From time to time, we see this sort on the big screen… a reb when the Confederate soldiers are present, and a yank when the Union soldiers are present. Take for example, the ferry boat man (“Sim Carstairs”), in the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales…
So, encountering (by happenstance) what may be the “real deal” in my search, I felt compelled to make note of it. Not only does it tickle a “big screen memory nerve”, it also points to the difficulties in clearly figuring out, among civilians, who was solidly Union or Confederate.
In sifting through the claim of William A. Dixon (Achiles Dixon), I encountered comments regarding Dr. John James Hunter Straith (Univ. of Pa., 1833), of Charles Town, Jefferson County, (West) Virginia. Clearly not identifiable within the same class as what we see with “Sim Carstairs”, but…
As a free black, Dixon’s story is an interesting one*, but I’ll keep my focus for the time on Straith. In an effort to receive compensation for a horse, Dixon noted:
I kept her [the horse] in the lower part of my yard, and part of the time in Dr. Straith’s stable – they call him John J. Straith. Well: he claimed to be a union man at the time. I thought he was a Union man at one time, about the second year of the war, he done so many good things, and done so many bad things, that I don’t like to say what he was. I thought he was a Yankee when the Yankees were about and a rebel when the rebels were about.
At the time of the war, Straith was in his lower 50s, and quite a wealthy man ($20,000 in real estate; $7,000 in personal estate). After the war, Straith attempted to prove his loyalty in a claim of his own, however, it was rejected in 1876 on the grounds that, in November, 1862, he had “sold to the Rebel Commissary Department at Winchester, Va., Nov. 14th, 1862, 168 lbs of Fresh Beef for which was paid $25.20.”
The claim was apparently appealed, because, as of February, 1879, another note was placed in Straith’s file, which stated, “Oct 16 to 31, 1862. Sold Sixty four dollars worth of beef. Thirty three dollars worth of mutton and two dollars worth of tallow for candles.” Even after the appeal, Straith’s claim appears to have gone no further.
I realize that selling goods to the Confederacy doesn’t mean that one wasn’t necessarily a Unionist, but it was certainly a kill-joy when it came to a claim submitted to a very tough claims commission. Was he a Unionist or was he Confederate? Perhaps after more digging one might get closer to the definitive answer… or not.
As the Farmers Advocate (Charles Town) noted of Straith, in 1928, he was “one of the best known physicians of the Shenandoah Valley,” and died in 1878, “as the result of a fall from a horse.” He was buried in Edge Hill Cemetery, in Charles Town.
*Born free, and a blacksmith by occupation, Achiles Dixon was taken prisoner by the Confederates during the war, for having shod Union horses, and was held in the jail at Winchester for nine weeks, before being released.
Sharon Watson
February 7, 2013
I greatly enjoyed this post. I thought, perhaps, you weren’t aware that James Taylor did a sketch of Dr. Straith’s home in Charles Town. It’s on page 60 of The James E. Taylor Sketchbook. A footnote refers to Elijah Avey’s book and on page 43 Avey says Dr. Strath (misspelled) pronounced John Brown dead after his hanging, Thanks for taking us along on your adventures into the past of this great Valley. I look forward to each new blog.
Robert Moore
February 7, 2013
Thanks for commenting, Sharon! I keep telling myself that I need to get the Taylor book! Considering Straith’s prominence in Charles Town, I was wondering if he was the one who pronounced Brown dead. That said, I was aware of his son’s presence at the actual taking of Brown at Harpers Ferry. A brief quote comes from the “Independent Democrat: “Dr. John A. Straith, Surgeon of the 55th Regiment, Va. Militia, was at his post of duty during the melee at Harper’s Ferry. We noticed that he did not hesitate to expose himself to the dangers incident to the day, but acted with the greatest coolness and promptitude wherever his duty called him.”
Thanks for following the blog for future posts!
Bummer
February 7, 2013
Bummer doesn’t know much about Virginia folks, but some kin in Missouri talk and act just like Granny in Josie Wales, hide’in out in the gulch with the snakes, voiding the posse.
Bummeer
Robert Moore
February 8, 2013
There were some of the same in Virginia as well, Bummer. You can find different class levels in all situations… whether one was leaning one way or the other, or remaining on the fence. Here in the Valley, Southern Unionists and Confederate deserters… both… often took to the hollows and mountains. Any sensible Confederate conscript hunter wouldn’t dare take the chance of hunting them down, as those in the hollows in hills were often in groups greater than one.
As for those who talk and act like the movie’s “Granny”, you have to remember… as this part of Virginia is part of Appalachia… I’m sure there were examples of the same here. I know for a fact, a few of my ancestors in this area were among the pipe-smoking/ultra superstitious type, most especially those who lived away from the Valley flatland, in the hollows and hills.
Richard Williams
February 9, 2013
Interesting post Robert. “big screen memory nerve” Yes . . . “How is it with stains?” ;-) One of my favorite lines in the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sh0wr7HH8Y
Robert Moore
February 9, 2013
Definitely one of those movies which left “indelible” memory impressions, Richard! :)