In Letters of Fire: Thirteenth Regiment West Virginia Infantry Volunteers: Drawing a Line in the Wil

In 1863 West Virginia became the target of an unprecedented program of Confederate raids. It was imperative that the Thirteenth West Virginia Infantry, one of the regiments of the Kanawha Division, hold the line against raiders and by aggressive counter measures into 'Dixie' protect the people and interests of their section. To this end, the Thirteenth Regiment was divided by companies and pushed out to the periphery of the Kanawha Valley military district to Hurricane Bridge, Mud Bridge, Barboursville, Point Pleasant and the Mouth of Coal to establish military posts that might operate as a 'line' of defense. This was a pipedream. The companies, scattered beyond supporting distance of one another in mountainous terrain, were vulnerable to attack day and night. To meet the exigency the men lived rough in the field and carried out an active schedule of scouting and guard duty. In addition to smaller engagements, they fought with no thought to surrender at Hurricane Bridge, Point Pleasant, Fayetteville, and they played a pivotal role in preventing Morgan's raiders from crossing the Ohio River at Pomeroy and at Buffington Island. This, with all contexts, color and unvarnished humanity is the story of the inglorious year the Thirteenth West Virginia Infantry Volunteers drew and held a line 'in the Wild.'