USA > West Virginia > Preston County > History of Preston County (West Virginia) > Part 14
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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 | Part 39
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he was sent, left St. George and marched back to Rowles- burg. His approach to camp at that place, on Monday evening, was announced by special messenger, and the troops anarched out to meet the returning detachment, which they found drawn up in line, with their Captain and guide in front, on horseback, each carrying a Confederate flag-one surmounted with a live rattlesnake, which had been captured on the mountains, and the other with a wild-cat skin.
Recruiting for the Union army was very successfully prosecuted in Preston County during June. On Monday, the 22d, Captain Isaiah Kirk's company of Union volunteers paraded in front of the Pleasant Valley church, near Mason- town. From the steps in front of the church the ladies presented them with a beautiful flag, through Miss Mattie W. Miles, who, in the name of the ladies, read the following address:
"Fathers, Husbands, Brothers and Sons : 'The sound of war is in the camp,' and you are hastening at your country's call. We want you to bear with you a token of our patriot- ism. And as the representative of my sisters, I present you the ensign of our glorious liberty. When could be a more appropriate time than this morning, as you are about to go, and where a more appropriate place than upon the door step of the church, and in the full light of the morning sun ? Here it is, the glorious flag of our country-the legacy of our fathers' blood and our fathers' lives. Its protection is our prosperity, its fall our inevitable slavery. Here, take it, and when its gentle undulations are raised by the soft zephyrs, may it call to your minds, your homes, your friends and your families. To your strong arms and undaunted courage we entrust these stars and stripes, knowing that the love of country and the love of home will urge you in its protection. May it as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night guide you in your country's aid.
"Go now, and let not the tyrant's foot ever trample upon that glorious flag. Let no rebel jest or traitor sport over its untimely fall And if the battle sound is heard, if your
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swords be drawn, if your enemy meet you in the field, in the name of the donors I urge you 'to quit yourselves like men's and when the sound of victory is heard over the tented field, let that flag be found still waving ; and only with the fall- of your entire company, let it be your winding sheet.
"Go, patriots ; friends and brothers, go, and may God and God's blessing go with you."
The Rev. J. H. Flanagan received the flag and responded in a short speech. The company, taking leave of their friends, left for the Baltimore and Ohio railway, where they were mustered into the military service of the United States, on the 28th day of June.
Captain H. C. Hagans's company, from Brandonville, and Captain Litzenger's, from Newburg, were also mustered in the same day, making in all over 300 men from Preston on their way to the Union armies.
The Richmond Convention which had assembled after the vote on the ordinance of secession had been taken in the State, proceeded, on the 28th of June, to the consideration of a report brought in by a committe charging Waitman T. Willey, William G. Brown and other members from North- western Virginia, with conspiracy and aiding the enemies of the Commonwealth. On the 29th, William G. Brown, James C. McGrew and others were expelled from the convention, over seventy voting for their expulsion, and less than twelve against it. A. F. Haymond, the chairman of the committee reporting them for expulsion, recommended that the case of Waitman T. Willey be laid over, which was done, and it never was brought up afterwards. The following twelve members from Northwestern Virginia were expelled: William G. Brown and James C. McGrew, of Preston, Chester D. Hubbard and Sherrard Clemmens, of Ohio County, Marshall M. Dent, of Monongalia. E. B. Hall, of Marion, James Burley, of Marshall, Campbell Tarr, of Brooke, John S. Burdett, of Taylor, John S. Carlisle, of Harrison, John J. Jackson, of Wood, and Caleb Boggess, of Lewis County. An election was held at the military camps of the Virginia
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troops in the Confederate armies and at the Court-house in Richmond, where all men from any of the counties which these expelled members had heretofore represented, voted for members to the convention in their place. At this election so held Robert E. Cowan and C. J. Pindall Cresap were returned as members of the convention from Preston, in place of William G. Brown and James C. McGrew.
The General Assembly which was called by the Conven- tion, met at Wheeling on the 1st day of July, 1861, and pro- ceeded with the work of reorganizing the State. Waitman T. Willey and John S. Carlisle were elected senators to the Federal Congress, and they, with the representatives chosen in May, were admitted to seats in the respective houses of Congress, as senators and representatives from the State of Virginia. Laws were passed for the raising of State troops, and to facilitate the organization of companies for Federal service. The session closed on the 24th of the month. The reorganized government of the State was now fully recog- nized by the Federal government, and the people of North- western Virginia found themselves protected by the Union armies.
Preston County raised a fourth company of soldiers during July for the Federal government. They were recruited in the neighborhood of Albrightsville.
The State Convention reconvened. on the 6th of August, and its numbers were increased by several, members from the Kanawha Valley counties, which had been occupied by the Confederate forces under General Henry A. Wise until shortly before the convention re-assembled. His occupation of that section prevented its citizens from taking any part with the Northwestern counties in the reorganization of the State Government.
When the people of Northwestern Virginia received rec= ognition for the government that they had erected for the old Commonwealth, they then began to consider again the idea of a new State west of the Alleghanies. They demanded of their representatives to the convention to take
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action toward the accomplishment of this desirable result. The convention discussed the subject of the new State, so im- peratively demanded by the people of Northwestern Virginia. The delegates from the Kanawha Valley were eager for the division of the State and the establishment of a new State west of the Alleghanies. Various opinions were held in re- gard to the idea by the members of the convention. A let- ter from Edward Bates, the Attorney-General of the United States, addressed to A. F. Ritchie, a member of the conven- tion, took strong ground against the idea of the formation of a new State out of Western Virginia, claiming that it was a new and hazardous experiment to be ventured upon at a mo- ment when dangers and difficulties were thickening around the Union.
On the 20th of August, an ordinance providing for the formation of a new State out of the State of Virginia, to in- clude thirty-nine specified contiguous counties west of the Alleghanies, and other counties contiguous on certain pre- scribed conditions, provided the people thereof should, at an election to be held on the fourth Thursday of October fol- lowing, express their wish to have a new State, which was to be known by the name of Kanawha. The ordinance provided also for the election of delegates, who were to meet at Wheeling on the 26th of November following, and organize a convention to form' a constitution for the new State, if created by the vote of the people; and this constitution, if formed, was to be submitted to the people of the proposed State for ratification or rejection, on the fourth Thursday of December following. The vote in the convention on this ordinance stood, fifty in favor of a new State, and twenty- eight against. The delegates from Preston County, Har- rison Hagans, William B. Zinn, John Howard and Samuel Crane, voted in the affirmative. The convention closed its labors on the 21st of August, and adjourned.
At the election held on the fourth Thursday in October, the citizens of the proposed new State, adopted the ordinance providing for its erection, by a vote of 18,408 in the affirma.
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tive to 781 in the negative. Preston County voted largely in favor of the new State, and elected John J. Brown as del- egate to the convention to frame a Constitution.
In November, Captain Godwin's company was mustered into the service of the United States, making the fifth com- pany, and over 500 men raised in the county.
On the 26th of November the constitutional convention met in Wheeling, and organized by electing John Hall presi- dent, and Ellery R. Hall secretary, and proceeded to the work for which it was called. It was no easy task to form a. constitution that would meet with the approval of the peo- ple, the Legislature of the Reorganized Government of Vir- ginia and the Congress of the United States-the three par- ties whose action must be obtained in its favor before it could go into operation. If a good constitution were framed, it would be no task to secure its ratification by the people and obtain the consent of the Reorganized Legislature of Virginia to the erection of the new State. But in addition to the wish of the people and the grant of the Legislature, the consent of the Congress of the United States must be obtained before the new candidate for State honors could be admitted into the sisterhood of States. This consent, it was realized, would not be easy to obtain. The Attorney-Gen- eral of the United States, the highest law officer of the Gov- ernment, had already pronounced against the new State.
Early in the session, a special committee was appointed to determine suitable boundaries for the proposed State. It brought in a report recommending a change of boundaries so as to include the Shenandoah Valley, which was rejected upon the ground that the inhabitants of that Valley were nearly all secessionists. On the 14th of December, Battelle, of Ohio County, offered a series of propositions having for their object gradual removal of slavery from the new State. A spirited debate ensued upon their introduction, and they were defeated, after a long struggle, by a majority of one.
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
The convention adjourned on the 18th day of February, 1862.
The constitution they framed changed the old method of viva voce voting to the present ballot system. The office of Lieutenant-Governer was abolished. A system of judicial circuits was adopted in place of the county courts. The counties were divided into townships for the better regula- tion of local affairs, and the magisterial districts abolished. Each township of not less than 400 inhabitants, was to elect one justice of the peace, one constable, one supervisor, one clerk and one surveyor of roads; and if containing 1200 or more inhabitants, it was to elect two justices and two con- stables. The supervisors of the several townships of a county were to constitute a county board, which was to have charge of the affairs of the county. All taxes were to be uniform and equal, and the credit of the State was not to be granted to corporations, and a liberal provision was made for the establishment of a system of free schools.
This constitution was submitted to the people of the for- ty-eight counties composing the proposed new State, on the 3d day of April, 1862, and was adopted by a vote of 18,362 in its favor to 514 against it. The population of these counties in 1860, was 334,921 whites, and 12,771 colored.
The first step in the formation of the new State had been approved by an overwhelming majority of the people in its favor. The second step was to secure the grant of the Reorganized Legislature of Virginia, which was obtained on the 13th day of May, 1862, in the passage of a bill by that body granting assent to the formation and erection of the State of West Virginia (the name Kanawha having been dropped) within the jurisdiction of the State of Virginia, according to the stipulations of the new State.
The third and most difficult step was now to be taken, which was to secure the consent of Congress, and then a new star would blaze upon the flag of our Union in the constella- tion of the States. A memorial of the legislature, with their act granting assent to the formation of the new State and
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FROM 1818 TO 1863.
the constitution of the latter, was presented in the United States Senate on the 29th of May, 1862, by the Hon. Waitman T. Willey, and was referred to the Territorial Com- mittee, which brought in a report on the 23d of June. This report was embodied in Senate Bill No. 365, and pro- posed that the boundaries of the new State be extended to include the Shenandoah Valley, that a clause providing for gradual emancipation be incorporated in the constitution, and that the people embraced within the limits of the proposed State including the Shenandoah Valley, vote upon the ques- tion of forming such a State. This bill, if passed, would have prevented the formation of a new State, as the inhabi- tants of the Shenandoah Valley were nearly all secessionists, and would have voted the new State down. On the 25th of June, the Hon. William G. Brown, of Preston, introduced in the House of Representatives, a bill, entitled, "An act for the admission of the State of West Virginia into the Union and for other purposes." This act was drawn with great care by Mr. Brown. It made the boundaries of the new State to in- clude only the forty-eight counties that had voted for the creation of such a State, incorporated the gradual emancipa- tion clause into the constitution of the proposed State as de- manded by Congress, made provisions for the amended con- stitution to be submitted to a vote of the people of these forty-eight counties, and when the convention of the people of West Virginia should make the above change in their con- stitution, and a vote taken ratifying such change, it should be lawful for the President to issue a proclamation stating the fact, and in sixty days afterward West Virginia was to become a State of the Union. Mr. Brown supported his bill with a clear, logical and able speech.
Harrison Hagans, of Preston County, and several other able men from West Virginia, went to Washington, to labor for the admission of the new State. Mr. Hagans, full of en- ergy and earnestness, was remarkably successful in approach. ing many members of Congress and in enlisting their sup- port in favor of admitting the new State.
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
On the 1st day of July, 1862, Senator Willey offered a sub stitute in the Senate for Senate Bill No. 365, and further amended his substitute till it covered the same ground as Mr. Brown's bill. Senator Wade, of Ohio, supported the bill, while Summer and Trumbull opposed it. An amended act, introduced by Senator Willey, in substance the same as Mr. Brown's bill, passed, and was approved by President Lincoln on the 31st of December, 1862.
The Wheeling Convention re-assembled on the 12th of Feb- ruary, 1863, and made the change in the constitution as pro- posed in the act of Congress, and adjourned. On the 26th of March, the vote on the constitution as amended, providing for gradual abolition of slavery, was had in the forty> eight counties, and it was adopted by a majority of nearly twenty-seven thousand ; and the President issued his proc" lamation of the fact, on the 19th day of April, 1863.
Jones's Raid .- In April, 1863, the Confederates planned a raid into Northwestern Virginia for the purpose of destroy ing the bridges on, and tearing up the track of, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. After this was accomplished, the force sent was to raid through the Northern part of Preston and Monongalia, secure as many horses as possible, and inflict any further damage in their power upon the Union cause. When they had reached a point as far north as they thought it safe to venture, the expedition was to turn southward through Monongalia and Marion, and destroy the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at whatever point they might strike it in their march back to the Confederate lines. The expedition was fitted out, and consisted of about 3000 cavalry, under the command of General Jones. A fight with some Union troops at Greenland Gap, delayed it a day or so in its march on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. At the South Branch (Potomac) bridge, General Jones divided his force, and sent Colonel Harmon, with about 1000 men, to strike the railway at Oakland, Maryland, and follow it westward to Rowles- burg, at which place Jones would rejoin him.
General Jones, after detaching Colonel Harmon's force,
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FROM 1818 TO 1863.
pushed forward over the old Northwestern Turnpike to West Union, where his troops took some goods from a store, and resumed their westward march. When Jones reached the Cheat River bridge, on Sunday, April 26, 1863, he dis- mounted a couple of companies and sent them up over a steep mountain called Palmer's Knob, a distance of a mile and a half, to strike the east end of the railway bridge at Rowlesburg. By that time he would arrive with the main body at the west end of Rowlesburg by the Northwest Turn- pike and the river road, a distance of nearly six miles. Jones crossed the bridge over Cheat on the turnpike, but did not stop to destroy it in his haste to push on te Rowlesburg. When he arrived at the point where the river road led down to Rowlesburg, before turning his troops off the turnpike, he called up a Mr. Morris, a resident of that town, whom he had captured at West Union and brought along with his forces, and closely questioned him concerning the strength of the Union force stationed at Rowlesburg. General Jones asked him how many yankee soldiers there were at Rowles- burg, and whether they would fight. Morris was well aware that there were but about 150 or 200 troops at most there, yet he said, "My God! General Jones, I hope you don't think of attacking Rowlesburg; why; there are 1600 troops there now, and more expected by every train; and them troops are not New England yankees either ; they are West Virginia yankees at home, and will fight like wild cats. Jones seemed perplexed by the straightforward answer of Morris, given with such great earnestness; and thinking that it might be so, as he had been acquainted with Morris before the war, and knew him to be a truthful man. Studying for a moment, he halted his force on the turnpike, and sent about 250 men down the river as scouts, to drive in the pickets on the west side of the town, to co-operate with the dismounted. companies that would attack on the east, and to ascertain the strength of his enemy. If they were found as strong as Morris had represented, both detachments were to fall back to the main body on the turnpike; but if the Union force
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was found to be weak, they were to open the attack, and send word back to him, and he would join them with the whole force, and take the town.
The Union force at Rowlesburg consisted of Companies F and K, and parts of Companies L and O, detached from the Sixth (West) Virginia Regiment, infantry, under the command of Major John H. Showalter. The dismounted companies of Jones's command, in their slow ascent of the mountain, were discovered by John Wheeler, who ran as fast as he could to the town, and, giving the alarm to the soldiers scattered about in groups, sped breathlessly to a church where religious services were being held, and, en- tering haltless, announced that the rebels were coming. The audience at once dispersed, and found Major Showalter's men falling into ranks on the north side of the railway em- bankment. He formed his men in line from the River . Hotel to the west end of the railway bridge. Some railway cross-ties were hastily piled up on the railroad track, and this, together with the embankment, formed a defense for his men, behind which they lay down, with the citizens of the town who had grasped their arms and joined the soldiers to defend their homes. Major Showalter's disposition of his handful of men was none too soon, for while his troops were forming, the shots of the Confederates driving in the pickets were heard, and, in a few minutes, they came up over the crest of Quarry Mountain, then called "Hog-back." They came down the mountain about half way to a bench, where they formed in line. They looked down upon the town, but no one was to be seen, as the Union force was concealed behind its defense. A moment, and a sheet of flame burst from along the deserted looking railway, and a leaden shower fell around the invading force on the moun- tain side. They instantly replied with a heavy volley, that fell harmless on the defense protecting the Union men. Another fire from the Union troops; and as its smoke slowly rolled away, the Confederates were seen in full re-
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treat along the side of the mountain, going in a southward direction up the river.
They had retreated but a short time, when firing was heard on the river road. Lieutenant McDonald, of com. pany L, had been sent by Major Showalter, when the alarm was first given of the Confederates approaching, up the river, about a mile, with 20 men, to take position on a steep hill commanding the river road where it was very narrow. The companies sent down the road by Jones, had been checked by Lieutenant McDonald. They attempted to ascend the hill, but were met by too heavy a fire. An effort was next made by the Confederates to cross the river, and go down on the opposite side of it, but McDonald's men had been joined by about 20 citizens, and so hot and well directed a fire was poured upon the adventurous party in the river, that they were glad to retreat to the shore.
Unsuccessful in every attempt, either to carry McDonald's position or pass it, they fell back and retreated to the turn- pike, reporting to their general the unfavorable result of their fight. The dismounted companies also arrived and told of their unsuccessful attempt. Morris was highly elated, and wanted to know of Jones whether he had not told him the truth, and if he did not think that West Virginia yankees would fight.
General Jones concluded that, if 300 of his force were not able to dislodge the enemy, it would be useless for only 2000 men, the amount of his whole force, to attack the place with any expectation of taking it, and that his best course would be to move forward and strike the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road farther west. Hence he caused his force to resume its march over the Northwest Turnpike towards Fellowsville, and camped for the night at the Red oak Knob, east of William H. Brown's.
On Monday morning, April 27, 1863, General Jones broke camp and resumed his march to Fellowsville. Knowing that all the reinforcements sent along the railroad by the Federal government would run into Rowlesburg, he de
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
tached a couple of companies to move north' and strike the railroad at Newburg, which they did that day, tearing up the railroad track, burning the engine-house, and then re- joined the main body near Morgantown.
When the main army reached Fellowsville, the soldiers: broke into a store and appropriated its contents, The same; day Jones passed on to Evansville, and there left the North- western Turnpike, turning in a northward direction, and. striking: the railroad at Independence where he tore up the railway track and all the bridges. He then resumed the march toward Morgantown, and camped for the night be- yond the western border of Preston, Detachments from the main body paid flying visits to different points in the westerm part of the county, gathering up all the horses they could find.
After Jones crossed into Monongalia County, he was joined by Colonel Harmon, who had been detached, as before stated, at the North Branch bridge.
Colonel Harmon, when he left General Jones, pushed for Oakland, Maryland, where he arrived on Sunday. He found here 18 effective men of Company 0, 6th West Virginia In- fantry, whom he made prisoners of war. After tearing up the railroad track, the force started for Cranberry Summit (Portland). A little distance out from Oakland, they came upon Captain Joseph M. Godwin and Lieutenant Saucer of Company O, who had been inspecting a road over which to haul some timber for a block-house. They took them pris- oners, and conducted them to Colonel Harmon. After some conversation with Captain Godwin, the Colonel paroled him. and all of his men. The Confederates burned all the bridges on the railroad, and swept on toward Cranberry.
The only organized force at Cranberry was a squad of about a dozen men, a part of Company O of the 6th West. Virginia Infantry. This company was commanded by Captain Joseph M. Godwin, who was at the time at Oakland with one part of the company, while & third part of the co m .- pany was at Rowlesburg.
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