Note 2 — MR. PEYTON'S REPORT IN 1810.
Reading edition
LEWIS LITTLEPAGE. Note.—The James here mentioned was James Littlepage Woodville, who married Mrs. Peyton's eldest sister, Mary Lewis.—Mr. Woodville resided at Fincastle and Buchanan, and was a prominent lawyer and president of the Bank of Buchanan. His father was Rev. John Woodville, Rector of St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper Co., and a native of North Britain. He was a nephew of the celebrated, but eccentric Lewis Littlepage, whose career was brilliant and unequaled. Littlepage was born in Virginia in 1762, and died at Fredericksburg in 1802. At the age of 17 he went to Europe, and in 1779-80 accompanied Mr. Jay, American Envoy, to the Court of Spain, Madrid. Though only a youth, his figure was fine and manly—his dark eyes bright and penetrating. Among his acquaintances he was regarded as a prodigy of genius and acquirements.—Shortly after reaching Madrid, Littlepage separated from Mr. Jay's family, and joined as a volunteer aid, the duke of Cuillon, and was with the army at the siege of Minorca. At the siege of Gibralter he was on a floating battery and blown up, but being uninjured was rescued from the sea and distinguished himself during the further operations against that fortress. On the return of the fleet to Cadiz, he was sent with despatches to Madrid, where the Court received and treated him with much distinction. He then proceeded to Paris, and was on terms of friendship with Dr. Franklin, who was then living at Passy.—At Paris and Versailles this adventurous, young Virginian moved in the best society and attracted marked attention from all. After a brief visit to London, he returned to the Continent and made a tour of Europe, establishing himself at Warsaw, where he was so popular that he rose to be in effect, the King's Prime Minister. He resisted and defeated the plans of Zamoyski before the Diet. He afterwards went to St. Petersburg as Ambassador from Poland, and acquitted himself with distinguished ability and became a favorite of the Empress Catherine. The following letter of Lewis Littlepage to Lewis Holiday takes up the history of his life where our account ends and completes the story of his eventful career in Europe.