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Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
April 4, 1863


Wheeling Intelligencer
April 6, 1863

Rebel Prisoners from Point Pleasant - More Particulars of the raid of Jenkins. - Thirteen rebel prisoners, captured at Point Pleasant during the late revel raid upon that town, were brought up to the city on Saturday morning and committed to the Athenaeum, where they still remain. Their names are as follows: First Lieutenant Alex H. Samuels, C.W. Timms, George W. Holderby, Jacob T. Black, Henry A. Newman, Thaddeus Thompson, John A. Bousman, John Harvey, DeKalb Hughes, Wm. H. Davis, Washington Lake, Jacob Shock and Henry Goldfish.

These men were captured on the retreat of the Rebels from Point Pleasant. From a gentleman who was a witness of the late raid we have the following and additional particulars: The rebels before leaving the town supplied themselves abundantly with clothing and hats and shoes from the stores of Union men, and retiring a short distance, took off their old clothes and put on the new. The most brutal act of which the revels were guilty was the killing of Major Waggoner, an old citizen in the eighty-second year of his age. Major Waggoner, who lives within a short distance of Point Pleasant, heard of the approach of the rebels and got upon his horse and came to town. As he was returning he met a squad of Rebels upon the road, one of whom caught his horse by the head. Major Waggoner at once drew his cane and struck at the fellow when the rebel drew up his carbine and shot the old man dead.

Some persons say that the rebels were commanded by Lieut. Samuels, but others assert that Jenkins was there in person and conducted the raid. The rebels accomplished nothing but the destruction of a comparatively small amount of government and private property, and the capture of a few citizens, most of whom were released. The raid was a most decided failure. The design was to capture the steamers Victor and Gen. Meigs, but in this they failed and their success in Point Pleasant was not much better. There are few good horses in the country through which they passed and very little forage of any description.

When the rebels entered Point Pleasant many citizens crossed the river in skiffs, when showers of bullets were sent after them, but strange to say not a single person was struck with a bullet.


Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: April 1863

West Virginia Archives and History