USA > Virginia > Clarke County > Clarke County > History of Clarke County, Virginia and its connection with the war between the states > Part 8
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armies, was exposed to the depredations of roving bands of stragglers and thieves, as well as to the organized ones, who were little better. The people found the hardships of war now upon them in their worst form. The move- ments of those bands and of small bodies of our cavalry were so frequent that no note was taken of the time or purpose. All the people knew was that the Yankee cav- alry had passed, or that our men were in town today, maybe a fight in the streets and then away.
This condition continued through the Winter and Spring of 1864, the people not knowing from day to day what would happen to them, but no movement of importance took place in the county. In the Spring General Seigel moved from Harper's Ferry, through Berryville, up the Valley on his campaign, and was defeated at New Market. Later in July, Early, having driven Hunter, of house burning fame, from Lynchburg, moved down the Valley, but did not pass through Clarke on his advance into Mary- land. Pushing on rapidly he fought the battle of the Mo- nocacy and advanced to the defenses of Washington, hop- ing to surprise and capture the place, but was a little too late. Grant had sent troops from his army in front of Richmond.
General Early then withdrew, crossing the Potomac at White's Ferry near Leesburg and retreating through Snicker's Gap into Clarke. He placed Breckenridge's di- vision between Berryville and the river to watch the fords there. Gordon and Rhodes were camped about Wick- liffe and Gaylord, guarding the approaches from Harper's Ferry. He had been followed by the Army of West Vir- ginia under General Crook and the troops of Hunter and Averill; all under the command of General Crook. Gen- eral Crook upon reaching the Shenandoah determined on making a reconnaissance in force to develop General Early's position.
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On July 18th he ordered three brigades to cross the river for that purpose. They were guided by a deserter from the Clarke Rifles by the name of Carrigan. He had worked as a tailor at Castleman's Ferry before the war and was well acquainted with the mountain and the fords on the river. He led them through the "Retreat" farm, then owned by Judge Parker, of Winchester, to a ford about a mile below Castleman's Ferry, between the islands and landed on the "Cool Spring" farm and the "Westwood" farm. Their approach through the mountain being hid- den by the woodland, they were able to cross at the fords, which were shallow, without discovery by Early's pickets until they were safely over. They immediately sent for- ward their skirmishers, pushing them across the "Cool Spring" and "Westwood" farms until they reached the public road leading from Castleman's Ferry to Wickliffe Church. Their line of battle was placed across the "Cool Spring" farm and partly on the "Westwood," near where the "Cool Spring" house stands. General Breckenridge, who was in command of the nearest troops was attending service in Berryville at the Episcopal Church. Upon be- ing notified of the advance of the enemy, he immediately moved out and with his division under General Ramseur and Gordon's to meet them. The troops camped at Webb- town, then Colonel Ware's woods, moved through the "Frankford" farm until in reach of the enemy. Gor- don's and Ramseur's troops were thrown into position immediately in front of the enemy's lines, and advanced their skirmishers to occupy the attention of the enemy. While this was being done, General Rhodes bringing his division from the neighborhood of Gaylord, passing in rear of the Confederates line of battle, moved down a ra- vine, unseen by the enemy until he had placed himself on their left flank and rear. When this movement was com-
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pleted, Gordon and Ramseur pushed their lines forward with vigor, driving back the enemy's skirmishers upon the line of battle. At that moment Rhodes' lines advancing rapidly from the enemy's left appeared in their rear. They were immediately thrown into confusion and fled precipitately to the river. A large number missing the fords, threw themselves into the river at what is called "Parker's Hole," where the water was very deep and were drowned. A large number were killed and wounded in the fighting, some prisoners were taken. The remainder made their way as best they could to the islands and then across to the other side, where they were under the pro- tection of their artillery. Many of their dead were buried on the "Cool Spring" farm, from which they were removed after the war to the National Cemetery at Winchester. The Confederate loss was not heavy although a number were killed and wounded. The dead were buried there and removed later to Stonewall Cemetery at Winchester. Among the Federal Officers in the fight that day, was a Colonel Frost in command of a brigade of troops. Living in the "Cool Spring" house was a relative of his, Mr. Eben Frost, a well known man at that time. Colonel Frost sent word to his relative, inviting him to come to see him, as he had been badly wounded. The old gentleman de- clined and said that "if he had staid at home, he would not have been shot." Colonel Frost died in a day or two and as his remains were being taken to Charlestown, they stopped for a while at the "Middle Farm" the old ances- tral home of the Frosts. This battle was the biggest fight that occurred in the County. More men were en- gaged and the fighting while it lasted was sharper. At this time, fifty years later, it is not uncommon for fisher- men to draw up a musket from Parker's Hole when think- ing that they had hooked a ten pound bass. This en-
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gagement is called the Battle of Cool Spring, and will be marked with a granite stone by the Camp. The enemy failing in this effort, made another attempt to cross at Berry's Ferry on the 19th, which was handsomely repulsed by General Imboden with his own and McCausland's cavalry. During this fight Lieut. George Shumate of the Clarke Cavalry was killed. General Early received information just at this time that a column under Averill was moving from Martinsburg towards Winchester, and as his trains were exposed to attacks from the direction of Charlestown, he determined to withdraw to Strasburg on the Valley pike. This he did, sending Ramseur's division to Winchester, but marching the rest of his army through Millwood and White Post to Newtown, where he again had all his enemies in his front.
General Early's movements during all his stay in the lower Valley are well worthy of the attention of everyone. Moving from one point to another with the greatest celer- ity, but yet with an eye to every movement of the enemy, or possible movement, he deceived them as to the size of his forces and kept them on the lookout and uneasy as to where he would next turn up. On the 24th of July he moved rapidly down to Kernstown, the scene of Jackson's fight in March, 1862, and after hard fighting drove the enemy through Winchester in full retreat for the Poto- mac. On the 29th, part of his army crossed tho Potomac and went as far as Chambersburg, which was partly burned in retaliation for the burning by Hunter and others in the Valley. On the 31st, he was back at Bunker Hill. On the 5th of August he again crossed the Potomac, on the 7th he was again back at Bunker Hill. On the 10th, hearing that the 19th corps of the army of the Potomac had arrived at Harper's Ferry, under command of Gen- eral Sheridan, he moved up the Valley pike and took po-
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sition at Fisher's Hill beyond Strasburg. While Early was making this movement towards Fisher's Hill, Ram- seur had a severe fight with the enemy's cavalry on the Millwood road, and drove it back. On the same day Im- boden and Vaughn's cavalry had a sharp engagement at the Double Tollgate, with another body of cavalry, and drove them back. Gordon also on the 12th, had a sharp fight with the cavalry. Sheridan opened his campaign with vigor, advancing as far as Cedar Creek, but before he could attack, if he intended to do so, Mosby's attack on his trains at Berryville caused him to fall back through Winchester and Berryville beyond "Clifton," the home of the Allens. Early moving on to Bunker Hill and demon- strating towards Summit Point and Charles Town, Sheri- dan on the 24th fell back to Halltown, where he was under the shelter of the guns on the Maryland Heights.
On the 30th of August, Anderson moved to Winchester, and Early to Bunker Hill. In the meantime Sheridan had again advanced towards Berryville and Summit Point. On the 3rd of September General Anderson hav- ing been ordered by General Lee to return to Petersburg, moved towards Berryville, intending to pass through Millwood and Ashby's Gap. Sheridan about the same time extended his left so as to occupy the breastworks on Grindstone Hill at "Rosemont," also sending a division of cavalry under General Torbert toward White Post. Anderson marching quietly down the Winchester pike was told by Mr. Geo. C. Blakemore and Mr. Martin Gaunt that the enemy were in force just ahead of him. His lines were immediately formed for the attack in front, and also on the flank by sending a force through the farms now own- ed by Mr. C. A. Rutherford and H. O. Levi, to take po- sition in the woods south of "Rosemont." All things be- ing ready, the whole line advanced and the enemy were
SAMUEL J. C. MOORE
CAPTAIN OF "CLARKE RIFLES" (COMPANY I, SECOND VIRGINIA INFANTRY) LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AND ADJUTANT-GENERAL ON GEN. JUBAL A. EARLY'S STAFF
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soon driven from their exceedingly strong position and fell back through Berryville to Sheridan's position along the Summit Point turnpike. The column of cavalry sent toward White Post under Torbert heard the firing at Ber- ryville and returned, but their advance was fallen upon by Mosby's men about a mile south of Berryville and a number killed and captured. The main column advanc- ing to the hill near the toll gate were fired upon by artil- lery placed by order of Major S. J. C. Moore in the yard of Mrs. Kittredge's residence, then owned by Mr. Beemer, and quite a number were killed, causing them to turn to- wards the river and pass east of the town in order to reach their own lines on the north. On the 4th Anderson placed his force in line of battle in front of Sheridan. General Early moved with three divisions to his assistance from his camp at Stevenson's depot, being guided by the late Col. J. J. Reily, who was well acquainted with all that country. Finding Anderson in position, Early extended his line northward through the "Glen Allen" farm, hoping to get around the flank of the enemy, but from a high hill he was enabled to see that Sheridan's line extended as far as Summit Point, and as his force was too small to reach so far, he was constrained to give up the plan. After con- sultation with General Anderson, it was determined to move to the west side of the Opequon. This was done during the 5th, and although the skirmishers of the two armies were engaged, the movement was made without in- terruption by the enemy. Sheridan with the force at his command ought to have captured Early's whole force without trouble, and if he had been a general of energy and push he would have done so. Before Early's arrival to reinforce Anderson, his train and division were in great peril. Sheridan had in some way found out the position of Anderson's trains, and had sent orders during the night
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of the 2nd to General Torbert at White Post to attack these trains, telling him where to find them and but for the capture of the courier by John Russell, he would doubtless have undertaken it with every prospect of suc- cess. An attack on his trains would have so crippled An- derson that he would have been compelled to withdraw in the face of so large an army, which would doubtless have attacked and ruined him before Early could have come to his assistance. Anyone studying the situation will see that Sheridan could have outflanked Early on the left towards Summit Point, have rolled him back towards the Winchester road and had the force at Stevenson's and all the trains there at his mercy. Sheridan may have been a dashing and enterprising cavalry officer when under General Grant's eye, but he was certainly a failure in managing an army, when opposed by even the small force under Early's command. His success later, at Winches- ter, after Early's force had been reduced by the return of Anderson to General Lee, when he (Sheridan) had an over- whelming force of cavalry and infantry, entitled him to no credit. Any man of the most ordinary ability could have done as well. The battle of Berryville over, Early withdrew to the west side of the Opequon, where he fol- lowed the same tactics as before, threatening Sheridan's rear and trying by such means to hold him and his army from giving Grant any help before Petersburg. After some days, Sheridan secured information of Anderson's departure, and that part of Early's force was down at Bunker Hill. Feeling safe with Early thus reduced and his line so extended he determined to strike him at Win- chester. It may be a matter of interest to Clarke people to know how he got the information upon which he acted. There was an old negro man, Tom Laws, living near the "Old Chapel," a very respectable old man. One night he
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was called to his door and asked if he was acquainted in Winchester, and if he could get in and out. "Oh yes, my young master is Provost Marshal." He was then carried to Sheridan's headquarters at "Mansfield," Mr. Page's farm, and given a message by General Sheridan to a Miss Wright in Winchester. The old man did as directed, took the message, saw the lady, got her reply, and brought it out by the Millwood turnpike, where he was met by some of Sheridan's men. Acting on the information thus obtained, Sheridan moved to the Opequon at Spout Spring, attacked Early near Winchester and after a fight lasting from daylight till nearly dark, drove him back be- yond Winchester; but poor old Uncle Tom never saw Sheridan any more, or the forty dollars promised for the job.
CHAPTER XV.
T HE battle of Berryville was the last engagement Early had in Clarke, and when he moved away, the Confederates, in large force, never again en- tered the county. Military movements were confined to the army of Sheridan in force, as it moved towards Win- chester and afterwards to small bodies of cavalry of the Confederates, and more especially to those of Mosby and the U. S. Cavalry opposed to him. Capt. J. S. Mosby, having shown special skill in scouting inside the lines of the enemy, was authorized in the Fall of 1863 to organize a company of partizan rangers, which soon grew into a battalion of several companies. He gathered a large num- ber of young men from the country around, but also many from the regular troops, who were attracted by the free and easy life, as well as the opportunities for plunder, as they were allowed to take everything of value on the per- sons of their prisoners. They also had opportunities to plunder wagon trains, and sometimes trains of cars, and on more than one occasion got large sums of money which were divided among them. The horses captured, after taking such as were needed by the command, were sent to General Lee's army. While the citizens sometimes felt that Mosby's presence in the county made the enemy treat them worse, which was doubtless true, however, as a military measure his constant attacks on the communi- cations of the enemy caused them to keep a large force to guard the railroads and trains, and this kept that many
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men away from Grant's army and so helped General Lee to hold out longer. It has been estimated that at least 30,000 men were kept by Mosby's efforts from the more active service with the large armies. We will not attempt to follow all of Mosby's movements, but only such as re- sulted in engagements of some importance in the county.
On Feb. 5th, 1864, Capt. Wm. H. Chapman and Lieut. Jno. S. Russell, with fourteen men, attacked a party of Federals between Millwood and Berryville, killing and capturing several and taking four horses. The point at which this fight occurred is indefinite, as Williamson places it as stated above, and Mr. Scott puts it two miles from Millwood towards Winchester. The next Mosby fight in the county was on Aug, 13th. 1864, when he at- tacked Sheridan's wagon trains loaded with supplies for his army then at Winchester. According to the reports of the U. S. Quartermaster in charge, the trains, consist- ing of 525 wagons, guarded by Kenly's brigade of infantry, a force of cavalry and a battery of artillery moved out from Harper's Ferry on the morning of Aug. 12th, pushing on without stopping until about 11 P. M., when they reached the Buck Marsh Run, about a mile north of Ber- ryville. Here they halted to feed and water their teams. As they got through feeding they were started off, but the rear of the train was not in motion until daylight, when they were thrown into confusion by some shells from a gun nearby. This gun was Mosby's. He had learned from his scouts that a large wagon train was on its way, and determined to try to destroy or capture it with his battalion of about 300 men and two light pieces of artillery. He had, during the night, reached a point on the farm of Mr. Barnett just east of the pike. Placing his artillery on a hill a short distance away, he opened fire just as their rear teams were hitching up. As soon as the
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enemy were thrown into confusion by the shot, Capt. Wm. Chapman with his company, charged that part of the enemy in the field just north of the run, consisting of in- fantry behind a stone fence. He succeeded in driving them off and capturing a number of prisoners, losing some men, among them, Lewis Adee, of Leesburg. While this was going on, Captain Richards, with his company, moved across what is now Green Hill Cemetery, struck them just west of the Baptist Church scattering them, and then he cut across to the Winchester Pike, followed them some distance, capturing wagons and men. Upon returning he found some infantry in the Baptist Church, who were soon driven out, but succeeded in making good their re- treat towards Winchester. The results of this engagement were 75 wagons captured and destroyed, 200 beef cattle, 500 or 600 horses and mules and 200 prisoners, with which Mosby made good his retreat across the Shenandoah. A great deal of plunder was gathered by Mosby's men, but they failed to find a box of "greenbacks" to be used in paying off Sheridan's army, said to contain $125,000. The result of this affair was to force Sheridan to fall back. He reports four brigades of cavalry at Berryville, and to- wards the Opequon; one division at Summit Point, and his main army at "Clifton." He also reports about this time, Aug. 17th; "Mosby has annoyed me and captured a few wagons. We hung one and shot six of his men yes- terday." He chose to consider Mosby a bushwacker, and not entitled to treatment as a soldier. For the shooting above related, Mosby took complete revenge later. Also in retaliation for these attacks, Sheridan's soldiers, under orders from their superiors, proceeded to wreak their ven- geance on the citizens, as had been done by Hunter a lit- tle earlier. Mosby's scouts on the night on the 18th, in their search for information, attacked a picket of the 5th
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Michigan Cavalry near Castleman's Ferry, killing and wounding one and taking two prisoners. In retaliation for this General Custer determined to burn some houses in the neighborhood. They proceeded to fire the resi- dence of Colonel Ware, but were prevented here by the timely arrival of some of Mosby's men, who put it out, but the home of Mr. Province McCormick near by was fired and burned, not allowing the inmates to remove any- thing from the house, and otherwise mistreating the fam- ily. They then proceeded to the house of Mr. Wm. Sowers not far off, which they burned in the same brutal way; then to Col. Benj. Morgan's, whose house shared the same fate. But the avenger was on their track. Chapman of Mosby's command followed them from McCormick's and Sowers' burning houses, with vows of no quarter for such fiends, met them just as they were leaving Colonel Mor- gan's, attacked with irresistable fury, routing them and killing thirty, bringing in no prisoners. These men were members of the 5th Michigan Cavalry, and were sent to do this work by order of General Custer. According to their own report, out of 50 men they lost 30. These out- rages were in some measure checked for awhile, but in the end Mosby had to hang quite a number of Custer's men before they would recognize him as entitled to the treat- ment of a regular soldier. Sheridan, after falling back be- low Berryville, and establishing his lines along the Summit Point road from the Charlestown pike to Summit Point, and with his headquarters at "Mansfield," pushed for- ward to Grindstone Hill. At the same time he dispatched General Torbert with his Brigade of Cavalry towards White Post. Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee was west of Berryville observing the movements of the enemy. Hearing of this movement of Torbert he ordered Henry Kerfoot, a member of the Clarke Cavalry, to follow Torbert and report his
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movements. Kerfoot followed them to White Post, when Torbert hearing the firing at Berryville, started to re- turn; seeing which Kerfoot went to his father's home about two miled south of Berryville, where he met Capt. Sam Chapman of Mosby's command, who was also on the look- out for Torbert. The day before, Chapman, with two companies, had crossed the Shenandoah with hope of be- ing able to do something to damage Sheridan. In order to get some information Lieut. John S. Russell had gone into Berryville that night, and going, as was his custom, to the house of Dr. Neill, now the home of Hon. Marshall McCormick, he tapped on Dr. Neill's window, asking the Dr. for news of the Yankees. "Why," said the Doctor, "the town is full of them and the reserve picket is on my front porch." Just then some one rode up the alley from the Millwood pike, hailing the house and asking the way ยท to Millwood. "All right, I will show you," said Russell, "some of us have been pie-rootin around here and we will show you." Calling his comrades, they started with the stranger. Then Russell asked, "Why are you going to Millwood this time of the night?" "I have dispatches for General Torbert somewhere between Millwood and White Post." At once Russell turned to him and said "Give me those dispatches, pardner;" enforcing his de- mand with the muzzle of a pistol. Getting the dispatches, he moved on down to the pike, where he easily picked up the balance of the squad and rode away through what is now Josephine City to join Captain Chapman. The dis- patches were from Sheridan to Torbert telling how he might find some of Early's trains and destroy them. Capt. Wm. Chapman immediately set out to inform Gen. Fitz Lee of this, Lee being as he knew somewhere west of Berryville, leaving his brother, Capt. Sam Chapman in com- mand, with orders to watch Torbert. Capt. Sam Chapman
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going to Dr. Kerfoot's at "Llewellyn," met Henry Kerfoot, who informed him of Torbert's movement towards Berry- ville, and he thereupon determined to strike the advance guard, the 6th New York Cavalry, which was moving some distance in advance of the main body. Coming from what is known as Possum Hollow, through Mr. Glass' farm, they approached the Millwood turnpike without being seen, just as the Yankees got along Mr. Gold's field. Here Chapman and his men charged, driving them before them back to the woods. At the upper end of the field was a closed gate which stopped the wild retreat for a little, but when it was opened they fled, pursued by Chap- man and some of his men, who killed some in the woods near Mr. Gold's residence and others in the woods beyond, those who escaped reaching the main column at Pigeon Hill. In the meantime Lieutenant Russell had gathered up 30 prisoners and 38 horses. About this time the head of the main column came in sight, and they led Russell a merry chase across the fields towards the river. A couple of regiments followed Russell, and were closing up on him, when at the blacksmith's shop near Price's mill, they were checked for a moment by running upon Horace Deahl and Cyrus McCormick, members of the Clarke Cavalry, who were having their horses shod. Deahl had just got on his horse, when they came in view. Without counting noses, he opened fire and dashed at them. They gave back for a moment and he escaped. Cyrus McCormick not being on his horse, was captured. The moment's delay enabled Russell to reach Shepherd's ford and to get safely across with his prisoners and horses.
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