History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time, Part 22

Author: Miller, James H. (James Henry), b. 1856; Clark, Maude Vest
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: [Hinton? W. Va.]
Number of Pages: 1056


USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 22


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).


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Confederate soldiers of Green Sulphur District :


John Cox was one of the brave men who received a saber wound in the head in the Battle of the Wilderness; captured and sent on to Fort Delaware as a prisoner of war.


James Walker, Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, was a corporal of his company, and a son of Joel Walker.


William Duncan, a son of Nathan L. Duncan, Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, died of fever on being brought home from Monroe draft by his father.


Marion Fink, son of Joseph Fink, also died of fever, being brought home by his father from Monroe draft, Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment.


James Sedley Duncan, Co. B, 60th Va., under Captain Baxter, fought under Generals Hill and Pemberton; was guard of General R. E. Lee's headquarters on Sewell Mountain and at other points ; was shot through the shoulder, and, after lying two months in the hospital, started for home. He was wounded at Gaine's Farm, in the Seven Days' Fight. It took him thirteen days to reach home from Richmond.


Jolın L. Duncan was in Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, and later with Thurmond's Rangers.


Nathan A. Duncan was a son of Charles Duncan ; first eighteen months in Co. B. 60th Va. Regiment, and later first lieutenant in Phil. Thurmond's Rangers.


John Hunter Duncan, son of John Duncan; Phil. Thurmond's Rangers.


WHERE ULRICH SWOPE HID IN A POPLAR TREE FROM INDIANS.


THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY


ASTOR, LENOX ANS TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.


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Andrew Hix, 60th Va., and later Edgar's Battalion; badly wounded at Battle of Lewisburg.


Henry Logan Miller, son of Ervin Miller, Co. B, 60th Va. Regi- ment, died at Brook Church from fever.


Sam Henry Fox, Phil. Thurmond's Rangers and 60th Va.


Perry Fox, Thurmond's Co., died a prisoner of war in Camp Chase.


Joseph Martin, son of Shadrach Martin, in Co. K, 22d Va. Regi- ment, was shot at Cedar Creek ; bomb exploded, and a piece struck him on the left side of the face. He still lives on his farm in Green Sulphur District. He was shot on the 19th of October, 1864.


Daniel L. Keeler, in Lowry's Battery; now lives on Laurel Creek, in Green Sulphur District.


Harrison Gwinn, Co. B, 26th Va. Regiment, Edgar's Battalion.


Augustus Gwinn, Thurmond's Rangers.


M. Gwinn, Thurmond's Rangers.


William E. Miller, James W. Miller, John A. Miller, Thurmond's Rangers.


Logan Miller, 26th Va. Regiment.


Charles R. Fox, Thurmond's Rangers.


John L. Duncan, Thurmond's Rangers.


James M. Hix, Thurmond's Rangers.


James H. Martin, Thurmond's Rangers.


Irvin Bowles, Thurmond's Rangers.


Andrew A. Foster, Thurmond's Rangers.


John K. Withrow, Thurmond's Rangers.


Michael Hix, Thurmond's Rangers.


Thos. D. Lusher, Thurmond's Rangers.


John Ellis, Thurmond's Rangers.


John L. Duncan ("Curly Jim"), Thurmond's Rangers.


John H. Dunbar, Thurmond's Rangers.


Samuel Gwinn, Thurmond's Rangers.


Jas. S. Duncan, 22d Va. Regiment, Col. Patton, commanding.


Perry Fox, died a prisoner of war in Camp Chase, Ohio. Thomas Fox is a son of Perry Fox, and resides on Lick Creek.


Joseph Martin, 2d Va. Regiment, shot wound.


J. S. Hite, under General Floyd.


Thomas A. George and John A. George, Edgar's Battalion. Peter Maddy, who died in the army at Union.


William Patterson died a prisoner of war in Camp Chase, Ohio, during the Civil War. Before his death and during his last illness in the war prison, he executed his last will within the prison walls.


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The witnesses to that will were George W. Wetsel, another Con- federate soldier from Lewisburg, who died a few years ago at Gau- ley Bridge, having married a daughter of Colonel Muncie, an old sheriff of that county, and Hon. Benj. F. Harlow, the founder and veteran editor of the Greenbrier "Independent." This will was, after the war, admitted to probate in Greenbrier County and proven by these witnesses. William Patterson, by this will, devised his in- terest in the lands on the waters of Meadow River and Slater's Fork of Lick Creek, at the top of Patterson's Mountain. He left a family of very small children, who grew to maturity on this farm. A. G. Patterson, who still owns the Patterson plantation at the foot of this mountain on the Meadow side, and a very intelligent citizen, resides thereon.


Confederate soldiers of Forest Hill District : Lewis A. Ellison, Co. A, 60th Va. Regiment. S. T. Shumate, Co. A. 60th Va. Regiment. W. M. Foster, Co. A. 60th Va. Regiment. G. C. Meadows, Co. F. Edgar's Battalion. E. H. Michel, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. James M. Allen, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. J. R. Webb, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. Thos. G. Lowe, Co. F. Edgar's Battalion. Jos. J. Christian, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. Thos. Frazier, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. Harvey Young, Co. F. Edgar's Battalion. M. M. Meadows, Co. C. Edgar's Battalion. B. F. Wesley, Co. C, 45th Va. Regiment. J. D. Martin, Co. G, 51st Va. Regiment. R. S. Rudd, Mosby's Command. Hugh M. Hill, 28th Va., Pickett's Div. Ferdinand Hoback. Co. G. 21st Va. Cavalry. Wm. L. Redmond, 17th Va. Cavalry. Richard Mowry, 17th Va. Cavalry. John Roles, Co. C, 36th Va. Regiment. Stephen Davidson. 22d Va. Regiment. A. P. Bonham, Co. D. 30th Va. Battalion. G. B. Mann, Co. D. 30th Va. Battalion. A. Newton Mann, Co. D. 30th Va. Battalion. A. F. Brown, Thurmond's Rangers. Jos. N. Haynes. Thurmond's Rangers.


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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.


Richard McNeer, Lowry's Battery.


E. C. Woodson, Lowry's Battery.


Henry Smith, Lowry's Battery.


A. M. Hutchinson, Lowry's Battery.


I. G. Carden, Lowry's Battery. Richard Woodrum, Major in Edgar's Battalion.


Elbert Fowler, Va. Cavalry.


John M. Carden, Lowry's Battery.


Allen A. Carden, Lowry's Battery.


Dr. Thomas Bray, who died at Talcott in 1880, was in Co. F, 59th Va. Regiment, from Mercer County.


M. A. Manning, who died at Talcott in 1901, was a soldier throughout the war in a company from Nicholas County.


These lists of the soldiers from Summers County are practically correct, of those living ; but there is no doubt a number of those dead whose names we have not been able to secure. A complete list of all soldiers from the territory of the county is now being se- cured by Camp Allen Woodrum, for preservation to posterity.


CONFEDERATE CAMP.


A movement for the organization of a camp of Sons of Confed- erate Veterans was started in October, 1907, in Summers County, and is in the hands of C. L. Miller.


A. D. Smith, Jr., of Fayetteville, is the commandant for his sec- tion; Mr. Miller has the matter in charge. This is a worthy movement, and will be taken hold of with enthusiasm by the younger generation.


In 1907 steps are being taken to organize a camp of Confeder- ate Veterans in Hinton, Summers County, to be named "Camp Allen Woodrum," for that humble but gallant and patriotic sol- dier, Allen Woodrum, who so gloriously fought and died for a "lost cause." He was a native of our soil, and his memory should always be green and his name remembered by future generations for his greatness, bravery and heroism. The children of future gen- erations should be taught to revere his heroic, honorable though humble career.


This movement was put on foot by that patriotic citizen who was a corporal in Thurmond's Rangers, Hon. M. M. Warren. The first and preliminary meeting was held at the court house on the 7th day of October, 1907, on a call published by Mr. Warren in the


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"Independent Herald" newspaper. About fifty of the old veterans met and perfected a temporary organization, with Andrew P. Pence as chairman. They adjourned to meet again on the 21st of Octo- ber, to perfect the camp and elect officers.


FEDERAL SOLDIERS.


Robert Atkins was a member of Co. G, 2d Regiment, West Vir- ginia Cavalry, and was under the command of Captain Joseph Ankrum, the chivalrous army officer of Fayetteville. He was shot in the right shoulder and his eye put out by the explosion of a caisson in a fight at Dinwiddie Court House. Some time after the war he undertook to secure a pension, which required him about ten years to accomplish. When he did succeed, he drew fifteen hundred dollars.


Eber Willey was a member of Co. G, 2d West Virginia Cav- alry, and was present at the battle when Robert Atkins was shot and wounded. When the gun fell from Atkins' hands, it was picked up by Mr. Willey.


William Crook was a member of the 9th Va. Infantry.


Creed Meadows was also a member of Co. G, 2d W. Va. Cav- alry.


David Harris was a member of Co. G, 2d W. Va. Cavalry.


Pleasant Lilly, 2d W. Va. Cavalry.


Thomas F. Ratliff, Co. G, 6th W. Va. Cavalry.


Isaac Siers was at one time a member of this same company, but deserted and joined the rebels.


William Meadows was a member of the same company; also John Lane.


R. H. Maxwell, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook.


J. A. Maxwell, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook.


Green Wadle, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook.


John Upton, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook.


James Upton, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook.


Peter Cales, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry. James Cales, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry.


John Rudisill, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry.


James Beasley, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry.


Alma Willey, Co. F, 91st Ohio Infantry.


John Dawson, Co. F, 91st Ohio Infantry.


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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.


SOLDIERS IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR FROM SUMMERS COUNTY.


Co. C, First Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps :


Captain-E. F. Smith.


First Lieutenant-James R. Dolan.


First Sergeant-Charles A. Price.


Quartermaster Sergeant-Charles W. Parr.


Sergeant-Richard A. Dameron.


Corporal-Malcolm R. Price.


Alfred C. Atkins was company cook. William L. Barksdale, John Henry Field, Robert M. Ormdorff, Charles F. Heyes, Edward G. Dameron, H. B. Campbell.


Artificer-James Garten.


Wagoner-William E. Lynch.


Company Clerk-John B. Gayer.


Thomas M. Harrington, Samuel B. Bazarea, James W. Burger, John H. Caldwell, Marvin H. Chambers, Peter B. DeLung, James J. Eary, Geo. Gast, John C. Huddleston, Dexter W. Keadle, Samuel W. Meador, Alfred F. Meadows, John S. Meadows, Alfred M. Moore, Jas. J. Roach, Samuel Shuff, Jr., Bert T. Snead, Edgar Thomas, Luke Tigret, Ras Turner, Garrett G. Wise, Henry D. Wise.


This company was organized at Hinton and mustered into the United States service at Camp Atkinson, Charleston, West Vir- ginia, June 29, 1898. We give the names of only those men and officers who were from this county. Others soldiers from the county in other companies and commands were Cyrus C. Hobbs, William Fisher, Cleve Prince, Jack Stover, Harrison Lawrence. These were in the First Regiment.


Other soldiers in the Spanish-American War from this county were: Chas. B. Armstrong, a son of Riley Armstrong; William Fisher, Harry Lawrence. They were all members of the same company with Sergeant Hobbs, Company A, First Regiment.


After the war, when the Southern soldier surrendered and ac- cepted the result in good faith, came the times which "tried men's souls," the days of "radical carpet bag government," extending from the surrender of the Confederate Armies in 1865 to 1870, when the carpet bagger's rule was overthrown, and the owners of the


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soil and freemen began to hold up their heads and again see liberty and equality before the law. The night hawks and political buz- zards who had come forth upon the disfranchisement of the "rebel" soldier, the Southern sympathizer, and all who had aided or abetted the Southern soldier, or those in sympathy with the cause of the South, like those beasts of prey who take to the forest during the day and prey during the dark hours of the night. This dissolute period was during the reconstruction times immediately following the war. Much the largest part of the territory of the country was in sympathy with the South, but there were numbers of our citizens who remained loyal to the Union throughout the war, and some of them fought in its armies, and they were of the truest and most loyal blood of the land. This condition was not brought about by the character of conditions existing. There was another set who were pretended loyalists to the Union cause who used their loyalty as a shield for marauding and invading the homes and property of private citizens and despoiling them. They were gen- erally men who had no prominence, influence or property before the war. They had not the courage of loyal soldiers who fight in honest war and battle, but who skulk, bushwhack, remaining inde- pendent of army organizations, and men and women and children lived in daily fear of them.


When the war closed, and after the great soldier and patriot, General Grant, had said, "Let us have peace," the affairs were placed in the hands of the dissolute and ignorant, bigoted and radi- cal. A board of registration for cach county was instituted, as well as a Board of Supervisors. These grafters' principal purpose was to keep themselves in power. Seventy-five per cent. of the people being disfranchised and decitizenized : the courts were not fair, and civil liberty was a farce. The proscribed could not bring a law suit, collect an honest and undenied debt, serve on a jury, practice a profession, teach school-nothing near fair except the air outside of the temple of justice, water, payment of taxes and death. The good and conservative men who were loyal could not get an appoint- ment to office. There were so few who could get office that were qualified that it became necessary to give two or three offices to one man ; in some instances one man would hold as many as five offices. This condition brought to the community swarms of vaga- bond lawyers from the North, who had no occupation at honie, as those lawyers who had Southern sympathies could not practice their profession without taking the test oath. A large number of these office-holders could not read and write, being ignorant and


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bigoted. Ignorance and bigotry disqualifies any man for a position of trust or honor. There were some attorneys yet that could prac- tice-Hon. Frank Hereford, Judge Gillespie and James H. McGin- nis, who aided in the overthrow of this saturnalia of debauchery, which will never exist again, and its like will never be known in this land. Its overthrow is due, not to Democrats alone, but to the patriotic citizens of both parties.


Only such as were permitted to vote could hold office, and there were so few that could read and write that frequently one man held from three to five offices. By reason of the obnoxious regis- tration laws growing out of these conditions, when the Constitu- tional Convention met in 1870 to enact a new Constitution, a clause was inserted providing that no registration laws should ever be enacted.


The lawyer's test oath and the teacher's test oath, the suitor's test oath and the voter's test oath all followed. The lawyers of the counties in whom the people had confidence, and in whom the people were willing to trust their lives, liberty and property and honor were not permitted to practice. Col. James W. Davis, of Greenbrier, was an exception. He went into the war a radical "secesh," and was wounded in battle. He persuaded the Legisla- ture that he was not such a dangerous "Confed.," and therefore it passed a special act removing his disabilities.


No one could vote unless he was registered. Registrars were selected who would register no one who would not vote to sustain the existing conditions, and these corrupt registrars were sustained by Judge Harrison.


A party desiring to win his cause in his court would walk up on the bench, slip into his "itching palm" a gold or other coin, and that invariably won his case. It has been said that he would sit on the bench by the side of a jug of whiskey.


Joel McPherson was elected clerk in Greenbrier County. He was not of the Harrison kelter. The time came for him to qualify. There was no question of his election ; it was not contested or con- troverted. He was a man of powerful physique, and when Harrison refused to permit him to qualify in open court, he walked up behind the judge's desk, took him in his arms and started to pitch him out of the window, which was twenty or thirty feet from the ground ; then the judge consented to permit Mr. McPherson to qualify, and he held the office for many years.


The better and more conservative of the dominant party then in power-the Republican party-became disgusted, and fell in with


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their neighbors, and eventually conditions righted themselves. The conditions existing in the counties of which Summers was formed existed very generally in other counties and sections, where there was a strong Confederate sentiment.


Harrison would get his ill-gotten accumulations together after a term of court, go to Washington, or some other city, and dissipate it between terms; then return, hold a term of court, and replenish his depleted treasury. His wife, who was a most estimable lady, abandoned him. Being forced to resign his office; being loathed by all honest and decent people-as much so as the infamous and cruel Jeffries-he abandoned his country, emigrated to Denver, Colorado, and died several years ago. When seen in Denver a few years after he left this country, he presented the appearance of a run-down, ragged and abandoned man. Shunned by his fellowmen, he died, disappointed and in poverty, an example to the future.


An instance of the actions of these registrars may be of interest to future generations. When seventy-five per cent. of the people were proscribed and disfranchised by this obnoxious amended Con- stitution and laws placed on the statute books, and by which honest people could not collect their debts, teach school, etc., these laws were rigidly enforced for five years, when they were thrown off by the liberal and honest people of the land, Republicans and Democrats.


This board of registration was appointed by the Governor, con- sisting of three members, removable by him when he saw fit. Its powers were equal to that of the Spanish Inquisition, says Judge David E. Johnson ; they had power to send for persons and papers -to say who should vote and who should not. They could erase any and all names that he did not consider loyal to the gang and vote to perpetuate them in power by a stroke of his pen (that is, such of these registrars as could write), or they would place on the list such names as he wished, and in this the law protected them, too, they being exempt by law from prosecution or by civil suits. These registrars reported to the district registrars, and there was where the greater shame and outrage was perpetrated. They were usually foul birds, the most unclean that could be found. Any man who would promise to vote the Republican ticket, or for a selected candidate, could get his name retained on the lists as a voter.


If a party was suspected of not being loyal and voting right, he was summoned before this board to prove his loyalty to his party. No charges were proven, none preferred, but he must prove his innocence-that is, that he was true to the Republican party, and


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still intended to vote for it. If he did not show up satisfactorily, his name was scratched off and he was disfranchised.


A gentleman of the legal profession, being under suspicion of disloyalty, was summoned before the county board of registrars to show and prove that he was true to the grand old party. Appearing before the board, he inquired what it wanted, and, being told that he must prove his loyalty, he thereupon became very indignant, using some uncouth language, rash and approbrious epithets to- wards the board for their baseness and meanness and ignorance. When he had finished his speech, one of the members of the board raised his spectacles upon his brow, and, lifting his eyes to heaven, said, "Well, sir, I am like the apostle of old. I thank God I am what I am," to which the attorney replied, "Yes, and you are thank- ful for damned small favors."


Much credit is everlastingly due to Major James H. McGinnis, of Beckley, Hon. Allen T. Caperton, of Union, and Hon. Frank Hereford, of the same place, for the services rendered by them to this section in protecting the people after the war against these piratical policies against human rights and human liberties.


Mr. Caperton could not practice law, as he was a Confederate, but he stood by the old soldiers to the last in their days of trial and adversity. When Hon. Marion Gwinn, Wm. E. Miller, J. W. Miller, John A. Miller and the men of Lick Creek were all sued after the war for trespasses never committed (or, if committed, it was before they entered the army), it was Caperton and McGinnis who stood by them and saved them from bankruptcy and the poor house.


Many suits of this character were brought before Judge Har- rison, and many good and honest men despoiled of their property and rights under the guise of law.


Green F. Meador, of Jumping Branch, as well as M. A. W. Young, now of Hinton, were members of Company I, 60th Vir- ginia Regiment. C. E. Stevenson, of Madam's Creek, was a lieu- tenant in this company and Mr. Young a sergeant. John L. Per- singer, of Foss, was the driver of cannons and war material, or teamster, in Lowry's Battery. Bob Christian was, during the war, a citizen of Pipestem District, and was a member of Company I. 60th Virginia, and was a very brave private in the infantry service. He was wounded at the Seven Days' Fight at Richmond, in 1862, fought by Lee on one side and McClellan on the other. In a charge with the bayonet made by the Confederates he was wounded


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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.


five times by the Federals, and as he fell one way his antagonist fell the other, and as he fell an attempt was made by the Union soldiers to end him by shooting him, but as the attempt was being made the Southerners fired, killing his assailant, and thereby sav- ing his life. The bravery of Bob Christian will go down in his- tory with that of Mike Foster and Allen Woodrum. M. A. W. Young was a witness, and took part in this famous bayonet charge. A gap was made in the Union ranks, by which his company, com- manded then by Captain George, passed through, it being an hour after dark. The cry was raised, "Who are you?" Captain George replied, "Friends," and told them not to shoot. Discovering the predicament they were in, they made their escape back through the gap before it closed up, by which they would have been sur- rounded. M. A. W. Young was wounded three times, once at Cedar Creek, at which he was wounded in the arm; at Lynchburg he re- ceived two wounds, losing the little finger from his left hand, and receiving a gunshot wound in the thigh ; but he was never captured. He was attended by the surgeon, Dr. Noel, of Lick Creek. Bob Christian survived the war, and lived in Pipestem District until his death several years afterwards from his wounds. He was a brother of our countyman, Joseph J. Christian, now living near Indian Mills, and A. J. Christian, a citizen of the county, now temporarily lo- cated in Raleigh County; of Eli Christian, and another brother, whose name I can not recall, there being five of the brothers in the Southern Army. These Christians were descendants of the ancient settlers in the Middle New River Valley.


J. Floyd Young, a brother of M. A. W. Young, was shot di- rectly through the head, the ball entering one temple and passing out of the other. He is still living to this day near Jumping Branch, on the Raleigh side of the county line. He was a member of Company A, 17th Virginia Cavalry.


Company I was first organized and commanded by Captain White G. Ryan, and, after his being wounded, by Albert G. P. George. Sergeant Young, above referred to, was present at the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain, when the brave General Jenkins was slain. Ed. Ryan, a son of Captain Ryan, and a brother of Joseph, was fighting by the side of Mr. Young, when he was shot in the breast and instantly killed. Joseph Ryan, a son of Captain Ryan, was a lieutenant in this company, and Erastus C. Stevens was the first lieutenant. M. A. W. Young was also in the battles of Cold Harbor, Gaines' Mill, Bull Run, or Manassas : in the famous Valley of Virginia campaigns with Stonewall Jackson, and with Loring


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in the Valley of the Kanawha. He was a Methodist preacher after the war for a number of years, and is now a salesman, located in Hinton.


About the time' of the close of the war bands of men went through the county, gathering up what they called "government property." They were nothing more than marauders, and took advantage of conditions to invest private property and divest pri- vate owners of what little they had left remaining from the depre- dations and necessities and conditions of a state of war. One of these bands visited the Lick Creek country, and went through the Laurel Creek neighborhood, carrying off the horses of A. J. Miller and Mr. Foster, who had not been engaged in the war by reason of over age. They wore masks or false faces to conceal their iden- tity, not only taking the horses, which they claimed belonged to the government, but they carried off the clothing, wearing apparel and ornaments and jewelry of the ladies, taking off from the house of Mr. Alderson everything they could lay their hands on, stuffing their pockets full of trinkets, including what catables they could find on the premises. One Hen Atkins wore as many as three overcoats, one of which was Mr. Alderson's. After sacking the country, they started back to the Big Creek country. In crossing the Laurel Creek, Atkins was riding a large horse of A. J. Miller's. The creek had become swollen, and, in making the passage, he was stripped off his horse, drowned, and found several days after- ward in a rack heap down the creek some distance, with the three overcoats on and the pockets filled with jewelry and trinkets which he had captured. He was dressed in the wedding suit of broad- cloth of Mr. Alderson's, which he had secured as contraband of war. Squire Jack Buckland had captured Andrew A. Foster, and took him on behind him to ride across the swollen creek. The horses washed down and washed Foster and Buckland both into the swollen stream. Foster managed to get out down the stream some distance, and caught Buckland as he was drowning, and saved his life, after which they took pity on Foster and discharged him. The captured men included John B. Walker, Alderson, Fos- ter and Miller, who were all discharged by reason of the waters making it inconvenient to carry them farther. After the raids these pretended soldiers would meet and divide up the spoils. which were taken in the name of the government and as govern- ment property. This is only an instance of the conditions existing on this border at the close of the Civil War. Squire Buckland was a large land owner and was a justice for eight years.




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