughly well qualified for their new trade. All cla.s.ses mingled in the ranks, and all ages; the heirs of the oldest families, and the humblest of the sons of toil; boys whom it was impossible to keep in school, and men whose white beards hung below their cross belts; youths who had been reared in luxury, and rough hunters from their lonely cabins. They were a mountain people, nurtured in a wholesome climate bred to manly sports, and hardened by the free life of the field and forest. To social distinctions they gave little heed. They were united for a common purpose; they had taken arms to defend Virginia and to maintain her rights; and their patriotism was proved by the sacrifice of all personal consideration and individual interest."

After the first battle of Mana.s.sas the First Brigade was known as the "Stonewall Brigade."

From July to November, 1861, Jackson spent the greater part of every day drilling the men under him and in trying to convert them into well-disciplined, obedient troops. During the first week in November he was sent from Mana.s.sas to command the Shenandoah Valley district and this meant parting from the soldiers whom he had reason to admire and who in turn held him in highest esteem. A short time later they were destined to reunite under circ.u.mstances which would try the courage of the brigade and commander. To the delight of all, the Stonewall Brigade was a.s.signed to Winchester soon after Jackson established his headquarters there and for the next few months rigid training was given them again.

About the middle of March 1862, Jackson abandoned Winchester. This was after some of the Union concentration near Mana.s.sas and Centreville was broken up and General Banks made no move to offer battle, so the Confederates withdrew without a fight and occupied Strasburg eighteen or twenty miles southward. The evacuation of Winchester was made reluctantly, for good roads in each direction connected the city with outlying districts, fertile farms nearby could furnish the invading army with rations and Banks could receive from or send troops to West Virginia or the army south of Washington. Feeling that Jackson's small force was not of any special danger, Shields' corps was sent in pursuit of the Confederates and most of Banks' troops were ordered to another field. Jackson continued up the Valley and stopped at Mount Jackson, hoping the Federals would follow.