Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-15
The First West Va. Legislature
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Sketches Personal, Political and Bi-
ographical. ~ .as ni q.
LEWIS ballard, from Monroe.

Sketches Personal, Political and BIZ
n ographical. .s ni b.
LEWIS BALLARD, from Monroe.
a. Lewis Ballard, the member of the House
from Monroe county, is a native of Vir-
ginia, and of the county he now repre-
sents. He was''born August the 9th, 1926,
and is consequently 81 years of age His
ancestors were of mixed race, Scotch
predominating, his grandfather being re-
motely descended from the Bruces. His
father was a farmer, and raised him to
work on the farm till near his maturity,
about which time he varied the employ
nept by teaching an "Old fjod school" !"
for about six months. He then engaged
10 selling books by subscription, and in
this occupation for two or three years
travelled over many counties of Western
Virginia. AT the age of 20 he married.
Since that time he has been engaged in the
business of village aud country merchant,
up to the time the rebellion broke out gf
He opposed the call for the convention
that passed the the secession ordinance,
and in the face of threats Of hanging vot-
cd against that ordinance when it was pre-
tended to be submitted to the people, He
did all in his power to induce others to vote
against it, but when the die was cast, and
he was poweriess for good, he silently ac-
quiesed in the great wrong that had been
done, and quietly pursued his business as
merchant and farmer. But this he was
not long permitted to do. On the evening
Of the. day on which the first battle of
Bull Run was fought, Floyd's brigade,
then overrunningTthat region, encamped a
short distance from his house. Though
as stated, Mr.. Ballard had been quiet and
inoffensive since the breaking out of hos
tilities,the rebels cherished deadly hostility
against him. A gang OF FlOyd's rufians
surrounded his house, and suspended a
rope on which they proposed to hang him,
but he had been advised of their lnten-
tions, and made his escape. They broke
open bis store and robbed him OF several
thousand dollars worth of goods, some
money and valuable papers. They broke
into his cellar and carried of some 500 or
1000 gallons of apple brandy, that article
being in great demand in Floyd's army.
They also entered his house and drove his
family from it and robbed it of everything
portable. r.sf. ..f.sf.frt c.- a.
After remaining concealed for some days,
Mr.. Ballard returned home upon assurance
by prominent secesh citizens of protection
and naturalization for loss. he sought
permissionl to leave the State with his fam
lily, but, was, positively refused. In the
early part of August, 1861, he was arrest
ed for "treason to the State of Virginia" !"
He gave bail in the sum of $4, 600 to await
the action of the grand jury. The jury
indicted him for treason to the COnfeder-
ate States.p He renewed his bail and there
the matter ended. He remained at home
until the federal troops approached the
neighborhood, when he was arrested by or
der of militia general and sent to Rich
mond. On the 9Th of January, '62, he was
landed man old tobacco warehouse, known
as "the gangrehe hospital," where four
other citizens were confined, amidst mud,
filth and lousy desertersi from the rebel
army. In about a month he and several
Others were removed TO another warehouse
and finally to the notorious Libby prison,
where he remained till the middle of May.
When they were sent TO Salisbury, N. c /,
1 where be remained till the 9Th of January
last Just agtwelyemohth from tie time he
landed in the tobacco warehouse at Rich.
] mand.u How much longer he would have
been kept no one knows, bpth and aeon
panion took French leave by breaking out
Of prison. For some three days and nights
they Wandered around Salisbury, the
weather. being so clondy they coald moi
shape their course, and at the end of that
time they were but twenty miles away. The
weather cleared up, however, and they
struck northwsrd, and after a long and tie.
dious journey, reached the federal lines al
tFsyetteJ Court House, Va, Mr.. Ballard
stopping with his family few hours.
L Since Mr.. Ballard & escape through the
4 federal lines, the rebels have carried of and
sold all his, movable property they could
4 get hands on. What he suffered during
| his twelve months imprisonment tongue
or pen could hardly tell. Fortunately be
was .abls TO procure money from home
i through q former partner 10 business, who
was IN the Legislature at Richmond, and
4 who, though AN enemy, could not refuse
this aid. Without this he thinks heicoulC
mot have lived through. While in prison
he was often solicited to take the oath L
the ConfederRteN government, and as Otter
refused. No charge was ever made agaius
i him except that he Was loyal 70 the Union
10 Mr., Ballard was elected TO represent
Monroe county, by some tifty refugees, ,,WhC
j helhsan election at Charleston, 7KanAIha
The Committes on Credentials have not re-
ported on his case but he will liundoub btedl,
be permitted TO hold his seat. 'N' . -,
Heia not member Of any religious de-
nomination, but, if looks are any index Il
character is evidsnuyga man of aorrsO
morai pfincfples. " p y % -
There are about 200 refugees from Mon
Eroe within the Federal lines. The first re
presentation this county had IN any ,loya
assembly since the breaking outof the re
belliono was il the ParkersbuFg kConyen
ton; the next was in the present Legista
ture. Yet fully one-haIf the population i
4 eepresented as loyal, though They have nj
i means of expressing, II. - y-ttfrg laat
Politically, Mr., Ballard has always be0I
an old line Whig, though he strongly op