"THE KILLING OF ANDREW J. GUNNOE"
Andrew Gunnoe, a Southern sympathizer, did not join in the fight as a soldier during the Civil War. He may have been too old to serve. Andrew, the leader of the ruthless Confederate Home Guard and his sons, terrorized the families of the men that had joined the Union Army in Wyoming, Raleigh, and Boone Counties. Roaming this area they stole pigs, cows, and horses at their leisure. Andrew and his men would also "shanghai" men and turn them over to the Confederate Army for compulsory service. Union soldiers home on leave were subjected to being shot from ambush (bushwhacking), captured and turned over to the Confederate Army as prisoners of war, or captured and shot while trying to "escape". He and his men would also enter the homes of the Union sympathizers and steal clothes and household articles. Granny Webb, who lived on Pond Fork, had her feather ticks dragged out of the house and after cutting them open, Andrew shook them in the wind looking for money.
Upon hearing of Andrew Gunnoe's terrorist acts from their families, the Union men asked for leave to return and kill him. Their Commanding Officer was told that they were going home to kill Gunnoe, with, or without his permission, but they would return to his command if they were granted leave.
The men were from the 7th West Virginia Cavalry and led by Lt. Jacob Webb. With Lt. Webb were - Pvt. Ballard Preston Pettry, Pvt. Milam, and Pvt. Pennington. Lt. Webb, Pvts. Pettry and Pennington also had brothers serving in the Confederate Army. While home they were very visible, attending Church and visiting friends for about four days. During this time, Andrew Gunnoe went into hiding. On an appointed day they met together and as a group marched away as if returning to their command in the Shenandoah Valley near Waynesboro, Va. They went as far as Clover Bottom on the Bluestone River before stopping and waiting for dark. After dark, they returned and stationed themselves in the woods around Andrew's cabin. Andrew lived on Crany Creek in Wyoming County. Joining them here were Pemberton Cook and his son Perry, who had been enlisted to help.
As the sun came up, Gunnoe's son, John, came out the back door of the Cabin and gathered an arm full of stove wood before returning inside. Smoke from the chimney gave evidence that breakfast was cooking. About an hour later, Gunnoe's dogs began to bark sounding the alarm and alerting him of the presence of men stationed in the woods behind the cabin. Gunnoe and John bolted out the front door and ran down a path to the forest. Gunnoe had on a coat with a single large white button, fashioned from a clam shell, holding it together in the center of his chest. He was carrying a rifle in one hand and a piece of cake in the other.
Pettry and Pennington had stationed themselve in the woods at the path gate. They agreed to take aim at the button and fire as Gunnoe grew near. When he was within a few yards of them, they fired, the button disappeared and Gunnoe fell dead. John's life was spared only because Lt. Webb rushing to the scene called out, "Spare the Boy!". The Rev. James Peters (Andrew Gunnoe had shot one of his nephews) later reported the the bullets made a single hole large enough to drop a pebble through.
NOTE: The above story was related by a Mr. James R. Pettry who said, "This story was told to me by my father, Dewey Pettry, and Lula (Pettry) Acord, who heard it from Ballard Preston Pettry. This account of the "Killing Of Andrew Jackson Gunnoe" was published in the "Boone County Kith-N-Kin, Volume XIII, pp. 15-20.
Andrew Gunnoe, a Southern sympathizer, did not join in the fight as a soldier during the Civil War. He may have been too old to serve. Andrew, the leader of the ruthless Confederate Home Guard and his sons, terrorized the families of the men that had joined the Union Army in Wyoming, Raleigh, and Boone Counties. Roaming this area they stole pigs, cows, and horses at their leisure. Andrew and his men would also "shanghai" men and turn them over to the Confederate Army for compulsory service. Union soldiers home on leave were subjected to being shot from ambush (bushwhacking), captured and turned over to the Confederate Army as prisoners of war, or captured and shot while trying to "escape". He and his men would also enter the homes of the Union sympathizers and steal clothes and household articles. Granny Webb, who lived on Pond Fork, had her feather ticks dragged out of the house and after cutting them open, Andrew shook them in the wind looking for money.
Upon hearing of Andrew Gunnoe's terrorist acts from their families, the Union men asked for leave to return and kill him. Their Commanding Officer was told that they were going home to kill Gunnoe, with, or without his permission, but they would return to his command if they were granted leave.
The men were from the 7th West Virginia Cavalry and led by Lt. Jacob Webb. With Lt. Webb were - Pvt. Ballard Preston Pettry, Pvt. Milam, and Pvt. Pennington. Lt. Webb, Pvts. Pettry and Pennington also had brothers serving in the Confederate Army. While home they were very visible, attending Church and visiting friends for about four days. During this time, Andrew Gunnoe went into hiding. On an appointed day they met together and as a group marched away as if returning to their command in the Shenandoah Valley near Waynesboro, Va. They went as far as Clover Bottom on the Bluestone River before stopping and waiting for dark. After dark, they returned and stationed themselves in the woods around Andrew's cabin. Andrew lived on Crany Creek in Wyoming County. Joining them here were Pemberton Cook and his son Perry, who had been enlisted to help.
As the sun came up, Gunnoe's son, John, came out the back door of the Cabin and gathered an arm full of stove wood before returning inside. Smoke from the chimney gave evidence that breakfast was cooking. About an hour later, Gunnoe's dogs began to bark sounding the alarm and alerting him of the presence of men stationed in the woods behind the cabin. Gunnoe and John bolted out the front door and ran down a path to the forest. Gunnoe had on a coat with a single large white button, fashioned from a clam shell, holding it together in the center of his chest. He was carrying a rifle in one hand and a piece of cake in the other.
Pettry and Pennington had stationed themselve in the woods at the path gate. They agreed to take aim at the button and fire as Gunnoe grew near. When he was within a few yards of them, they fired, the button disappeared and Gunnoe fell dead. John's life was spared only because Lt. Webb rushing to the scene called out, "Spare the Boy!". The Rev. James Peters (Andrew Gunnoe had shot one of his nephews) later reported the the bullets made a single hole large enough to drop a pebble through.
NOTE: The above story was related by a Mr. James R. Pettry who said, "This story was told to me by my father, Dewey Pettry, and Lula (Pettry) Acord, who heard it from Ballard Preston Pettry. This account of the "Killing Of Andrew Jackson Gunnoe" was published in the "Boone County Kith-N-Kin, Volume XIII, pp. 15-20.
"THE KILLING OF ANDREW J. GUNNOE"
Andrew Gunnoe, a Southern sympathizer, did not join in the fight as a soldier during the Civil War. He may have been too old to serve. Andrew, the leader of the ruthless Confederate Home Guard and his sons, terrorized the families of the men that had joined the Union Army in Wyoming, Raleigh, and Boone Counties. Roaming this area they stole pigs, cows, and horses at their leisure. Andrew and his men would also "shanghai" men and turn them over to the Confederate Army for compulsory service. Union soldiers home on leave were subjected to being shot from ambush (bushwhacking), captured and turned over to the Confederate Army as prisoners of war, or captured and shot while trying to "escape". He and his men would also enter the homes of the Union sympathizers and steal clothes and household articles. Granny Webb, who lived on Pond Fork, had her feather ticks dragged out of the house and after cutting them open, Andrew shook them in the wind looking for money.
Upon hearing of Andrew Gunnoe's terrorist acts from their families, the Union men asked for leave to return and kill him. Their Commanding Officer was told that they were going home to kill Gunnoe, with, or without his permission, but they would return to his command if they were granted leave.
The men were from the 7th West Virginia Cavalry and led by Lt. Jacob Webb. With Lt. Webb were - Pvt. Ballard Preston Pettry, Pvt. Milam, and Pvt. Pennington. Lt. Webb, Pvts. Pettry and Pennington also had brothers serving in the Confederate Army. While home they were very visible, attending Church and visiting friends for about four days. During this time, Andrew Gunnoe went into hiding. On an appointed day they met together and as a group marched away as if returning to their command in the Shenandoah Valley near Waynesboro, Va. They went as far as Clover Bottom on the Bluestone River before stopping and waiting for dark. After dark, they returned and stationed themselves in the woods around Andrew's cabin. Andrew lived on Crany Creek in Wyoming County. Joining them here were Pemberton Cook and his son Perry, who had been enlisted to help.
As the sun came up, Gunnoe's son, John, came out the back door of the Cabin and gathered an arm full of stove wood before returning inside. Smoke from the chimney gave evidence that breakfast was cooking. About an hour later, Gunnoe's dogs began to bark sounding the alarm and alerting him of the presence of men stationed in the woods behind the cabin. Gunnoe and John bolted out the front door and ran down a path to the forest. Gunnoe had on a coat with a single large white button, fashioned from a clam shell, holding it together in the center of his chest. He was carrying a rifle in one hand and a piece of cake in the other.
Pettry and Pennington had stationed themselve in the woods at the path gate. They agreed to take aim at the button and fire as Gunnoe grew near. When he was within a few yards of them, they fired, the button disappeared and Gunnoe fell dead. John's life was spared only because Lt. Webb rushing to the scene called out, "Spare the Boy!". The Rev. James Peters (Andrew Gunnoe had shot one of his nephews) later reported the the bullets made a single hole large enough to drop a pebble through.
NOTE: The above story was related by a Mr. James R. Pettry who said, "This story was told to me by my father, Dewey Pettry, and Lula (Pettry) Acord, who heard it from Ballard Preston Pettry. This account of the "Killing Of Andrew Jackson Gunnoe" was published in the "Boone County Kith-N-Kin, Volume XIII, pp. 15-20.
Andrew Gunnoe, a Southern sympathizer, did not join in the fight as a soldier during the Civil War. He may have been too old to serve. Andrew, the leader of the ruthless Confederate Home Guard and his sons, terrorized the families of the men that had joined the Union Army in Wyoming, Raleigh, and Boone Counties. Roaming this area they stole pigs, cows, and horses at their leisure. Andrew and his men would also "shanghai" men and turn them over to the Confederate Army for compulsory service. Union soldiers home on leave were subjected to being shot from ambush (bushwhacking), captured and turned over to the Confederate Army as prisoners of war, or captured and shot while trying to "escape". He and his men would also enter the homes of the Union sympathizers and steal clothes and household articles. Granny Webb, who lived on Pond Fork, had her feather ticks dragged out of the house and after cutting them open, Andrew shook them in the wind looking for money.
Upon hearing of Andrew Gunnoe's terrorist acts from their families, the Union men asked for leave to return and kill him. Their Commanding Officer was told that they were going home to kill Gunnoe, with, or without his permission, but they would return to his command if they were granted leave.
The men were from the 7th West Virginia Cavalry and led by Lt. Jacob Webb. With Lt. Webb were - Pvt. Ballard Preston Pettry, Pvt. Milam, and Pvt. Pennington. Lt. Webb, Pvts. Pettry and Pennington also had brothers serving in the Confederate Army. While home they were very visible, attending Church and visiting friends for about four days. During this time, Andrew Gunnoe went into hiding. On an appointed day they met together and as a group marched away as if returning to their command in the Shenandoah Valley near Waynesboro, Va. They went as far as Clover Bottom on the Bluestone River before stopping and waiting for dark. After dark, they returned and stationed themselves in the woods around Andrew's cabin. Andrew lived on Crany Creek in Wyoming County. Joining them here were Pemberton Cook and his son Perry, who had been enlisted to help.
As the sun came up, Gunnoe's son, John, came out the back door of the Cabin and gathered an arm full of stove wood before returning inside. Smoke from the chimney gave evidence that breakfast was cooking. About an hour later, Gunnoe's dogs began to bark sounding the alarm and alerting him of the presence of men stationed in the woods behind the cabin. Gunnoe and John bolted out the front door and ran down a path to the forest. Gunnoe had on a coat with a single large white button, fashioned from a clam shell, holding it together in the center of his chest. He was carrying a rifle in one hand and a piece of cake in the other.
Pettry and Pennington had stationed themselve in the woods at the path gate. They agreed to take aim at the button and fire as Gunnoe grew near. When he was within a few yards of them, they fired, the button disappeared and Gunnoe fell dead. John's life was spared only because Lt. Webb rushing to the scene called out, "Spare the Boy!". The Rev. James Peters (Andrew Gunnoe had shot one of his nephews) later reported the the bullets made a single hole large enough to drop a pebble through.
NOTE: The above story was related by a Mr. James R. Pettry who said, "This story was told to me by my father, Dewey Pettry, and Lula (Pettry) Acord, who heard it from Ballard Preston Pettry. This account of the "Killing Of Andrew Jackson Gunnoe" was published in the "Boone County Kith-N-Kin, Volume XIII, pp. 15-20.
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