unbecoming for ministers of the gospel to have decided views upon
questions of state. There were clerical Whigs and there were clerical
Democrats, and very stoutly did they maintain the cause of their
respective parties. Of course, they never entered the political arena,
but in private and around the fireside there was often no small war
waged by these 'gentlemen of the cloth' over the great issues of the
day. Dr. William A. Smith was a Democrat of the Calhoun stamp. He
believed implicitly in the right of secession, a sacred right guaranteed
by the constitution, and was not slow to give the reason for the opinion
which he cherished. Still, in the earlier part of 1861, he did not
recognize the necessity for the exercise of this right on the part of
the South. He thought that some compromise might be effected and the
Union saved; yet when Mr. Lincoln was inaugurated, and his policy
forecast in the call for seventy thousand men to crush the rebellion, he
no longer hesitated, but claimed rights which before he was willing to
ignore; and the South had no stauncher friend or more zealous advocate
than he during all those dark days of fratricidal strife, even to the
close, when drums ceased to beat and the battle-flags were furled.
"We start a new era. Vacation begins. The excitement in the land, if
possible, becomes more intense. There is volunteering for service,
drilling, hurrying on to the front. Everything is placed under
contribution to facilitate and render successful the mighty trial of
arms which is impending. The battle of Manassas is fought. The South is
the victor; yet the fruits are not what were desired and anticipated.
The war cloud, instead of vanishing, grows denser. The evidences of a
protracted and sanguinary conflict become manifest. The trustees of the
College, under existing circumstances, were embarrassed. They knew not
what to do; yet in the early part of July they declared against the
opening of the doors of the institution for the coming year. Later on,
however, they reversed this decision, and the College began its fall
session at the usual time. Several important changes are here to be
noticed. First, the number of students was perceptibly smaller than
usual; the whole body, perhaps, did not exceed sixty-five or seventy. A
few of these were manifestly parties desiring to shirk military service;
yet the great majority was composed of persons under the age of
conscription and of persons who were already far advanced in their
college course and looked forward to a speedy graduation.
"Again: there was a change in the complexion or membership of the
Faculty. Professor Massie resigned to accept a call to governmental work
in Richmond, and Professor Turner was elected to fill the Chair of
Mathematics. He, however, resigned at the close of the half session, and
Professor Blankenship was chosen as his successor. Professor Shepard
resigned, and entered upon active military service in the field. No one
was appointed to fill his place, as the exigencies of the case did not
demand it.
"Once more: the style of the College was changed from a purely literary
to a semi-military institution. A regular uniform was prescribed; drills
were daily observed, and other things of a similar character were
enjoined, all looking to the preparation of the student for the duties
that awaited him in defence of his country.
"The Commencement exercises for this year were exceedingly interesting
and for the times very largely attended. Dr. James A. Duncan delivered
the address before the two societies. His presence among the scenes of
his boyhood was a joy to his old acquaintances, and his address was
highly appreciated for its worth and for the sake of the man who
delivered it."
The record of the meeting held March 9, 1864, given above, closes the
official history of the College prior to the surrender.
We give the names of the trustees following those who were named in the
charter of February, 1830, with date of their election:
NAME. STATE. YEAR.
NATHANIEL MASON,. . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1833
THOMAS ADAMS, . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1833
THOMAS WILLIAMS,. . . . . South Carolina, . . . 1833
ALEXANDER SPEAR,. . . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1834
W. H. ELLISON,. . . . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1834
Rev. WILLIAM CAPERS,. . . South Carolina, . . . 1834
Rev. W. M. KENNEDY, . . . South Carolina, . . . 1834
Rev. W. M. WIGHTMAN,. . . South Carolina, . . . 1834
GEORGE W. JEFFRIES, . . . North Carolina, . . . 1834
BEV. SYDNOR,. . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1834
Rev. I. A. FEW, . . . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1834
Rev. LOVICK PIERCE, . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1835
SEABORN JONES,. . . . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1835
J. C. POYTHRESS,. . . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1835
Rev. JAMES McADEN,. . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1835
Rev. ABRAM PENN,. . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1835
WILLIS LEA, . . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1835
Bishop J. O. ANDREW,. . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1835
HUGH A. GARLAND,. . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1835
Rev. STEPHEN OLIN,. . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1835
HORACE PALMER,. . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1837
Rev. JAMES JAMEISON,. . . North Carolina, . . . 1837
Rev. B. T. BLAKE, . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1837
M. M. MCPHERSON,. . . . . Georgia,. . . . . . . 1838
THOMAS W. WILLIAMS, . . . South Carolina, . . . 1838
S. K. HODGES, . . . . . . South Carolina, . . . 1838
L. C. GARLAND,. . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1840
D'ARCY PAUL,. . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1840
A. A. CAMPBELL, . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1840
Rev. D. S. DOGGETT,.. . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1841
Rev. A. M. FORSTER, . . . South Carolina, . . . 1841
Rev. HENRY B. COWLES, . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1842
GEORGE ROGERS,. . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1842
EDWARD R. CHAMBERS, . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1842
WILLIAM TOWNES, . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1844
WESLEY YOUNG, . . . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1845
Rev. R. O. BURTON,. . . . North Carolina, . . . 1845
Rev. WILLIAM B. ROWZIE, . Virginia, . . . . . . 1845
ELLIS MALONE, . . . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1846
THOMAS BRANCH,. . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1846
Rev. L. M. LEE, . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1846
THOMAS W. HARRIS, . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1846
RICHARD B. BAPTIST, . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1846
CHARLES R. EATON, . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1848
MASON L. WIGGINS, . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1848
CHARLES S. HUTCHESON, . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1848
WILLIAM IRBY, . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1848
JAMES J. DALY,. . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1848
Rev. R. I. CARSON,. . . . North Carolina, . . . 1848
Rev. JAMES REID,. . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1848
G. W. S. PARHAM,. . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1848
GEORGE WILSON,. . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1848
GEORGE D. BASKERVILLE,. . North Carolina, . . . 1848
Rev. ANTHONY DIBRELL, . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1849
Rev. WILLIAM CLOSS, . . . North Carolina, . . . 1852
Rev. THOMAS S. CAMPBELL,. North Carolina, . . . 1854
THOMAS H. CAMPBELL, . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1854
RICHARD IRBY, . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1854
CHARLES SKINNER,. . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1854
Rev. GEORGE W. NOLLEY,. . Virginia, . . . . . . 1855
JOHN G. BOYD, . . . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1855
Rev. LEO ROSSER,. . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1855
Rev. J. P. MOORE, . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1855
Rev. R. E. G. ADAMS,. . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1855
Rev. P. W. ARCHER,... . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1855
Rev. N. F. REID,. . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1855
Rev. WILLIAM CARTER,. . . North Carolina, . . . 1855
Rev. J. E. EDWARDS, . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1857
N. MILAM, . . . . . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1857
Rev. G. W. CARTER,. . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1858
RICHARD M. SMITH, . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1858
Rev. JOHN C. BLACKWELL, . Virginia, . . . . . . 1858
THOMAS P. JERMAN, . . . . North Carolina, . . . 1858
LEROY M. WILSON,. . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1859
O. H. P. CORPREW, . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1859
WILLIAM A. SMITH, . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1860
W. T. SUTHERLIN, . . . . Virginia, . . . . . . 1860
_Secretaries of the Board._
Rev. WILLIAM A. SMITH,
Rev. WILLIAM M. WIGHTMAN,
Rev. JOHN G. CLAIBORNE,
Rev. EDWARD WADSWORTH,
Rev. HENRY B. COWLES,
RICHARD B. BAPTIST,
RICHARD IRBY,
WILLIAM A. SHEPARD.
_Treasurers._
JOHN W. LEWIS,
ALEXANDER BOYD,
BEVERLY SYDNOR,
LANDON C. GARLAND,
DAVID DUNCAN,
CHARLES B. STUART,
Rev. WILLIAM A. SMITH.
Agents.
Rev. H. G. LEIGH,
Rev. WILLIAM HAMMETT,
Rev. M. P. PARKS,
Rev. JOHN EARLY,
Rev. WILLIAM A. SMITH,
Rev. THOMAS CROWDER,
Rev. JOHN A. MILLER,
Rev. JOHN KERR,
Rev. S. S. BRYANT,
Rev. R. O. BURTON,
Rev. WILLIAM B. ROWZIE,
Rev. R. I. CARSON,
Rev. BENJAMIN R. DUVAL,
Rev. N. THOMAS,
Rev. HENRY B. COWLES.
Rev. JOHN EARLY,
Chairman Board of Trustees, 1831.
President " " 1833 to 1872.
In the body of the history sufficient prominence has not been given to a
number of the Professors and Agents. They in many instances richly
deserved this prominence, but it seemed to be impossible to get
portraits of them. A search for some of them for years failed to secure
them.
The good work, as agents, of Rev. B. R. Duval and Rev. N. Thomas, more
particularly the former, deserved a much more extended notice and
commendation.
WAR HISTORY.
The war history of the College and its Professors and sons is and must
remain very imperfect. It is impossible for the writer to gather up the
scattered threads of this history. No approximate estimate can be given
of the number who went into military service, nor of the casualties
which befell them. That many of them were killed and wounded and many
died of sickness is well known.
Six Randolph-Macon men were enrolled in one company, and the casualties
which befell these are here given from actual data. Whether this is a
fair sample of the rest is not known with certainty. There is no reason
why it should not be assumed as a fair average.
In Company G, Eighteenth Virginia Regiment, Army Northern Virginia, the
following casualties occurred, viz.:
Richard Irby, class of 1844, first lieutenant and captain, wounded twice
at Second Manassas, 1862.
Samuel Hardy, class of 1846, first lieutenant, lost an arm and disabled
at Gaines' Mill, 1862.
Richard Ferguson, class of 1858, first lieutenant (and adjutant of the
regiment, 1863), wounded at Gaines' Mill, Frazier's Farm, Second
Manassas, and captured inside the cemetery wall at Gettysburg; in prison
to the close of the war.
Edward H. Muse, class of 1861, second lieutenant, wounded at Frazier's
farm, Gettysburg, and Sailor's Creek.
Anthony Dibrell Crenshaw, class of 1858, third lieutenant, killed at
Five Forks, 1865, and buried on the field.
Benjamin I. Scott, class of 1860, corporal, killed near Boonsboro, Md.,
1862, and left on the field.
The writer can give the history and portraits of these, because he had
the honor to command the company in which they served, and preserved
their records and portraits.
The College premises were occupied after the close of the war for some
time by the Federal forces. The main building was used as headquarters
of the Freedman's Bureau, and the rooms filled with the "wards of the
nation." The damage done to the property was assessed at about five
thousand dollars, which is unpaid to this day, and will doubtless so
remain to the end of time.
This closes the _ante-bellum_ record.
[Illustration: OFFICERS COMPANY G, EIGHTEENTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. No. 1.
Captain Richard Irby. No. 2. Lieut. Richard Ferguson. No. 3. Lieut. S.
Hardy. No. 4. Lieut. E. H. Muse. No. 5. Lieut. A. D. Crenshaw. No. 6.
Corpl. B. I. Scott.]
INTERLUDE.
BEFORE entering upon the subsequent history of the College, this writer
would take this occasion to refer to one of many omissions, which he has
noted in revising the pages already printed, a point of special interest
and importance. This is the religious element in Randolph-Macon College.
The College was the child of the Methodist Church, established, in large
measure, to educate young men for the ministry in accordance with the
ideas and usages of the church of that day. Religion was the first and
foremost consideration--religion as taught and emphasized by the
Methodist Church--religion allied with education. At the first opening
of the College a chaplain was appointed for it by the Conference, a man
who was as complete a model of the Methodist minister as could be found,
William B. Rowzie, a walking, living epistle of Christ, "known and read
of all men." One better than he could not have been found to inaugurate
the religious life of the College.
Never in the history of the church in Virginia has Methodism, in its
spirit and economy, been more thoroughly exemplified than it has been at
Randolph-Macon. The morning and evening sacrifice of prayer and praise
noted every day of work. Preaching in the chapel was had twice on
Sabbath and prayer service was held on Wednesday evenings. Students were
required to attend morning and evening prayer and Sunday morning
service. Besides this, the members of the church were organized into
classes with leaders, according to Methodist usage, and class-meetings
were regularly held once a week. Thus was exhibited a complete practical
example of Methodist economy as prescribed in the _Discipline_. The
result and fruit of this work was a high state of religious life. Every
year, or oftener, this life took the form of great religious activity,
and sweeping revivals occurred, bringing well-nigh all in the College
and many outside under spiritual influence, and many converts into the
church. There were few years, if any, when some such revival did not
take place. Of many it could be said, "This and that man was born
there"; many who not only became Christians themselves, but went forth
from the College to preach the gospel throughout the Southern land. Many
here were drilled in Methodist usages, and thus prepared to become
class leaders, stewards and Sunday-school teachers and superintendents
after they left College. A large proportion of these became presidents
of colleges and principals of high schools and academies, in which they
inaugurated the same system of "religion in earnest." These schools
shared the same benign and gracious influences, and in turn became
"fountains in the desert," from whence "streams broke out," reaching
even to the ends of the earth, "making glad the city of our God," and
causing "the wilderness to bloom and blossom as the rose."
It may be thought strange that fathers belonging to other churches and
others not religious were ever found sending their sons to a college
which was thus permeated with religious life as taught and practiced by
Methodists. But in many cases they did send them.
This writer, whose acquaintance with the College extends over a period
of nearly sixty years, makes bold to say that he has never known a
student to change his church membership during all that time and become
a Methodist. He has known class-leaders who had been at home
Presbyterians and Episcopalians, but after leaving College they resumed
their work in their fathers' churches, none the worse for having for a
time worked in "Methodist traces."
As to calculating the ultimate effects of all these causes and
influences in time and eternity, it were as vain to try to calculate or
measure them as it would be
"To bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades
Or loose the bands of Orion."
COLLEGE HISTORY AFTER THE WAR.
THE period immediately succeeding the surrender of the Confederate army
at Appomatox was one of the darkest and most discouraging that any
civilized people was ever called to face. Virginia had been for four
years the battle-ground over which great armies had marched and
counter-marched and fought. Every home had felt the torture that "tried
men's souls." Widows gathered their fatherless children around them to
share the last crust of bread together, not knowing whether even that
much could be found to-morrow. For miles along the highways over which
the armies had marched, the bare chimneys only, marked the sites where
comfortable houses had sheltered happy households. The farmer had his
land left--that could not be carried away; but few had any teams to
break the ground, and many had not the seed needed to sow the fields.
The last cow was in many cases driven away or killed. A noted Federal
general had boastfully reported to the general-in-chief that so
completely had he devastated the fairest and most fertile section of the
State that a crow could not travel over it without carrying his rations
with him.
Richmond, the capital city, after withstanding two sieges successfully,
had been, in large part, made a bank of ashes. Petersburg, beleaguered
so long, was a scarred and battered wreck. Fredericksburg, Winchester,
Norfolk, and many other towns, were little better off. Some of the
railroads were stripped of their rails--all of them in bad plight and
almost without any equipment for business, if any business were to be
found. The labor system, which had for centuries been used to cultivate
the land and gather the crops, had been at one stroke subverted, and
virtually destroyed. None had been found for months afterward to take
its place. With the people at large it was a struggle for existence and
a fight with famine.
One of the saddest scenes this writer ever witnessed was at Nottoway
courthouse. A few days after the surrender at Appomattoax, he was
summoned with other citizens of the county to attend a meeting called to
confer with the military officers as to the best plans to be devised to
prevent suffering among the people. Just as he entered the courthouse,
where a number of people were assembled, he saw a venerable man of more
than three-score years and ten standing before the officer, with tears
streaming down his furrowed cheeks, and heard him say: "Every scrap of
meat, every grain of corn, everything in the way of food I had, has been
taken from me. I know not where I shall get my meat or bread to-morrow."
This man had been for many years one of the foremost men in the county,
a Senator in the General Assembly of Virginia, and for many years a
Trustee of Randolph-Macon College.
But poverty and penury were not all. The people were humiliated and
despondent. Their State, "the mother of States and statesmen," had now
the tyrant's heel upon her neck, and was styled "District" (No. 1), a
"conquered province"--her governor, first a refugee, then a prisoner.
Military satraps filled the seats of judges and magistrates. The
ignorant slave was often shown more deference than his former cultured
master. Most of the flower of the manhood of the State had died by the
sword or disease. The boys and girls of the next generation were growing
up without the means of education, and helping to eak out a living for
their widowed mothers.
Such, in brief, was the condition of Virginia in the period succeeding
the close of the war.
What could the Trustees of the College do under such circumstances as
now surrounded them? The endowment gathered at such an expenditure of
time and labor was in large part lost. The investments made were in
bonds and stocks of more than uncertain value, some not worth the paper
on which they were printed. The College buildings, libraries and
laboratories had all been impaired and damaged by non-use or abuse.
There was no money in hand to repair and refit them. Our own people were
too poor to furnish it. Those who had devastated the property, and added
injury to insult, could not be expected to restore what they had
destroyed.
Nevertheless, it had been but a few months after the surrender before a
meeting of the Board was called to be held in Petersburg, August 23,
1865.
At this meeting a quorum was lacking, and the Board adjourned to meet on
September 13 following, at the residence of Richard Irby, in Nottoway.
This adjourned meeting was held, and a quorum was present.
One of the first matters attended to was the appointment of a committee
consisting of President W. A. Smith and four others "to estimate the
damage to the College incurred by the occupation of it by the United
States troops _after the surrender_, and in behalf of the Trustees to make
application to the proper authorities of the government for payment."
On motion of D'Arcy Paul it was--
_Resolved_, That all the Professor's chairs be declared vacant.
A provisional arrangement was made to open the College for school
purposes, but this arrangement was not carried out.
A further plan was provided for taking care of the College property, and
the Board adjourned.
The next meeting of the Board was held at the College July 11, 1866,
with eighteen members in attendance. The chairman of the committee
appointed at the last meeting to assess and press claim for damages to
College, reported that the committee had not been encouraged in their
efforts by the military authorities in Virginia.
Judge E. R. Chambers was appointed to prosecute the claim.
It may save time here to say, as has been said before, that this claim
was never recognized by the government.
The Finance Committee made a report of the Endowment fund and
liabilities of the College:
Bonds of the city of Petersburg and interest, . . . . . . $19,000
Bonds of the State of Virginia, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000
-------
(Classed available),. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,000
Bonds Southside Railroad Company, guaranteed
by city of Petersburg,. . . . . . .$15,800
Stock Petersburg Railroad Company, 8,000
-------
$23,800
-------
$45,800
-------
Private or personal Endowment bonds, . . . . . . . . . . .$24,900
Legacy of W. B. Jones, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500
-------
$25,400
=======
Confederate bonds, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37,000
Confederate currency, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,536
-------
$44,536
=======
Leaving out the Confederate bonds, which were worthless, the balance
of available and possible assets were $71,200
Liabilities as far as known, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,854
-------
Net assets, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $62,346
This, under all the circumstances, might be considered a favorable
showing, and the credit of it is due to the faithful Investing Agent,
who also showed his skill and faithfulness by bringing through the war
the "Savings and Insurance Company," of which he was president, free
from wreck.
The resolution of the Virginia Conference in regard to the removal of
the College had been allowed to sleep since the committee's report, in
March, 1864. It was again brought forward by the following resolution,
offered by Richard M. Smith, Esq.:
"_Resolved_, That a committee of ------ be appointed to ascertain what
accommodations and on what terms and what inducements generally can be
obtained for transferring Randolph-Macon College to Petersburg,
Richmond, Lynchburg, or any other place, and also the earliest day at
which accommodations can be at command, and report to an adjourned
meeting of this Board."
This resolution was defeated by a vote of 12 to 6.
The following, offered by Judge E. R. Chambers, was then adopted:
"_Resolved_, That it is inexpedient and injudicious to change the
location of the College."
The ayes and noes on this were recorded, as follows:
_Ayes_.--William Townes, Sr., C. S. Hutcheson, W. B. Rowzie, William
Townes, Jr., William Carter, T. P. Jerman, R. B. Baptist, N. Head. J. P.
Moore, O. H. P. Corprew, N. Alexander, E. R. Chambers, L. M. Wilson--13.
_Noes_.--Richard Irby, D. S. Doggett, R. M. Smith, J. C. Granbery, T. S.
Campbell, J. C. Blackwell--6.
Dr. W. A. Smith, at his own request, was excused from voting.
It was resolved to take steps to re-open the College as soon as
practicable.
The degree of A. M. was conferred, under the law, on the following:
Leroy S. Edwards, Thomas J. Overby, and J. Davidson Blackwell, A. B.'s
of former years.
Dr. William A. Smith tendered his resignation as President of the
College, to take effect at once. The resignation was accepted by the
Board, and resolutions were adopted expressing the high appreciation of
him and his work, which had extended over a period of nearly twenty
years.
The Board resolved to adjourn to meet again on the 18th of August
following to elect a president and three professors. The salaries of
these were fixed--Guaranteed, to the President, $1,000; to the
professors, $750 each, and, in addition, the tuition fees of the
students in attendance.
At the adjourned meeting, August 15, 1866, the following elections were
made:
RICHARD W. JONES, A. M., _Professor of Mathematics_.
O. H. P. CORPREW, A. M., _Professor of Ancient Languages_.
Rev. JOHN C. BLACKWELL, A. M., D. D., _Professor of Chemistry_.
ERNEST LA GARDE, _Professor of Modern Languages_.
The election of a President was postponed to an adjourned meeting, and
Dr. John C. Blackwell was appointed to act as President until a
president should be elected.