JOHN H. LEMASTER

DIVIDED LOYALTIES IN A COMPLEX TIME

Michael L. Strauss

Shepherd University-2005

Friday, July 21, 1863. The Confederacy’s bloody, demoralizing loss at Gettysburg is now a painful memory. Members of Company A of the 2nd Virginia Infantry slowly make their way from Pennsylvania through the newly formed state of West Virginia. Private John H. Lemaster is among their number.1 They had paused three days prior to set up camp in Darkesville, a small hamlet located only four miles from his family farm2. Thoughts of loved ones undoubtedly passed through his mind so close to home. Morale in his company is very low, despite the fact that they hadn’t seen any heavy fighting in the recent campaign. With just one furlough in two year’s time – not to mention their recent military humiliation – it’s no wonder that a dubious plan is about to move from thought into action for John H. Lemaster.3

It’s difficult to say what led to Lemaster’s decision to desert his post in the Confederate

Army. Obviously, he was neither the first nor the last to take this step. In fact, 61 men from the

2nd Virginia Infantry alone deserted during the final two weeks of July.4 Had his loyalties changed or was his decision shrewdly based upon the changing tide of the war? Had he become fed up and disheartened that he was willing to risk serious punishment for a chance to return home?

John H. Lemaster was born 15 January 1842, in the Opequon District of Berkeley

County, Virginia, to John A. and Rhuanna (Tabler) Lemaster. The Lemaster family was a very old family, coming to Virginia from Pennsylvania in 1812. Lemaster’s great grandfather,

1 See Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 55. and Compiled Service Records, Military Reference Branch, National Archives. RG109 Microfilm Publication M324. Roll 326.

2 See Daniel H. Sheetz to Lydia Philips 18 July 1863 transcript in hand of Ronald Sheetz, Martinsburg, West Virginia. and Howard M. Lemaster and Margaret Herberger, Lemasters U.S.A. 1639-1965 (Carlinville: Howard M. Lemaster, 1965), 253.

3 See Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 55-56. and Compiled Service Records, Military Reference Branch, National Archives. RG109 Microfilm Publication M324. Roll 326.

4 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 55.

2 Andrew Lemaster, had even served in the Revolutionary War from Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 1777. Andrew had served with Captain Emrick’s 3rd Battalion of the Berks County militia.

Andrew was the first of the Lemaster’s to leave Berks County.5

With the need for living space, the Lemaster family moved toward the Virginia border.

They first settled in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, later moving into Berkeley County, Virginia, where they set up a permanent home.6 John H. Lemaster’s grandfather was the first in his line to purchase land in Berkeley County. On 18 April 1812, John Lemaster bought 226 acres of land along the Opequon Creek from George and Mary Strode. It is there that John A. Lemaster was born.7

John A. Lemaster lived his entire life as a farmer in Berkeley County, Virginia. He moved into his own farm shortly after marrying Rhuanna Tabler on 15 February 1841 in

Berkeley County, Virginia. Joshua Tabler stood in as witness for the marriage.8 The young couple would eventually be blessed with ten children, John H. Lemaster being the eldest of these children.9

Young John grew up and experienced the same culture as that of his neighbors. By law, he would have attended the pay school of the day at the expense of his parents. The system of schooling during this time in Berkeley County was known as the “Academy”. In addition to

5 Howard M. Lemaster and Margaret Herberger, Lemasters U.S.A. 1639-1965 (Carlinville: Howard M. Lemaster, 1965), 251.

6 Ibid., 252

7 Berkeley County, West Virginia. Office of the Superior Court. Superior Court Deed Book 1. Pg 170-176.

8 Guy L. Keesecker, Marriage Records of Berkeley County, Virginia 1781-1854 (Martinsburg: Guy L. Keesecker, 1969), 128.

9 Howard M. Lemaster and Margaret Herberger, Lemaster U.S.A. 1639-1965 (Carlinville: Howard M. Lemaster, 1965), 253-254.

3 school, young John would have been expected to work on his father’s farm.10 This probably included such things as tending to household chores and taking care of any livestock that the family owned. By 1850 John A. and Rhuanna Lemaster had six children living in the family household.11 His father owned a farm of 90 acres of improved and unimproved lands valued at

$3600.00. In addition, the family owned two horses and numerous other livestock, and harvested wheat and oats along with other produce.12 Between 1850 and 1860 three additional children were welcomed into the John A. Lemaster family.13

By early 1858 young John H. Lemaster was becoming a responsible adult. It would soon be time for him to learn a trade that would serve him throughout his adult life. During this year his father decided to hire out his eldest son to a master saddler named Reason Shugert of

Charlestown in neighboring Jefferson County, Virginia. Lemaster would soon learn the skills of the harness making trade from Shugert, laboring as an apprentice under his tutelage for the customary period of time. Reason Shugert was no stranger to his trade. He had recently moved his business from Shepherdstown to nearby Charlestown, Virginia, where he continued to do a good business. Shugert served as a town official for a number of years in Shepherdstown before relocating to Charlestown.14

10 Willis F. Evans, History of Berkeley County West Virginia (Martinsburg: Willis F. Evans, 1928; reprint, Bowie: Heritage Books, Inc., 2001), 294 (page citation is to the reprint edition).

11 U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 (National Archives) Berkeley County, Virginia. RG29 Microfilm Publication M432. Roll 936. Pg 37.

12 U.S. Bureau of Census. Non Population Schedules of the Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 (National Archives) Berkeley County, Virginia. Agricultural Census. RG29. Microfilm Publication T1132. Roll 4. Pg 461.

13 Howard M. Lemaster and Margaret Herberger, Lemasters U.S.A. 1639-1965 (Carlinville: Howard M. Lemaster, 1965), 253-254.

14 Clifford S. Musser, Two Hundred Years History of Shepherdstown (Shepherdstown: Shepherdstown Independent, 1931), 85-89.

4 Within a year John H. Lemaster was evidently doing well in his new trade. Reason

Shugert had a thriving operation in Charlestown. He had leased a shop belonging to Squire

Andrew Hunter which was located one door west of the Carter House hotel along Main Street in the center of town.15 Lemaster would live and take his meals with the Shugert family in the house located next to his shop.

By 1860 Shugert had four men working for him including Lemaster.16 The pay for a young man of his means was quite good for the day. He was paid a salary of $15.00 per month which included his room and board. Shugert had invested $1800.00 into his business that year and he could afford to pay his employees handsomely.17 Lemaster would continue to work for

Reason Shugert over the next year.18

While Lemaster improved his skills as an apprentice, events unfolded around him that would forever change his life. The John Brown Raid on nearby Harpers Ferry was a recent memory. Brown had been hung the previous year in Charlestown on 2 December 1859 for treason. It is reasonable to assume that young Lemaster witnessed the execution of this traitor to the Commonwealth of Virginia.19 With the election of Abraham Lincoln for President the

15 Sprit of Jefferson, 2 April 1859, p.4.

16 U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 (National Archives) Jefferson County, Virginia. RG29. Microfilm Publication M653. Roll 1355. Pg 807.

17 U.S. Bureau of Census. Non Population Schedules of the Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 (National Archives) Jefferson County, Virginia. Manufacturing Census. RG29. Microfilm Publication T1132. Roll 8. Pg 210.

18 Reason Shugert. Born: 28 January 1820 Died: 2 Oct 1883 in Jefferson County, West Virginia. He would continue the Saddler trade after the Civil War. Shugert is buried at the Edge Hill Cemetery in Charlestown, West Virginia. See Hugh E. Voress, Burials in Jefferson County, West Virginia (Charlestown: Jefferson County Historical Society, 1998), 62. and Sprit of Jefferson, 9 October 1883, Pg 3, Col 2.

19 Millard K. Bushong, A History of Jefferson County, West Virginia (Charlestown: Jefferson Publishing Company, 1941), 134-136

5 following Spring, a feeling of uncertainty filled the air for the residents of Jefferson County,

Virginia.

With each passing day the talk of slavery and secession continued to gain momentum.

After all, Lemaster’s employer Reason Shugert was a slave owner.20 John’s own parents were not slave owners and didn’t feel the need for slave labor. By 1860 they were still located in

Berkeley County with son Theodore doing the bulk of the chores which John had previously done on the farm.21

Political turmoil continued to mount for the people of Virginia. By April of 1860 a volunteer regiment of the militia was drilling and serving in Jefferson County on a regular basis.

If war were to break out, most of the men of this militia unit would make up the chemistry of the

2nd Virginia Infantry.22

These men were under the command of former Virginia Military Institute graduate

Colonel James W. Allen. He was a graduate of the class of 1849.23 The Virginia Free Press reported on 20 July 1860 that the companies of volunteers in Jefferson County were to report in full uniform to Shepherdstown on Saturday, 28 July 1860, for drilling and parade by order of the

Colonel.24

20 U.S. Bureau of Census. Slave Schedules of the Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 (National Archives) Jefferson County, Virginia. RG29. Microfilm Publication M432. Roll 988. Pg 24.

21 See U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 (National Archives) Berkeley County, Virginia. RG29. Microfilm Publication M653. Roll 1335. Pg 852. and U.S. Bureau of Census. Non Population Schedules of the Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 (National Archives) Berkeley County, Virginia. Agricultural Census. Microfilm Publication T1132. Roll 1. Pg 15.

22 Jack L. Dickinson, Tattered Uniforms and Bright Bayonets: West Virginia’s Confederate Soldiers (Huntington: Marshall University Press, 1995), 41.

23 Register of Former Cadets of the Virginia Military Institute (Lexington: VMI Alumni Association, Inc., 1995), 29.

24 Virginia Free Press, 20 July 1860, p.3

6 In January 1861 news reached Charlestown of a special session of the Virginia Assembly that convened in Richmond on 7 January 1861. The meeting was called to order by Governor

John Letcher. Although taxation was given as a primary reason for the gathering, talk of secession from the Union quickly monopolized the sometimes-heated discussion.

Representatives of the lower states were also present, passionately urging Virginia leaders to take secessionary action.25

A few months later, on 12 April 1861, Fort Sumter was fired upon. Within four days the

Virginia Assembly reconvened in Richmond and passed the Ordinance of Secession by a vote of

88 to 55. For better or for worse, civil war had begun.26 Word spread like lightning throughout all of Jefferson County. Within days Charlestown exploded with enthusiasm as men rushed to join the ranks. One of these men was John H. Lemaster.27

On 18 April 1861 John H. Lemaster enrolled in the 2nd Virginia Infantry at the Jefferson

County Courthouse in Charlestown. He is listed as a Private in Company A of the 2nd Virginia under the command of Captain John W. Rowan of Charlestown. Lemaster listed his occupation as that of a saddler.28 Company A of the 2nd Virginia, which soon became known as the

Jefferson Guards, numbered 157 officers and men.29

Colonel James W. Allen of the militia was immediately offered command of the newly formed regiment, with Francis Lackland appointed Lieutenant Colonel and Lawson Botts of

25 Boyd B. Stutler, West Virginia in the Civil War (Charleston: Education Foundation, Inc., 1963), 7.

26 Ibid.,8

27 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 1.

28 Compiled Service Records, Military Service Branch, National Archives. RG109. Microfilm Publication M324. Roll 326

29 Millard K. Bushong, A History of Jefferson County West Virginia (Charlestown: Jefferson Publishing Company, 1941), 142, 366-368.

7 Charlestown appointed Major.30 The first military action taken by the 2nd Virginia was to occupy the town of Harpers Ferry and its arsenal. The Federal troops on duty did not mount much of a resistance, although Lieutenant Roger Jones of the United States regulars attempted to burn the arsenal at night. Quick thinking by the townspeople extinguished the flames and prevented the fire from spreading throughout the town. Soon after that, Captain John W. Rowan and his

Jefferson Guards occupied the town and the charred remains of the arsenal buildings.31

Lemaster and his new regiment did not have long to wait for additional orders. Company

A was ordered to parade in front of the Market House in Charlestown in full uniform on 27 April

1861 to await further orders.32 On 29 April 1861 Colonel Thomas J. Jackson arrived to take command of the situation at Harpers Ferry. Jackson quickly organized the different companies into regiments for the hard task of war.33

On 13 May 1861 the 2nd Virginia was officially organized and mustered. On this date

Major Lawson Botts mustered in John H. Lemaster at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. At this time

Lemaster was permanently assigned as a Private in Company A under the continuing command of John W. Rowan.34 Lemaster’s company commander was certainly no stranger to the military.

John W. Rowan had served honorably during the previous Mexican hostilities as Captain of

Company K of the 2nd Battalion Virginia Regiment.35 By 1860 Rowan was well known in

30 Mabel Gardiner and Ann Gardiner, Chronicles of Old Berkeley (Durham: Seeman Press, 1938), 154.

31 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 4.

32 Virginia Free Press, 18 April 1861, p.3.

33 Dennis E. Fry, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 6.

34 Compiled Service Records, Military Service Branch, National Archives. RG109 Microfilm Publication M324. Roll 326.

35 Millard K. Bushong, A History of Jefferson County West Virginia (Charlestown: Jefferson Publishing Company, 1941), 360.and the Spirit of Jefferson, 18 December 1846. Pg 1. Col 3.

8 Charlestown, having lived there a number of years before the war. He was a Stonemason by trade and conducted a large business in Charlestown and the surrounding area.36

With the command structure of the regiment now secure, Colonel Jackson set about the business of training his men. The regiment was ordered on 2 July 1861 to Falling Waters,

Virginia, where General Robert Patterson of the Union had crossed the Potomac and was threatening the vicinity. Although the 2nd Virginia did not participate in any action, the experience was unforgettable for the men. This was their first exposure to the whiz of muskets and the bellowing of cannons. Following this incident, the regiment set up camp near

Darkesville and later at Winchester, Virginia. While at Winchester the regiment received word that the Federals were attacking at Manassas Junction and that their assistance was desperately needed there.37

On 19 July 1861 the regiment’s arrival on the field brought them face-to-face with some of the grim realities of war. Trees and other brush were distorted by shot and fire from the previous day’s fight. It wasn’t long before the 2nd Virginia received their own baptism by fire.

Two days later, on Sunday, 21 July 1861, Colonel Jackson woke the regiment early for battle.

First situating them at Blackburn’s Ford, he then moved the men four miles to assist his left flank, which was being hard pressed. Jackson ordered Colonel Allen of the 2nd Virginia to assume the very left of his line and brigade.38

36 See John W. Rowan. Born: 3 August 1810 Died: 24 Dec 1872. U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 (National Archives) Jefferson County, Virginia RG29. Microfilm Publication M653. Roll 1355. Pg802 and Tombstone Inscriptions: Jefferson County, WV 1687-1980. (Marceline: Walsworth Publishing Company, 1981), 109.

37 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 10-11.

38 Ibid., 12

9 As morning broke into afternoon, the battle around the regiment thickened. The Union artillery zeroed in on a target – the Virginians. The crash of artillery shells among the men was more than Colonel Jackson could stand. After more than two hours of continuous shelling,

Jackson ordered his men to take the Union guns of Captain Ricketts’ battery. It was in this forward position that the men of the 2nd Virginia began taking heavy casualties. Numerous men of the 2nd Virginia were injured in the attack and the decision was made to fall back.

Colonel Allen was temporarily blinded by a falling tree during the fighting and command of the regiment fell to Lieutenant Colonel Francis Lackland. It was while retiring to their original positions that Colonel Jackson rallied the men, inspiring them to stand firm and refuse to yield more ground. With dusk the battle ended, but not without a heavy price.

The 2nd Virginia took a terrible pounding on this hot summer day. A total of 76 men were killed and/or wounded in the regiment.39 For their efforts, Company A reported six casualties, two of which were mortally wounded (Thomas C. Hurst and George N. Myers); the remaining four received minor wounds.40 Captain John W. Rowan took a shot in the ankle. It was a wound he would have problems with the remainder of the war.41 This battle served as a reminder to Lemaster and the other men of the regiment that the war was far from finished.

Following this battle the regiment settled into camp for the next three months. Three of

Colonel Allen’s company commanders wounded at Manassas were not expected to return to service any time soon. In addition, Colonel Allen received further shocking news: his second in command, Francis Lackland, commited himself to a general hospital in Fairfax complaining of

39 Ibid., 14-15

40 Ibid., 15, 108, 121

41 Winchester Republican, 26 July 1861, p.1.

10 pains in his chest. By 3 September 1861 Lackland was dead, driving yet another deep wound into the worsening morale of the regiment.42

With the death of Lackland, Major Lawson Botts of Jefferson County was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.43 Frank B. Jones was also appointed as the new Major of the regiment.44 Jones had come highly recommended, being a close personal friend of Colonel

James W. Allen. The two of them had gratuated from the Virginia Military Institute, howbeit in different classes (Jones in 1848 and Allen in 1849).45

The 2nd Virginia afterwards moved its base of operations to Fairfax Court House. From there they engaged in three minor picket actions. Finally, on 8 November 1861, the men of the regiment boarded trains for the valley and home for the winter.46

By January of 1862 the men of the regiment were settling into winter quarters. The season passed slowly and quietly as many of the men obtained furloughs to see their families so close to home.47 One of these men was John H. Lemaster. He obtained a furlough from 13

February 1862 to 17 March 1862. The record indicates his leave was approved by both Captain

John W. Rowan and Lieutenant Frank A. Simpson. Lemaster was able to draw 25 cents per day while on leave, but could not draw rations during his time at home.48

42 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 16.

43 Winchester Virginian, 26 September 1861, p.1.

44 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 16.

45 Register of Former Cadets of the Virginia Military Institute (Lexington: VMI Alumni Association, Inc., 1995), 29.

46 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 16-17.

47 Ibid., 19

48 Compiled Service Records, Military Service Branch, National Archives. RG109 Microfilm Publication M324. Roll 326.

11 Lemaster returned from his furlough just in time for the next skirmish. With Major

General James Shields of the Union Army threatening the valley, Lemaster and the 2nd Virginia sprang into action. In two days, from 22 March to 23 March 1862, Jackson’s men advanced 39 miles before camping south of Kernstown, Virginia. Not all of the 2nd Virginia was present at this time. Captain John Q.A. Nadenbousch had been detached with three companies to fight alongside General Turner Ashby. It was Ashby’s men that actually engaged with the enemy first. The outnumbered Nadenbousch fell back to await further orders.49

Jackson and the remainder of the 2nd Virginia came to their assistance. However, Jackson had been misled about the strength of the enemy forces in his front. Being outnumbered over two-to-one – and with Shields not willing to fall back – Jackson nevertheless put up a determined and valiant fight. By the end of the day he would retire from the field. The misinformation that he had received, coupled with the subsequent bloodshed by his regiment, had dealt a potent blow to his troops.50

Major Frank B. Jones in his diary remarked of the days fighting: “We having exhausted the supply of ammunition we were ordered to retire. The men retired in good order, as there was no panic and no running, although they were scattered… O sad work was this for the blessed

Sabbath.”51

The fighting continued in the valley for Lemaster and the 2nd Virginia. Port Republic,

Mount Jackson, and Winchester were just a few of the places throwugh which injuries and death

49 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 20-21.

50 Robert K. Krick, Conquering the Valley: Stonewall Jackson At Port Republic (New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1996), 4.

51 Diary of Major Frank B. Jones, 23 March 1862. Archives Division, Handley Library, Winchester, VA.

12 followed the regiment. They remained in the Shenandoah Valley until June of 1862 when

Jackson marched them toward Richmond and new threats.52

By 26 June 1862 the 2nd Virginia was camped for the night at Hundley’s Corner. The following morning the regiment awoke early and prepared to fight at nearby Gaines Mills. This fight proved a costly one for the men of the regiment. With casualties dramatically mounting,

Colonel Allen bravely attempted to rally his men for a final charge at the enemy position. His roaring voice was silenced abruptly as a bullet pierced his brain and he died instantly.53

Command of the regiment revolved to Lieutenant Colonel Lawson Botts. Within minutes an artillery round blew away the knee of the third in command of the regiment, Major Frank B.

Jones. This wound eventually proved to be a fatal one.54 Major Jones was a favorite among the men of his regiment. He had served on Jackson’s staff for a number of months prior to this battle.55 Jones lingered in a hospital in Richmond until 9 July 1862 when death overtook him.56

Colonel Lawson Botts took the helm of the regiment. He fought by their side at several skirmishes during the hot summer months of 1862. By late August the men of the 2nd Virginia found themselves in Manassas, the exact same field as the previous year. On 28 August 1862 the men took up positions near Brawner’s Farm for what later became known as the Second Battle of

Manassas.57

52 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 24-30.

53 Ibid., 31-32

54 Ibid., 32

55 Robert E.L. Krick, Staff Officers in Gray (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003), 175.

56 Margaretta B. Colt, Defend the Valley: A Shenandoah Family in the Civil War (New York: Orion,1994), 172.

57 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 37-38.

13 Late afternoon wore on as the men of the regiment moved into position. The fighting grew fierce over the next four hours as both sides refused to give ground. Even within 100 yards of each other, the men on both sides kept up the fight. The men of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, under the able command of General Abner Doubleday, stood firm and surrendered no ground to the veteran Virginians. The fighting was described by Sergeant Thomas D. Gold of Company I this way: “On we go, a long line of gray, firing as we advance…all seem to be falling… the rain of bullets is like hail.”

The 2nd Virginia took on trmendous casualties as the day wore on. By evening, when all was quiet, the regiment counted 81 men killed and/or wounded. The battle served as another grim reminder to the office corps of the 2nd Virginia. The newly appointed Colonel Lawson

Botts received a vicious wound to the face that exited out of his chin. This wound proved fatal to the unfortunate colonel. He lingered until16 September 1862 when he mercifully died of a hemorrhage.58 Accordingly, the regiment was without field officers the following day. In Fact, only one senior captain, John Q.A. Nadenbousch, remained to command the 2nd Virginia regiment.59 Despite all of these fearsome experiences, Lemaster remained determined to stay the course…for now.

The Maryland campaign found the regiment resting itself on Provost duty in Martinsburg,

Virginia. They missed the bloodbath at Sharpsburg, Maryland, but soon found themselves at

Fredericksburg, Virginia in December of 1862. During the Fredericksburg campaign, the plan was for Lemaster’s regiment to see limited fighting. However, during this entire period – from

58 Ibid., 39-41

59 Jeffry D. Wert, A Brotherhood of Valor (New York: Simon and Shuster, 1999), 154.

14 Second Manassas until now – the regiment was without field officers. This problem would soon be remedied.60

On 17 March 1863 Captain John Q.A. Nadenbousch was promoted to Colonel and given command, but soon fell ill, prompting the decision to promote Captain Raleigh T. Colston of

Company E to Lieutenant Colonel.61 Raleigh’s younger brother, Sergeant William B. Colston, wrote of the occasion: “After the death of Colonel Botts and the disability of Colonel

Nadenbousch, my brother assumed command of the regiment, with the rank of Lieutenant

Colonel, and I became Captain of the company.”62 The new command structure came just in time for the next campaign on 3 May 1863: the 2nd Virginia, along with the remainder of the

Stonewall Brigade, was posted on the right flank of the confederate lines at Chancellorsville,

Virginia.

The Stonewall Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Elisha F. Paxton of

Rockbridge County, Virginia, fought bravely at the Battle at Chancellorsville. The battle was won by the Brigade as they secured a place in American military history, but at an extremely high price. Two of its commanders, Generals Jackson and Paxton, both lost their lives. Feared and respected, General Thomas J. Jackson was loved by the men of the 2nd Virginia and missed sorrowfully.63 Despite their personal feelings towards Jackson, however, his men knew they had to get their minds back to grim business of killing.

60 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 44-47.

61 Ibid., 47

62 William B. Colston The Personal Experiences of Captain W.B. Colston, Berkeley County Historical Society, Martinsburg, WV, 18.

63 Ezra J. Warner, General in Gray (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959), 151-152, 229- 230.

15 Even with the loss of Jackson, General Robert E. Lee decided it was time for a second invasion of the North. Morale was extremely high as Lemaster and the 2nd Virginia eagerly awaited the Army’s next campaign. On 19 June 1863 the command crossed to Hagerstown,

Maryland, and then into Pennsylvania.64 On 28 June 1863 near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Sergeant

Daniel H. Sheetz of Company D wrote the following to his brother Isaac: “Our army destroys a great deal of property…The people in this state did not know any thing of war time. Only what they herd (sic) and read or at least not much more but they feel the effects of the war at this time.”65

The brigade received orders in Carlisle to march southward toward nearby Gettysburg, where the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia was concentrating. The brigade arrived too late to participate in the fighting on 1 July 1863. The 2nd Virginia was deployed southeast of town on the left of the army’s line. Their orders were to flush out some sharpshooters menacing the brigade. With great spirits the men accomplished this task, and later rejoined the rest of the brigade on the evening of 2 July 1863.66

At about 6 p.m. that evening, as sunlight began to wane, the men of the 2nd Virginia began moving forward to assume positions near Brinkerhoff Ridge. The men that opposed them were no longer infantry but dismounted cavalry in their front. General James Walker,

Commander of the Stonewall Brigade, gave orders to Nadenbousch to take his regiment and clear the surrounding fields.67 The dismounted cavalry moved out to meet the advance of the 2nd

64 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 51-53.

65 Daniel H. Sheetz to Isaac Sheetz 28 June 1863 transcript in hand of Ronald Sheetz, Martinsburg, West Virginia.

66 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 54.

67 Noah A. Trudeau, Gettysburg: A Testing Of Courage (New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2002), 375.

16 Virginia. The men of the 10th New York Cavalry were the first to meet the immediate threat.

The cavalryman held their ground and put up stiff resistance for Lemaster and his fellow

Virginians. These men rendered more important service than they realized. With this well- fought delaying action, General Walker was not able to support his corps commander, General

Richard S. Ewell, in his assault on Culp’s Hill in the evening of 2 July 1863.68

On 3 July 1863 the 2nd Virginia received orders to support the 1st North Carolina Infantry by protecting their left flank. Nadenbousch acted promptly as he led his men forward and maneuvered into position. The regiment didn’t rejoin their brigade but instead spent the rest of the day skirmishing with the enemy. The 2nd Virginia suffered limited casualties at Gettysburg because of its limited participation in the fighting.69

Regarding casualties at the Battle at Gettysburg, Colonel John Q.A. Nadenbousch’s official reports to the War Department stated: “During the two days’ engagement, I lost 1 man killed and 16 wounded and 3 missing, a list of which you will find annexed…during this time both officers and men, with but few exceptions, behaved as is becoming good soldiers.”70

Around midnight on 3 July 1863 a demoralized Confederate Army withdrew toward

Seminary Ridge. The men of the 2nd Virginia remained there until the following day. On 13

July 1863 the weary army crossed the Potomac River near Williamport, Maryland, toward the

Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.71

In Darkesville, Virginia, on 18 July 1863 Sergeant Daniel H. Sheetz again wrote home: “I am too much waried (sic) down from the march that we had in the Yankee states … It was the

68 Edward G. Longacre, The Cavalry at Gettysburg (Teaneck: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1986), 211-212.

69 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 54-55.

70 OR, Vol 27, pt. 2: p.522.

71 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 55.

17 hardest times that we have had since the war…I was in good hopes that the war wold (sic) soon be over but it don’t look much like it at this time.”72 Many men in the 2nd Virginia shared

Sheetz’s assessment. During the subsequent two weeks of July, 61 men, most of them from

Berkeley County, deserted the Confederate cause. On July 21, 1863 John H. Lemaster thrust himself among this number.73

No doubt over the next five months Lemaster returned to his home and stayed there with his family. As a deserter, it would have been necessary for him to keep a low profile. On 23

January 1864 Lemaster traveled to Grafton in the newly formed state of West Virginia and there enlisted with his younger brother, Theodore, in the Union Army. He listed himself as being 18 years of age and a saddler by occupation living in Berkeley County, West Virginia.74

It is clear that Lemaster lied about his age. He was a full three years older than his brother Theodore. Lemaster enlisted as a Private in Company C 3rd West Virginia Cavalry. His company commander was Captain Peter Tabler of Martinsburg, West Virginia.75 The 3rd West

Virginia Cavalry served at various points in West Virginia on cavalry patrol until May of 1864.

Lemaster served with the 3rd West Virginia during a small skirmish at Hurricane Bridge, West

Virginia, on 20 February 1864.76

From 30 April 1864 to 31 October 1864 John H. Lemaster was stationed at the dismounted camp, an assignment that caused him to miss all of the fighting in which his

72 Daniel H. Sheetz to Lydia Philips 18 July 1863 transcript in hand of Ronald Sheetz, Martinsburg, West Virginia.

73 Dennis E. Frye, 2nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984), 55-56.

74 Compiled Service Records, Military Reference Branch, National Archives. RG 94. Microfilm Publication M508. Roll 36.

75 Adjutant General Reports, State of West Virginia. 1864 Wheeling, WV 546-547.

76 Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol 2 (Des Moines: Dyer Publishing Company; 1908; reprint, Dayton: Morningside, 1979), 1690-1691 (page citations are to the reprint edition).

18 regiment was involved that summer. The men of the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry fought some bloody engagements during that period, including a battle at Lynchburg, Virginia, on 11 July

1864.

Later on 7 August 1864 they fought an extremely hard battle at Moorefield, West

Virginia.77 It was there that the regiment lost one of its commanders. Major Seymour B. Conger, a man both respected and admired by his men and his peers, died during that engagement.78

Upon his return to the ranks on 1 November 1864, Lemaster prepared to participate in some of the upcoming fighting in which the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry would take part. He took part in the raid on Gordonville, Virginia, from 19 to 28 December 1864.79 For the months of

January and February of 1865 the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry, under the leadership of Lieutenant

Colonel John L. McGee, was stationed near Winchester, Virginia, where they performed picket duty and the occasional reconnaissance trip into the Shenandoah Valley.80

On 27 February 1865 Lemaster and the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry entered the valley for the Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia, which took place on 2 March 1865. Their military activities there were under the able direction of Major General Philip H. Sheridan. On the following day the regiment proceeded to nearby Charlottesville where they destroyed more than 50 miles of canal and railroad tracks.81 The following month the regiment awoke early on the morning of 1

April 1865 to participate in the desperate action at Ford’s Stations, Virginia. The 3rd West

77 Ibid.

78 Theodore F. Lang, Loyal West Virginia from 1861 to 1865 (Baltimore: Deutsch Printing Company., 1895; reprint, Huntington: Blue Acorn Press, 1998), 200 (page citations are to the reprint edition).

79 Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol 2 (Des Moines: Dyer Publishing Company; 1908; reprint, Dayton: Morningside, 1979), 1690-1691 (page citations are to the reprint edition).

80 Theodore F. Lang, Loyal West Virginia from 1861 to 1865 (Baltimore: Deutsch Printing Company., 1895; reprint, Huntington: Blue Acorn Press, 1998), 200 (page citations are to the reprint edition).

81 Ibid.

19 Virginia Cavalry, this time under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John S. Witcher, drove a brigade of Cavalry under the command of General John Pegram from his front. Pegram was killed during this engagement. The 3rd West Virginia Cavalry continued to serve until the closing duty at the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appromattox, Virginia.82

With the fighting mostly over except for small skirmishes in the rural areas, Lemaster and the men of the 3rd West Virginia awaited news of their discharges from military service. On 23

May 1865 the regiment participated in the Grand Review in Washington for all of the troops.83

On 30 June 1865 Lemaster was honorably discharged from the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry at

Wheeling, West Virginia.84

At the close of the war, Lemaster returned home to work and a life without war. By 1870

Lemaster was living with the household of Levi and Ruth Tabler in the Opequon District of

Berkeley County, West Virginia. He was single and working as a farm laborer.85 Living with

Lemaster was Anna A. Tabler, a daughter of Levi. On 3 March 1872 in Hagerstown, Maryland,

John H. Lemaster and Anna A. Tabler were married at the Lutheran parsonage in town.86 The

Lemaster family was eventually blessed with seven children: six sons and one daughter. By 1880

Lemaster was living in his own farm, which he rented near the Tabler family.

82 Ibid., 201

83 Ibid.

84 Compiled Service Records, Military Reference Branch, National Archives. RG 94. Microfilm Publication M508. Roll 36.

85 U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the Ninth Census of the United States, 1870 (National Archives) Berkeley County, West Virginia. RG29. Microfilm Publication M593. Roll1684. Pg 317B.

86 Washington County, Maryland. Office of the Circuit Clerk. Hagerstown, Maryland. Recorded 15 August 1872.

20 Anna’s father, Levi J. Tabler, died on 16 April 1880 in Berkeley County, West

Virginia.87 The following year, on 6 August 1881, Lemaster purchased the Tabler farm for

$3,000.00.88 Lemaster would reside there for the next 29 years of his life. On 10 January 1891

Lemaster’s health began to show serious signs of deterioration. He decided to apply for a

Federal pension for his Civil War service, which was subsequently granted.89

On 29 January 1900 Lemaster’s wife, Anna died.90 He would marry again on 15

December 1910 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to a young 25-year-old woman named Claudia

E. Miller.91 There was no issue from this marriage. From 1915 to 1920 Lemaster was retired from work and living in Hagerstown, Maryland.92 Shortly after 1920, John H. Lemaster moved back to West Virginia where he spent the remainder of his life. He died in Martinsburg, West

Virginia, on 18 April 1924 at the ripe old age of 82 years.93

On 24 April 1924 John H. Lemaster – Confederate soldier, deserter, and honorably discharged Union veteran – was buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

So ended the life of a complex and noble individual.

87 Cemeteries of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia (Martinsburg: Berkeley County Historical Society, 1989), 46.

88 Berkeley County, West Virginia. Office of the Superior Court. DB78. Pg287 Recorded 6 August 1881.

89 U.S. Bureau of Veteran Administration. National Archives. RG15. Application Number 989189. Certificate Number 1013589

90 Berkeley County, West Virginia. Office of County Clerk. Martinsburg, WV. Death Recorded Vol3. Pg 109.

91 Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Office of Register and Recorder. Chambersburg, PA Vol 18. Pg 108.

92 See Hagerstown City Directory. Hagerstown Public Library. 1915-1918 and U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the fourteenth Census of the United States RG29. Microfilm Publication T625. Roll676. ED 157 Pg10.

93 See Hagerstown Daily Mail, 19 April 1924. Pg 12 Col 3; Berkeley County, West Virginia. Office of County Clerk. Martinsburg, WV. Death Recorded Vol 5. Pg 118 and Cemeteries of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia (Martinsburg: Berkeley County Historical Society, 1989),

21 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Manuscript Sources

Colston, William B. Papers. Berkeley County Historical Society, Martinsburg, WV.

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Published Primary Sources

Adjutant General Reports, State of West Virginia. 1864 Wheeling, WV

Compiled Service Record, Military Reference Branch, RG 94. National Archives

Compiled Service Record, Military Reference Branch, RG 109. National Archives

Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol 2. Des Moines: Dyer Publishing Company, 1908. Reprint, Dayton: Morningside, 1979.

Hagerstown, Maryland City Directories. Hagerstown Public Library. 1915-1920.

U.S. Bureau of Census. Non Population Schedules of the United States, 1850-1880. RG29. National Archives.

U.S. Bureau of Census. Population Schedules of the United States, 1840-1920. RG 29. National Archives.

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Cemeteries of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia. Martinsburg: Berkeley County Historical Society, 1989.

22

Colt, Margaretta B. Defend the Valley: A Shenandoah Family in the Civil War. New York: Orion Books, 1994.

Dickinson, Jack L. Tattered Uniforms and Bright Bayonets: West Virginia’s Confederate Soldiers. Huntington: Marshall University Press, 1995.

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Frye, Dennis E. 2nd Virginia Infantry. Lynchburg: H.E. Howard, Inc., 1984.

Gardiner, Mabel and Ann Gardiner. Chronicles of Old Berkeley. Durham: Seeman Press, 1938.

Keesecker, Guy L. Marriage Records of Berkeley County, Virginia 1781-1854. Martinsburg: Guy L. Keesecker, 1969.

Krick, Robert E.L. Staff Officers in Gray. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003.

Krick, Robert K. Conquering the Valley: Stonewall Jackson at Port Republic. New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc., 1996.

Lang, Theodore F. Loyal West Virginia From 1861 to 1865. Baltimore: Deutsch Publishing Co., 1895. Reprint, Huntington: Blue Acorn Press., 1998.

Lemaster, Howard M. and Margaret Herberger. Lemasters U.S.A. 1639-1965. Carlinville: Howard M. Lemaster, 1965.

Longacre, Edward G. The Cavalry at Gettysburg. Cranbury: Associated University Press, 1986.

Musser, Clifford S. Two Hundred Years History of Shepherdstown. Shepherdstown: Shepherdstown Independent, 1931

Register of Former Cadets of the Virginia Military Institute. Lexington: VMI Alumni Association, Inc., 1995.

Stutler, Boyd B. West Virginia in the Civil War. Charleston: Education Foundation, Inc., 1963.

Tombstone Inscriptions: Jefferson County, WV 1687-1980. Marceline: Walsworth Publishing Company, 1981.

Trudeau, Noah A. Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2002.

23 Voress, Hugh E. Burials in Jefferson County, West Virginia. Charlestown: Jefferson County Historical Society, 1998.

Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959.

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Charlestown, VA. Spirit of Jefferson

Charlestown, VA. Virginia Free Press

Hagerstown, MD. Daily Mail

Winchester, VA. Winchester Republican

Winchester, VA. Winchester Virginian

24