History of Clarke County, Virginia and its connection with the war between the states

Front matter

History of Clarke County ::i..-.*^ Virginia m

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Preface

It has been said that when the Pilgrim Fathers landed from the May Flower on Plymouth Rock, one of them had in his hands a pen and ink horn and that he immediately conmienced to write history.

His spirit still lives and has been writing from that day to this. When one visits Boston he sees everywhere monuments and markers of historical events, from Bunker Hill Monument and Paul Revere's' old house to the place where the witches were burned. Old South Church and Fanueil Hall are filled with mementoes of the past. How is it with us? Here in the County of Clarke from Mt. Airy to the Opequon, from Gaylord to White Post, every foot of ground has been made historic by the footsteps of our armies, by the combats of our brave men. Every neighborhood, every house, has its story of suffering and adventure for the cause all loved so well.

The J. E. B. Stuart Camp of Confederate Veterans wish before it is too late to preserve these facts, which should be and will be of so much interest to their descendants and all who may hereafter be citizens of our beloved county.

The story properly and fully writtjn would tell of bravery unsurpassed on the part of our gallant soldiers, of devotion unrivalled on the part of our old men and noble women. Of a patriotism on the part of all which led them to suffer all things, bear all things, if thereby they might bring success to the battle for liberty under the Constitution handed down to us by our fathers.

This story has dealt only with local events, events which cannot get into the great history of the War and its causes, which, unless told in this way, must in a few years be lost in oblivion. Even now the lapse of years, the death of so many who knew of and took part in those stirring times, make it very difficult to gather the correct facts as to many things and places. There are very few living who can point out the exact spot of engagements where men fought bravely and died cheerfully for home and country. It has been our object in this story to give a brief history of the Companies which went out from the county, to tell of their services during the various campaigns and battles, to give as nearly as possible a correct roll of the men and officers enlisted in them. It has been impossible to give the fate of each or to tell of deeds of individual valor, but we hope that enough has been told to give the story a special interest to every one.

We have endeavored to ascertain and give the name and record of every man from the County who took part in the war in any command, or in any capacity. Our chapter of incidents of suffering among the people is not as full as hoped for, as so few responded to our appeals for help in that direction. Mr. M. W. Jones, in 'Two weeks under Sheridan" has given an entertaining story. We hope the general history of the county may be of value. The sketches of the towns, villages and churches may appeal to some. Col. Geo. H. Burwell supplied the sketches of Millwood. Geo. B. Harrison, Esq., that of Boyce, and Dr. H. C. Sommerville that of White Post. Hon. A. Moore, Jr., a member of the Clarke Cavalry, prepared the history of that company. The remainder of the work was done by the writer. He entered upon the work, trusting to the generosity of his fellow county-men; hoping that they would receive it as a labor of love from his hands. Admiration for the county and its people and love for his old comrades in arms have been the impelling forces which have carried him through. Any profits which may arise from the sale of the book will go to the J. E. B. Stuart Camp of Confederate Veterans at Berryville for use in their general work. While this history is not a personal or family history, almost every family in the county may find in its pages, somewhere, mention of a friend or relative who has done honor to the family name. We hope that it may enter into every household and be thought of much value. The authorities used in our account of the battles and engagements have been General Early's History, recently pubHshed by his nephew, and the accounts of Mosby's movements as given by Scott, Alexander, and Davidson. Additional light in some cases from men who were in the engagements, have also been a source of help.

THOS. D. GOLD

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Soldier's Rest.

Saratoga.

Greenway Court.

Old Chapel.

Capt. S. J. C. Moore.

Capt. Strother H. Bowen.

Capt. Jas. H. O'Bannon.

Lieut. Chas. A. Marshall.

Lieut. A. S. Allen.

Capt. Wm. N. Nelson.

Capt. Wm. W. Randolph.

Capt. Robt. C. Randolph.

Lieut. William Hay.

Capt. D. T. Richards.

Lieut. William Taylor.

Lieut. R. O. Allen.

Chapter I

THE great county of Frederick, as first designated by the House of Burgesses, embraced all that vast extent of country from the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. In it nestled the gem of its State, the little county of Clarke but it was to be a hundred years before she should take her place with her sister counties. When the enterprising pioneer from the lowlands on the James, on the Cohonguruton (the Indian name for the Potomac) climbed the mountain either at Ashby's or Snicker's Gap, there opened up before him, looking westward, a scene of enchanting beauty. Vast prairies of hill and dale, bodies of woodland here and there, the whole rising from the banks of the Shenandoah, the beautiful Daughter of the Stars, until it melted away in the distance into the blue mountains in the west. No wonder that the wealthy planter from the James and the sturdy German and stalwart Scotch-Irishman from Pennsylvania and New Jersey crowded into it. Kercheval tells us in that invaluable work of his, ''The History of the Valley," that much the greater part of the country between the Little North Mountain and the Shenandoah River was one vast prairie, and like the rich prairies of the West, afforded the finest pasture for wild animals. The counitry abounded in the larger kinds of game; the buffalo, elk, deer, panther, wild-cat, wolf, fox, beaver and wild fowl were abundantly plenty. This was especially true of that part of the country now in the bounds of the

County of Clarke. Cooke in his admirable book, "Virginia," says that an English traveller visiting in that section of the County around Millwood, spoke of its beautiful prospects and sylvan scenes; transparent streams and majestic woods and declared that ''Many princes would give half their dominions for what the residents possessed — ^health, content and tranquility of mind." An American writer called the region the ''Virginia Arcady," and to this smiling country the lowlanders brought their famihes and servants, erected their "Old Chapel Church," which nestles down under its sycamores, and here their descendants still remain. It was rather singular that at the very first the settlers, particularly those from Pennsylvania, and they were the most numerous, settled along the great rivers and creeks near the North Mountain in preference to the fine country along the BuUskin, Long Marsh, Buckmarsh and other smaller streams. While there is evidence that there were Indian settlements at some spots in the Valley, there is little evidence that they ever made their homes in that portion now included in the County of Clarke. About some of the larger springs of water can be found arrow heads and other rehcs, and a few years ago what was evidently an Indian burying place was found near the Shenandoah River, at which place it is supposed a battle was fought and the dead buried there. We may well presume that it was a great hunting ground, and that the tribes both north of the Potomac and from the James and other southerly points came here to hunt, and these hunting parties camping for the time around some spring, these relics were left.

Doubtless the battle fought on the Shenandoah was between tribes from different sections, for when they met on the hunting ground it meant extermination to the vanquished. It is said by Kercheval that those Indians who lived in the Valley remained here after the coming in of the white settlers in peace and quiet for more than twenty years, when suddenly, as by one impulse, they left and went west of the Ohio, to return later with firebrand and tomahawk against the almost defenseless settlers. Many incidents are given by Kercheval and others of these Indian depredations, but none occurred in the bounds of Clarke, although Cooke in his ''Fairfax," gives an account of an attack on Greenway Court during Lord Fairfax's time, but that is likely the writer's invention. The earliest settlement in the County of Clarke appears to have been made about the year 1740. In that year John and James Lindsey, brothers, settled on Long Marsh, and Isaac Larue came from New Jersey in 1743 and settled on the same stream. In 1744 Joseph Hampton and two sons came from the eastern shore of Maryland and lived the greater part of the winter in a hollow sycamore tree on Buck Marsh, near the present town of Berryville. They enclosed a piece of land preparatory to moving their families. Other settlers came in very rapidly after this from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and settled in the same section, as well as some from across the Blue Ridge. At the same time some of the gentry from on the James and in the Northern neck settled in the upper end of the county, having taken land under a grant from Lord Fairfax to Colonel Carter.

Lord Fairfax was an English nobleman who had a grant of an immense tract of country, lying between the Potomac and the Rappahannock from headwaters to mouth, a domain almost as large as the State of Maryland, and having in its bounds the capacity to produce almost all that its inhabitants might need — the fish and oysters of the Potomac, the game of the Valley and the mountains, and a soil that only needed to be broken up to produce in abundance everything good for food. His Lordship very soon after reaching Virginia took steps to have his possessions settled, and to that end sold in tracts to suit purchasers, or leased to those unable to buy. He, himself, built in the County of Clarke (Frederick then), his own home, ''Greenway Court," where he lived in simphcity until his death after the Revolutionary War. Soon after arriving at his brother's on the Potomac, he met and was pleased with a youth of sixteen, a surveyor, who was in time to be the greatest man of America, George Washington. He employed him to survey these tracts sold or leased, and sent him to work in the Valley. From Washington's Journal we learn that he commenced his work in 1748 and was engaged for two years or more. About a mile north of Berryville on the Green Hill farm now owned by Mr. A. Moore, Jr., and near ''Soldier's Rest" is a beautiful spring gushing from the rocks beneath a large elm. This is called the ''Washington's Spring," and tradition says that in a two story log building over this spring, the young surveyor had his office while working in the neighborhood. Some one in the desire to turn everything old into money moved the building some years ago, but the spring and the grand old elm remain and no doubt from the limpid waters of the spring he quenched his thirst and rested his tired limbs under the shade of the elm. West of Berryville, a mile and a half on the road to Winchester, stands an immense white oak which is called by many the "Washington Oak." To a friend asking about the country he was surveying, he is said to have reported, "That all the country east of that large oak was fine and well watered, but west of it dry and rocky." The young man had an eye to good lands as well as pretty women as he moved about the country.

We find from the numerous entries that land was very rapidly taken up in the County of Clarke, on Long Marsh,

Buck Marsh and other places. It would be very interesting to note here names of parties who bought and held tracts, but our space hardly permits names of old famihes, some of whom are still represented among us, others whose names even have passed away, all of whom took an active part in the stirring times in which they lived.

There was need to be stirring. Lands had to be enclosed with rail fences, requiring much hard labor, the virgin soil had to be broken up, houses built, crops planted and amidst it all, an unending vigilance against the Indians. They did not attack any one in the bounds of Clarke, but they were then on the borders of Frederick, and as all were then in Frederick, the men of our section had to respond to the call for defenders and no doubt many of them took part in the fights and wars of that time. The difficulties of new settlers are not realized by the people of today, who have everything within reach. In those days they had to supply themselves. Very soon sawmills and gristmills were started on some of the streams, and then building became easier and frame buildings took the place of logs. Wheat and corn enough to supply home demands was soon raised, and flax to make clothing, and small flocks of sheep for the same purpose. Each house had its large and small spinning wheel, and its loom, and thus they were independent of the far off cities of Alexandria and Baltimore. But after awhile there was more wheat raised than could be used and money was needed, so a market must be found. To reach the market, teams were needed, and soon almost every farmer had his team to carry his flour from its mill on the creeks to the city, bringing back not only money, but other things, luxuries not thought of a little while back. Cotton and cahcoes began to be in the stores, and, for the well-to-do, silks and satins. The labor of breaking and spinning the flax became burdensome, and with the building of woolen factories, where the farmer could exchange his wool for linens and cloths and blankets, the looms gradually were thrust aside, flax was no longer raised and all attention was given to horses and cattle.

Among the men who were coming into notice in these strenuous times was Daniel Morgan, a poor boy from New Jersey, who had to work as a laborer at first, but in time became the owner of a team and wagon. Being full of the spirit of the times, he was in everything that was going. When nothing was doing among the Indians he spent his time, too much, in the tavern at Battletown, where he had many fisticuffs and no doubt helped to give the town its name. During the Braddock Campaign he and his team were employed, and it is said that for some offense against a British officer, he was sentenced to receive five hundred lashes. He always claimed that they made a miscount, and that he only got four hundred and ninety-nine, and that they still owed him one. After that disastrous affair he was out with the militia to fight the Indians and was made an ensign and stationed at Fort Edward. About 1760, after this campaign against the Indians, he bought a farm near Battletown and devoted himself to farming and stockraising. He called his home "Soldier's Rest." To this place he brought his young wife, Abigail Bailey, of the same neighborhood, a woman of rare beauty and high character. Her influence upon him led him to give up his wild habits and he prospered in business and acquired considerable property. He was soon called away again to fight the restless Indians in what was called Pontiac's War, having been promoted to a Lieutenancy in his company. In 1771 he was commissioned by acting Governor Nelson a Captain of the Militia of Frederick County, and was out with his Company during the Dunmore War.

In the meantime his wife had borne to him two daughters. During his various campaings against the Indians he no doubt met and impressed Colonel Washington with his natural military skill and bravery and laid the foundation of a friendship which lasted while he lived. His Indian wars being over he settled down to enjoy domestic life at his home, "Soldier's Rest," now the home of Mr. Edward Barnett. Here he became more and more a man of mark in the community, and when the Revolutionary War came on and Washington was sent to Boston to command the troops there, Daniel Morgan, of ''Soldier's Rest," issued his call for volunteers, and from the country around he soon had a company of one hundred riflemen. Starting from Winchester with one wagon to carry their food and equipages, if they had any, they struck a ''bee line" for Boston and reported to General Washington as from the right bank of the Potomac. In the attack on Quebec, Morgan and his company took part with distinguished gallantry. Morgan was taken prisoner. He was promoted on his return to Colonel, and took a very conspicuous part in the battles at Saratoga and aided materially in the capture of the British army there. Later, being sent to the South, he was made a Brigadier General, and after taking an active part in the Campaigns of Gates and Green crowned himself with glory by his signal victory over the distinguished British officer. Colonel Tarleton, at the battle of the Cowpens. His health became broken and he obtained leave of absence and returned to Virginia, where he built a house and called it "Saratoga" (now the home of Mr.

R. Powel Page), after the great fight in the North. It is said that he used the Hessian prisoners, confined near Winchester, in the work. When his home, "Saratoga," was finished, he moved his wife and daughters to it and they lived there a number of years. His daughters had married during the war, officers who were on his Staff, Col. Presley Neville, marrying the elder, and Major Heard the younger. At ''Saratoga" General Morgan and family entered into the social life of the community and dispensed a generous hospitality. His sons-in-law and families having moved to Pittsburg, General Morgan and his wife decided that the establishment there was too large for two people to keep up and they moved back to their old home at "Soldier's Rest". While here he was elected to Congress and served one term. In 1790 Congress voted him a gold medal in honor of his services at the "Cowpens." His health failing he moved to Winchester, where he died on July 6th, 1802. It is shown by his will that he owned large tracts of land in the County of Clarke and elsewhere, much of which was acquired by purchase and some by grants for his services in the Indian and Revolutionary Wars. General Morgan was a man of great natural ability; without education or family influence he attained not only a position of prominence as a citizen and business man, but was exceeded by few men of his time as a military leader.

There were others from Clarke in that war, and whenever the country has called, the men of Clarke have been ready to answer. In the War of 1812, Captain Taylor's light horse company did good service around Alexandria, and Capt. Robert C. Burwell's company of infantry did good service at Norfolk. Capt. Jas. H. Sowers, of the 51st Virginia Militia, did good service under Col. Jas. McDowell, of the "Flying Camp," in the Summer of 1813. Many of Captain Sowers' men were from Clarke, as indicated by the Roll of the Company. As the years swiftly passed, that section included in the county of Clarke increased rapidly in wealth and influence. Her wagons were constantly on the road to Alexandria and Baltimore, and on return trips were loaded with goods for far Tennessee. Many of our best people now can look back with pride to their wagoner grandfather, who with his good six-horse team laid the foundation of comfort, if not wealth. But as the people grew in wealth and influence, they began to feel that Winchester, their County-seat, was too far away, that to attend the courts and the General Muster there was too great a burden and perhaps they thought that they bore more than their share of the County taxes. At any rate they wanted to set up for themselves, and so they went about it in earnest.

Chapter II

WHEN the Legislature met in the winter of 1835, a committee representing the people of the County was sent there to push the matter through, as they naturally expected that the authorities of Frederick would not want to let so rich a portion of her domain pass away from her. The gentlemen selected were, each in his line, expert. Dr. Cyrus McCormick, an able and astute politician, with wide acquaintance in the State, Col. Treadwell Smith, a successful business man, and Col. Jacob Isler, a good mixer, to do the social part. Their work in due time was successful, and the county was ordered to be laid off from the top of the Blue Ridge to the Opequon, and from the Jefferson line to the Warren line, a small county, seventeen miles by fifteen, but a gem in every respect.

On the 28th day of March, 1836, the gentlemen appointed by the Governor as the Justices of the Peace for the County, met in Berryville in the Academy. Under an act passed on the 8th of March, 1836, Mr. John E. Page was chosen clerk pro tem. The commission from the Governor named the following gentlemen as Justices of the new County: Geo. H. Norris, Treadwell Smith, David Meade, James Wigginton, Edward J. Smith, Nathaniel Burwell, John W. Page, John Hay, Francis B. Whiting, Philip Smith, Robert Page, Francis McCormick and Jacob Isler, Esquires ; whereupon the oath of office was administered to them by Bushrod C. Washington, of Jef-

HISTORY OF CL.\RKE COUNTY 21

ferson County. The court then proceeded to the election of clerk. Mr. John Hay having received a majority of the votes, was declared elected, whereupon the oath being administered to him, he entered upon hi^ duties for a term of seven years. Geo. H. Xorris. Treadwell Smith and David Meade were recommended to the Governor as suitable men for the ofl&ce of high sheriff, and shortly thereafter Geo. H. Norris was appointed to the ofl&ce. Dr. Robert C. Randolph was appointed Coroner, John Ship, Escheator. John E. Page, Commonwealth's Attorney. Daniel S. Bonham, Surveyor. William R. Seevers, Crier of theCourt, and Samuel B. Redman, Constable, and the new county was ready to do business and has been carrj-ing it on with all proper dignity and decorum ever since, except for a while during the War between the States when all ci-vil rule was done away T^-ith while the enemy was in possession of the county.

The County ver>' soon had a sufficient number of the legal fraternity to enter into practive, as we find that the following were soon admitted to the bar: Washington E. Singleton, John E. Page, Cary Selden Page, Richard Parker, Thomas A. Moore. Richard E. Boyd, Province ^IcCormick, Lewis Glover, Robert Y. Conrad. Robert M. Page. Philip WilUams, Jr.. Giles Cooke, John A. Thompson, Chas. B. Harding, Da.\4d H. McGuire, A. S. TidbaU, Joseph T. Daugherty and James M. Mason. The first grand jury consisted of the following: [Nlann R. Page, foreman, John Greenlee, James McCormick, Thomas E. Gold, Jacob Luke, James V. Glass, Thomas Jackson, Jacob Shirely, Paul Pierce, Isaac McCormick. Henr>' Marks, James P. Hughes, Abraham Haines. John Burchell, John Newett and Richard Ridgeway. They found no presentments and were discharged. Licenses to keep taverns were issued to Bennett Russell and Treadwell Smith.

At the June Term, Samuel Briarly, Samuel Bonham, Chas. McCormick, William Berry and David Meade were appointed school commissioners for the County. Until the adoption of the new constitution in 1850 the Justices were appointed by the Governor, and the Sheriffs were chosen by the Justices, the oldest Justice generally being chosen. After 1850 all these officers were elected by the people directly. These justices immediately took steps to have a Court House and Jail built. The Court House is the one now in use, but some years ago the jail was declared unfit for use, and a new and modern one with comfortable dwelling attached was built in the Court House yard. It would be interesting to record the names of the justices appointed and then elected during the years succeeding, and there would be among them the best men of the County and the most useful and public spirited citizens, but the names of only those who were on the bench when the War broke out in 1861 will be given. They were, Presiding Justice, Wm. G. Hardesty, Beverly Randolph, Alex. M. Earle, Richard K. Meade, John Page, Ammishadai Moore, John J. Riely, Geo. C. Blakemore, Francis McCormick, Benjamin Morgan, William A. Castleman, Lewis F. Glass, William Strother, John Morgan, Thomas L. Humphrey and Nathaniel Burwell.

During the years which had passed both before the formation of the County and afterwards, changes had been taking place. The people had prospered, Baltimore had been growing, Washington had come into being and was fast becoming a city, and everything that the farmer raised, whether live stock or grain, could be sold if got to market. Long strings of big, tent-covered wagons were continually on the go to and fro laden with the fruit of the soil. Droves of cattle went to Baltimore or Georgetown, the number of stores was increasing and everything was prosperous. Interest was being taken in education and there were a number of good schools in the county. But the long haul to Alexandria was burdensome and the County welcomed the opening of the canal from Georgetown to Cumberland, and a little later the building of the railroad to Harper's Ferry and westward. This revolutionized everjrthing. The Shenandoah River now became of great use to the people on its banks.

Mills were built and flat boats carrying large loads of flour were soon passing down to Harper's Ferry and unloading on either the canal or the railroad. Saw mills were put in operation, iron ore from the hills near the banks was shipped, and the hitherto useless river was made to serve the purposes of man. This went on until the War, and large numbers of men made their living by boating on the river. The building of the Winchester and Potomac R. R., and later of the Shenandoah Valley R. R. in 1880, ended all that, and now the river is left to the fisherman and the electric power companies, who have harnessed it near Harper's Ferry and will doubtless do so at other points.

In addition to the improvements of navigation on the river, at this time, about 1840, the State had undertaken a system of internal improvements from which Clarke was to get great benefit. Wherever pubhc spirited and enterprising citizens were willing to form corporations for the building of railroads, canals, or turnpikes, the State would take a large part of the stock. This policy stimulated such enterprises, especially good roads, such as the great Vally Turnpike from the Potomac down the Valley into the southwest, the Northwestern Grade from Romney to Winchester and others. The people of Clarke, alive to all such things, soon formed a company to build a road from the Shenandoah River through Berryville to Win-

Chester, and to Charlestown; one from the river through Millwood to Winchester, from White Post to the road from Front Royal to Winchester, and from Millwood to Berryville. By 1850 all these roads were finished, and have been kept up ever since. Over them great armies passed during the War, with their immense trains, and they have been to the County the greatest asset of value she has ever had. The gentlemen who put their money into them never expected, and have never gotten dividends on their stock, but were well satisfied to get the convenience and comfort of good roads upon which to travel and haul their produce, and in the increased value of their lands. These roads today are the pride of the County, and the joy of the many automobile tourists who pass through the country. Along in the fifties the people of the County voted to take $100,000 of stock in the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad, hoping thus to secure direct connection with Alexandria and Washington, but that hope has long been deferred and is yet to be realized. Just after the War another subscription of the same amount was made to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, running from Hagerstown to Roanoke. After some delay this road in 1880 was opened, and has been of great value to us. Bonds were issued by the County for the pa3mient of this subscription, and a part of this debt is still unpaid, but it has been reduced to something less than $60,000. During the session of 1892 of the General Assembly, Hon. R. S. B. Smith, then representing the County in the House of Delegates, introduced a bill for the building of two bridges across the Shenandoah River, one at Castleman's Ferry and the other at Berry's Ferry. This matter was submitted to the vote of the people and carried, and bonds to the amount of $40,000 were issued for this purpose. In this matter Mr. Smith had the aid and co-operation of