Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-06-11

Creigh carry Il before the enemies Of hfs
country? he determined not TO DO this
After Consultation and advise the body was
disposed of in private manner That Y,
the matter was not made public specss-
Gle. An Irishman about the house, hired
lsborer, told the matter to q negro boy be.
longing to neighbor and when the Federal
army returned to Greenbrier ing une this slave
went of them and gave them information.
Search was made and the remains found IN
an old well. Mr.. Creigh made candid
statement Of the whole occurrence to the
military authorities, declaring that the
considered himself justified in what he had
done, and that he would do the same thing
10 any soldier, whether Federal orIConfeder-
ate, under the same circumstances. After
his arrest they took his wife and two
daughters about ten o'clock on a very darn
night and compelled them to ride behind
thier guard on horseback four miles to head
quarters. They did not, however, as < them
a question, nor were they ever permitted TO
see Mr.. Creigh. He requested that his
excellent friend and neigh0or, Mr. John W.
Dunn, should appear as a witness. tneS
sent for him, bat would not permit him to
answer q single question. They departed
from the neig hborhood of Lewlsburg TIT
next day, leaving Mrs. Creigh and her two
daughters to go on foot to that place, four
miles distant. Mr.. Creigh they marched on
foot TO Staunton, q distance of one hundred
miles, where the forces under Averill were
Joined by the army under Hunter. The
army of Gen. Hunter left Staunton and pro
ceeded M the valley towards Lexington by
various roads, on its GRAND of robbing and
burning. On Sunday evening, the Eth OF
June, Gen. Ayerill encamped on Hays
creek, about two miles below the village OF
Brownsburg. Mr.. Crsigh was kept under
guard in negro cabin close by, and though
repeated efforts were made that night to
visit him, they were in vain. A chaplain
in one of the regiments, a Presbyterian
minister fsom Uniontown, Pa, interested
himself in Mr.. Creigh's spiritual welfare
Some time after the execution of Mr.. Creigh
this chaplain called on farmer neighbor OF
Mr.. Creigh and related at the circumstances
of his death, when the gentlemen re,
ouested him TO take supper and spend
the night with him, when he replied that ne
could never break bread under the roof Of
a Virginian after the murder Of David
Creigh." On the morning of the 18th Of
June, after having gone through 3
trial and q little after sunrise, he was
brought out under guard, put into wagon
and conveyed up little vale to a spot about
quarter Of mile from the house and in
full view of it. There, upon a tree close by
fountain known as the "big spring, was
this Geed done. As soon as the army had DE-
Parted the body was taken down, wrapped
in blanket and put in grave, dug on the
spot, until better arrangements could b2
made Ii the disturbed condition of the
community nearly all the male portion being
absent, it was not until Thursday the 10th
that 8 coffin could be procured. By thai
time one of the sons of Mr. Creigb, in Gen
Breckinridge's army, having heard of the
fate Of his father, had come over and wa:
present when the remains were silent
iy laid in the graveyard Of New
Providence Church. In accordance with
his own request, bis remains having been
disinttrred from the grave in which they
had been deposited in Rockbridge couaty
Va, were brought to his home on the 28tt
of July, 1914, and on Sunday morning, the
3lst, escorted By funeral procession o.
more than mile in length, were taken tc
the Presbyterian Church in IsRisburg
The services being completed his re
mains were deposited by the side O
his ancestors and relatives in the
graveyard adjoining the church. The
session of the church adopted suitable reso
lutions as well as the County Court Of which
he was an honored member. The hanging
of David Creigh was universally lameuted
by the good people of Greenbrier as they
were convinced that what he did was done
in defense of his family.
The people OF LewiSburg should certainly
erect a suitable monument to his memory.
The soldiers graves will be decorated next
Wednesday, the 10th. DR.. I. H. Laing will
deliver the memorial address. Business will
DE suspended and the day will be generally
observed. W.