Beckley Post-Herald from Beckley, West Virginia • Page 51

POST-HERALD EDITION, SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 20, 1950 ELEVEN rs3. mmm Mm I'UM-HKHAU) CENTENNIAL EDITION, SATURDAY MOR reelings Between Union, Rebel Mvimifci vetmTM IMH I.B«* in BTM.M«; im More Than 3d From Raleigh Sympathizers Bitter In County 1361 on her own soil. General Alfred Beckley' of Twpmy-seventh brigade and colonel of the i i regiment wss busy throughout the summer recruiting, organizing and the militia in cooperation wit General Chapman and the militia from Monroe, Giles and Mercer Both militia were attached to the armies of General Henry Wise and General John B. Floyd. General Qeckley was in and out of Raleigh continually, as the.

militia was used, to clear and construct roads, build breastworks, hold important passes, ferries and carried act as scouts. court house, churches and deserttfi buildings. At the same time the tha regulars and the bushwhackers were gathering in the Allegheny Mountains twenty miles away. Prisoners, Rebels and Bushwhackers and suspected persons were frequently captured throughout the winter. Some were sent to Camp Chase in Ohio, and others were released" when no harm was found in them.

Taken Prisoner On Jan. 22, Alfred Beckley, 16, youngest son of General Beckley, was taker, prisoner. He had Confederate Veterans Beld Last Reran In Beckley In 1305 dispatches when the militia was out under his father. On August 21, 1861, Beckley es- Hayes hated to see one so young tablishcri a camp for instruction at to a crowded guard house, so! nn he took young Beckley to his room' and shared his bed with the boy, Shady Spring with 200 men from Raleigh and Fayette, -and was waiting reinforcements from the militia from Monroe, Giles and Mercer counties. General Beckley returned to who, he said, "talked incoherently in his sleep, otherwise a good bed The next morning Alfred left Beckley on September 15 after with a pledge to return, if he faiU skirmishing with Federal scouts over Cotton Hill and along the southside of the Kanawha River in ed lo get exchanged for young Henderson, a Federal scout who had been captured by the Rebels.

cooperation with General A. A. jThe exchange was made, probably Chapman. i i Richmond. Force of 2,000 Men they had a force of about 2,000 men.

In the skirmishing between the Confederates and Federals around Cotton Hill, Lt. Loughborough, adjutant in General Beckley's brigade, was killed by Captain Hunt who was in charge pf a Federal troop of scouts. Captain Hunt, having surrendered to Lt. Loughborough, made his escape by shooting him. The Confederate cavalry had scouted through Raleigh all summer.

Captain Caskie spenl the iUmmer scouting in Mercer, Fayette and Raleigh. He operated with the militia of those counties, directing much of their work. Col. Lucius Davis was with four companies cavalry at Court on September 15, after an operation figainst the Federals on Coal River. He had come to ask the aid of Beckley's sharpshooters against the Federals at Cotton.

Hill, Loup Creek, Millers and Bovvyer ferries. General Reece T. Bowen was at Raleigh Court House on, Sept. 23, 1861, where he received orders from Floyd to send 200 men through Wyoming to Logan County to gather news of the enemy. Regiments to enforce the federates passed through Raleigh Court House Oct.

2, 1861. Lt. Col. Marcellus M. Douglass, Thirteenth Georgia Volunteers, reached Raleigh Court House on his way to reinforce Floyd and.

was forced to halt long enough to have his horses shod and obtain food and medical care for his men, as he had no means ot getting his sup plies from Jackson River Depot. Scoutiny Parties Other Confederate scouting parties mentioned through the records must have penetrated and skirted Raleigh County from the distances and places they traveled. The militia under General Beckley was disbanded in the early fall at Beckley's request. The year ended with Raleigh, Fayette and all the lower Kanawha Valley in the possession of the Federals On January 24, sixteen Rebels were captured in Raleigh County by Captain Haven. Thirteen of well armed, were found in a house and surrendered without firing a shot, On February 1, Lt.

Avery with a gijard started to Columbus with 17 prisoners. Again April 6, Sergeant Abbott started with five. A mail carrier xvas captured with Rebel mail, and Major Comly reported, having captured two hundred and five law books. In Richmond, on February 8, General Becklej' resigned his commission as brigadier general and, after a long and arduous journey by horseback, reached his homo after midnight, March 16, to find the family much alarmed about him. The next day he wrote a letter at his parole.

Hayes sard he found him to be "an agreeable old gentleman of sixty conversed readily and entertainingly." Beckley Arrested On April 4, Hayes was ordered to arrest Beckley and take him to Wheeling. Wheeling Beckley was not among friends. On April 10 Lt. Stevens delivered him as a guarded prisoner at the Athen- eum, a state prison on par with the convicts, where he remained until April 1.2, when he got an interview C. Freemont, who paroled him.

to the city of Wheel-r Being looked on as a Rebel, General Beckley -was not received warmly and on April 2p was re-; arrested and again committed tp custody. On April 26 he was sent rail to Camp Chase Prison at Columbus, Ohio, where he was assigned to Prison No. 2, Mess 18, whose members were kind and considerate. Aided by influential friends, General Beckley was released on June 18 and he arrived home on Fayetteville was the most ad- June 26, 1862. He was in prison vanceci post in the Kanawha Val- -ihnnt about As in other counties in Western counties in his diary and letters to his family.

pifHmes were made when lormer Southern soldiers met in! Beckley in 1905. Tneir reunion was largely due to the efforts of standing in the very back row to the right in top photo. J. H. George Shumate, Col.

J. C. Mc- Lemon, father of J. N. Lemon, Frank and Henry Lemon of Beck- to Lt.

Col. Hayes surrendering! ley is in the front row holding himself, preferring his parole. I his hat so that its inside is vis- Hayes and his adjutant then vis-jible. Others in the photo, diffi- ited Scckley and told him to stay cult to place because of the irregular individual arrangement, include: Chesney, John Pence, H. T.

Hancock, in the back row near the left, who father of H. F. Hancock, of Beckley. W. J.

H. Farley, George Kidd, Eleaney Brammer, W. T. Shumate, Tazewell Worley, Judge A. Nelson Campbell and Houston Davis.

The photo at the right includes: back row, left Hutchinson, father of Attorney J. Q. Hirtchinson of Beckley, a man believed to have been named Miller, John Chris Tolley. The other two men in the back row were unidentified. Front row eludes, H.

P. Maynor, a man believed to be Col. Clark, of more, an individual not identified, James A. Gunnoe, who lost his leg in the battle of Cedar Creek, Squire Bill Sweeney, and Joshua i i Federal forces protected the tions within their diaulc-i. It is Although np official tabulation has been made, 33 Raleigh County soldiers are knowa to havt died or been killed during the Civil War.

Judge W. A. Riffe, Raleigh County historian, lists 30 Confederate and three Union soldiers who died while in service. Several of these men, reported missing, arc presumed to have been killed. Predominately Confederate in sentiment, several hundred county men enlisted; during the war.

Union prison camps and disease took more lives than did bullets of enemy guns. Camp Chase at Columbus, Ohio, and other nc- torious Union prison camps cost the lives of a number of Raleigh County men, but bad sanitary conditions and malnutrition killed many more. Only three Union soldiers from Raleigh County are listed as dying in service. They are Andrew and. Daniel Cook, brothers, who died of disease while serving with the Eighth Virginia Infantry, and John Maxwell, who died in ser-vice.

Confederate soldiers from the county who failed to teturn were: Peter Davis, killed by "Bush- whackers" while returning home after the war; Jackson Williams, killed at Battle of Cloyd's Farm; John W. Bailey, missing in action; Richard McVey, died at Mobile, Ala. George Snuffer, son of. Qwen Snuffer, killed at Battle of Mai- vern Hill in 1862; George Snuffer, son of Cyrus Snuffer, died in camp hospital at Staunton, James O'Neal, died in prison camp; William Pittrnan, died in prison camp; Isaac. Prince, died of disease at Bowling Green, John Ward, died of disease as result of war.

Hughes Warden, missing in action; Alexander Davis, died in prison csmp; John Fmk, died in service at White Sulphur Springs; Benjamin Mankin, died in prison camp; John Rowzee Peyton, killed by Confederate deserters in Roanoke County, in 1862; killed at ort Donelsori, John Brammer, died in service. Lewis Cook, killed Fort Donelson while replacing flag on Floyd Furrow, died in prison camp; Jonathan Gray, died- in Fort Douglas Prison, Chicago; James Halstead, died of disease in service; Rufus Hawley, killed battle; Terrell Hawley, killed in.battle. Edward Henderson, died in service; Eldridge Henderson, died in Oryille Henderson, died in service; Ida D. Hurt, died in service; -Samyel Lester, died in" measles; Jerry Meadows, killed at last battle of Winchester, VaJ, Sept. 19, Four- "local Confederates reported as wounded during the war Alder-son Bailey, Battle of Clpyd's Farm; Hugh Farmer, lost eg at Clark House fight in 1862; lieutenant James A.

Brammer, ost leg at New Market, 15, 1864; Jonathan lost arm in service. a treasured memory in day's. He that two of the (later Presidents the United erford Hayes, commander Becklev Col. Twenty-third Ohio. Hayes give.

Virginia, there were commamled ne Twcnty- a vivid account of the winter i errand parties Qhio infantry regiment in 1861-62, in Fayette and Raleigh leign, OUL not as many as in sgmc. liph B. McKinley, just ed at Beckley when this plan waslphreys said that he could with counties. In Beckley on 14, 1862, a Colonel Scammon, who was left'party from Camp Hayes had gone in charge of General Schenck's brigade at Fayetteville, planned an expedition through Raleigh to forage at the home of a man by the name of Shumate who had escaped from the guardhouse in Countv to Princeton on December Beckley- a fexv days before. 26.

Stationed at Princeton were! Trie par.y was firea on by 30 600 a guard of 100 men, arms Busjnvacxers; two horses were occu ied Beckley, Mrs. Davis and baaly wounaed and four men hadl a i lived in General Beckley's ti'irh CAvnral a i i i past 18, was a private. On April 19, 1862, he was promoted to commissary sergeant. The "David House," a small frame cottage, occupied by Mrs. Martha Davis until 1862, is remembered as the headquarters of Lt.

Col. Hayes. While the Federals narrow escapes with several balls and stores. Key Position im their clothing On Decemoer 29, Major J. her limc Qn a a 2 home.

Sunday, April 6, 1862, Lt. Col. made. The dispatches from August 5 to 12 to Cox from Stber and Moritz indicate a great deal of scouting and skirmishing with some casualties in and around Raleigh and Wyoming, with Bushwhackers and Rebel cavalry scouts from Floyd's army at Jeffersonville (Floyd County). Saved From Burning: According to the diary of Gen- not leave Beckley until April 24.

Beckley Col. Siber established his shells ijsed as solid shot. McCausland replied, "Limber Up," and Humphreys did as he was- told to but retreated 10 the Beckley place, while the Federals continued to throw shells after him with great precision. There he unit! McCausland with his small force came up, and all retired to Camp Piney where he joined the remainder of the army and encamped for the Captain next i weeks. Made Trenches At Camp Piney, about two miles town was considered a key po-j k.

lwo and escaped. sition at the junction of the route In ne ji ar5 hes of Coal, the from Lewisburg to Kentucky a --j country of Raleigh County, Reached Shady Spring- headquarters at Fayetteville, On April 26, Hayes reached! In the attack on Raleigh Road the turnpike from Great Falls he Eushwackers were Spring and camped on a Jon September 8 between the Fed- Wytheviile. ibut not dangerous, except a piece of ground Confederates, the Fed- Rebel Soldier Complained Of At Battlefronr Even with all the rabid fighting Behind a crumbling Army discharge is this story of Thomas JV McGinnis, the soldier who, in. enthusiasm which was attributed their batrey and tha say our men 1865, called on the West Virginia to the South during the Civil War, ge by and wee faW to the life of the Confederate soldier take the batrey wee had to fawl was not always happy. but tha left that nite Dru The brp-wn'ed by and like military dpcuments of This phase of the war is well on the battle field one many wars addressed "To Whom ti (lay and seed whar a heep of i May Concern" is In the hands presented in a letter written by men wag cuverrf and horses of McGinmV of Ridge Aye- from Beckley and near where i a James Maitnew cuvred up hit was the auflcs sltelnue, Beckley, who is Pvt Mc- present town of Glen Morgan is of John Wood of a i ever saw in my life tha magets located, the Confederates and James L.

Wood of was working out of the ground trenches for infantry along the) base of the bluff and fortifications for artillery on a hill. On ihe same road they made redoubts for single on the brow of a bluff at ihe ley. I whar a some men was cuverd up and what a sent Dru i cant tell Ginnis' son. T. J.

(Jeff) McGinnis was born in Logan County, the son of pioneer settler Phyrrus McGinnis. A Patrick County, farmer, i a bout the file but i was McGinnis had served under Wood was conscripted into Com- in all of the batle but one even-JCapt. Fletcher C. Lanham in the pany Sixth Virginia Regiment I i give out and left them a Light Infantry) a i i i 12 one oclo and fcom seventh Kegiment of the West Virginia Veteran Cavalry Volunteers, mence fiten in a bout a half on October 31, 1861 for served four years in the Con feeler- a Dru the bum a threeryear tour of duty. On Jan- Jsheles feil a round us hit was uary 23, 1865, says the ancient Major Comly, on Jan.

2. mail'carriers and small ponging to Dr. McNutt, a strongjerals skirmished through ed finding about one parties. Throughout the man whose home a set woodland whick they txventv muskets about Raleigh )soldiers were shot al and slightly burned bv "Secesh." General occupied on both sides of the road.i small plateau to pro eu a was called wounded, but the shooting was)JohrfrB. Floyd had camped there: The only military conflict ever artillery in getting position H-ves" men pic'-cei- u-un3iy from a "real distance a Four of Company I had occur at Beekley was on May Early in 1R64, both Federals ll a i mished- with common rifles Sunday to forage, but did not re- 21, as the Confederates; and Confederates began planning! ate Army.

ana ou w-eie Party Slain urn at the appoihted lime. Thciplanned to resume their their spring movements. General) Wood was 32 years old when he; mity dangerous the next mornings document, he was hereby dis- in.o wha, was ine erern i became more returned the" next day and! The Yankees appeared at their Cook, in cooperation with General I wrote a letter to his on July seed nine men lade out side from the service of On Jan rf, c.oi. tr OU blesome in the soring of 1362 i a i lnat they had been fired on! rear but a few shots from the Con- U. S.

Grant's plan for a movement II, I8 p- The da before he had and side sum of them was hit i States at Wheeling, with two dragoons to Kaie a attack on was escaped. ifederaies caused them to retreat, about the first of May, assembled i been in ihe Battle of place and sum in a noiheri est Virgmia reason of a on cavalry "roup "in the 1 May 1 Haves ma-ched I Tne Confederates conlimiedja force for advancement toward Hill, one of the bloodiest cam- hit looked mity bad Dru i bortjP lra on term of "The village is 0 ning of hat dav'Caotain Gil-i Soon "firing was" heard "in retreat io Raleigh Court i the Virginia and Tennessee Rail- paigns in Virginia. a ginger cake to day and give! "Said Thomas J. ten to twelve years-ola. n.ree more eporled th gt ail of the i The federal troops another umt House where lhe halted in a The purpose of the whole! Shortly a the battle, Gen.

cence for hit a bout a 10 cence! born ln 0 3 County in the four hundred inhabitants a y' sen out thai morning had other than Hayes were be-in" at- lale afternoon. McCauslatid order-! movement was for a raid on thejGeorge B. McClelland, command- cake and i have bort sum buter! of West Virginia, is twenty-eight have'lived there before lac vrir: becn killed or wounded. 'tacked bv Major Kenry Humphreys to conduct his how- 'railways depot al Dublin in Pu- er ot Union Pennisular give Sl.OO ar.d 25 cence ai a 3 of a feet ten inches six or eight families. Tnere, Abo Jt eisht eava patrols four Confederate about three-fourths mileilaski County.

'paign, retreated from ihe for hit Dru i have got ninel i complection, black eyes, were two churches, two erns ou thai morning were fired on companies. O.T May 10 Hayes Ws and oark il whiie St- A federal troops, in passing Gen-imond area, boarri'ed ships in theidolar yet and wee hant no' a ai and by occupation, and two stores in peaccfm times. by a gan? mcn concca ied in the attacked near the Narrows Campbell was sent on a i Beckley's hume, shouted i a and sailed up the Potomac, tpay yet and i dont no when wee wh a ner The troop? lived comfortably inj 5 a pl 5 ven from i in Giles County and lost the battle; to it re- re at laughter: "Now bring on Joe Johnson was in com- I i but if i cood get to cum home As the War soldier the vacated houses but loo cc on the Princelon a John i-iiipri vv-frn wnnnrior. and nnp had movfvi i fn-m; i i Presently the scouls reported jjnicoiis of Raleigh County, of I vVnod'e loiter follows: Dru how bad" i paymas er Slam 9 ed on ovin wife i vou not 5 can te'l Dru tel that McGinnis had been a in hand to let farthar to rite to me and tel Beckley was termed the i.un-; vention city" in the 3923 home a ri 7 Vhl tho of the i 4. i i as parv ot tne tanulys trauiuon.

pnniea on the occasion or vne see you fo; want to see Jo me thort he cood tel by your (West Virginia Medical Association tq you farther rote to bodies of one McGinnis wa in the ranks and some Bushwackers: bodyguard found" by Federals and examined bv Haves. i "Col. Have? wss home on; Protected Election was gone, April 3. 1862. was election day; Shortly after that the determine whether there and Thirty-Seventh Ohio and exploded ten feet from Hum- Dr.

A. H. Grigg was president phreys' position, mortally wound; the Raleigh County Medical Soing a little girl playing around ajciety in 1923. Other officers were twer.e richman (Richmond) rote a bout hit but i dont no Petersburg on fauling (Falling) whether he got hit or not i will A blockade of trees appeared across the road, and Dru i doni no which my leter by saying i remane soldiers appeared on. furlough i February.

a ew state called West Vir-j volunteer infantry with mountain-well. JBr. W. W. Hume, vice the most but tha was a affectnate husban so far welj I was then that McGinnis he returned in March, he i a One hundred eight votes'howitzers and two smootheborei McCausland came galloping G.

P. Daniel, vice president, kild on both sides i cpcspect tha for this time from James M. Wood called for the regiment to "go ail his regiment to Raleigh were cast at Raleigh Court House pieces came to Beckley. land if he could reach the and Dr. Charles Smith, more of our men to Drucilla John L.

Wood William through." Days later, tht wsr end- On March 16, he was es- for the new constitution. The Col. Siber was already fortification, and Hum- treasurer. ot them for wee charged Wood 'ed..