Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
A. Brooks Fleming House
A Role in the Action
— Jones-Imboden Raid —
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 23, 2009
1. A. Brooks Fleming House Marker
Inscription.
A. Brooks Fleming House. A Role in the Action. 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 100 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. , Behind you is the home of Aretas Brooks Fleming (1839–1923), the eighth governor of West Virginia (1890–1893). During the war, he was the Marion County prosecuting attorney and served in the Fairmont Home Guard. At the time of the raid, he instructed and provisioned Mannington’s Home Guard. Detachments of the 23rd Illinois Infantry, the 106th New York Infantry, and the 6th West Virginia Infantry also guarded Fairmont. , Early on April 29, 1863, Gen. William E. Jones’s forces attacked Fairmont from the west to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge over the Monongahela River at present-day 12th Street. To your left, a block away, are abutments of the suspension bridge that spanned the Monongahela River, joining Fairmont and Palatine. Across the river in Palatine, part of the garrison (including Fleming) was stationed in the foundry to protect the eastern ends of this bridge and the railroad bridge upstream. The Federals had removed the suspension bridge’s floorboards to prevent the Confederates from crossing. , Jones divided his command, sending his main column in Fairmont upriver to the railroad bridge while a detachment fought its way across the suspension bridge, laying found timbers for flooring as they went. The Confederates secured both bridges and captured many Federals, including those in the foundry. A train bearing Union reinforcements arrived from Grafton but was driven away from the rail bridge, which Jones destroyed. He also paroled the prisoners before leaving for Bridgeport. He reported three men wounded and left in the care of “kind friends.” , Fleming was promoted to captain by the Paw Paw militia for his service during the raid. He later became a leading West Virginia politician and industrialist, especially in the field of coal mining.
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 100 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.
Behind you is the home of Aretas Brooks Fleming (1839–1923), the eighth governor of West Virginia (1890–1893). During the war, he was the Marion County prosecuting attorney and served in the Fairmont Home Guard.
At the time of the raid, he instructed and provisioned Mannington’s Home Guard. Detachments of the 23rd Illinois Infantry, the 106th New York
Infantry, and the 6th West Virginia
Infantry also guarded Fairmont.
Early on April 29, 1863, Gen.
William E. Jones’s forces attacked
Fairmont from the west
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to destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge over the Monongahela River at present-day 12th Street. To your left, a block away, are abutments of the suspension bridge that spanned
the Monongahela River, joining Fairmont and Palatine. Across the river in Palatine, part of the garrison
(including Fleming) was stationed in the foundry to protect the eastern ends of this bridge and the railroad bridge upstream. The Federals had removed the suspension bridge’s floorboards to prevent the Confederates from crossing.
Jones divided his command, sending his main
column in Fairmont upriver to the railroad bridge while
a detachment fought its way across the suspension
bridge, laying found timbers for flooring as they went. The Confederates secured both bridges and captured many Federals, including those in the foundry. A train bearing Union reinforcements arrived
from Grafton but was driven away from the rail bridge, which Jones destroyed.
He also paroled the prisoners before leaving for Bridgeport. He reported three men wounded and left in the care of “kind friends.”
Fleming was promoted to
captain by the Paw Paw militia for
his service during the raid. He later
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 23, 2009
2. A. Brooks Fleming House Marker
The view is from Fairmont towards Palatine. This is the new (1921) Fairmont High Level Bridge, newly restored (2000), and now called the Robert H. Mollohan-Jefferson Street Bridge. The suspension bridge was one short city block to the left.
became a leading West Virginia politician and industrialist, especially in the field of coal mining.
Erected by Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1969.
Location. 39° 29.038′ N, 80° 8.538′ W. Marker is in Fairmont, West Virginia, in Marion County. Marker is at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Washington Street, on the right when traveling south on Jefferson Street. Marker is up atop of the retaining wall at the corner of Jefferson and Washington Streets. Access is from Ogden Street on Jefferson between Washington and Adams Streets. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Cleveland Avenue, Fairmont WV 26554, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. There is a photo of the Fleming House from 1954 on the lower left of the marker. A portrait of Aretas Brooks Fleming is in the center and a map of the Jones-Imboden Raid is on the lower right. A small map showing the location of the Civil War Trails markers in Fairmont is on the upper left.
June 23, 2009
4. Closeup of Small Map Shown on Marker
This map shows the locations of the five Civil War Trails markers in Fairmont.
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 23, 2009
5. A. Brooks Fleming House
The A. Brooks Fleming House is somewhere inside this building. The marker is directly behind the photographer.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2009, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,730 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 31, 2009, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.