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Newspaper Archive of
The Preston County Journal
Kingwood, West Virginia
October 12, 2011     The Preston County Journal
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October 12, 2011
 
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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 Buy, Sell li ?fade in The Classifieds I- -1 Buying Junk Cars, L_ J Buying junk cars & hauling away Call 892-4490 or 457-1806 698-8419 (re.a Alta area) Rt. 281 Markleysburg, PA 724-329-5263 OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY 8 am-4 pm CLOSED DALLY NOON-1 pm & ON SUNDAYS We Buy Cars and Trucks Across the Scale. ! i All vehicles must have title. 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Add. fees, taxes and terms apply and va by . and eqmt See store or usceUular.com for details. [imitedtime offer. Tradema and trade names are the property of their respective ownar&  BIR subject to change. U,S, llular Me£ard Debit Card issued by MetaBank puant to a license from MaaterCard International. ]r. Cardholders are subject to terms and nandees of the card as set forth by the Lsuing bank, Card does not have rash access and can be used at any merchants t accept Masteard debit cards. Card valid through expireon date shown on front of card. A]k;w 10-12 weeks for processing. Smartphone Data Plans start at S30/nth or are included with certain Belief Pla. Applicable feature phone Data Plans start at S14,95/month, Application and data network usage chat may apply when aceeasng applications. Bc  See ellular.com/proiest for Belief Rewards tom!.s and ceeditiona.  I]llslmm: In areas in which U.S. llular eeives support tr the Federal Universal Service Fund, all reasonable requests for service must be met, Unresolved queens conseming se availability can be dited to  Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Public Affairs and rmer Protection at 1-800-662-0027, Limed time offer, 2010. Trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective ewnersAndreid, Android Market. Gmail and Gogle Maps are all trademarks of Gnagle, In,©2011 U,S. CNular.gEV BW 557 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 In Conjunction With NAFA Auto Farts, Kingwood Invite You To Join Us In Albright Saturday, October 15th 2 pro-6 pm Rain date: October 16th For Our 3rd Annual Fall Customer Appreciation & Cruise-In Event Great Food Catered by Smokin-BBQ Live Broadcast by WFSP Radio] Great Prizes & Giveaways] Throughout the Day! Activities for the Kids! Everyone Welcome] Designated Parking Area for Cruise-In Participants. For more information or directions call: MCR, Inc. Mechanical Shop 304-529-5996