♦. THE GREAT DANGER OF THE CONFEDERACY. BY F. H. ALFRIEND, 39 10. CHRISTMAS NIGHT OF '62. (BY W. GORDON MCCAM, 11. A CLASSICAL RECREATION. BY SAMUEL B. DAVIES, 19. LINES ON THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE. BY HORVAT, Military Matters-The Political World-Jewish Origin of the House that Jack Built A Fable-Legal Document-Yankees, Hyenas-Maryland, Lost Maryland-Our Private Soldiers-Answer to a Poem Bewailing the Cold- ness of a Lady-Love-Amendments to the Constitution-Yankee War Song-Evidences of Approval-Dr. Johnson and the Ladies-Knife and 55-63 A Strange Story-Statutes at Large of the Confederate States of America-Ar- NOV 13 1902 LIERARY THE LITERARY MESSENGER. A Magazine Devoted to Literature, Science and Art. Nor was this all. Under the pretence that Pierpont, and his associate traitors, represented Virginia, the Lincoln government paid over to them the sum of fortyeight thousand dollars, being funds arising from the sale of public lands, which the Federal Government had received, and which Virginia had persistently refused to accept, because she regarded the act of Congress, distributing this fund among the States, as unconstitutional and tending to public corruption. Such was the auspi cious opening of the new government! One of the first acts of the pretended government was characteristic of a band of knaves, and established, beyond question, their sympathetic alliance with the Washington cabinet. Pierpont's treasury was empty, and his subjects showed no readiness to open their purses. Carlile But however infamous might be their made a piteous appeal to New York for a origin and proceedings, these men, unhapcharitable contribution to pay at least the pily, possessed the power, to do great harm tavern bills of the members of the Conven- to Virginia. They had a sufficient number tion. But the response was slow and scan- of adherents to neutralize the loyal men, ty; money would not come by fair means, and to threaten with invasion the parts of and as money was indispensable, they re- the State bordering on the Alleghany Range solved to steal it. In the Branch Exchange and lying along the route of the Baltimore Bank of Virginia, in Weston, Lewis Coun- and Ohio Rail Road. The military auty, the sum of twenty-seven thousand dol-thorities, in Washington, hastened to seize lars had been deposited by the State au- this advantage. It was determined that thorities, to the credit of the Western Lu- a strong column should move from Ohio and natic Asylum, to be used for the benefit of Western Pennsylvania, and gathering such that noble public charity, Governor Pier-reinforcements as could be obtained in the pont, after obtaining the ready aid of the disaffected region, should penetrate Virgifederal General McClellan, at Grafton, seut nia, take possession of her county seats, a regiment who, on Monday, the 24th of drive off the loyal population or corrupt June, at 5 o'clock in the morning, entered them to Northern allegiance, divert her re the quiet town with a band discoursing the sources from the Confederate cause, and, •Star Spangled Banner, and robbed the Bank if possible, take Harpers' Ferry, in the rear, of this money in gold. a It was carried to and capture the army there; overrun the Wheeling, and instead of filling its holy lovely valley between the Alleghany and mission of relieving the saddest of human Blue Ridge, pierce even to Staunton, and woes, it was expended in the salaries of aid in the contemplated advance upon usurpers, and in raising troops to shed the Richmond. a blood of Southerners! a Wheeling Intel. Whig, July 11th. XXX a Plans in N. Y. Times. Dispatch, May 18th. itary advisers, were full of anxiety. They selected Col. George A. Porterfield, who had graduated with credit at the Virginia Military Academy, and had served in the Mexican war. His instructions were to proceed with a small body of volunteers to Grafton, in Taylor County, where the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road crosses the Monongahela, to recruit other volunteers as fast as possible, to seek to encourage the loyal and win the disaffected, to negotiate with the Rail Road authorities, and to oppose, as far as possible, the armed progress of the enemy. To lead the Western army, Ohio desig-| North-West, Governor Letcher and his milnated an officer, who was soon adopted by the Federal Government. He has filled so considerable a space in the public view, that he must receive a special notice. George B. McClellan, was a native of Pennsylvania; he was appointed a cadet in the military academy at West Point, and graduated with distinction in the class of 1838, at the same time with Thomas J. Jackson, and others, since well known; he took part in the Mexican war, and received the usual brevets for gallant services; his science and mental habits pointed him out as a fit commandant of the Corps of Sappers and Miners, to which post he was soon On the 25th of May, while Porterfield, promoted. a During the great Anglo- with about one hundred men, was holding French-Russian war, he visited the Crimea Fetterman, a small town on the Rail Road, and studied, by observation, the art of for- three miles West of Grafton, he was joined tification and attack. After his return, he [by Lt. Col. J. M. Heck, who, though residing resigned his commission and engaged in almost immediately on the Pennsylvania civil pursuits. When the war opened, he border, had just received a commission was President of the Ohio and Mississippi because of his known loyalty to the South, Rail Road, enjoying a salary of some thousand his military aptitude. Col. Heck was ands per annum. When the Governor of sent to Richmond, with an urgent report Ohio offered him a commission as Major from Porterfield to Gen. Lee, asking reinGeneral of volunteers, he accepted it upon forcements. He arrived on the 28th. Gen. the condition that his salary as President of Lee expressed his wish to send the needed the Rail Road should be continued. This fact troops, but stated that by reason of the sufficiently indicated that his motives were pressure of the enemy in force, at Alexannot such as flowed from excessive zeal for dria and other points, all he could do was the Northern cause. It has, moreover, to send a supply of arms, and authorize a often been asserted, in the public prints, regiment to be raised in the valley and and never denied in his behalf, that at the mountain counties. On the 26th, Col. Pordawn of hostilities, he declared to a promi- terfield, with his small force, undisciplined nent citizen of the South, his sympathy and half armed, took possession of Grafwith her cause, and his desire to enlist in ton. her military service. b Stronger induce- In his correspondence with the Rail ments turned him to Lincoln's side, but Road officials, they assured him in most these truths remain, and, with other facts earnest terms of their entire devotion to in his military history, prove him to have Southern interests, and especially to Virbeen a man wanting in high and honest ginia, yet at this very time they were transprinciple. He was about thirty-seven porting federal troops for her invasion and years old, compactly built, but somewhat were preparing to precipitate an overunder the average height, with dark hair, whelming force of her enemies upon her broad. forehead, firm and well shaped weakest frontier! a On the 25th, Govermouth and chin, large nose, and expres-nor Letelier wrote to him that when estabsive eyes. His manners were affable and lished in Grafton, he should move by night engaging; he was capable of great and with proper force to Wheeling, seize the skilfully applied intellectual labor. arms which Cameron, the Federal Secre To meet the coming dangers in the tary of War, had sent thither to be used a Record of West Point Graduates. 6 Dispatch, Sept. 19th, 1861. a MS. narrative from Capt. Bolivar Chris tian by the traitors, and recover some State proach cautiously in front, and wait till arms which had been seized by malcon- Kelly got in the rear of Philippa. The tents at Kingwood. He was also instruc-plan was well laid, and would, doubtless, ted to break the telegraphic communica-have annihilated the small Southern force, tion between Wheeling and Washington, but for a noble exercise of female patriotand by all the means in his power to stop ism. the advance of the invaders from Ohio, for On Saturday night, the 1st of June, two which purpose he might destroy the Rail brave girls, Abbie Kerr and Mary McLeod, Road bridges. Col. Porterfield, on the of Fairmount, Marion County, heard of the 26th, ordered his subordinate, Lieut. Col, intended attack; at 6 o'clock on Sunday Willey, to destroy the bridges as far West morning, they mounted their horses, and as possible. a Several bridges were burn-bearing a written message from a friend of ed, but the interruption was not sufficient, the South, to authenticate their mission, materially to impede the enemy. they started for Philippa, thirty miles dis Col. Porterfield's position was one of tant. On the route, their appearance and great difficulty; recruits rallied slowly to movements aroused the suspicions of a his camp; men of Southern sympathies tory blacksmith, who hastened before them were yet uncertain whether they ought to to the village of Webster, where they were take up arms; the disaffected were nume-stopped by Union men. With singular rous and dangerous. Learning that a hea-address and self possession, they answered vy advance guard of McClellan's army all enquiries, and having previously taken had reached Wheeling, he deemed it pru- care to destroy the written message, they dent to fall back to Philippa, b the county offered to submit to a search if properly seat of Barbour, about twenty eight miles conducted, They were allowed to proceed, from Grafton. Here his force was ascer and with hearts beating with joy, they tained to number not more than seven made their way to Philippa, arriving at hundred effective men, of whom about one two o'clock. Here they informed Col. Porhundred and eighty were cavalry from Au- terfield of the enemy's approach. a No gusta, Rockbridge and Bath. He had four time was to be lost; a retreat was the only hundred and forty extra muskets, packed mode of saving his troops and muritions. in cases, which were to be distr.buted to He prepared for it by impressing wagons recruits as they came in; but he had no ar- and horses, and calling in most of his sentillery, and very meager means of trans tinels and pickets. But, unhappily, from portation. causes not satisfactorily explained, but supDiscovering, through spies, that Porter-posed to be connected with the state of the field had no cannon, the enemy determined to attack him. Four regiments were sent Sunday evening and night, a heavy rain from Wheeling, numbering more than three fell; darkness, storm and mud impeded thousand men. Col. Lander commanded the enemy's march. Lander's corps marchthe Ohio 14th, and Indiana 9th, with two ed twelve miles, and arrived at Tygart's field pieces; Col. Kelly, a traitor of Wheel- valley river, on the hill above Porterfield's ing, had a regiment of tories, almost en- camp, before daybreak of Monday the 3d. tirely men of Northern birth, though re- Kelly's troops were compelled to march cruited in Virginia, and parts of the Ohio twenty-two miles, and did not arrive in 16th, and Indiana 7th. Lander was to ap-time, nor did they succeed in getting in the rear of Philippa. Four o'clock was the hour appointed for the combined attack. a Letters of Gov. Letcher and Col. Por-Finding that Kelly was delayed, Lander terfield. Wheeling Intelligencer, in Whig, waited no longer, but planting his two field b Usually, but incorrectly called "Phil-pieces, opened a fire of grape and solid lippi." In the Barbour family, from which shot, which swept directly through the the county is named, Philippa is the title of several female members. The reduced State map of Virginia, by Herman Boye, gives the correct name. June 13th. weather, the movement was delayed. a Staunton Spectator, in Dispatch, June 21st. Southern camp. Notwithstanding the faith homes, they came to Staunton, and thence ful warning of the day before, they were to Richmond whither their fame had altaken by surprise and commenced their re-ready preceded them. a But their treat in disorder. Kelly's force arrived, Col. Porterfield's conduct was examined and now emboldened by the hope of easy by a court of enquiry, who censured his victory, the enemy rushed upon the retreat- delay in retreating, as well as the negli ing Virginians. But they were met with gence of his infantry pickets, but bore tes a brave, though irregular resistance from a timony to his personal courage and selfpart of the pursued, in which each man possession. b The misfortune at Philippa, fought for himself. Kelly was shot down attended as it was by a surprise, a disor on the bridge crossing the river, by Archy dered retreat, and the loss of arms and McClintock of the Bath Cavalry; the wound stores, which were then specially valuable, was thought to be mortal, and his fall produced disappointment and some degreatly discouraged his followers. The pression among Southerners. pursuit was abandoned, and the Southern- spirits were soon raised. ers made good their retreat to Beverly, in After General Butler took command, at Randolph county. They had three wound- Fortress Monroe, and New Ports News ed, privates Hanger and Dangerfield, each and the village of Hampton were occupied of whom lost a leg, and Mr. Hogshead, who by the federals, they began a series of outwas shot in the arm. They also lost the rages, which constituted a part of that long unpacked muskets, and most of their stores and broad current of atrocious vandalism and camp equipage. The enemy's loss and cruelty, that has forever disgraced the was chiefly from their own irregular fire, North in the eyes of civilization, and and was at least twenty-five killed and which one of her own Abolition editors sixty wounded, though it was carefully acknowledged were sufficient to alienate concealed in their published accounts, and the South. These villainies bad comwas ascertained only by the private ad-menced in Alexandria; stores were broken missions of their men to the neighbour-into and rifled; the Depot of the Orange hood people. a and Alexandria rail road was seized, its After the fight was over, the fearless papers were torn up, and its iron safe was girls who had ventured so much for their forced open and robbed; an instance of country, wishing to know whether any female violation occurred, so shocking that Southerners were wounded or captured, the facts were suppressed by the military disguised themselves and with buckets of authorities. d It might have been predictsoap, as if for sale, penetrated the enemy's camp even to head quarters. Here they learned that Mr. Withers, a member of the Rockbridge cavalry, was a prisoner, up stairs. Being unsuspected, they watched a favorable opportunity and went up; one of them quietly entered the room, cut the cords with which he was bound, and furnishing him with an old hat and coat, they succeeded in getting him to a horse, and the three escaped safely to Col. Porterfield's lines. When the enemy learned of their deeds, the infamous Kelly offered a reward of a thousand dollars for their capture, and, it being unsafe to return to their ed that Butler's rule would encourage such outrages, and accordingly within three weeks after his arrival, the farm of Mr. Wm. Smith, near Hampton, was entered, his fine wheat fields wantonly destroyed; his cows, hogs and poultry shot, and his bacon, prepared for his family, all stolen. Similar devastation was committed on the farms of Mr. West, Jefferson Sinclair, Wm. Lee and of many other persons; at Mr. West's his two grown daughters were seized and violently carried to the fort; at a Justice, in Dispatch, June 21st. b Finding of court, consisting of Cols. Taliaferro, and Pegram, and Capt. DeLagnel. Dispatch, July 10. Whig, July 12. c Henry J. Raymond of the N. Y. Times, Letter dated 4th July, 1861. d Dispatch, May 29th. |