The North Carolina Symphony recently finished its Western Tour, a five-day trip to communities in the western part of the state. Double Bass Robert Anderson filed this report from one of those towns:

There we were in Lexington at a Days Inn, off the road, sort of in the woods and not near much. We had to take a bus to dinner. Afterwards, with 45 minutes to kill, I took a walk. Behind the motel was a narrow paved road in the woods. Fifty yards up the road I spotted a dirt road, unused for ages, heading into the trees. It couldn't go too far, since the interstate highway could be heard behind the woods. Ten yards into the woods there was a narrow break and an old cemetery visible, all overgrown with trees.

There were 15 graves recently marked with slabs of rough cut slate, perhaps evidence of some history buffs marking old graves. In one corner two stones still stood: "BARBARA Wife of John Cox, born Aug. 18, 1810, died July 2, 1855, Age 44 years, 11 months, 18 days." Next to Barbara was a tiny stone: "HENRY C., Son of J & B Cox, Feb. 8, 1829, Feb 18, 1829," poor little guy.

Most amazing was the only other standing marker, 3 feet tall, 18 inches wide, with this inscription:

WILLIAM KINNEY
PVT. NORTH CAROLINA TROOPS
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Born in Scotland, about 1733
"Tradition"
He fired the first shot at the
Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
The bullet moulded from a
pewter plate in his home
near this spot. Killed a
British sentry.

That night at our concert I asked the policeman about this. He said there was a plaque in downtown Lexington about Kinney, and this event. Sometimes wandering can be interesting.