The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-17

defend that section of the state. but
these were soon Withdrawn and sent
TO Tennessee. while the greatest part
OF the forces were concentrated in the
region between Richmond and Wash
ington.
In the winter OF Is61-62. tina, part OIL
! Virginia west Of the Allegheny Noun
I ;nins was so entirely dominated by the
Northern invaders that the Union men
| o fthHt section were engaged in meas
! urcs to organize "a separate state and
| seeding from Virginia. ally itself to
the Northern Union. There were nft;,
| counties engaged in that movement !
and IL was evident that unless some
thing decisive was done the people Of
The western section OF Virginia, under
| the overwhelming pressure OF North
I crn bhEonets. would be forced TO sub
nit TO the Vaccinations OF a small
CLIQUE OF disicyal sclcmers.
| The Virginia Legislature. with fuil
quota OF Representatives. from the
western counties. resolved To make a
vigorous effort TO save the western
section Of the state. AND il could only
! be done b. armed force. The Lcgisla-
! lure authorized the raging and armins
| OF - force UP 10 10000 men al the
! states expense, the men to be raised
~ the western counties. then forming
part Of the new state OF West yir-
j Union, and the command Of the force
! 10 be raised was placed under the
| command OF General John u. Floyd
VINO had scrvcd his state as ,iovcrnori
ana representative in Congress who
served the nation as it's Secretary or
| war under the buchanan admInistra-
| ZION, res'sninS IN be with his State in,
the Southern movement and who had
raised brigade OF troops in those
W. -,
! In the field until he was suspended
| from the Confederate service for re-
tnsirE 10 surrender at Fort Donaldson.
Tenn. marching out with his own
| brigade and all the other soldiers who
! chose TO follow him instead OF remain
J ing behind 10 surrender.
| General Floyd, III the spring OF 1862
established his headquarters u, wythc-
vile Va, in the Allegany Mountains
and addressed himself TO the work or
Gathering volunteers from the noun
| tains and other counties OF the then
| West Virginia. The State government!
furnished him with muakcts, mountain
J howitzcr artillery. carried on the backs
/ OF horses, and the volunteers who
came to him from even an far North
| as Wheeling up in tho northern Pan
handle," were bountifuliS subsistcd
| on the supplies in an almost untouch-
ed country that had known but little
or the rsvages of war. In the face
OF numerous difficulties. from Juno.
1852. TO January. 1868. General FLOYD
! had mustered into the service, under
| the tide Of the Virginia State Line. an
aggregate OF officers and men Of 3,33s
In that time he had moved up into
the country occupied by the enemy
and made numerous successful raids
surprising and defeating his adversar-
| les.
But in the meantime the Confederate
government had learned of this move
| ment OF State troops, and in February,
1858. the President addressed a com
munication to the Governor OF Vir-
Sinia calling his attention that theI
Constitution Of the Confederate States
| forbade State to maintain and opcr-
ate with land or naval forces. but that
all such must be under the command
| OF the President.
| in Its vigorous effort to recover thol
/ fifty counties that had conc off TO the
State of West Virginia, the Virginia
government had thought little of that
particular clause of the Confedcra g
Constitution. but now that the nues-
ton was raised, the Legislature, af-
ter discussion. proposed to transfer
/ It's State line force to tho Confederate
government. The Confederate govern
mcnt answered In return that II would
only receive companies and regiments
but no brigade organization and no
general officers. But before the dis
| cussion could be carried any further
the officers and mon OF the command
| announced that they had something 10
| say, and this was that they had volun
teered in the service or Virginia for
the recovery of the western counties
from usurping government, and be-
ing under nm express contract with
| the state. they could not be transfer
red TO the Confederate government,
! which, IL 1t had the power. would send
them to distant States and leave their
| 0fty counties to the mcrcics OF the
North and tho usurping State govern
mcnt.
The State Of Virginia then had no
other recourse but to abandon it's i'm
! poftant movement and dsband the
West Virsiniaus, who had come 10
| light for their "Old Dominion. A
regiment Of cavalry for the Conred-
crate service WAS raised out OF the
force and the remainder was disband-
ed. the men dispensing to their homes,
while the secession of the counties
that make up the State OF West vir-
Sinia was established and confirmed
If the Confederate government had
been satisfied to get all the help I'LL
could from cvery source without bolng
too eSactlng concerning tho technicali
ties Of law and the detaiIs of official
etiquette where the chief of the admin
| istration was concerned. results might
have been different. But the necessity
| OF dominating every detail of civil and
| military affairs marred many promis-
ing civil and military prospects, The
| President was ovorstrcnuous In keep
ing mt the foro tho authority and i'm
portance of his position. and his hand,
was found In everything. Colonel
Henderson. In his Life Of Stonewall
Jackson" declares that "a true esti.
mate Of Lees genius Dis impossible, for
1t can never DO known to what extent
his Gcsigns were thwartcd by the
lGontederato government" gf
lsSSNo 4. rep ublic. except when contesting