History lovers, Virginia buffs and myth-busters alike, this episode of Cardinal News 250 digs into one of central Virginia’s most persistent legends: the claim that 70 French soldiers are buried in Kingsville near Hampden-Sydney College after dying of smallpox during the American Revolution. Host Lisa Rowan sits down with historian and archaeologist Charles Pearson to trace the story back to a 1930 DAR marker, explore the role of Luzon’s Legion after the Siege of Yorktown and examine how fact, folklore and local memory became tangled over time.
With deep reporting on Revolutionary War history, Colonial Virginia, archaeological investigations and historical records, this episode unpacks what really happened, what didn’t and why this story has endured for more than a century. From smallpox myths to French troops in Virginia to the power of historical markers to shape public memory, Cardinal News 250 delivers a fascinating look at how legends are born and how historians work to separate truth from tradition.
You can listen to the podcast here:
Or watch it here:
Find all our other Cardinal 250 podcasts here.