Union vs CSA Guerrilla

[CSA Today]

I am going to have to respectfully disagre with the notion that Unionist guerrilla warfare was all that similar to Scottish clan fighting. It appera to be far better organized on the whole and many of the guerrillas where not related by blood.
From the book "Junius and Alberts adventures in the Confederacya Civil War odyssey by Peter Carlson publicaffairs.com p.170-171
"Deserters now leave the army with arms and ammunition in hand"per a report by george W. Lay a conscription agent in western Nc."Arriving in their selected localities of refuge, they organize in bands variously estimated at from 50 up to hundred at various points.. In Wilkies County they are organized,drilling regularly and entrenched in a camp up to the number of 500". "These men are not only determined to kill in avoiding apprehension)having put to death yet another of our enrolling officers) but their esprit de corpse extends to revenge killing as well." That does not sound like a family dispute more like a group of determined guerrilla fighter.
Leftyhunter

Sounds to me like you are describing a group of deserters and draft resisters rather than union guerrillas. You had such groups, mainly in mountainous areas, from western Pennsylvania on down into the South. For the most part, these people were not interesting in fighting for either side, in some cases such people were a lawless element preying upon civilians, regardless of political sympathy, in many other cases these people wanted to be near their homes to protect their families from roving bands of partisans or outright criminals.

Interesting that you mentioned Wilkes County, North Carolina, most of the aforementioned groups disbanded at war's end, two groups that didn't were two bands of Federal deserters that unleashed "a reign of terror" on civilians in the county and much of western North Carolina. Ex-Confederates from the county finally dealt with the first group of Federal deserters and the second group by occupying Federal troops sent to Wilkes County from Salisbury, North Carolina.

Recommended reading for western North Carolina: William R. Trotter, Bushwhackers: The Civil War in Western North Carolina, The Mountains.

Recommended reading for western Pennsylvania: Robert M. Sandow, Deserter Country, Civil War Opposition in the Pennsylvania Appalachians.

 

[CSA Today]

Just to add a bit of personal info on it. I originally found the book because my Wife's 3rd Great Grandfather was Cpt. Elijah J Norris 58th NC Infantry, and her 4th gGrandfather Ephrium Norris, Elijah's father was shot in the back by Stonemans men in Boone NC 1865. He was an elderly man at that time and no harm to anyone.

Most of the Federal deserters mentioned in post 41 were from Stoneman's command.

 

[M.Warren]

Understood CSA Today. The next set of Union deserters that were causing nothing but trouble for everyone was just up the mountain from Wilkes at Fort Hamby, and they were dealt with by both returning Confederate and Union soldiers to Boone NC that formed a home guard together just for them. They were also deserters from Stoneman's army.

 

[M.Warren]

Most of the Federal deserters mentioned in post 41 were from Stoneman's command.

So were the ones I just mentioned from Fort Hamby. Im surprised Stoneman even had an army by the time he got to the Piedmont. Multiple groups deserted and reeked havoc until they were dealt with.

 

[CSA Today]

Agreed CSA Today. The next set of Union deserters that were causing nothing but trouble for everyone was just up the mountain from Wilkes at Fort Hamby, and they were dealt with by both returning Confederate and Union soldiers to Boone NC that formed a home guard together just for them.

Robert Sandow devote a whole chapter to the "Fall of Fort Hamby."

 

[M.Warren]

Robert Sandow devote a whole chapter to the "Fall of Fort Hamby."

Yup. There is a chapter in the link I posted too naming Wade and Simmons as well.

https://archive.org/stream/historyofwataug00arth/historyofwataug00arth_djvu.txt Just ctrl+f and enter Fort Hamby for further info.

 

[M.Warren]

Fort Hamby
Even after the surrender the trouble con-
tinued. "Several worthless characters deserted Stoneman's com-
mand along this march and formed with native bushwhackers
bands under the leadership of two desperate men. Wade and
Simmons. Wade's party located in a log house on a high hill
half a mile north of Holman's Ford of the Yadkin River, in
Wilkes County. Being heavily armed with army rifles and pis-
tols, they made daily raids into the surrounding country, robbing,
plundering and terrorizing the citizens, taking everything they
could find to eat, as well as horses, etc. Their practice was to
ride up to a house, dismount and enter, pointing loaded guns at
any persons occupying the house, threatening to shoot if they
opened their mouths, while others were searching closets, trunks,
drawers, etc., taking what suited them. The people for miles
and miles in the country surrounding lived in constant dread of
them, as they seemed filled with a spirit of hatred and revenge,
treating all persons not in sympathy with them with the greatest
cruelty. The house they used was finely located for offensive as
well as defensive operations. On a high hill, facing the Yadkin
River on the south and front, and Lewis' Fork on the west,
their guns could sweep the country for a half a mile each way up
and down the river. The house was two stories, with portholes
cut in the upper story. It was formerly occupied by a family
named Hamby, and after being fortified was known as Fort
Hamby. The robbers, numbering probably twenty-five or thirty,
made several raids into Caldwell and Alexander Counties . . .
insulting in the grossest manner the women and children . . .
Major Harvey Bingham, with a small home guard, followed the
raiders out of Caldwell County on May 6th (1865) . . . sur-
prising the defenders in the fort at night. . . . The men
begged for their lives, and no arms being in sight, Major Bing-
ham gave them time to dress. Tlie prisoners . . . rushed
for their guns and fired on the attacking party, killng two,
Robert Clark, son of General Clark, and Henry Henly . . .
the others . . . made their escape, leaving the dead bodies
on the ground. The next week they raided the home of Rev.
J. R. Green in Alexander County. But his son was home from
the army and fired on the robbers, driving them off. Col. Wash-
ington Sharp, of Iredell County, gathered about twenty men,
pursued . . . and rushed up to within a few yards of the
fort, when Wade's men opened fire and killed two, Mr. James
Linney, brother of Hon. R. Z. Linney, and Mr. Jones Brown
. . . the others made a hasty retreat, leaving the two dead
bodies. Colonel Sharp then collected a squad of about twenty
returned soldiers, and sent a message to Caldwell County for
help . . . Among those who went were A. S. Kent, T. L.
Norwood, Jas. W. Norwood, George H. Dula, Robert B. Dula,
and S. F. Harper. They collected others along the way . . .
and waited at Holman's Ford for the Alexander company about
May 18th. The robbers had killed a woman at the ford the day
before. The fort was surrounded, and at nightfall a kitchen near
the fort was set on fire and from it the fort itself caught. Sharp
was in command. The besieged asked what would be done with
them if they surrendered, and were told that they would be
killed. They came out, with Wade in front holding up his
hands as though he intended to surrender, but kept running and
escaped. His comrades, four men, then surrendered and were
tied to stakes and shot, after the Rev. W. R. Gwaltney had
prayed for them.

 

[M.Warren]

Wow it took a little while to find chapter XII. Here's what I got for my fellow posters but by no means did I read the whole link I will try later. In Watttagua County Nc approx 1k men joined the CSA vs 100 the Union which sounds right thats the same ratio has Current comes up with in "Lincolns Loyalists. Numerous deserters from Tn,Va and Ga arrived by the spring of 1864. Gov Vance had to form a Home Guard of all men 18 to 50 which means these same men can't be in the conventional CSA Army so we have to count that as a win for the Unionists. By April 1864 Gen. McEllroy wrote to Gov.Vance " The county has gone up and there was determination on part of the people generally to do no more service in the cause"
Col. Kirk commander of the 3rd Nc Mounted Inf USV monted a raid that had a fair amount of sucess against Camp Vance resulting in the capture of 1,200 arms and gained 40 recruits and 276 prisoners. They where chased back into Union controlled Tn and one drummer was killed and one 17 year old was wounded. Not a bad loss of prisoners considering the circumstances. Did Col.Kirk deliberately shot a boy to death? I say no and where was he supposed to put the prisoners in the front where if they rebel they block his men's retreat or use them in the rear to protect his troops from hostile fire? I would argue Kirk did right by his men. Both Union forces and Confederate forces that may of been unofficial led by a Col.Vaughn where worse then the Union forces. Good info and others are more then welcome to post from this source.
Leftyhunter

They used them behind themselves as a shield from the Confederate rounds, while they fled, after they initiated the attack on the Confederates at the Camp. Nothing honorable about that in my opinion.

 

[16thVA]

Just found this website today, seems to have a lot of details though I haven't looked through it thoroughly.

Confederate Irregular Warfare, 1861 – 1865

 

[leftyhunter]

They used them behind themselves as a shield from the Confederate rounds, while they fled, after they initiated the attack on the Confederates at the Camp. Nothing honorable about that in my opinion.

Versus shooting boys in Lawrence Kn or shooting a teen age boy twice begging for his life. If you led a raid deep in hostile country and try to bring POWs with does it not make sense to have them in the rear rather then potentially block your troops from escaping?
Leftyhunter

 

[leftyhunter]

Fort Hamby
Even after the surrender the trouble con-
tinued. "Several worthless characters deserted Stoneman's com-
mand along this march and formed with native bushwhackers
bands under the leadership of two desperate men. Wade and
Simmons. Wade's party located in a log house on a high hill
half a mile north of Holman's Ford of the Yadkin River, in
Wilkes County. Being heavily armed with army rifles and pis-
tols, they made daily raids into the surrounding country, robbing,
plundering and terrorizing the citizens, taking everything they
could find to eat, as well as horses, etc. Their practice was to
ride up to a house, dismount and enter, pointing loaded guns at
any persons occupying the house, threatening to shoot if they
opened their mouths, while others were searching closets, trunks,
drawers, etc., taking what suited them. The people for miles
and miles in the country surrounding lived in constant dread of
them, as they seemed filled with a spirit of hatred and revenge,
treating all persons not in sympathy with them with the greatest
cruelty. The house they used was finely located for offensive as
well as defensive operations. On a high hill, facing the Yadkin
River on the south and front, and Lewis' Fork on the west,
their guns could sweep the country for a half a mile each way up
and down the river. The house was two stories, with portholes
cut in the upper story. It was formerly occupied by a family
named Hamby, and after being fortified was known as Fort
Hamby. The robbers, numbering probably twenty-five or thirty,
made several raids into Caldwell and Alexander Counties . . .
insulting in the grossest manner the women and children . . .
Major Harvey Bingham, with a small home guard, followed the
raiders out of Caldwell County on May 6th (1865) . . . sur-
prising the defenders in the fort at night. . . . The men
begged for their lives, and no arms being in sight, Major Bing-
ham gave them time to dress. Tlie prisoners . . . rushed
for their guns and fired on the attacking party, killng two,
Robert Clark, son of General Clark, and Henry Henly . . .
the others . . . made their escape, leaving the dead bodies
on the ground. The next week they raided the home of Rev.
J. R. Green in Alexander County. But his son was home from
the army and fired on the robbers, driving them off. Col. Wash-
ington Sharp, of Iredell County, gathered about twenty men,
pursued . . . and rushed up to within a few yards of the
fort, when Wade's men opened fire and killed two, Mr. James
Linney, brother of Hon. R. Z. Linney, and Mr. Jones Brown
. . . the others made a hasty retreat, leaving the two dead
bodies. Colonel Sharp then collected a squad of about twenty
returned soldiers, and sent a message to Caldwell County for
help . . . Among those who went were A. S. Kent, T. L.
Norwood, Jas. W. Norwood, George H. Dula, Robert B. Dula,
and S. F. Harper. They collected others along the way . . .
and waited at Holman's Ford for the Alexander company about
May 18th. The robbers had killed a woman at the ford the day
before. The fort was surrounded, and at nightfall a kitchen near
the fort was set on fire and from it the fort itself caught. Sharp
was in command. The besieged asked what would be done with
them if they surrendered, and were told that they would be
killed. They came out, with Wade in front holding up his
hands as though he intended to surrender, but kept running and
escaped. His comrades, four men, then surrendered and were
tied to stakes and shot, after the Rev. W. R. Gwaltney had
prayed for them.

In Mo Col. Walter Monks was able to briefly cooperate with CSA Col. Freeman against CSA guerrillas who robbed people from both sides but Col.Freeman said he could no longer cooperate because the bandits found out about his plans. This occurred close tot he end of the war. "A history of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas William Monks Lightning Source UK limited. p.80.
Has your source mentioned Vaughns group of Confederates where worse then the Unionists in terms of robing the locals. Banditry was very frequent in the CW. What cam first the chicken of being forced to be conscripted vs the egg of trying to survive and not be conscripted?
Leftyhunter

 

[leftyhunter]

Understood CSA Today. The next set of Union deserters that were causing nothing but trouble for everyone was just up the mountain from Wilkes at Fort Hamby, and they were dealt with by both returning Confederate and Union soldiers to Boone NC that formed a home guard together just for them. They were also deserters from Stoneman's army.

Lets not forget that Quantrills group caused a lot of trouble when they took their winter breaks in Sherman ,Tx. The disadvantage of using irregulars which Lee recognized rather early is that irregulars play by their own rule.
Leftyhunter

 

[M.Warren]

What cam first the chicken of being forced to be conscripted vs the egg of trying to survive and not be conscripted?

Keith Blalock wasn't conscripted. He joined the Confederate army along with his wife who went by the name Sam, in the 26th NC infantry, got a taste of combat, rubbed poison oak allover himself, went to the corpsman played deathly ill, was discharged for medical reasons right there, then just walked away and left his wife in the army, lol. Conscription had been relaxed in the mountains of NC by request of Gov. Vance to Jefferson Davis before any of this happened to avoid these kinds of situations. 5 men were pardoned by Judge Read in the week prior to this. ( The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. / Series 1 - Volume 53, page 324)
People were doing everything they could to feed themselves as it was and people like Kieth Blalock were only making it hard on the innocent. He was a coward and enjoyed taking advantage of the weak while the real men were gone fighting a war he couldn't stand to fight, even though his wife was "man" enough to enlist, lol. Im not saying CSA guerrillas were nice guys. You just asked for examples. I was assuming for research, not to debate the examples you were given. I'm not going to sit here and defend Confederate guerrillas either. A few of the men from Fort Hamby were deserted Confederates. Take it how you wish sir.

 

[leftyhunter]

Sounds to me like you are describing a group of deserters and draft resisters rather than union guerrillas. You had such groups, mainly in mountainous areas, from western Pennsylvania on down into the South. For the most part, these people were not interesting in fighting for either side, in some cases such people were a lawless element preying upon civilians, regardless of political sympathy, in many other cases these people wanted to be near their homes to protect their families from roving bands of partisans or outright criminals.

Interesting that you mentioned Wilkes County, North Carolina, most of the aforementioned groups disbanded at war's end, two groups that didn't were two bands of Federal deserters that unleashed "a reign of terror" on civilians in the county and much of western North Carolina. Ex-Confederates from the county finally dealt with the first group of Federal deserters and the second group by occupying Federal troops sent to Wilkes County from Salisbury, North Carolina.

Recommended reading for western North Carolina: William R. Trotter, Bushwhackers: The Civil War in Western North Carolina, The Mountains.

Recommended reading for western Pennsylvania: Robert M. Sandow, Deserter Country, Civil War Opposition in the Pennsylvania Appalachians.

To be fair neither side could control and monitor irregular fighters. The USN did somewhat do so in Southern Fl with some success. In COIN conflicts long after the CW Us advisors could not always control local forces. It does get confusing to differentiate between a guerrilla vs a bandit . On the other hand if said bandit fights the other side the old saying"the enemy of enemy is my friend : does apply.
Leftyhunter

 

[M.Warren]

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, N. C., April 11, 1864.
Hon. J. A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War:
SIR: I beg again to call your earnest attention to the importance of
suspending the execution of the conscript law in the mountain counties
of North Carolina. They are filled with tories and deserters, burning,
robbing, and murdering. They have been robbed and eaten out by
Longstreets command, and have lost their crops by being in the field
nearly all the time trying to drive back the enemy. Now that Long-
streets command is removed, their condition will be altogether
wretched, and hundreds will go to the enemy for protection and bread.
Please consider these conditions and relieve them if possible.
Yours, truly
Z. B. VANCE

 

[M.Warren]

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, Arril 18, 1864.
Hon. J. A. SEDDON:
DEAR SIR: If it is possible, let me beg you to send one regiment, at
least, of regular troops to Colonel Palmer, in Western North Carolina.
I inclose you a letter from Brigadier-General McElroy, of the North
Carolina militia, which I beg you to read. The condition of that coun-
try is truly deplorable, and if the militia could be depended on, star-
vation must ensue by wholesale if they are kept from their crops in
a country where there are no slaves. Time will not suffice to tell you
of all the horrors to which they are exposed. I beg you to relieve
them, and quickly, by sending some troops there.
Very truly, yours,
Z. B. VANCE.

 

[M.Warren]

Orders. FIRST BRIGADE, NORTH CAROLINA Home GUARDS,
Mars Hill College, Madison County, N. C., April 12, 1864.
Governor Z. B. VANCE:
A dispatch reached me last night that a band of tories, said to be
headed by Montreval Ray, numbering about seventy-five men came
into Burnsville, Yancey County, on Sunday night last, the 10th instant,
surprised the guard, broke open the magazine, and took all the arms
and ammunition; broke open Bradlys store and carried off the con-
tents; attacked Captain Lyons, the local enrolling officer, in his room,
shot him in the arm slightly, but accidentally he made his escape.
They carried off all the guns they could carry; the balance they broke.
They took, I suppose, about 100 State guns. No one else wounded.
They also took off the bacon brought in by my commissary about 500
pounds. On the day before about fifty women assembled together, of
said county, and marched in a body to a store-house near David Prof-
fitts and pressed about sixty bushels of Government wheat and carried
it off. I very much regret the loss of the arms. On Monday previous
to the robbery I wrote to one of the captains in that county and to the
ordnance officer to either remove the guns and ammunition or see that a
sufficient guard was placed there to protect them. It seems that neither
was done. I also urged on the citizens to lay to a helping hand in this
hour of danger, but all done no good. The county is gone up. It has
got to be impossible to get any man out there unless he is dragged out,
with but very few exceptions. There was but a small guard there, and
the citizens all ran on the first approach of the tories. I have 100 men
at this place to guard against Kirk, of Laurel, and cannot reduce the
force, and to call out any more home guards at this time is only certain
destruction to the country eventually. In fact, it seems to me that
there is a determination of the people in the country generally to do no
more service in the cause.
Swarms of men liable to conscription are gone to the tories or to the
Yankeessome men that you would have no idea of while many
others are fleeing east of the Blue Ridge for refuge. John S. McElroy
and all the cavalry, J. W. Anderson and many others, are gone to Burke
for refuge. This discourages those who are left behind, and on the
back of that conscription [is] now going on, and a very tyrannical course
pursued by the officers charged with the business, and men conscribe

Page 327

Cw& r. LXV.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.CONFEDERATE. 327


and cleaned out as raked with a fine-toothed comb, and if any are left
if they are called upon to do a little home-guard service, they at once
apply for a writ of habeas corpus and get off. Some three or four cases
[have] been tried by Judge Read the last two weeks and the men
released. What are we to do? There are no Confederate troops
scarcely in the western district of North Carolina. Longstreet is said
to have reft Tennessee. This emboldens the tories, and they are now
largely recruited by conscript renegades and very soon it is possible our
country may be full of Yankees. Give me your advice and orders. I
have been doing as I thought the best I could under all circumstances.
How far you may consider me culpable for the loss of the Yancey guns,
& c., I cannot say. I am sorry I did not act more promptly in their
removal, but I thought when the citizens were warned of their danger,
as I had warne(l them and told them it was impossible for me to send
them any force, that they would at once rally to their own defense and
use the guns against their foes, but alas, I was sadly mistaken; if I had
not believed that I would have brought the arms and ammunition to
these headquarters. If something is not done immediately for this
country we will all be ruined, for the home guards now will not do to
depend on. I have written you several times on subjects of importance
to me, and received no answer. I know your time is valuable to you
and that you are pressed to death with business, but some instructions
from you would be of great benefit to me and some encouragement to
our citizens. Do let me hear from you at once.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. W. McELROY,

 

[leftyhunter]

Kirk wasn't conscripted. He joined the Confederate army along with his wife who went by the name Sam, in the 26th NC infantry, got a taste of combat, rubbed poison oak allover himself, went to the corpsman played deathly ill, was discharged for medical reasons right there, then just walked away and left his wife in the army, lol. Conscription had been halted in the mountains of NC by request of Gov. Vance to Jefferson Davis before any of this happened to avoid these kinds of situations. 5 men were pardoned by Judge Reed in the week prior to this. ( The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. / Series 1 - Volume 53, page 324)
People were doing everything they could to feed themselves as it was and people like Kirk were only making it hard on the innocent. He was a coward and enjoyed taking advantage of the weak while the real men were gone fighting a war he couldn't stand to fight, even though his wife was "man" enough to enlist, lol. Im not saying CSA guerrillas were nice guys. You just asked for examples. I was assuming for research, not to debate the examples you were given. I'm not going to sit here and defend Confederate guerrillas either. A few of the men from Fort Hamby were deserted Confederates. Take it how you wish sir.

I think you are confusing Kirk with Keith Blalock. Kirk is from Tn not Nc. From a"Savage Conflict p.250 ..George W. Kirk was a 24 year old nativer of Tn who was assigned by Gen. Schofield to command the border region. Kirk was authorized to recruit all staglling soldiers and such efficient loyal citizens as he pleased. Kirk 's men carried Spencer rifile and two revolvers. Kirk commanded the 2nd and 3rd Nc mounted infantry and could fight has conventional cavalry or partisans. Kirk rarely led more then 200 to 300 troops.
William Thomas commander of the Thomas Legion decided that Kirk was onto something and tried to also recruit deserters and was court martialed but Davis granted him a pardon. Thomas really had no choice but to recruit deserters since by 1864 their where not that many white men in the South left to recruit.
Has for Blalock Williams on p. 160-161 has a more sympathetic account. I wouldn't consider men who don't want to fight for slave owners to be cowards but to each their own.
Leftyhunter

 

[M.Warren]

Bragg wasn't happy about relaxation of conscription for sure.
APRIL 19, 1864.
My experience in East Tennessee satisfies me of the correctness of
the honorable Secretarys view. More harm than good has resulted
from relaxation.
BRAXTON BRAGG,
General.

 

[M.Warren]

I think you are confusing Kirk with Keith Blalock. Kirk is from Tn not Nc. From a"Savage Conflict p.250 ..George W. Kirk was a 24 year old nativer of Tn who was assigned by Gen. Schofield to command the border region. Kirk was authorized to recruit all staglling soldiers and such efficient loyal citizens as he pleased. Kirk 's men carried Spencer rifile and two revolvers. Kirk commanded the 2nd and 3rd Nc mounted infantry and could fight has conventional cavalry or partisans. Kirk rarely led more then 200 to 300 troops.
William Thomas commander of the Thomas Legion decided that Kirk was onto something and tried to also recruit deserters and was court martialed but Davis granted him a pardon. Thomas really had no choice but to recruit deserters since by 1864 their where not that many white men in the South left to recruit.
Has for Blalock Williams on p. 160-161 has a more sympathetic account. I wouldn't consider men who don't want to fight for slave owners to be cowards but to each their own.
Leftyhunter

You're correct. I misspoke. It should have read Kieth not Kirk in my first post.