Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-06-15
WEEELING va. .sATURDAY MoRNTNG. JUNEl5. Iaol-


eoSVaraly ana sInhurnan Conduct.
( An ASGembIy or Ladies' ana Gentle.
men FiredINt by Secession Troops.
[Frprn the knoxville CTenuJ Wing, 18th inst.l
We have never wituesssd such a scene
as We beheld on Wednesday,, the 5th inst,
at Strawberry Plains, and we hope never
TO see the like again. The procession of
Union men on horseback, about four deep,
was half mile long, v,riously estimated
to contain from eight to twelve hundred
men. At the head of each division the
stars and stripes were floating to the num-
Der OF six banners. Marching By the
Plains, and passing the depot, there was a
train OF cars, having on board some Ala
bama troops, who, strange to stay, remained
there with steam mp for three hours. After
our procession had passed into the gap of
AlT. meek,s enclosure. leading into his
grove, where the stand aud seats were
erected, hpd where much larger Assem-.
blage, umong whom were several hundred
ladies and childFen5were seated, awaiting
the efE3faI Of Ihg procession, at the head
OF whiehHswere Nessrss Maynard, Temple
and 1Flemtng, who we're to address the
meeting, the train started towards US at q
very slow rate. Speaking had not yet
commenced, though Colonel Thornburg
was up, making some preliminary remarks,
MS the remnant of the vast crowd were
coming in and crowdiug around the stand.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Meek, nm old man
who had served IN the war of 1919, and who
owned the premises, the few scattering per-
sons still at the gap were urged to come in,
and did so quietly, disturbing no one.
But here we will let Mr.. Meek tell the
tale Just as it happened.
AT the request of DIR. Brownlow IwAlk-
ed from the stand down to the railroad, to
hurry np our Union men. and urge them
not to say or do anything to the train then
slowly coming by. One man came within
the enclosure quietly, and was about
twenty feet from the fence, inside of my
own field, the railroad and wagon road
passing along close to the fence. There
were two men in uniform ON top of one of
the cars, each had n revolver in his hand.
one of them n stone, which he threw at
me With great force and precision, and
barely lodged it. This was followed up
BY one of them deliberately firing Mt me-
One them knew me, for he hal previ-
onsly come TO the house and asked for
water to fill his canteen, which assisted
him in filling. treating him as politely as
knew how. This was the commencement
OF tue firing, md it was without any prov
ocatiOn whatever. A. X. MEsR
This statement is corroborated by Messrs.
Marion Cate. Thomms C. Griffin, Samuel
Underwood, Perry Cate, Henry Smith and
Marion Petty, Sewer comfy. Messrs. VIM.
Lewis, w. A. ShefFey. Samuel McCump-
bell, ]. H. Dinwiddie. Wm. Province, Wm.
HOuser aud VIM. Chaney, of Jefferson
county; aud Geo. w. Knox, who were
present at the scene. Mr.. Vim. Lewis. of
Jefferson county, says he was standing
close by when mn open knife was thrown
at him from the ears, which knife he
picked up. and now has in his possession.
The bullets actually Mhistled over the
heads of our crowd around the stand. cut
ting of leaves and sprigs, to the cohsterna-
ton OF the ladies and men. The fire WAS
returned by the Union men, who fred some
thirty to forty rifles, besides revolvers, into
tue cars, but with what effect we have not
learned, as the train passed on without
halting.
But wild and terrific scene occurred
instantly, by the rush of one thousand
men, insulted and infuriated, upon tho
track, with threats to tear up tile track and
tn burn the bridge over the HoIston. Col.
Thornhurg, Temple, DR.. Mynntt, Mr. Meek
himself, and the editor of this paper nil re-
paired to the track. made short appeals to
the crowd, and implorcd them not to dis
turb the road. With difficulty thcy were
quieted. We are now satisfied that the
people can't longer be held off the railroads
and bridges. If they continue 10 bring
men armed and infuriated into the country,
stop them in our towns and along the lines
OF tue roads, to fire into crowds of women
anu children, the people will rise up in
their might and demolish the roads. In
deed, we now have but little hope thnt civil
war will be averted. Threats are making
as to what will be done with Union leaders
after the sth of juno. The people are ex-
nspe rated, and they will ight 10 the death.
and no leaders we have can restrain them
If indeed they ought to do so, which we
think IS questionable.
The following document was presented
hy Col. Thornburg, and adopted without
n dissenting voice:
We. alarge portion of the people of the
counties OF Jefferson, Knox, and Sewer,
(men, women, and children,) who have
assembled to-day at Strawberry Plains II,
tue number of from ), 900 to 5 900. to con-
suit together for our common good nav.
ing been wantonly, aud without provoca-
tion, assaulted during our peaceful delib-
Grafton, by missile thrown, and a shot
hred from the train of cars in n very slow
motion by certAin troops in the service of
the so-called Confederate States, do here.
by unanimously declare to the world thar
while we have ever been and still are
ready to comply with every constitutional
obligation of the citizen, we can never be
drtVen or coeTeed into an abject and unmnn-
Iy submission; and VIC hereby pledge to
each other our lives, our property, and our
sacred honor in the common defense of
ourselves, our firesides, our wives, and our
children from any assault, no matter from