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Christian County was named in honor of Col. William Christian, a
noted soldier and Indian fighter. Collins gives the following sketch
of him: He was a native of Augusta County, Va., and was educated at
Staunton. When very young he commanded a company attached to Col.
Bird's regiment, which was ordered to the frontier during Braddock's
war. In this service he obtained the reputation of a brave, active
and efficient officer. Upon the termination of Indian hostilities,
he married the sister of Patrick Henry, and settled in the county of
Botetourt. In 1774, having received the appointment of Colonel of
militia, he raised about three hundred volunteers, and by forced
marches made a distance of 200 miles, with the view of joining the
forces under Gen. Lewis, at the mouth of the Great Kanawha. He did
not arrive, however, in time to participate in the battle of Point
Pleasant, which occurred on the preceding day, the 10th of October,
1774. In 1775 he was a member of the General State Convention of
Virginia. In the succeeding year, when hostilities had commenced
between Great Britain and the American colonies, he received the
appointment of Colonel in the Virginia line of the regular army, and
took command of an expedition composed of 1,200 men, against the
Cherokee Indians. No event of moment occurred in this expedition,
the Indians having sued for peace, which was concluded with them.
After his return from this expedition, Col. Christian resigned his
command in the regular service, and accepted one in the militia, at
the head of which he kept down the Tory spirit in his quarter of
Virginia throughout the Revolutionary struggle. Upon the conclusion
of the war, he represented his county in the Virginia Legislature
for several years, sustaining a high reputation for his civil as
well as his military talents.
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