Blazer’s Scouts: Counterinsurgency in West Virginia’s New River Region During the Civil War
Western Virginia, soon to become a new state in the Union, was much like the other Border States where the fault line between the partisans of both North and South remained in proximity to one another. Three types of people lived there, those actively supporting the Union or the Confederacy and those people who tried to remain neutrally quiet and sit out the conflict. It became increasingly difficult to remain neutral when neighboring families raided one another and allies were sought as trust eroded to suspicions. Like the other border areas, the Union tended to dominate these areas militarily and the Confederate sympathizers that organized into Partisan Ranger units were unable to oppose the Federal forces with force-on-force operations, like all other weaker military organizations, they turned to guerrilla warfare. In areas where they were weakest, their tactics degraded into what currently would be identified as terrorism.
David E. Johnston, author of Four Years a Soldier, wrote about an incident in his excellent book, History of Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory:
‘In all revolutions excesses are committed, and the same was true of our revolution in 1861. After the retreat of General Wise’s forces from the Kanawha, a plain unlettered farmer of Mercer County, by the name of Parkinson F. Pennington, who resided on the waters of Laurel Creek, in August of the year mentioned, took his team and wagon loaded with produce, and went to the Valley of the Kanawha, and purchased goods, salt, etc., returning to his home, and known to be a strong Union man in sentiment, and freely expressing his views, made himself quite obnoxious to some of his southern neighbors, and was arrested without warrant and charged with being a spy. The party arresting Pennington was headed by Captain James Thompson a strong resolute, bold southern man of quick temper, and when aroused became wholly manageable. Pennington’s captors started with him to the Court House, and he on the way becoming very boisterous and insulting incensed the party that had him in charge, and they halted and put him to death by the road side, by hanging him by the neck, with a hickory withe, to a dog-wood tree that stood nearby.
“This was a very unfortunate affair for all the parties concerned, and the first act of the kind that had ever taken place in the County, and greatly shocked the community. Great regret was expressed by the people, as the act portended no good to the parties engaged nor to the southern cause. The civil authorities were powerless to punish the perpetrators, and the military would not. After the close of the war, the most of those engaged in hanging Pennington, except Captain Thompson, had either been lost in the war or left the country. Pennington’s father, with a body of eighteen United States soldiers went to the house of Captain Thompson intending to arrest him, but Captain Thompson discovering their approach attempted to escape, but was shot by one of the party and killed.”
Guerrillas using terrorist tactics are very difficult for modern armies to deter, much less defeat, and deterrence is frequently attempted through punishment of potential supporters of the guerrillas and during the early Civil War in this tactic normally involved burning the farms of suspected guerrillas and even homes of possibly innocent families were burned if they were living near a location where an atrocity occurred. Guerrillas can not survive without the support of the population where they operate and the burning also served to depopulate areas where guerrilla operations were underway. Lists of suspected guerrillas were developed from informants who were just as likely to complain about personal enemies as Confederate guerrillas. There was no appeal for the persons on the “list” — or their families who would soon be refugees.
Russel Hastings, a Union officer assigned to Rutherford B. Hayes regiment, the 23rd Ohion Infantry Regiment, wrote about his counterinsurgency experiences in the vicinity of New River:
“Bush-whacking” began to be prevalent and many scouting parties were sent out to punish them. The term bush-whacking covered an irregular warfare carried out by the inhabitants of the country in this way:- these bush-whackers did not belong to the Confederate Army but their sympathies were entirely with the South. A little squad from a neighbourhood would station themselves on a hill near the roadway where our supply trains would have to pass, the trains always being guarded by a few troops. These rascals would fire on the train, frequently killing or wounding the mules, occasionally hitting a driver. If the troops pursued after them they could easily elude the troops and perhaps appear again on a hill farther on, on the route. Rules of war do not apply to such cases and no mercy was shown them if captured, but the trouble was to capture them.
“I was sent out from Raleigh in command of sixteen men to give the bush-whackers in that region a lesson. I was furnished with a list of names of ten or more suspected men. About six miles from camp I came to the first suspect. He of course had taken to the bush but wife and children were at home. I told her my orders, and why the house must be burned. I gave directions to my men to put her furniture on the lawn. Of course tears flowed like water, and her large flock of children wailed aloud. I continued stony-hearted. The furniture was now out of the house, the supply of meat in the smoke house was also out and safe from fire when, well! — I marched on and left them weeping. But I had told her if any more bush- whacking took place we would lay the whole country waste. If these bush-whacking men wanted to fight, their places were in the Confederate Army.
“I was out scouting two days and whenever I found vacant houses, where the owners had gone south, I applied the torch. I burned six houses while I was out end reached camp with not one shot fired at my command. That was a surprise to me as I anticipated they would assemble and bush-whack me. I had before been out in command of scouting parties and occasionally exchanged shots with the enemy’s patrol but this scout was peaceable, and not at all to my liking. It had the effect though of stopping bush-whacking, and I hope these men went off and joined the Confederate Army and thus carried on a legitimate warfare.”
The strategy of burning the farms and homes occupied by the families of suspected Confederate insurgents obviously resulted in the destruction of property belonging to men who were absent seeking safety for their families. Raleigh County and adjacent counties were populated by the descendants of Scots, Scotch-Irish, and French Huguenots, all of whom were honor basis populations to whom revenge was a part of the culture — a factor that very often led to feuds in the mountains. Huguenot families such as the Ballengees settled in the Greenbrier River valley where the town of Ronvecerte — “Greenbrier” in French — remains as evidence that numerous French Protestants lived in this region. Feuding peoples are not normally subdued by retaliation attacks that often punished innocent families as additional men entered the Confederate Partisan Ranger companies because of what they viewed as an arson strategy.
Russel Hastings’ view that “rules of war do not apply to such cases and no mercy was shown them if captured, but the trouble was to capture them” remained a problem for the Union regiments operating in a mountainous region where the Ohio soldiers were as likely to get lost as find bushwhacking insurgents. The solution was to form a scout unit that searched out and tracked the irregular Confederate groups.
Asbe Montgomery, a member of the scout element, explained in his 1865 narrative:
“We were organized at Fayetteville, West Va., by the order of Gen. White, then commanding the brigade consisting of the 9th Va., 12th and 91 st Ohio. Bill and Phil. Thurman were then said to have between 200 and 300 guerrillas, who were prowling through that section, so that their pickets were not safe; they could pick up a man and a horse, almost any day. To stop such trouble, and put an end to outlaws and marauders, Gen. White ordered that a detachment of the three regiments, numbering 125 men be formed, to be commanded by Capt. Spencer, of the 9th Va., Lieut. Otis, 12th Ohio, and Lieut. R.R. Blazer, of the 91st, to be known as a scouting company, to operate wherever thought best. At the proper time, they left to try their hands as a new and brave company — myself not being yet detached.”
While the Partisan Rangers under the Thurmond brothers, Philip and William, whose soldiers had been incorporated into the 44th Virginia Cavalry, a formal unit and not Partisans, were able to easily attack and capture Union pickets, they were also able to assemble and attack larger targets. Capable researchers Rick Steelhammer of the Charleston Gazette and Steve Cunningham were able to document their raids:
“A force of about 400 Confederate soldiers, riding under the cover of darkness from the Mud River country of southwestern West Virginia, approached the Putnam County town of Winfield, where they recently learned an outpost of federal troops had been established. The Confederates quietly divided into two columns, one led by Capt. Philip Thurmond of Fayette County, who, along with his brother, William, had raised two companies of men from Fayette, Monroe and Greenbrier Counties early in the Civil War to form Thurmond’s Partisan Rangers. The other column was led by Lt. Col. Vinson A. Witcher, commander of the 34th Virginia Cavalry Battalion, and the leader of the Putnam County operation.
“While Thurmond’s Rangers operated mainly in or around their home counties early in the war, by 1863 they had been incorporated into a regular army unit, the 44th Virginia Cavalry. Witcher’s cavalry outfit, which included many soldiers from Wayne County, had acquitted itself well at Gettysburg in 1863, and fought in East Tennessee and the Shenandoah Valley earlier in 1864. In September of that year, Witcher’s battalion and Thurmond’s Rangers joined forces in Tazewell, Va., to launch an attack on Union outposts in north central West Virginia. The Confederate raiders captured and burned a small Union fort and its Home Guard garrison at Bulltown in Braxton County, and then raided Weston, where they seized a large quantity of supplies, plus $5,287.85 removed from the Weston Exchange Bank before moving on to Buckhannon, where they captured the Union garrison and its commanding officer. They returned to Greenbrier County with 300 prisoners of war, 400 horses and 200 cattle taken from farmers in the federally controlled area.
“By mid-October, the Confederate force had moved into the Mud River Valley, where they learned of the Union garrison’s presence at Winfield.
“Company D of the 7th West Virginia Cavalry had been ordered to Winfield primarily to protect steamboat traffic on the Kanawha River, which flows past the town. An incident that occurred in February of 1864 at nearby Red House Shoals may have had something to do with the posting. On that date, while the steamboat B.C. Levi was lashed to the shoreline, a group of about 30 Confederates boarded the vessel without incident and captured Gen. E.K. Scammon, commander of the Union Army’s Kanawha Division and the namesake of Charleston’s Fort Scammon, along with several of his staff officers and 13 enlisted men. The B.C. Levi was taken four miles downstream and burned.”
Securing the steamboat traffic on the Kanawha River took on even more importance following the raid by Confederate troops under Major James H. Nounnan that infiltrated deep into Union territory in a raid that launched a raid that resulted in the capture of Union division commander, General E. P. Scammon, and the steamer B. C. Levi at Red House shoals. The raid that captured a general officer exposed a capability that had to be countered by the Union forces.
The Point Pleasant Register reported on the raid on February 11, 1864:
Capture of the Government Steamer B. C. Levi.
“ A telegraph report came that General Scammon had been captured at Red House landing on the Kanawha. The boat on which he was a passenger had tied to the shore waiting daylight before running up the chute. The steamboat captain had neglected to inform the General of this act, otherwise some action would have been taken to keep a soldier guard. No regular guard was on board, only soldiers returning from furlough without arms. When steaming in mid-river they were comparatively safe, but being tied to the wharf a prowling squad of Confederate Cavalry stole aboard and captured boat and all. No resistance could be made as everybody was asleep and anyhow were without arms. The report did not reach headquarters until late in the forenoon after the boat had been burned and the Confederates were off with their prisoners and booty. General Scammon, Lieutenant Millward, Captain Pinkard and Lieutenant Lyon of the 23rd were captured and carried away. The Quartermaster, Captain Pinkard, had considerable money in his possession, said to have been one hundred thousand dollars. Imagine the excitement at headquarters! Squads of Cavalry were sent in all directions and all outposts directed to send out scouting parties, but all without avail.
“The capturing party took to the woods, never traveling by road and, always being in a friendly country, escaped. Lieutenant Millward, after his return from captivity, told me they often saw our squads, from hill tops, but a revolver at their heads prevented calling for help. General Scammon and party were sent to Richmond and from there to Charleston, South Carolina, and were placed in the lower end of the city under fire from our big guns in the fleet. There they remained for months receiving no damage whatever. All of which shows how little damage big guns do on land. (Big noise, that’s all). The busy little humming bullet does the work.”
General White’s scouting group was soon in action:
“The Independent Scouts, hearing of what was going on, started to head off the rebel force, but came in on the rear guard and commenced an attack upon them, when the rebels scattered in all directions, throwing away their arms and ammunition [sic] and much of their stolen plunder. The Scouts recovered about one thousand dollars worth of property.”
Steelhammer and Cunningham explained the Confederate attack on the Union troops at Winfield who were responsible for guarding the town and securing the Kanawha River:
“A secondary role for the Union troops at Winfield was to guard the Putnam County Courthouse and the town of Winfield from Confederate attack, not an unpopular task since many of the men in the company came from Putnam and surrounding counties. The men of Company D dug rifle pits and entrenchments adjacent to a mill, around their campsite, and in the vicinity of the brick courthouse, situated on a small rise overlooking the small town and the river behind it.
“According to written accounts from participants, Witcher’s battalion and Thurmond’s Rangers arrived at the upstream end of Winfield at about 9 p.m., after riding through Teays Valley, and launched their two-pronged attack about 10 p.m. The actions that followed, like hundreds of other bloody skirmishes that took place during the war, did not change the course of history or even garner much attention from either military authorities or the public. But to those involved, such skirmishes could be just as deadly, terrifying and meaningful as a Gettysburg or an Antietam.
“According to an account in “History of the Great Kanawha Valley With Family History and Biographical Sketches,” published in 1891, and unearthed by Steve Cunningham of Sissonville, regimental historian of the 7th West Virginia Cavalry Association, Witcher led one column of Confederates while Philip Thurmond led the other.
“Col. Witcher with half of his force proceeded up the riverbank from the lower end of the town” while Thurmond, “at the head of the other column, reached the federal position by proceeding down a small stream known as Ferry Branch, which enters into the Kanawha at the upper end of the town,” according to the 1891 history book.
“Capt. John M. Reynolds, commander of the Union force, which totaled 83 men on the date of the attack, according to archival research by Cunningham, estimated the Confederate strength to be 425 men, who “attacked my pickets at about 10 o’clock at night,” he wrote in an after-action report also unearthed by Cunningham. “They drove my pickets in and surrounded my Co. quarters.”
“Thurmond’s column was the first to reach Co. D’s position “and the first to bring on the engagement,” according to the battle account published in the 1891 history text. “He ordered a charge, leading it in person, and just as the head of the column reached the corner of Ferry and Front streets, it received its first fire and Col. (sic) Thurman (sic) fell mortally wounded. He was carried to the rear where he soon expired.”…
“The fight lasted about one hour, when the enemy commenced a hasty retreat,”Reynolds wrote. The Union troops gave chase for several hours, but were unable to re-engage the Confederate force. Reynolds reported that four Confederate troops were wounded and three were taken prisoner. “My loss is one man wounded, four horses killed and eighteen horses captured,”Reynolds reported. “. . .I have heard nothing of the enemy since they passed the Hurricane Bridge.”
These raids deep into Union territory by Confederate cavalry troops, many of whom had been Partisan Rangers and lived in the area, had to be countered and eliminated. It was at this point that the 125 volunteers from three separate regiments were consolidated under the command of Captain Richard Blazer.
One of Blazer’s scouts, Asbe Montgomery, tells the story after he joined Blazer’s command at Boyer’s Ferry in New River:
“After joining the company at Boyer’s Ferry, we lay there to rest, a few days, as they had just come from a hard march. One evening, when we were all quiet, with our pickets out, on a sudden a lady came running down the river hill, saying Thurman was at their house, with a large body of men, and had captured one of our men, killed one, and were coming down on us “like a thousand of brick;” were going to use us up like salt. Lieut. Blazer had gone to Fayetteville. We were not very well prepared to engage so large a force as this was represented to be. Lieut. Otis being at the river, obtained the word from the young lady, and sent word to me to have the men fall in immediately, and march down to the river. I did it double quick, thinking something was not just right.
“When we came to the ford, Lieut. Otis ordered myself, in charge of ten men, to cross the river and go up the hill to the first forks of the road, and remain till he crossed the rest of the men in canoes. As soon as my squad was over we started up the hill, two miles long, quick time, it being near sundown. We advanced without a word to break the silence, each one once in a while looking at his comrades, showing determination to stand by each other. As I had not had command in the company long, I thought it best to see how they felt. In a low voice I halted them, and addressed them in this wise:
“Now, my brave boys, perhaps we may soon hear a shot from that cruel wretch, and I don’t want a man to flinch. Just stand to me, and I will take you through or die with you. We can check them till the rest of the men come up.”
“All right!” was the reply.
“In two ranks, right face, forward March!” I commanded.
“So on we marched, watching for a volley from the brush, till we gained the road where we were to halt. We carefully looked around and saw no one nigh. Dark was approaching, and we saw the Lieutenant and the rest of the company coming, when we left part of the company on one of the roads, then started out to reconnoiter — traveled several miles in the dark, but found no one, so we returned for camp, crossing New River, and putting out a strong picket. In the morning, as soon as we could get a bite of breakfast, we fell in, crossed the river again, and started out to find our wounded comrade, and hear from him all about the number of the enemy, as we were rather dubious about going to him in the dark, the night before. We came to the house where they had been, and posted one half of the company on the road on which they came in, for fear of a surprise. Suddenly we heard the fun commence. Looking out on the road we could see the rebs coming double- quick. We flew to arms. Our outpost men fell back, and reported about 600 rebs. As soon as in nice range we commenced firing, and they fired a heavy volley at us. Fortunately none of us were hit. We soon found they were surrounding us, so we broke for New River hills, and had to fight our way through, they having the advantage of the ground. But we poured the shots into them so hotly that they gave away, so we all got outside of their line; and such skedaddling as we did was not pleasant — over logs, rocks and through briers for the Ferry. We found that they had the road and could make the river first. So nothing was left for us but to wade Mann’s Creek at its mouth, hot, tired, and torn with green briers. We plunged through and gained a desirable place behind some rocks, where we could have whipped old Phil. And all his crew.
“Meanwhile Lieut. Blazer had heard of the attack, and Gen. White sent some men to our relief. Only the two men had been lost, the one wounded so that he died, the other captured. This only set our faces hard, and men in Thurman’s gang suffered every week till Gen. White determined to put things in motion.
“About this time Gen. Averill marched to Droop Mountain, and whipped the Johnnies. Gen. White left Fayetteville, to join Averill and assist him at Lewisburg, so we marched from Boyer’s Ferry for that place. It fell to our lot to take the advance all the way, which was just to our hands. We distinguished ourselves by marching, and routing Thurman, taking several prisoners, and being in advance several miles and charging into Lewisburg, and taking several prisoners; besides compelling the enemy to abandon a piece of artillery, and property of considerable value to them.
“Here we lay that day, with our brigade, sent out several reconnoitering parties. The next day we all crossed the Greenbrier River, marched several miles, and found the enemy had left for some other point. Our scouts then returned to the Ferry, and the brigade to Fayetteville.
“In a short time we were rested and felt “wolfish,” time was dreary, and camp life did not suit these brave and hardy yeomen, we felt sure that every shot they fired counted one less to trouble the friends of our glorious land, that they were determined to stand by and fight for in every emergency. I believe that some of them would travel and undergo any hardships to get a crack at a Johnny; and so sure was their aim that they could knock a squirrel out of any tree, and I have often watched them holding on a reb at a long range, as steady as a marksman at a target, and seldom failed to bring him down.
“Soon after the aforementioned trip, we learned that Thurman, with part of his men, was raiding in the Big and Little Sewell Mountains, not only disturbing what few Union men there were, but waylaying all roads, and causing terror to prevail in the neighborhood. It did not suit such men as we were to have any cut-throats within our range. Off we started, marched by night, and in the day time lay still, until within reach of him we wished to find, and then pounce upon him “like a cat on a rabbit,” and use him up “like string beans.” Fortunately, near Little Sewell, we
routed the fellow, and after a few center shots, Old Phil thought that no place for him, so off he put as hard as he could; but some of his clan did not go, as they got their “rights,” and stopped troubling better people. We gathered up what we could find around his camp, which was of little use to us — such bands of starving villains not usually having anything that brave and well- fed soldiers desire, only some trinkets to laugh over and make pastime. After staying a short time and receiving from the few Union men their warmest thanks, and words of assurance of all news they could convey to us, we left, gay and happy, for our camp, and found all things safe.
“While I write my mind runs back to the old camp, built out of lynn logs, covered with lynn slabs, and the cracks stopped up with moss, in the thick woods, away from friends — only our Enfield rifles which we slept with, and considered our only source of trust in the days of such trouble as we were compelled to undergo, to put down such outlaws as Thurman was, which we were determined to do or die. In fact, my reader, you who have never been in the habit of scouting cannot form an idea how daring a company becomes after being blessed with success for a time; and feeling that your all is at stake, your country, life, and dearest friends, one will rush forward to battle, with gun in hand, and firm nerves, not dreading even death, though staring you in the face oftentimes. I have seen our brave boys, when in pursuit of the enemy, in full stretch, straining every nerve to see who would get the first shot at a Johnny — -then bang, bang goes the rifle, with a yell enough to send a thrill through the heart of the rebs. See the brave fellows bound forward, and, oh! How quick death is dealt out to some of the scattering and flying scoundrels! They would make for some point before selected for their retreat. Sometimes the foremost of our boys would bring a gun back, or something, in token of what they had done.
“These were almost daily occurrences from the time we camped at Boyer’s Ferry, till it became too cold to stand the severity of the weather, when we were ordered into camp at Fayetteville, by Gen. White. He highly complimented all the men and the officers for their services and bravery, who had not only driven all the Johnnies out of Fayette County, by this time, clear over the Greenbrier River, but also had captured and destroyed a large portion of the guerrillas.
“We lay in camp with our brigade till February, 1864, when we all pretty much went “veterans,” and left for home for a furlough of thirty days, and all enjoyed themselves well. At least I did so, time going on gaily and lively.
About this time Gen. Crook took command in Kanawha Valley, headquarters at Charleston. Hearing of our services as scouts he issued an order for a company of mounted men to be known as his Division scouts, to be commanded by Lieut. R.R. Blazer, each regiment to have a detachment, making some eighty men, the Sergeants to take charge, each of his squad, and be responsible for their good conduct. It fell to my lot to take charge of the old 9th Virginia boys, which I was proud of, as I could eat, fight, and, if necessary, die with them. The details were made out of the 9th, 5th and 13th Virginia, 2nd Va. Cavalry, and the 12th, 23rd, 34th and 91st Ohio. The beauty of it was that we were to be mounted on such horses as we could get from the rebs, either citizens or soldiers. Well, you may guess that it was not long before we were mounted.
“It may be interesting to know how soon a company of eighty men could mount themselves. We divided into squads of twenty, and started into Dixie, with hard faces, and as we traveled through Fayette, Raleigh, and Logan counties, we told the citizens we were on the look out for horses, and as we met a good horse we would kindly invite the rider to get down, saying that Uncle Sam wanted us to have horses to drive Thurman’s men, or those other guerrillas, out of those parts. They would sigh and politely deliver the animal, when they saw no excuse would be taken. To finish mounting our eighty men we thought we must give old Phil’s men a call, so we left Fayette, and started for Greenbrier county, swimming New River. But old Thurman got word of our approach, and rather than fight for the horses of that fine Southern neighborhood, he chose to leave, and Blazer and his men gobbled them up. In one day and night we collected twenty of the best horses in that country, and left old Phil Thurman and his sneaking, cowardly villains to spout about Blazer and his men, while we crossed the river and snugly rigged the horses for good purposes.
“All being mounted, we left to report to Gen. Crook, at Charleston, going off in high glee to the falls of the Kanawha, crossing at the Ferry, and reporting to the General the next day. We went into camp at the first old salt furnace, on the west side of the river. Here we commenced to feed and train our horses. But in a short time we left to try our luck as mounted scouts. With a commander at our head, a country at stake, and such a general to instruct, you may suppose we felt sure of success; and to break down and smash all guerrillas was our delight. We were sure of having something to do, for Wicher and Canterbury were raiding in Logan, and on Guyandotte and Coal rivers.
“Early in the morning, about March 10th, we started for the mouth of Coal River, which empties into the Big Kanawha, and after a ride of twelve miles, halted at that place. We next started up Coal River with a guide for a short distance, and being well started we dismissed the guide, and let him go back. We were now on a strange road, and soon became very sure we were not among friends, as all we met looked shy; so no one knew anything about the road or anything else, in a word, all we met or saw were know-nothings. By evening the road became very dim and hard to follow, so at a late hour we halted at a farm house, and found some rye straw with which we fed our tired animals, and struck a fire. After posting our pickets, we broiled and ate some meat, lay down and rested our selves and horses for a short time. Long before day we saddled and started, so that we might be able to surprise anyone that was at Logan Court House. Just at daylight we crossed the Guyandotte. We put our horses to full speed, and before any of the inhabitants were apprised of us, the Yankees were thick in the splendid town of four or five houses, and not a reb soldier to boss them, or steal one chicken. We halted in the town on “Main Street,” which was all the one there was; so the citizens need not thank us for not promenading any other part of the town. One old sinner was there, who was a blacksmith. We got him to fasten some of our horse shoes, and fed a good share of his corn to our animals, to save him feeding that much to guerrillas. After a short rest, and inquiring about the road and the rebs, which was of no use to us, as our old friend could give us no information, he, too, being a know-nothing, we started on some distance up the stream, then took to the hills which were large and not a few.
“Finally we crossed a large range of mountains, and wound our way to Wayne county. We found some rebs here, and gave them some “Southern Rights.” Some of them got away. We might have taken some prisoners, but we were too far from camp. We next went to the marshes of Coal River, and captured several prisoners. Then we went to Fayette county, and from that to camp at Charleston, having made a trip of two hundred miles picking up several good horses on the route. Ready for another trip in a few days, and went up and left the river opposite Camp Piatt, crossed towering hills, and after a long, hard march, found ourselves in Logan again. Being sure we were near some guerrillas, we kept a sharp lookout. Not far from the marshes of Coal River, we captured several after a smart skirmish, whom we saved on account of mercy. Returned by way of Flat-top Mountain, and there run into one of the chief of bushwhackers, with some reb soldiers with him. My reader need not enquire about their welfare! In we came to to Raleigh Court House, thence to Fayetteville, wishing to meet old Phil, as by this time we had concluded we could fight on horseback, as well as any way. After a short halt at Fayetteville, we arrived safe at Charleston, and were complimented by Gen. Crook.
“While resting a few days, Lieut. Blazer wished a helper, and came to me and asked who would make a good scout in my regiment? I replied Lieut. Ewing had scouted some, and I had no doubt of his bravery, so he asked for him, and in a few days he was with us, to take command in the scouts, which seemed to be agreeable all around. Lieut. Ewing was a brave man, delighted in a horse, and believed in quick, active fighting, and a lively rough-
and-ready life — could put spurs to his horse and make him “git” just as fast as anybody else; and his very soul and strength were all strung at full might at warring against the rebels, so he engaged freely with Blazer and his men.
“A few days was all we could take in camp, so tedious that a day seemed a week. We were often asked if we did not get tired with much riding. Some of the boys some days would complain, but let a gun crack then they were ready for a fight. We left camp, and struck out for a grand raid, across Coal River, and then for the mountains, in the direction of the Guyandotte. After three or four days marching, over ills and across creeks, we struck the Guyandotte near a little village. We ran into a lot of rebs, and caught some of them. We drove everything like guerrillas before us, or rather scattered them. By this time, in all that country, our name or the name of Blazer, was enough to start everything to flight. Every child and lady, if I may say “lady,” was ready to fly with the word that Blazer and his company were coming, so it took skills and energy to keep up with the female Telegrams.
“After some hard riding, one long day, as it seemed, for we were dogging some one all day, just about sundown, we routed Canterbury and his company. They had been, as they said, all day hunting for us, so we just met at the time to get acquainted. We saw them pouring out of a house. They saw us first and opened the ball, but it did not stop us. About half of our company were across the stream, and while the rest were crossing the foremost part charged at full speed to the house, and while the balls were whizzing like hail, we sprang from our horses and began to give them Yankee thunder. But when they found that we had seen rebs before and were not going to be checked, they took to the mountain. After them we went making all the noise we could, both by shooting, and yelling, like wild men. Some of us followed them so closely that they had to leave guns, coats, and everything, except what they could get away with in the quickest time. How many we killed I leave for their neighbors to say. Some citizens told us, a few days later, that we gave several of them “Southern Rights.”
“After traveling some days where we pleased, we returned to camp, with a lot of good horses, and a large number of prisoners. Landed in camp, and made several short trips successfully. We came off victorious, all the time, and I may say that while scouting hereabouts for nearly two months, we found ourselves better mounted than when we first started — capturing in March and the first part of April 50 prisoners and 75 horses, or more.
“Well, now comes the part of my history that is of interest to all. After resting a short time we learned that the army was about to move. We were ordered to be ready, and on the 28th of April, 1864, we started. Gen. Crook’s division also moved up the valley of the Big Kanawha, and at the Falls all the army marched in the direction of Fayetteville, except the 5th Va. Infantry and the scouts. That regiment and ourselves lay at Gauley a day or two, and moved toward Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., to make a feint and detain Gen. Echols, if possible, while Gen. Crook moved on Dublin Depot. This had the desired effect. On the march we had the Big and Little Sewell mountains to cross. When we started, the rebs learned of our coming, and blockaded the road over those mountains, so no horse or wagon could pass, or so they supposed. But our horses were too well used to the woods to be stopped; so when we came to the blockade, after carefully looking out for the rebs, we cautiously advanced, and wound our way through brush and over logs for a short distance. Then we would halt to gain a view of some point on the road, expecting every tramp our horses made to hear a bang, bang, from Thurman’s men, as it was him and a lot of the 14th Va. Reb cavalry that were detailed by Echols to block the road, with orders to waylay our forces and kill all they met, as we learned from some of the citizens. We had to be cautious to save ourselves from surprise. The 5th Va., which was to support the scouts, by some mishap, had not come up, but lay at the Thompson [Tompkins] farm on the hill south of Gauley River, leaving us in all danger, not only of small squads, but of being cut off from them who were to be our support. This, however, did not stop our operations. For several days we were between Big and Little Sewell, and had several brisk skirmishes. We would leave the main road late at night, and cautiously wind our way through the mountains, and when day would break, if not at a desirable point, we would secret ourselves and lay concealed perhaps all day. If no Johnnies made their appearance, when dark came off we started, for this was our time to work. Before the 5th VA. Came up we had done much, but we had not been as fortunate as usual, for we had lost some of our brave boys. But that only fired our feelings. When our support came we left for Lewisburg, which was just to our hands. After considerable work and fighting, we cleared the way so that our little regiment could pass — little I mean, in numbers, for they were large in hearts as any regiment. We gained Meadow Bluffs, well known to Western troops as a harbor for guerrillas and rebs, and where the brave Gen. Crook often gave the rebs to know he was not their friend, while they were trying to break down a Government he loved so well. Here we halted for a short time, and went to work in earnest, for we found the country alive with lawless robbers, such as old Phil. And Bill Thurman, who had with them the 14th Va. Cavalry. The latter, however, were a source of comfort to us, for they had the name of “Greenbrier Swifts,” taken, perhaps, because they had the swiftest horses in all Dixie, and were willing to use
spurs, as their horses were swift, at the first sight of a “Yank.”
“You would hear from a dozen or more one or two shots, and then tails flying off, at the speed of an antelope, would be the next thing, to see no more of them until some high point was gained, and then they would about face and sit on their life preservers, looking like so many gray ticks, till you would come near enough to scare them by raising your piece, when off they would lope again, like wild hogs. But we wanted some good horses, and now was our time. We soon learned, while lying here, that they had noiedea of scouts. We taught them some things, however, but not till we made it cost them some fifteen to twenty of their best horses. How could that be? You may ask. I will explain how we “sucked in” the Johnnies. Part of our company would start out late in the night, and go directly back from our camp, go around a large scope of country, and get entirely in the rear of the rebs, and lay concealed. A small force would next start from camp, in front, and slowly advance and commence skirmishing and feel them gently, for a time, till they would conclude we were surely afraid or intended no harm; when our men who were in the rear, would know by our guns we had them ripe, they would come yelling, like demons, wild Yanks, surely, and bang, bang, it would go — now begins the fun! At this moment every man would put his spur to his horse, and with our Old Dick at the head, for so we called Blazer — he would shout, “Charge, Boys, give them fits!”
“Directly there would be Yanks all around them, and to the woods some of them would start, while others would surrender at first sight — some of them tearing off their hats in the brush, some being flung from their horses, and once in a while one would receive a shot from our unerring rifles, which would “compromise” with whoever it was. Then we would pick up the horses and off to camp, laughing over our fun. Coming into camp we would dismount, and examine who had the worst horse, change off for a better one; so all the time we were improving our company’s condition in the way of swift and suitable horses for our arduous labors. But after some two or three such “Yankee tricks,” the swift 14th reb Virginia cavalry left for a more healthy clime, and made their headquarters at Lewisburg. Licking being his place of rendezvous, we had to go down there, and mounting, we were off.
“Here let me say that Lieut. James Ewing, one of our officers, left with a detachment of men, and started for Weston, VA., with a dispatch, it then being a very dangerous route, which weakened our company some; besides, had lost some of our brave boys. Still with lucky Dick at our head, thought ourselves “bully” and not to be scared at trifles.
“As said, started fro old Phil., late in the evening, in a short time neared Little Meadows, thinking likely to find some signs of Thurman. After resting awhile, it being dark, mounted, and the Captain, as usual, took the lead — I call him Captain, for he had been promoted by this time — going into the enemy’s country, riding slowly, with not a word to break the silence. On we rode, each comrade holding his gun in hand, not knowing how soon we might need them, as all that country had in it more or less scouts of Thurman’s men; and so used every means to avoid a surprise. Late in the night came to a house where a lady lived, we knew to profess some Union sentiment, and there halted. Here we got some milk, and learned which way to go. Remounted, and as a little daylight came, found ourselves in the Licking neighborhood. Saw some signs of the enemy, and moved slowly on to the place we intended to take dinner. Coming up to a large brick house, posted a strong picket, fed our horses, and ate some dinner. Rested and started. Had not rode over a mile, when bang, bang, bang, sounded the guns from the brush, some fifty shots being fired. We knew what they meant, having heard the like before. As none of them could be seen being hid in the brush, off we dropped, and over a small creek, and up the bank, as the Old Nick had been up there, and so he was in human shape, but not to stay long, for they had made us mad. Several of our boys had their hats and coats cut by balls, getting our “Dander up” a little, for we did not allow a reb to insult us in any manner. Some gained the brush and bank from which they had fired, and gave them some “Yankee pills” wounding one, and off they scampered.
“Gave them hot chase for a short distance, but the brush being too thick to see the, returned and remounted, and going to a reb house, perhaps half a mile off, left our provisions, telling the lady reb to have us some supper cooked, hoping to show them another “Yankee trick,” and so it proved, as I’ll tell in the proper place. Then turning our course, left the neighborhood; and traveling in the direction of Little Meadows, seeing some citizens, made all inquiries, but they all being know-nothings, our breath might have been kept to “cool our broth.” Coming to a large house, about 10 o’clock, our advance was fired on, but luckily no one hurt. All of us rushed up, dismounted, and surrounded the house, but the lads being a little too quick dodged out, and it being very dark they
escaped, firing several shots at us at random, as they ran. This put our boys in pretty good tune for the milk-house and smoke-house, so they helped themselves, and feeding the horses cared not to count the ears very sparingly, for it took about forty bushels of corn. Rested in a short time, and heard the lying folks talk of their innocence.
“At a proper time started on to Little Meadows; then turned our course, and marched directly on our trail of the night before, near daylight finding us again down on Lick creek, close to the house where we had left the provisions. Searched every house when near the place, and turned out some of the good Johnnies. You may guess how they fared, as we refused to take any more of Thurman’s men prisoners, as they had shot some of our men. After making this settlement, we discovered the road blocked snugly close to the house our provisions had been left at, and to all appearances forces lying and watching for us. Dismounted, and leaving a few men to guard the horses, and cautiously crept into the woods, deployed and moved up, hoping to pay them for yesterday’s fun. Exactly so; as it proved, for we took better aim than they did. Crawling up, I espied them just in
time to get the first crack, so bang, bang, sounded our deadeners, myself being at the right of the company and the Captain on the left. I bawled out: “Here they are boys; shoot their hearts out; go for them; show no quarter!” It rang along the line, the Captain making his voice sound like home-made thunder: “Give it to them; don’t spare one; remember bushwhackers have no quarters.” After this nice little brush, we left some more to trouble no one.
“This closed our fun here. Thurman left for the other side of the Greenbrier River, leaving our scouts “bully” victors; so back to camp we marched, gay and happy, feeling ourselves able to “whip our weight in wildcats.”
But did not stop here; taking the advance next day, starting for Lewisburg. Supported by the 5th Va. Infantry. Not much to do, as Echols, the old coon, had left the day of our arrival, his signs being plenty of burning fragments of his dog-huts. The 5th halted at Bunger’s Mills, four miles north, for a week or more. We had fine times foraging. We went where it pleased us, although the 14th Va. Reb cavalry had been left to look after us. The roads being well cleared out, gave us some of the best sport in Christendom, for as I told you, we had captured twenty or more of the Swift’s horses, and could ride them as well as they, and every day had a race with them. After the Cloyd Mountain fight and the New River fight, about the 9th of May, and Crook’s army came to the Greenbrier river, he sent us a dispatch to forage in the vicinity of Lewisburg, and take everything. In two days had ten wagons loaded and sent to the army, and then the 5th VA. And our company left to join the main body at Meadow Bluff, once more, after an absence of seventeen or eighteen days, the army having had a long march and some desperate fighting. Worn out by loss of sleep all lay here and rested a short time, there being also a rest for us for a day or two. But it seemed, that summer, no rest was to be had long.
“Now comes the main “tug of war.” Looking for orders to march for several days, not having any idea in what direction, we did not know how nigh was one of the hardest marches ever any set of men endured. The time had come for all our skill and bravery to be tested. But our country lay bleeding before us, and we felt like offering our lives on its altar as a sacrifice if needs be. The time came, struck tents, the bugle sounded, and off for Staunton, through Lewisburg, and across the Greenbrier river. The scouts to the advance to clear anything that might be in the way. Had but little trouble on the first day, and went into camp near White Sulphur Springs — a well known watering place, a beautiful situation, and one of the largest hotels or boarding houses in Virginia, besides perhaps a hundred small houses for the use of visitors — all vacant at this time.
“Next morning started early, and the entire army soon got in motion. Had not gone far before fired into, being some distance ahead of the column. By mistake of some of Gen. Crook’s orderlies coming back, we dismounted, and started ahead, but soon found the rebs going at full speed, so ran back and remounted, then put the spurs to each side, and ran for about two miles. It seemed that our horses were the best, for our boys picked up several wounded Johnnies, and got three or four good horses. By an accident one of our own good and brave fellows got shot. It proved fatal. All that day we had a hard time of it. I’ll here mention the disgrace of Wm. Jackson and his brigade of cowardly rebs that our scouts left the command and drove our number or more over to Covington, on the Jackson river. Dismounting, we left our horses, and seeing the Johnnies thick over in town, we deployed, waded the river, and charged into the town on double-quick, putting the rebels to flight, drove them out of town about a mile, tll they drew up in a line of battle. We had only about eighty men, but fought them two hours, in a very thin skirmish line, although they were said to be a brigade! After using about fifty rounds of ammunition, and being out, we were bound to draw off, and passed through the town with some loss by capture. Citizens told us that Jackson reported as having a heavy fight with Gen. Crook, his own loss in killed and wounded being thirty. But if Jackson should ever see this, I, as one of the party, can tell him it was only Crook’s scouts. If his army had got hold of him not a grease spot would have been left of Jackson.”
William E. Jackson was referred to as “Mudwall” to distinguish him from “Stonewall..”
Blazer and his scouts was moved into the eastern theater where they participated in the Shenandoah and Lynchburg campaigns under the command of General George Crook who soon focused Blazer on the Partisan Rangers, particularly Mosby.