South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-07-17
AN INTERESTING RELIC.
The Vest of General b. r. Kelly
Held "a Souvenir OF
the Late Civil Strife.

pOosSSSSeS curious memeutO oil the
first bloooshed of the civil war. 1t
is the first blood drawn from the
veins of federal officer by con-
federate fire.
Talking about war times with a
S'0 reporter the other evening
Col. Hawkes. took the paper from
a little bundle he carried aud held
up for inspection a low-cut gray
vest OF sort of "pepper and salt"
pattern, bound about the edges
with brown silk cord and orna-
mented with buttons that looked
like bullets. 1t had been O rather
dressy garment of a civilian before
the war.
On the side, a little forward Of
the arm hole, was a ragged hole
about he size of a mans thumb.
Below this dark stain ran down,
spreading until it covered nearly
all one side of the vest. On the
inside this stain colored the eutire
lining OF the vest. The garment
was soaked with blood that hal
dried into it and stiffened it like
raw hide.
That, said Col. III lwkes, is O REL
&c of the rirst bloodshed of the civil
war. The vest was worn by Gen.
(then COLI B. f. Kelly, who com.
ma nded at the battle OF Phillip, i,
the first battle of the war, and who
was the first officer on the federal
side TO receive o wound. The ball
fired in a volley or the rear guard
OF the retreating confederates en-
tered where you see that rent, pass
ed through the Generals lungs and
came out just below the shoulder
blade.
was his adjutant and was with
him there. When we saw him w.
ing there, with the blood squirting
from the wound as if forced ont
with pump. no one expected him
to live more than few minutes.
The surgeons at the hospital pro.
nounced the wound mortal, aud it
was 60 reported to Gen. Mcclellan,
but the general never left the front,
and In less than sixty days was
again In command. lie is now 81
years old, and, a. he was the first
officer to fall In the cause Of the
Union. he will be among the last
of the brave generals to pass away:
General Kelly commanded tne
fret federal troops who marched on
confederate soil He raised the
first Virginia regiment and inau.
gurated the aggressive warfare,
He took command OF the first regi.
ment raised in Western Virginia on
the 25th of May 1861, and few
days later marched against the con.
federates under PorterGeld. The
struggle then was to prevent the
people of that section from enter
ing the confederacy, and out of it
grew the State OF West Virginia.
Kelley's troops were without uni
form and equipment and were
armed WITH any sort OF guns, knives
and pistols they could get. Some
had rifles, some m1skets aud some
snotguns. The generals only uni.
form! was bis outer coat. The con-
tederates against whom be was
contending were at one hour in
the field blowing, and a. the next
mounted on their pillow horses in
the ranks Of col. Porterfield, and
then again they were at their plows
as peaceful tiIlers of the soil.
At 4 o'clock on the 3rd of Juno,
'61, Col. Kelly, supported by Ind.
ana and Ohio regiments, made an
attack on the Confederates at
PhIIlippi. driving them from their
position in confusion, thus begin'
ming the actual fighting ofthe war
and from his own body giving the
flood for the first baptism OF blood.
After this he was made Brigsdier
General, aud his operations IN West
Virginia during the rest o. the war
were Of great service to the gov.
ernmeu and won him high com,
incubation.
THE BATTLE AT RoMSEY.
At tho battle of Romuey, where
a most important victory was won,
he commanded his troops from a
carriage, beibg not yet sufficiently
recovered from his wonnd to ride
q horse. After the war he held O
position in the pension Office at
Washington until he got to be sew
enty eight years old and retired
from active life.
Since then he has divided his
time between Washington. and bic
country place, Swan Meadows,
near Oakland, Md. lie is now so
old and feeble that bis death is ex'
pected at any time, but bis mind is
30 clear und vigorous as ever. The
military spirit still remains with
him, and be is making a slow and
orderly retreat before the Great