West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-02-15

rushed from the direction of Wheel
ing and Parkersburg to close in or
him from the rear. Practically h,
was surrounded. But here is where
his good strategy came into play.
Making demonstration as il TO at
tack Roberts at Clarksburg and
holding him in check there, he
crossed the West Fork River and
going up Simpsons Greek to Bridge.
port, slipped out between Clarks
burg and Grafton, taking the herd
OF horses and cattle with him, and
was at Philippi before the enemy
knew he had escaped their embrace.
Jones was now outside of the enc
my's lines, at least on the safe side
OF the line. While still long way
from home, probably one hundred
and fifty miles west of his starting
point, still there was an unobstruc,-
ed road on which TO retreat in case
they pursued in force. He stopped
at Philippi, the county seat of Bar
bour, where one of the first fights OF
the war occurred in June 1861, and
rested up his command for couple
OF days. He availed this opportun-
ity to take an inventory of his cap
tured goods, and il was a most sat
isfactory showing. He had approx
imately three thousand cattle and
twelve hundred horses, a valuable
acquisition to the Confederacy's
commissary and quartermaster de-
partments. The Ia,h Virginia Cav
airy under command of Col. Har-
man, was detailed to escort the live
stock through to Staunton by way
OF the turnpike across Cheat Noun.
tains, while Gen. Jones, with the
remainder Of the brigade, started
OFF for another dash into the ensmy's
country. This time we started in a
southwesterly direction, and IL
looked to us as il we were destined
either for some point on the Ohio
River south of Parkersburg or for
Charleston, in the Great Kanawha
Valley. We proceeded by way of
Buckhannon, Weston, West Union
until we reached Burning Springs,
on the Little Kanawha, thirty five
miles above its mouth, where it
empties into the Ohio River at
Parkersburg. At this time Burning
Springs was the center of the oil
operation in West Virginia, then in
the infancy of the oil Development,
which has since produced immense
fortunes. The first oil struck in
West Virginia had been at Burning
Springs, two or three years previous
ly, and that field wos then in the
height of its prosperity.
From a miIi.ary standpoint, |
have never comprehended the ad-
vantages of capturing this oil field
and the destruction Of the oil works.
Nevertheless, it afforded us an OPP
portunity TO witness the finest
spectacular illumination ever known.
doubt If the burning of Moscow
equaled the scene presented to our
vision that night at Burning Springs
when the flames and dense cloud of
smoke shot upward from eighty
thousand burning barrels Of oil. A
quantity of oil had been loaded into
fatboats on the river, and the men
went aboard with axes and let the
oil flow out into the water. Then
the oil was set afre, and as far as
the eye could reach down the river,
possibly for two or three miles, IL
was flowing stream of liquid fire,
while the burning oil on shore helped
to add picturesqueness TO the illum-
ination. Aside from the spectacular
grandeur there was a striking weird
ness about the scene that impressed
every one. Men accustomed to the
FIRE OF battle, the roar Of the belch-
ing cannon and the excitement of the
cavalry charge when sparks OF steel
flashed from the clashing ssbers now
stoodin mute awe and almost super
stitious reverence as they looked
upon this weird conhagration. I'm
mense clouds of pitchy smoke rolled
up, seemingly dense enough to bear
up the weight of a man, while
forked flames shot upward through
this inky density, Illuminating the
heavens above and casting a spec
trail light over the surrounding hills.
1t was a scene to give inspiration to
Dante for new description OF his
Inferno.
When morning came, the work
Of destruction had been complete /;
and as We had now reached the
western limit OF our invasion we
took up the march eastward, passing
out by way Of Gienyille TO Sutton,
the county town Of Braxton. Here