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Home , Alfred Gibbs, Union Army

Scottsville Museum Newsletter Number 24 Page 4

War Comes to Scottsville By Richard L. Nicholas

Next year will mark the 150th anniver- would end the peaceful solitude of sary of one of the most important Scottsville. events in the history of Scottsville since its official founding in 1818. It After leaving Winchester on Febru- was during the week of March 6-10, ary 27, 1865, and passing through 1865 that Scottsville was occupied by Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Union soldiers under the command of Waynesboro against minimal opposi- Civil War General Philip H. Sheridan. tion, Sheridan’s men spent the week- While the event was of little signifi- end of March 3-4-5 (Friday, Satur- cance within the context of the overall day, Sunday) in Charlottesville doing Civil War, it had an enormous, endur- considerable damage to the city and ing, and very personal impact on the surrounding area. On Monday morn- people of Scottsville and the neigh- ing, March 6, Sheridan split his com- boring countryside that were caught in mand into two columns, both with the path of ten thousand marauding the mission of destroying the James Yankee cavalrymen. What follows is a River and Kanawha Canal and summation of that historic tragedy continuing the destruction of the with emphasis on some of the people Virginia Central Railroad. in our community who were directly affected. General Sheridan and General George Arm- Courtesy of National Archives, strong Custer’s 3rd Division headed For almost four years, Scottsville and Washington, DC southwest along the Charlottesville- the surrounding area along the James Lynchburg rail line and parallel road, River in central Virginia had been Union General Ulysses S. Grant. wreaking havoc on the way. At the lucky. The Civil War had been raging same time, the three of in other areas of the State since the General Thomas C. Devin’s first land battle of the war at Big Beth- At the beginning of 1865, Grant 1st Division took the road south to el near Hampton on June 10, 1861. developed a grand three-part strategy Scottsville and the James River. The Over the next three and one-half years to end the war. First, the plan was for the two divisions to reu- dozens of other battles and campaigns of the Potomac would maintain unre- nite near the town of New Market had been fought on the soil of the lenting pressure on Lee’s army (now Norwood) in Nelson County. eastern and northern parts of the Old around Richmond and Petersburg; The combined force would then Dominion and in the Shenandoah Val- second, General Sherman’s Army of cross the James River, continue on ley. As a result, most of those areas was to attack northward south, and eventually meet Sher- had been thoroughly devastated and from into the to- man’s Army moving north. wards Lee’s rear; and third, Sher- ravaged, and much of Virginia’s coun- tryside lay desolate, barren, and war- idan’s Army of the Shenandoah, con- sisting of 10,000 cavalrymen in two The first of Devin’s contingent to worn. arrive in Scottsville on Monday divisions, was ordered to raid south from Winchester up the Valley, and afternoon was Brigadier General All during this time, Scottsville had destroy the Virginia Central Railroad ’ Reserve been spared the physical destruction and the James River and Kanawha consisting mainly of men from so common elsewhere in the State. Canal. If successful, Sheridan’s Massachusetts, , and However, the town’s insulation from was then to cross the James . The other two the stark realities of war ended abrupt- brigades of the 1st Division, River, cut Lee’s communications ly in March of 1865 – only a month accompanied by Generals Devin west of Richmond, and join up with before the end of the conflict – as an and , passed through indirect consequence of orders from Sherman. It was Sheridan’s force that (Continued on page 5 Scottsville Museum Newsletter Number 24 Page 5 town later that day and proceeded up- -or-less charred by the intense heat. town. Livestock (especially horses), river along the canal tow path and riv- No accident or loss of life, however, forage, fowl, and food supplies were er road to Howardsville where they occurred. especially vulnerable to theft. A typi- camped for the night. cal example of the destruction in Scottsville was described by a soldier The residents of Scottsville would th Records indicate that most of the phys- probably have taken issue with Gibbs’ in the 7 Michigan Cavalry of Stagg’s ical damage in and around Scottsville assertion that only incidental damage Brigade: Here we captured a fleet of was inflicted between Monday after- was inflicted upon the civilian popula- canal boats loaded with supplies for noon and mid-day Tuesday by troopers tion. Albemarle County tax records Richmond. The fact that the Union of the Reserve Brigade assisted by at indicate that buildings were burned on forces were near at hand caused the least one Michigan from at least eleven lots in Scottsville, and Rebel officer in charge to call on the Stagg’s Brigade. In his official report not all were of any military value. citizens of the town to carry away all of events in Scottsville on March 6th Seven of the buildings were located the flour and meat they could, so we and 7th, General Gibbs wrote the fol- on lots south of Main Street and adja- found many houses filled with these lowing: On the 6th marched without cent to the canal basin and consisted commodities, which were either de- transportation to Scottsville, twenty- of a collection of lumber warehouses, stroyed by us or issued in smaller one miles (from Charlottesville); some unidentified structures, and even quantities to the negroes and poor worked until midnight destroying the nearby Columbian Hotel. Far whites, who were in starving condi- James River Canal, locks, boats with greater damage was reported by the tion. Many queer experiences came subsistence supplies, and bridges. 7th, Chief Engineer of the James River and from searching the houses for con- burned woolen factory with a large Kanawha Canal who reported 26 cealed goods. One healthy woman quantity of cloth, candle factory with a houses “burnt” in Scottsville. was apparently at the point of death large amount of candles, lard-oil, etc; on a bed made on top of seven barrels large five-story flouring mill, with Gibbs also did not mention the fact of flour. flour, corn, and wheat; a large manu- that numerous eyewitness accounts factory, machine shops, and tobacco confirm that the soldiers administered A little publicized facet of Civil War warehouses. I regret that a few private significant plundering, pillaging, and history is that even the few citizens in dwellings, close to the mill, were more other atrocities upon many people in the South, who professed loyalty to

R.B. Moon Map, 1873. Scottsville lots in red sustained “Injury by fire” during Sheridan’s Raid (Continued on page 6) according to the 1866 Albemarle Tax Book (Lots 3,4,5,6,17,18,19, 133, 140, 153, and 154). Scottsville Museum Newsletter Number 24 Page 6

(Continued from page 5) about four (4) days when they left that he did or suffered anything for they went in the direction of Rich- the cause,” and furthermore, he had the Federal government, were also mond.” sold five mules and a horse to the subjected to indiscriminate depreda- Confederate States government. tions by the invading Union armies. George W. Dillard was another self- As a result, in 1871 Congress created proclaimed Union loyalist with a Virginia Moore wrote that in addi- the Southern Claims Commission to Scottsville address, who claimed to tion to his farm near Glendower, investigate such cases throughout the have suffered damages from Sher- Dillard also owned the old house secessionist states and to compensate idan’s men and that he had been known as “Chester” located on the purported “loyalists” for any damag- appointed Postmaster by the Grant hill above Scottsville. However, he es they may have suffered. Administration. Dillard submitted a apparently did not move to “Chester” claim on October 30, 1872, for $300 until after the war. Dillard’s pro- One individual from Scottsville with for one large sorrel horse and one Union allegiance must not have been Union sympathies who made a re- bay horse taken about March 9. much of a hindrance to his ac- quest for compensation was Joseph ceptance in the community because W. Wyatt, an ex-slave, who had Dillard stated that he lived on a in the post-war years, he went on to bought his freedom from his owner hundred-acre farm about four miles become a prominent citizen and in Mathews County for $650. He from Scottsville (believed to have property owner in and around testified that he had lived in Fluvan- been near Glendower) and “had Scottsville. na until June 1862 before moving to nothing against the Government of Scottsville, and that he had no con- the .” Furthermore, “I The last of Devin’s horsemen depart- nection to the Confederate Govern- was threatened to be hanged and shot ed Scottsville by mid-day Tuesday ment. Wyatt submitted a claim on on account of my Union sentiments. (March 7) and moved up the James May 24, 1874, for $254.62 for a I had a pistol pointed at my head and River along the canal tow path and horse, 14 barrels of flour, 150 a knife at my side. This was on the parallel river road, damaging the ca- pounds of bacon, 15 pounds of sugar, wayside on my return one day from nal and ravaging the countryside 50 pairs of shoes and boots, 4 bed Charlottesville – all because I was a along their path. Devin’s and Cus- blankets, and 2 counterpanes. He loyal man to the U. S. government.” ter’s divisions rendezvoused at New was paid $138.62. He added that that he “sympathized Market (Norwood) on the James with the Union and not with the Re- River on Wednesday. Here, Sheridan Wyatt owned a small store or gro- bellion when war broke out,” and was forced to change his plans be- cery in Scottsville that was probably that “When the Union army came cause of the flooded stream. Blocked located on the north half of Lot No. here under Genl Sheridan, I threw from crossing the swollen river, he 131 near the Canal Basin. He also my smokehouse and mill open to ordered both divisions to turn east, owned a boat and a horse that were them and told them to help them- back down the canal and towards used on the James River & Kanawha selves and I made no charge for this. Richmond. In doing so they would Canal between Scottsville and Rich- They seeing my willingness to give make a more complete destruction of mond. them these supplies, the officer re- the canal and Virginia Central Rail- strained the troops. I didn’t know the road and eventually reunite with According to Wyatt, he was never officer’s name or rank, but he was Grant’s army at Petersburg. molested because of his Union senti- from Philadelphia and belonged to ments except in one case when Zack Genl Sheridan’s command.” Dillard Alas, Sheridan’s change of plans was Lewis drew a knife on him. went on to say that he had placed his bad news for Scottsville as the miles- son at Virginia Military Institute “to long column of 10,000 horsemen, The petitioner reported that his prop- keep him out of the army and told about 2000 former slaves, and wagon erty was forcibly taken from him by him rather than go into service he moved back downriver and “Union soldiers belonging to General must come home and I would send once again through Scottsville. The Sheridan’s Army about the 5th (sic) him through the lines.” first contingent of blue-clad troopers day of March 1865.” “There were a moved through town late on large number of soldiers engaged. I In spite of several witnesses, who Wednesday on their way to Colum- supported Dillard’s account, his peti- bia, but it was not until the next day, did not hear the name of any officer. th The Army was camped at the place tion was rejected. The investigators March 9 , that the bulk of the col- (Scottsville) and remained in camp concluded that “there is no evidence umn made it to Scottsville. This day

(Continued on page 8) P. O. Box 101 Scottsville, VA 24590

(Continued from page 6) houses, burned them to the ground…. . almost five days of total or partial oc- cupation by an invading army bent on might be appropriately termed “the Although Federal reports suggest that destruction. But, like the proverbial second occupation,” because Sheri- most of the destruction in Scottsville phoenix, Scottsville would eventually dan and all three of his subordinate took place during the first occupation rise again from the ashes of Sheridan’s generals (Merritt, Devin, and Custer) on Monday and Tuesday, the state- raid. and perhaps two brigades totaling ments of several eyewitnesses about the over three thousand men bedded burning of houses, barns, and personal All wars are horrible and destructive to down in or near the town that night. property at “Cliffside” indicate that the both humans and to property. And, marauders were not idle during the sec- while it is easy to condemn Sheridan Several first-person accounts record ond occupation on Thursday and Fri- and his men for their actions against that Sheridan and Custer spent the day. This destructive behavior seems innocent civilians, it is worth remem- night at the old Lewis home known especially noteworthy and deserving of bering that by 1864-65, the Civil War as “Cliffside,” while Merritt appro- condemnation in view of the fact that had entered into a new phase that priated the Beal home known as all four commanding generals were would be characterized as “.” “Old Hall” on Harrison Street, and present at the time. In addition to their primary mission of Devin reportedly commandeered destroying Confederate military re- “Driver’s Hill” on the east side of Peace was finally restored to the com- sources and infrastructure, the tired town. A resident of “Cliffside” munity by about noon on Friday and hungry invaders “lived off the chronicled the intruder’s visit as fol- (March 10th) when the last of the Yan- land” for most of their expedition. lows: In marched Sheridan with his kee cavalry departed on their way down men, and pitching their tents around river to Columbia. But the people had made our yard a veritable camping In retrospect, however, perhaps the suffered lasting physical and emotional ground…..he and his men pillaged, saddest thing about the raid was that it damage that would persist for genera- plundered, stealing and burning as was completely unnecessary and had tions. The little town on the banks of they went, tore the place all to pieces no impact whatsoever on the outcome the James River and the James River then setting fire to the carriage of a war that would be over within a and Kanawha Canal had endured month. house and barns and other out