Gerald Teaster wrote: > > Hi Pam- I have been reading your interesting emails about the 1864 Polk > County murders. I can not add anything directly to that. However, there > is a very interesting book that might give you some insight to the > climate in the NC mountain area, including Polk County, during and after > the War. It is "Bushwackers, the Civil War in North Carolina, The > Mountains". It is by William R. Trotter and published by John F. Blair > of Winstom Salem, NC. It gives considerable details about the warfare > that was often neighbor against neighbor in the mountains. > > This book was the source of some of the material in the best selling > novel "Cold Mountain" which is set not far from Polk County. > > Good luck on your search. > Gerald Teaster Thank you, Gerald. Your timing was amazing--I had just pulled my (still unread, unfortunately) copy of COLD MOUNTAIN from the bookshelf (at Holly's and Judy's suggestion) and had looked at the suggested books he lists in the acknowledgements, when your letter came in. The Trotter book (see below) sounds excellent. This case has become more and more complicated, the more I read. In 1870, six full years after the incident, Mahulda Williams WEAVER (widow of muurdered F.A. WEAVER) sued Columbus MILLS for $10,000, charging him with engineering the murder of her husband. He vociferously denied it in his answer to her charge, and then counterattacked by claiming that Frank Weaver and Peyton HUNTER were the leaders of the marauding bands that had attacked *his* home and others, forcing him to remove to Cabarrus County. He also told a story of the events. Mills counter-sued Weaver's estate for a debt jointly owed by Weaver and Govan MILLS (C's brother). In the fall of 1870, the court recommended that both suits be dropped with a settlement of $150 paid by Mills to Mrs. Weaver, plus court costs, and included a stipulation that Mills claimed that he was innocent of the crime as accused. I found another reference in Patton's book that mentions Weaver: "In the last few months of the War, soldiers came and went through here--Porter's Battery was captured over at the Turnpike, and then stragglers from Stoneman's Brigade raided several places. PRICE's oldest boys were killed, and ... WEAVER and his men were murdered at Columbus..." (p. 45). The date of Stoneman's Raid at Howard Gap was 23 April 1865, a full four months after the Hunter-Weaver incident. Fain discusses the creation by the Confederacy of an independent Department of Western NC under the command of Maj. Gen. J.G. Martin of Asheville, and says that his command included all or part of several regiments (64, 62, 69, 79 and 80th): "While these troops participated in general fighting in the western theatre, they were frequently concerned with the protection of life and property from the roving bands, and frequently operated in small detachments in performance of this service." He also discusses the act of 7 July 1863 that provided for "Guard for Home Defense" composed of able-bodied males who had previously been exempted from Confederate service. Also, he notes, some of the roving bands were uniformed partially as soldiers, and "it is certain that some felt they were supporting the Union and regarded 'everyone a Rebel who had any valuables or lived in a painted house.'" Fain only discusses Henderson County, unfortunately, but lists many people who were killed by these bands. Mills claimed that the military authorities in Asheville sent a unit to Polk County to maintain the peace and protect the public from the bands of roving marauders and anarchists, who he claimed were led by Hunter and Weaver. I assume this is the Home Guard unit Patton wrote about, though whether it was one of the Martin-commanded regiments or not is a good question. He said that a struggle broke out at the hotel, where Peyton Hunter was killed, and then Weaver and others were captured and being led back to Asheville when he (and presemably others, including Sam Hunter) was shot just outside Columbus, execution-style. I don't know what to make of all this. Now, what I don't understand is this: these were ALL leading citizens of Polk County, well educated and holders of public office. Dr. Columbus Mills, of course, was a founding member of the county, and the town of Columbus was named for him. FA Weaver was the first county ranger and first postmaster, and was a local merchant. Peyton Hunter owned half the town of Columbus, including the hotel where he was apparently killed. Why would any of the leading citizens of the county be involved in marauding bands of thieves and looters, even during this lawless state of anarchy at the end of the War? In his "Partial History of Henderson County," James Fain attributes the "lawless bands who lived off the land and whose crimes included murder" to deserters, which implies a rootlessness that these Columbus leaders certainly did not have. Of the three men who were first charged in Weaver and Hunter's murder in 1865--Lee Grant, JL Ward, and JR Ponder--it is interesting to note that: JL Ward was Captain of the 16th Regiment, Co. G, commissioned in 1863 and resigned 7 Sept 1863. JR Ponder was a member of that company who enlisted 2 August 1862. JL Ward was also an early sheriff of Polk County. Peyton S. Hunter was 2nd Lt. of Co. K, 16th Regt, commissioned 20 Apr 1861 and resigned 21 June 1861. His son C.P. Hunter enlisted as a private in the same company 10 July 1861 and was discharged 20 July 1862. Columbus Mills was a private in the same company, enlisted 20 May 1861 and was promoted to surgeon 1 Jul 1861, then resigned March 1863. A John R. Ponder was a private in this Company as well, enlisting 20 May 1861. Mahulda Williams WEAVER and her daughter Jane Weaver HUNTER had the strong support of their extended family in their fight to find the killers of their husbands. Mahulda's brother-in-law John GARRISON was deeply involved, as was another brother-in-law Jesse RHOADS or RHODES. Her brother PULASKI B. WILLIAMS (another one of my ancestors) was the first sheriff of Polk County. This family was also closely affiliated with the BALLENGER and HANNON families. This is starting to feel like a wartime soap opera. Any knowledge about any of these families and/or historical events would be much appreciated. Thanks for your words of encouragement! Pam Wilson [email protected]