Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
December 8, 1864
The Electoral College. - The Lincoln and Johnson Electors of West Virginia met yesterday in the Governor's office and cast an unanimous vote for "Abe and Andy," the loyal people's choice. All the electors were present, viz. Wm. K. Stevenson and Ellery R. Hall, at large, and John H. Atkinson, of the 1st, E. C. Bunker 2d, and R. H. Brown of the 3d district.
Messrs. Hall and Bunker were detained at Fairmont, by irregularities of the trains, and did not get in till late last evening. The other gentlemen waited for them, had everything ready, and they had night session, in which wit, mirth and business were pleasantly intermingled. When it came to designating a messenger to carry the vote to Washington, affairs became quite animated. All were candidates except Mr. Brown. The matter was decided by lot and it devolved on Mr. Hall who proposes to go in a few days. It is required that the vote shall be delivered to the President of the Senate before the first Wednesday in January, under penalty of $1,000 to the messenger.
The law required the electors to meet at ten o'clock in the morning, and the three present did meet but they at once resolved to wait before filling the vacancies till evening for the others, knowing that the detained trains might be expected at any hour. But our friends, Bunker and Hall, waiting for a train at Fairmount didn't know this, and were on the tenterhooks of suspense. They would have telegraphed, but the operator told them the line was occupied by military business exclusively and he refused to send even the shortest message for love or money except on military business. This being the state of the case. Mr. Bunker, who is a brigadier general of militia, immediately discovered that he had some urgent business about certain guns with Quartermaster General Brown over here, and he at once sent the following message, unquestioned by the operator:
"To George W. Brown, Q. M. General, Wheeling:
"Hall and I will answer you inquiry in regard to guns to day in person; tell the electors to wait for us.
"E. C. Bunker,
"Brig. Gen. 3d Brig. W. V. M."
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: December 1864