I67853: Mary FARTHING (22 May 1806

Notes

"Frances Ann Hundley b. ABT 1760.8 She was named as Ann Hundley and as a grandchild in the 1773 will of Pierre DuPuy and in the 1783 will of Judith DuPuy."

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Notes

November 6, 1863: Battle of Droop Mountain
One of the most significant Civil War battles to take place in West Virginia was fought November 6, 1863, on Droop Mountain in Pocahontas County. The stage was set for the battle in September after Union forces suffered a defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga. Federal commanders feared Union troops would be pushed from Tennessee entirely so they sent cavalry units from West Virginia to attack the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad in southwestern Virginia. They hoped an attack on the railroad would get the attention of federal commanders and force them to withdraw from east Tennessee to protect it.

Union General William Averell left the Randolph County town of Beverly in early November with about 5,000 men. They traveled south towards Lewisburg. Meanwhile, Union General Alfred Duffy left Charleston with about 1,200 men. They met about 2,500 Confederate troops already north of Lewisburg on Droop Mountain.

Mike Smith, the superintendent of the Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, says the Union Army drove the Confederates off the mountain.

Smith: It was really there last attempt to occupy territory in the new state of West Virginia. Within 10 days, there were just a few Confederates moved back into Lewisburg. But their winter quarters and such had been destroyed while General Averell was in the town.

Although the battle is considered a Union victory, the rebel forces rendered Averell's command unable to immediately execute its original mission. But the Confederates couldn't stop Averell's drive the following month when he succeeded in disrupting the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

Official casualties at Droop Mountain included 119 Union and an estimated 275 Confederates killed, wounded, or missing.

For More Information: Terry Lowry, Last Sleep: The Battle of Droop Mountain, November 6, 1863 (Charleston, WV: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., Inc., 1996).

Droop Mountain Location: Pocahontas County
Campaign: Averell’s Raid on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad (November 1863)
Date(s): November 6, 1863

Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. William W. Averell [US]; Brig. Gen. John Echols [CS] Forces Engaged: Brigades
Estimated Casualties: 526 total
Description: In early November, Brig. Gens. W.W. Averell and Alfred Napoleon Alexander Duffié embarked on a raid into southwestern Virginia to disrupt the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. While Duffié’s column destroyed military property en route, Averell encountered and defeated a Confederate brigade under Brig. Gen. John Echols at Droop Mountain. The Union columns reunited at Lewisburg the next day but were in no condition to continue their raid. After this battle, Confederate resistance in West Virginia collapsed.
Result(s): Union victory
CWSAC Reference #:WV012
Preservation Priority: III.3 (Class C)

Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is located in the Greenbrier River Valley north of Lewisburg and is the site of West Virginia's last significant Civil War battle. On November 6, 1863, the federal army of Brigadier General William W. Averell, in his second attempt to disrupt the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad at Salem, Virginia, faced again the Confederate troops of Brigadier General John Echols. Throughout the morning, Echols' smaller confederate army held the high ground and blocked the highway with artillery, but in the afternoon was overwhelmed by the crushing advance of federal infantry on his left flank. Following the collapse of his lines, General Echols retreated south into Virginia with the remnants of his command. Federal Troops occupied Lewisburg on November 7, but being burdened with prisoners and captured livestock, General Averell elected to return to his headquarters in Beverly, West Virginia, waiting until early December to lead a third and ultimately successful attack on the vital railroad. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley in the spring of 1864 drew remaining confederate troops out of west Virginia, thus leaving the new state securely under the control of the federal government for the remainder of the war.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the Museum, Lookout Tower & other buildings in the 1930's.

Civil War Reenactment: The next reenactment will take place the second weekend in October, 2004. Please call the park for further details.

Msg Board from wfarmer 10-02-2002 @ 6:23 AM Posts: 11 Joined: Apr 2002

"my ggrandfather Reuben Calvin Farmer and (3) of his brothers fought with the 23rd. Batt. Virginia Infantry at this battle. if all works out; i will attend the re-enactment. do you participate in the re-enactment?
I have the "Last Sleep" (by Terry Lowry; also history of the 22nd, also written by Lowry) and have read it once but need to read it again. would love to find more pictures and information re. the battle; have looked a lot of places - do you have any ideas. here is my regular e-mail [email protected] - - very glad to have met a "grey brother" and anticipate talking to you more."

LAST SLEEP The Battle of Droop Mountain November 6, 1863
by Terry Lowry

Droop Mountain is located in present Pocahontas County West Virginia near the small village of Hillsboro. Erroneously called the largest Civil War Battle in West Virginia. General William W. Averell of the Federals lead a 5,000 man force against Southern General John Echols' entrenched 2,000 man force. Many statistics, references and casualty lists. 7 x 10 301 pages PB

Droop Mountain (1863)
War: American Civil War
Date(s): 6 Nov 1863
Location: Pocahontas County, West Virginia, US
Outcome: Union victory

Description: Brig. Gen. William W. Averell, USA
Brig. Gen. John Echols, CSA

Each side had roughly a brigade. (oh yea, 6200 union against 2500 Confederates.)

There were about 500 casualties.

In early November, Brig. Gens. W.W. Averell and Alfred Napoleon Alexander Duffié embarked on a raid into southwestern Virginia to disrupt the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. While Duffié’s column destroyed military property en route, Averell encountered and defeated a Confederate brigade under Brig. Gen. John Echols at Droop Mountain. It wasn’t easy; the Confederates fell back through several positions and finally had to be turned out of the strong Droop Mountain position by combined frontal and flank attacks. The Union columns reunited at Lewisburg the next day but were in no condition to continue their raid. After this battle, Confederate resistance in West Virginia collapsed.

Content provided by: eHistory Staff

Selected sources: American Battlefield Protection Program, Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service.

Notes

(AFN:1228-T3D)

Notes

Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, VA: Mordecai B. Sandidge of Amherst married Phebe A. Turpin, daughter of Jeremiah D. Turpin on December 2, 1842. Source: The Lynchburg Virginian, December 26, 1842, p.3, c.3.

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2 Mary Elizabeth THOMAS b: Abt 1745 d: Aft 1768 + Reuben WILKES

Notes

Single at an advanced age ^[S2097]

Notes

"Lucy Frances Thornton was named for her two grandmothers, Lucy Thornton and Frances Gregory, one the wife of John Alexander, and the other the wife of Francis Thornton. Frances Gregory was a daughter of Mildred Washington, the aunt and godmother of the President. One of the easiest things to remember in the tangled web of Virginia genealogy is that three brothers, John, Reuben, and Francis Thornton married three sisters Mildred, Elizabeth, and Frances Gregory. FTM CD-186 Gen. of VA Families, Vol. V, Thornton Family, p. 57."

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My Southern Family

Mary FARTHING

22 May 1806 - ____

ID Number: I67853

Sources

Ann Tunstall HILL

1708 - ____

ID Number: I61598

Sources

Ann HUNDLEY

ABT 1760 - ____

ID Number: I19874

Notes

Sources

Edwin Pierce MAYS II C.S.A.

1839 - 6 Nov 1863

ID Number: I23790

Notes

Sources

James NORWOOD

1810 - ____

ID Number: I36394

Notes

Sources

William Huffman SANDERS

Mordicai Brown SANDIDGE

5 Jun 1821 - ____

ID Number: I11249

Notes

Sources

Mary Elizabeth THOMAS

ABT 1745 - AFT 1768

ID Number: I82003

Notes

Sources

Lucy THORNTON

ABT 1780 - ____

ID Number: I34024

Notes

Sources

Lucy Frances THORNTON

5 Dec 1781 - 16 Nov 1846

ID Number: I21420

Notes

Sources