Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-02-06
Toland'S Raid.
A "Reminiscences.


Roanoke Times an article, ON "Tolands
Raids upon Wytheville during the
civil war, for the purpose Of destroy
ing supplies stored there, and of
wrecking the them Va, and Tenn, II.
T., reminds me of, historic, unpub-
lished and almost forgotten incident,
connected with that fray, which had
as much, perhaps more, to do with the
warm reception rendered to that com
mand, and the disastrous lssue OF their
attack, resulting i'm the death OF Col.
Toland, the capture of Mai. Powell.
and the severe handling, generally. of
these manuders-than any other
single incident, connected with the
Raid 1t will he remembered that
Tolands command enroute, marched
through Tazewell Co, camping, be-
lieve, on the night preceding the at
tack, on the farm of the late Capt. w.
e. Peery, about one and u half miles
east Of Tazewell c. H., throwing out
picket guards about one mile further
east on the road leading TO Wytheville.
This picket post, was very near the
residence Of the late samuel Tyncs.
father OF the writer, whose home
now the property of his son, and known
as ''Rocky-Dell", is one and a half
miles east from the Peery home. My
fathers family then consisting OF him
self, my mother, and sister, a girl of
twenty, with one woman and one old
man, darlSies, as servants. Tom Rob
inson the old darkey, brave ard trusty.
was hustled of TO the safer businesses
OF Rich mountain with the horses and
other valuables, leaving only one horse.
my sisters riding male, 10 meet pos
sible contingencies. Learning during the
night that the objective point OF the
federal command was Wythcville, and
the r. r., my father at once deter
mined, in some way, 10 warn the citi-
zens along the route, and OF Wythe-
vile, OF the approaching "Raid." Adj
vanced in years, as both he and my
mother were, hc did not think it either
safe or wise, To- leave home himself, and
To get trusty messenger seemed i'm
possible, as about all such were "to the
front" Yet So impressed WAS he with
the magnitude OF the danger, and the
Importance OF alarming the people and
the town OF Wytheville, that he en-
couraged my sister % mount her horse
in the early morning, and alone, take
the road for Wytheville. Passing
through Burke's Garden, over and
through the interminnblc mountains
and wilderness, by Sharon Springs, on
TO Wytheville, n distance Of Al miles.
sounding the alarm i'm her onward ride,
being. at that period, total stranger in
the town, drew not grey Fashions" rein
until she reached the home OF the late
Robert Crockett, some twelve miles
south OF Wythevillc, whose wife WAS an
old friend and neighbor, being daugh-
ter of the late Addison Crockett OF
Tazewell, Va, having covered dis
tance OF 53 miles, practically without a
halt.
Twas this timely warning, that put
the people on guard, and with cold
Gmybeards and boys" prepared for
the doughty Col. and his regiment of
vandals a warm reception, i'm which
they "Pinked" the gay Col. captured
his one eyed Maj-now Gen. Powell
with several others, and put many OF
his followers to sleep.
Thus Wytheville and the r. r. was
saved from fire and wreck, from this
the first, or "Toland Raid" With the
second, under Averill. the writer had a
personal acquaintance, as he served
for the day-on Gen. Jno. Morgans
Staff, in the fight OF "Crocketts Cove,
Of which he may perhaps have more
to say. Miss Mary +. Tynes, the young
courier, afterwards became the wife OF
the late Hon. w. B. Davidson, OF
Mercer county, w. Va, and is nov
sleeping" beside her parents, In the
old cemetery Of the town OF Tazewell
AIT.