Lynch
CHARLES, a Virginia plan. er; born in 1736. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and after the war took up his residence in Pittsylvania co., Va.
The region in which he lived became at one period of the Revolution infested by bands of Tories and outlaws; deserters from both armies added strength and semblance of organization to their operations. Wherever they appeared the terror-stricken inhabitants were plundered, harassed, and mercilessly subjected to every variety of insult and outrage. Col. Lynch, with a band of followers, pursued these outlaws and when any of them fell into his hands outlaws and any of them fell into his hands they were not taken at once to a tree and hanged or tied to a stake and shot; a jury was selected from Lynch's men, over which he presided as judge; the captives were tried separately, the accused being allowed to make his own defense, and to show cause, if he could, why he should not be punished. If found guilty the punishment was inflicted on the spot. He died in 1796.