Pvt. Zachary Taylor Chenoweth, (CSA)

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=90507632

Z.T. Chenoweth was born September 13, 1847 and was one of a family of thirteen children. At the age of sixteen he enlisted in the Confederate Army in Companies A and H, 18th Virginia Cavalry Regiment in March 1863. He was captured by the Union Army on March 20, 1864 at the skirmish at the Sinks of Gandy in Randolph County, Virginia.

"On the night of March 20, 1864, a squad of Confederate scouts, consisting of Adam C. Stalnaker, Jasper Triplett, Oliver Triplett, Anthony Triplett, Taylor Chenoweth, James D. Wilson, Jacob Wilmoth, Luther Parsons, Lafe Ward and Dow Adams were fired upon by thirty-three Home Guards, known as Swamps, while they were sleeping before a campfire at the Sinks on the head of Dry Fork. Oliver Triplett was killed instantly. Anthony Triplett and Adams were so severely wounded that they were thought to be dead. However, upin the removal of their boots they showed signs of life and were clubbed with muskets and left for dead. Later they regained consciousness and Adams, in a dazed condition fell into the fire and was severely burned. Mr. Teter, who lived near, found the wounded men next day and cared for them at his home. Adams had been hit by eighteen missiles, yet both he and Triplett recovered. Those escaping injury fled to the adjacent woods. Messrs James D. WIlson and Adam C. Stalnaker, having departed the camp without their shoes, wrapped their feet in the capes of their coats, tied them on with their handkerchiefs, and waded through the snow several feet deep to Hightown, eight miles distant. Messrs. Perry Weese, John and Eli Taylor were with the Confederate scouts, but Mr. Weese stopped for the night with a Mr. Teter, who live near. He was surprised and captured before the soldiers at the camp were fired upon, but was helpless to warn his comrades. Messrs. john and Eli Taylow, fearing a night attack, did not remain with the main body of the scouts, but were passing the night about half mile distant, when the discharge of muskets warned them of their danger. They made their escape. Mr. Weese was turned over to the Federal Authorities and sent to Camp Chase, where he remained until the close of the war. These Confederate were returning from a visit to their homes in this section. They also designed to surprise and capture the Federal wagon train of supplies on its way from Webster Station to Beverly. Preparation was made for the attack a few miles below Beverly, but when the train appeared the guard was too strong for their small force and their object was abandoned."

• Source - A History of Randolph County, West Virginia by A. S. Bosworth, page 1555-157.

"In March 1864, a minor incident of the Civil War occurred at the Sinks. Eight men of General Imboden’s Confederate command, who had been waylaying wagon trains in the north, crossed into neighboring Tucker County where they robbed a general store about 3 miles from the town of Saint George. They were pursued by a Union captain and lieutenant who closed on them the next day at the Sinks. Three rebels were killed in the ensuing shootout, two captured and the stolen property recovered."

• Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinks_of_Gandy#History

He was first confined in Atheneum Military Prison in Wheeling, West Virginia and then sent to Camp Chase Prison in Ohio on May 27, 1864. The record of his stay at Camp Chase says that he was a "robber and a horse thief." He was transferred to City Point on March 2, 1865 for exchange. He was paroled on May 15, 1865 at Staunton, Virginia.

He was Sheriff of Randolph County from 1884 to 1889 and was interested in various business enterprises.