Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
July 2, 1863

We have received from Gen. Averill the following dispatch, by which it will be seen that the intended raid into the Tygart Valley, and from thence into the Mynongalia [sic] country, has been, for the time being at least, frustrated. The Jackson referred to is Bill Jackson, of Wood County, who no doubt is endeavoring to emulate the deeds and reputation of his distinguished kinsman, old "Stonewall:"

Beverly, July 4th.

By courier to Grafton 6th July.

Jackson with 1700 men and 2 pieces of artillery attacked Beverly on the 2nd, cutting off its communications and capturing some pickets. The enemy expected to make an easy prize of the garrison, which contained the 10th Va. Infantry, Captain Ewings Battery, and one company of Cavalry, under the command of Col. Harris of the 10th Va. who was directed by General Averill to hold the position. The 14th Pa Cavalry, the 3d and 8th Va. mounted infantry, were pushed forward to the relief of the post, but before their arrival the enemy had been repulsed with loss and are now being pursued.

The above mentioned attacking force of Jackson was the one from which General Kelley apprehended a descent on Phillippi [sic], Grafton, and other places in the interior, and against which he invoke aid from Gov. Tod of Ohio, as noticed in our paper a morning or two ago. We presume their base of operations is at Cheat Mountain Summit or possibly at Monterey. We understand that they are made up mainly of rebel refugees and especially of recent accessions from our interior. They are a recently organized force and, as yet, not very effective. Their first experience of a raid upon their old friends and neighbors is not such as to inspire them with a great deal of enthusiasm. Our mounted reinforcements ought to be able to run them down and scatter or destroy them.

We have received from Gen. Averill the following dispatch, by which it will be seen that the intended raid into the Tygart Valley, and from thence into the Mynongalia country, has been, for the time being at least, frustrated. The Jackson referred to is Bill Jackson, of Wood County, who no doubt is endeavoring to emulate the deeds and reputation of his distinguished kinsman, old "Stonewall:"

Beverly, July 4th.
By courier to Grafton 6th July.

Jackson with 1700 men and 2 pieces of artillery attacked Beverly on the 2nd, cutting off its communications and capturing some pickets. The enemy expected to make an easy prize of the garrison, which contained the 10th Va. Infantry, Captain Ewings Battery, and one company of Cavalry, under the command of Col. Harris of the 10th Va. who was directed by General Averill to hold the position. The 14th Pa. Cavalry, the 3d and 8th Va. mounted infantry, were pushed forward to the relief of the post, but before their arrival the enemy had been repulsed with loss and are now being pursued.

The above mentioned attacking force of Jackson was the one from which General Kelley apprehended a descent on Phillipi, Grafton, and other places in the interior, and against which he invoked aid from Gov. Tod of Ohio, as noticed in our paper a morning or two ago. We presume their base of operations is at Cheat Mountain Summit or possibly at Monterey. We understand that they are made up mainly of rebel refugees and especially of recent accessions from our interior. They are a recently organized force and, as yet, not very effective. Their first experience of a raid upon their old friends and neighbors is not such as to inspire them with a great deal of enthusiasm. Our mounted reinforcements ought to be able to run them down and scatter or destroy them.

The Beverly Affair. - We learn from M. McCullough, Esq., who has just arrived from Beverly, Va., that on Thursday, July 2d, a force of rebels under Gen. Wm. Jackson attacked our troops at Beverly. The 10th Va., under Col. Harris, had forty pickets captured and his regiment almost surrounded. The 14th Pa. Cavalry, Col. Schoonmaker, now in Gen. Averill's brigade, was ordered to make a forced march from Phillippi [sic]. They drove the enemy back to Elk Water, a distance of forty miles, kept up a running fight, destroyed two of the enemy's guns, and recaptured the pickets with important rebel mail matter. One man of Company C while carrying dispatches was shot dead on the spot.

Beverly, July 8, 1863.

Editors Intelligencer: You have no doubt heard ere this of Jackson's attack on Beverly, and of his being repulsed and driven back. I am now prepared to tell you something about what he expected and intended to do.

In the first place he expected confidently to take Beverly with great east. He gave it as his opinion to some citizens just before attacking the place that Col. Harris would not fight, and that he would have the place in an hour.

He had promised his hungry crew of ragamuffins that they should celebrate the Fourth in Beverly, and have a good dinner. He then intended joining a detachment of five hundred men that he had sent out via Wing's Flats and Middle Fork at Buckhannon from whence he expected to go pretty much where he pleased over West Va.

Some of his officers from Morgantown and Fairmont, or at least from the vicinity of those places, told the citizens about this neighborhood that they expected to be in those places within a week.

One young fellow was flattering himself that he was shortly going to see his sweetheart, a Miss Haymond in or near Fairmont. Poor fellow, I fear he has been sadly disappointed; perhaps the disappointment did not stop with him.

They are all making great threats against the people of West Virginia. In their polished vernacular they were going to give the bogus new State "a hell of a raking." You may form some idea of the state of destitution of the rebels beyond us, when I tell you that Jackson was followed by a long train of wagons belonging to citizens of Pocahontas, Highland, Bath, Augusta, and Pendleton, who were following his army to supply themselves with stores of food and clothing which they were simply going to capture from our loyal people.

The detachment which he had sent to Buckhannon was recalled when he found he could not pass Beverly, and the ambitious but cowardly Colonel who came forth boasting, has gone back disgraced, and the people of West Virginia have had a great deliverance.

Camp Tenth Va. Reg't,
Beverly, July 12, 1863.

Editors Intelligencer:

In looking over your issue of the 9th, I noticed an article in the local news headed "The Beverly Affair," in which great injustice is done to the Tenth. Your informant, Mr. McCullough, knew noting at all of the affair or else willingly misrepresented the facts. Col. Schoonmaker, of the 14th Pa. Cavalry did not arrive until the rebels had retreated, the two squadrons of his regiment being commanded by Major Thomas Gibson, who, by the way, is a perfect soldier and gentleman. None of his regiment were killed, and but three wounded. The cannon spoke of as being destroyed by the cavalry were silenced by Ewing's Battery, of the 1st Va. Artillery, before the 14th were called into action. Elkwater is but twenty, not forty miles from this place.

The true statement of the case is as follows:

On the 2d Bill Jackson attacked us with some 1700 men, first killing, wounding or capturing most of our cavalry pickets and patrols on the Huttonsville road. We immediately prepared to meet them. Major Wither and two companies advanced on the west, and Col. Harris, with five companies and Ewing's battery on the east side of the river. The train was left in charge of Capt. Gould's company, B, and was started on the Philippi road. About t miles and a half out the Captain found the road blockaded by Dunn's battalion, and taking a good position for defense, he immediately apprised Col. Harris of the fact. The train was ordered back, and at 2 p. m. Co. B rejoined the regiment. We were stationed on two low hills or knobs to the east of town, on the Philippi road. Our train was parked, and our stores and ammunition deposited in the gully immediately under our guns. Our forces consisted of eight companies of our regiment, Ewing's battery and the remnant (some thirty-eight men) of the 3d Ohio Independent Cavalry company, in all between 700 and 800 men.

"The position we had taken was naturally very strong and is so formed that the enemy could not, from any point in their possession, see much of our force except the Battery and its supports, of two companies of infantry." We now run up our flag and determined to hold our position at all hazards. Our telegraphic communication was cut about 1 o'clock P. M. About 4 o'clock P. M. the rebel cavalry advanced, at a charge, on the west side of the river, but Capt. Ewing bringing his guns to bear soon convinced them that riding into Beverly in the face of his battery was a dangerous piece of business - they seemed to think so too - for a shell bursting right in their midst, they came to a right about and, back they went as fast as their skin and bone horses could carry and in such confusion as to bring to mind the old adage, "every one for himself and the devil take the hindmost." "We lay on our arms all night the artillery throwing a shell every half hour." At dawn the Battery again forced some of the reb's to skedaddle; and at 8:30 A. M. Major Thomas Gibson arrived with two squadrons of the 14th Pa. cavalry. Col. Harris now took three companies of the 10th and the Battery, and advanced on the rebels. Capt. Ewing planted his guns within some 800 or 1,000 yards of the rebels and immediately opened upon them with all four pieces, in fifteen minutes he silenced their artillery, having dismounted both of their guns.

Capt. Kendall's company [K] while acting as skirmishers in the rear of the battery, fell in with a battallion [sic] of the Rebs and had warm work for a time. They stood to the work like veterans and too much praise cannot be bestowed on them, both officers and men, for the manner in which they stood up against such overwhelming numbers. At last they were forced to fall back, but so severely had they punished the enemy that they (the Rebs) had their hands full in taking care of their killed and wounded. During the fight Capt K. was separated from his company, but capturing a horse made towards it. The horse was shot from under him, but mounting another he succeeded in cutting his way through - without receiving a scratch. The cavalry were now called forward, and in about an hour our whole force returned. The Rebs now began to retreat, and by 4 P. M., were all on the road to Huttonsville, where they camped that night. At 1 A. M. of the 4th, the 3d and 8th Va. Mounted Infantry arrived, and were soon followed by Gen. Averill. At 8 A. M., the 14th Penna. Were sent forward and had some slight skirmishing near Huttonsville with the Rebs' rear guard. At 1 P. M. the 3rd, 8th, 10th and Ewing's Battery went forward - the Rebs were driven 1 miles beyond Huttonsville. July 5th, 10 A. M., our forces returned. Below is a list of the killed, wounded and missing______

___pany K. Privates - J. S. Towner, Co. K; Wm. Shiflett, Co. K.

Wounded - Serg't C. C. Meserve Co. K, severely in hip. Corporals - Lewis Rexroad, mortally, died July 3d. Privates - Uz Barnes, Co. K, slightly in thigh; John Ayres, Co. K, slightly in knee.

Missing - Capt. J. Gould, Co. B. Privates - Wib. Perry, Co. B; Thos. Browning, Co. D; Doc. Browning, Co. D; ___ Ransbottom, Co. D; Jos. Burhammer, Co. D; ___ Reesley, Co. F, returned.

Ewing's Battery.
Missing - 1 Serg't, 1 Corp. and 1 or 2 privates, names not known.

3d Independent Co. O. V. Cavalry Of Cincinnati.
Killed - Corp. H. Lenhering. Privates - H. Knoedlich, A. Miller.

Wounded - J. Shultz, severely in hip.

Missing - Corporals - John Bealer, John Bonschleyle, Henry Reed, Aug. Schneider. Privates - Geo. Berersdefer, John Baner, Fred. Daubenbis, Fred. Eichmiller, Jacob Fuchs, Henry Gras, Edward Gassman, Geo. Honney, Gehert Hasshoff, Thomas Irian, Aug. Knipper, B. Krebs, M. Klippstein, Chas. Meargraff, Rich'd W. Manley, Jacob Madder, Henry W. Mitchell, Frank Oelrich, Fred Reibelman, Fred. Stall, Jacob Schaub, Jas. Schaller, David Schmidt, Herman Whitebaker, Adam Rimmerman.

14th Penn. Cavalry.
Three men of companies A and C wounded, names not known.

The 14th, 3d and 8th left us on the morning of the 6th, since which time we have lived in peace. Col. Moore of the 28th O. V. I., now commands the forces at this post. I would advise Mr. McCullough to keep out of the way of the boys of the 10th, especially of company K, for their feelings toward him are none of the kindest.

Much obliged to N. N. H., of Buckhannon, for the good name he gave us, although he gave us credit for a little more than we did. Credit for what they do - nothing more or nothing else - is all that is asked by
The Tenth

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