Capt. Peregrine D. "Perry" Connolly(Conley), Sr., Civil War Veteran (CSA)

Perry D. Connolly(Conley) Sr. BIRTH 1837 DEATH 1862 (aged 24–25) Welch Glade, Webster County, West Virginia, USA BURIAL Bobbitt Farm Cemetery Cowen, Webster County, West Virginia

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14948490/perry-d.-connolly(conley)

Children Photo Perry D Conley 1861–1918

Shortly after the skirmish at Arnoldsburg on May 5, there occurred one of the brother-against-brother tragedies that haunted families for years after the war.

Colonel Anas Ansal marched a company of Union Home Guards to Sutton shortly after the town was burned looking for bushwhackers loyal to the Southern cause. Part of the company was sent to Laurel Creek and the rest to Birch River.

Lieutenant James P. Conley(Connolly)was a member of the group and his brother, Perry Conley, was one of the guerrilla leaders. The guerrillas were located, and in a hand to hand conflict, James killed his brother Perry.

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~wvpioneers/genealogy/connolly.html

A grandson of George Connolly, son of Patrick Connolly, was infamous for his actions during the Civil War. CONLEY, Perry D. 3rd Virginia State Line -Moccasin Rangers. Led the 'outlaw' portion of the Moccasin Rangers. Captain, Calhoun Co. Home Guards. Killed in action Webster Co. at the battle of Welch Glade, 2 Jan. 1862. Badly wounded in action, he continued to fight until he was beaten to death by gunbutts. He was Captain of a partisan company. Post war rosters list him as a member of Co. A, 19th Virginia Cavalry. Born Kanawha (Lewis) Co., Va, 1837. Age 23, farmer, Calhoun Co., W.Va. 1860 Census. Buried Bobbitt farm, near Cowen, W.Va. His brothers Cornelius and James were U.S. soldiers. Said to be 6' 3" tall. C.S.A.

From "West Virginia in the Civil War" Boyd B Stutler, Education Foundation, Inc. Charleston, WV 1966 pp. 43-45 & pg 132 A troublesome character was Nancy Hart, the female bushwhacker who ... was a mountain spitfie ... who rode with Perry Conley and his Moccasin Rangers through the central counties of WV. Captain Perry Conley (the title was self-conferred for the reason that he headed the (Mocassin) Rangers) had picked up his men largely from the area around the upper waters of the West Fork of the Little Kanawha, in Calhoun County, and operated under his own auspices. . . Perry Conley asked a southern general to promise him a good rifle for one hundred Yankee buttons. The guerrilla legion became a terror to the central counties -- and none was more feared than the band led by Perry Conley, whose killings, it is claimed, ran up into a very respectable number. (In) the census of 1860 . . . Patrick Conley was then 23 years of age and was living in the Minnora neighborhood in Calhoun County with his wife, Lucinda, and two children. He is said to have been six feet, three inches in height, and with powerful muscular development and great endurance. From his youth he had been the leader of his group; he could out-run, out-fight and out-lift anybody in his section. It was not at all difficult for him to enlist his band of partisans, but when he took to the hills as a guerrilla his brother, James, made his way to the nearest recruiting post to enlist in the Federal army. In the late fall of 1861, ...union men found part of Conley's band at a home on Stinson Creek, in southern Calhoun County. They escaped with one ranger killed. The next day Conley and Nancy were discovered. Conley escaped, but Nancy was captured. Her captors believed she was innocent and released her. She returned to Conley with information about the movement of Federal troops. Conley was surprised by a detachment of the 30th Ohio Infantry in Webster County in the earl summer of 1862. He was mortally wounded but fought off his assailants until he ran out of ammunition. He was then clubbed into submission. After his death the band disintegrated. Some of the men joined Captain George Downs' Co A, 19th VA Cavalry -- others joined with Capt Absolom Knotts Co E 14th VA Cavalry -- both of whom were drawn from the original Moccassin Rangers.

From: http://www.nkclifton.com/mocrangr.html Skirmish at Spencer, West Virginia

Nancy Hart rode at the head of the column with Perry Connolly for about two years, 1861 and 1862, kept the Union soldiers and sympathizers, and lot of ordinary citizens in a state of fear and concern for her safety. A number of murders had been attributed to them as well as damages to property by burning and otherwise, theft of livestock, specifically horses, and much other devilment. On one occasion Perry entered the town of Spencer, West Virginia in Roane County. Here a local physician named Poole, armed himself and took a station in the cupola of the courthouse form which point he kept the guerrillas at bay. Perry Connolly kept out of the range of the doctor's gun, but eventually succeeded in killing Poole by shooting through the side of the enclosure. Later he sought out Poole's father, Col Poole and killed him also. Other citizens by the name of Rodgers, Carpenter and Cohn were killed also. Samuel Martin had an arm shot off and the Reverend Samuel W. Gibson lost a lower jaw. Mary Jane Green, Kate Brown and Nancy Hart and others worked with the guerrilla captains in Braxton, Webster, Lewis, Wirt, Calhoun and Wood Counties. Among the guerrilla were Jack, Al and Fred Tuning, Campbell, Goff, Sprigg, Perry Connolly, George Downs and others, some of whom later enlisted in the regular Confederate Army. Jacob Shock married Mary Green, a daughter of Benjamin Green who lived at the mouth of Laurel Creek on Elk River above Sutton. Shock came to Steer Creek and settled at the mouth of what is now known as Shock's Mill Run, where Rosedale is now located since the year 1825. Captain S. H. Campbell headed a Company of the 19thVirginia Cavalry. General W. L. Jackson, commonly called "Mudwall" was commander. Colonel W. S. DeWeese joined this company.

Source: Gene F. Elmore, Sr., Spencer, West Virginia Mr. Elmore gave this information to the Nancy Hart Chapter, Order of Confederate Rose From Civil War Diaries: From this place the party proceeded to a place known as Sycamore creek, in Calhoun County, and to a house used as a place of public worship, at which place the party encamped until the (Nov) 28th (1861). Captain Simpson and seven of his men then proceeded to the house of one (Col. Adonijah) McDonald, a mile and a quarter from the church. At this point the party were to separate to obtain dinner. Three of the men had started for that purpose and had proceeded but a short distance from the house when they discovered the "Moccasin chaps," about seventy-five strong, advancing for the purpose of capturing the party. They immediately returned to the (McDonald) house and gave the alarm, which was given just in time to allow Captain Simpson to prepare for their reception. The guerrillas surrounded the house, promosing [sic] safety to the entire party in case their demand for surrender was complied with. Of course, the demand was scornfully refused, and the ball was opened by the "Moccasins" firing a volley into the house. Captain Simpson and his men promptly returned the fire and drove the rascals back. Then finding the quarters in the house too close to operate effectually, they left the house and posted themselves in the yard surrounding the house. This move drew a terrible fire from the guerrillas, wounding one of the Captain's men. This volley was returned, killing two and wounding others (of the guerrillas). The Captain's men then took cover behind such articles as were large enough for the purpose and by indiscriminate fire killed four others and wounded some. The notorious Perry Conoly was in the fight and got desperately wounded in the left breast. Before being wounded he was heard to yell to his men, "There's that damned, infernal Simpson; kill him, boys, and don't let him get off," and immediately raised his rifle and fired, the ball passing alongside the Captain's ear. The next moment Perry's carcass came in contact with mother earth. He was shot by Private Ben Johnson.

Calhoun Chronicle dated 2/24/1927 Skirmish on Sycamore

A scouting party under the command of Capt. James L. Simpson, of Company C 11th West Virginia Infantry, had halted at the noon hour, at the home of Judge McDonald, on the divide between the right and left hand forks of Sycamore Creek. Capt. Simpson, with five men arranged to dine with the hospitable Judge, and the remainder of the scouting party, about twenty-five in number, scattered out among the residents along both branches of the stream, with the object of securing dinner.

Capt. Perry Connolly, the noted partisan leader, with about sixty men, was lurking in the timber surrounding the McDonald home, and seized the propitious moment, while the federal scouts were scattered, to wipe out Capt. Simpson and the portion of the squad remaining with him. The Captain and his men had just seated themselves at table, when a volley was poured into the house from all points of the compass. Capt. Simpson, led his men out into open and returned the fire, which was spiritedly maintained for several minutes. The detached parties of Simpson's command hearing the heavy firing, rallied to the assistance of their leader, and in a short time the skirmish ended with the withdrawal of Connolly's command. Here occurred one of those horrors for which partisan warfare is noted. One of Capt. Connolly's men was severely wounded and had been unable to join his comrades in their retreat. He had propped himself against a rail fence, and when the federal troops found him, instead of rendering the aid that humanity dictates in an instance of this kind, some four or five men fired on him killing him instantly. This as I recall the story, was the only casualty occurring during this engagement.

Note: Capt. James L. Simpson, was from Parkersburg, W. Va., and rendered distinguished service, throughout the war, being promoted to the rank major before it closed. He has been dead several years. Some of his descendants still reside in Parkersburg. Capt. Perry Connolly was a native of Roane county, and achieved distinction as a leader of irregular troops. He died from wounds received in action in Webster county, West Virginia.

• Residence: 1850 - Gilmer county, Gilmer, Virginia
• Residence: 1860 - [Blank], Calhoun, Virginia, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Nov 14 2017, 18:13:41 UTC