The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-01-18
Governors Message.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Wheeling, !
t.'- January IL, 1855.
Gentlemen Of The Senate and House Of Del
eddfcs: .--- ----.

t' January IL, 1855.
Gentlemen Of The Senate and House Of Del
egates: fa..t -y.r.
Iwelcome you to the seat of govern
ment on your annual return to the i'm
portant and responsible duties devolving
upon you in the capacity of legislators
for our growing new Commonwealth;
and as contemplated by the Constitution,
I proceed to communicate to you brieny
the condition of the State and recon-
mend to your consideration such meas
ures as seem to me expedient- j..
Abont the first of August last the rebel
General McCausland, with consider
able force, invaded the southeastern por.
ton of the State; and on the fourth OF
that month attacked comparatively
small body of government troops station
ed at New Creek; but the latter made
gallant defense, and the enemy was re-
pulsed with considerable loss, and re-
treated towards Mooreheld; and ON the
seventh of the same month was attacked
by our cavalry under General Averiu
and completely routed ana driven out OF
the State. In September rebel force OF
about six hundred mounted men unoer
Col. Witcher made raid into the east
ern portion of the State. passing through
Braxton, Lewis, Upshur, and other eoun-
ties, and in their courserobbed and plan-
dered the citizens of those counties, drlv,
ing away their horses and cattle and
carrying off large quantities Of their goods
and committing other serious depreda-
| tiOns.
ON the twenty-eighth of November, a
| rebel force of mounted men under Gen.
Rosser, again attacked New Greek and
succeeded in capturing the place, taking
| a considerable number Of prisoners and
doing some damage to the railroad at
that point, and Immediately thereafter
retired from the State
Had it been in my power to provide a
force sufficient to prevent the lnyaslons
by the enemy referred to, it would GER
tainly have afforded me great pleasure,
as it was my duty to do so; but it was
simply impossible. Early in the sum-
mer addressed communications to the
Secretary of War, and the General at
that time commanding this military De-
partment, setting forth our defenseless
condition and my apprehensions that as
the Fall approached, the State would be
invaded by the enemy in sufficient force
to inhict upon our people severe damage;
but received no response from either
of these officers. So impressed was l
with the belief that tho interior of the
State would be subjected to rebel raids,
that early in September visited Wash
ington, and in person called on the Sec
retary of War, and again stated the de-
fenseless condition of the State and my
apprehensions, and requested him to or
der sufficient troops to the border to save
the people from the ruinous visitations
of the rebel armies. His answer was that
he did not think there would be any such
invasion in force; and that it would de-
volve on the people to defend themselves
against the smaller bands that might
come into the State; that all the availa-
bls troops were needed to confront the
larger forces of the enemy; and that he
could not possibly supply troops for our
border, to guard against apprehsnded
raids, without prejudice to the main or
mics at the points mentioned, which he
did not feel authorized to do.
A few days after my return from
Washington, the rebel Colonel Witchsr
made his raid into the eastern counties;
of which / telegraphed the Secretary
of War as soon as was advised. He im-
mediately placed troops under COM
mand of General Kelley, who moved up
OH the enemy and drove him from the
State, and stationed force in the NOUN
tains sufficient to guard against like
raid so long as they are permitted to re-
main.
Since writing the foregoing, / have
been informed that few days since
rebel force captured Beverly and took
prisoners our troops stationed at that
place; but am not advised of the par
ticulars.
In the extreme southern counties, it
has not yet been practicable to organize
civi! authority, on account of the fire.
quent incursions OF the rebels-those
courties being occupied alternately by
government and rebel troops.
While the State has been subjected to
rebel invasons i'll force during the past
year only in the instances mentioned,
and great portion of it has not been so
invaded ut all, yet many sections have
been infested with small bands of armed
men, the most, if not al, of whom left their
homes within this State at the conf
mencement of the rebellion, or since,
and went off into the rebel army,
and now return to rob plunder and
murder their former neighbors who are
loyal, because the latter would not go
into the rebellion with them. Recently
robberies have been committed on
large scale i'll many parts of the State,
and some of the best citizens murdered
by these outlaws in the counties of Har-
rison and Marion. The frequency and
boldness of these outrages have alarm
ingly increased, SO much so that it is
idle to think of Furnishing them in the
civil courts: and therefore on the twenty
third of December, issued an address
calling on the loyal people of the State
to organize themselves into companies
for their own protection, and to capture
OF kill these outlaws wherever found, as
suring them that would furnish them
with arms and ammunition for the pur
pose.
One feature of this condition of things
is that many of the disloyal in our midst
who have remained at home feed and
harbor these marauders and murdsrers,
knowing their purposes, while the latter
are preparing to do their devilish work,
and conceal the fact of their presence
from their loyal neighbors, who are
only made aware of such presence by the
loss of their prOperty or a murder in