9th West Virginia Infantry Volunteers, Civil War 1864 WV Adjutant General's Report; pages 255-259. Submitted by Linda Cunningham Fluharty. MEMORANDA: - - The 9th W. Va. Infantry Vols. was commenced in September, 1861, by the Hon. K. V. Whaley; one company was organized and stationed at Guyandotte, Va., where it was attacked on the 10th of November by the command of the rebel Jenkins, and all were killed, wounded or captured, except three or four, after a gallant resistance of about one hour; the rebel force being 1000 strong. About this time several other companies were being organized in the counties of Wood, Jackson, Mason and Roane under the direction of Lieut. Col. W. C. Starr; the whole being completed about the 28th of February, 1862, at Guyandotte, Va. This Regiment represents about 24 counties in West Virginia and a part of four counties on the border in Ohio. Left Guyandotte the last of February under command of Col. Skinner, and reported to Col. Lightburn of the 4th Virginia (now Brig. Gen'l,) then commanding the District of Kanawha; two companies were stationed at Sommerville, Nicholas county, under Lt. Col. W. C. Starr, and on the 25th of July the Lt. Col., and the principal portion of the command was captured. The balance of the Regiment remained in the Kanawha Valley until the retreat of Col. Lightburn's forces, in September. During its stay in the Kanawha Valley, the Regiment did good service in scouting through the different counties in that portion of the State. Sept. 6th Col. Skinner resigned and I. H. Duval, (now Brig. Gen'l,) was commissioned by Governor Pierpoint to fill the vacancy. The regiment was then attached to the command of Gen'l Milroy, and in October moved with it to Beverly, Va.; thence in the latter part of November to New Creek, W. Va., and marched from this point on the 6th of December under command of Brig. Gen'l Cluseret, via Petersburg, Moorefield, Lost River, Wardensville and Strasburg to Winchester, Virginia, arriving on the 24th day of December, 1862, being joined here by the remainder of Milroy's command on the 1st of January, 1863; On the 8th of May was ordered to the Kanawha Valley again, proceeding by Rail Road to Clarksburg, W. Va.; thence marched via Weston, through the counties of Lewis, Calhoun, Gilmer, Roane, Kanawha and Fayette to Fayetteville, W. Va., where it remained until May 2d, 1864. From this point, marched with Gen'l Crook's command to the Virginia and Tennessee Rail Road, striking the Road at Dublin Depot, May 9th, meeting a strong rebel force under command of Gen'l Jenkins at Cloyd Mountain, four miles from the Rail Road, and After a desperate battle defeated him, marched and took possession of the Rail Road at Dublin Depot same evening. This Regiment in this battle carried the rebel breast works with bayonets, killing and wounding about 600 rebels and capturing over 200 prisoners and two pieces of artillery, losing 189 men, 45 of whom were killed instantly. The color bearer, guard and Col. Duval, eleven in 911, mounted the works a short distance in advance of the line, every one of whom were killed or wounded except Col. Duval. Twenty-one men were killed under and around the colors of the Regiment, nine of this Regiment, and twelve rebels, the enemy having made a desperate effort to capture them. In this battle the Rebel Gen'l Jenkins received his death wounds, and that too, by the same men he had captured and so cruelly treated at Guyandotte, Va.; on the next day marched to, and engaged the enemy at New River Bridge, routing him and destroying the bridge, marching thence through the counties of Fayette, Raleigh, Giles and Montgomery and back to Meadow Bluff's in Greenbrier county. After resting here a few days marched for the Covington and Ohio Rail Road, striking the same at Millboro in Bath county, thence to Staunton, joining the command of Gen'l Hunter, and marched with him via Lexington to Lynchburg, Va., participating in the engagement at that place, returning to the Kanawha Valley, and thence to Martinsburg, W. Va., arriving about the 15th of July,; on the 19th marched in the direction of Winchester with the second Brigade of the army of W. Va., composed of this Regiment, 14th W. Va. Infantry, 34th and 91st Ohio Regiments, commanded by Col. Duval of the 9th; on the 20th, four miles north of Winchester, on what is known as Carter's ratio, this Brigade met the rebel Maj. Gen'l Ramsaur with his Division, engaged him, and after perhaps one of the most desperate battles ever fought, defeated, completely, routed and drove him through Winchester, capturing 200 prisoners and four twenty-four pounder cannon, (he leaving also 217 killed and wounded on the field,) it number of horses and 800 stand of arms. The enemy numbered 5,600 Infantry, 8 pieces of Artillery and 1,600 Cavalry, in all nearly 8,000 men, and there, in double line of battle, upon chosen ground, whilst Duval's Brigade numbered less than 1400, with no artillery, the loss in the Brigade was 217 man. This battle has scarcely an equal on record. On the 21st was joined by the rest of the Army of West Virginia under General Crook, and on the 23d were attacked by a portion of Gen'l Early's army, which was repulsed, but was the next day renewed by Gen'l Early with his whole army, his strength being at least three times the command of Gen'l Crook, he was compelled to fall back to Martinsburg; thence to Harper's Ferry and through a part of Maryland after McCausland, returning joined General Sheridan's army at Harper's Perry and marched with him to Strasburg and back to Halltown, where on the 22d, 23d and 26th of August captured the enemy's picket line each day, killing and wounding a great many, and taking in all over 200 prisoners; on the 3d of September, at Berryville, Va., met and defeated General Kershaw's Division of Longstreet's Corps, capturing 75 prisoners; on the 19th marched with the command to Opequan, on the 22d to Fischer's Hill, from thence to Harrisonburg and back to Cedar Creek, and was in that engagement on the 19th of October. The following is a list of the general engagements in which the Regiment has participated: Cloyd Mountain, May 9, 1864; Lexington; New River Bridge, May 10, 1864; Lynchburg, June 17, 1864; Carter's Farm, July 19, 1864; Winchester, July 23 and 24, 1864; Martinsburg, July 25, 1864; Halltown, Aug. 22, 23 and 26, 1864; Berryville, Sept. 8; Opequan and Winchester, Sept. 19, 1864; Fisher's Hill, Sept. 22, Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864. It is worthy of notice, that this Regiment has taken, at the point of the bayonet, 4 batteries, over 800 prisoners, and has killed and wounded more than its own number, and has had six sets of color bearers and color guards killed or wounded. This Regiment is entitled to much credit, as a large majority of them are refugees from the border Counties of West Virginia, many of whom have sacrificed all they possessed, their houses having been burnt, and their families robbed and driven away. Notwithstanding this, these men, by their patriotism and love of country, have shown themselves worthy the cause for which they have sacrificed so much. Three hundred and fifty-seven have re-enlisted, and with the veterans of the 5th W. Va. Infantry, have been consolidated, and ere now the 1st West Va. Veteran Infantry, and, if an opportunity offers, will make for themselves a history of which they and their State may well be proud. During the three years in which the regiment has been in the service, it has lost over five hundred men. For his conspicuous gallantry and ability as an officer, Col. Duval, of this Regiment, was appointed Brig. General of Volunteers; and it may not be out of place to add to this history of his old Regiment, a short sketch of his military life, which began in Texas, in 1842, where he served for nearly four years, fighting the Indians. In 1846 he was authorized by Ex-Governor Butler, of South Carolina - who had been sent to Texas by President Polk, to collect and treat with the Indians of that country - to raise a company of men for the protection of an expedition into the interior. In October, 1846, he was sent by the Commissioner with three Indians, to visit the tribes in the prairies and mountains bordering on Texas, for the purpose of inducing them to come in, that a treaty might be made between them and the Government. On this expedition he was absent seven months, without seeing a white man, visiting over thirty tribes of Indians, and bringing in over 8,000, representing twenty-three different tribes, with whom satisfactory treaties were arranged, and his company, then disbanded. He then raised another company, and proceeded with it into Mexico, but the war being about ended, went with it into the State of Chihuahua, and fought the Indians there, under contract with the Governor of that State. Returning to Texas in the Spring of 1849, organized another company to go as a pioneer company, for an expedition into California; crossing Rio Grande River, at El Passo, thence to Gila River, across the Great American Desert into Lower California, being frequently engaged with the Indians, and losing several of his men. In 1851, returned to his home in Brooke county, Virginia, and when this rebellion broke out, was among the first to offer his services to his country ; was elected Major of the 1st Va., three months Volunteers, under command of Col. (now Brevet Maj. General) Kelley, and upon the re-organization of that Regiment for three years' service, continued as Major under command of Col. Joseph Thoburn. Whilst in this Regiment, he participated in the battle at Winchester, under Gen. Shields, in March, 1862, and at Port Republic, June 8th, at which place he was severely wounded in the foot; was through the whole of Gen. Pope's campaign in Eastern Virginia, commencing with the battle of Slaughter Mountain, and ending with the two days' fighting at the second battle of Bull Run ; serving in all the battles with distinguished ability and bravery. Sept. 6th, 1862, be was commissioned by Gov. Pierpoint, Col. of this Regiment, (the 9th W. Va. Inf.,) and has been engaged in all the battles in which it has participated since, as enumerated in the foregoing memoranda, except Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, having been severely wounded in the left thigh at the battle of Winchester, Sept. 19th, 1864. General Duval is now commanding the 1st Division of the Army of West Virginia, the idol of his command.