Gateway to Civil War in Western Virginia

Warm Springs was the gateway to Lee’s five month long Cheat Mountain campaign, and a hospitable area for the young Confederate Army of the Northwest. After the failed Cheat Mountain operation, they made quarters here for the month of December 1861. January 2, 1862, they made their way back to Virginia, never to return. This abortive sojourn was Robert E. Lee’s first offensive of the war.

From the diary of David Phillips of the 7th Tennessee infantry:

December 1861: 6 months at war 

“December 13th. Had great delay in crossing Jackson river. Got some of the finest apples I have seen in Virginia. Got to Warm Springs in the evening; pitched our tents in a ravine south of the Springs where we will probaby camp a few days. 16th. Dreadful time on poor soldiers in camp. Our tents are rotten and the gales tear them and upset them, leaving us exposed to the merciless and bitter winds, On 16th Archie and I went out in the neighborhood about three miles to Col. A. G. McGoffin and got some fine apples and a splendid dinner. Oh, it was fine indeed to us who have been accustomed to camp fare.

December 17th. Cold and high winds still raging. Camp life in cold weather is a very miserable one. The wind blows the smoke of the whole encampment along on the ground which makes the air dense with smoke everywhere. This circumstance puts our eyes out nearly. Everybody you can see is crying, While I write I can’t see the lines half the time.

December 18th. Orders came from the war department for the 7th regiment to go to Winchester on the Potomac, Everybody disliked the idea of going there. We all are expecting to leave tomorrow,

December 19th. Gen. Loring refuses to order us to Winchester until be gets fur­ther information from the war department. After finding out we would not leave today Archie and I got permission to go to Healing Springs. Had a pleasant walk to H., some nine miles from camps. Got a very good dinner at the hotel. Day fine and calm, While writing we are seated in a nice cot­tage on the road waiting for the good folks to eat dinner, when we want to press some apples from them if there is any chance. Dinner over, no apples. Resumed our tramp. Got to W. S. about dark. Took supper at the hotel. After supper Archie and I spent some time promenading along the gal­lery of the hotel. Got to camps about eight o’clock. Had a sweet rest after our walk of 18 miles.

December 20th. This morning begins the last six months of our service. Day gloomy and rainy. During the past six months we have endured innumer­able ills such aa soldiers alone are heir to. May the next six be the consum­mation of peace is doubtless the wish of all.

December 21st. Sent a letter to Tommy. In evening Archie and I went up to flag rock, said to be the higheat peak in Virginia. It ia a large cliff of rocks jutting out from the top of one of the peaks of Warm Spring Mountain. The view is very fine and extensin, especially on the east, south and southwest. We had Colonel’s glass with which we spied out the house and farms that lay dim to the naked eye in the far blue distance. It was the grandest and wildest scene I ever beheld.

December 22nd. Capt. Bostic started for home this morning early. Quite an un­expected departure to the company. Gone on the sick list, furloughed for 20 days.

December 24th. Went to preaching in church in town; was much pleased to hear singing again whieh was sweetened by the female voice and to hear the Word preached in a house. The remainder of the clothes came up Millboro. Nothing for poor me. Had a very violent snow storm in the evening, a miserable time to soldiers in the tented field.

December 25th. Col. Hatton taken sick with fever. Jim Weaver taken with violent earache during night. 

December 26th. Day cold. Moved down town to the Episcopal Church where we expected to quarter tonight; a comfortable place compared with the tents.

December 27th Sleeted in the morning; a very foggy and gloomy day indeed. Was very heart this–morning; I only ate 12 biscuits for breakfast.

December 28th, Norris, Donnell, Justiss, two Organs, Jim and I got permission to move our quarters to a farm house about a mile off where we expect to carry on bacheloring on a grand scale. I didn’t go up, but expect to tomorrow. Wrote letters to Levi, Mittie, Lets and Miss —-.

December 29th. Morning very damp and gloomy; going up to my new home today. Owl’s Nest is the name of our home. Found it to be very nice place. We went to fixing it up immediately. Our furniture consisted of two chairs, two bedsteads, four tables, safe and other articles of much household importance. We enjoyed ourselves finely the first day and night. 

December 30th. Had a deer hunt in the morning by the inmates of the Owl’s Nest, Justis and Mose Organ going. Justis shot at a buck but missed him. Re­turned about nine o’clock. After breakfast Archie*, Mose and I got ready to go to town to draw rations. Went by Zeke’s house which was about half­way. Heard the startling intelligence that the regiment was going to leave for Staunton. This was sad news to us of the Owl’s Nest. We then re­turned and packed up as quickly as possible and came down to town but were too late for to get our baggage in the wagons. Had to carry all of our clothes and cooking vessels over to where the regiment camped, six miles from Warm Springs. Jim and I went ahead to get lodging in a house, Jim being still unwell. Had a fine supper and good bed at Mr. Venable’s, two and a half miles in advance of the regiment.

December 31st. The last day of 1861 has come. I am still living the life of a soldier. I see no prospect for peace in the incoming year. Oh, how my heart would leap for joy if peace were declared and I permitted to return. I look back over my past year and see nothing of profit I have done. May my hour of usefulness soon come. I am tired of doing nothing and gaining nothing.  The sky indicates rain, the sun refuses to shine. It seems as if the dying year would weep over the unhappy state of my coun­try. May the bright sun of peace soon light up and enliven our sunny South, making our firesides happy and our homes the homes of peace. The year of 1861 aieu forever.

January 1st. Morning clear and cool. Went ahead of the regiment to. Millboro which we found short of any accommodations. Regiment came up about one o’clock. Drew nothing to eat up to late in evening and no pros­pect of drawing then.  Got a letter from Frank. Drew rations about sun­down. Had supper and afterwards a fine jovial chat about going home when done serving our country.

January 2nd. Nothing important in camps. Ordered to clean up our guns as if it was expected we would get in a tight soon. Three inches of snow fell during the evening and night.” – from the diary of David Phillips

*Captain Archibald Norris

“I see that region as a veritable realm of enchantment; the Alleghenies as the Delectable Mountains. I note again their dim, blue billows, ridge after ridge interminable, beyond purple valleys full of sleep, “in which it seemed always afternoon.” Miles and miles away, where the lift of earth meets the stoop of sky, I discern an imperfection in the tint, a faint graying of the blue above the main range–the smoke of an enemy’s camp”…read more

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Recommended Reading:

Robert E. Lee’s first American Civil War Battle: 

In 1861 General Robert E. Lee invaded, what would become West Virginia. His green Confederate Army of the Northwest meandered through the mountains of Virginia looking for a fight. They found it at Cheat Mountain. They were disadvantaged due to continuous bad weather and steep terrain. The Cheat Mountain fortifications were at over 4000 feet above sea level.

From the diary of David Phillips of the 7th Tennessee Infantry

“September 10. By 7 o’clock in morning we were drawn up in line of bat­tle with knapsacks and haversacks on, ready for a five-days march. Soon we were on the way to Cheat mountain. General Lee intended to attack the enemy at Cheat Pass in both front and rear, General Jackson to attack in front; our regiment and 1st and 14th regiments under General Anderson in the rear. General Donelson was to attack a camp of the enemy in our rear. In order to obtain a position in the rear we had to cross the country over our own path which we had to cut as we went.

We traveled till sundown. Stopped on the top of a hill from which a fine view could be had of the surrounding country. We ate supper and rested a while, then we moved off again. After dark it got cloudy. Had to march in little farm paths which were crossed with logs and fences so that it made our march very slow. Finally about 10 o’clock the 14th regiment got behind and lost the path. We passed on and passed down a very steep bald moun­tain. The clouds had thickened and it began to rain and got very dark. In passing down that mountain we had a grand time. A person after falling would get up but to fall again. It was a perfect roll down. We got down with bruised bodies, tired limbs and sleepy eyes. 

Down in a little flat we were permitted to halt and lie down and sleep. We got off into the land of dreams about 12 o’clock. I had a sweet sleep till morning, felt much refreshed. The next morning we arose, ate a cold break­fast of bread and boiled beef half cooked. Strong indications of rain. Started on our march early; drizzled rain all morning. About 1 p.m. we entered a dark woods high upon the side of a mountain which towered still far above us. Had to cut our road through the undergrowth and fallen trees. Com­menced raining hard directly we entered the woods. We advanced slowly. The word was passed along the line that we were on Cheat Mountain; also “Keep your powder dry.” Heard a Yankee drum while passing along. Passed along the mountain, gradually ascending till about 5 p. m., when we started down a very rough and precipitous place. Descended several hun­dred feet to a small fence on the mountain side; there stopped to camp. No fires allowed; everybody wet except those like myself who were fortanate enough to have an oil cloth. The rain ceased about the time we stopped. All made beds of leaves and arbors of bushes to sleep under. I made shelter of my oil cloth. Rained very hard during night. Scarcely any sleeping done, everybody and everything wet, completely wet. All of our bread and beef got wet, beef all sopoiled. Had nothing to eat but bread, made without soda or grease.

Pretty soon we were ordered to get ready to march; our wet bankets made our loads very heavy. About the time we were under a full start we were startled by a volley of musketry which seemed to be a mile or more westward from us. Soon volley after volley was heard rolling along the mountain sides in that same direction. In a short time the firing ceased and a loud yell made the woods resound which announced to us that somebody was whipped. We heard nothing more from that side all day. The air was chilly that morning, especially to us who were wet. We were halted and ordered to load. Some of the pieces were in a mis­erable condition, being wet and rusty. I think, though, mine would have fired. As soon as loaded we were ordered to march at quick time. Everybody was expecting to hear the rolling of small arms and booming of cannon con­stantly. Then commenced a scene of throwing away blankets, clothes and other burdensome articles, which was continued all day. We passed around the hillside for some distance and then turned our course down the precipice.

Passed down a very steep place and while making the descent near the bottom Captain Baber ordered one of his men to fire his piece if he could be­cause he thought it too wet to explode, At the first trial it went off. Some pickets of the enemy who were stationed around the hill below where we camped heard the gun and three of them came running around to see what was to pay. There was a path along which they came which we were enter­ing and turning to the right. The Yankees came stealing along unobserved by the line in the path. I and the files around me who were still above the path observed somebody running through the bushes and remarked about it, but supposed they were some of our men who had been on the scout. They approached in about 40 yards of our lines when two of them ran back but the third, more bold than the rest, fired at one of Captain Baber’s men, the ball taking effect in his left side, inflicting a severe wound. The assassin then fled back the road. This incident caused the command “Prime” to be sent back along the lines. We then put on caps and kept a sharp lookout in the bushes which lined the road so thick we could not see twenty yards. Nothing more happened till we got to the pike which was not more than a mile off.

We got on the pike at 8 p.m., threw off our knapsacks and everything burdensome so as to be ready for active fight. The first regiment went up the mountain to see if any of the enemy could be found, while we took position down the road to prevent reenforcements from passing up. While tak­ing our position by companies, Col. Maney’s men got into hot work up the road. They fell into about 300 of the enemy in ambush. Pop, pop, pop, pop, went several guns and then a tremendous volley shook the mountain sides while bullets went whirling and whizzing over our heads cutting limbs and leaves off the trees and bushes over our heads. The firing continued for sev­eral minutes when the enemy were driven back at the point of bayonet. Col. Maney’s men then fell back and took position with us on the road to wait the commencement of the attack by Jackson. There we stood all shivering in the cold waiting for orders or the Yankees, we didn’t care which. Several times we thought the enemy were coming on us, but all of the reports proved to be false. Some of our boys when we first got on the road were sent down the road to see what could be found. They took a wagon with two horses, a lieutenant and six privates, and other little articles and brought them up. Later in the day our pickets took a member of a calvary company from Indiana. The other Yanks were from Ohio. They also killed a Yankee courier who fired on our boy and wounded one of Capt. Anthony’s men in the left arm. Some of the Yanks were bold enough to attack a party of negroes…”

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