Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/223

Rh been assigned to command in that region and would soon reach the scene of action with such forces as were available in Virginia to aid the loyal western Virginians in their unequal struggle.

Colonel Heck, whose mission to Richmond has been mentioned, was on the way early in June with a battery of four pieces from Shenandoah county, Captain Moorman's cavalry company, and three companies of Virginia infantry, and Governor Letcher had called out the militia from the counties of Pendleton, Highland, Bath, Pocahontas, Randolph and Barbour. The response to this call seems to have been patriotic and abundant, but Colonel Heck decided to send the major part home to tend the crops, taking but 300 men from Highland, Bath and Pendleton. General Garnett reached Huttonsville, where Porterfield had then collected about twenty-four companies of West Virginians. From these were organized two regiments, the Twenty-fifth Virginia infantry, under Colonel Heck, and the Thirty-first, under Col. William L. Jackson, former lieutenant-governor of the State. With Jackson's regiment, Schumacher's battery, Anderson's half battery, and a company of cavalry, General Garnett occupied the pass on the Philippi road at the south end of Laurel hill, while Colonel Heck, in command of his regiment, a half battery and a company of cavalry, was stationed before the Buckhannon pass over Rich mountain, a few miles west of Beverly. A forced night march was made June i5th to seize these positions in advance of the enemy, who was reported to be advancing. For nearly three weeks these troops were undisturbed, meanwhile being reinforced by the Twentieth Virginia under Col. John Pegram, Col. J. N. Ramsey's First Georgia, and Col. J. V. Fulkerson's Thirty-seventh Virginia. Reconnoissances were made, and in one of these, Lieut. Robert McChesney, of Rockbridge county, was killed by a Federal ambush in Tucker county, June 29th, while fighting gallantly.