Guerrilla's and Home Guards

[RustyRelics]

I have found the location of a West Virginia Confederate guerrilla site, and I was wondering how they "ticked"

How do they camp? With or without tents? In neat rows? Spread out?

Where would they place their pickets?

How many would usually stay at the "camp"?

I will add a hand drawn map later. I can't risk someone finding the site I worked so hard to find.

Also, I know where the Kentucky Home Guards were stationed, and I'm wondering if any of you guys know anything about them.

I'll tell ya one thing, finding and learning about Western theater sites is one tough gig!

 

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[devldog]

Rusty, Congrat's to you on locating the camp locations. I'm not an authority on the Confetrit' guerilla forces, but I would be led to believe that they camped pretty much the same as the regular army in late war. Since they were fighting and employing guerilla tactics, (sudden attacks with lightening speed, with the True element of surprise), I would think that their camps would be spread out in such a way that they could be ready to move at a moment's notice. These groups would be the predecessors of our Special Forces today. Living off the land and making do with what they had or what they could get their hands on. Just my thoughts. Best of luck to you.

 

[RustyRelics]

Rusty, Congrat's to you on locating the camp locations.

Would you believe that I can see the location from my front porch? All these years living here, and I found out by accident.

 

[RustyRelics]

I now found out exactly who was there at the furnace. The 54th Virginia Infantry, incorrectly labeled guerrillas by an 1862 newspaper. I already found one photo of a member of the 54th, and a bio.

Meet Private Uriah Crawford, Co. K, 54th VA.



Enlisted along with his brother Madison A. Crawford in 2nd. Co. C 28th. Virginia Infantry on 5/10/61. The brothers service was short.
Uriah was discharged due to illness 8/10/61.
Brother Madison died due to sickness 9/12/61.
Uriah reinlisted in Co. K 54th. Va. Inf. 3/31/62.
Skirmishing along the Noyes' Creek line near Kennesaw Mt. Ga. Uriah was captured 6/19/64.
He was imprisoned at Louisville Ky. and Camp Morton Ind.
He was exchanged 3/4/65 and admitted to Chimborazo Hospital, Richmond Va. 3/13/65, with cronic bronchitis.
Given a 30 day furlough, he was at home when the war ended.

His wife's name was Mary Martha Looney.
Uriah died on his son's Joshua Day Crawford farm.
Uriah's farther and mother's names were Madison Beal Crawford and Mahalia Gray Crawford.

 

[smokeythecat]

Seeing the location from your porch is priceless. Sometime we amaze ourselves! Like when my friends bought this 55 acre PA farm, and on the THIRD outing with the detector we started finding Civil War items. Now up to FIVE Confederate buckles, with a lot of other stuff to go with it. Place was not in the history books.

 

[devldog]

Great post. Sometimes relics and treasures come from the most unlikely places.

 

[RustyRelics]

Got more pictures.



Colonel Trigg




Major Austin Harman



Major John Deyerle

 

[RustyRelics]

John Ghiselin, Co. C, 54th Virginia.

 

[RustyRelics]

James Sorah, 54th Virginia.

 

[RustyRelics]

 

[moosescout]

I recently read a book written by John S. Mosby. It’s was an amazing insight on what he did. He was a true man of honor. Although many southerners won’t like some of what he says. Very, very intelligent man. I am currently reading Joshua Chamberlains memoirs. Another very honorable man. Both are well worth the time to read.

 

[CT1976]

I heart Colonel John Singleton Mosby.

 

[RustyRelics]

I recently read a book written by John S. Mosby. It’s was an amazing insight on what he did. He was a true man of honor. Although many southerners won’t like some of what he says. Very, very intelligent man. I am currently reading Joshua Chamberlains memoirs. Another very honorable man. Both are well worth the time to read.

I like Mosby as a general, as a person, and as a Virginian.

I like John Hunt Morgan too.

My top favorite Confederate Cavalry Commanders are probably J.E.B Stuart, John Hunt Morgan, J.S. Mosby and who doesn't like Nathan Bedford Forrest?

 

[moosescout]

Mosby was very close to Stuart and spends a significant amount of time defending him on what happened at Gettysburg.

 

[RustyRelics]

Mosby was very close to Stuart and spends a significant amount of time defending him on what happened at Gettysburg.

It was because they were Virginians.

 

[devldog]

Very Well notable and loved Generals named of the Confederacy. Another two that I would like to add to this list is General Lee's old war horse, Gen. James Longstreet and Gen. John B. Gordon.

 

[RustyRelics]

Very Well notable and loved Generals named of the Confederacy. Another two that I would like to add to this list is General Lee's old war horse, Gen. James Longstreet and Gen. John B. Gordon.

Longstreet is a favorite of mine, though not from Virginia. John B. Gordon lost my vote when he couldn't win diddly squat in 1864-1865. He is a Kentuckian though. This should be a topic...Hmm...

 

[devldog]

Gen. James Longstreet was ahead of his time in thinking tactics. He knew at Gettysburg that the odds were strongly stacked against the Army of Northern Virginia, especially after the first days fight and the Federals had occupied the high ground and the ring of hills. Gen. Longstreet advised Gen. Lee that he didn't think that they could break the Federal center and carry the field. We have all heard how Gen. Longstreet tried to sway Gen. Lee into pulling out of Gettysburg and making a bee line for Washington and the nation's capital. he knew that there wasn't but a handful of Federal troops guarding the capital. He told Gen. Lee that if we were to re deploy our troops that the Federals would have no choice but to pull out of their positions on the high ground and attempt to swing around and attempt to get between Washington and the ANVA. When they do this, we can fight them on ground of our own choosing Lonstreet said but Gen. Lee viewed this as a retreat of the Army and would not consider this. I always wondered on what the outcome may have been had Gen. Lee had acted on this advice not only on Gettysburg, but possibly the outcome of the wars end itself. This is something we will never know.