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Reliving Lives: Prestonians I
A, • m • • • .......... /Ii
and the t;uvun war .....
by Dorothy B. Snyder
CLARK GIDLEY,
COMPANIES A AND G,
IST WEST VIRGINIA
CAVALRY
According to his obituary in
the Preston County Journal,
Clark Gidley was born at Rock
Forge, Monongalia County,
West Virginia on July 24, 1844
and died at the home of his son,
John Gidley, June 16, 1926 at the
age of 81 years, 10 months and
23 days. Mr. Gidley had been
ill for some time. Last summer
he had a paralytic stroke from
which he never fully rallied.
Funeral services Were held Sat-
urday, June 19 at the Pentecos-
tal Church at West End directed
by Rev. Clark Shade. Interment
was made in the Maplewood
Cemetery. Mr. Gidley served in
the Civil War from 1861 to 1865
and belonged to the Kingwood
Post, Grand Army Republic. He
leaves two sons, John W. and
William Gidley of Kingwood
and one daughter, Mrs. Della
Bishop of Morgantown along
with several grandchildren.
Clark Gidley's death certifi-
cate indicated his parents were
John and Rebecca Drafer Gid-
ley. His father's birthplace was
listed as Ireland. The 1850 cen-
sus, Eastern District, Monon-
galia County, Virginia, listed
John Gidley, 70, Rebecca, 45,
Edward 20, Samuel, 19, Sucin-
dar 16, Charles 16, Frederick,
13, Jackquilk 10, Clark 5, and
Joseph 3. The 1860 census of
District 2, Monongalia County
records the family as Rebecca
Gidley, 55, Frederick Gidley,
21, Charles Gidley 20, Clark
Gidley 17 and Joseph Gidley
age 14.
Clark Gidley was one of the
early enlistees and joined Com-
pany G, WV Cavalry at Mor-
gantown, West Virginia on June
18, 1861, He claimed he was
born in 1843 and was described
as five feet six inches tall with
blue eyes. Those early months
in 1861 and early 1862 were
primarily spent with the regi-
ment engaged in scouting, pick-
et and outpost duty as well as
guarding the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad in West Virginia until
March, 1862.
According to LOYAL WEST
VIRGINIA from 1861 to 1865,
by Theodore Lang, the Deutch
Publishing Co., 1895. On Page
197 - -It stated that "On the
18th of July, 1861, Company A,
1st West Virginia Cavalry, re-
cruited and mustered in at Mor-
gantown, W. Va., was the first
Cavalry organization raised in
the State; it was mustered into
service as the "Kelley Lanc-
ers," J. L. McGee, captain; and
at once reported to Gen'l B.
E Kelley, at Graflon, whence
it was ordered to New Creek
(Keyser), W. Va., and on Gen-
eral Kelley's advance on Rom-
hey, took part in that expedition,
and together with the Ringgold
Cavalry charged the enemy's
works. This charge was deliv-
ered with fine spirit and most
satisfactory results, the whole
of the enemy's artillery, stores
and flags being taken without
the loss of a man.
General Kelley, in his official
report to the War Department
remarks: "I must be pardoned,
however in calling the atten-
tion of the country to the bril-
liant charges of the cavalry un-
der Captain Keys and McGee.
I venture to say they are unsur-
passed by any in the annals of
American warfare." This ad-
vance was soon followed by the
surprise of the rebels at Blues
Gap; in which the Lancers were
again conspicuous, resulting
in the capture of a number of
prisoners, three pieces of artil-
lery and the entire camp equip-
page of the enemy, and driving
the Rebel forces to the eastern
slope of the Alleghanies, thus
transferring the field of active
operations to the Valley.
Private Clark Gidley partici-
pated in many battles and I will
try to highlight some of his ex-
periences; but this summary has
undoubtedly missed some in
which he was present.
February 28 to June 30, 1862
present: Battles of: Cross Keyes
June 8 and Port Republic, June
9. September and October 1862
home on furlough. November
and December 1862 present,
near Warrenton, VA. November
4. Reconnaissance to Snicker's
Ferry and Berryville November
28-30. Snicker's Ferry Novem-
ber 30. Moorefield, W. Va., De-
cember 3.
June 15, 1898, Edward Hart
aged 65 a resident of near Mor-
gantown, WV made this state-
ment in regard to Clark Gidley:
"I was a member of Company
A/G 1st West Virginia Cavalry
Volunteers and served the entire
enlistment with said Clark Gid-
ley and remember that while we
was camped at Romney, Vir-
ginia, now West Virginia and I
believe late in the fall of 1861
said Gidley while carrying a
dispatch while going over an
old log bridge it broke through-
throwing down Gidley and his
horse and fracturing Gidley's
collar bone.
Shortly afterward he was taken
to the hospital at Cumberland
and it was said with measles.
My 'recollection is now that he
came to the company some time
the next summer while we were
camped at or near Front Royal,
VA. and that I also was absent
about the same length of time;
but I can't recall. He also had
some throat and lung problems
or both from the way he com-
plained and coughed and held
his back and that he had not
fully recovered at our muster on
July 18, 1862
Nimrod Nelson Hoffman, for-
met 1st Lt. 1st Cavalry stated
on February 27, 1889 that he
had known the applicant, Clark
Gidley, who wa.s in Captain
J. L. McGee's company A 1st
West Virginia Cavalry. We were
at Romney, WV in the winter
of 1862 and that while there he
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Wednesday, October 12, 2Oll- Kingwood, WV- PRESTON COUNTY JOURNAL- 5
(Gidley) contracted measles and
that he went with the company
to Patterson's Creek with Gen-
eral Landers Division and that
from Patterson Creek we sent
several persons to the hospital
at. Cumberland, MD. When we
were ordered to take the men to
the hospital it was raining and
sleeting and all the men took
violent colds and none of them
became well and qualified for
active duty. I have every reason
to believe that said Gidley was
one of the men taken to Cum-
berland at that time. I remember
these facts from being Orderly
Sergeant at the time and know
that all the men sent were in bad
health for years and as long as
I was with the company, until
June 1865. My post office ad-
dress is Kingwood, WV.
January and February 1862,
Clark Gidley was detached as
a nurse in Cumberland hospi-
tal. He was present February
28 to August 1862. When asked
which battles stood out in his
mind he stated 2nd Bull's Run
and 2nd Winchester. 2nd Bull
Run occurred August 28-30,
1862. Principal Command-
ers were Maj. Gen. John Pope
[US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee ,and
Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson
[CS]. The battle cost both sides
dearly with estimated Casual-
ties: 22,180 totals (US 13,830;
CS 8,350.)
It was at the Battle of Cedar
Mountain, Virginia on Au-
gust 9, 1862 where the armies
fought in their woolen uniforms
in temperatures well over 100
degrees. They moved to the
area of Bull's Run. In In order
to draw Pope's army into battle,
General Stonewall Jackson or-
dered an attack on a Federal
column that was passing across
his front on the Warrenton Turn-
pike on August 28. The fighting
at Brawner Farm lasted several
hours and resulted in a stale-
mate. Pope became convinced
that he had trapped Jackson
and concentrated the bulk of his
army against him. On August
29, Pope launched a series of
assaults against Jackson's po-
sition along an unfinished rail-
road grade. The attacks were
repulsed .with heavy casualties
on both sides. At noon, Long-
street arrived on the field from
Thoroughfare Gap and took po-
sition on Jackson's fight flank.
.On August 30, Pope renewed
his attacks, seemingly unaware
that Longstreet was on the field.
When massed Confederate
artillery devastated a Union
assault by Fitz John Porter's
command, Longstreet's wing of
28,000 men counterattacked in
the largest, simultaneous mass
assault of the war. The Union's
left flank was crushed and the
army driven back to Bull Run.
Only an effective Union rear-
guard action prevented a replay
of the First Manassas disaster.
Pope's retreat to Centreville
was precipitous, nonetheless.
The next day, Lee ordered his
army in pursuit.
With General Lee's tactical
scheme to halt Major General
George McClellan's advance
toward Richmond, Jackson's,
stalwart defense and Long-
street's timely attack resulted
in a complete confederate vic-
tory and Pope was justifiably
discredited as a general. It was
indeed a Confederate victory.
Today, the site is a part of
Manassas National Battlefield
Park, which I will visit for at
least my fifth time on October
22.
September- October 1862
Clark had a furlough but was
present for the November-De-
cember muster. Although I have
no evidence to prove it, I won-
der if he was slightly wounded
and that was the reason for the
furlough at that time. He was
again present from November
1862 to February 1863.
He was present January and
February 1863 where on Janu-
ary 5, 1863 they were at Cock-
letown, Pocahontas County, W.
Va. On January 22 they were
scouting. Then they were from
Centreville to Falmouth Feb-
ruary 27-28, Beverly on April
2The March and April 1863
muster stated Clark Gidley left
his company; taking his horse,
equipment, and arms consisting
of a colt pistol, and saber, and
was thought to have gone to his
home in Monongalia County.
He was carded as AWOL since
April 26, 1863; May and June
muster indicated he owed the
government for the pistol which
was lost.
(To be continued next week)
Copyright: Dorothy B. Snyder
9 Douglas Court, Dover DE 19901
Email: DBonafield@aol.com
Phone 302-697-3797
M
9
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