The following account is from
We marched to White Sulphur Springs where we was ordered to New River Bridge for winter quarters. We spent the time there in company with what was left of the Louisiana Tigers [Wheat's Battalion, Louisiana Infantry], and we had our horses in North Carolina all winter.
On the 24th of March 1863, we broke camp for a march to the Ohio River on foot. By the time we reached Cabell county half the boys was barefooted. We reached Hamlin now Lincoln County about dark and put out pickets on all the roads. About daylight the morning of the 29th the sentinel on the road towards ( ?) brought in a man with two horse team who had been hauling bacon to the Yanks at Hurricane Bridge. The man thought we were Yanks and told us all he knew. While the officer was talking to him Rod Noel of the old Company noticed that he had on a good pair of shoes. Rod was barefooted and said to him, "Could or would you give an old Confederate soldier a good pair of shoes?" That was the first intimation that the man had we were Rebels. He said to Rod that he would if he had any but those he had on. Rod asked him if he had any more at home. He told him, "Yes." "Well," Rod said to him, "Give me them, you can stand it better to ride home barefooted in your wagon than I can to walk." The man pulled off his and gave them to Rod. He was scared so badly he did not know what he was doing. He and his wagon and horses were sent on to the General who told him to go home and behave himself.
We marched all night, nearly the next night, arriving at Hurricane Bridge about daylight. The General sent in a flag of truce demanding a surrender. The Captain in command refused and moved into a fort that was near by and held it against us as we had no artillery with us. John Payne of the Company was killed. We flanked the fort and moved that day to Buffalo on the Kanawha River, captured two flat boats, went aboard and floated down the Kanawha to Point Pleasant, went ashore and charged the town. The Yanks got possession of the Court House and we held the jail. Ed Guthrie was badly wounded, Lieutenants Samuels and Holderby both taken prisoner. The enemy reinforced from Gallipolis, we left the town and fell back up the river to the mouth of 10 Mile, crossed the Kanawha and marched to Howell's Mill in Cabell County where we went into camp. The infantry and cavalry from Charleston undertook to cut us off but failed. We then resumed our march back to Dixie where we found our horses awaiting us in good condition.
The following are excerpts from the book Jenkins of Greenbottom by Jack Dickinson from our recommended reading list:
"On March 18 the first march from winter quarters began. Jenkins and a part of his brigade departed on another raid across western Virginia. This force consisted of 400 men from the 8th and 16th Virginia Regiments. Many of the men were poorly clothed or barefoot. Their target was Point Pleasant, on the Ohio River. A number of U.S. government horses and military supplies were rumored to be stored there.
"On March 27, Jenkins intercepted a man hauling bacon to the Federals at Hurricane Bridge. Based on information obtained from this man, Jenkins moved to Hurricane Bridge. He and his men arrived there about daylight on March 28. The small fort was commanded by Capt. James W. Johnson and part of the 13th West Virginia Infantry. Under a flag of truce, Jenkins" ordered the surrender of the fort. Capt. Johnson refused to surrender, and "[a]fter a siege of five hours, Jenkins determined he could not dislodge the Federals without artillery, with the Confederates had not brought with them. The Confederates marched around the fort and moved to Buffalo.
"At Buffalo, the cavalry captured two flatboats and floated down the Kanawha River toward Point Pleasant.
"On March 29, Jenkins and his men established a blockade on the Kanawha River, near Point Pleasant, for the purpose of capturing the steamer 'Victor No.2.' This steamboat had on board a Federal paymaster with a large supply of government funds. After a sharp encounter the boat eluded the Confederates and made its way to Point Pleasant. Point Pleasant was occupied by a company of Union troops under the command of Capt. J. D. Carter. The pilot of the steamer, Capt. Frederick Ford, warned Carter and his men of the approach of the Jenkins party. Carter hurriedly moved his men into the courthouse. On March 30, Jenkins and his men occupied the town and began to fire upon the Federals in the courthouse. After exchanging gunfire for four hours, with no result on either side, reinforcements for the Federals arrived by ferry. At this point Jenkins and his force withdrew, and crossed the Kanawha River. They then marched to Howell's Mill in Cabell County, where they set up camp.
"While encamped at Howell's Mill, a Union force based in Charleston moved out to cut off the Jenkins force. The Confederates received information on this movement, broke camp and marched further south into Virginia.
At this time, the cavalry brigade in western Virginia had a crucial problem: firearms. On April 15, Jenkins reported to Gen. Sam Jones that he could furnish 1,000 men for immediate service, but that only about 300 of them were armed...
Sometime in May, the brigade picked up their horses which had been foraged in North Carolina during the winter. This rendezvous was probably in the area near Staunton. (p. 57-59)
From the Regimental History of the 8th Virginia Cavalry by Jack L. Dickinson.
Company A recruited mostly out of Smythe County, VA
Company B recruited mostly out of Nelson County, VA
Company C recruited mostly out of Grayson County, VA
Company D recruited mostly out of Cabell County, VA
Company E: "Border Rangers"
Officers
Jenkins' Co., Co. E, 8th Cav.
Albert JenkinsCapt. Lt. Col. & Brig. Gen
James M. Corns Capt. Col.
Henry C. Everett 1st Lieut. Capt.
George W. Holderby 2nd Lieut 1st Lieut.
Alex H. Samuels 2nd Lieut. 1st Lieut. (KIA)
John E. Thompson 2nd Lieut.
James D. Sedinger 2nd Lieut.
Notes in the Compiled Service Records state that this company was organized on May 29, 1861, but Sedinger in his diary stated that they were organized and elected officers on May 20. The company reenlisted on April 30, 1862, for two years and was reorganized on May 13, 1862. May 29, 1861, was the date the unit was sworn into service in the Confederate Army.
According to the record of events for this company, the unit was mustered in at Camp Tompkins. For a time after this, the unit was attached to the 2nd Kanawha Regiment. This unit was only known as the 2nd Kanawha until it became part of the 36th Virginia Infantry about July 15, 1861. This company was enlarged when Capt. Jame M. Corns and part of the Fairview Rifle Guards were transfered to it in August of 1861.
The unit's first skirmish as mentioned in its record of events was the attack at Barboursville Court House... This skirmish was on July 12, 1861.
The muster rolls for March and April of 1863 show the station of the company as New River Bridge, Montgomery County. The rolls for July and August 1863 show the station of the company as Princeton, Mercer County.
Company F recruited mostly out of Harman County, VA
Company G recruited mostly out of Monroe and Putnam County, VA
Company H recruited mostly out of Mercer and Tazewell County, VA
Company I recruited mostly out of Fayette and Kanawha County, VA
Company K recruited almost entirely from Wayne County, VA
Company L recruited almost entirely from Greenbriar County, VA
From the 1860 Census for Greenbottom Post Office, Cabell County, VA (note this is only for Greenbottom Post Office)
Members of 8th VA Co. E (as mentioned in the 1860 census) Greenbottom, Cabell County, WV
A.G. Jenkins 28 (Brig. General)
Jennie S 20
James 6 months
Thomas J. Jenkins 33 farmer (Maj. 8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Susan L. 23
Julia 3
Laura
Sarah Bowen 53
Jefferson 22 (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Isaiah 18 farmer
James Martin 21 farmer (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Martha 29
Calvin 1
Joseph W. Morris 35 farmer (8th Va Cav. Co. E)
Sarah A. 37
John 15
Mary 12
Helen 10
Edney 3
Thomas Ryan 46 Ireland day laborer
Malcolm McCallister 46 (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Sarah 38
Henry 19
Edney 16
Margery 14
Elizabeth 12
Edgar 10
James Parish 43 farmer
Julia 43
Mary C. 17
Francis Marion 15 (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Elizabeth 8
Julia 4
Millard F. 3
Barbary Smith 41 milliner
Virginia 8
Isadore 5
George W. Summers 48 farmer
Sarah 44
Sylverster 22 farmer (8th VA Cav. Bugler)
Constantine 18 (8th VA Cav. Bugler)
Edgar 16
Thomas B. 13
Tyre C. 11
Matthew 8
Mayberry Curry 21 farm laborer
Preston Hodges 45 farmer
Ellis 35
Amanda 13
Theodore 12
Saridla 11
Emily 9
Cynthia 7
Ellen 5
Leah 3
James Poteet 25 day laborer (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Evin Price 38 day laborer
Chapman Maupin 49 farmer
Matilda 35
Frances 14
Thomas 12
Lucy 10
Albert 8
Mary 6
Shelley 3
Margaret 80
J. A. Buckner 24 school teacher (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Beverly Maupin 52 farmer
Juliet 34
William 23 idiot
Henry 18 farmer (8th VA Cav. Co. E)
Adaline 16
