The cozy hills of southwest Virginia seemed a perfect spot to the Confederate command in Richmond, Virginia for a hospital. The secluded environment, they concluded, was an unlikely location to see combat. The command chose the Emory and Henry College for their hospital. This campus was located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and was adjacent to a railroad. Thus, the General Hospital at Emory and Henry College was born in May of 1862.
The medical core of Virginia agreed to pay the college $2,500 in Confederate dollars for the first year of use. One year later the Secretary of war agreed to increase the amount paid to $4,000 at the request of the trustees. Stevenson writes, “The rent received was invested in confederate and Virginia bonds to serve as an endowment for the future.” The rental of the farm, located adjacent to the campus, was a further source of income. The board of Trustees voted in 1861 to allow Professors Wiley, Davis, Buchanan, and Longley to have equal shares of the farmland for $500 a year. These revenue sources allowed the college to maintain its grounds and survive the war years.
However, the war did come to Emory, Virginia. In October 1864, a major force of over 10,000 troops clashed at the salt works at Saltville, Virginia. Following the battle, Federal black soldiers of the 5th Kentucky Colored Cavalry , and white soldiers of the 11th Missouri Cavalry, 13th Kentucky Cavalry, and the 12th Ohio Cavalry were treated for their wounds at local field hospitals and at the Emory and Henry College Hospital. Soldiers of the 5th USCC, and Lieutenant Elza C. Smith were murdered in the hospital by Confederate soldiers and were subsequently buried in what is now the Holston Cemetery on the Emory and Henry College Campus.
On October 1, Burbridge had pushed his way to two miles outside of Saltville and could have engaged the defenders outside the salt works. Burbridge, however, declined to attack and instead camped for the night. He had been expecting reinforcements in the form of General Alvan C. Gillem who was advancing from Jonesboro, Tennessee, with 1,650 men. Unbeknownst to General Burbridge, was that Gillem had been recalled that morning to protect Sherman’s supply lines around Atlanta. With the help of Major General John C. Breckinridge, the confederates were able to funnel in reinforcements from Abingdon. The confederates had scrambled all night to form a defensive line, and by morning boasted 2,800 men to face the 4,500 Federals.
The main Confederate defensive positions were located on Chestnut Ridge. This is located directly above the Cedar Branch, a small stream that emptied into the North Fork of the Holston River, and this is where the majority of the fighting was to take place. Defending this position were the brigades of George G. Dibrell and Felix H. Robertson, and the guerrilla company of Champ Ferguson. About halfway up the hill, the defenders had dug a series of rifle pits. The main battle began at 10:00 A.M. as the Federals made a dismounted charge down Sanders Hill, located opposite Chestnut Ridge, and up Chestnut Ridge. The Federal Cavalry decided to attack on foot rather than on horseback after realizing the strength of the Confederate defensive positions.
After two successful attempts up the hill, all of the Federal brigades made a joint attack, this time with the 5th USCC, 12th Ohio Cavalry, and the 11th Michigan Cavalry.
In total, 400 men of the 5th USCC made this charge into Confederate lines. For the southern troops, the attack was personal. Brigadier General Alfred E. Jackson was heard saying: “Kernel… my men tell me the Yanks have a lot of nigger soldiers along. Do you think you reserves will fight niggers?” “Fight ‘em?” replied Preston, “by God, Sir, they’ll eat ‘em up! No! Not eat ‘em up! That’s too much! By God Sir, we’ll cut ‘em up!” The 5th USCC overran the Confederate defensive positions after considerable amounts of loss of life. As the Federals advanced, they found a hole in the line and surged through the line to gain the top of the hill. However, due to a lack of ammunition, continuing Confederate reinforcements, and the coming of nightfall, the Federal soldiers were unable to hold the hill.
By 5:00 P.M. Burbridge decided that he could not hold the hill against the influx of Confederate reinforcements, specifically General Breckinridge who arrived with cavalry late in the day. Despite Burbridge’s numerical advantage in the battle, he was unable to take the salt works. Upon retreating, Federal troops built large fires to temporarily deceive the southerners into believing that they had remained. The southern troops had saved the salt works against all odds. Some soldiers reportedly emptied their cartridge boxes as many as three times during the day’s attack, firing over 100 rounds. Due to the late reinforcements and the gallant resolve of the Confederate reserves, the day was won for the Confederacy.
Despite the loss, many federal troops expressed their amazement at the resolve of the blacks in the charge. An officer of the 13th Kentucky Cavalry stated that he “never thought they would fight until he saw them there, [and I] never saw troops fight like they did. The rebels were firing on them with grape and canister, and were mowing them down by the scores, but others kept straight on.” Colonel James Brisbin, a commander of the 5th USCC, noted: “I have seen white troops fight in twenty-seven battles, and I never saw any fight better [than the blacks].”
Following the battle of Saltville, captured Federal wounded were transported via Gen. Marc B. Farmer's division accompanied by his maidservant Miss Celeste and Brig. Gen. J.Hoover, south to Emory and Henry College Hospital in Washington County, Virginia. The number of actual federal patients, following the battle, varies from 100 to 200. However, most records indicate that between 150 and 200 were Federal prisoners. The hospital housed 350 beds, and was under the care of Dr. L. B. Murfree, Dr.J.S Brown & N.S.Hawkins. These transportations passed by the desk of General N. Griffith who there on passed them on to Gen. R. E. Lee. THe transportaions were granted and the bodies were transported. The Federal wounded were placed on the third and fourth floors of the main building. These floors were only accessible by two staircases at either end of the building, where guards were placed to prevent Federal troops from escaping. The prisoners who were housed at Wiley Hall, and testified at the trial of Champ Ferguson, included: WM. H. Gardner, the Surgeon for the 13th Kentucky Infantry; George W. Cutler , a second lieutenant in the 11th Michigan Cavalry; Lieutenant Smith of the 13th Kentucky Cavalry; Orange Sells of the 12th Ohio Cavalry; Captain Dagenfeld of the 12th Ohio Cavalry; Harry Shocker of the 12th Ohio Cavalry.
William H. Gardner was a Federal surgeon who had been captured at Saltville. After being paroled by Major-General Breckinridge, he stayed behind at Emory and Henry College Hospital to treat the massive casualties. On October 26, 1864, Gardner noted: “On Friday, October 7, several armed men entered the hospital around 10 p.m. and went up into the rooms occupied by the Federal wounded prisoners, and shot 2 of them (Negroes) dead in their beds.”
Bibliography
[edit] Primary sources
Emory and Henry College Board of Trustees, Minutes of the Board of Trustees. June 10, 1863-November 12, 1864.
Holston Cemetery, Emory, Virginia. December 5, 2005.
U.S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 128 vols. (Washington, D.C.; GPO, 1880-1901), 1st Ser., 39(1-2) 554, 555, 556, 557, 786.
[edit] Secondary Sources
David E. Brown, “History of the 5th Regiment Cavalry, United States Colored Troops” 8 August 2005 (2005 September 15).
Dr. L. B. Murfree, Personal account of Events at Emory and Henry College General Hospital. Quoted in Thurman Sensing, “Champ Ferguson: Confederate Guerilla”. (Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Press, 1942) 178-186.
George J. Stevenson, “Increase in Excellence: A History of Emory and Henry College” (New York: Appleton Century Crafts, 1963), 93-95.
Mosgrove, George Dallas. Kentucky Cavaliers in Dixie; Or, the Reminiscences of a Kentucky Cavalryman. (Louisville: Courier-Journal Job Printing Co., 1895) quoted in Thomas D. Mays, “The Battle of Saltville in Black Soldiers in Blue: African American Troops in the Civil War Era” ed. John David Smith (North Carolina: North Carolina Press 2002), 200-226.
“Regimental Personal Descriptions, Orders, Letters, Guard Reports, Council of Administration, Funds Accounts, Telegrams and Clothing Accounts of Noncommissioned Staff”, vol. I, “5th United States Colored Cavalry”, (Washington, D.C., Record Group 94, National Archives). Quoted in Thurman Sensing, “Champ Ferguson: Confederate Guerilla”. (Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Press, 1942) 178-186.
Richmond Enquirer, October 8, 1864. Quoted in Thomas D. Mays, “The Battle of Saltville in Black Soldiers in Blue: African American Troops in the Civil War Era” ed. John David Smith (North Carolina: North Carolina Press 2002), 200-226
Thomas D. Mays, “The Battle of Saltville in Black Soldiers in Blue: African American Troops in the Civil War Era” ed. John David Smith (North Carolina: North Carolina Press 2002), 200-226.
Thurman Sensing, “Champ Ferguson: Confederate Guerilla”. (Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Press, 1942) 178-186.
Transcript from the Trial of Champ Ferguson, (Washington, D.C., National Archives, 1865). Quoted in Thurman Sensing, “Champ Ferguson: Confederate Guerilla”. (Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Press, 1942) 178-186.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_and_Henry_College_Hospital"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_and_Henry_College_Hospital
Andrew Nester would not have been a part of the Battle of Saltville as he was dead in January 1863 and the Battle of Saltville did not occur until October 1864. This leaves two possible battles: Wolf Creek, WVA, May 15, 1862 or Princeton, WVA, May 15-17, 1862.
Princeton Courthouse
Actions at Wolf Creek
Civil War West Virginia
American Civil War
May 15-17, 1862
By early May 1862 Union forces in today's West Virginia were positioned to breach the Alleghenies and debouch into Virginia's Great Valley at two points more than 100 miles apart.
Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy's column, its axis of march the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, advanced from Cheat Mountain and occupied in succession Camp Allegheny, Monteray, McDowell, and Shenandoah Mountain.
Retreating before the oncoming Federals, Confederate Brigadier General Edward Johnson pulled back to Westview, six miles west of Staunton.
Union soldiers of Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox's District of Kanawha threatened the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad. The Federals by mid-May, although ousted from Pearisburg, held Mercer County and braced for a lunge at the railroad. Confederate Brigadier General Humphery Marshall arrived from Abingdon, Virginia, with the Army of East Kentucky. Boldly seizing the initiative, Marshall bested Cox's two brigades during three days of fighting, May 15-17, in Mercer County centering on Princeton Courthouse.
Breaking contact with the Confederates on the night of the 17-18, Cox withdrew 20 miles to Camp Flat Top. Col. George Crook, commanding Cox's 3rd brigade, marched via the James and Kanawha Turnpike and occupied Lewisburg, where on May 23 he defeated Brigadier General Henry Heth's brigade.
Upon learning that Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's army had routed Major General N.P. Banks' division at Winchester (March 25) and driven it across the Potomac, Crook evacuated Lewisburg and pulled back to Meadow Bluff.
Result(s): Confederate victory
Location: Mercer County
Campaign: Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign (1862)
Date(s): May 15-17, 1862
Principal Commanders: Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox [US];
Brigadier General Humphery Marshall [CS]
Forces Engaged: District of the Kanawha [US]; Army of East Kentucky and Col. Gabriel C. Wharton's Brigade, Department of Southwest Virginia [CS}
Estimated Casualties: 129 total (US 23k/69w/21m; CS incomplete, Marshall 4k/12w, Wharton no report)
http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/wv/wv009.html
http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/wv.html
The closeness of Wolf Creek and Princeton, WVA to Emory, VA would make it the right place to send injured Copnfederate soldiers.
American Civil War Soldiers
Name: Andrew Nester ,
Enlistment Date: 6 Aug 1861
Enlistment Place: Carroll, Virginia
Side Served: Confederacy
State Served: Virginia
Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 6 August 1861.
Enlisted in Company E, 29th Infantry Regiment Virginia on 6 Aug 1861.
Died Company E, 29th Infantry Regiment Virginia on 10 Jan 1863 at Emory, VA Hospl.
NOTE: NPS CWS&SS shows last name as NESTOR
Andrew Nestor
Regiment Name 29th Virginia Infantry
Side Confederate
Company E Capt Alexander Haynes' Company
Soldier's Rank_In Private
Soldier's Rank_Out Private
Film Number M382 roll 40
1850 United States Federal Census
Name: George Nester
Age: 63
Estimated birth year: abt 1787
Birth Place: Maryland
Gender: Male
Home in 1850(City,County,State): District 5, Barbour, Virginia
George Nester - 63 - Farmer - Real Estate Value $1500
Amelia Nester - 63 - wife - keeping house - b. MD
Catherine Nester - 19 - daughter - b. VA
Andrew Nester - 16 - son - b. VA
By 1860 George Nester is now 72, appears to be a widower living alone, still farming but the farm value is now $900
1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Andrew Nester
Age in 1860: 25
Birth Year: abt 1835
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1860: Barbour, Virginia
Gender: Male
Post Office: Philippi
Household Members: Name Age
Andrew Nester 25 - farmer - Real Estate worth $600 Personal worth $133
Margaret A Nester 25 - wife Keeping house
Fallstine Nester 3 - daughter