Camp Adonijah J. McDonald - Arnoldsburg, Calhoun
County, (West) Virginia
Commanding Officer, Major George C. Trimble,
11th West Virginia Infantry
Company
Rathbone, with no formal military training, was interested in his business ventures in the Little Kanawha River area, and his actions and orders appeared to many as self servicing. Southern sympathizers and irregulars often targeted his operations in their raids. Setting up his headquarters in Spencer, Rathbone began sending the newly formed companies into Arnoldsburg as fast as he could recruit them. Setting up recruiting offices in Parkersburg and using his wealth to entice established recruiters (Van Bukey), Rathbone had two companies (B & C) by December of 1861. Company B was recruited in primarily in nearby Wirt County, and Company C in Calhoun County.
By May of 1862, Camp McDonald was garrisoned by four companies of the 11th (A,B,C, and F). They were placed into the command of Major George C. Trimble, of Wheeling, a friend of Rathbone's. This outpost soon housed military supplies and stores, contained wagon trains for shipments, and became the training facility for those soldiers who were sent there. It was situated on the grounds owned by Peregrine Hays, the county sheriff and southern sympathizer.
In Braxton County, a contingent of over 400 men under Captain George Downs, an Arnoldsburg native, was assembling to attack the camp. Downs was a farmer and miller, who was commissioned by Governor Letcher into the Virginia State Militia. Many of his men, however, were not a part of an organized force, nor enlisted regulars. Trimble hastily assembled two Companies of the 11th and marched up the West Fork of the Lttle Kanawha River, hoping to confront and defeat Downs' men. The march was tedious since the river slowly meandered through the valley of a rugged terrain.
Trimble was alerted from his scouts that Downs had split his forces, with the larger one preparing to flank Trimble. Sensing his precarious position as well as the safety of the camp, Trimble marched his troups back to camp as quick as he could. They arrived in Camp McDonald on the evening of May 5th, worn out from 3 days of hard marching with full gear. His subsequent actions were orders to extend his lines, add additional guards, and allow no one to leave or enter the camp.
During the night Trimble reentered the camp, a heavy fog rolled in and engulfed the valley. This heavy fog became both an advantage and disadvantage to both sides. Downs was able to position his men on the high grounds to the east and southeast of the camp without being detected. But it also prevented the irregulars from seeing their adversary.
When the first light of dawn appeared, the fog continued to blanket the camp preventing the irregulars to see the Federal positions. A ranger scout descended the hill to get a better look and was discovered by a Federal picket. The union soldiers shot awoke the rest of the camp which fell into their lines of battle amid the drummers roll. The partisans returned a heavy fire into the presumed location of the 11th. Here the fog prevented the partisans from an effective fire.
Orders were given by Trimble to his men. He dispatched Lieutenant James Robinson of Company C to direct his men up the hill where the heaviest fighting occurred. Lieutenant George W. Baggs of Company A, the Snake Hunters, was then ordered up the opposite hill. Lieutenant Poling's men, of Company F, were placed in the home of Hays. Lieutenant Parriot was to defend all the approaches into the camp. As each group executed their orders, the firing became more intense. Baggs' men carried the hill as ordered and drove the irregulars back. Robinsons men confronted the men east of the camp slowly driving them back. Armed with Springfield and Enfield rifles, the Federals fire was much more effective than the makeshift weaponry of the irregulars.
As the fog began to lift, the partisans turned the fire onto the horses. After nearly three hours of gunfire and no success, the partisans decided that to destroy the horses would slow all wagon train activities. During the hottest part of the engagement, cooks from Company A continued to cook breakfast for their comrades as bullets whizzed by. Perhaps they were more concerned by angry soldiers with empty stomachs than the consequences of any bullet. The union troops were also cool under fire, and soon they drove the partisans back.
When historians consider the magnitude of this battle, they will understand that it was too small to be classified as an engagement (major battle), but to the men of the 11th West Virginia Infantry it was their first time in action under fire. They certainly weren't veterans yet, but they did fight admirably and as an organized unit.
The interesting fact that resulted in the skirmish at Arnoldsburg was the manner that it was reported. All correspondence directed among the commands would be noted in the Official Records. The only account of this action in the Official Records lists Arnoldsburg as a union loss. A dispatch arrived in Parkersburg with a report for Colonel Rathbone. It erroneously reported of a defeat at Arnoldsburg and Spencer and that both military camps were in the possession of 400 partisan rangers. On May 8, 1862, two days after the skirmish, Rathbone telegraphed General Benjamin Kelley, commander of the Middle Department, relaying the news at Arnoldsburg and Spencer. Kelley relayed this to General Fremont in Wheeling who telegraphed it to the War Department in Washington.
On May 15th, Kelley arrived with his forces only to see a serene camp, occupied by the 11th. Colonel Rathbone followed this embarrassment with his "truce" with the irregulars in Calhoun County, and the surrender of his troops at Spencer in September 1862. He would be replaced by Colonel Daniel Frost.
Casualties at Arnoldsburg:
Federal Troop Casualties:
CUNNINGHAM,
Francis, Private, Company C, 11th Regt., West Virginia Infantry. Wounded
in the arm and shoulder aiming his rifle at Arnoldsburg.
CUNNINGHAM,
William L., Private, born 14 July 1836, died 12 Feb. 1921 (or 1927)
buried Mt. Zion Cemetery. Company C, 11th Regt., West Virginia Infantry.
Enlisted 22 Dec. 1861, discharged 1863. Wounded at Arnoldsburg, W.Va.,
6 May 1862.
Partisan losses:
BURSON, Joseph W. - was shot through the head
and killed instantly.
MITCHELL, John Elam, Captain, shot through
the hips, mortally wounded, DOW.
DOUGLAS, Martin, Corporal, Seriously wounded
and crippled for life.
Sources:
Official Records - Series I, Vol XII, pages
146-7; 159-160; 212-213.
Calhoun County Web Page
"Wood County, West Virginia, In Civil War
Times", by H.E. Matheny
O.R. Series I Vol. XII, page 146Why did Rathbone suddenly refer to the command at Arnoldsburg as under Lieutenant Parriot? Was he protecting his friend, Major George W. Trimble? Or did he assume Trimble was in Spencer?Parkersburg, May 8, 1862-12:52 p.m.
General B. F. Kelley
Our forces, under Lieutenant Parriot, at Arnoldsburg, surrendered the place yesterday to 400 Southern troops. They have captured several of the Government teams, clothing, and stores. We have a very small force at Spencer and a considerable amount of stores.
J.C. Rathbone,
Colonel Eleventh Virginia Volunteers
O.R. Series I, Vol XII, page 146Headquarters,
Petersburg, Va., May 8, 1862Honorable E.M. Stanton,
Secretary of War:Telegram from General Kelley, in command of the Railroad District, informs me that Arnoldsburg was yesterday attacked by a force of guerillas said to number 400 men, and after a fight, in which several were killed on both sides, the place was surrendered by Lieutenant Parrott, in command. Spencer and the railroad between Parkersburg and Grafton is threatened. General Kelley has ordered to that portion of the road all his forces, and leaves himself as soon as his troops can be forwarded.
J.C. Fremont
Major-General, Commanding
O.R. Series I, Vol XII, page 147This is Rathbones second erroneous dispatch to Kelley.Parkersburg, May 8, 1862
General Kelley:
A dispatch has just reached me which says Spencer is also in possession of the rebels, said to be 400. They expect more troops. I have only 132 men here fit for duty. The nearest point to Arnoldsburg on railroad is Cairo. There are no troops between this place and the rebels.
J.C. Rathbone,
Colonel Eleventh Virginia Volunteers, Commanding Post
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