Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-01-23

Before the Civil war, all male
persons Of the age Of is had to regis
ter as militiamen. The writer had
registered the fall before. Now
these militiamen had to muster or
drill as we would now call it; COM
pany muster then regimental muster
would follow Under the old Virgin
ia law all male persons between the
age of IS and As had to register and
asnwer to roll call each drill day or
show doctors certificate disability
or be fined.
Anvil was colonel Of our regiment
but l don't know the number Of our
company or regiment only that our
| company was styled as Chestnut
Flat Company. | lived some seven
! miles south Of Philippi, Virginia, now
West Virginia When the "Secesh"
army, as they were then called, came
back from Grafton to Philippi they
called the militia to rendezvous ate
! a. m. on a given day at Philippi, Bar
bour county, bringing their guns and
five days rations The people in my
neighborhood generally opposed sec
essiion. NY father and few others
as spokesman, advised US not to vol
unteer to fight against the Stars and
Stripes, but to answer the call and
if they made us fight go to it with a
will About two-thirds of the regi-
ment rendeyouezed. After arriving
at the appointed place, the old Viii
son orchard just above Philip, just
outside the Southern Army Camp
where Colonel Anvil took command
and each captain that reported stood
at the head of his men. They then
marched US around a while at the
beat of the drum and sound of the
! bugle. They soon called halt and
we lay down on the ground Direct
4 ly recruiting officer came around
and called the attention of the mil
tia and made stirring appeal for
volunteers for three years or during
the term Of the war, saying that we
must rally to the defense Of our coun-
try for the Abolition Party was pre-
pairing to invade our country and lib
crate our slaves. He got few vol
unteers. He said volunteer soldier
would be much more respected and
cared for than any ordinary militia
man. Then the rest of US lay there
on the ground for while expecting
to be held for service for one year as
the recruiting officer had told us that
we would have to serve one year any
way so we had better volunteer
After while another recruiting
officer came up and called attention
and made sterling speech and call
ed for fifty volunteers for five days
service, this five days service would
/ release US from a three years service
We were to be paid three dollars pei
day this five days service, and he
wanted twenty of these men to car
ry guns and thirty to carry axes
We now supposed they wanted the
road blockaded between Philippi and
Webster, Our people close to me
thought that we had best join this
five day company and get out of the
years service. He soon had the
fifty enrolled Colonel Anvil said
that he would lead the expedition
but we elected a captain and lieu
tenant from the lower end of the
county. | have forgotten their names
Major Thompson was with u.s. After
organizing and swearing us in man
came along with a box of tobacco and
gave each man a plug had never
used tobacco but | took the plug and
stuck it down in my old jeans and
carried it for a week ard sold it for
with some old rifles of various cal
ibres and makes and thus armed
eight cents. Next came some mer
twenty men. Next came the ak dis
tributions. He handed me and old
ak, we called it a stone ak, the hand
lie had been broken and about one
third cut off, My uncle was right by
me. He spoke up and said you
ought to give him gun as he is the
best marksman in our country. But
the officer said: 'Iet him carry this
AK while" decided / would carry
it only while, if opportunity opened
up way to dispense with it. When
ready for us to go they called out:
scouts fall in line, double file" We
all thought we would go toward Web
ster, but instead it was right about
face up the pike toward Dixie, then
( left wheel toward Meadowville.
When we We're some five or six