USA > West Virginia > History of the Fifth West Virginia Cavalry > Part 29
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night, when possible, or, at times, in broad daylight, they would slip through the picket lines of the enemy, conceal themselves on the moun- tain side or in the dense laurel bushes, and there watch the camp, count their tents, and note all points of information of the enemy's movements. Then they would, as quietly as they came, steal back through the picket lines, and if no accident overtook them, they generally made the trip in three or four days; but it was nothing uncommon to meet resistance and have a brisk fight with the confederates. It was a brave and superior force, however, that could stand before them, as they were superbly armed and knew well how to use their arms.
The central figure in the scouts belonging to our own command, was C. W. D. Smitley of Company B, Second Virginia, who was the leader and chief during the entire service. One of the scouts under his com- mand says of him, in a note to the author, that "he was a brave, cool, daring man, one in every way fitted for the position he was given; who was loved and respected by all his men and all that knew him, and a gentleman in the true sense of the word." The scouts that operated with him before Gen. Averell assumed charge of the brigade, were Sergt. A. B. Hammer and J. W. Willhide of Company B, Second Virginia, J. Paul Jones Fifty-fifth Ohio, and others, and the following civilians, names familiar to the men of our brigade and regiment: John Dove, Abe Hinkle, George Sexton, Lec Farnum and Dr. Scott Harter, brave, loyal, efficient scouts, worthy of all praise and honor for their service. These were the men who held the dangerous position of scouts, until Gen. Averell came to us, and whatever service was done in the period before that time by our scouts, the credit belongs to them.
Soon after taking command of the Fourth Separate Brigade, Gen. Averell called for a body of scouts, the following men being appointed from our regiment: C. W. D. Smitley, J. W. Willhide, Alexander Watts, Marshall Bailey, Nelinza L. Lock, Company B; Timothy Sharer, M. G. Markins, William Shirley, Company H; Robert Gaddis, Company K; nine in all. In addition to these there were Geo. W. Mooney and Jack Saylor, from the Third Virginia, and others from the Tenth Vir- ginia Infantry, First Virginia Cavalry and Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, but whose names are not known, many of them being remem- bered only by their nicknames. All of them. of whatever regiment, were brave, noble, true men. Comrade Smitley says of his own regi- mental associates in particular, that they were "kind, considerate, obedient and reliable; and braver, truer, more loyal men never lived. I never knew one of them to flinch from duty, or give me an unkind word." He always speaks in the highest terms of all his associates, in this dangerous work.
C. W. D. Smitley was born June 6, 1838, in Cumberland, Md., moved to Bedford, Pa., when two years old, thence to Stoystown and Johnstown, Pa., and at the age of 21 settled with his father at Boothville,
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Marion county, West Va., where he was living at the breaking out of the rebellion. He and his father both voted against the ordinance of seces- sion of their State. He attempted to raise a company for the union service in Marion county, but the sentiment was so hostile in the locality that he was compelled to desist, and he went to Grafton and joined Capt. Latham's Company B. At the time of enlisting, Mr. Smitley was a millwright. One of his brothers, E. F. Smitley, served as one of his scouts while with Gen. Averell, and afterwards, with a younger brother, Robert P. Smitley, volunteered in Capt. Donehoo's company of the Sixth West Virginia Cavalry. They were both taken prisoners at New Creek, West Va., in the fall of 1864, and were so reduced by star- vation and sickness on Belle Island, that they died immediately after getting home. Mr. Smitley made many a valuable capture during his long and eventful service of four and a-half years, but he says the best capture he ever made was a good Methodist woman at Boothville, No- vember, 1863-his faithful wife. In August, 1861, being on the return from a scout with A. B. Hammer, near Beverly, he was thrown from his horse, one foot remaining fast in the stirrup. The horse dragged him several rods, tramping on his left side, and broke loose from him. break- ing two of his ribs. Late in October, 1861, being on a scout with A. B. Hammer, he was compelled to swim a swollen, rapid mountain stream, called Roaring Creek, to escape capture by the enemy. Not being entirely recovered from the injury to his left side, cold and exposure caused him to have typhoid fever. The company at the time was stationed at Bealington, and there being no hospital near, Capt. Latham sent him in an ambulance to his father's house in Boothville. In May, 1863, while acting guide for a battalion of the Fifth West Virginia Cav- alry, Maj. McNally commanding, near Franklin, he was fired on by bushwhackers, receiving a wound in his left fore arm and left clavicle. On their return to camp, Mrs. Laura J. Arnold had him taken to her house and took care of him until our forces were driven out of Beverly by the enemy. On the 11th of May, 1864. Scout "Spike" Harris, First Virginia Cavalry, was shot through the heart, and Smitley was taken prisoner near Wardenville. In October, 186.4, he was taken unconscious to College Hospital, Columbia, S. C., and had a long spell of fever. About December, 1864, he was removed to Asylum prison, and lacking proper clothing, shelter and food, was much exposed to the cold, caus ing him to have rheumatism, which has become chronic, and for twenty- six years has been a sufferer from it. He finally escaped and joined Sherman just as he was entering Columbia, S. C. He is now living at Burlington, Ohio, in the enjoyment of the respect and confidence of all that know him, surrounded by his family of ten children. seven boys and three girls.
John W. Willhide was born December 16, 1839, in Frederick county. Md. His grandfather came from Germany in the year 1778. His
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father, William Willhide, was born in eastern Maryland, and was mar- ried to Harriet Darcy. The union was blessed with seven children, six boys and one girl. He moved to Western Virginia in the year 1856, where he resided until his death. He was a carpenter by trade. John W. still remained in Maryland, where he learned the wagon making trade, and in the year 1859 he went to Webster, Western Va., where he started a wagon shop. He had but fairly got started, when the excitement over secession aroused the people. Then the call for troops followed, and Mr. Willhide was among the first to cast his lot with the friends of the union, joining Company B. He served out his term of three years faithfully, most of the time being in the secret service, and while in this service was wounded in the left hip, the full circumstances of which are given in one of the expeditions, in this article. At the close of his ser- vice he returned to Webster, and started a wagon shop, which he has followed ever since. In the year 1870 he married Caroline Adams, their union being blessed with three children, two boys and one girl. He has been elected Justice of the Peace in his town for the last twelve years. He is a member of the M. E. Church, having been connected with that society for 24 years. AA brave sollier and a true citizen.
Robert Gaddis is of Irish birth and parentage, having come to this country with his parents before he was nine years of age. His early life was passed like that of other country lads, and nothing eventful oc- curred in his life until just before the secession movement began to take form. He left home before Christmas, 1860, and found his way to Parkersburg, W. Va., where he was when companies began to form to suppress the rebellion. He was naturally of a bold, reckless disposition, and found congenial work in the excitement of the time, becoming a member of Company K, of which he was appointed a corporal. He was a brave soldier, a true son of his native country, and as true, noble, and loyal one of his adopted country. He now lives at Newbern, Ind., an honored citizen.
Marshall Bailey was born in Taylor county, Va. March 10, 1843, his father being engaged in farming. In the summer he worked on the farm and attended school during the winter. He read history a great deal and became so interested in the early struggles of his country, and so imbued with the military spirit, that he acquired a strong desire to be a soldier. The opportunity came with the breaking out of the rebellion, and he became a member of Company B, at the early age of 18. He served faithfully during his term of three years, was one of the most active of the scouts, and received his discharge in the summer of 1864, retiring with credit and a most honorable record. He attended school cluring 1865 and 1866, and engaged in teaching, following that calling until he was married. March 30, 1868. He then returned to the farm, and has since been engaged in that occupation. He has two sons and one daughter. In 1878 he removed to a farm in Harrison county, where
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he is an honored citizen, attending to all the duties of civil life as faith- fully as he did those of military life.
Moses Golden Markins, of Company H, was born in Brown county, Ohio, and before enlisting was a farmer. His tragic death is related in one of the scouting expeditions. He was a noble hearted man, fearless and tried, and his death was a great grief to his comrades. He left a wife and four children.
Timothy Sharer, of Company H, was a brave, loyal, intelligent scout, who never failed in the trying hour of duty. He was killed in a hand to hand encounter with Mosby's men, the odds ten to one against him, near Bunker Hill, in the summer of 1864, as related by Lee Farnum, the celebrated scout, who was an eye witness of the affair.
Nelinza L. Lock, Company B, a true soldier, loyal to the heart, was a daring and faithful scout, one that could be trusted in any emergency. While in swift pursuit of a confederate cavalryman on the Droop Mountain expedition, when almost in reach of the man, his horse fell among some rocks, causing a dangerous wound in his head, from which he died at his father's home in Webster, W. Va., January 5, 1865, aged 24 years and 7 months. He was an upright young man, liked and re- spected by all. He is interred in the National Cemetery at Grafton, W. Va.
William Shirley, a boy of 19 when he enlisted, entered the service at Ironton, O., with Company H. He was detailed as one of Smitley's scouts, and served his country as a true soldier, meeting the demands of duty whenever the call came.
Alex. Watts, a brave Western Virginian, enlisted in Company B, and was a true, good man and brave soldier.
It is not possible in a work like this, giving the history of an entire regiment, to give in full, or in detail, sufficient to show the great service of these scouts. It would require a volume of itself, and a very large one, to do that; but in order to give some fair idea of the perils, hard- ships and dangers encountered by our scouts, a few of their adventures are given in the succeeding pages.
After the battle at McDowell, in May, 1862, between Gen. Milroy's brigade and Stonewall Jackson's force, and we had joined Gen. Fre- mont at Franklin, Smitley was sent out to watch Jackson's movements. Fremont's "Jessie Scouts " believed that the enemy were menacing our front with a view of again attacking us. Smitley left alone and went as far back as McDowell, and then went to within nine miles of Staunton where he learned that Jackson had gone down the Shenandoah Valley. He joined some confederate scouts, passed himself off as a Western Vir- ginia refugee, went down the valley to Willow Springs, where he left the scouts and returned up the valley, retraced his steps to Monterey, then to Franklin, reporting his observations to Gen. Fremont, by which time Jackson had attacked Gen. Banks. It was while returning from this
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scout that Smitley had one of his most lively adventures. When he arrived at Monterey, early in the morning, and very much worn out, he called on Mrs. James Whitelaw, a true friend of the union, for some- thing to eat, and to rest for an hour. He was told that the confederate cavalry were expected every moment. After eating a hearty meal, her negro boy, by the name of Henry Madison, was set to watch for the coming of the enemy, while Smitley took a needed rest. He had barely closed his eyes when the boy came running up stairs shouting, "Massa, de rebs is comin'." Looking out of the window toward the court house he could see the Staunton pike, one-fourth mile from town, and sure enough there came a company of cavalry. A boy ran out of town and met them, and their yell and the speed of their horses, convinced him that he was reported. Picking up his revolver and leaving his breech- loader in the room, he ran out through the garden and stable and crawled along a little hog path, under some thick, small laurel, within a few rods of the stable, and before he had scarcely time to get under this rather insecure cover, the cavalry were all around him. Every moment Smitley thought their horses would tramp on him, but he hugged the ground closer than he ever did before in his life. The thick laurel proved a safe refuge, and in a few hours the search ceased. In the afternoon he heard a negro boy sing -. ing near him. It proved to be Mrs. Whitelaw's boy, who had watched him hide, and he came close to where the scout lay, and told him as he passed, to lie still until midnight, and passed on without stopping. About II o'clock that night, Mrs. Whitelaw and the negro boy came to him, and brought him something to cat, and the rifle which he had left in the room. They walked a few hundred yards further from town, and sitting down on a log, Mrs. Whitelaw told him that the cavalry had gone towards Franklin, leaving a small squad as picket, on the Beverly pike near town. It was a bright starlight night, but no moon. In a few minutes Smitley noticed a boy pass near them into a ravine, running up towards the mountain.'Smitley got behind him and followed as swiftly as he could, coming within a few steps of the boy before he heard him, and as he turned, Smitley's revolver was full in his face, and he was compelled to throw up his hands and march to the scout. He had seen the boy frequently before, whose name was Fleming, and about 14 years old. He knew Smitley's occupation, and the latter charged him with reporting him to the cavalry, which he did not deny. Mrs. White- law fearing the boy would be killed, begged that his life be spared, though she knew it might cost her her life for harboring a spy. She freely staked her life on the boy's word of honor that he would not betray her, and he never did. After guiding Smitley safely around the pickets, he was released on his honor. and the scout reached his camp in safety.
About the 10th of June, Smitley was sent out to observe the move- ments of the enemy, taking with him John Dove. In flanking the
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enemy, and while going through a little cove in the mountain, in the direction of and about twenty miles from Brock's Gap, they stopped for dinner; but before they had the pleasure of dining, they came near tast ing of rations not nearly so palatable. A notorious bushwhacker by the name of Wilson, with a number of his men, burst unceremoniously into the house. Wilson advanced to within a yard of where Smitley sat, placed his double barreled shot gun against his breast, both barrels cocked, and with the most terrible oaths, informed Smitley that he was a Yankee spy, and that he intended to blow his heart out. The fellow's eyes glared like a tiger's, and his countenance was that of an arch demon, while he shrieked in his anger and hate. Smitley looked him calmly but firmly in the eye, with a cynical smile on his face, till the fellow's eyes dropped, when in a fearless, firm tone he shouted, "Coward, base villainous coward"; and then pointing to his insignia of rank, denoting that he was a confederate officer, assured the cowed wretch in a calm manner, that they were nothing but what they represented them selves to be. The man was somewhat chagrined, as Smitley threatened him with punishment for his threats. They all then sat down together and partook of a very good dinner, after which the valiant bushwhacker showed the scouts a near way to Brock's Gap, accompanying them sev- eral miles.
After escaping from Wilson, Smitley and Dove went by way of Frank lin, thence to Circleville, and from there about six miles further up the river, where Dove's brother lived, who was a miller. When they entered the house they found one of Capt. Elsie's " Dixie Boys," who seemed much frightened, and in a few minutes left and went to some of his comrades at the mill, a short distance from the house. Dove and his brother not having seen each other for several years, entered into con- versation, during which they were brought to a realizing sense of their danger, by a noise outside, and upon examination saw that they were surrounded. Smitley called to the "Johnnies" that they need not be afraid of them, as they were only two, and invited them in, assuring them they wouldn't be hurt. This bit of levity put them in a good humor, and they accepted the invitation. Smitley undertook to con- vince the visitors that they were Jackson's scouts, but they were suspi- cious, when Smitley asked them if they were not Capt. Elsie's " Dixie Boys." They said they were, when the scout asked them to take him to the captain, and he would convince them that he was all right. To Smitley's disgust and disappointment, they took him at his word, and immediately started to camp. The two scouts were both mounted, and were permitted to retain their arms, though closely guarded on both sides. Toward dusk they neared Capt. Elsie's camp. Smitley all the while studying how to avoid meeting the captain. On the way they had to cross a creek, and the guards were required to go over a foot log. while the scouts rode through the stream on horseback. When the
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guards were all on the log, and were in poor situation to handle them- selves, Smitley and Dove put spurs to their horses and made a dash down the stream. As quickly as possible the guards turned their guns upon the scouts and fired, one of the bullets striking Dove, who fell from his horse. He had sat upright on his horse and made a good mark, while Smitley leaned to the side of his horse away from the guards, and thus escaped, but his horse was struck, though not disabled, and on he went at a rapid rate down the stream. The guards followed, firing as they went, but doing no damage. As he neared Capt. Elsie's camp, on a narrow piece of road between the creek and the mountain, he leaped from his horse, dropping one of his revolvers, and clambered up the hillside. Soon the guards had his horse and revolver, and were plan- ning for his capture, but by this time it was quite dark, and he kept on to the summit of the mountain, and there spent the night, keeping out of range of the enemy. At daylight he observed that he was but a few miles from where he had his exciting experience with the "Dixie Boys." Įle then started for Petersburg, and probably about 9 o'clock in the morning came to an open place in the woods on the ridge, and thinking there might be a path across there, he stopped and listened. Hearing nothing he started to walk rapidly across the open space, and was about half way when a noise attracted his attention, and looking down toward the river, saw at first a woman on horseback ascending by a mountain path, and close behind her followed six of the "Dixie Boys," some of them the very ones from whom he had escaped. It was raining quite hard by this time, and they trudged along with their guns shouldered, hunter fashion, their slouch hats dripping with wet. At the sight of the woman he stopped suddenly and stood like a statue, eyeing the little procession, holding his revolver, intending to fire as soon as discovered. The path which they were following made a circuitous course around where Smitley was standing, and was not more than 50 or 60 feet from him. He was caught wholly unawares, and was amazed, and as well frightened, but eyed the men closely, expecting every moment that some one of them would look in his direction and discover him. But from the depressing influence of the rain, and the long toilsome night racing after Smitley, they all passed by without noticing him, though he was a prominent object standing in the open space. He hurried out of the open space and into the woods. and proceeded as well as he could on his way to Petersburg. When in the neighborhood of the Harman settlement, he met a deserter from the confederate army, by the name of Martin Bennett, who persuaded him to stop at his mother's house, and said he would accompany Smitley to Petersburg. They reached the house at dusk, and had been there but a few minutes when a little child rushed into the house saying, "The rebs are riding down the road." They ran out from the back of the house and hid in a field of grain. and lay there until the visitors left. They searched the house but
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gave it up after a while and left. When they were gone, the fugitives returned to the house, ate their supper and started on their journey. They followed the river, avoiding the road as much as possible, and stopped at the Carr settlement all night. The next morning they safely reached Petersburg, where the scout reported to the general by tele- graph.
After reporting from Petersburg, and while awaiting orders from the general, Col. S. W. Downey, commanding the post, tendered Smitley his valuable private horse, an iron grey of great speed and powers of en- durance, and requested him to scour the country between Petersburg, Brock's Gap and Moorefield, and ascertain the movements of the enemy. He left Petersburg in company with Q. M. Sergt. J. Paul Jones, Fifty-fifth Ohio, and rode in the direction of Brock's Gap, falling in with some of the enemy's cavalry, learning their intention to surround and capture our telegraph station and commissary stores, at the ford of the river below Moorefield, which was guarded by a part of two companies of Col. Downey's regiment, the Third Maryland Infantry. Smitley and Jones excused themselves to get something to cat, promising to join the cavalry
at Moorefield. As soon as they were out of sight, they rode rapidly to the ford, intending to report to Col. Downey by telegraph. The opera- tor told them that communication was cut off with both Petersburg and New Creek. Smitley then went to the lieutenant commanding the post, apprised him of his danger, and advised him to move into the woods, and when the confederates had the empty camp surrounded, give them a dose of the kind of medicine they gave us-bushwhacking. He replied with an oath that he knew his own business, and the scouts returned to the telegraph office, a tent on the river bank, where they got a substan- tial supper. Hitching the horses convenient for speedy use, Smitley went to sleep, resting until near morning. when hearing a commotion in camp, he sprang to his feet. A messenger from the lieutenant com- manding met him, saying that a flag of truce had come in with the in- formation that they were surrounded by Col. Harnass' cavalry, demand- ing immediate surrender, and wanting to know what the scout thought about it. Smitley mounted his horse, told the messenger to tell the lieutenant he knew his own business, and, with Jones, rode part round the enemy's lines, near enough for them to see the grey clothes and mistake the scouts for their own men. Finding a weak place in their ranks on the road to Mr. Van Meter's, Smitley and Jones made a dash for liberty, and had passed several rods beyond their lines, before they took in the situation. A few of them pursued, but soon gave it up, after firing several shots, which the scouts escaped by lying flat on their sad- dles. The horses being saddled all night, the girths were quite loose, and Jones' saddle turned and was lost while the horses were at full speed. He was compelled to ride fifteen miles bare-back, a great hardship to him, as he was a large, fleshy man. Smitley and Jones were the only
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ones that escaped. Smitley left Jones at New Creek, turned Col. Dow- ney's horse over to the quartermaster, and started for Front Royal, arriv- ing carly on the third morning after leaving New Creek, and reported to Gen. R. C. Schenck.
Miss Belle Boyd, who later acquired considerable notoriety as a south- ern spy, was at Front Royal on parole. Being suspected of violating her parole, one of Gen. Schenck's aids requested Smitley to see if he could entrap her. He went to one of the prominent southern citizens of the village under an assumed name, and representing himself to be a paroled confederate officer, secured boarding. The host was exceeding- ly hospitable and communicative, informing him that Miss Boyd was in town. Smitley affected surprise and eulogized her valuable services to the southern cause. He soon learned that Miss Boyd was the sensation of the village, that the intensely loyal confederates idolized her, and that she had a large following of Federal officers, who were ready to do her homage. Smitley's advent to the inside circles of the village, and his expressed admiration of Miss Boyd's exploits as a spy, were carried to her by his host's daughter, and the same afternoon he received an in- vitation through the daughter, to take tea with the fair scout, at one of the southern residences. He went, was introduced, and found her to be a lady of culture, a brilliant conversationalist, expert with the piano and rather pretty. In the course of the evening, a number of young ladies called, accompanied by Federal officers, and Miss Boyd appeared to be the centre of attraction. Toward the officers Smitley assumed a lofty, patronizing air, but with the ladies was exceedingly bashful and diffident. When the doxology of the occasion, "The Bonny Bluc Flag," was being sung and played by Miss Boyd, he stepped forward and sang the bass, with all the feeling and power of his strong voice, though his heart burned within him to sing "Down with the Traitors and up with the Stars." This effort settled his social status with the confederates, and thereafter he was one of the "charmed circle." He stayed in the village several days as Lion No. 2, and secured Miss Boyd's confidence to such an extent, that she informed him boastingly of the manner in which she was violating her parole, and urged him not to consider a parole binding to the much hated Yankees. About the third evening of his stay, at an evening party, a federal officer in the secret of Smitley's identity, to whom Miss Boyd turned a cold shoulder, became so incensed at her marked attention to the scout, that he taunt- ingly told her that Smitley was a Yankee scout. She scornfully resented the accusation against his loyalty, but a night's reflection on the situa- tion brought her early in the morning to Smitley, greatly agitated and shedding tears like a child. Her informant was the staff officer who re- quested Smitley to entrap her.
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