Rebels at the Gate: Lee and McClellan on the Front Line of a Nation Divided by W Hunter Lesser Page B
Authors: W Hunter Lesser
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Ordinance of Secession. 133
To many citizens, the May 23 referendum was mere formality, a vote to legalize acts previously consummated in Richmond. Virginia had already formed an alliance with the Confederacy. But John Carlile, Frank Pierpont, George Latham, and other members of the Wheeling Central Committee encouraged Unionists to resist at the polls—to take a “firm, stern and decided stand” against the ordinance.
The election came off in relative calm, although it was influenced by soldiers' bayonets. Balloting was done by voice, a fact that likely kept many from expressing their true feelings. To no one's surprise, eastern Virginia counties overwhelmingly approved the Ordinance of Secession, while many western counties voted strongly against it. Governor Letcher gave the results as 125,950 to 20,373 in favor of secession, but admitted that returns from numerous western counties had not been received. The western vote was never fully ascertained. It was clearly divided; majorities for secession were later reported in the eleven western counties of Barbour, Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Roane, Tucker, and Webster. 134
In the wee hours after the referendum, Captain George Latham and his “Grafton Guards” flagged a train bound for Wheeling. On May 25, they were mustered into service as Company B, Second (U.S.) Virginia Volunteer Infantry—the first Union company recruited from Virginia's interior. Porterfield's Confederates occupied Grafton that same day. 135
Confederate soldiers closed in on the Fairmont home of Frank Pierpont as he, too, hopped a train for Wheeling. There, membersof the Central Committee chided him for missing the vote. “The time for voting is past,” snapped Pierpont. “I move that Mr. Carlile be sent, at once, to Washington, to demand troops to drive the Rebels out of Western Virginia.”
Carlile did just that, taking a train through Pennsylvania and Maryland to avoid trouble. He arrived at the White House late on May 24, left his card, and was soon called in to see the president.
“Well,” Lincoln said, “Mr. Carlile, what is the best news in Western Virginia?”
“Sir, we want to fight. We have one regiment ready, and if the Federal Government is going to assist us we want it at once.”
Lincoln replied softly, “You shall have assistance.” 136
Winfield Scott cabled General McClellan on May 24: “We have certain intelligence that at least two companies of Virginia troops have reached Grafton, evidently with the purpose of overawing the friends of the Union in Western Virginia. Can you counteract the influence of that detachment?” From a military conference in Indiana, McClellan replied, “Will do what you want. Make it a clean sweep if you say so.” 137
Federal troops were loaded aboard railcars and dispatched to points on the Ohio River opposite Wheeling and Parkersburg. Spies kept the Confederates well informed of McClellan's movements. To contest the advance, Colonel Porterfield burned some railroad bridges. Under his orders, a squad of Confederates moved by rail on the night of May 25 to fire two wooden spans on the B&O Railroad between Mannington and Farmington, about thirty-five miles northwest of Grafton. Colonel William J. Willey led the bridge-burners. Confederate Colonel Willey's surname was no coincidence—he was the half-brother of staunch Unionist Waitman Willey. 138
General McClellan was “maturing plans” at Camp Dennison on May 26 when he learned of the bridge burnings. Destruction of the railroad was an overt act of war. The vandals must bestopped, and loyal Unionists rescued from tyranny. McClellan's duty was clear—his army would invade Virginia.
Loyal Virginia regiments led the invasion. McClellan wired orders for Colonel Ben Kelley's First Virginia Infantry and Company A of the Second Virginia Infantry at Wheeling to move on Grafton. Kelley's objective was to
To many citizens, the May 23 referendum was mere formality, a vote to legalize acts previously consummated in Richmond. Virginia had already formed an alliance with the Confederacy. But John Carlile, Frank Pierpont, George Latham, and other members of the Wheeling Central Committee encouraged Unionists to resist at the polls—to take a “firm, stern and decided stand” against the ordinance.
The election came off in relative calm, although it was influenced by soldiers' bayonets. Balloting was done by voice, a fact that likely kept many from expressing their true feelings. To no one's surprise, eastern Virginia counties overwhelmingly approved the Ordinance of Secession, while many western counties voted strongly against it. Governor Letcher gave the results as 125,950 to 20,373 in favor of secession, but admitted that returns from numerous western counties had not been received. The western vote was never fully ascertained. It was clearly divided; majorities for secession were later reported in the eleven western counties of Barbour, Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Roane, Tucker, and Webster. 134
In the wee hours after the referendum, Captain George Latham and his “Grafton Guards” flagged a train bound for Wheeling. On May 25, they were mustered into service as Company B, Second (U.S.) Virginia Volunteer Infantry—the first Union company recruited from Virginia's interior. Porterfield's Confederates occupied Grafton that same day. 135
Confederate soldiers closed in on the Fairmont home of Frank Pierpont as he, too, hopped a train for Wheeling. There, membersof the Central Committee chided him for missing the vote. “The time for voting is past,” snapped Pierpont. “I move that Mr. Carlile be sent, at once, to Washington, to demand troops to drive the Rebels out of Western Virginia.”
Carlile did just that, taking a train through Pennsylvania and Maryland to avoid trouble. He arrived at the White House late on May 24, left his card, and was soon called in to see the president.
“Well,” Lincoln said, “Mr. Carlile, what is the best news in Western Virginia?”
“Sir, we want to fight. We have one regiment ready, and if the Federal Government is going to assist us we want it at once.”
Lincoln replied softly, “You shall have assistance.” 136
Winfield Scott cabled General McClellan on May 24: “We have certain intelligence that at least two companies of Virginia troops have reached Grafton, evidently with the purpose of overawing the friends of the Union in Western Virginia. Can you counteract the influence of that detachment?” From a military conference in Indiana, McClellan replied, “Will do what you want. Make it a clean sweep if you say so.” 137
Federal troops were loaded aboard railcars and dispatched to points on the Ohio River opposite Wheeling and Parkersburg. Spies kept the Confederates well informed of McClellan's movements. To contest the advance, Colonel Porterfield burned some railroad bridges. Under his orders, a squad of Confederates moved by rail on the night of May 25 to fire two wooden spans on the B&O Railroad between Mannington and Farmington, about thirty-five miles northwest of Grafton. Colonel William J. Willey led the bridge-burners. Confederate Colonel Willey's surname was no coincidence—he was the half-brother of staunch Unionist Waitman Willey. 138
General McClellan was “maturing plans” at Camp Dennison on May 26 when he learned of the bridge burnings. Destruction of the railroad was an overt act of war. The vandals must bestopped, and loyal Unionists rescued from tyranny. McClellan's duty was clear—his army would invade Virginia.
Loyal Virginia regiments led the invasion. McClellan wired orders for Colonel Ben Kelley's First Virginia Infantry and Company A of the Second Virginia Infantry at Wheeling to move on Grafton. Kelley's objective was to
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