{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397906", "Griffith Notes Anniversary of the Battle of Point Pleasant", "2014-10-10", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement in honor of the Battle of Point Pleasant, which took place on October 10, 1774: \u201c240 years ago today, western Virginia frontiersmen under the command of Colonel Andrew Lewis met an army led by Chief Cornstalk, a Shawnee chief, at the juncture of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers known as Point Pleasant.\u00a0 This was then located in the colony of Virginia, but today is in West Virginia.\u201d \u00a0 \u201cThis battle marked a turning point in North American history.\u00a0 While I could spend hours discussing what lead up to the battle and its aftermath, I won\u2019t do so at this time.\u00a0 I recommend you research this important date for yourself.\u201d \u201cHowever, it is important to note that this battle is credited as being the first battle of the American Revolution by the Senate of the United States.\u00a0 The defeat of Chief Cornstalk\u2019s army meant that settlers could pour across the ridge of the Appalachians and settle in the Kentucky territory of Virginia and in parts of Tennessee.\u00a0 The settlers were led in large part by Daniel Boone who, although not present at the time of the battle, was a part of Colonel Lewis\u2019 army and was in charge of Lewis\u2019 army\u2019s supplies.\u00a0 Because of the large number of settlers who crossed the mountains after 1774, when peace was reached with George III of England, the British crown had to cede to the new country of the United States of America lands to the Mississippi, and not just to the ridge of the Appalachians.\u201d \u00a0 \u201cRarely studied, but extremely important in the development of this great country was this battle fought by the western Virginians.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397906"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6728712469339371, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}