Suttonville

Suttonville. Confederates Ride Through Town. , (Preface):, On April 20, 1863, Confederate Gens. William E. "Grumble" Jones and John D. Imboden began a raid from Virginia through present-day West Virginia against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Taking separate routes, they later reported that they marched 1,100 miles, fought several engagements, captured 700 Federals, seized about 1,200 horses and 4,000 cattle, and burned 4 turnpike bridges, more than 20 railroad bridges, 2 trains, and 150,000 barrels of oil. Most bridges were soon repaired. Confederate losses were slight. By May 26, both commands had returned to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley., (Main Text):, The reek of decaying buildings, burnt during a massive 1861 fire, would have overwhelmed your senses if you had stood here in May 1863 when Confederate Gen. John Imboden's men clattered into Suttonville. Imboden, with Col. William L. "Mudwall" Jackson as his second in command, had separated from Gen. William E. Jones cavalry at Buckhannon on May 6, and arrived here on the 12th., Their raid had begun on April 20 in Virginia, and by the time it ended, the Confederates had captured hundreds of Federal troops and caused thousands of dollars in damage., Imboden recalled, "At Bulltown, Suttonville, and Big Birch the enemy had blockhouses and intrenchments, and had destroyed at each place large amounts of stores laid in for the summer's campaign. I destroyed their quarters and their blockhouses at these several places.", The small Federal garrison had evacuated, but after the Confederates rode on to Summersville the next day, Union troops soon reoccupied the town.Their raid had begun on April 20 in Virginia, and by the time it ended, the Confederates had captured hundreds of Federal troops and caused thousands of dollars in damage., Imboden recalled, "At Bulltown, Suttonville, and Big Birch the enemy had blockhouses and intrenchments, and had destroyed at each place large amounts of stores laid in for the summer's campaign. I destroyed their quarters and their blockhouses at these several places.", The small Federal garrison had evacuated, but after the Confederates rode on to Summersville the next day, Union troops soon reoccupied the town., (Sidebar):, In The Path Of War, Suttonville was located on the Weston and Gauley Bridge Turnpike, a hard-surfaced dependable road. Before the war, the turnpike helped local farmers transport crops to nearby mills. But during the conflict, the road meant both sides would occupy or march through Suttonville. , In December 1861, the fire that devastated Suttonville occurred. At the time, Federal and Confederate troops were nearby, but the origin of the fire was never determined. The following summer, Union Gen. William S. Rosecrans 10,000-man army camped at here, the largest force to march through Central West Virginia. They left on September 7, 1861, and three days later fought in the Battle of Carnifex Ferry., (Captions):, Col. William L. Jackson , Courtesy West Virginia University Library, Gen. John Imboden , Courtesy Library of Congress