Confederate soldier given proper burial
November 11, 2010 @ 12:00 AM
The Herald-Dispatch
By BONNY RUSHBROOK
The Herald-Dispatch
WINFIELD -- It took a century and a half, but Confederate Capt. Phillip James Thurmond was finally given the proper burial with full military honors that he might have received a century and a half ago as a captain in the Confederate army.
On Saturday, Oct. 30, with the boom of a cannon blast, the clock at the Putnam County Courthouse delivered 12 chimes, and then the slow steady cadence of a drum signaled the drivers of the buckboard wagon carrying the remains of Captain Thurmond, to begin the journey from Chapman Funeral Home down West Virginia State Route 817 to the Historic Hoge House located behind the Putnam County Courthouse, where he would be reburied.
Led by the plaintive tune from bagpipes and the rhythm of the drum, the funeral procession moved slowly along the street in Winfield while groups of onlookers stood silently along the parade route. The processional began with a group of soldiers bearing flags of the Confederacy, followed by the riderless horse, an honor guard surrounding the coffin, a carriage carrying decendants of Thurmond, re-enactors dressed as Confederate soldiers and black-veiled lady mourners clothed in long, black, hoop skirts.
The group stopped on the right side of the Hoge House and honor guard members lifted the yellow pine coffin draped with the third flag of the Confederacy from the wagon and made their way slowly to the grave site. Lining one side of the area were members of the American Legion Post 187.
Following a rifle and cannon salute, the Ladies in mourning, their black skirts swishing, walked forward to lay a flower on the coffin of Captain Thurmond. Thurmond's grandchildren also placed flowers on the coffin. Taps, played by Alene Conner of Winfield High School, ended the stirring service.
In October 1864, the Union had taken over Winfield. Col. Vincent "Clawhammer" Witcher of the 34th Virginia Cavalry on Mud River sent two companies of Thurmond's Partisan Rangers to drive them out. About 400 Rangers reached Winfield on Oct. 26, 1864, and launched an attack through the town. A fire fight ensued and Thurmond was shot through the abdomen and mortally wounded. His brother, Elias, allowed himself to be captured so that he could remain with his brother until his death. Phillip Thurmond died a little while later at the age of 38 years and two days.
With permission, some of the Rangers came through union lines with a coffin and under a flag of truce to claim Thurmond's body.
He was buried in an unmarked grave behind the Hoge House, which at that time was located south of the Putnam County Courthouse. Judge James W. Hoge allowed the body to be buried on his property with the understanding that the Captain's family would claim it after the war. No one ever came for the body.
The body was exhumed on March 20, 2010, and plans were made to re-bury the body again behind the Historic Hoge House, which had been moved to its current location.
Cynthia Hayes, great-great granddaughter of Phillip Thurmond, was a little overwhelmed by the attention given her grandfather. She said she had received a phone call from Linda Miller saying they were going to rebury the captain and asked if she would like to be part of it.
"There are a lot of words -- it's just hard. During the ceremony, I thought of my mom. She would have been proud," Hayes said.
"At least I can come up here and visit him," she added.
Putnam County students also played a big part in the service for Captain Thurmond, and in a way that no one would even guess. Four students from the Putnam Career & Technical Center's building and construction class actually built the coffin used to rebury the soldier's remains.
Instructor Kevin Childers said they were approached about building a coffin that would look like coffins used in 1864. He then asked his class if they would be interested in working on the coffin, which got a resounding "yes." The class had three projects on which they were working, so only four students built the coffin. They were Nick Francis, Daniel Bias, and Jeremy Harper (graduate) of Winfield High School, and Scott Roush from Hurricane High School.
"We took it as an honor. I'm pleased the community has confidence in our school to undertake that kind of project," Childers said.
The product, paid for by Chapman Funeral Home, was yellow pine which came from North Poplar Fork Road. The students planed and processed it, but did not sand it.
"We tried to stay rustic," Childers said.
Confederate soldier given proper burial
November 11, 2010 @ 12:00 AM
The Herald-Dispatch
By BONNY RUSHBROOK
The Herald-Dispatch
WINFIELD -- It took a century and a half, but Confederate Capt. Phillip James Thurmond was finally given the proper burial with full military honors that he might have received a century and a half ago as a captain in the Confederate army.
On Saturday, Oct. 30, with the boom of a cannon blast, the clock at the Putnam County Courthouse delivered 12 chimes, and then the slow steady cadence of a drum signaled the drivers of the buckboard wagon carrying the remains of Captain Thurmond, to begin the journey from Chapman Funeral Home down West Virginia State Route 817 to the Historic Hoge House located behind the Putnam County Courthouse, where he would be reburied.
Led by the plaintive tune from bagpipes and the rhythm of the drum, the funeral procession moved slowly along the street in Winfield while groups of onlookers stood silently along the parade route. The processional began with a group of soldiers bearing flags of the Confederacy, followed by the riderless horse, an honor guard surrounding the coffin, a carriage carrying decendants of Thurmond, re-enactors dressed as Confederate soldiers and black-veiled lady mourners clothed in long, black, hoop skirts.
The group stopped on the right side of the Hoge House and honor guard members lifted the yellow pine coffin draped with the third flag of the Confederacy from the wagon and made their way slowly to the grave site. Lining one side of the area were members of the American Legion Post 187.
Following a rifle and cannon salute, the Ladies in mourning, their black skirts swishing, walked forward to lay a flower on the coffin of Captain Thurmond. Thurmond's grandchildren also placed flowers on the coffin. Taps, played by Alene Conner of Winfield High School, ended the stirring service.
In October 1864, the Union had taken over Winfield. Col. Vincent "Clawhammer" Witcher of the 34th Virginia Cavalry on Mud River sent two companies of Thurmond's Partisan Rangers to drive them out. About 400 Rangers reached Winfield on Oct. 26, 1864, and launched an attack through the town. A fire fight ensued and Thurmond was shot through the abdomen and mortally wounded. His brother, Elias, allowed himself to be captured so that he could remain with his brother until his death. Phillip Thurmond died a little while later at the age of 38 years and two days.
With permission, some of the Rangers came through union lines with a coffin and under a flag of truce to claim Thurmond's body.
He was buried in an unmarked grave behind the Hoge House, which at that time was located south of the Putnam County Courthouse. Judge James W. Hoge allowed the body to be buried on his property with the understanding that the Captain's family would claim it after the war. No one ever came for the body.
The body was exhumed on March 20, 2010, and plans were made to re-bury the body again behind the Historic Hoge House, which had been moved to its current location.
Cynthia Hayes, great-great granddaughter of Phillip Thurmond, was a little overwhelmed by the attention given her grandfather. She said she had received a phone call from Linda Miller saying they were going to rebury the captain and asked if she would like to be part of it.
"There are a lot of words -- it's just hard. During the ceremony, I thought of my mom. She would have been proud," Hayes said.
"At least I can come up here and visit him," she added.
Putnam County students also played a big part in the service for Captain Thurmond, and in a way that no one would even guess. Four students from the Putnam Career & Technical Center's building and construction class actually built the coffin used to rebury the soldier's remains.
Instructor Kevin Childers said they were approached about building a coffin that would look like coffins used in 1864. He then asked his class if they would be interested in working on the coffin, which got a resounding "yes." The class had three projects on which they were working, so only four students built the coffin. They were Nick Francis, Daniel Bias, and Jeremy Harper (graduate) of Winfield High School, and Scott Roush from Hurricane High School.
"We took it as an honor. I'm pleased the community has confidence in our school to undertake that kind of project," Childers said.
The product, paid for by Chapman Funeral Home, was yellow pine which came from North Poplar Fork Road. The students planed and processed it, but did not sand it.
"We tried to stay rustic," Childers said.
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
