USA > West Virginia > Barbour County > The history of Barbour County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 29
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Captain Jenkins sold his horse and returned to Philippi where he was arrested by the Federals as a spy, but after a trial he was set at liberty, took the oath not to take up arms against the United States, and during
he didn't think it prudent for shotguus, and not a cartridge for them, to oppose long-range artillery. That was the only proposition to stop and tight that was made during the retreat.
*It is peculiar that the sound of the cannon was heard at Beverly, 24 miles in an air line, with a mountain between, while not a sound was heard at Elk City, less than four miles in an air line, over an open country.
+This man Clark subsequently went to Randolph County in August, 1861, as a spy to discover the plans of General Lee who was threatening Elkwater and Cheat Mountain. He was captured and spent eightcen months in Castle Thunder, at Richmond. He was exchanged, was made a lieutentant of cavalry, and was killed at Winchester. Ilis body was aken to Bridgeport, in Harrison County, and was there buried,
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the remainder of the war he remained at his home at Elk City. He served fifteen days in the Confederate army.
The hill from which the Federals fired their first cannon was then in woods. It is now cleared of timber and in pasture. The spot has an historical importance as it marks the place where the rising powers of the North struck the first blow against the arms of the South. From the fir- ing of that cannon, the roar of artillery seldom ceased, until the South- ern Confederacy was a thing of the past and the HILL FROM WHICH THE FIRST CANNON WAS FIRED. chains had been struck from millions of slaves. A monument should be erected to mark the historic spot, and the American flags hould float perpetually over it.
General Garnett in Barbour.
When Colonel Porterfield retreated over Laurel Hill, there remained no armed Confederates in Barbour County. Men returned to their homes in the county who had found it necessary to leave because of their Union sent- iments. On the other hand, many men whose sympathies were with the South, went away with the retreating Confederates. The Federal troops who occupied Philippi on the morning of June 3, did not fall back to Graf- ton, but remained as a garrison;" and within a short time others arrived, and before the end of the month of June General Morris had about 4000 troops at Philippi, and there were four times that many at Grafton, Rowlesburg, Clarksburg and elsewhere in the vicinity. General McClellan had crossed the Ohio in person (June 19) and had taken command of this army of 20,000 with which he expected to clear all the northern part of West Virginia of Confederates. He was never ordered into West Virginia, by the War Department at Washington. He came without orders. Soon after the fight at Philippi there were numerous applications from West Virginia to be mustered into the Union service, and on June 6, Winfield S. Scott, then Lieutenant General of the United States Army, ordered General McClelland to muster them in. On June 10, the Secretary of War countermanded this
*The Federal soldiers raided the office of the Jeffersonian, broke up the press and threw the type in a well. The editor, Thompson Surghnor, retreated with the Confeder- ates. The Federals also raided the Bank of Philippi, and not finding any money in sight, they blew open the safe. But it was empty also. All the funds of the bank, and other things of value, had been removed to Beverly the day before.
no! See Samound hands and the Family Roz Ruch Word
funds.
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order. Within the four days, between Scott's order and the countermand, nearly enough had applied at Grafton to make a regiment. The two con- flicting orders created confusion, and on June 11 General Morris, at Graf- ton, telegraped to General Mcclellan at Cincinnati, as follows:
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"If we don't muster Virginians into the service according to proclama- tion and arm them, we must quit the territory or prepare to hold it with Federal troops. The strong motive of the move here is gone unless their volunteers are received. Such as volunteer for the service will not enter unconditionally, having not State aid. Small force of rebels can control numbers. Have already mustered some informally. When a regiment is ready it will not do to disband. The effect would be disastrous. It is the cheapest way to defend Western Virginia. It is the only way to unite her citizens. Other methods will fail."
McClellan urged the enlisting of West Virginians, and it was done, subsequently, to the number of over 36,000 .*
The Federals showing no inclination to fall back from Philippi, the Confederates pushed reinforcements over the mountains from Staunton into Randolph; first, for the purpose of preventing the further advance of the Union forces, and, second, for the purpose of pushing northward and re-capturing the railroad. General Garnett superseded Colonel Porterfield in command. He had no doubt of his ability to prevent the Union forces from advancing, after he had fortified Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain; but he did not think he would be strong enough to make an advance. He had about six thousand troops, of which 4000 were at Laurel Hill in Barbour, 1300 at Rich Mountain in Randolph, and about 700 at other points. General Garnett had reached Huttonsville June 14; on the 15th with 2000 troops he left Huttonsville, and on the 16th occupied Rich Mountain and Laurel Hill. On June 25 he wrote to Richmond saying that he had blockaded all the roads crossing Laurel Hill between Cheat Mountain and St. George, by cutting trees across them, to prevent the Federals from getting in his rear. He sent out heavy escorts towards Philippi and Buckhannon to collect grain and cattle, and spoke of widening the road from St. George to Rowlesburg
* At the time the Federal army moved into West Virginia, a foolish and unnecessary fear seized the people that a terrible example was to be made of them. Reports flew thick and fast. One was that sixty thousand Union troops had been scattered along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad with orders to sweep southward and destroy all property of Southern sympathi- zers, and drive the people from their homes. Of course, everybody should have known better. In Barbour County there are instances of families congregating at one place, in expectation meeting death from the advanc- ing Federals, while the men, with what guns they had, stood ready to fight for their families till death. The scene appears ridiculous now, but it was terribly serious at the time. General Mcclellan's proclamation, promising protection and safety, evidently had not yet circulated through the interior of the State. See page 132 of this book.
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and by that route reach the railroad; but he added that with his present force he feared the railroad was beyond his reach.
"My best chauce of getting at the railroad at present seems to be by the Morgantown road running from Yeager's to Evansville. When once to Evansville, I should threaten equally Grafton and Cheat Bridge, at both of which points they now have a force which they would be compelled to keep in this position, and thus enable me to get at the road at Iudependence, des- troy it there, and then fall upon the force at Cheat Bridge, before it could be reinforced from Grafton. The objection to this operation is that it enables the enemy at Philippi to throw himself upon my rear. My moving force, however, of 3000, will not be sufficient, I fear, for the operation."
At that time there were 20,000 men opposed to Garnett; and he esti- mated them at 17,000; yet, he seriously considered attacking the railroad with 3000 troops. Speaking further in his letter to Deas on June 25, he says:
"At Philippi the enemy occupy the heights beyond the town' in the direction of Grafton. They have mined the bridge and thrown abatis in the ford. It is further said that they have blocked up the road on this side of Philippi."
On July 1 General Lee wrote to Garnett and urged him to strike the railroad if possible, saying: "The rupture of the railroad at Cheat River would be worth to us an army." On July 6 General Garnett wrote from Laurel Hill: "I don't think it probable that the enemy, notwithstanding his superiority of numbers, will attempt to attack my position unless the necessity of his force elsewhere becomes very imperative, for the simple reason that he has as much of North western country as he probably wants." To this General Lee replied on July 11 saying that he did not believe the Federals would remain at Philippi and the other points which they then held, but would endeavor to push over the mountain to Staunton .*
Such were the Confederate plans, fears and hopes. The Federals who opposed them also had fears and hopes. General McClellan, late in June, began to concentrate troops for attacking the Confederates at Rich Mount- ain and Laurel Hill. The chief point of attack was Rich Mountain. Believ- ing that he could capture that point, McClellan expected to cross to Bev- erly and compel Garnett to retreat from Laurel Hill. The attacking column moved from Clarksburg and other points to Buckhannon, ready to advance up the Beverley Pike.
General Morris, with 4000 soldiers, was at Philippi, and the task assigned him was to advance to Belington and threaten Garnett at Laurel Hill and hold him there while McClellan executed the contemplated move-
*Colonel Porterfield had been ordered to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and particularly the bridge across Cheat River at Rowlesburg, but was provided with no tools for doing it. He attempted to destroy Cheat Bridge after his retreat to Philippi, and sent Lieutenant Lemuel Chene worth to Rowlesburg for that purpose; but the attempt was a failure.
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The
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ment by way of Buckhannon to Beverly. About July 2, General Morris became excited over a rumor that the Confederates intended to attack his force at Philippi. He urged Mcclellan to send reinforcements, To this McClellan at Buckhannon, replied, saying: "I am not a little surprised that you feel the defense of Philippi so hazardous and dangerous an oper- ation. If 4000 of our men, in a position selected and fortified, are not enough to hold the place against any force these people can bring against it, I think we had better all go home. You have only to defend a strong position, or at most, to follow a retreating enemy. I propose taking the really difficult and dangerous part of the work on my own hands. I will not ask you to do anything that I would not be willing to do myself. But let us understand each other. I can give you no more reinforcements. I cannot consent to weaken any further the really active and important col- umn which is to decide the fate of the campaign. If you cannot undertake the defense of Philippi with the force now under your control, I must find someone who will. Do not ask for further reinforcements. If you do, I shall take it as a request to be relieved from your command and to return to Indiana. I have spoken plainly. I speak officially. Thecrisis is a grave one, and I must have generals under me who are willing to risk as much as I am. Let this be the last of it. I wish action now and determination."* Three days later General Morris was ordered to advance to Belington. On July 6, General McClellan, still at Buckhannon, sent him an order, of which the following is an extract:
"Advance from your present position tomorrow morning and take up a position within two miles of the enemy, near Elllott's farm, in preference on the south side of Barker's Mill Run, on the heights in the rear of Wil- liam Yeager's house. It is preferable to avoid the defile north of the Elliott house by crossing the river somewhere near the nineteen mile post from Beverly, and recrossing at the ford where the Middle Fork road crosses. At all hazard accomplish the object proposed. Occupy Beling- ton by a strong advance guard, and place a strong detachment to cover the paths leading from the Rebel camp to the left flank of your position. Watch closely day and night. Have everything ready to pursue them should they retreat. Arrange your hour of starting from Philippi so that you will reach the Elliott farm within an hour or two after sunrise. Induce them to believe that you will make the main attack; the object being to cut them off at Beverly."
No sooner had General Morris reached Belington than the Confederates opened fire on him, and there was constant skirmishing, but not much
*It is the opinion of some military men that General Morris was the wiser of the two on that occasion. General J. D. Cox, writing years after- wards, in "The Battles and Leaders of the Civil War," said that if Garnett had been as strong as Mcclellan supposed him to be, there was nothing to pre- vent him from overpowing Morris at Philippi, and when this was done, the road to Clarksburg would be open and there would have been a race between him and Mcclellan which could get there first.
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FLOURING MILL AT MANSFIELD.
DYER SWITZER.
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R TOBACCO
DYER & SWITZER'S STORE AT MANSFIELD.
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damage was done .* On July 9, General Morris wrote from Belington, say- ing: "Our advance position is behind Belington some 200 yards. The cleared grounds extend some 200 yards beyond Belington. A heavy body of timber then commences, which is now occupied by the enemy in large force. Skirmishing has been going on since the occupation of our position. Yesterday they appeared in such force that we threw severel shells into the woods and attempted to occupy it with our pickets; but we were driven in with a loss of two killed and three wounded. Our total loss up to this time, in killed, is 4, wounded 6, missing 1. *%
* The enemy were in motion several times yesterday and their columns were seen marching in our direction. We are sure they were last night in rear of a round hill in front of Belington, and within three-fourths of a mile, and in numbers at least two or three thousand."
The events which followed took place outside of Barbour County and will be briefly mentioned. On July 11 McClellan attacked and defeated the Confederates at Rich Moun- tain, and thus opened the way to Beverly, where he would be able to cut off the retreat of General Garnett in the direction of Staunton. The fight at Rich Mountain was really made by 300 Con- federates on the summit of the mountain at Hart's house, who were attacked by 1900 Federals who had marched ten miles through BATTLEFIELD OF RICH MOUNTAIN. the woods and thus flanked the Confederate post. The main body of the Confederates at that time was at the western base of Rich Mountain, nearly two miles from the battle ground. The Federals defeated the Confederates on the mountain, gained the Beverly pike and cut off the main body of Confederates, 600 of whom surrendered two days later, after
* General Garnett was afraid that his rear would be attacked by troops who would go up the Cheat River road, cross by way of Pheasant Run to Leading Creek and come in south of his position. The Federals could have flanked him without so much trouble. Their infantry could have crossed Laurel Hill anywhere, and no doubt would have done so had it been necessary; but the flank movement at Rich Mountain decided the day, and there was no necessity of attacking Laurel Hill. Military men have expressed surprise that General Garnett supposed his position strong enough to hold. Had he fallen back to Cheat Pass, above Huttonsville, he probably could have held his ground a considerable time.
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vainly trying to escape through the mountains. At one o'clock on July 12 McClellan reached Beverly, and thus cut off Garnett's retreat over Cheat Mountain, just what, he had set out to do. But Garnett was no longer at Laurel Hill. He learned of the defeat of his force at Rich Mountain, and he hurriedly decamped in hope of getting through Beverly before too late. He could have done so, but for mistaken information. >His scouts saw sol- diers in Beverly on the morning of July 12, and supposed them to be Fed- erals; but they were really Confederates, a squad of fifty or more under Captain Nat. Tyler, who had escaped from Rich Mountain, and after wan- dering all night in the woods, had reached Beverly, from which point they retreated south.
When General Garnett, on his retreat from. Laurel Hill, reached Leeds- ville, where the town of Elkins now stands, he turned up Leading Creek and crossing into Tucker County, tried to escape in that direction. Gen- eral Morris was in pursuit from Belington. On the morning of July 13, at one o, clock, he reached Leadsville, and halted two hours for rest. He had only four wagons of bread and pork to feed an army of 3000, having left Belington in such a hurry that he could not wait for more supplies. At 4 a. m. he continued the pursuit, the Confederates at that time being from six to ten miles ahead of him, and cutting trees across the road at every opportunity. About 8 a. m. the advance guard fired upon the Confederates on Pheasant Run, and about noon at Kalor's Ford another skirmish took place. At 2 p. m. the Confederates halted at Corrick's Ford, a mile above the present town of Parsons, on Shaver's Fork, and the Battle of Corrick's Ford was fought there. It was not a severe fight, but each side suffered a small loss, the Confederates losing the most. They continued the retreat nearly a mile further to another ford where General Garnett with a small squad made another stand, and he was killed. His army continued the re- treat, throwing away ammunition, guns and supplies, and after narrowly escaping capture at Red House, 24 miles beyond Corrick's Ford, by an army under General Hill, the remnant of the Confederate force reached Peters- burg, Grant County,and after a rest of a couple of days, proceeded to High- land County. The Federals under Morris were not in condition to continue the pursuit beyond Corrick's Ford. They were starving, and returned to Belington by way of St. George and Clover Run.
Internal Affairs During the War.
Nearly all the county and district officers of Barbour County, at the out- break of the Civil War, were sympathizers with the South. Those who did not go away with Colonel Porterfield, or soon after, did not choose to carry on the country's business, and there was a period of several months during which there was no execution of law, except such as the Federal officers took a hand in. On May 8, 1861 the county court adjourned and
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there is no record of any other court till October 7, of that year. On Sep- tember 27 there was an election held "to fill vacancies". Lewis Wilson was elected County Clerk, James Trahern Sheriff," Nathan H. Taft Prosecuting Attorney, Josiah L. Hawkins and Samuel S. Lackney Assessors. Cousta- bles were elected. This was the first election under the Re-organized Gov- ernment of Virginia. Philippi was almost deserted. Lawyers who had joined the Confederates left their offices and books, and these were looked after by nobody. Many books, as well as much household goods, were car- ried away by thieves. Valuable portions of some libraries were preserved by Spencer Dayton who, when the war was over, restored them to their owners. This was particularly the case with Thomas A. Bradford's books. Although he was an active Secessisnist, and Mr. Dayton a strong Union man, yet they had been before, and ever after were warm friends, and Mr. Dayton cared for his library and restored it to him, notwithstanding an effort was made at one time by a Federal officer to confiscate the books (no doubt for his own benefit). When Union soldiers were not occupying the town, often not a human being was to be seen on the streets. The country people preferred to stay at home, and few citizens of the town occupied their houses. Occasionally detachments of Union troops passed through the town; and at intervals long trains of wagons, hauling supplies to Bev- erly or other points, would break the monotony of the scene.
On page 86 Minute book No. 8, of the county court of Barbour, under date of June 2, 1862, the following resolution, offered by Spencer Dayton, is recorded:
"Whereas, on this date one year ago our court-house and county were in possession and under the domination of organized bands of rebels who, by force of arms, deprived our citizens of their peaceful rights of resort to courts of justice, and in effect declared war against existing laws and authority, and against citizens who recognized or appealed to such laws; aud in place of the Federal banner, they unfurled from the roof of this house a miserable badge of disloyalty and treason. But, on the following
*In the winter of 1862-3 Sheriff Trahern was taken from his home by a detail of seven Confederates who had been sent for that purpose by Gen- eral Imboden who was in winter camp in Augusta County. The Sheriff was taken to Richmond and was held sometime, when he returned home. Five of his captors were Barbour County men, and after his return he in- formed on four of them, and they were compelled to leave Barbour. The fifth man befriended Mr. Trahern, and gave him money to mitigate his suf- fering while a prisoner, and when the others were informed against at the close of the war, this man's name was not mentioned, and he remained in Barbour, and is today one of the prominent business men of the county. The kidnapping of the Sheriff had deplorable results. The next night two prominent citizens of Barbour, Henry Bowman and Henry Wilson, who were Southern in their sympathies, were assassinated under the mistaken belief that they had been implicated in the kidnapping of Sheriff Trahern,
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day, June 3, 1861, the traitors were routed and driven from our midst in base and cowardly confusion by volunteer soldiery of the United States, through whose timely aid our citizens were relieved from an abhorred despotism and have since enjoyed protection and the rights and blessings of civil liberty under the government to which they were reared.
"Now, therefore, we the body of Justices for the County of Barbour, State of Virginia, as a court, this day assembled at Philippi, do for our- selves, and on behalf of the people, enter in our record our sincere thanks to the Federal soldiers engaged in the battle of Philippi, and to their national-head and commander-in-chief, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States. We especially congratulate him upon the firm, energetic and just manner in which the present war has been conducted on the part of the United States since the first blow was struck here one year ago. We tender him our sympathy and support in his responsible labors, com- mending to him, under the constitution, a merciful regard for the rights of the several States and the citizens thereof held by the confederated enemy, rigidly enforcing only during the war the laws of the forfeiture of property in slaves just so far as may become a military necessity for the suppression of the rebellion or the submission or extermination of those actively engaged in it. A copy of this entry is directed to be forwarded to the President of the United States and furnished to the press at large for publication."
On October 6, 1862, the county court levied a poll tax of forty cents and a property tax equivalent to 32 per cent of all taxes imposed, and thus raised money to pay a bounty of fifteen dollars each to citizens of Barbour who would volunteer in the Union army.
The Imboden Raid,
In the spring of 1863 occurred the memorable raids under General John D. Imboden and General William E. Jones, when 5,000 Confederates swept across West Virginia. Barbour County was not much concerned in the raid, in comparison with other counties of the State, as only a few bands of Confederates penetrated to Philippi. Late in April Imboden, with 3,700 troops, crossed the Alleghanies into Randolph, and at the same time a column of 1,300, under Jones, crossed the Alleghanies from Grant County, through Maryland, into Preston County. It was the intention to unite the two columns about Clarksburg, Jones met a set-back at Green- land Gap, which delayed him eight hours. Captain Wallace with eighty men fortified a church in the pass and held it until the building was set on fire. After capturing the pass, Jones pushed on, struck the railroad at Oakland, again at Terra Alta, cut down the suspension bridge across Cheat River at Albrightsville, three miles from Kingwood, captured Kingwood; attacked Rowlesburg, but failed to take it; broke the railroad at Inde- pendence; captured Morgantown; set on fire the bridge there, but per- mitted the flames to be extinguished; and marched to Fairmont and com- menced undermining the bridge there to blow it up. Leaving Jones there
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for the present, it is necessary to follow Imboden's column as it advanced through Randolph. He moved against Beverly which had a Federal garri- son of 878 men under Colonel George R. Latham, who held his ground some hours, but finding that he was being surrounded, he retreated toward Philippi at 5 p. m. The roads were so muddy that horses struggled along half buried in mire and water. The Confederates pursued to the base of Laurel Hill, and a small detachment under Major D. B. Lang, was sent toward the railroad to gain intelligence of the whereabouts of General Jones. The main body under Imboden moved out on the Buckhannon road. It is now necessary to leave Imboden for the present, west of Beverly, and speak of another factor which influenced the results. The Federal troops in this part of the State had fallen back to Clarksburg at Imboden's approach. General Mulligan with about 800 Federals had crossed from Keyser, and was near Grafton when he heard of Imboden's advance toward Barbour. Thus on April 26 the affairs stood-Jones with Confederates near Morgantown, Mulligan with Federals near Grafton and Imboden with Confederates west of Beverly. Taking up the account here, Imboden in his official report says:
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