This NCGenWeb page is presented
as the result of work done by
Sharon Miller Williamson
All rights reserved © 1998 to present

Page 179

Blowing Rock also were fortified, traces of both fortifications being still visible. William P. Welch, now living at Deep Gap, recalls the fort and many incidents connected with the fortivication of that place. It was a palisaded fort enclosing about one acre and ditched around. The J. D. Councill house stands now on the site of his father's residence, destroyed by fire in the fall of 1878, which was used as a hospital for the wounded soldiers who fell in that skirmish.

Other Details.-- From the same source (p. 330) it is learned that when camped ten miles west of Jonesboro, Tenn., the train came up and "the First and Second Brigades drew all the rations the men could cry conveniently. On the 26th of March the command moved, cutting loose from all incumbrances in the way of trains. One wagon, ten ambulances and four guns with their caissons were the only wheeled vehicles that accompanied the expedition . . . On the 27th a portion of the command moved up the Watauga River, and after halting for a short time at the mouth of Roan Creek to feed, marched until 12: p. m., when we bivouacked on the eastern slope of the Iron Mountain until daylight, when the march was resumed. About 10:00 a. m. on the 28th, when approaching the town of Boone, it was learned that there was a meeting of the home guard in that town to take place on that day. Major Keogh, aide-de-camp to Major-General Stoneman, went forward with a detachment of the Twelfth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry and surprised and routed the rebels, killing nine(1) and capturing sixty-eitht. . . . At Boone the command separated, General Stoneman, with Palmer's Brigade (First), going by way of Deep Gap to Wilkesborough, whilst I, with Brown's Brigade (Second) and the artillery, moved toward the place by the Flat Gap road. . . . At 9:00 p. m. Brown's Brigade arrived at Patterson's factory, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, and found an ample supply of corn and bacon. I remained in rear to give my personal attention to the artillery, which did not arrive at the factory until 7:00 a. m. on the 29th. After feeding and resting, the march was resumed at 11:oo a. m., a guard having been left in charge of the forge and subsistence
__________
Note:(1) Only three men were killed, and five wounded.

Page 180

until the arrival of Colonel Miller, who had orders, after supplying his command, to destroy the remainder and burn the factory. The order was executed . . ."(1) According to General Stoneman's report (p. 324), his command was detained on the Yadkin River three days by a freshet, but the tithing depots along the route traversed by their various parties furnished them with supplies in the greatest abundance. "The number of horses and mules captured and taken along the road, I have no means of estimating. I can say, however, that we are much better mounted than when we left Knoxville. Have a surplus of led animals and sufficient besides to haul off all of our captures, mount a portion of the prisoners and about a thousand contrabands [negros], and this after crossing Stone Mountain once and the Blue Ridge three times and a march made by headquarters since the 20th of March of 500 miles and much more by portions of the command. The rapidity of our movements has in almost every instance caused our advanced guard to herald our approach and made the surprise complete."

A Real Home Guard.-- The men who met in Boone on the day Stoneman arrived were Confederate soldiers at home because of wounds or illness or on parole. They had met to form a real home gurad, not against the Federals, but against the robbers and marauders of both sides. Soon after the close of hostilities and Federal authorities at Salisbury authorized some of the Confederate soldiers who had been officers in the army to organize a home guard for Watauga County. Col. Joseph W. Todd, who then resided in this county, was made captain, and he soon restored order in and about Boone. He moved to Jefferson, where he bacame a practicing attorney. He was born September 3, 1834, at Jefferson, and died there January 28, 1909. He married Miss Sallie Waugh, of Shouns. For his ancestry, see sketch of Jos. W. Todd, his cousin.

Robbing Mrs. Jonathan Horton.-- While Kirk's men were stationed in Boone, about the first part of April, 1865, John
__________
Note: (1) Clem Osborne, of North Fork, was at the factory for the purpose of buying thread. He was chased to the top of the factory, and when about to be killed, gave a Masonic sign, which saved his life. Some time afterwards when apparently "tipsy" he was urged to tell what sign he had given and what words he had used. He gave a sign, and mumbled certain words indistinctly, but which turned out to be "Calf rope." He wasn't nearly so drunk as he pretended to be.

Page 181

Ford, William Thomas Benson and John Roland were said to have been concerned in the robbery of Mrs. Jonathan Horton, on Shearer's Hill, near Three Forks Church, and taking from her clothing a purse containing some jewelry. She was made to dismount and give up her horse, but as she got down she gave the horse a lick with her riding switch and he ran away home, thus escaping capture. Later on Ford and some of his companions stopped at the home of Ransom Hayes, at what is now known as the Green Brick House, and one of Hayes' daughters, now Mrs. W. L. Bryan, noticed that he was wearing on the lapel of his coat a gold brooch, containing a miniature of Mrs. Horton's husband, Col. Jonathan Horton. She asked him what he was doing with it, and he said he had no use for it, and gave it to her and requested that she return it to Mrs. Horton, which was done. In the "Worth Correspondence" (Vol. II, p. 267), Colonel Carr, of the commission to investigate oppressions of Union people, claims that Benson, who, with two others, was indicted for highway robbery from the person of Mrs. Horton, was of the Union army and had been ordered to impress horses, to which Solicitor Bynum replied that the evidence before him showed that if Benson "ever had belonged to the Union army he had deserted, and the robbery was under no authority, but for his own private gain and done under circumstances of wanton outrage and cruelty." It cannot be determined from the source records that the facts were as to the indictment, but several old men yet living were at the trial of John Ford at least, and remember that Judge Buxton, who presided, held that the evidence showed that the robbery had been committed before Lee's surrender and was not indictable under Andrew Johnson's proclamation of amnesty. It is not at all certain that John Roland was even charged with that offense, and it is well established now, from the general opinion of his neighbors near Cook's Gap, that Benson had nothing to do with the robbery, even if he was indicted for it. The facts about Benson are said to be about as follows: William Thomas Floyd Benson was a member of a regiment in the Confederate army and lived near Wilmington, N. C. He, with several others, deserted and got to Buck's Ridge,

Page 182

near where Jordan Hampton's residence now stands. Here they camped and rested a week, buying a heifer of William Cook and paying for other rations they consumed while there. They then went to Carter County, Tennessee, where Benson enlisted in Stoneman's command as William Thomas Floyd, enlisting at Jonesboro. He now draws a pension in that name. When some of his relatives some years ago came from Wilmington to Blowing Rock and enquired for Thomas Benson, they were directed to go to Cook's Gap, where they identified him as their kinsman. He is said also to have drawn his share of his father's estate some years ago. His character is good.

"Peace, Peace, When There Was No Peace."-- The great Civil War was over at last, and the harassed and impoverished people of Watauga County hoped for a cessation of hostilities and the burial of all animosities, feuds and misunderstandings. Most men and women "took heart of hope" and began all over again. Ploughshare and reaping-hook took the place of sword and rifle. But others were completely discouraged and inclined to move away and seek homes elsewhere. Among these was Jordan Councill, the second, who had been the foremost and only merchant in this section from about 1820 till Boone was formed into the county seat. He decided to sell out before the United States government confiscated all he had. Squire Daniel B. Dougherty, however, took a more hopeful view of the future. Councill offered to sell out to Dougherty for half the value of his land, and Dougherty, who is said to have had little or no money, agreed to buy. Accordingly, on the first day of August, 1865, Jordan Councill Gave D. B. Dougherty his bond for title to all his land and property in and around Boone when Dougherty should pay him $3,000.00 cash. (Deed Book M, p. 248.) Councill moved away, but returned and recovered all the property Dougherty had not sold, the proceeds of that which had been sold having been applied on the bond. But that hd not been all. In the May and June following Appomattox, a sort of guerilla warfare had been going on "below the Ridge." and the returned Confederate soldiers at the request of the Federal authorities formed themselves into a Home Guard for the protection of

Page 183

such little personal property as had escaped the robbers during the war, for the country was for months infested with all sorts of roving characters, returning soldiers, adventures and desperadoes of all kinds. Henry Henly, who lived just below Blowing Rock, was killed at the capture of Fort Hamby, and anarchy seemed to have "come down on us like night."

Fort Hamby.-- Even after the surrender the trouble continued. "Several worthless characters deserted Stoneman's command along this march and formed with native bushwhackers bands under the leadership of two desperate men, Wade and Simmons. Wade's party located in a log house on a high hill half a mile north of Holman's Ford of the Yadkin River, in Wilkes County. Being heavily armed with army rifles and pistols, they made daily raids into the surrounding country, robbing, plundering and terrorizing the citizens, taking everything they could find to eat, as well as horsed, etc. Their practice was to ride up to a house, dismount and enter, pointing loaded guns at any persons occupying the house, threatening to shoot if they opened their mouths, while others were searching closets, trunks, drawers, etc., taking what suited them. The people for miles and miles in the country surrounding lived in constant dread of them, as they seemed filled with a spirit of hatred and revenge, treating all persons not in sympathy with them with the greatest cruelty. The house they used was finely located for offensive as well as defensive operations. On a high hill, facing the Yadkin River on the south and front, and Lewis' Fork on the west, their guns could sweep the country for a half a mile each way up and down the river. The house was two stories, with portholes cut in the upper story. It was formerly occupied by a family named Hamby, and after being fortified was known as Fort Hamby. The robbers, numbering probably twenty-five or thirty, made several raids into Caldwell and Alexander Counties . . .insulting in the grossest manner the women and children . . . Major Harvey Bingham, with a small home guard, followed the raiders out of Caldwell County on May 6th (1865) . . . surprising the defenders in the fort at night. . . . The men begged for their live, and no arms being in sight, Major Bingham

Page 184

gave them time to dress. The prisoners . . . rushed for their guns and fired on the attacking party, killing two, Robert Clark, son of General Clark, and Henry Henly . . . the others . . . made their escape, leaving the dead bodies on the ground. The next week they raided the home of Rev. J. R. Green in Alexander County. But his son was home from the army and fired on the robbers, driving them off. Col. Washington Sharp, of Iredell County, gathered about twenty men, pursued . . . and rushed up to within a few yards of the fort, when Wade's men opened fire and killed two, Mr. James Linney, brother of Hon. R. Z. Linney, and Mr. Jones Brown . . . the others made a hasty retreat, leaving the two dead bodies. Colonel Sharp then collected a squad of about twenty returned soldiers, and sent a message to Caldwell County for help . . . Among those who went were A. S. Kent, T. L. Norwood, Jas. W. Norwood, George H. Dula, Robert B. Dula, and S. F. Harper. They collected others along the way . . . and waited a Holman's Ford for the Alexander company about May 18th. The robbers had killed a woman at the ford the day before. The fort was surrounded, and at nightfall a kitchen near the fort was set on fire and from it the fort itself caught. Sharp was in command. The besieged asked what would be done with them if they surrendered, and were told that they would be killed. They came out, with Wade in front holding up his hands as though he intended to surrender, but kept running and escaped. His comrades, four men, then surrendered and were tied to takes and shop, after the Rev. W. R. Gwaltney had prayed for them. This ended the marauding and robbing in that section. Henry Hamby was from Watauga County. The above was condensed from "The Capture of Fort Hamby," by S. Finley Harper (p. 45): "Reminincenses of Caldwell County, North Carolina, in the Great War of 1861-65," by G. W. F. Harper.

Blalock's Threat.-- When Keith Blalock was told that John B. Boyd had arrested Austin Coffey and that Coffey was dead, he swore he would kill Boyd if it took forty years after the war to do so. It did not take nearly so long, for on the evening of February 8, 1866, when Boyd and William T. Blair were going

Page 185

from a house on which they had been at work they met Blalock and Thomas Wright in a narrow path at the head of the Globe. Blalock asked, "Is that you, Boyd?" and Boyd answered, "Yes," at the same time striking Blalock with a cane, the blow being aimed at his head. Blalock caught the blow on his left wrist, ran backwards a few steps and shop Boyd dean with a seven-shooting Sharp's rifle. Keith made Blair turn Boyd's body over, and finding that all life was extince, turned and left the scene, stopping at Noah White's house to tell him what had been done. Blalock was examined before the Provost Marshal at Morganton, and he sent the case to Judge Mitchell at Statesville, but Governor Holden pardoned him before trial.(1)

Post Bellum Echoes.-- From "Correspondence of Jonathan Worth," published by Edwards & Broughton Printing Co., Raleigh, 1909 (Vol. II, p. 725, etc.), we learn that Major Frank Walcott, one of the military commissioners sent to investigate alleged persecutions of Union men in Watauga County, wrote that "Union Men were pursued with malicious persecutions;" that Austin Coffey was murdered by the Home Guard and that no steps were taken to prosecute his slayers, and that "a clearer case of self defense than Blalock's killing of John Boyd could not be made out." To these charges W. P. Bynum answered that Blalock had killed Boyd since the war, but not in the discharge of any military duty or order, and that the grand jury found true bills against all implicated in the killing of Austin Coffey, and that the case would be tried at the fall term of the Superior Court of Watauga County. The destruction of the records by fire in March, 1873, precludes any record evidence from that source, but tradition says that the solicitor failed to make out a case and the men were acquitted.
__________
Note: (1) John Boyd was born in Caldwell County. Blalock was born June 21, 1836, and died near Montezuma, N. C., August 11, 1913, the result of an accident on a hand-car.