Near Wytheville in Wythe County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Toland’s Raid

By J. J. Prats, May 30, 2011

1. Toland’s Raid Marker

Inscription. Col. John T. Toland of the 34th Regiment Mounted Ohio Volunteer Infantry leading Federal cavalrymen, marched from Tazewell County, and raided Wytheville during the evening of 18 July 1863. Confederate troops under Maj. Thomas M. Bowyer and local citizens fortified in buildings at first withstood the attack, killing Toland. After the Confederates withdrew, Federal forces burned several buildings. After learning that Confederate troops were situated at present day Rural Retreat, the federals left Wytheville early the next morning initially headed north towards Walker Mountain.

Erected 2005 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number KC-4.)

Location. 37° 2.74′ N, 81° 13.642′ W. Marker is near Wytheville, Virginia, in Wythe County. Marker is at the intersection of Stony Fork Road / South Scenic Highway (U.S. 52) and Old Mountain Road (County Route 621), on the right when traveling south on Stony Fork Road / South Scenic Highway. Touch for map. Marker is at Big Walker Mountain Lookout. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8711 Stony Fork Rd, Wytheville VA 24382, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Wythe County / Bland County (a few steps from this marker);

Toland’s Raid and County Line Markers image. Click for full size.

By J. J. Prats, May 30, 2011

2. Toland’s Raid and County Line Markers

The observation tower at the Big Walker Lookout General Store is in the distance.

Battle of Wytheville (within shouting distance of this marker); One of the “Big Four” (approx. 2.2 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Wytheville (approx. 3.2 miles away); Homesteader's Legacy (approx. 5 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Wytheville (approx. 6.1 miles away); Henry C. Groseclose (approx. 6.7 miles away); Bland (approx. 6.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wytheville.

More about this marker. This marker replaced a 1932 marker with the same title and number that read, “Over this pass, Union cavalry under Colonel John T. Toland raided to Wytheville to destroy the Virginia and Tennessee railway (N.& W.), July, 1863. Mary Tynes, a girl of the neighborhood, rode ahead to warn the people. When the raiders reached Wytheville, they were repulsed by the Home Guards and Toland was killed.”

Also see . . . Civil War Heroine Molly Tynes. Unlike the original marker, the new one makes no mention of Molly Tynes. Her story is on this link. “As the legend goes, Molly learned about the Union plans and decided to risk a harrowing ride across several mountain ranges to warn Wytheville’s townspeople of the Yankee approach. So it was Molly left home late in the afternoon on July 17, 1863, on her mare, ‘Fashion,’ rode more than 40 miles over mountain ranges, through historic Burke’s Garden and finally across Big Walker Mountain, and arrived in Wytheville at about dawn the next day, July 18, to exclaim, ‘Yankees are coming’.” (Submitted on July 4, 2011.)

Categories. • War, US Civil •

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on July 3, 2011, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 889 times since then and 21 times this year. Last updated on August 22, 2013, by Linda Walcroft of Strasburg, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on July 3, 2011, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 2. submitted on July 4, 2011, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.