Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-08-21
For the Gallipol,s Journal.
MURDER OF MAJOR HALL

guessed 70 furnish ior tne Joafuai
statement Of the facts connected with
the murder Of our beloved Major. John
Hall, IT,, of Point Pleasant, which took
place near Beech creek. about As miles
southwest from Cbapmansville, on the
9th inst.
The Major started from the latter
place on the 4th with shout 80 men Of
Co.'S C and K. Of the 4th Virginia.
Rev. Gregg of the 9th Virginia was
also in the company. though unarmed
and on the recruiting service. Our
destination was to all except the Major,
unknown. Whilst preparing dinner on
the 9Th and our men resting. we were
suddenly fred upon by band OF guer-
rilla cavalry, under command OF Wicher
and Stratton. numbering 200 men
They formerly belonged to Humphrey
Marshall's Observation-Disclosures now
known as Wicher's battalion. They
had dismounted, secured their horses,
crept stealthily to trees on the hill sides
around us, and the first intimstion We
had Of their presence was a volley Of
musketry, which did no injury except
wounding little child severely whose
parents resided at that place. We
rushed for our arms amid a storm Of
bullets, but the enemy being concealed
except the officers our FIRE was Of little
avail. Maj. Hall fell at the third FIRE.
but not until be had severely wounded
Wicher. rushed to his aid but his
orders were '.never mind me, fight
on, boys" On looking around 1 found
our men had all "retired" but three.
one of whom was severely wounded,
and the others starting for the woods
were both killed. as afterwards found
their bodies. One was aprivate named
Lamb. from Barton. Maryland, the
other Limebury, from North Carolina,
both OF them brave. gallant soldiers
who might yet be living had they start
ed with the rest, or remained on the
ground. infer thus as they were both
shot in the back. The rebels seeing
all clear, now advanced upon us, shoot
ing Maj. Hall twice after he was down.
How your correspondent escaped is a
mystery, one shot striking my gun bar
rel. glancing off and severely wounding
one OF our men, at the second fire. Pro-
voked by the dastardly shooting Of Maj.
Hall, l was only saved from instant death
by bis calling out to the 6ends that | had
surrendered, which was done with the
best grace possible. under the circum
stances. Rev. Gregg was also taken
prisoner in the house.
The rebels gathered around in great
numbers and commenced plundering
us of everything. They robbed Maj.
Hall of his boots, hat, blanket. revolver,
and afterwards found they had treat
ed our dead privates the same way
They captured my revolver, also that Of
Lieut.. McMasters, and IA muskets, all
our horses and stores, except 3 bags OF
crackers. The notorious Buckley, chief
Of the Knights Of the Golden Circle,
was acting as Surgeon for the rebels,
and savagely refused me permission to
carry the Major into the house until or
dered to do so by Stratton, who was
himself severely if not mortally wound
ed, and whom they were compelled to
leave on the ground. Infer that others
were wounded from the fact OF Buckley
excusing himself to Wicher for not at
tending to him, on the ground that he
chad to attend to those men on the hill"
The robbers after stealing everything
about the premises, skedaddled in great
haste for fear of the Home Guards,
who are very strong in that section of
country. They bore Wicher off in a
litter, he being too badly wounded to
ride.
This man Wicher is certainly the
most infuriated madman l ever saw
He is ga lean-faeed, hungry villain-a
mere anatomy, living dead man." but
at the same time the most savage and
demoniac in his conduct you can con-
ceive OF. His inhuman treatment Of
Maj Hall beggars description, and calls
for prompt and speedy vengeance on
part of the frienIs Of the latter. His
crew of brigands looked to me like the
"cankers Of a calm world after long
peace" or like tattered prodigals lately
come from swinekeeping. "baving but
about a shirt and a half in the whole
company, and the half shirt two napkins
tackled together and thrown over the
shoulders" and the whole shirt stolen
off the wash line Of some poor Unionist.
Even Wicher cursed them as troop Of
cut-throats and thieves. Yet he, as
one Of the F. F. VS.. did not scruple
to lead these devils in their maraudiDg
expedition, and make himself terror
TO the whole community. Stratton is
a man of different stamp. gentleman
ly in his manners. and evidently a man
of feeling. he seems to be out Of his
element among such men. That they
think so, we judge from the fact that
nothing could have induced them to
leave Wicher behind, yet they made no
offer to remove Stratton.
Mai. Hall died in about two hours
after he was shot. Though suffering
intense agony. not groau escaped his
lips. He died as calmly as though go
ing to sleep. Rev. Gregg who had
been released by the rebels as Chap
lain, walked seven miles after a coffin
but without success. The next day we
spent in digging graves with piece of
a mattock and wooden shovel. At6I