The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-05-18
fWherling Register Correspondence
West Virginia Warfare.
The Confederate Campaign
OF 1861.
PorterlicId's Version of the
Philippi Fight.
~, ~
Stories of I" Aud Lang Syne >

My attention has been called to an
article published in 1878. in the June
number of tho Old and Ncw, entitled
"Thc West Virginia campaign Of
1861. The author Of this article is
nn old acquaintance and former friend.
General Henry ". Benham, o. S.
Army. The object Of tho writer was
obviously to commend himself to
General U. S. Grant, then President
Of the United StutCs. This end lie
sought by Dragging Of his own ex-
ploits, and by fulsOme praise Of General
Grant; alsO by slurring General
Mcclellan. The author seems to have
supposed that General Grant would be
as much gratitiUd by assaults on Gen.
cral Mcclellan, as by praise Of him.
self. The ppirit Of the article is to
show thnt the credit Of tho success Of
this campaign, which he regards as
wonderful, was largely due to the
writer; bnt that it had been unjustly
attributed 10 himself by General
Mcclellan; and ho charges him as
habituaIly " kicking down The ladders,
by which hc rosc;" while he says OF
General Grant 60 whom tho writer
was cnleavoring to commend himsclt)
that he has c!uug 10 every good man
about him who aided him as hc rose,
us every such mau has clung to him"
Though | was sorry to sec one who
bad been friend descended to such
IuCaus Of obtaining favor with tue then
President Of the uaitud States, yet |
shall take no notice of what | believe
to be sIanders upon General Mcclellan,
because he needs no drlenso agaius.
charges. aud because these charges
are i'll no manncr my concern. |
would have taken no uc,icc Of this
article, had tho writer not slludercd
NO. These misrepresentation Of me
were clearly made with view Of on.
hanciug tho supposed merits Of the
writer in his conduct during this cain.
paign. The truth is, rs every one Of
intelligence krows, Who knows any
thing Of tho West Virginia campaign
Of 1861, that it reflects no especial
credit on apy officer, Confederate or
Federal, except on General Mcclellan,
for tue skillfull manner in which he
surprised and defeated the command Of
General Garrett.
The State Of West Virginia, aud
especially the nOrtheu part Of this
State, wus reull ) country hostile to
the Confederate States. II was folly to
expect force to be raised 10 that sec.
tOu sufficient, even. to keep tho Upen
field, much more to hold the country;
and it was impossible for tho forces
sent there by the COnfederatcs to hold
such courtry against the largely
superior forces which the Federal
Government could, aud did send us
needed. TO takC possession Ofthis Stale.
Tho only excuse that can be made for
the confederate authorities, for making
such vain effort. is that it was in the
very beginning Of the war, aud the
difficulties of such an undertaking
was not then duly considered or prop.
crly appreciated. The folly Of their
attempts to hold military possession of
West Virginia, is clearly shown by
tue faet. that after tho failure Of the
first efforts, tho command Of the army
intended to effect this purpose was
conferred on General II. Z. Lee, but
under his command the campaign was
still an utter failure.
Had the campaign been begun with
any skill at all by tho Fedora! officers,
it must have resulted in the capture or
destruction Of the small force which |
was organizing | do nut claim any
credit for having escaped with this
force, That did escape with the
loss of two or three men OuIy was due
entirely to the want Of capacity on the
part Of those in command Of the FEEDER.
al troops in that vicinity: General
Morris and his five ur six cOlOuies, ia.
gliding Colonel Benhnm.
My cOuduCt was the subject Of in
vcstigntiOn at tho time by a Court of
Inquiry, composed Of Colonel William
j. Taliafcrro, Lieutenant Colonel John