Early in the Civil War, western Virginia was the hot spot in the east. No matter the division already in place between old Virginia and the Virginia beyond the mountains, there was war. The many stories that relate West Virginian verses West Virginian during that war further cement the American Civil War as cruel, devastating and sometimes meaningless. Organized warfare gave way to guerrilla tactics or just plain murder as early as 1862. It might not be too much to say that old family rivalries were settled under the black cloak of war. Warfare by commissioned soldiers usually consisted of ambushes, small raids or robbery.
In March of 1864, Confederate cavalry of Col. John Imboden's command had spent some time in Barbour County trying to harass Federal wagon trains. On their way back to the South Branch valley, thirteen men robbed David Wheeler's store in the Holly Meadows. Wheeler's was a popular target of the Confederate cavalry. They were pursued up Shaver's Fork and Dry Fork by Capt. Nathaniel Lambert and his Union cavalry from Tucker County. Ten of the Confederates were over taken by 53 of Lambert's men at the Sinks of Gandy. The men were sleeping by a campfire at the time of the attack. One man, Oliver Triplett was killed instantly. Eight men ran into the thick woods and made good their escape in spite of some leaving there boots near the fire. Two men fell wounded and thought dead. Two men, fearing such a night ambush, spent the night about a half mile away. Hearing the gunfire, they escaped also. Another man, named Weese, spent the night at the home of a Mr. Teter. Weese was captured the next day at Teter's home. Teter was arrested also, but released when it was determined that he was not a soldier. Weese spent the rest of the war in Camp Chase Prison in Ohio. Anthony Triplett and Lorenzo Adams were the wounded men thought to be dead. While trying to remove their boots, the Union men discovered life in the two men. They were clubbed with gun stocks until they showed no more signs of life. After the Tucker cavalry left, Adams tried to walk, but fell into the fire. On top of his wounds, he was burned badly. The same Mr. Teter found the two men the next day and took them to his house. In spite of being burned, clubbed and shot 18 times, Adams recovered in time, as did Triplett. The men in either command were mostly Randolph-Tucker natives.
In March of 1864, Confederate cavalry of Col. John Imboden's command had spent some time in Barbour County trying to harass Federal wagon trains. On their way back to the South Branch valley, thirteen men robbed David Wheeler's store in the Holly Meadows. Wheeler's was a popular target of the Confederate cavalry. They were pursued up Shaver's Fork and Dry Fork by Capt. Nathaniel Lambert and his Union cavalry from Tucker County. Ten of the Confederates were over taken by 53 of Lambert's men at the Sinks of Gandy. The men were sleeping by a campfire at the time of the attack. One man, Oliver Triplett was killed instantly. Eight men ran into the thick woods and made good their escape in spite of some leaving there boots near the fire. Two men fell wounded and thought dead. Two men, fearing such a night ambush, spent the night about a half mile away. Hearing the gunfire, they escaped also. Another man, named Weese, spent the night at the home of a Mr. Teter. Weese was captured the next day at Teter's home. Teter was arrested also, but released when it was determined that he was not a soldier. Weese spent the rest of the war in Camp Chase Prison in Ohio. Anthony Triplett and Lorenzo Adams were the wounded men thought to be dead. While trying to remove their boots, the Union men discovered life in the two men. They were clubbed with gun stocks until they showed no more signs of life. After the Tucker cavalry left, Adams tried to walk, but fell into the fire. On top of his wounds, he was burned badly. The same Mr. Teter found the two men the next day and took them to his house. In spite of being burned, clubbed and shot 18 times, Adams recovered in time, as did Triplett. The men in either command were mostly Randolph-Tucker natives.
RSS Feed
