Not as if I was really looking for them, but it appears the find has fallen in my lap… at least, I think it can be considered a find.
Spending time, like I do, in the Winchester and Staunton National cemeteries, as well as with pertinent documents and publications (the Roll of Honor stands as a must-have when doing work in these cemeteries) associated with the two cemeteries, I’ve come across some interesting information that isn’t revealed when just walking among the stones, especially when walking past the stones of the unknown. Among the most interesting finds was the notation “hung by Mosby”, associated with three graves of unknowns in Winchester. One of these three, incidentally, also had the annotation “___ Ohio vols”.
The "Ohio vols" soldier "hung by Mosby" is seen at the top of this inset from the Roll of Honor
Being relatively comfortable in my knowledge of Mosby’s Rangers, and aware of the complicated affair that involved the shooting of Lt. Charles McMaster, and then, the brutal executions that followed in Front Royal, on September 23, it seemed to make sense that these three Union soldiers “hung by Mosby”, were the soldiers who were hung on November 7, 1864, in retaliation for what happened at Front Royal. Granted, I was working with limited data, and, for all I know, these three may have indeed suffered the actual fate of hanging, but the events (perhaps separate from each other) may have been mistakenly attributed to Mosby. Still, my “gut” sense remains that these three were the three hung by Mosby’s men.*
Close-up on the image used in the Virginia Civil War Trails marker in Rectortown, showing the 27 Union soldiers assembled to draw lots for the execution. The twenty who did not end up among those destined for execution were soon on their way to POW camps.
Though familiar with the execution in Beemer’s Wood, on Grindstone Hill (just a little less than a mile west of Berryville, on the road to Winchester), I didn’t recollect the names, and turned to two books in my collection; one being Jeffry Wert’s (…and still with a personal note scribed by Jeff, for my contributing a photo of William H. Chapman. I can’t believe it’s been 21 years since then!), and the other written by Hugh C. Keen and Horace Mewborn, for the Virginia Regimental Histories Series.
From Jeff’s book, I was able to narrow down to four possibles among the three victims of the hanging… a “Sgt. Dodge”, from the 1st Vermont Cavalry, Frank L. Hooker and George or Wallace Prouty, of the 5th Michigan Cavalry, and an unnamed individual from either the 4th West Virginia or 23rd Ohio. From my find (mentioned above) in the annotations in the Roll of Honor, I was pretty sure that one must have been from the 23rd Ohio. At this point, it was time to dive into service and pension records…
After a little research in 3-Fold and the NPS Soldiers and Sailors database, I realized that Hooker couldn’t be among the lot, as he later applied for, and received a disability pension. Additionally, there was no George Prouty in the 5th Michigan, but only Wallace, in Co. E. So, I was now down to Dodge, Prouty, and the unnamed Ohio soldier.
Of the 13 "unknown" markers in Section 20 (an all-Ohio section) of the Winchester National Cemetery, this is one of those under which may rest the the Ohioan hung by Mosby's command.
My work in the records for Dodge was complicated, as there are about five men with that surname in the 1st Vermont. I narrowed down to about two, and, decided to turn to to the Mosby book by Keen and Mewborn. In this book, the senior ranking of the five Dodge men from the 1st Vermont, Cpl. Miles H. Dodge, had been ruled out, owing to the fact that he applied for a pension in 1888. None of the others seems to make sense.
In the end, (although Prouty seems likely to be among the unknowns in the cemetery, his Bible being found in his pocket with his name in it) I may not be any closer, really, to knowing the names of the three who were hung, but, I do remain convinced that, whatever their names, Winchester National Cemetery appears to be their final resting place.
The other two Union soldiers "hung by Mosby" (a Michigan man and a Vermont or West Virginia man???) rest under two of these stones in Section 34, in Winchester National Cemetery.
Update: Also in Winchester National is this soldier who has the annotation “shot by Mosby”, though it must have been from an incident other than the one that occurred on 11/7/64.
Jeffry Burden
August 28, 2011
Great stuff. Maybe you can nail that down someday. The Roll of Honor is indeed a vital but underused resource – it has been key to my research on Union POWs in Richmond.
Robert Moore
August 28, 2011
Thanks! I’m kind of confused on something, however. Whoever entered info into interment.net had access to another source regarding burials, as, in some cases with individual soldiers, they actually cite the location of the original burial sites, and it seems to reflect accurately, considering places of death. Strange to say, I can’t find the same info for individual soldiers in the Roll. Wondering what interment’s source was. I’m also frustrated with the Roll for the fact that the numbering system does not match with the headstone numbers. I get in the right section, thanks to the roll, but the grave numbers given there, don’t match the headstone numbers. There has to be another source in which I can actually match the same content on the individual soldiers to the correct headstones (and I’m most especially wanting this for the unknowns as I think I can ident some of them).
Jeffry Burden
September 4, 2011
As to the place of original burial, I agree it isn’t usually in the Roll. I did find them listed for some of the Richmond National Cemetery burials, which is what helped me nail down what happened to the soldiers who had been buried near Shockoe Hill Cemetery.
marcferguson
August 31, 2011
Robert,
what do you make of the CW monument in Holyoke, Mass., having been designed by the Virginian H.G Elliott, apparently one of Mosby’s Rangers? I’ll be curious to hear your take on the panels when I get those pics posted.
Marc
Robert Moore
August 31, 2011
Wow… looking forward to seeing more.
marcferguson
August 31, 2011
Robert,
check out the post, we’ve added pics of the reliefs. I am very curious about your take on/interpretation of the images.
http://westernmacwsesquicentennial.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/holyoke-civil-war-monument-2/
Marc
Robert Moore
August 31, 2011
Marc,
It might be equally as interestingly to know how he came to be known as a former Mosby Ranger. He doesn’t appear in the rosters. Even Mewborn doesn’t show him in the “expanded” roster.
Tyler Bergeron
February 12, 2012
Robert,
I was curious if you have any information on three Vermont soldiers hung by Mosby’s Rangers on October 7, 1864. PVT Emory S. Bidwell, PVT Frank Conley, and PVT Alva K. Barlow. All were members of the 5th Vermont Infantry. Tracking these three individuals down seems to be impossible. Really the only information I have been able to find is they were hung while on picket duty,although PVT Bidwell’s pension records stateher was captured with the other two while filling canteens, near Mt. Jackson, VA.
Robert Moore
February 12, 2012
That’s interesting Tyler… let me see what I can figure out. Regretfully, I’m in the process of packing-up for a move, so it might take a while, but the story of what happened to them has my attention!
Dick Thodal
March 10, 2012
Emory Bidwell’s family tombstone is in a cemetery in East Middlebury, Vermont. The face devoted to him says “not here” and explains that he was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, taken prisoner in 1863, and hung by Mosby’s guerillas Oct 6, 1864.
I am not a Civil War buff, but am assisting in making a wood replica of the Bidwell tombstone to be used in a display. I googled his name and Mosby’s to get some background and came on this site. I have only been in contact with one person involved in the project and do not know if others are aware that Pvt Bidwell’s remains may be in Winchester. I would be glad to relay information or get you in contact with folks here in Vermont.
Robert Moore
March 11, 2012
Thanks for commenting. Once I start getting things unpacked, I’m going to start investigating this a little further, and will let you know what I find.
Tyler Bergeron
April 1, 2012
Any contact information you could pass along would be greatly appreciated! I have been to WInchester Cemetery and have tried to find some information to whether or not he is buried there but no records exist to my knowledge.
peggy peabody
April 5, 2012
tyler- this is in response to your request for contact information in E. Middlebury, vt concerning the grave marker of emory bidwell. the local historical society has limited family information (the father was a methodist minister) and no further information on emory. we can send photos, cemetery info, etc. if any of that would be helpful.
we are planning an exhibit featuring a replica of the gravemarker for the vermont history expo to be held on june 16 and 17th in Tunbridge, vt. any information you could pass on to us would be appreciated as we form the details into a story to entice public interest in the subject. thanks. peggy peabody exhibit co-chair e. middlebury historical society
Dan Taylor
March 30, 2012
Robert:
I have an article being published next month in the May issue of Vermont’s Northland Journal which identifies William H. Daniels of the 1st Vermont Cavalry as one of the men condemned to die in Mosby’s Death Raffle. What’s more, he was one of two men to survive through the intercession of Captain Richard Montjoy. I’m glad to add my piece to this 150 year old puzzle!
My article is based on this clipping from the Orleans [County Vermont] Independent Standard, March 24, 1865 –
“We have had a few days since the pleasure of a call from W. H. Daniels of Barton, a member of Company I, Vermont Cavalry, who was taken prisoner by Mosby’s men near Newtown, Virginia on the 6th day of November last and was confined in Libby till the 22nd day of February, when he was paroled. He, with others, had been as an escort to General Custer to a certain place and had returned nearly to their camp when the General discovered that he had left something which some of his party must return and get. Daniels and four others volunteered to go back and when they were within two or three miles of their destination they ran into a squad of seventy-five rebel cavalry dressed in Federal uniform. Desperate as the case was, he put spurs to his horse and was using his best endeavors to escape, but one of the many bullets sent after hit him in the side and followed his ribs and lodged under the skin, while another went through his horse, killing him instantly and then lodged in Daniels’ foot, bringing him up with a very round turn, when he was taken with the others. They were taken to Rectortown where, with other prisoners – 21 in all – they were made to draw lots seven prizes to 14 blanks and whoever drew a prize was to be hung the next morning in retaliation for an equal number of Mosby’s guerillas previously executed by General Sheridan. For once in his life, Daniels was lucky and drew a prize and was to be paid in hemp! He was taken to Paris [VA] and after being there a few hours a Captain Mountjoy of the rebel cavalry with others rode up and demanded his release of the captain having him in charge, to which demand the latter strenuously objected. After some sharp words between them Mountjoy put a pistol into our prisoner’s hands and told him to defend himself and that they would all die in their tracks before he should be harmed. The rebel captain then stepped aside and had a private conference, the result of which was the release of Daniels from the halter to be sent to Libby where he arrived on the 11th of November – five days after his capture. The reason for this extraordinary friendship manifested by the rebel captain was former favors, and this was the way he paid him.
“He reports a panic in Richmond; that all classes, officers, privates, citizens acknowledge that their cause is hopeless and that the confederacy has gone up”.