The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-02-18
A WARTIME ATHENS.
Patriotism and bravery OF the People of
Wells Valley, Pa.

Patriotism and bravery Of the People of
Wells Valley, Pa.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In May,
1883, you published an account of the part
aken in the suppression of the shareholders,
rebellion by the Moore brothers, OF Wells
Valley, Fulton County, Pa. Their record is
q most enviable one, but does not exceed
that of the people at large among whom
they lived. The valley referred to IS seven
miles long. and averages one mile wide II
constitutes Township in which in 1861
there were registered 102 voters many OF
them being infrm old men. There were
four churches, the pastors of which were
well supported and their services well al
tended. There were four common schools
and one select school. In them young men
could be prepared for college, and many
were so prepared. These schools were the
pride of all the people. There were three
post Offices. which distributed weekly news
papers, magazines, and periodicals OF high
grade TO nearly every family. No trash was
wanted.
Ga account of the intelligence Of the
people and the character of their schools, the
little valley was known far and near as
Athens. With the exception Of a tannery,
which employed 10 or IL men, there were
no manufactures. The whir of busy ma
chinery or click of telegraph instrument
were never heard, neither did the shrek OF
locomotive or thunder of railway train ever
wake the echoes sleeping among the crags
and ravines of the surrounding mountains.
When Sumter was fired on there was in
the valley q well-drilled and thoroughly
disciplined military company, nearly every
man of which responded to the Presidents
call for $4,000 men. There were st enlist
ments for three years, and the men SO en-
listed were found in every branch OF the
service, infantry, artillery, cavalry, signal
corps, navy, and medical corps. They were
all volunteers.
Those intelligent farm boys had been
| taught, carefully taught, the lessons of pat
| riotism the blood of Revolutionary an
| cestors flowed in the veins Of many of them
they had read their country's history and
| were proud of her position and record
among the nations; therefore the services of
| the CONSUMPTION officer were not needed TO
induce them to support, at any risk, the
honor and integrity Of the Government
under which they lived. They were at all
times ready for any service, however danger
GUS or arduous, as they abundantly proved
as the great conflict went on.
| They were with Little MAJ" during the
seven days battles in front of Richmond
and at Antietam; with Meade, in the Penn
sylvania Reserves, at Fredericksburg. and
under the same great leader helped roll
| back the high tide of rebellion at Gettys-
burg. While the heroic boys of the Army
of the Tennessee were bravely cOntestlng
the rebel advance at Shiloh. Wells Valley
boys, under Buell., were swiftly marching to
their aid, and discharged their whole duty
on that bloody field during the second day 8
battle. ssstiI
When Fighting Joe" hurled his battal-
ions against the slope Of Lookout Mountain,
the White Star Division numbered Wells
Valley boys in itss ranks. When Little
Phil came dashing pn to the field at Cedar
Creek he found. those boys ready to help
turn defeat into victory. Some Of them
were with Pap-Thomas at Chickamauga,
and under the same grand old leader were
in the resistless charge on Mission Ridge.
Some of them marched with Sherman
from Atlanta to the sea, and 80, from the
beginning to the end of the terrible war, in
every great battle and very many OF less
importance, some Of the boys from the little
valley were found. They joined their COM
rades in the enthusiastic shout over final
victory at Appomatto0, and proudly marched
in the Grand Review at Washington when
the great conflict was ended.
Those boys hesitated not to offer their
best services and even life as a sacrifice, in
order that national integrity might not be
destroyed and in the ease of many of them
the Offering was accepted and they sealed the
full measure of devotion to flag and coun-
try with their lives.
The heroism displayed by these young
J men wherever duty called was equalled, il
not excelled, by those who could only en-
courage and wait and pray at home. The
courage which stands the test of bullet and
shell and the battlefield is of high order; but
does it not demand a courge of higher, nobler
type to enable mother, wife, sister, or hel
who is betrothed, to bear the terrible sus-
pense of waiting for the tidings from the
battle, from the hospital and from the prison
pen? Does it not demand the very highest
order OF courage for a mother to urge heI
boy to risk the dangers and hardships of wal
for principle? Does it not require the
same to inspire loving wife to be willing
that her husband shall offer his life for home
and country?
The women of this valley did this and
more. and there never was time from the
beginning of the war to the end thereof
when they were not found aiding and en-
couragiDg the boys by every means in theil
power.
: But two of those Spartan mothers are YET
alive. The sisters and sweethearts, who were
so true and noble, are matrons now, grand
: mothers, some Of them, whose children ant
grandchildren have been carefully taught
the lessons which make patriots of boys ant
girls
l have written enough to show of wha
material the people of this secluded valley
were made and 1.-THE of their record; and
now, can their record be equalled? From
!. other places came men as true, brave ant
heroic; but is there another place 30 isolated
with no more people, that furnished SO many
0 men for the Union armies? Is there anothe
such place the representatives OF which wer
: found in every branch of the service, in ever!
, great battle and that from the beginning t.
the end of the war? If such a place Their
be, let us hear of it. The old boys of TIN
), GAR. are challenged to beat the record o
u the patriotic people of the pretty little vale!
: among the Pennsy lvania hills.-M. M. HoR
TON, Co. I, 77th Pa, Enid, Pa.
!, ASSAULT ON FORT WAGNEF