USA > West Virginia > Randolph County > A history of Randolph County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
Both in his proclamation to the Union men of West Vir- ginia and in his reports to the general government, he showed a strong devotion to the Union, but an equally strong oppo- sition to the abolition of slavery. In his instructions to Colonels Irvine, Kelly, Steedman and others, he invariably closed his admonitions with, "see that the rights and property of the people are respected, and repress all attempts at negro insurrection." In his proclamation to the people of West Virginia, he said :
"Notwithstanding all that has been said by the traitors to induce you to believe that our advent among you will be signalized by interference with your slaves, understand one thing clearly-not only will we abstain from all such inter- ference, but we will, on the contrary, with an iron hand, crush any attempt at insurrection on their part."
Woodley's Reminescence of Rich Mountain.
Willis H. Woodley, then a lad in his teens, joined a com- pany of Upshur County Confederates, known as the Upshur County Grays, and was a participant in the battle of Rich Mountain. We are indebted to him for the following inter- esting narrative :
138
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
"In compliance with your request I am giving you my personal recollections of the events immediately preceding and those occuring in the battle of Rich Mountain. After our stampede at Philippi we returned to Huttonsville, and in the course of a week or ten days we were reinforced by troops from Virginia, Infantry and Cavalry, and under the command of Colonel Heck, we came back to the western foot of Rich Mountain and went into camp near Alexander Hart's, where we began to fortify and commenced a systematic course of drilling, in the meantime completing a line of breastworks from the top of one ridge down across the pike and small ravine to the top of a parallel ridge to the north. There were very few tents in the command of about 2,500 men. We, the Upshur Grays, Co. B. 25th Va. Infantry, known at that time as Reger's Batallion, which was afterwards united to Hans- bury's Batallion, forming the 25th Va. Infantry. made our tents of brush under which we managed to sleep the best we could, with water dripping on our faces.
"A few days before the battle at the top of the hill, we, the Upshur Grays, under command of Captain John Higzen- botham, were ordered to go to Middlefork Bridge on a recon- noitering expedition. Below Fords, the half-way house, we ran into the advanced pickets of the enemy, drove them in, and also drove in a second outpost, when we discovered that we were confronting Mclellan's army, who were encamped at the bridge. Bugles blowing, the long roll beating, warned us of our danger. We immediately began a hasty retreat which we accomplished without being pursued. The next evening General McLellan advanced and camped at the Hilleary place, known as Fisher, and made his headquarters in the old log house, known at that time as the Hilleary House and is still standing, and was about two miles from our fortification. Next morning our videttes wounded and captured a Federal Sergeant and brought him in on a stretcher, the first person in blue that any of us had ever seen and he was quite a curiosity. The night before the battle on top of the moun- tain at S. B. Hart's house and farm, the Upshur Grays, under Captain Higginbotham, were ordered to do picket duty on the middle ridge immediately above Colonel Pegram's head-
139
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
quarters, who had recently superceded Colonel Heck in com- mand. All through the night we distinctly heard the sound of axes to our left and Captain Higgenbotham sent twice to notify Colonel Pegram of the fact, and receiving the curt reply from Colonel Pegram 'to mind his own business,' which of course ended all communications between Colonel and Captain for the remainder of the night.
"It it worthy of mention and fixed indelibly on my mind, the most beautiful comet, the head extending to the south- ern horizon, the tail reaching across the entire heavens, was clearly visible the whole night and presented the most beau- tiful appearance, surrounded by myriads of constellations and stars, so peaceful, so sublime, so glorious, a sad commentary of the brutality of man to man to be enacted on the morrow.
"Diverging slightly from a continuation of the narative to inject a few personal interrogations. Why did Colonel Heck select the foot instead of the top of the mountain? When Hanibal in the Carthagenian wars with Rome, demon- strated the fact that where one man can go 100,000 or more can go also, and Napoleon Bonaparte confirmed the fact when he scaled the Alps under almost the same identical conditions.
"Resuming the incidents as occurred early next morn- ing, the Upshur Grays were ordered to the top of the moun- tain, and when we had passed the O'Donnell turn, Colonel Pegram overtook us and asked Captain Higgenbotham if he thought the boys-for we were all boys-would stand fire. Immediately the reply came from the boys themselves, 'try us, try us.' When we reached the top we were halted right at the very summit, and for a few moments we were exposed to a volley from an unseen foe, whose numbers were entirely unknown, realizing to the fullest extent the danger of being shot down under such conditions without having a ghost of a show to retaliate, made me weak kneed for sure, but as soon as we fronted and marched into the woods and were told to conceal ourselves by any natural or artificial object, all fear seemed to go out, and as soon as I placed myself behind a good sized tree, almost immediately thereafter the racket commenced in earnest by vollies fired by Federal companies, the bullets pattering against the trees way above us. We, of
140
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
course returned the fire, aiming for the most part at the smoke arising from the edge of the woods. This desultory firing was kept up for an hour, neither side knowing the strength of the other. DeLagniel with his one 6 pound cannon certainly must have produced consternation in our foes, for they at once began to reconnoiter with the most satisfactory results to them, for availing themselves of a temporary cessation of firing occasioned by quite a shower coming up, to send one body of men to flank the cannon, and another to cut us off from our camp at the foot of the mountain, and when the shower was over the enemy had a clear insight as to position and numbers confronting them, and they advanced with the certainty of victory. The firing in front was renewed with increased activity, while the flanking parties were getting in their work. The party that gained the pike between us and the camp, came up crying reinforcements, at almost the same time another flanking party rushed the one cannon and took it. At about the same time a boy the same age as myself, from Buckingham Lee Guards, with their Captain Irving com- manding, stepped up behind me and said, 'do you care if l stand behind you?' We fired several shots almost at random, when he called my attention to a group of officers who had come out of the woods and were in plain view, about two or three hundred yards in the open field above Hart's house, and said 'watch one fall.' We had both loaded, my musket being held against the tree, as he sidestepped to take deliber- ate aim, I watching on the other side of the tree. He never fired the gun. The flanking party that had come up the pike, calling out "reinforcements," had deployed along the pike and three men had crept behind a big rock, one of the three had put a bullet through the head of my comrade, and for the first time in my life I heard the "thud" of a bullet against flesh. In turning from looking at my fallen comrade I caught a glimpse of three men in blue with brown hats tiptoeing and gazing at the boy in gray whom they had just shot to death. Instantly I jumped to the opposite side of the tree from the three men, at the same time bringing my Spring- field musket to bear on the middle man. I saw him scringe and all three heads dissappeared behind the rock at my shot.
141
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Trepidation seized me and I ran up the hill, and every bullet that passed me knocked up the leaves around me which only accelerated my speed. In fact there is no telling how fast a fellow can go with bullets pattering around his feet. I have always attributed my life to the fact of having on a blue U. S. Army overcoat which my oldest brother obtained while a station agent in Kansas in '58 and '59, in the employ of Russel Magor & Wadell, who had the government contract of trans- porting supplies to Albert Sydney Johnson who was in Utah quelling the depredations of the Mormans. Running about 100 yards I concealed myself behind a large chestnut tree, got my nerve, loaded and let slip a bullet at random, where the Federals were yelling over the capture of DeLagnel's gun. I at once resumed my retreat up the hill and overtook several of the Upshur Grays including Captain Higgenbotham, John Fuchert, Third Lieutenant, Bill McFadden, Orderly Sergeant, and Ben Patterson, and others numbering twelve of the same company. We spent the remainder of the evening in an aim- less wandering on Rich Mountain until finally we arrived in the Valley at Caplinger settlement, when we took possession of an old log stable and went to sleep on the floor which was covered with hay. Some time during the night I was awaken- ed by the regular tramp of marching men. I nudged my com- panion when we held a subdued conversation and concluded it was the Federals. The next morning we were at sea. We did not know which way to turn, when fortunately one of the Caplingers came by and said the way was clear to Beverly, as the enemy had not advanced. We at once took up our line of march for Beverly, where Mrs. Leonard, the kindly dis- posed matron of the Old Valley House, gave us our break- fast. We proceded up the valley and reached Mrs. Bradley's at now Valley Bend, who kindly gave us our dinner. Lying at full length on the green sod after dinner, along came a soli- tary cavalry man who said 'boys, get out of this, the Yankee Cavalry are in Beverly.' We lost no time in getting a move on us, and when we reached Huttonsvillle, Scott's 44th Va. Regiment were just pulling out for Cheat Mountain. They left us some hard-tack and bacon, and as soon as we had fried it on the smouldering fire, left by the 44th, we too headed for
142
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Cheat Mountain, and the first clear field we came to on the mountain side about five miles from Huttonsville, we laid down under the canopy of Heaven and slept the sleep of utter exhaustion, disturbed once by the yell of a wild cat or panther. Next morning we resumed our weary way, and upon reaching the top found the 44th on the move again : they kindly left us something to eat. We were actually the rear guard without knowing it. After resting and eating our breakfast, we pulled out again, twelve of us, and upon arriving in the valley be- tween what it now Durbin and Travellers' Repose. we blund- ered into the camp of the 12th Georgia, who had come so far and had orders to fall back to McDowell. They left us beef and hard-tack, which we proceeded to cook and devour. After a good long rest we followed across the Alleghenies, Crabbot- tom, Monterey and finally reached McDowell, where we found the 1st Georgia, 3rd Arkansas, 12th Georgia, 44th Virginia, two batteries and a lot of cavalry. We moved to Monterey, and daily stragglers came in bunches, the most woe begone. foot sore, demoralized set of men it is impossible to describe. During our stay at Monterey and McDowell we were re- viewed by General Lee, and my impression of him as he sat on a bay stallion, with his dark mustache and hair, his whole bearing of calm repose, with a pent up reserved force, com- municated to us by some invisible magnetic force that in- stantly gave us renewed energy and faith, and there was not one of us West Virginia snakes who would not have followed him to death at a moment's notice.
"One more incident. George King. a little awkward Upshur County boy, was so unfortunate as to get a flint-lock musket, that of necessity, he had to keep. My father came on from Staunton and joined us at Monterey, when the strag- glers were coming in, father jokingly said to George, 'Well. George did you kill a Yankee at Rich Mountain?' 'No,' said George. I didn't.' 'Why?' said my father. 'Because,' George replied. 'I could not get my gun off.' The rain wet the powder in the pan. and poor, brave simple George had stood during the whole engagement, flashing powder in the pan of his old flintlock without being able to fire a single shot. If there ever was a hero, George deserves to be ranked with the bravest of the brave."
.
143
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
General Lee at Elkwater.
On July 22, 1861, General MeLellan was called to Wash- ington to take charge of the military forces there. General Reynolds succeeded him as Commander of the Federal forces in northwestern Virginia, with headquarters at Beverly. The Federal forces had been reduced by the expiration of enlist- ments and by sending detachments to other fields. In the course of a few months General Reynolds moved to Huttons- ville and remained in undisputed possession of that section until September. However, the Union army and especially its scouts were in the meantime greatly annoyed by Con- federate irregulars, who used their superior knowledge of the country to fire upon the Federals from ambush and then make their escape into the mountain fastnesses. Union sym- pathizers resorted to the same tactics when opportnuity afforded.
The Confederate government planned to retrieve their fortunes and regain the territory of northwest Virginia. Early in September, 1861, General Loring established himself at Huntersville, in Pocahontas County with 8,500 men. Gen- eral H. R. Jackson with 6,000 men was stationed on the Greenbrier River, where the Staunton and Parkersburg pike crosses that stream in Pocahontas County. General Robert E. Lee was commanded to take charge of these forces by the Confederate government and drive the Union army out of northwestern Virginia. Accordingly General Lee concen- trated his forces, which now numbered 14,500, at Big Springs, Pocahontas County. General Lee planned to drive Reynolds from the valley and march northward to the B. & O. railroad at Grafton. General Reynolds' army in the valley numbered about 9,000 men and he prepared to resist the approach of Lee by fortifying two advanced positions at Elkwater and Cheat Mountain. These positions were 18 miles apart by way of Huttonsville, but General Reynolds established com- munication between the two fortifications by a bridal path seven miles distant. General Lee advanced to the valley and skirmishing between the opposing armies began. The Con- federates occupied a position between Elkwater and Cheat Mountain and also the pike leading toward Huttonsville.
144
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
In the three days skirmishing, which followed, the Union army lost 9 killed, 15 wounded and 60 prisoners. Among the killed of the Confederate army was General John A. Wash- ington, a relative of General Lee and President Washington. The Washington and Lee families were closely related. Under a flag of truce General Washington's body was con- veyed to the Confederate lines. General Lee decided to at- tack the Federal forces at Elkwater and Cheat Mountain simultaneously, on the morning of September 12. Loring and Jackson were to attack the Federals on the Huttonsville side of the mountain and Rust was to open the attack from the rear, which he had gained by crossing Cheat Mountain and descending Cheat River. Loring and Jackson in front and Lee at Elkwater were to await the signal of Colonel Rust's artillery, when they would also assault the Federal forces. With loaded guns and fixed bayonets, Colonel Rust was ready to make the assault, when a captured picket made him believe that 5,000 Federal troops awaited his attack. This ruse of the picket with the approach of dawn and the sight of the strong fortifications so terrified Colonel Rust that the in- tended signal to the other detachments of the Confederate army was never sounded. With the want of concert of ac- ton of Colonel Rust and his own army hungry and without rations General Lee did not make the proposed attack at Elk- water. General Lee, in order to be nearer base for supplies. withdrew to the Greenbrier river in Pocahontas County.
General Lee was greatly disappointed by the failure of his campaign in northwestern Virginia. In writing to his wife he said: "I cannot tell you my regret and mortification at the untoward events that caused the failure of the plan. I had taken every precaution to insure success and counted on it, but the Ruler of the Universe willed otherwise and sent a storm to disconcert the plan."
General Lee, perhaps, referred to the rain storm that on the previous day destroyed the provisions of his army. It will be observed that the operations of Lee himself were suc- cessful, but there was no communication between the de- tachments of his army, which rendered a favorable termina- tion from concerted action improbable.
145
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Raids into Randolph.
General John D. Imboden, of the Confederate army, made a raid through Pendleton, Tucker, and Randolph coun- ties in August, 1862. His object was to destroy the B. & O. railroad bridge at Rowlesburg in Preston County. With 300 men he set out from Franklin, Pendleton County, August 14, 1862. . He followed the Seneca Trail to Dry Fork, and thence down that stream to the Abram Parsons Mill, where the town of Parsons now stands. He expected to surprise and capture a squad of forty Federals, who were stationed at that place. However, Miss Jane Snyder, daughter of John Snyder, of Dry Fork, had divined their intention as they passed down the Fork and mounting her horse and taking a by-path hastily rode to Parson's Mill and gave warning to the Federals, who retreated to Rowlesburg. Imboden, realizing that the plans and destination of his raid had become known to the Federal army, retreated through the forests and mountains to the south and in three days reached Slaven's Cabin on the Staun- ton and Parkersburg Pike in Pocahontas County.
General Imboden made a second raid into Randolph in November, 1862. Rowlesburg was again his objective point. However, he ventured no farther than St. George. With 310 men he marched in a severe snowstorm on the night of No- vember 7, 1862, down Red Creek to its junetion with Dry Fork and thence down that stream and Cheat to St. George, where he surprised and captured forty Federals. Believing that further operations against Rowlesburg would be futile, he again retreated southward this time by way of Glady Fork and the Sinks and thence into Pendleton and Hardy counties. He was compelled to subsist upon the resources of the coun- try through which he passed, obtained by force or otherwise. To compensate the Union sympathizers for their losses and to avoid surprises in the future by Confederate invaders Cap- tain Kellogg, issued very stringent orders of assessment and notification directed to numerous southern sympathizers. The assessments largely exceeded the losses sustained by the Union sympathizers and ranged from $7 to $800. As a sample of the general order we give below the one directed to Adam Harper :
146
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
St. George. Tucker County, Va .. Nov. 28. 1862.
Mr. Adam Harper. Sir: In cunsequence of certain rober- ies which have been committed upon Union citizens of this county by Band- of Gurilies you are hereby assessed to the amiun: wif ($285.00) Two Hundred and Eighty-five Dollars to make good their losses. And upon your failure to make gond this assessment by the 8th day of December. the fol- lowing urder has been issued to me iny Brigadier General R. H. Milroy :
"You are to burn their houses. seize their property and shout them. You will be sure that you strictly carry out this order You will require of the inhabitants for ten or fifteen miles around your camp on all the roads approaching the town upon which the enemy may approach that they minst dash in and give you notice and that upon any one fail- ing ar de sh youit will Burn their houses and shoot the men."
By order of
BRIG GEN. R. H MILROY.
Captain Kellowy Commanding 1233 Ollio.
Raid Under Jenkins.
General A. G. Jenkins, both a Caniellerate cavalry furce hi 550 mer. maile a raid arrnes West Virginia into Omhin in Acom -: am Seprember. 1862 He passed through Randolph above Humousville and planned an attack un Beverly. with the co-operation pi General Imboden, The Federal forces at Beverly consisted of 450 men. But on heids informed that General Kelley Kad reinfortell the Beverly garrison with 1.500 men. General Jenkins abandoned his intended attack upor that place and moved to Buckhannon by crossing from the valley : head wi alle Buckhannon River. and thenre wer to French Creek and down that stream co ilte town of Buckhannon. which be surprised and captured He also culturel Weston. Glenville. Spencer and Ripley on the Chio River A: Buick- hannon he de- rored considerable military stores. A Federal scoot Dy the name of Filho m. wim reiused to surrender to Jenkin's troops was killed above Hutton-ville.
147
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
In his report General Jenkins says that the population along French Creek was among the most disloyal in Western Virginia and that his forces emerged so suddenly from the mountains that the inhabitants could scarcely comprehend that they were Southern troops. The truth of this statement is easily accounted for when we reflect that the French Creek settlement consisted, largely, of emigrants from New Eng- land, who, no doubt, believed that their situation west of the mountains protected them from Conferedate invasion.
Imboden's Raid of '63.
In the spring of 1863 a Union force of 878 men, with two canon were garrisoned at Beverly. Colonel George R. Latham was in charge. General Jones and Imboden to execute a policy planned and outlined by General Lee, were to invade West Virginia. General Jones was to march through Hardy County to Oakland, thence to Grafton, where he was to form a junetion with General Imboden, who was to cross Cheat Mountain by way of the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike, thence by way of Philippi to Grafton, whence their combined forces would move west, General Imboden commanded 3,365 and General Jones 1,300 men. General Imboden, after a four day's march in a drenching rain, entered Tygarts Valley above Huttonsville, on April 23. He had crossed Cheat Mountain by way of the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike. He planned to surprise and capture the Federal garrison at Beverly. How- ever, when he reached Huttonsville he found that the Federal pickets had been withdrawn and believed that the forces at Beverly had received intelligence of his approach. Believing that he had lost his opportunity to surprise the Federals at Beverly, Imboden camped for the night at fluttonsville. The next day he resumed his march and when about six miles above Beverly, the advance guard of Imboden's army at- tempted to halt Jesse F. Phares, Sheriff of Randolph Coumy. Mr. Phares refusing to surrender, was fired upon and shot through the lungs. He succeeded in reaching Beverly, re- covered from what at the time was thought to be a mortal wound and lived many years after the war. It developed that Sheriff Phares was the first man to give intelligence to the
148
A HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
federal army of Imboden's approach. The skirmishing con- tinued during the day when the Federal army retreated to- ward Philippi.
The object of these raids was to destroy the B. & O. railroad, which was an important means of transportation for Federal troops, destruction of military stores and to gain Confederate recruits west of the Alleghenies.
Jackson's Raid.
In July, 1863, General W. L. Jackson, with a force of 1,200 men entered Randolph County by way of Valley Head and Cheat Mountain with the object of surprising and cap- turing General Harris and a garrison of 800 Federals at Bev- erly. General Jackson, with the main body of his men came down the Valley by way of Huttonsville. Major J. E. Lady with a detachment of 200 men by way of the back road reached and guarded the Buckhannon Pike west of Beverly. Colonel Dun detoured to the east of Beverly with a detach- ment with the object of reaching the Philippi pike in the rear of the Federals. At a signal of the firing of a cannon by General Jackson the Federal forces were to be attacked sim- ultaneously by the three detachments. Skirmishing began when the main body of the Confederates reached a point about two miles south of Beverly. General Jackson advanced to an eminence on the M. J. Coberly farm, one and one-half miles southwest of Beverly. At 2 o'clock General Jackson fired the gun that was to be the signal for a uniform attack but Colonel Dun failed to appear and General Jackson delay- ed the intended assault. In the meantime, a lively artillery duel was in progress. The Federals occupied Mt. Izer, where the Confederate monument now stands. The Confederate pro- jectiles did not reach the Federal fortifications, but exploded in Beverly and the Leonard Hotel as well as some other houses were damaged. The Federals moved their artillery to the D. R. Baker bluff, south of Beverly, after which their cannonading was more effectual. On the morning of July 3, General Jackson, in observing the pike north of Beverly for the approach of Colonel Dun, discovered the advance of General Averill with a brigade of Union soldiers from Philippi
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.