Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-07-09
THE CONFEDERATE COLUMN.
An Address Delivered Before the
Daughters BY Mai. Moore.

The following article on Clarke's
response to the call for troops was
prepared several years ago by Maj. s.
j. @. Moore for the Stonewall Chap
ter, L. II. e. 1t is now published
for the first time by the courtesy of
the writer.-EDIToR
Although situated in the Northern
part of the State, within short DAYS
march of the frontier, and therefore
easily accessible by MI invading army,
Clarke county was as true to the
Confederacy as any other county in
the State; in fact, rs any in the South.
When the question of ratification
of the ordinance Withdrawing the
State from the Union was submitted
To the people, there were but three
votes cast IN the whole county
against II. OF the three men who
voted against it, one soon sought "A
more conSenial section, hy moving to
the other side of the Potomac, aud
the other two died before the war
ended.
The resolution of the Legislature,
providing for vote of the people on
the question. authorized the men
who were entitled TO vote, and who
were in the army to vote in their
camps, where polls were regularly
opened, and not soldier from the
county voted against the ordinance.
1t has been charged that coercion and
intimidation were used to compel the
voters TO sustain the ordinance, but
that charge is not true. The cleo
ton was fairly conducted, and every
man voted as he saw proper. In the
, Second Virginia Regiment there we're
two companies from Berkeley county,
where there was strong Union senti-
ment, and men in both companies
/ voted openly in the negative, without
: fear or molestation. After the vote
! had been taken, the same men SUBJ
: United to the decision, and made as
! good soldiers as any who voted on
the other side. At that time, the
present system of voting by secret
ballot had not been adopted, and it
was not possible for a man TO conceal
, his vote, as he had TO announce II
openly and in All audible voice. All
the people of Clarke, high and low,
: men, women and children, were of
, one mind and heart, on that subject
then, and continued to be during the
entire war. Many incidents might be
cited in proof of this. One at the
very beginning illustrates it. When
the Clarke Riflemen marched out of
Berryville, on the 18th day of April,
1861, under orders from Col. James
w. Allen, of Jefferson, to report to
him in Charles Town, or wherever he
} might be found, they took up the
route step" expecting to march the
!. whole distance to Charles Town, but
on reaching the top of the hill where
the cemetery now is, they found
standing in the road long line of
carriages and spring wagons awaiting
their arrival, which had been brought
there by their kind and patriotic
friends, to expedite their movements.
Among them were the carriages of
Col. r. Mccormick, and Messrs. p.
ID. Shepherd, Daniel II. Sewers, p.
Mccormick, Daniel w. Sewers, L. f.
Gold, Thomas Mccormick, and q
number of others. The company
was halted and the men told to
mount the carriages and wagons,
which they did with loud cheers; and
were rapidly driven to Charles Town,
where they arrived about p. m.
Dismounting at the run this side of
town, they at once formed and
marched to the Court House, where
they were halted lad arms were
strcked; and some men were sent to
look for Colonel Allen, in order to
report to him; who soon returned
with the information that he. with
the Charles Town companies, had
moved out towards Harper's Ferry.
The carriages were again put in
requisition, and they were driven four
miles on the road to the latter place.
where at Halltown, they found the
Col. with his detachment awaiting re.
Inducements. Our little army then
took supper, consisting of crackers
and fat bacon toasted OH the ends of
sticks in front of fires kindled for the
purpose, by the road side. While at
supper, they were joined by the CON-
pany from wildwood, under com.
mand of Capt. VIM. n. Nelson, of
the Clarke Cavalry, u company from
Sha, m ~ osoun and aca f.or. n.f |