Pocahontas County History Preservation, Digitization, Community

Concluding Comments

Let it be far from me to write anything captiously or peevishly about any policy deemed wisest and best by my brethren as earnest and conscientious as I can justly claim to be and possibly far more in practice than I have been, yet I must say that to me it has been something rather bitter that efforts made by an obscure member of our assembly to have a grievous evil palliated should be ignored as they have been. The censorship of the press, recommended by the Moderator of the Little Rock Assembly in 1873 was so effective that not even a hint appeared in the papers of that cities concerning the preamble and resolutions that had been presented. So far as I am advised there was not a syllable published in the religious papers, North or South, concerning the affair. With magnanimous courtesy, which I shall always appreciate, the Christian Observer, at Louisville, Ky,., one of whose Editors was present when the paper in question was presented, published a communication written soon after the adjournment of the Assembly, form which this extract is given:

May, 1873, Little Rock, Arkansas

By way of illustration I will mention one other well remembered incidence on record in my diary: At the fall meeting of the Lexington Presbytery in 1872, at the instance of Rev. S. R. Bowman, D.D., I was elected as one of the four commissioners to the General Assembly to meet at Little Rock, Arkansas, May 1873. The Assembly was opened one Thursday morning and on Saturday afternoon following, prompted by a seemingly irresistible sense of duty, I attempted to read a paper I had prepared with prayerful care, which was to this effect:

Whereas the General Assembly, North, has recognized our separate existence and has expressed an earnest desire to be on friendly relations with ours on principles of love, honor, and mutual respect, and to that end did appoint a committee of persons highly acceptable to us, and to remove all scruples on our part in regard to receiving and treating with said committee, emphatically reaffirmed a joint resolution previously adopted that no rule or precedent should be valid, but all null and void, unless reaffirmed by the united bodies;

Whereas, said committee was received and heard with marked courtesy, thus showing to the world that notwithstanding the position occupied by us as sole witnesses of the cross of Christ as witnesses for the crown rights of Jesus Christ as our King we virtually assented that scruples, barring the correspondence contemplated were removed;

Afterward

Thus closes my diary virtually, transcribed as written forty years ago under the circumstances indicated there in.

No doubt our discerning readers have perceived ere this that the writer was usually in the vanguard when the marching was retrogressive but, when it was otherwise, he was save, comparatively, in the rearward, during those weeks in May and June, 1861, which he spent with the "foremost ranks in danger's dark career." And should they surmise that I greatly preferred to be a living noncombatant to be a heroic slain or wounded combatant, they will not miss it very far.

June 20, 1861

How slowly, wearily and sadly these days came and went. If time ever moved on wings weighted with lead, it was about these days around Huttonsville and vicinity farther up toward Mingo. In the most feeling sense of the word, Tygarts Valley was now a vale of tears. Rumors were rife that the Unionists were gathering at Philippa and Buchannon in great force. In the meantime General Garnett came hastily over the eastern mountains with reinforcements and moved on toward Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain. Reorganization was the order of the day with the soldiers I had been identified with. I had some trouble finding my nice shotgun. It had drifted up to Mingo Flats and, when I found it, I turned homewards to McDowell by way of Marlin's Bottom. The citizens of lower Pocahontas had arranged to observe the 20th of June as a day of fasting and prayer, recommended by the Virginia authorities. In company with my venerated mother, Mrs. James Atlee Price, I attended two meetings, one in the forenoon at Buckeye, and the other in the afternoon at Hillsboro.

The services at Buckeye were led by the Rev. Joshua Buckley, assisted by Jonathan McNeill and Capt. William Cochran. It seemed to me that I had never seen people more devoutly humbled than the large audience that was present. The prayers had no spirit of revenge or complaint that twas perceptible. Nothing was solicited, but what God deemed just and right to grant. The Lord of Hosts was feelingly implored to lead our men in battle and to give success accordingly.

June 2, 1861

Sabbath morning, June 2, 1861.--Religious services were held on a lawn attached to a private residence. The speakers and leaders occupied the portico. the Rev. Mr. Hindman, a resident pastor of the M. E. Church, gave a timely, practical discourse on the blessings of faith. At the conclusion I was asked to lead in the closing services, which I improved as an opportunity for a somewhat extended exhortation in which I delivered a message to our boys sent them by their mothers, sisters, and devoted young friends from Highland County. The purport of the message was "to be good and brave," and avoid all temptations of the army camp, fight the god fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life. That afternoon two young ladies rode rapidly down from the bridge and were hailed in the street about opposite the Court House by parties that recognized them as acquaintances and it was learned in a few minutes that they were young ladies from Fairmont with a message for Col. Porterfield and the were shown to headquarters by their soldier acquaintances. The sudden arrival of these young ladies, the Misses Mollie Kerr and Mollie McLeod, was the sensation of the afternoon bringing, as it turned out, intelligence that the Union forces were quite strong at Grafton and that an attack was planned for Sunday night on the Virginia troops at Philippa or on the following morning at the fartherest.

May 30th, 1861

It was now Thursday, May 30th, 1861, and I remained over until Monday following, as the troops had gone into quarters and were preparing to make a stand unless threatened by overwhelming numbers. The time passes somewhat tediously on Friday and Saturday. There was nothing to be heard from Grafton. A squad of Capt. Loudermilk's cavalry reported themselves ambushed four miles from Philippa, and one of them wounded and left to be captured. Groups of soldiers were at drill, otherwise there seemed but little order pervading the camp.

Tuesday, May 28, 1861
Tuesday, May 28th, 1861.--It vexes me to find that my diary does not give the name of the good people with whom I was that morning, having received me as a stranger and treated me as a brother in Christ in the best in their power to bestow.
About the time it was clearly light a neighbor hurried in bringing the startling intelligence that the Union troops were looked for during the day, and the expectation that there would be a battle near Prunty Town some time real soon.

May 27, 1861

Grafton, May 27, 1861--This Monday morning I mainly spent in writing the first pages of this diary in the midst of much bustle and excitement. The lady with whom I had spent the night repeated over and over until it became a kind of refrain with her, that she believed the Virginia troops were all gentlemen and would not hurt her, still she believed it would be best to pack up a few of her most valuable things and be ready to move to the country at a moment's warning. She wished to know what I thought about it. In reply I told her it was one of those cases in which we could not be certain as to what would be the best to do. For subsequent events might show that moving was altogether unnecessary; then it might show also that it ought to have been done. To me it seemed that one thing was sure, that by moving one would be on the safe side. This advice I had occasion to repeat very frequently on the route from Huttonsville to Grafton.

May 26, 1861

May 26, 1861--I awoke not much refreshed by my night's experience of something like the actualities of a soldier's life. The morning hours passed away very uncomfortably. The soldiers appeared very restless. Many of them apprehended an attack by overwhelming forces at every arrival of the train. One nervously inclined soldier very seriously admonished his comrades that if any present had not made their peace, calling, and election, sure it was really time they were about it, for many would not leave that hole alive. Not long after this admonition another was heard singing with much feeling apparently:

May 25, 1861, Saturday, Philippa, Va.

Philippa, Va,. Saturday, May 25, 1861--Everything in Philippa bore a very animated aspect this morning. I call this town Philippa for Mr. Morrall says that is its proper name, as being named in honor off Philippa Carlyle, eldest daughter of the eminent lawyer, who began his career at this place and was grateful for the patronage and honor conferred on him by the people.

The two companies that received flags yesterday were preparing to go into camp at Grafton. In the meantime Capt. Stofer paraded the Pocahontas Rescuers in the Court House lawn, then marched them into the building and formed a hollow square within the bar.

The Captain was in a congenial mood and appeared at his best. Many a cup of good cheer had evidently been tendered him by patriotic hands. After all had been arranged to suit him, he made a happy address to the people of Phillippi, thanking them for the flattering attentions paid him and his company.

After recounting the wonderful exploits his devoted band were ready and willing to do and dare he fervently invoked an interest in the prayers and sympathies of the pure and spotless virgins, whose unsullied names must be protected, even if the crystal waters of the valley be made gory and crimson with their hearts' blood.

Upon a signal given, all arose to their feet in the presence of the ladies, and in response to their captain's sentiments solemnly pledged their lives in the defense of the fair ones present.