The Bassel House
The Columns Unite
On April 20, 1863, Confederate Gens. William E. “Grumble” Jones and John D. Imboden began a raid from Virginia through present-day West Virginia against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Taking separate routes, they later reported that they marched 1,100 miles, fought several engagements, captured 100 Federals, seized about 1,200 horses and 4,000 cattle, and burned 4 turnpike bridges, more than 20 railroad bridges, 2 trains, and 150,000 barrels of oil. Most bridges were soon repaired. Confederate losses were slight. By May 26, both commands had returned to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.
On April 29, 1863, after occupying Beverly for four days, Confederate Gen. John D. Imboden and his cavalry rode west on the Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike to Buckhannon. They waited near here until May 2, when Gen. William E. Jones arrived with his command. After conferring, the raiders prepared to ride on to Weston. The 6th Virginia Cavalry, which was at Beverly to guard the rear of Imboden’s column, was sent orders to ride west and join the main column in Weston. Jones was surprised to find that the Confederates’ seventy-wagon supply train had caught up with Imboden’s cavalry here, given the wet and muddy conditions in the mountains.
If you had been on the front porch of this house on May 2, 1863, you would have seen the long columns of cavalrymen and supply wagons pass by en route to Weston. Once there, the raiders rested, rounded up stragglers, and awaited the 6th Virginia Cavalry’s arrival. On May 6, Jones and Imboden separated their columns, with Jones heading west toward Parkersburg while Imboden rode south to Sutton.
(Sidebar): Benjamin Bassel, Sr., constructed this house about 1849. According to local tradition, Bassel, a Confederate soldier, slipped home through the Union lines to see his sick wife. He hid in the attic, but eventually Union troops discovered him. After he was arrested, a neighbor contrived to have Bassel's wife and children also confined in Weston so that he could confiscate the property. Col. George R. Latham, 5th West Virginia Cavalry commander and editor of the Grafton Western Virginia newspaper encountered the group en route to Weston. When he inquired as to why a woman and children were being led away under guard and was told that they were to be confined, Latham was outraged. He ordered the soldiers to dismount, put the family on their horses, and return them to their home. The Upshur County Development Authority owns and occupies the building, which has been extensively altered and then restored by later owners.
Marker is at the intersection of Midlick Road (County Route 5/7) and Old Weston Road (County Road 12), on the right when traveling north on Midlick Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
