York County Civil War Stories

In her book " Yorktown as I knew it" Lucy Hudgins O’Hara tells of the Union occupation of her grandfather’s farm in Ship Point. The Union soldiers arrived shortly after the Confederates abandoned their works there. Her grandfather, Thomas Hudgins was taken prisoner in hopes of getting information from him on Confederate troop movements. He was released a short time later. John C. Wade’s father was also taken prisoner by the Federals. The Union troops established a telegraph post in the upstairs of the Hudgins home. Lucy’s father, Theopholus Trimyer Hudgins was nine years old at the time and would throw sticks at the window of the telegraph office. This created quite a racket. Finally the irritated telegrapher came to the window and shouted "Get away from here you little rebel.
During a recent visit, Thelma Hanford told these the following stories. The Union soldiers were not always hospitable guests. They would often help themselves to whatever they would find at local homes and farms. One day some Union troops wanted to help themselves to some chickens from Lizzie (Dawson) Slaight’s coop. She had warned them not to steal her chicken, but they continued on. As they entered the coop, she started swinging a hoe at them and they finally left. One story that Thelma passed on to me was about a young girl who was wearing a hat given to her by one of the :"Louisiana Cutthroats" and would walk around the Union troops saying how she wanted to "kill Yankees". This made the troops angry and an officer told her mother, that if she did not stop, they would burn down her house. Young Columbus Ironmonger found things more perilous when he tried to cross the pontoon bridge from Crab Neck to Fish Neck. As he started across the bridge, Union troops started firing at him. He jumped off the bridge and swam to the shore and ran home. When he got home, he promptly fainted.
One final story involves Elizabeth (Presson) Smith. Knowing that the Federal troops had a history of stealing anything not bolted down. This included personal possessions. She had had some gold coins and did not wish to contribute them to any Union soldier. She sewed the coin into her petty coat. The coins remained safe and are still in the family.
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
The people of York County had a front row seat for "recent unpleasantness" of 1861-1865. For most of this time, York County behind enemy lines, occupied by the Union Army. The interaction of the Union soldiers and the people of York County became the subject of stories that were passed from one generation to the next. Here are a few of the York County Civil War stories that I have come across over the years. Some are from my family and other York County families.