Guerrilla Raids in Western Virginia.
July 21, 1862
The Wheeling (Va.) Intelligencer says, the Confederate guerrillas are daily increasing in force in the counties bordering on the Ohio river, and "most vigorous measures" are necessary to put them down. It says:
Last Sunday week, a lot of groceries, belonging to a Dr. Chapman, of Spencer, Roane county, whilst on its way to Ravenswood, was captured by Hugh Kiger, Noah Tanner, and Andy Dusky, three notorious Rangers. Colonel Frost, upon ascertaining the fact, sent out a squad of Captain Rowan's cavalry from Ravenswood, under command of Lieut. Dawson, with orders to burn the houses of the three men named. The order was promptly executed. On Thursday of last week, Col. Frost received information of other outrages committed by the Rangers, and again sent out a squad. The squad was fired upon by a force of at least sixty Rangers, and one of the cavalrymen (Charles McCoy, of this city,) was shot and mortally wounded; whilst another, Corporal Lawson, was wounded by his horse when the attack was made.
The cavalry found a large quantity of bread baked at the house of Henry Shepperd, a violent Secessionist and a Ranger, whose house they burned. The house of Abel V. Tyce, whose son is a Ranger, was also burned, the owner having acknowledged that he had fed the Rangers and would do it again. After the return of the squad, Col. Frost, at the head of Rowan's cavalry and a body of infantry, started from Ravenswood on the double-quick, towards the scene of the engagement, but the enemy had gone. The country, however, was thoroughly scouted. The houses of Joseph Smith and M. J. Kester, both violent Secessionists, were burned to the ground, and George Downes, Wm. Harris, Seth Rogers, Newton Radcliffe, and James W. Morgan, all noted Rangers, were captured.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: July 1862