Wintersville

Wintersville. Two Ridges Church and Friendly Fire. While en route to Wintersville on July 25, 1863, Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and his Confederate raiders stopped at the farm of Mrs. John Hanna for a short nap and meal. , , Working their way toward Wintersville through the area south of here, the Confederates ran into the scouts of the Jefferson County militia. Several volleys were exchanged, leaving a militiaman dead and a local woman wounded. The Confederates quickly passed through Wintersville on the way to Richmond. Morgan's men advised inhabitants to take cover from the impending fight. , , Here, at the Two Ridges Church, regular Union forces under Major William B. Way caught up with Morgan's rear units. Several of Way's troopers were wounded in the skirmish. As the militia commanded by Colonel James Collier came up the hill from the east toward the church, their view was obstructed by dust raised by Morgan's troops. , , At the same time, the Union forces under General Shackelford were advancing from the south. The militia filled their artillery piece with scrap iron and fired it, but they mistakenly raked the Union line. The confusion was soon straightened out, but it gave Morgan and his men a lead to the north.