Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
November 28, 1864

The Late Disaster At New Creek. The history of the late disaster to our arms at New Creek station, as far as we have been able to learn, is about as follows: On Saturday last, a small force under Major Fleming and another small force under Major Potts were sent out from New Creek, with instructions to attack the town of Moorefield, where only a small gang of McNeil?s rebels were supposed to be stationed. Major Potts met with no opposition on the south side of the town, but Major Fleming was attacked by a large force of rebels and twenty of his men were killed, wounded and captured, Major Fleming himself being among the latter. This force retreated upon New Creek reaching the station on Sunday, and giving the alarm. No particular preparations appear to have been made for an attack and no alarm appears to have been occasioned at New Creek by the return of a portion of Major Flemming?s defeated command. On Monday morning the rebels came slowly down upon New Creek, the advance being attired in our uniform. Supposing the approaching force to be the returning command of Major Potts, our men allowed the rebels to come within thirty yards of the fortifications when they (the rebs) set up a horrible yell and charged down with great fury upon the fort. Our men were completely panic stricken and abandoned the fort without firing a gun. In face the whole command was completely demoralized, and it was in vain that some of the officers attempted to rally the confused squads.

The rebels, about one thousand in number, now had everything their own way. They burned the commissary stores and other government and private property, and captured about two hundred and fifty citizens and soldiers, including the greater portion of Holmes? battery, some of whom have since made their escape. They also captured about two hundred and fifty cattle, eight hundred horses, three thousand pair of pantaloons, as many shirts and some other government clothing and property. The rebels were particularly cruel towards the negroes found at the station. One negro was shot dead and many others were fired upon. A lot of shells deposited among the commissary stores exploded while the building was being consumed by fire, adding greatly to the alarm and consternation which already prevailed.

A force of rebels went up to Piedmont and after meeting with a gallant resistance from Captain Fisher?s command hurried to set fire to the Round House at that place as before stated, but soon took their departure.

The whole of General Payne?s command then retreated in the direction of Moorefield.

On Friday night Major Potts with his command arrived at Piedmont, bringing fourteen rebel prisoners. Major P. had heard of the defeat of Flemming and had followed Payne?s command towards New Creek, picking up his stragglers. Hearing of the disaster at New Creek he marched for Piedmont thus escaping defeat and capture as he could not have successfully contended with so large a rebel force.

We learn that Mr. D. Mc. Martin formerly a member of Col. Latham?s 2nd West Va. infantry, but recently employed in the drug store of E. Bocking of this city, was captured at New Creek, and taken away by the rebels.

Col. Latham and Capt. Holmes are both at New Creek, having kept out of the clutches of the enemy by taking to the bushes.

Our readers have all doubtless, ere this, heard of the capture of New Creek Station, West Virginia, which took place on Monday last, the 28th ult., in broad daylight. It is generally admitted to have been a most disgraceful and humiliating affair. Notwithstanding the warning received the previous day, by the routing of his scouting party and the capture of their piece of artillery; notwithstanding, also, the express injunctions forwarded to him previous to the attack, by General Kelley, to be vigilant in his efforts to meet any emergency, Colonel Latham, the officer in command, was unaware of the approach of the rebels until they were in the very centre of his camp and his troops and the place completely at their mercy. We regret this for the sake of Colonel Latham, who was heretofore borne a high reputation as an experienced military officer. We understand that he has been placed under arrest at Grafton, and trust that he may be able, satisfactorily, to purge himself of the charges which may be brought against him concerning this affair.

We are informed that the Government stores destroyed by the Rebels was not very valuable. The fort was not materially injured, the magazine, even, not having be exploded. Two of the guns were carried off and the remainder spiked, but the spikes have been drawn and the pieces are again in a serviceable condition. The bridges and railroad in the vicinity were scarcely touched and the travel thereon is uninterrupted. The squad of Rebels who proceeded to Piedmont were valiantly and successfully opposed by Capt. Fisher, of the 6th Virginia Infantry, and the men under his command, so that the damage inflicted upon the property of the Railroad Company at that point was very trifling.

Among the sufferers at New Creek were Messrs. T. B. Davis & Company, whose store was plundered and afterwards burned by the chivalry. Edward Bochm, son of the superintendent of the railroad at this place, was among the citizens carried off, as was, also, Mr. G. F. Sims, Sutler, and A.J. Roby, and employee in Adams? Express Office.

The rebel force is stated to have been from 1,500 to 2,000 strong, led by Gen. Rosser, about five hundred of whom entered New Creek. The advance guard are reported to have been dressed in the Federal uniform. They were piloted in by young McDonald, son of the rebel General of that name.

More About The Late Creek Raid. ? We had a call yesterday from Mr. Abraham Hinkle, one of the citizens captured and taken away from New Creek, during the recent raid upon that place. ? As will be recollected, Mr. Hinkle made his escape from the rebels the day after he was captured, and returned to New Creek.

Mr. Hinkle informs us that the chief thief among the rebels was a drunken, blear-eyed, pug-nosed, Major Mason, son of Ex-Senator James M. Mason. This fellow searched and robbed with his own hands eighteen or twenty citizen prisoners taking everything of value found upon their persons. Although thrice ordered by General Rosser to send his prisoners to the front, he refused to obey until he had finished his pocket picking.

After leaving New Creek the rebels put the prisoners on the double-quick and ran them through the mud for about three miles. When any of the prisoners would attempt to avoid a miry place in the road , which they frequently did, they were rewarded for their care by a slap across the head or shoulders with a sabre.

A great many of the prisoners made their escape along the route. Nearly all the rebels had supplied themselves abundantly with commissary whisky. The nearly all got stone blind drunk, and they had about as much as they could do to look after the mule?s load of booty which each of them carried. They had also lost a great deal of rest previous to the attack on New Creek, and for these reasons the men were not very watchful.

That old hero, Abijah Dolly, formerly a member of the Legislature, was one of the prisoners taken from New Creek. He made his escape, ran on ahead of the rebels, reached his farm, and drove off and concealed all his stock before the rebel advance came up.

Another Fiendish Attempt to Destroy Life ? Guerillas Throw a Train Off The Track. ? The express train which left the city on Sunday morning over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, was thrown off the track near Duffield?s station about 5 o?clock on Monday morning. Squads of rebels had visited the place and raised the track sometime during Sunday night for the purpose of throwing the western bound train off the track and robbing the passengers, but the conductor of this train hearing rumors of trouble at Point of Rocks laid off several hours of Frederick Junction and instructed the conductor of the eastern bound train to come on to Harper?s Ferry. The conductor did as directed and his train was thrown from the track as before stated. The engine was upset and the fireman had his leg broken beyond which there was, fortunately, no damage to life and limb. Contrary to the expectations of all on board the train, not a rebel presented himself and the train men set to work putting things to rights. The fiends had either been frightened from their original design of robbing the passengers by reports of the near approach of our troops, or else they raised the track for the sole purpose of wantonly destroying the lives of innocent people.

The squad that set the trap took away as prisoners an old man named Jamison and his son, who reside in the vicinity of Duffield?s Station.

Another Incident Of The Raid Upon New Creek ? When the rebs came into New Creek on Monday last there was a gentleman at the station who had in his possession two packages of money, one containing eight thousand and one containing two thousand dollars. He gave the eight thousand dollar package to a woman for safe keeping and took to his heels. In running through the woods, the rebels in close pursuit ? for they invariably ran after those who attempted to run away ? he stumbled and fell down, dropping the remaining package of money behind a large rock. Seeing that he was certain to be captured he did not attempt to pick up the money, and was soon afterwards seized and taken away. He subsequently succeeded in making his escape and returning to the station found his money still lying where he had accidentally dropped it. He then went after the woman with whom he had left the more valuable package, but she could not be found. She had taken her departure to parts unknown, either through fear of the rebels or with a design of defrauding the unlucky gentleman. At last accounts the gentleman was still in anxious search of the lady of whom he had not been able to find a trace.

The following is a list of citizens taken from New Creek, W. V., Nov. 28th, 1864, by the command of the rebel Gen. Rosser:

Upton Buxton, N. D. Caldwell, James J. Crawford, J. B. Dollman, Frederick Huffman, John Little, Robert Henshaw, G. F. Sims, A. J. Robey, Harry Kidd, Tip Haines, Jim Newham, Andrew Tuxworth, Joe Gorbit, John House, Jim Murphy, P. J. Martin Laughlin, E. Haley and brother, John Mahoney, C. B. Reynolds, George Gassman, John R. Carskadon, escaped; Abijah Dolly, escaped; Abraham Hinkle, escaped; George W. Bice, escaped.

New Creek, W. Va., Nov. 30, 1864.

Editors Intelligencer:

Please publish the following list of the members of Battery H, 1st West Virginia Light Artillery, who were captured and escaped from the rebels at Greenland Gap, 22 miles from this post:

Lt. J. B. McNally, Serg. J. Pumphrey, Serg. Wm. Crisswell, Corp. S. B. Cooper, Privates Wm. R. Boyer, E. F. Bailey, Philip Blume, Wm. Cox, Moses Carmichael, James Sears, William Topp, Jesse Wells.

Captain Holmes and Patrick McMahony, swam the river and succeeded in making their escape. It is our hope that the boys all escaped.

Yours, &c.
W. R. Boyer

Steubenville Herald please copy.

A gentleman from New Creek, on Saturday informed us that the raiders had made good their escape, carrying off all their booty and prisoners.

Mr. Chester D. Knox, of the firm of McClellan & Knox, of this city, was at New Creek when the place was taken. He attempted to escape by swimming the river, and the enemy taking him for a paymaster, opened a heavy fire on him. He succeeded in escaping unhurt.

Capt. Holmes was with his command when the affair occurred, and made his escape by swimming the river, under a heavy fire from the enemy.

Camp 6th W. Va., Cavalry,
New Creek, W. Va. Dec. 5, ?64.

Editors Intelligencer:

You will please puplish [sic] in your valuable paper the following list which embraces a full and correct statement of the number of men taken prisoners, belonging to Co. D, 6th W. Va. Cavalry, in the affair of the 28th ult., at this place:

Sergeants. ? James F. Moore, Jasper Gandy, Peter Goff.

Corporals. ? Zachariah McDonald, Geo. Nightengale.

Privates. ? Jacob Miller, Furgason Jenkins, Isaac Balyard, James H. Balyard, Geo. W. Dolan, John Grubb, Samuel Hase, Granville G. Lang, Francis B. McDermott and David D. Riley.

Frank A. Wartern
1st Serg?t Co. D, 6th W. Va. Cavalry.

Major-General Rosser, on Monday last, made a successful descent upon the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at New creek. Except the fact that he captured five pieces of cannon, the particulars of the affair are contained in our extracts from the Northern papers, published in another column.

Telegrams give the particulars of a successful raid by the Confederates on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. One says:

It appears that, about 1 o'clock on Monday afternoon, fifteen hundred or more rebel cavalry, under Generals Rosser and McCausland, it is said, appeared in front of New creek, twenty-two miles west of Cumberland, and attacked the two earthworks there located. What force defended them is not definitely known here, but it was only a short time before the rebels were in possession of the post.--It is believed that but few of the garrison escaped.

New creek was a Government depot for West Virginia, and the warehouses, containing a large amount of quartermaster's and commissary stores, were burned by the enemy, as well as the buildings at the railroad station.

In the meantime, the telegraph wires were cut, and the rebel cavalry proceeded thence westwardly to Piedmont; but found, on arriving there, about five o'clock, that an alarm had preceded them, and all the rolling stock of the railroad had been removed. They, however, destroyed the workshop, stationary machinery, etc, of the company there, and were only prevented from further operations by the gallantry of a company of Union troops, under Captain Fisher, who harassed them considerably, making the early departure of the enemy expedient, especially in view of the danger of a rapid concentration of troops by Generals Sheridan and Kelley to cut them off.

The rebels went in a southeasterly direction when they left, moving with haste.

The railroad track was in no wise injured, and the communication between Baltimore and Wheeling remains uninterrupted. The freight and passenger trains go out as usual.

Another dispatch states that the Confederate blew up the defensive works at New creek.

Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: November 1864