The Shadow
COVINGTON, VA (VR) – As America’s 250th birthday comes to a close in 2026, we take this final opportunity to recognize eight more Revolutionary War veterans who fought for our country and helped make America the great nation it is today.
Throughout the year, we have honored the 16 veterans from the Alleghany Highlands and the seven signers of the Declaration of Independence from Virginia:
- Thomas Jefferson – Primary author of the Declaration of Independence and later President of the United States.
- Richard Henry Lee – Introduced the pivotal resolution calling for independence from Great Britain.
- Francis Lightfoot Lee – Signer of the Declaration of Independence and younger brother of Richard Henry Lee. He also served in the House of Burgesses and the Virginia Senate.
- George Wythe – Respected legal scholar and mentor to Thomas Jefferson.
- Benjamin Harrison V – Planter, statesman, and later Governor of Virginia.
- Thomas Nelson Jr. – Merchant, militia commander, and later Governor of Virginia.
- Carter Braxton – Wealthy planter and merchant who helped finance the Patriot cause.
On October 27, 2026, we celebrated the final eight veterans, honoring them and their families.
Lt. Col. William Robinson (1748–after 1781) – Virginia Militia. Buried at Mt. Pleasant Church Cemetery (no marker). He commanded the Botetourt County Militia from before 1777 until resigning his post on April 12, 1781.
Pvt. Benjamin Haynes (1738–1808) – Virginia Militia. Originally buried at the Haynes Cemetery (now Mountain Gateway, where a memorial honors Benjamin and his brother Joseph). He was reburied at Mountain View Cemetery in Clifton Forge, VA (no marker). Payrolls dated 1774 indicate that Benjamin served in his brother Captain Joseph Haynes’s company, along with their brothers Jasper and Steven. He is believed to have participated in the Battle of Point Pleasant.
William McClintic Jr., Rifleman (1759, Ireland–1786) – Buried at Warm Springs Cemetery in Bath County. In 1774, McClintic fought at Point Pleasant. He is believed to have lived near Falling Springs. From March 1778 to March 1779, he served in New Jersey under Captain Andrew Wallance and Lt. Bowen with the 8th Virginia Regiment. From February to May 1781, he served in the Southern Campaigns under Captain Bollar. He was wounded at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in March 1781, and these wounds eventually led to his death in 1786.
John King (1760–1840) – Virginia Militia. Buried in the King-Stull Family Cemetery in Rich Patch (no marker). He served in Captain Campbell’s Company of the Augusta County Militia.
Captain Joseph Haynes (1742–1815) – Virginia Militia. Originally buried at the Haynes Cemetery (now Mountain Gateway, where a memorial honors Joseph and his brother Benjamin). He was reburied at Mountain View Cemetery in Clifton Forge. Payrolls dated 1774 indicate that he was then a captain of a company of county militia in which his brothers Jasper, Stephen, and Benjamin served as privates. As members of General Andrew Lewis’s division, they participated in the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Captain Dennis Callaghan/O’Callaghan (1750, Ireland–1820) – Virginia Militia. Buried at Dickson-Callaghan Cemetery in Callaghan (no marker). In 1779, he served in Captain Thomas Smith’s Company of the Augusta Militia. In 1782, he was captain of the Patrollers in Staunton. The Patrollers were a local militia tasked with keeping watch for both Native Americans and Tories. After the war, around 1792, Dennis Callaghan purchased land in Alleghany County and soon opened the famous Callaghan’s Inn, a tavern and stagecoach stop in the town that bears his name.
Pvt. David Glassburn (born c. 1730, Germany–died 1834) – Virginia Militia. Buried at Mallow Cemetery in Covington (no marker). He originally enlisted in Captain Arbuckle’s Company and was wounded at Point Pleasant. He was shot completely through his body, so severely that a handkerchief could be passed in one side and out the other. He survived and later reenlisted in 1782 for three years or the duration of the war in Captain Calloway’s Company, serving out of the 22nd District of Botetourt County (Covington).
Pvt. John Damron/Dammeron – Continental Line. Buried at Damron Cemetery in Dunlap, off Snake Run Road (no marker). John Dammeron served in the 2nd Virginia State Regiment, although we do not know the exact term or details of his service. The 2nd Virginia was known for its gallantry, fighting in the Battle of Great Bridge in Chesapeake, Virginia, in 1775. The regiment was reorganized into the Continental Army in December 1776 and later served with General George Washington at the Battles of Monmouth and Brandywine, as well as during the winter at Valley Forge in 1777–1778. The regiment was also involved in the Battle of Stony Point in 1779. Later in the war, the unit was sent south, and in 1780, many of its members were captured by the British when Charleston fell.
The VA250 commemoration is scheduled to continue through 2031, with the official legislative commission formally expiring on July 1, 2031. While July 4, 2026, marked the national peak of the Semiquincentennial (the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence), Virginia’s timeline is extended by state law to reflect the actual progression of the Revolutionary War. The commemoration will officially conclude after marking the 250th anniversary of the final decisive victory at the Battle of Yorktown, which took place on October 19, 1781.
Thank you to Phil Amick of the Alleghany Highlands Genealogical Society for the many hours spent gathering the information we have been able to share with you throughout this year. His efforts have helped bring greater awareness to the history of our great nation.
Give your child an opportunity to explore all the information we have made available throughout the year at the Discovery Center, open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
VA250 Mobile Museum Experience – OUT OF MANY, ONE
Thank you to Delegate Terry Austin for his help in bringing the mobile museum to our area and allowing us to educate both young and old. Covington Middle School students had the opportunity to learn so much from the history and exhibits inside the museum. Thank you to the middle school for allowing us the opportunity to make a positive impact on our community.
Even though 2026 is coming to an end, the commission’s work continues. We are privileged to live in the great country of America because of these men, those who followed them, and those who continue to fight for our country.
God bless America!
L-R: Rev. Rosetta Stewart, Loretta Lambert, Linda Morrison, Marian Paxton, VFW Auxiliary Members; Jenny Jack, Postmaster; Chastity Gunter, Clerk US Post Office; April Tucker, Supervisor US Post Office; Phil Amick, Genealogical Society (Christopher Mentz photo)
Wall of Valor honoring Revolutionary War veterans (Christopher Mentz photo)
