I was born of Mossy Creek near the Dam of the Mossy Creek Mills, then known
as Forrers Iron Works, May 4th, 1840. In 1858 I joined a volunteer company at
Spring Hill, Augusta Co., Va, known as the "Mountain Guard" with R. L. Doyle
as Captain.
In 1861 the State called all volunteer companies to arms, account of the civil
war then brewing. On Apl 16th we were called to rendezvous at Staunton from
where we marched down the Valley Pike to Harper's Ferry, where the different
companies were organized into Regiments and Brigades by then Major T. J.
Jackson, of the Va Military Institute at Lexington Va. Our company (The
Mountain Guards) was called the 5th, so during the entire duration of the War
we were known as Co "C" 5th Va Infantry. The Brigade was known as the1st
Brigade and was composed of the following Regiments Viz: The Second,
Fourth, Fifth, Twenty Seventh, and Thirty Third, all of which were men of the
Valley and commanded by T. J. Jackson, then made Brigadier General.
This, the 1st Brigade afterward was given the name of Stonewall Brigade at the
first Battle of Manassas on the 21st July 1861. I was in all the Battles that
Jackson fought up to the Battle at Port Republic where I was wounded, after
my recovery I was in most of the Principle engagements up to the surrender at
Appomatox in Apl 1865.
I have wrote this the 28th day of August 1922 in the 83 year of my age for my
Grand Son Newton Shiflett.
S. McD. Shiflett
The Mountain Guards
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The 35th was heavily engaged in The Wilderness fighting in the summer of 1864 and by fall they were sent back to the Valley. They passed through Lexington and Staunton and camped, once again, at Bridgewater. Here they learned the Valley was in flames from mountain to mountain. Sheridan, under Grant's orders to destroy this "granary of the Confederacy", was burning everything in sight. Again they raided into enemy territory in search of supplies. . . . After two days and nights of freezing cold they made their way back to the Shenandoah. . . . Back at camp, they now faced starvation as the Valley was now wasteland and unable to supply them. . . . Colonel White obtained permission for the companies to go home but by that time Company F had already crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains to Albermarle County, their home county.
The White Comanches |
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