He was the son of an Irishman named John Matthews, who settled in western Virginia in 1737. George Matthews began to fight the Indians at an age when most boys are at school. In 1761 the Indians attacked and murdered a family not far from his father's home. He heard the guns, and thought that a shooting match was going on. With some companions of his own age, he rode forward to join in the sport; but the youngsters saw the dead bodies of their neighbors lying in the yard where they had been left by the murderous savages3, and at once turned their horses' heads and fled. They were not a moment too soon; for the Indians, who had been lying in ambush4, rose and fired at the boys. Matthews had a narrow escape; for a bullet cut off the wisp of hair (known as a queue) that hung dangling5 from the back of his head. The danger that he had passed through, and the sight of his murdered neighbors, roused young Matthews to action. He collected a party of men, put himself at the head of them, followed and overtook the savages, and killed nine of their number.
In the greatest battle that ever took place between the Virginians and the Indians, Matthews commanded a company, and bore a very conspicuous6 part. The battle took place at the junction7 of the Ohio River with the Kanawha, on what was called Point Pleasant. The fight began at sunrise, and was kept up all day, with no great success on either side. The Indians held their ground, and refused to give way before the most stubborn attacks of the Virginians. Near sundown, Matthews, with two other captains, made a strategic movement. The three companies were withdrawn8 from the battle. Out of sight of the enemy, they got into the bed of a creek9. Hidden by the banks of the stream, they marched to the rear of the Indians, and from this point made an attack. The movement had been so cleverly carried out, that the savages were taken completely by surprise, and driven across the Ohio.
Early in the Revolutionary War, General Washington, who knew well the value of the training Matthews had received on the frontier, ordered him and the regiment10 which he commanded to join the main army. He took part in the battle of the Brandywine; and at the battle of Germantown he led his regiment against the British opposing him, drove them back, and pushed on to the center of the town, where he captured a regiment of the enemy. Shortly after this, while engaged in a skirmish, his courage led him too close to the British. He was knocked down, severely11 wounded by a bayonet thrust, and taken prisoner. He was sent to the British prison ship in New York Harbor. He was there treated with so much cruelty that he appealed to his government for relief. In response to that appeal, Thomas Jefferson, who was then governor of Virginia, wrote him a personal letter, in which he said, "We know that the ardent12 spirit and hatred13 of tyranny which brought you into your present situation will enable you to bear up against it with the firmness which has distinguished14 you as a soldier, and look forward with pleasure to the day when events shall take place against which the wounded spirit of your enemies will find no comfort, even from reflections on the most refined of the cruelties with which they have glutted15 themselves."
General Matthews was not exchanged until the close of the war. He then joined the Southern army under General Greene, and commanded the Third Virginia Regiment. While in the South, he bought a tract16 of land on Broad River, known as the Goose Pond. He settled there with his family in 1784. The fame he had won as a soldier made General Matthews at that time the principal man in Georgia. He was elected governor in 1786. When his term expired, he was sent to Congress. In 1794-95 he was again made governor; and it was at this time, that, contrary to all expectations, he was prevailed on to sign the Yazoo Act. No charge of corruption17 was ever made against him. No thief or swindler was ever bold enough to try to bribe18 such a high-spirited and fearless man. But excitement in the State ran so high, that General Matthews was ruined so far as his influence was concerned. He left Georgia, and never afterwards made the State his home for any long period.
In 1811 a lot of runaway19 negroes, ruffians, and lawless men congregated20 in Florida in such numbers that they were able to get control of affairs. They formed a government of their own, and then petitioned the United States to make Florida one of their territories. President Madison appointed General Matthews the agent of the United States to negotiate with the "constituted authorities" for the annexation21 of Florida. General Matthews made a treaty with those who were in control of Florida; but Spain protested, and the President finally declared that the treaty had not been made with the "constituted authorities."
General Matthews was not a learned man (he knew nothing of books), and he could not understand the fuss that was made over the term "constituted authorities." He became very angry with the President, said that that officer had a cowardly fear of Spain and Great Britain, and declared that he would go to Washington to "thrash" the President. He actually set out on that errand; but the fatigue22 and exposure which he had experienced in Florida, and the high state of excitement under which he labored23, threw him into a fever while he was on his journey to Washington, and he died in Augusta in March, 1812.
Previous to his Florida appointment, General Matthews had been nominated to be governor of the Territory of Mississippi by President Adams; but the opposition24 was so great that the President withdrew the nomination25. When General Matthews heard of this, he promptly26 set out for Philadelphia to call the President to account. He rode to Mr. Adams's house, gave a loud knock on the door, and told the servant he wished to see the President. The servant said the President was engaged; but General Matthews bristled27 with anger at the bare thought that any man, even the President, could be engaged in any business more important than talking to George Matthews, late colonel of the Virginia line, and governor of the State of Georgia. Therefore he told the servant to go at once and tell the President that a gentleman wished to speak to him; and he added, that, if the message was not carried at once, the servant would find his head taken from his shoulders. General Matthews wore his Revolutionary sword and cocked hat, and he succeeded in convincing the servant that he was not to be trifled with. He was promptly admitted into the presence of Mr. Adams, and, with the touch of Irish brogue he had caught from his father, he made himself and his business known. He introduced himself, and then said to the President,—
"Now, sir, I understand that you nominated me to the Senate of these United States, to be governor of the Territory of Mississippi, and that afterwards you took back the nomination. Sir, if you had known me, you would not have taken the nomination back. If you did not know me, you should not have nominated me to so important an office. Now, sir, unless you can satisfy me, your station as President of these United States shall not screen you from my vengeance28."
Mr. Adams at once made himself agreeable, for he had nothing but good will for the stanch29 Georgia Federalist. The outcome of the meeting was that the President promised to appoint the general's son John to be supervisor30 of the revenue, and this promise he carried out.
Governor Gilmer, in his racy reminiscences of the people who settled in the Broad River region, draws an interesting portrait of General Matthews. He describes him as a short, thick man, with stout31 legs, on which he stood very straight. "He carried his head rather thrown back. His features were full and bluff32, his hair light red, and his complexion33 fair and florid. He admitted no superior but General Washington. He spoke34 of his services to his country as unsurpassed except by those of his great chief. He wore a three-cornered cocked hat, top boots, a shirt full ruffled35 at the bosom36 and wrists, and sometimes a long sword at his side. To listen to his talk about himself, his children, and his affairs, one would have thought that he was but a puff37 of wind. Trade or talk of history with him, and he was found to be one of the shrewdest of men. Fight with him, and he never failed to act the hero. He was unlearned. He spelled 'coffee' k-a-u-g-h-p-h-y. He wrote 'Congress' with a K."
When it is considered that he had small opportunity to train himself in any direction except rough fighting, General Matthews must be regarded as one of the most remarkable men of his time.
Another remarkable man who figured largely in both the military and political history of the State was General John Clarke, son of the famous Elijah Clarke. John Clarke became a soldier in the Revolutionary War when a mere38 boy. He had followed his father to camp, and remained with him. He took part in many skirmishes; but at the battle of Kettle Creek, in Wilkes County, he distinguished himself by his coolness and courage. He fought through the war. He was made a lieutenant39 at sixteen years of age, and when the war ended he was a major. After the war he was made a brigadier, and then a major general of the militia40. After aiding to run the British out of the State, and subduing41 the Tories, General Clarke turned his attention to the Indians. At the battle of Jacks42 Creek, in Walton County, in 1787, he greatly distinguished himself, having charge of one of the wings of the Georgia forces.
It was natural that a man raised in camp, and brought up in the midst of the rough and tough elements that are collected together there, should possess qualities not calculated to fit him for the polite transactions that take place in drawing rooms and parlors43. General Clarke's self-reliance was extreme. Having commanded men from the time he was sixteen, it was natural that his temper and his manners should be offensive, to some extent, to those who were not thoughtful enough to make due allowance for these things. It thus happened that when peace came, John Clarke's methods and practices made him many bitter enemies. On the other hand, the sterling44 qualities of his character made him many strong friends.
Coming out of the war with neither trade nor profession, and with only the rudiments45 of an education, John Clarke was compelled to turn his attention to politics. With him politics was simply a modified form of war. He had never given any quarter to the Tories, and he gave small quarter to his political enemies. But he was as faithful to his friends in politics as he had been to the cause of American liberty. He was uncompromising, whether dealing46 with friends or enemies, and his temper was such that he regarded his opponents as his personal enemies. Of his political career, mention will be made in another place. It is sufficient to say that a quarrel he had with a judge divided the people of the State into two parties, and the contest between them was carried on for several years. The prejudices that sprang up in that contest lasted for more than a generation, and strong traces of them are to be found in estimates of General Clarke's character written long after he was dead.
Only a man of the strongest character, and possessing the most remarkable qualities, could have made such a marked impression on the political history of a commonwealth47.
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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glutted
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| v.吃得过多( glut的过去式和过去分词 )；（对胃口、欲望等）纵情满足；使厌腻；塞满 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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corruption
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| n.腐败，堕落，贪污 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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annexation
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| n.吞并，合并 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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supervisor
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| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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jacks
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| n.抓子游戏；千斤顶( jack的名词复数 )；（电）插孔；[电子学]插座；放弃 | |
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parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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45
rudiments
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| n.基础知识，入门 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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