The Okie Legacy: Highland County Virginia - Highland Soldiers

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Volume 14 , Issue 20

2012

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Highland County Virginia - Highland Soldiers

In researching more history of Highland County, Virginia we find that the men of Highland birth or residence had fought in several American wars with honor and with no little loss of life and limb.

In the Indian War of 1754-64 the county was on the very frontier, and possibility was before every settler of having to do battle in company with his fellows or in defense of his very cabin. The muster roll of 1756 shows a large proportion of Highland names. In the Dunmore War of 1774, Highland men must have constituted the greater part of two companies of the Augusta militia that marched to Point Pleasant. We do not know at hand the muster rolls of the companies, nor do we know how many of them were included among the 77 Augustans who were killed or wounded in that Dunmore battle.

It was highly possible that several of the Highland militia were in the Pendleton company that marched with Governor Henry Lee to put down the whiskey Insurrection of 1794. In that instance there was, happily, no fighting.

In the War of 1812, we find that a number of Highland men marched to the defense of Norfolk. Some of the soldiers enlisting for that war saw no actual service, news of peace arriving about the time they reached the front.

For the War with Mexico, no company was recruited from Highland, although a very few residents saw service there. The same remark became true of the War with Spain in 1898. But in the War of 1861, more than 500 Highlanders, out of the white population of 3,890 (1860), were enlisted soldiers, serving almost exclusively in the armies of the Confederacy. Of these soldiers of Lee and Jackson, 101 were known to have lost their lives in the service, and man more were wounded or captured. One considerable engagement was fought on Highland soil, and the men were killed in the same who were within a few miles of their homes. Highland men were prompt to enlist, and their first organization marched to Grafton before a hostile shot had been fired. Several were likewise among those who stacked arms in the final surrender at Appomattox. One of these brought home and set out a cutting from the historic apple tree.

Nearly all the Confederate soldiers form Highland served in the 25th, 31st, and 62d regiments of Virginia Infantry. A few were in the 38th and 51st Infantry regiments and in the batteries of McClanahan, Carpenter, and Shumate. A larger number were in the 11th, 14th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 26th regiments of Cavalry. One man was in naval service on board the "Patrick Henry" in James River.

The 25th Infantry took part in the battles of Philippi, Camp Alleghany, McDowell, Front Royal, Newtown, Winchester (1862), Cross Keys, Port Republic, Peninsula, Cedar Mountain, Second Manasses, Chantilly, Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Winchester (1863), Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor. It was one of the commands surrendered at Appomattox. An inspection of the list shows that it was with Stonewall Jackson in his Valley Campaign, and that it subsequently formed a part of the main army under General Lee.

The 31st Infantry, at first under Edward Johnson, had Jubal A. Early as a brigade commander after the battle of McDowell. It was still under Early after his promotion to the command of a Division in Ewell's Corps. It was with jackson in his Valley Campaign, and then formed a part of the Army of NOrthern Virginia. It had a share in nearly all of Lee's battles except Chancellorsville, being at that time with Imboden on his raid into West Virginia. In the fall of 1864 the regiment was with Early in his own Valley Campaign. It was one of the commands to surrender a Appomattox, at which time it numbered only about 60 men. At Port Republic it lost nearly on half its numbers, Company B alone losing more than 50 men.

The 25th, 31st, and 62d Infantry regiments formed with the 18th Cavalry, White's Battlaion, and McClenahan's Battery, the brigade under the command of General John D. Imboden. It was in these regiments that nearly all the Highland men served. In the May and June of 1863, the brigade raided beyond the Alleghanies, penetrating as far as Weston and Sutton. At Williamsport, the 62d helped to cover the retreat of Lee, and afterward guarded the 4,000 Federal prisoners who were marched to Stuanton. After suffering heavily at New Market it took part in Early's campaign in Maryland and the Valley. When it disbanded at Fincastle, April 15th, 1865, it numbered only about 45 men, one company being represented only by its captain.

The Highland county Confederate soldiers constituted a portion of the "foot cavalry" under Jackson, and shared the luster of that leader's energetic and brilliant exploits. A few Highlanders served as enlisted soldiers in the Federal Army. Several of these had removed format he county before the war. The Roll of Captain George Wilson's Company, August 11, 1756 included the following:

Officers

  1. George Wilson, Captain
  2. Hugh Hicklin, Lieutenant
  3. Thomas Hughart, Ensign
  4. Charles Gilham, Sergeant
  5. William Johnson, Corporal
Privates
  1. Robert Adair
  2. James Barton
  3. Joseph Bell
  4. William Black
  5. James, John & Richard Bodkin
  6. Samuel Bright
  7. William Burnett
  8. John, Robert (1) & Robert (2) Carlile
  9. Patrick Davis
  10. Simeon Deckert
  11. Samuel Delamontony
  12. Robert Duffield
  13. Andrew Elliot
  14. Benjamin & Boude Estill
  15. Felix Gilbert
  16. Robert Hall
  17. Hans, Matthew & Michael Harper
  18. John & Thomas Hicklin
  19. James & John Jackson
  20. Adam & John Jordan
  21. George & John Lewis
  22. Stephen Long
  23. James Mayse
  24. Elijah & William McClenahan
  25. James, John, Patrick, Valentine & William Miller
  26. Philip Phegan
  27. William Price
  28. William Sprowl
  29. Frederick Stull
  30. William Warwick
  31. Michael Wilfong
  32. Samuel Wilson
Soldiers of the Dunmore War

The only names we know of are the following, and it can not positively be affirmed that all were Highlanders:
  1. ? Bradshaw
  2. James Burnside
  3. Robert Carlile
  4. James Dinwiddie, killed at Point Pleasant
  5. Abraham Hempenstall
  6. ? McCoy, Lieut.
  7. Robert Wiley, Sr.
  8. Robert Wiley, Jr.
  9. John Wilson
  10. Capt. Samuel Wilson, killed at Point Pleasant
Soldiers of the Revolution

The following list has been gathered from a variety of sources. The persons with starred names were surviving pensioners in 1840, George Rymer, the oldest, being 90 years of age, and Edward Morton, the youngest, 75 years.
  1. John Bradshaw, served in Yorktown campaign
  2. Isaac Briscoe, on Washington's body guard at Yorktown
  3. Samuel Campbell, officer
  4. James Carlile, severely wounded at Guilford and taken home by his brother
  5. Richard Curry
  6. Thomas Devericks *
  7. Michael Eagle *
  8. James Gillespie
  9. Samuel Gilmer, very severely wounded in the Waxhaw massacre, 1780.
  10. Christopher Graham, in Henry Lee's legion.
  11. Isaac Gum, at Yorktown
  12. Capt. David Gwin, at Guilford
  13. Capt. Thomas Hicklin, under Maj. John Wilson, conveyed prisoners from Yorktown to Winchester.
  14. Henry Jones
  15. Thomas Kincaid *
  16. Willliam McClintic, severely wounded at Guilford
  17. Robert McCoy, at Guilford
  18. John McGlaughlin, in garrison under Capt. William Smith at Hinkle's Fort, 1781
  19. Edward Morton *, at Cowpens when 16 years old
  20. George Rymer *
  21. John Sharp
  22. John Slaven, at Yorktown
  23. James Steuart, guarded Augusta frontier at Clover Lick, about 1779, marched to Jamestown, 1781, under Col. John McCreary and Capt. Peter Hull, substitute for James Carlile, 1781.
  24. Edward STeuart, in Capt. Thos. Hicklin's company, substitute for Joseph Beathe, 1778, in garrison at Vance's Fort, Back Cr. to guard frontier against Indians, helped convey prisoners form Yorktown.
  25. John Steuart, in Capt. Thos. Hicklin's company, sword wound in hand at Yorktown.
  26. William Steuart
  27. Henry Towberman
  28. Maj. John Wilson, conveyed prisoners form Yorktown to Winchester
The muster roll given contains Pendleton as well as Highland names, was copied from the original paper in the handwriting of Nicholas Seybert. Muster Roll, Capt. Peter Hull's Company, 2nd Battalion, Augusta Militia, 1779 (those * are under 18 years of age.):

Officers
  1. Peter Hull, Captain
  2. Nicolas Seybert, 1st Lieutenant
  3. Henry Fleisher, 2nd Lieutenant
  4. Jacob Hoover, Ensign
Privates
  1. Adam, David, John & Micahel Arbogast
  2. Jacob, John & William Bennett
  3. Thomas Blizzard
  4. Hugh Bodkin
  5. John Bowman
  6. Abraham Burner
  7. Ulrich Conrad, Jr.
  8. Frederick Crummett
  9. Abraham Duffield *
  10. Abraham & Philip Eckard
  11. Jacob Ellsworth
  12. Christopher Eye
  13. Conrad Fleisher
  14. Francis Graham
  15. Isaac, Jacob & William Gum
  16. Balsor Hammer
  17. Nicholas Harper
  18. James Hoff
  19. John Hogg
  20. Michael Hoover
  21. George Huffman
  22. Adam Hull
  23. Uriah Ingram
  24. Andrew Jordan
  25. Conrad & Joseph Lantz
  26. Alexander McQuain
  27. John & James Mullenax
  28. Henry Noll
  29. John Peninger
  30. Christian Pickle
  31. George Puffenberger
  32. George Rexrode
  33. George Sheets
  34. George, John, Leonard, Mark, Michael & Peter Simmons
  35. Mark & Sebastian Smith
  36. Sebastian Stone
  37. George Stout
  38. Paul Summers
  39. Thomas Summerfield
  40. Adam Wagoner
  41. John, William & James* Wamsley
  42. Henry Whiteman
  43. Jacob Wilfong
  44. Philip Wimer
  45. John Yeager
British Service

A few of the Highland settlers had served in the British army during the Revolution. Among these were Charles Halterman, George Keitz, James Trimble(surrendered at Yorktown), and John White.

Wars of 1811 and 1812
  1. Jared Armstrong
  2. David Bird
  3. Capt. John Blagg
  4. Thomas Brown
  5. Andrew H. Byrd
  6. John Cunningham
  7. William Erwin
  8. John & Thomas (taken prisoner) Graham
  9. James Gwin
  10. Jacob Hiner
  11. John McCoy, killed at Tippecanoe, 1811
  12. James Mullenax
  13. Loftus Pullin, Jr.
  14. Christian Rexrode
  15. William Robertson
  16. George Varner
  17. William Wade, died in service

Roll of Captain Jacob Hull's Company, 1814:
  1. Daniel, George, Jonathan, Joseph, Michael & William Arbogast
  2. John Armstrong
  3. Mathias Benson
  4. David Berage
  5. Jacob Jr., John & Valentine Bird
  6. Jacob Bright
  7. Abraham, Daniel, George & Henry Burner
  8. Jacob Colaw
  9. James Curry
  10. Jacob & John Sr. Gall
  11. Samuel Gibson
  12. John Gothard
  13. John Grim
  14. Abraham, Adam, McBride & Jacob Gum
  15. Leonard Hammer
  16. Andrew Hardway
  17. Jacob, John & William Hidy
  18. Charles Huchin
  19. Daniel Huffman
  20. Jesse Johnson
  21. Jonas Lantz
  22. Christian & Samuel Life
  23. Henry McCan
  24. John McNulty
  25. Jacob, Joseph & Samuel Mullenax
  26. Francis & George Nicholas
  27. John Peck
  28. Adam Rexrode
  29. Thomas Roby
  30. John Sharrot
  31. Henry (Sr.), Henry (Jr.), Joseph & MIchael Simmons
  32. Adam & James Stephenson
  33. Cornelius Sutton
  34. George, Joseph & MIchael Wagoner
  35. George White
  36. Jacob & Henry Wimmer
  37. Samuel Wood
  38. Sampson Zickafoose
War of 1861 - Federal Service
  1. Francis M. Bird, W. Va. Reg't
  2. George W. Helmick, Penn. Reg't
  3. Thomas J. Jones
  4. Newton Lowery
  5. William McNett
  6. Leonard Rexrode, W. Va. Reg't, died in Andersonville
  7. John, Nathan & William Rexrode, W. Va. Reg't
  8. Wooddell, W. Va. Reg't
We will take up next week with the "Roster of Highland Men In Confederate Service."   |  View or Add Comments (2 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe


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