Lang, Theodore F. Loyal West Virginia from 1861 to 1865. Baltimore, Md.: Deutsch Publishing Co., 1895
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Lang, Theodore F. Loyal West Virginia from 1861 to 1865. Baltimore, Md.: Deutsch Publishing Co., 1895. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY :— WESTERN VIRGINIA AND ITS RELATIONS TO THE MOTHER STATE FOR MANY YEARS PRIOR TO THE WAR. Virginia, One of the Thirteen Original United States : — Its Boundary, Principal Cities and Towns, Rivers, Mountains, Minerals, Natural Curiosities, Climate, Products, Canals, Railways, Public Buildings, Newspapers, etc. — Early Settlement. — Mother of Presidents. — First to Prepare the Federal Constitution. — Hostility Between the People of the Eastern and Western Part of the State. — The Causes Therefor. — Constitution of 1850. — Talk of Separation of the State. — Hons. W. T. Willey and John S. Carlisle Stand for Separation. — A Proclamation by Governor Letcher. — Western Virginians Incredulous, 1-5 CHAPTER II LOYALTY OF WESTERN VIRGINIANS WHEN THE CONFLICT CALLED THEM TO ARMS. Habits, Customs, Manners and Character of the People of the State. — The City and Townspeople. — The Farmer and the Country People. — The Improvident Mountaineer. — Bushwhackers and their Methods. — Western Virginians Allied to Northern Sentiments and Institutions. — Governor Letcher Assembles Legislalature in Extra Session. — Proceedings of Same. — Virginia Convention Passes Ordinance of Secession, ............ 6-14 CHAPTER III LOYALTY OF WESTERN VIRGINIANS WHEN THE CONFLICT CALLED THEM TO ARMS— (CONTINUED). Virginia Annexed to the Southern Confederacy. — Treason and Secession an Incentive to Western Virginia Loyalty. — Moral Courage Required to be for the Union. — Speakers Mobbed and Meetings Broken Up. — Escape of Union Members of the Convention. — Public Meeting of Unionists at Clarksburg. — The Beginning of the War of the Rebellion. — Secession of the Southern States. — Convention at Montgomery, Alabama. — Constitution Adopted and Jefferson Davis made President. — Firing on Fort Sumter. — Correspondence Between Governor Letcher and Mayor Sweeny. — Prompt Action in Western Virginia. — Loyalty of the M. E. Church. — Summary of War-Time Events. — Enlistment in the Union Army, . 15-19 CHAPTER IV. GENERAL GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN'S OPERATIONS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA IN THE SPRING OF 1861. Biographical Sketch of General McClellan. — Commissioned Major-General of Volunteers, April 23d, 1861, and Major-General U. S. Army, May 14th, 1861.— In Command of the Department of the Ohio. — Creating an Army out of Undisciplined Troops. — Business Men First to Enlist. — The Incentive that Impelled Western Virginians to Enlist in the Union Army. — The Confederates' Activity. — Brothers will Fight Brothers.— History Slow to Recognize the Loyal Men ol Western Virginia. — Aims of the Confederates. — Their Early Occupation of Grafton. — Official Orders, Proclamations and Letters of Confederate Authorities. — Their Advance into West Virginia Premature. — General McClellan Ordered to Send Troops to West Virginia. — Received with Rejoicing by the Residents. — McClellan Issues Proclamations to the 1 People of West Virginia and to His Troops. — Col. Benj. F. Kelley Ordered from Wheeling to Grafton. — Occupies Grafton. — General Morris at Grafton and Philippi. — Union Troops Occupy Philippi. — Colonel Kelley Wounded. — Porterfield's Retreat. — Laurels for General McClellan, . 20-32 CHAPTER V. GENERAL MCCLELLAN'S OPERATIONS-(CONTINUED). Crosses the Ohio River and Establishes his Headquarters at Grafton. — Issues Two More Proclamations. — Gen'l R. E. Lee's Plans. — General Garnett at Beverly. — General Wise in the Kanawha. — Stupidity of Confederate Authorities. — Garnett's Force on the ist of July. — Re- enforced and Entrenched at Rich Mountain and Laurel Hill. — Isolated from Base of Supplies. — General McClellan Posted Troops from Wheeling and Parkersburg to Grafton. — 20,000 Troops in his Campaign Against Beverly, Rich Mountain and Laurel Hill, — July 2d, McClellan's Headquarters at Buckhannon. — July loth, at Middle Fork. — Advancing on Confederate Forces. — Rosecrans' Assault on Laurel Hill. — Confederates Beaten at every Point. — In Retreat. — Skirmish at Carrick's Ford. — General Garnett Killed, — Surrender of Colonel Pegram's Forces. — McClellan Transferred to the Army of the Potomac. — General Comments. — McClellan's Congratulatory Address Upon Taking Leave of His Army. — Rejoicing Throughout the Country, . 33-41 CHAPTER VI MCCLELLAN'S OPERATIONS— (CONTINUED). Gen'ls Henry A. Wise and John B. Floyd in Command of Confederate Forces in the Kanawha. — Gen'l J. D. Cox in Command of Union Forces. — General Rosecrans Succeeds General McClellan in Command of the Department of Ohio. — Reorganization of his Forces. — Confederates Re-enforced. — Col. E. B. Tyler at Cross Lanes. — Rosecrans Issues a Proclamation. — General Floyd Captures Cross Lanes. — Wise and Chapman Defeated by Cox. — Rosecrans in the Kanawha. — Floyd Defeated at Carnifex Ferry by Rosecrans. — Wise and Floyd at Loggerheads. — Rosecrans at Big Sewell Mountain.- -In Winter Quarters at Gauley Bridge and Vicinity. — The Cheat Mountain District. — Gen'l Joseph J. Reynolds in Command. — His Forces at Elkwater. — Substantial Breastworks. — Confusion in Uniforms. — General Loring at Huntersville with 8500 Men. — Gen'l Robt. E. Lee in Command. — His Campaign Against General Reynolds. — Lee's Defeat and Retreat. — Col. John A. Washington Killed. — Flag of Truce. — General Reynolds Called to Other Fields. — Gen'l R. H. Milroy in Command. — At Cheat Mountain and Elkwater, 42-50 CHAPTER VII PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF THE AUTHOR. Early Devotion to the Union. — Formation at Clarksburg, Va., of Union and Confederate " Home Guards". — Intolerant Attitude of Secessionists. — Unionists Place themselves on the Defensive. — Union and Confederate Companies Organized. — Vituperation must Give Place to Sober Criticism. — Early Occupation of West Virginia by Confederates. — Prominent Men for the Union. — Unique Armament of Union Home Guards. — Clarksburg the Home of Some of the Most Noted Leaders of the Southern Cause .^Collision between the two Companies of Home Guards. — The Humanity of both Sides. — Captain A.J. Smith's Sketch. — The 31st (Confederate) Virginia Infantry, 51-57 CHAPTER VIII PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). Recruiting and Organization of the Third Virginia Union Infantry Regiment. — Trials 2 and Disappointments of the Confederates in Filling their Ranks in West Virginia. — Third Regiment in Company Detachments Fighting Guerrillas. — Author's Experience as Post- Adjutant in Issuing Passes. — Consolidation of the Third Regiment. — Ludicrous First Experience in Soldiering in the Field 58-63 CHAPTER IX. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). At Camp Elkwater. — Severe Winter Weather. — General Milroy in Command. — Orders to Break Camp. — On the March, Faced Towards Staunton. — Magnificent Winter Scene on Alleghany Mountain. — In Camp at Monterey. — A Short Engagement. — Battle of McDowell. — General Fremont at Franklin, in Command of the Mountain Department, ............. 64-68 CHAPTER X. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). "Stonewall" Jackson's Raid in the Shenandoah Valley. — Fremont Ordered to the Front. — Wretched Condition of his Command . — Battle of Front Royal. — Jackson Pained. — Censures his Troops for Deserting their Colors to Pillage. — Rout of Banks' Command Down the Valley to Williamsport 69-73 CHAPTER XI PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). Jackson's Retreat up the Shenandoah. — Banks and Sigel Follow to Winchester. — General McDowell's Indifference. — General Fremont in Pursuit.. — Harassing the Retreating Confederates. — Colonel Cluseret's Thrilling Experience in the Dark. — Gen'l Geo. D. Bayard Joins in the Pursuit. — Constructing a Pontoon Bridge. — Swept by Flood. — Colonel Wyndham Captured. — Battle Between Confederates and Pennsylvania Bucktails. — Colonel Kane Wounded and Taken Prisoner.- — General Turner Ashby Killed, ........ 74-80 CHAPTER XII PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). The Calm before the Storm. — Reconnaissance in Force. — Fremont's Ordero f March. —Battle of Cross Keys. — Union and Confederate Forces Engaged. — Letter from Gen'l James Shields. — Retreat of Confederates from Cross Keys. — Battle of Port Republic. — Disobedience of Orders. — Escape of Jackson and his Army, . 81-87 CHAPTER XIII PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). A Just Criticism. — General McDowell Censured. — Mismanagement and Jealousy. — General Shields' Letters. — Fremont at Mount Jackson and Middletown. — Sickness and Discharges. — Army of Virginia Created by Order of the President.— General John Pope Assigned to the Command. — Retirement of General Fremont, 88-92 CHAPTER XIV. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). Reorganization of the Corps, under General Pope. — General Sigel in Command of the First Corps. — General Milroy Commands an Independent Brigade. — Pope's Literary Period. — Strength of his Army. — Advance to Culpepper Court House. — Battle of Cedar Mountain. — Terrible Slaughter of both Armies. — Armistice to Bury the Dead. — Interesting Episode, 93-97 CHAPTER XV. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES— (CONTINUED). ' Retreat of Confederates from Cedar Mountain. — Pope's Busy Operations. — Capture of General Pope's Headquarters by General Stewart's Cavalry. — Battle of Manassas, or Second 3 Bull Run. — Death of Colonel Cantwell. — Captain Gibson's Premonition of Death Verified. — Repulse of Pope's Army. — West Virginia Troops Engaged. — Losses sustained by Union and Confederate. — Army of Virginia Merged into the Army of the Potomac. General Pope Relieved of his Command at his own Request, — Milroy in