Hello Ms. Brown,

Summers County was created in 1871 from portions of Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer and Monroe counties. During the Civil War, the Forest Hill Community was in Monroe County, [West] Virginia.

Edgar's Battalion, named for Lt. Colonel George Matthews Edgar, was officially ddesignated the 26th Battalion Virginia Infantry. According to Terry Lowry, author of 26th Battalion Virginia Infantry, E. H. Michael served in Company H of that unit, enlisting on April 29, 1862.

Previously, E. H. Michael had served in Captain James E, Taylor's Company of the 166th Virginia Militia. This unit was in servive fron August 20th to October 11th 1861 as part of the 19th Brigade Virginia Militia under General Augustus A. Chapman.

Although not specified in military records, I believe this man was Elijah H. Michael, son of Allen G. Michael and Amanda Smith Michael, born about 1835 in Monroe (Summers) County, West Virginia. Elijah Michael appears on the 1860 and 1870 Census records of Monroe County in the Forest Hill area. Online family files indicate that he was married to a Mary (also called Polly S.) and his children were Charles W., Amanda, Eliza Ann, Alma and Dorsey.