The Election in Cabell County.
April 7, 1863
Editors Intelligencer:
The vote cast in Cabell county on the 26th, and by adjournment, the 27th and 28th insts. was, for the "Amended Constitution" 106, and against it, none. These were civilians mainly. Our county has near 300 citizens in the Union army who has voted elsewhere, and as far as heard from, in favor of the Amended Constitution. The vote would have been much larger if there had been any assurance of present or future protection.
Lieut. Witcher with his company of cavalry had been at Barboursville during the three days previous to the election, but returned to Ceredo on the morning of the 26th, the day of the election. Maj. Phelps with two companies of the 5th Va. Infantry come to Guyandotte Wednesday night, but returned to Ceredo in an hour or two afterwards, and Judge Brown, who was to make us a speech on the morning of the election and open his court on Friday - returned to Ceredo with them. The reason assigned for this counter order was an expected attack on Ceredo, or some town on the Sandy river. Lieut. Cummins with 22 of Capt. Bagg's men, they having fortified the town hall in Guyandotte and given protection to our section for the last four months - were our only protectors on that day. A raid was expected, but the polls were opened and 87 votes were cast and the voters mostly returned home on that day. The residue were cast during the adjournments.
About 11 o'clock Friday morning Major Phelps and his two companies returned with Judge Brown, who opened the court and continued till Saturday afternoon when all left, the civil and military. It has since appeared that the rebel bands were on the way and intended to have prevented the election in Cabell, Wayne and other counties. We are thankful they did not succeed altogether, though the alarm diminished the number of votes considerably. We trust West Virginia has become a fixed fact.
Cabell.
March 31, 1863.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: April 1863