| Notes |
- Left Loudoun County in 1857 for Mechanicsburg, Illinois, then moved to Liberty, Illinois from 1858 to 1859 and then back to Mechanicsburg in 1860. Returned to Loudoun County to fight in the Civil War. Resided in Loudoun County until December 1, 1872 when he moved to Piedmont, West Virginia and then to Keyser, West Virginia in 1875 and then to Terre Alta, West Virginia in 1883.
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James Madison Wix Virts and the Civil War
by Jeanie Virts LaGrave
James Madison Wix Virts was born in Loudoun County, Virginia the son of Conrad and Elizabeth Derry Virts.
James participated in the Civil War, enlisting in the First Potomac Home Brigade, Cole's Maryland Cavalry, Company A, on August 10, 1861 in Frederick, Maryland for a three year term of service. He was described as being a farmer from Loudoun County, Virginia, age 25, 6 feet 2 inches tall, dark complexion, dark eyes and hair. He enlisted at Middletown, Maryland by Captain Henry A. Cole, and held the rank of Corporal. On March 29, 1862, James was promoted from 3rd to 1st Corporal.
On September 13, 1862 he was captured in Harper's Ferry during the preliminary attack of Maryland Heights and the Harper's/Bolivar area, when, on September 15, 1862, Stonewall Jackson invaded the Union Troops stationed in Harper's Ferry and captured. 12,000 prisoners, 47 pieces of artillery, 13,000 small arms, and a large quantity of supplies. Col. Miles and his staff made the decision to surrender at about 9:00 a.m. on that rainy, foggy morning and a 11:00 a.m. as a flag of truce was displayed, a shell fired from one of his own guns severely wounded Col. Miles and he died of that wound the next day. By his decision to surrender the Harper's Ferry/Bolivar area, and leaving the pontoon bridge in tact, he enabled Col. Jackson to put his army on the battlefield at Antietam at least eight hours sooner than might have otherwise have been possible. While all of this was going on, James was on his way to a prison camp in Annapolis, Maryland. On the monthly muster roll sheets, he was absent from June 30, 1862 - December 31, 1862 with the remarks: Paroled prisoner at Annapolis, MD.
On March 3, 1863, James was promoted from 1st Corporal to Sergeant. Apparently for much of his enlistment, he used his own horse and equipment. As of August 13, 1863, James was absent from his company until October of that same year, as he was part of a recruiting campaign to recruit a battalion in the area which was comprised of the Potomac Home Brigade, Cole's Cavalry, and the Loudoun Rangers. The first effort had begun in the Spring of 1863 and had resumed that early fall after the battle of Gettysburg. James alone with Corporal James W. Grubb of Cole's Maryland Cavalry, began to recruit company D of the battalion, opening recruiting offices in Frederick, Maryland, where they enlisted about 30 men. In September companies B, C and D were ordered to Harper's Ferry.
In the months of November and December of 1863, James was sick in the battalion hospital, and after his recovery he was ordered back to his old command, Company A, 1st Maryland Potomac Home Brigade Cavalry, by Captain Vernon of that company.
On August 19, 1864, James was mustered out of his detachment at Harper's Ferry.
The following information appears on his Muster Rolls:
1.?tab?Company - August 10, 1861
2.?tab?Company - Nov/Dec 1861 - Present
3.?tab?Company - Jan/Feb 1862
4.?tab?Company - Mar/Apr 1862 - Promoted from 3rd to 1st Corporal, March 29, 1862.
5.?tab?Company - May/Jun 1852
6.?tab?Company - June 30 - Oct 31, 1862 - Absent - Paroled Prisoner at Annapolis, Maryland.
7.?tab?Detachment - Jun 30 - Oct 31, 1862
8.?tab?Company - Jan/Feb 1863 - Present
9.?tab?Company - Mar/Apr 1863 - Present - Promoted from 1st Corporal to Sergeant.
10.?tab?Special - April 10, 1863 - Present
11.?tab?Company - May/Jun 1863 - Present - Had use of Horse and Horse Equipment.
12.?tab?Company - Jul/Aug 1863 - Present - Used his own horse and horse equipment since, June ?tab?30, 1863.
13.?tab?Company - Sep/Oct 1863 - Present
14.?tab?Company - Nov/Dec 1863 - Present
15.?tab?Company - Jan/Feb 1864 - Present - Use his own horse and horse equipment since, ?tab?January 1, 1864.
16.?tab?Company - Mar/Apr 1864 - Absent - Uses horse and horse equipment from December 31, ?tab?1863 to April 3, 1864. Absent on detached service since April 26, 1862. Roll supplied ?tab?from Second Auditors roll.
17.?tab?Company - Apr 30 - Aug 31, 1864 - Terms of service expired August 10, 1864 and ?tab?mustered out of service by Lt. J. Horton, August 19, 1864 at Harpers Ferry, Va. and paid.
The following information appears on his Returns:
1.?tab?September 1863, absent on recruiting service since August 14, 1863.
2.?tab?October 1863, absent on detached service since August 13, 1863.
3.?tab?November to December 1863, absent sick in Battalion Hospital since November 1, 1863.
KEYSER TRIBUNE
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY BY THE
KEYSER TRIBUNE CO
SUBSCRIPTION $1.00 PER YEAR
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1913
GOLDEN WEDDING
Mr and Mrs J W Virts celebrated their 50th anniversary of their marriage Wednesday at the home of their daughter, Mrs J W Wolford on St Cloud street. A banquet was prepared by the daughters and was greatly enjoyed by all the children and grand children. The seven children were present, Mrs W L Matheney of Grafton, Mrs Grace Shanholtz of Newport News, Va; Mrs Bessie Lyons, of Washington DC; Mrs Wm Martin, Mrs J W Wolford and Wm Virts of Keyser and C C Virts of Newburg. The day was an enjoyable one for Mr and Mrs Virts and for the children and grandchildren.
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1840 - 1927
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