The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-01
FAMOUS CASE.
AWest virginia War claim.

WARRINGTON, MRfch ~.
Special Correspondents Of the IntellIseneer.
Senator Hereford has had q bill brought
forward to It's original place on the calen.
dar which Is OF interest to many persons
in West Virginia. The bill had been
passed over under objection, but is now
in q fair way to go through. 1t Is a bill
for apension to Jesse F. Phares, who, at
the outbreak Of the rebellion, was a resi-.
dent of Randolph county, in the State oil
Virginia; he entered the service Of the
government about the month OF june
1851, as a scout, serving under Generals
Mcclellan, Milroy, Kelly and others, and
by reason olhis intimate knowledge OF the
country and his intelligence, zeal and dar-
ing, rendered very valuable service to the
Union cause. In April, 1858, the Confed'
crate General Imboden advanced upon
me Union forces at Beverly, w. Va, COM
manded by Col. Geo. X. Latham, com
manding Fifth West Virginia Cavalry.
In the advance Phares, who was then on
duty outside the Union pickets, was sur
nrised by a party OF Confederate troops,
and refusing to halt when ordered, was
shot through the body, but retained his
saddle until he reached the Union lines.
The following extracts from the attidavits
of Col. Geo. r. Latham, Fifth Regiment
West Virginia Cavalry (Union), and OF
Lieut.. Col. Elihu Hutton, Twentieth Regi-
ment Virginia Cavalry (C~oniederate.)
Colonel Latham says:
On the 2Sd day OF April, 1858, / vas in
command OF the Federal forces stationed
at Beverly, W. Va, and said Phares, then
scouting outside my pickets, was cut of
BY a party OF the enemy then advancing
under General Imboden to attack me, and
lin %endeayoring TO dash past them was
badly wounded by a musket-ball passing
through his body, through the lungs, from
the effects OF which he is almost wholly
disabled, and is failing rapidly in strength
and general health. Though so badly
wounded, he retained his saddle until he
reached my pickets, and gave the first in
timation that / had OF the advance oil the
enemy. l was compelled to evacuate Bev-
erly, and Phares fell into the hands OF the
enemy. He had at the time several thou:
sand dollars worth OF goods and personal
property, all Of which was taken from him,
leaving him and his family in very desti-
tute circumstances, from which they have
been unable TO recover.
Lieutenant Colonel Hutton says:
During the late civil war l was Lieuten-
ant Colonel OF the Twentieth Regiment
Virginia Cavalry Confederate service),
and served principally on the West Vir-
ginia frontier, where 1t was well known
who were acting as scouts and guides for
the Federal forces in that vicinity, and
said Jesse F. Phares was well known to
be one OF the most active and dangerous
scouts and guides operating against US.
His knowledge Of the country was
thorough; he was smart, daring and vigi-
liant, and capable Of endurance. In con-
sequence OF the knowledge we possessed
OF this fact, every possible exertion was
made on our part to capture him, but
without success until the 2Sd OF April,
1868, when General Imboden advanced
upon the Federal forces then stationed at
Beverly, commanded by Col. George r.
Latham.
In order to cut of all scouts that might
be outside the Federal pickets, we sent
by night a party OF men through the
woods To gain the road near the outside
Federal picket post before daylight on the
morning Of April %, 1858. About day.
light said Phares, who was thus cut off,ap-
preached said party Of men on horseback
and was ordered to halt, but dashed for.
ward and past the men, when he was fred
upon by them, one ball taking effect, pas
sing through his body-through the
lungs-from the effects Of which he is
now almost wholly disabled. He retained
his seat, however, until he reached the
Federal pickets and gave information OF
our advance.
Beverly was evacuated the same day by
the Federal forces and occupied by the
C%oniederates, and Phares fell into u
hands.
He was cared for by me personally
about fifteen days, but a large amount OF
goods, general merchandise, groceries,
&C., household furniture, and other per-
sonal property, to the value OF several
thousand dollars, fell into confederate
hands and was used or destroyed bythem,
leaving him and his family in very desti-
tute circumstances, in which condition,
principally in consequence ofhisd disability,
they remain to this time. He has fouT
children living, and one, his Oldest, q
daughter, died Of consumption in 1870, in
duced by hardships and exposure, and his
wife Is worn down by care and labor.