The Shelton Laurel Massacre

I’ve got a question for you madisonman, were the majority of the residents in that area politically involved during the War? I’m from Wilkes Co.? Just can’t see why people who had very little Federal or State Government, would get wrapped up in the Civil War. This area was a Long way from Raleigh. I figured this stuff was more local. Thanks
 
Wasn't Kirk boxed in by a large force of Confederates after a raid one time and they ran out of ammo? Leaving Kirk to ride on his way. He was bold enough but he also just had the devil's own luck.
Maybe so. If you read that in the regimental history by Morris, its probably reliable information. If you read it in the phamplet on Col. Allen, well - probably need to find some verification.
 
I’ve got a question for you madisonman, were the majority of the residents in that area politically involved during the War? I’m from Wilkes Co.? Just can’t see why people who had very little Federal or State Government, would get wrapped up in the Civil War. This area was a Long way from Raleigh. I figured this stuff was more local. Thanks
Probably not a majority and not during the war, but before the war and at the beginning, local politics seems to have played a role. Democrat leaders seemed to be Confederate, and the other party (old Whig, Know Nothing, and later Republican) seemed to lean to the Union. But I'm guessing that MOST of the residents had "no dog in that fight" and just wanted to be left alone. As the war progressed, circumstances changed and people just did what they did to survive. When someone asks me if my ancestors were Confederate or Union, I ask them "what day." You are right. It was a local thing. To start things out with a bang, on election day, May 13, 1861, the pro-secession democratic sheriff was killed by a former old Whig clerk of court unionist.
 
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Maybe so. If you read that in the regimental history by Morris, its probably reliable information. If you read it in the phamplet on Col. Allen, well - probably need to find some verification.
I believe I read it in a book I had on William Holland Thomas . It was some of his men that was chasing GWK. Also in my gg uncle Morrow files. There is a quote from his widow that he escaped the Indians just like Kirk did. Morrow like Kirk was on pretty dicey terms with the Legion.
 
Northwest Arkansas had a significant Union sentiment, much like east Tennessee and western NC.
I guess them Madison boys had to watch what they said out there! One of the boys that moved to Benton County was William Keith, a Captain in the 64th, and nephew of Lt. Col. James Keith. William was elected more than once to the Arkansas State Legislature.
 
Per Current ,Northern states did send recruiters to liberated areas of the South to recruit Unionists for their respective state regiments to add to their state quota.
Leftyhunter

A number of Northern governors sought to recruit Southern blacks to meet their quotas. Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrews was rather innovative in this endeavor, but among the most open as to their reasons had to be Iowa Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood and Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton. The Iowa Governor could not “appreciate the policy that all the lives lost and all the constitutions broken shall be those of white men when black men could be found willing to take the risks.” Indiana Governor Morton was even more explicit: “Negroes were a means to an end, and if one more Negro went, another white man could stay home.”

William B. Hesseltine, Lincoln And The War Governors, pp 288-289.
 
The following is transcribed from Superior Court records, State of North Carolina, Madison County, November 16, 1868 – State vs. James A. Keith. Murder #1:
“……The Jurors for the State upon their oath present, that James A. Keith, L. M. Allen, Wm Keith, Sails and Jay and divers other persons, to the Jurors aforesaid unknown late of the County of Madison and State of North Carolina, with force and arms, in the County of Madison aforesaid, on the 16th day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight, not having the fear of God before their eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil, in and upon one Roderick Shelton, in the peace of God and the said State, then and there being, feloniously willfully and of their malice aforethought, did make an assault, and that the said…..” [The document repeats names above, and goes through more and more legal phrases. Finally the record says that they inflicted “several mortal wounds” with guns and pistols, and that “Roderick Shelton then and there instantly died.”]
Notes:
“divers other persons” means various or several other persons.
“Sails” might be G. W. Sale(s) or Henry A. Sale(s), both of the 64th NC Regt.
“Jay” might be Nicholas B. D. Jay or William H. Jay, both of the 64th NC Regt.
In the document, the date (16 November, 1868) is NOT the date of the killing. It is the date of the Jury’s findings. I’ve seen this in other court records of NC, and it is VERY misleading. The killing of Shelton actually happened in January, 1863.
James A. Keith was NOT the only man indicted for murder. He just happened to be the only one in custody and available for trial.
The trial was moved to Buncombe County for the Spring Term, 1869. Witnesses named in the court record were:
George McIntosh; Franklin Fisher; Wm Cody; Elizabeth Shelton; Liddie M. Shelton; L. P. Andrews [Anders]; H. Sprinkle; and B. W. Clark.

Dan Slagle, 2009
 
January 12, 1863 Knoxville, Tennessee
Col. Allen paid Ordnance Officer $58.50 for one saddle, one bridle, and one halter. Receipt No. 22.
Lt. Col. Keith paid Ordnance Officer $8.00 for one saber belt and one haversack strap. Receipt No. 23.
Capt. William Keith paid Ordnance Officer $3.10 for 200 G.D. caps and 54 Navy pistol cartridges. Receipt No. 24.
Lt. Samuel E. Erwin paid Ordnance Officer $1.50 for one haversack. Receipt No. 25.
Col.Allen paid Ordnance Officer $4.50 for one haversack, 100 Navy pistol cartridges, and 100 caps. Receipt No. 26.

Looks like the boys were planning a trip! Back to back receipts - probably visited ordnance officer at same time. These boys were surely not in Bristol, TN at the time!

So if Col. Allen was on "suspension for crime and drunkenness," would he have been issued the above items?
 
January 13, 1863 Knoxville, Tennessee

Allen paid Ordnance Officer $3.00 for one shoulder strap and one Navy holster. Receipt No. 27.
Captain William M. Keith, Co. F, 64th NC paid Ordnance officer $1.00 for 200 G.D. caps. Receipt No. 28.
Captain W. P. Owen, Co. D, 1st Regiment Tennessee Cavalry requisitions and receives 11saddles; 11 bridles; 1500 pistol caps; 1500 Enfield rifle caps; 600 Enfield rifle cartridges; 10 pounds rifle powder; 7 pair saddle bags. Requisition No. 25.

January 14, 1863 Knoxville, Tennessee

Keith requisitions ordnance stores "for the use of Col L. M. Allen Command." He received 300 percussion muskets; 300 cartridge boxes; 300 cap boxes; 4 packing boxes; 300 saber belts; 9,000 musket caps; 12,000 musket cartridges; 1,000 Enfield rifle cartridges; 13 ammunition boxes; and 268 shoulder straps. Requisition No. 32.
 
[General Heth] ". . . remarking when he gave the orders that 'the last one of them' (meaning the Laurelites) ought to be killed that he wanted no report from me of what I or the troops under my command did in that country and that he did not want to be troubled with any prisoners.' In obedience to his orders I took the troops mentioned above and went upon the R.R. to Greeneville where some 25 more of the 64th joined me making the infantry force about 225 strong, but the two companies of cavalry never did, though one of them Captn Nelson's came to Greeneville before I left, but reported to Col L. M. Allen, who had been under arrest, but who stated that he had been released and had been permitted to return to his command. When I told him I had been ordered to take command of the expedition, he replied 'we can settle the matter.' After this he in every way acted as commander of the forces – signing requisitions for rations – issuing written and verbal orders to the troops . . . " - Lt. Col. Keith, March 17, 1863
 
January 13, 1863 Knoxville, Tennessee

Allen paid Ordnance Officer $3.00 for one shoulder strap and one Navy holster. Receipt No. 27.
Captain William M. Keith, Co. F, 64th NC paid Ordnance officer $1.00 for 200 G.D. caps. Receipt No. 28.
Captain W. P. Owen, Co. D, 1st Regiment Tennessee Cavalry requisitions and receives 11saddles; 11 bridles; 1500 pistol caps; 1500 Enfield rifle caps; 600 Enfield rifle cartridges; 10 pounds rifle powder; 7 pair saddle bags. Requisition No. 25.

January 14, 1863 Knoxville, Tennessee

Keith requisitions ordnance stores "for the use of Col L. M. Allen Command." He received 300 percussion muskets; 300 cartridge boxes; 300 cap boxes; 4 packing boxes; 300 saber belts; 9,000 musket caps; 12,000 musket cartridges; 1,000 Enfield rifle cartridges; 13 ammunition boxes; and 268 shoulder straps. Requisition No. 32.
It would appear that Major W N Garrett was not at the Shelton Laurel killings..
 
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