The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-12

"Yet live there still who can remembe
well,
How. when mountain chief his bugl
blew,
Both field and forest, dingle, cliff, ant
dell,
And solitary heath, the signal knew.
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS.
Old Virginia seeded from the Union
April IL, 1861, and, in turn, West Virgin
Ia declared, in Convention assembled al
Wheeling, that her people were loyal t.
the Star Spangled Banner, and adopted
an ordinance for a new State, Aug. ~
1861. Two months later, Oct. "a, the &C
ton of the Convention was approved by q
vote the people.
This action of West Virginia materially
interfered with the plans of the parent
Commonwealth and the Confederacy in
general, the design being to establish
Confederate boundary or border-line, CON
and Maryland.
In an effort to reclaim the recalcitrant
offspring of the Mother of States vari-
GUS Confederate armies were sent into
West Virginia, under Garnett, Pegram,
Floyd, Wise and Lee, but nearly all such
expeditions came to grief when they en-
countered Mcclellan and Rosecrans, Kel-
ley and other Union Commanders in the
mountain fortresses of the New State. "
Grafton. Philippi, Laurel Hill, Rich Noun
tain, Beverley, Carrick's Ford, Carnifex
Ferry and Romney are conspicuous names
on the pages of history recalling scenes OF
Confederate discontinue. After Gen.
Henry A. Wise and his LEGION" were
driven out, West Virginia was not again
invaded by any formidable body of Con-
federate troops. Small raidiDg parties,
however, Of guerrilla plnnderers from the
counties of Augusta, Highland. and Rock
bridge, beyond the Great North Mountain
Range, continued to commit depredations
and atrocities upon defenceless loyal citi-
gems, wasting all the country where they
went"
Even in the "New State" there were
many residents who were 'rebel sympa-
thizers," particularly in PendletOn and
Greenbriar Counties, on the border, separ-
ated from Augusta in Old Virginia by
the North Mountain Range. In numerous
instances the hostility between neighbors
was cruelty deadly, similar to Corsican
or Tyrolesian vendetta.
In Augusta County the masses, or COM
mon people, had been at heart true to
the Union, but the seductive eloquence of
such orators as Echols, Baldwin, and
Bumgartner enticed them from their fdeii-
ty to the Government to which they owed
natural allegiance.
Apropcs to the grandiloauence of Vir-
ginia's ''fire-eating'' orators, the reader
will please pardon me for referring to
General Henry A. Wise, although in doing
80 / digress from the continuity of my
story.
General Wise, boy in appearance, ex-
Governor of Virginia, was famous ora
tor, noted for vigorous gesticulation.
Early in the war some ladies of Rich
mond presented Wise's Legion a silken
flag thing of beauty wrought by fair
hands. In accepting the flag, Wise, of
course, made a speech, top-lofticaP' and
bombastic. He assured the ladies that in
the campaign he was about to make
against the West Yirginians, the Legion
would follow that STARRY Cross" to glo-1
rious victory, and that the last man would
die rather than permit the impious hand
of an enemy to defile single star. There
was more of the same tenor, but l forbear.
Having ingloffously fled from West Vir-
ginia.. Wise returned to Richmond, and
failed to exhibit the flag to the fair dom
ors, as he had promised, with "Victory"
inscribed upon it
THE GATHERING.
SIT was a wild and strange retreat,
As e'er was trod by outlaws feet"
Soon after Wise's Legion and other con-
seQ1ential organizations withdrew crest
fallen from West Virginia, the Richmond
and Staunton newspapers published arti-
cles, in substance, as follows:
eve are informed by reliable citizens of
Augusta County that large number of
deserters, Yankees and Confederates, have
taken possession of an extensive cavern in
the North Mountain Range at point
about midway between the "Divide" and
Bears Hell, two noted localities. The
superstitiOus mOuntaineers claim that the
cavern il the abode of uncanny hobgob-
Inns, but in reality it is the rendezvous
and stronghold of robbing bushwackers
and deserters.
deserter from General Cox's army in West
Virginia, is said to be the Captain of this
vile gang, while his Lieutenant is one,
Sam Harding, notorious Union man of
PendletOn County, who recently fed to
this cavern rendezvous, after having killed
q Heighbor whom he had engaged in heat.
ed political controversy at his own house.
Preparations are being made for the
capture, destruction, or dispersion of this
annoying band of outlaws, who are abund-
nntly supplied with arms and ammunition.
They plumber, Unfortunately, on both
sides of North Mountain, and rob refugees
going North or South"
THE CHTEFTAIN OF WHITE OAK LICK.
"With cautious step and ear awake,
He climbs the crag and threads the brake"
James Todd, popularity called "Uncle
Jimmy" whose Lodge" in Augusta Coup-
ty was known as White Oak Lick, was the
leading man of the settlement" Shrewd
and fearless, active and indefatigable in
the prosecution of any enterprise that de-
manded intelligence, courage, and endu-
rance, he was naturally counsellor and
commander of men. He was stanch
Union man, and throughout the war White
Oak Lick was rendezvous for refugees,
whom he conducted beyond Confederate
jurisdiction by a route established by him
self, known as Refugee Line" The
northern terminus of this line was Cum
berland, in Maryland, Ny Maryland"
From the North Carolina and Virginia
border line, the chieftain of White Oak
Lick received refugees who were forward
ed to him by emissaries stationed along
the route. Dangerous as were his opera.
tons, requiring circumspection, courage,
and hardy endurance, "Uncle Jimmy. ever
'Iadismayed, was invariably successful in
his periodical journeys from White Oak
Lick to Cumberland. A pass from General
Kelley protected him from molestation by
Federal officers or their soldiers. The
bushwhackers on North Mountain had un-
Willingly established themselves directly
on his route, and when he became cog
infant of the fact he wac by no means
pleased.
BLACK SAM.
A perfect and satisfactory understand
ing existed between Uncle Jimmy Todd