Virginia Free Press

CHARLESTOWN MINING COMPANY.

The Company organized in this town and county, destined for California, take their departure on to-day. The Company number some of our best and most worthy citizens, and the whole community will feel their loss. To many a family in our midst, it is the severance of ties the most endearing, and they only who have been made to feel and know the pangs of a separation such as this, can properly appreciate the condition of those who mourn. May each member of the company prove eminently successful in his enterprise, and soon return again to cheer the home and make glad the hearth of those who with eager and anxious hope, look forward to the promised time.

The Company number in all about 75. Some ten or more, have already gone, to make the necessary purchases in the way of wagons, mules, provisions, &c. The route by Independence has been selected, as the most advantageous, from which point the Company hope to embark by the first of May. The association is organized for one year from the 1st of April, 1849, and with laws the most stringent to preserve order, efficiency, and success. Each member has paid into the Company $300, making in the aggregate $22,500. This amount has been mostly expended in making the necessary outfit for the journey, and procuring supplies for six months after the arrival of the Company in California. It has a military as well as civil organization, and both departments under the direction of judicious and proper officers—those who have the entire confidence of the Company and the respect of the community. The Company is fully armed to defend itself from aggression, should occasion require a resort to this last alternative.

We give below a full and authentic list of the officers and members of the Company viz:

OFFICERS
President—Henry F. Washington, of Jefferson.
1st Commander—Robt. H. Keeling, Richmond.
2d do—Smith Crane, of Jefferson.
3d do—Jos. E. N. Lewis,
Treasurer—E. M. Ainsworth.
Quartermaster—Nathaniel Severs,
Secretary—J. Harrison Kelly,
Surgeon—Dr. Beverly, of Baltimore.

MEMBERS
1 Daniel Cuthri, 31 Charles G. Thomas
2 James Davidson, 32 A. C. Heninger
3 Thornton B. Bradley, 33 A. Milton Merrill
4 John H. Gamburt, 34 Charles A. Hayden
5 John H. Murphy 35 Elisha Rohrer
6 Edwin A. Levy, 36 John Purcell
7 James McCurdy, 37 P. B. Brown
8 J. H. Humphreys, 38 William Risler
9 John Moore, Jr. 39 John M. Lupton
10 Walter J. Durrett, 40 Joseph C. Davis
11 G. W. Curnings, 41 Isaac Keyser Strider
12 T. F. Washington, 42 Daniel Fegan
13 John W. Gallaber, 43 A. S. Maund
14 H. C. Harrison, 44 Andrew H. Miller
15 Charles F. Slagle 45 Eben Dougherty
16 John T. Boley, 46 Elisha Lock
17 Jacob Bender, 47 Chas. Cunningham
18 John C. Wolpert 48 Geo. Cunningham
19 Jacob F. Engle, 49 J. Cunningham
20 Morgan Miller 50 John Allen
21 Henry U. 51 Taliaferro Bilton
22 Andrew Doster 52 John W. Bowen
23 Benj. Lichman, 53 G. C. Stonebraker
24 Samuel Davidson 54 Joseph C. Young
25 Elisha Rohrer, 55 Edward Hooper
26 John Purcell, 56 B. F. Beaver
27 P. B. Brown 57 Wm. H. Mackey
28 P. W. Duke, 58 William Risler
29 Jerome A. Snider, 59 John M. Lupton
30 John T. Roland, 60 Francis R. Simpson
31 Newton Tawney, 61 R. N. Blackmore
32 A. C. Heninger, 62 Hugh Conway
33 A. Milton Merrill, 63 Dr. J. D. Humphreys
34 Charles A. Hayden 64 James A. Kiche
35 Elisha Rohrer 65 Joseph C. Young
36 John Purcell, 66 Chas. F. Gillingham
37 P. B. Brown 67 Kirwan Berry
38 William Risler, 68 Edward McIlhenny
39 John M. Lupton

[As indicated above, the Company left on Tuesday morning. A large number of our citizens were at the Depot to see their friends and kindred depart.— The scene was intensely interesting and affecting. Whilst many of the adventurers are without families, there are others who have left wives and children. Some in comfortable circumstances, with friends to care for them—others partially provided for. We join the Spirit in wishing them success in their enterprise.