USA > Virginia > Rockingham County > Rockingham County > A history of Rockingham County, Virginia > Part 10
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
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his advertisement that he had already paid out prizes in the Shenandoah Bridge lottery ranging from $10,000 to $200; and in the same issue of the Register he advertises another draw- ing to be held at Winchester in April, 1833, for a capital prize of $12,000, with smaller prizes in great number.
Among other contemporary lotteries that were author- ized or operated in Rockingham were the following:
One in 1831-2 for raising money to construct a road from Harrisonburg to Moorefield; another at the same time for the benefit of the Port Republic and New Haven bridge; in 1833, one to be conducted by Wm. Thompson, Anderson Moffitt, John Zigler, Peter Grim, Saml. Hoover, and Isaac Thomas for erecting a free bridge near Thompson's Store (now Tim- berville); and one in 1838 for the benefit of the "Mt. Craw- ford Free Bridge."
In the Rockingham Register of November 9, 1833, the following notice appeared:
The annual general meeting of the Stockholders of the New Shenan- doah Company will be held at the house of Mrs. Graham, in Port Re- public, on the 15th day of November inst. A general attendance of the Company is requested.
S. H. LEWIS, Treas'r. N. S. Com.
In 1836 the General Assembly agreed to a resolution re- questing the board of public works to employ a competent engineer to survey a route for a proposed railroad from Gor- donsville, in Orange County, to Harrisonburg, in Rocking- ham County.
The winter of 1840 in Rockingham was of unusual sever- ity, and is thus described by Joseph Funk in a letter written January 11:
As our winter weather here has thus far proved to be rather extra- ordinary, I will state to you something about it. On Saturday night and Sunday before Christmas there fell a snow 14 or 15 inches deep, on a previous snow several inches deep; and on Friday after Christmas, (being on the day of Hannah's infair which was held at Daniel Frank's) there fell another about 10 or 12 inches deep, which drifted, together with the other, in such a manner that many places of roads are impassible either with wagon or horse. Mounds of snow are drifted together from 4 to 6
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feet deep. Your sister Elizabeth could not return home from the wed- ding till the following Wednesday and they were obliged to go through fences and fields to get along: Since then we have had 3 snows several inches deep. Both our lanes and many others, have not yet been passed through by any person since the snows fell. The weather has also been extremely cold, but" has now moderated and become more mild and pleasant.
Financial, agricultural, and religious conditions are de- picted, in a letter written by Joseph Funk, October 2, 1842, as follows:
Times with us are very pressing in the money way; of which, how- ever, our county has felt less weight than any of the adjacent. But in many respects the times are good. The season has, the past summer, been very good; heavy crops of wheat oats and corn were produced, so that we abound in the provisions of life. But, with regret I mention, that I fear there is too little of true and unfeigned religion among us; which in a great measure, may be owing to the Clergy. If in the room of a pious life-good examples-and warmly preaching the Word of God to our hearts, the preachers read their sermons, and live in conformity to the world, and its vain fashions, I think the church committed to their charge, of course, cannot grow and thrive.
The California gold fever of 1848-9 seems to have affected Rockingham only slightly. Says Mr. Mauzy:
"If any persons from this county went, at that time, to California, I do not know it, though it is probable that a few did so. I know of two who went from Woodstock-John Anderson and a friend of his named Harrison."5
Says Mr. Liggett:
"As to gold seekers: On conference with Mr. John Ken- ney, whose memory of ancient occurrences is more tenacious than mine, the following are recalled: John Higgins, Thomas Fletcher, Jacob Jones, Benj. Miller (probably),-Britt, and John Williams; the last a lawyer. . . . Mr. William Dainger- field emigrated too at an early date, and achieved distinction and fame, ultimately being elevated to the judicial bench. He was a brother of Capt. Daingerfield and Leroy, soldiers celebrated for gallantry in the Confederate army."6
5. Letter of February 25, 1912.
6. Letter of February 24, 1912.
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Gen. Samuel H. Lewis,7 who lived a mile or two below Port Republic, was a wealthy farmer and man of affairs. Like many of his contemporaries, he frequently consulted the almanac in the management of his farm, and was in the habit of recording weather observations and related items at the proper places in the calendar. His almanac for 1852 is before me, and I reproduce from it the following item:
Great Flood.
April 19 .- Great flood in the river & runs-Being as high (within two inches) as in 1842 .- The Bottom field being recently ploughed, & almost ready to be planted in corn, was very much damaged
In his letter of 1840 Joseph Funk makes reference to a wedding and an infair. In order that present-day readers may know what an infair was, and at the same time appre- ciate more definitely the social conditions that obtained in the earlier half of the century, I append the following account, written for this work, upon special request, by Mrs. Bettie Neff Miller, of Bridgewater.
I will tell you of the first wedding I ever witnessed. My step-grand- mother Neff's maiden sister, Barbara Landes, was united in marriage with David Stemphley (a German) sometime in the forties. I was about 8 years old. (You remember Stemphleytown near Bridgewater; since he was the first settler there the place was named for him.)
I will describe the costumes. The groom was dressed in drab cloth; the bride in a brown merino dress-made petticoat and short gown, with a white apron and handkerchief and a white jaconet cap.
The first relative wedding I ever attended was Uncle Abe Neff's. That was soon after the other-sometime in the forties. He was attired in fine black cloth, the bride in a white dress, with apron of the same material, a beautiful white silk handkerchief and a bobinet cap. The
7. Samuel H. Lewis (1794-1869) was the son of Charles Lewis (1772- 1832), who was the son of Thomas Lewis (1718-1790). Thomas was the eldest son of John Lewis, pioneer of Augusta. Thomas lived and died at Lewiston, below Port Republic. He was the first surveyor of Rocking- ham, and had one of the largest libraries in the West. General Andrew Lewis (1720-1780) and Col. Chas. Lewis (1736-1774) were his brothers. Samuel H. Lewis was the father of Sen. John F. Lewis and Samuel H. Lewis (1820-1892).
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ceremony was rather long, including a prayer, in which all knelt. When they arose the minister sang a few lines:
Bless, Lord, this newly-married pair, And make the match a blessing prove.
Uncle Abe's was the first infair I attended. All rode on horseback. When they came near the house they galloped the horses, and all alighted in a huddle. The friends came to meet them, and ushered them into the house, where the bride and her attendant dressed for dinner. The bride wore a blue alpaca dress, a black silk apron, and a fancy silk handker- chief. Her bonnet was a white lawn over a whole pasteboard-or half a one, I should have said. Of course, we all thought it was beautiful and tasteful. The table was set with pies, puff cakes, pickles, and different kinds of preserves, with chicken, turkey, and ham on a side table. After eating plenty of meat and chicken, the plates were removed, and pie and cakes were served.
After dinner all went into a room prepared to have them spend their time in playing the oldtime apple-butter plays. We children looked on with delight. Bridal presents were unknown.
I attended several infairs just like the one I have described. In earlier days, while on the road to the groom's home, two young men were sent for two bottles of wine to treat the bride and groom before they arrived at the house. When Aunt Mary Neff was married to William Pence they prepared to send out two bottles of wine-had the bottles trimmed, and looked for the men to come. Old Mr. Pence was an old- fashioned man, and wanted to treat his new daughter-in-law. Your mother and I were in that bridal procession. Times changed somewhat before your mother and I were married. My bridal presents were a home- woven wash line, a home-made linen towel, and a wash-bowl with pitcher. Since then there have been many changes, as you know. 8
In the four-cornered fight for the Presidency in 1860 the Rockingham Register supported Douglas. In the issue of August 3, 1860, the editor disapproves the talk of revolution and declares for the preservation of the Union, yet expresses fear of "black republican fanaticism" and flays the aboli- tionists. At the same time the division of the Democratic party is deplored. On election day the vote in Rockingham stood as follows: 676 for Breckenridge, 888 for Bell, and 1354 for Douglas. If Lincoln got any votes in the county, the Register did not report them; yet it was only 78 years since
8. From a letter written September 4, 1911.
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SENATOR JOHN F. LEWIS (Pages 355, 356)
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
his father and grandfather had left Rockingham, and a num- ber of his relatives were still residing in the county at the time.
By December 14, 1860, the Register, while still adoring the Union, showed decided signs of secession sentiment. Evidently it had veered considerably during the last pre- ceding month or two. In the issue of December 28 appears the following, anent the secession of South Carolina:
We are sorry that the gallant Palmetto State did not continue in the Union until the North had time to retrace its steps and do us justice. There are unequivocal signs of returning reason in many portions of the North, and we at least hope they will yet do what they ought before the rest of the Southern States dissolve their connexion with the Union.
These words have an ominous sound. Coming events were casting shadows.9
9. For letters, almanacs, old newspapers, etc., belonging to the period covered by this chapter, I am indebted, among others, to Mrs. E. Rue- bush, Dayton, Va., and to Mr. S. C. Rohr and Hon. George N. Conrad, both of Harrisonburg.
R. C-H-5.
CHAPTER VII.
ROCKINGHAM IN THE CIVIL WAR.
1861-1865.
A consecutive and detailed narrative of a great county in a great war cannot be attempted in a single brief chapter, yet enough may be given to bring those "old, unhappy, far- off things and battles long ago" vividly before us. The rising spirit of early '61 may be felt in the following, copied from the Rockingham Register of January 25, 1861:
Military Meeting.
Monday was a proud day for old Rockingham. Notwithstanding the diversity of opinion which exists as to the best mode of settling our present difficulties, all are agreed on arming our Volunteer Regiment. The immense crowd was addressed by Messrs. Warren, Shands, Winfield and Yancey, in patriotic and thrilling speeches, and when the motion was made by Mr. Shands, to ask the County Court to subscribe $2000 in addi- tion to the amount already subscribed, there was not a dissenting voice in the crowd that was audible. The meeting adjourned with three cheers for the Regiment. The arming and equiping of that Regiment is a fixed fact. It was the largest meeting ever convened in our Court-House. Hundreds outside could not gain admittance, but endorsed the action of the meeting.
The voting places in the county at this time were as follows:
District No. 1.
Conrad's Store
McGaheysville
District No. 2.
Taliaferro's Store
Port Republic
District No. 3.
Mt. Crawford Dayton
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
District No. 4.
Bridgewater
District No. 5.
Mt. Clinton
Bowman's Mill
District No. 6.
Keezletown
Court House
District No. 7.
Henton's Mill
Spartapolis
District No. 8.
Cootes' Store
Timberville
Mennonite School House District No. 9.
Sprinkel's Store
Wittig's Store
On February 4, 1861, an election was held to choose delegates to the State convention. S. A. Coffman, John F. Lewis, and A. S. Gray were chosen. An unusually large vote was polled, and was distributed among the several candidates as follows:
Coffman,
2588
Lewis,
2081
Gray,
1999
Woodson,
1120
Newman,
705
Liggett,
503
In reporting the election, the Register of February 8 says:
The delegates elect are all conservative Union men, and were voted for by the people with the understanding that they are to be the repre- sentatives of the strong Union sentiment of the county. Yet while they are all Union men, yet none of them desire to be classed in the category of "submissionists." They will go for the Union as long as there is hope of its honorable preservation; but when all just and proper efforts in that direction fail, then they will go, as Virginians and Southern men, for the rights, the honor, and dignity of the old Commonwealth out of the Union .- We hope and pray that such an alternative may not be pre- sented; but if it should, we know enough of the metal of our delegates
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to the Convention, to be assured, that Virginia's sacred honor will be safe in their hands.
Politics were ignored in the canvass. In politics, the delegates stand as follows: Two democrats, (Messrs. Coffman and Gray,) and one whig, (Mr. Lewis.) They are all comparatively young men, Mr. Coffman, the foremost man in the race, being the youngest of the three.
Vote for and against referring the action of the conven- tion to the people:
For Ref.
Against Ref.
Harrisonburg,
474
183
Keezletown,
52
4
Conrad's Store,
144
76
McGaheysville,
77
73
Port Republic,
145
2
Taliaferro's Store,
107
14
Mt. Crawford,
175
38
Dayton,
118
9
Bridgewater,
151
6
Ottobine,
180
20
Mt. Clinton,
93
1
Bowman's Mill,
185
8
Spartapolis,
138
49
Henton's Mill,
82
10
Timberville,
123
3
Trissel's School House,
61
6
Cootes' Store,
100
64
Sprinkel's Store,
13
22
Wittig's
71
00
2499
593
As shown by the unusually large vote, the people all over the county were intensely aroused. Wednesday morning, March 27, 1861, a Confederate flag was seen floating from the Exchange Hotel in Harrisonburg-three weeks before the Virginia convention adopted the ordinance of secession, and eighteen days before Lincoln's call for troops. "It was," said the next Register, "the work of a portion of the gallant
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fair ladies of our town, who are in favor of joining the Confederacy."
On April 17 the convention at Richmond adopted an ordinance of secession by a vote of 88 to 55. Consistently with his declarations before the election, Mr. Lewis voted with the minority, and steadfastly refused to sign the ordinance after it was passed.
The division of opinions and convictions in the convention but reflected the similar divisions over the State-particularly in the western part. In Rockingham the majority agreed with the majority of the convention, but there were also a number who thought differently. For example, in the Blue Ridge sections of East Rockingham, where anti- slavery sentiment and martial spirit were both strong, a number of men went north and joined the Union armies. In other sections of the county the peace principles of large numbers of the people, particularly the Dunkers and Mennonites, kept many from assuming a decided attitude one way or the other; but notwithstanding all these conditions, the attitude of the county as a whole was soon definitely and decidedly for the Confederacy. On April 20, when the "Mountain Guards," from Spring Hill, Augusta County, and the "Rockbridge Rifles" were passing through Harrisonburg the ladies pre- sented them with flags. The firing on Sumter, Lincoln's call for troops, and the action of the Virginia convention had aroused tremendous enthusiasm. Meetings to organize home guards, etc., were held at Bridgewater, Lacey Spring, Harrisonburg, and elsewhere.
Before the war was over, Rockingham men were serving in many different commands; but the organization that is perhaps most frequently thought of in connection with the military history of the county is the 10th Regiment, Va. V. I., made up chiefly of Rockingham soldiers; and we deem our readers fortunate in having presented to them herewith an account of this regiment, written by one who knows its history at first hand.
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A HISTORY OF THE 10TH VIRGINIA REGIMENT, VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
BY COLONEL D. H. LEE MARTZ.1
Written Specially for This Work.
The nucleus of the 10th Regiment Virginia Volunteer In- fantry was formed in Rockingham County just prior to the commencement of the Civil War. One company, the Valley Guards, was organized before the John Brown raid at Harper's Ferry, with S. B. Gibbons as captain. This company was sent to Charlestown as part of the military force used as a guard. These events created or aroused a military spirit in Rockingham, resulting in the formation of six other com- panies, viz., the Rockingham Rifles, captain, James Kenney; Chrisman's Infantry, captain, George Chrisman; Bridgewater Grays, captain, John Brown; Brock's Gap Rifles, captain, John Q. Winfield;2 Peaked Mountain Grays, captain, William
1. Col. Martz was born at the old family homestead near Lacey Spring, March 23, 1837. After his early life on the farm he engaged in mercan- tile business, which was interrupted by the war. He rose from the rank of sergeant in the 10th Virginia Infantry to that of colonel, and at the close of the war he was in command of the 10th, 23d, and 37th Virginia regiments. « After a number of years in business again he was elected, in 1887, clerk of the circuit court in Rockingham County, and still holds that office. He has been commander of the S. B. Gibbons Camp, Confederate Veterans, since 1893. On November 14, 1860, he married Miss Mary Nicholas Carter. Mr. Ed. C. Martz, a well-known lawyer of Harrisonburg, is his son.
2. Capt. Winfield was born at Mt. Jackson, Va., June 20, 1822, the son of Dr. Richard Winfield. He was a graduate of Washington College, Lexington, Va., and of Jefferson Medical College, Phila. As captain of the Letcher Brock's Gap Rifles, in the 7th Va. Cavalry, he won dis- tinction, and was mentioned as the one likely to succeed Ashby in command of the regiment, but failing health interrupted his military service. In spite of failing health he continued the practice of medicine at his home in Broadway, where he died July 29, 1892. Mr. Chas. R. Winfield, attorney-at-law, is his son.
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B. Yancey; Riverton Invincibles, captain, W. D. C. Covington. These seven companies were organized as a regiment just before the war, under the Virginia laws, as State Volunteer Militia, with S. B. Gibbons colonel, E. T. H. Warren lieu- tenant-colonel, Burke Chrisman and George W. Miller majors. The last two did not see active service.
At the outbreak of the war this regiment was ordered to Harper's Ferry, leaving home on the 18th day of April, 1861, as the 4th Virginia Regiment of State troops. The regiment, as finally organized, became the 10th Virginia Infantry, C. S. A., with S. B. Gibbons colonel, E. T. H. Warren lieutenant- colonel, and Samuel T. Walker major. With the addition of three companies from Shenandoah County-one each from Strasburg, Woodstock, and Edinburg-the regiment remained at Harper's Ferry until some time in June, 1861. Then it moved to Romney, now in West Virginia, by way of Win- chester, as part of the 4th Brigade, commanded at the time by Col. A. P. Hill of the 13th Va. On the way back to Win- chester the Brock's Gap Rifles were transferred to the cavalry, the regiment being finally composed of eleven companies: six from Rockingham, three from Shenandoah, one from Page, and one from Madison.
The impending battle of Manassas caused the army in the Valley, under Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, to be moved to eastern Virginia, reaching Manassas Junction on the 21st of July. Thence it was hurried to the field of battle. Only four companies, however, of the 10th Regiment (now in Gen. Arnold Elzey's brigade) took part in the battle, having been detached from the regiment and sent to strengthen the Con- federate left. These four companies suffered some loss in killed and wounded. After this battle the Confederate army remained around or near Manassas Junction until the following spring, when it was moved to the south side of the Rappa- hannock River.
Nothing of importance affecting the 10th Regiment occurred in this time until April, 1862, when it was trans- ferred to the Valley, and made a part of Gen. W. B. Talia-
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ferro's Brigade, Jackson's Division, then at what is now Elkton. The regiment was composed of the eleven companies aforesaid: A, C, and F from Shenandoah; B, D, E, G, H, and I from Rockingham; K from Page; and L from Madison. While at Elkton Co. C was disbanded, and a new Co. C from Rockingham, Robert C. Mauck captain, assigned to the regiment.
Early in May, 1862, Jackson's command was sent to reinforce Gen. Edward Johnson, in the campaign ending May 8 in the battle of McDowell, with Gen. Milroy in com- mand of the Federals. In this battle the 10th Regiment had the misfortune to lose its colonel, the brave and chivalrous S. B. Gibbons, 3 as well as several men. Soon the command was marched back to the Valley by way of Bridgewater, moved down to New Market, thence over the mountain into the Page Valley, down by Front Royal, thence across to the Valley Pike at Middletown, and on to Winchester after Gen. Banks, who had withdrawn to Winchester and there made a stand. Being so vigorously assailed by Jackson and Ewell as to be completely routed, he hurried on toward the Potomac. The 10th Regiment did not actively engage in this battle, but nevertheless suffered some loss, Capt. Mauck of Co. C being wounded and permanently disabled.
After pursuing Banks several miles, the troops were withdrawn and moved rapidly up the Valley to Harrisonburg, the 3d Brigade going to a point between Port Republic and Cross Keys. While a battle was being fought there, on Sunday morning, June 8, the enemy occupied Port Republic and planted a piece of artillery at the mouth of the bridge, on the Port Republic side of North River. The 3d Brigade was hurried to the bridge, drove the enemy away and took possession of the village.
3. Simeon B. Gibbons was born May 25, 1833, at Shenandoah Furnace, Page Co., Va., and was educated at the Virginia Military Institute. When put in command of his regiment, he was the youngest colonel in the Confederacy. His father was a Col. Gibbons of Virginia, later of Georgia.
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The battle of Port Republic was fought on the next day, June 9, but the Tenth did not become engaged, though hurried to the front to join in the attack upon Shields. A few days after Fremont and Shields had been disposed of, Gen. Jackson was ordered east to join Gen. Lee in the defence of Richmond. Marching to Mechum's River, he went thence by rail to Beaver Dam; thence marched to the scene of the conflict, which culminated in seven days of desperate fighting, Mc- Clellan to capture, Lee to save, Richmond. However, from the time the Tenth reached its destination until the end of the struggle, it did not fire a gun, being held in reserve; but it was exposed for a time to damage from the exploding shells of the enemy at Malvern Hill, while supporting a bat- tery, two or three men being slightly wounded.
Soon after the close of this part of the campaign Gen. Jackson with his corps was ordered to Gordonsville to look after the redoubtable Federal general, John Pope. On the 8th of August (1862), a few miles south of Culpeper Court House, near or at Slaughter's Mountain, called by the Con- federates Cedar Run, the first encounter took place between Jackson and Pope, resulting in a hard-fought battle, with vic- tory for a time trembling in the balance. The Tenth, under command of Major Stover, was in the fray from start to finish, suffering a considerable loss in killed and wounded. After this battle the troops followed Pope's discomfited army, ex- pecting to give him battle before he could recross the Rap- pahannock; but this plan failed from some cause. The next move was to cross the Rappahannock and give him battle.
For Jackson, the next thing was to move up the river, cross its two branches, pass around Pope's right, and move on Manassas Junction, thus getting completely in Pope's rear -a very daring and desperate move, resulting in a three days battle, the Second Manassas. In all this the 10th Virginia took an active part, losing heavily in killed and wounded. Among the latter were Lt .- Col. Walker and Major Stover. On the second day, Col. Warren being absent, the command
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of the regiment devolved upon Capt. W. B. Yancey. Pope's army was routed and driven back with tremendous loss.
The next move was the invasion of Maryland. The Tenth passed through Frederick City, and came back into Virginia by Williamsport to Martinsburg, where it was left on duty with the 2d Va., while Jackson captured Harper's Ferry. The Tenth remained here until the army returned to Vir- ginia, after the battle of Sharpsburg. After remaining in the lower Valley for a time, the army crossed into eastern Vir- ginia, and, moving near Fredericksburg, took position on the hills running parallel with the Rappahannock, back of the town. The Federal general, Burnside, was on the Stafford Heights, on the opposite side of the river.
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