Civil War Years

Civil War Years. . For most of the Civil War, only news of the conflict's chaos ever reached Cedar Bluff. But in the waning days of the war, the conflict reached over the surrounding bluffs and directly impacted the small town. In late September of 1864, Union General Stephen Burbridge arrived in Cedar Bluff from Kentucky, bringing with him a regiment of over 5000 men. The troops were on their way to capture one of the South's two remaining saltworks at nearby Saltville. These saltworks were a critical resource for the Confederate army. Salt preserved meat to feed Southern soldiers and made the gunpowder they used to battle the North. If Burbridge could destroy the saltworks, he would deal a crippling blow to the Confederate army. , Confederate Lt. Col. Edwin Trimble had scouts stationed in the hills, and these scouts brought him early warning about the advancing Union troops. With his force of 400 young men, he prepared to halt Burbridge's advance. At the narrow pass through Cedar Bluff, the troops placed barriers in the road, cut large trees into the river, and dug into the hill over the pass to wait. , Burbridge's troops arrived and the fighting began. The town's postmaster, anticipating looting by Union soldiers, took the postal supplies and mail from the post office in his home and guarded it at the top of a nearby cliff, where he watched the skirmish unfold and saw troops invade his home. The soldiers broke into other homes in the community too, including the McGuire home, where one young girl hid undiscovered beneath the long cloth on the dining table. The front door of the McGuire home, damaged by soldiers' rifles and swords, is preserved at the Crab Orchard Museum. , The Confederate blockade was successful, delaying Burbridge's advance for nearly a day and allowing time for Confederate reinforcements to reach and defend the saltworks. Just how many fighters lost their lives that day is not known. Following the battle, a town resident discovered a Union soldier killed by a sniper's bullet at the top of a hill. The soldier's belongings were carefully gathered and mailed to his family in Kentucky. When the war ended, the soldier's family came to Cedar Bluff to retrieve the body of their son and take him home. , Captions , (Top, left to right) , . Post office that was looted by Union soldiers. , . Re-enactment soldiers in the Skirmish at Jeffersonville. Crab Orchard Museum, Tazewell (photo by Gordon unreadable) , . McGuire front door, damaged by soldiers' rifles. , . Skirmish at Jeffersonville re-enactment (photo by Gordon unreadable) , (Bottom) “Come in, you Yankee Devils.” – Helen Lockhart, in response to Union soldiers breaking her front door in search of food. The soldiers gathered her family's dishes and broke them on a rock ledge in the yard.