Nancy
Hart CapturedIn the fall of 1861, after a Moccasin Ranger Raid into Braxton County, the Braxton Home Guards went in pursuit of the Moccasins.Nancy was taken prisoner but kept her ears open while among the Federals.Northern Officers, taken in by her apparent innocence, did not see anything dangerous about her and they released her.She went back to Perry Conley with a fullhead of information not only abut the Braxton Home Guards but also about the movement of regular Federal Troops that were being sent into the area to stamp out the guerilla bands. While hiding out with a farm family near Summersville, Nancy was discovered by a Union party out scouting for food.She was taken to Summersville where she was placed under constant guard in the attic of a dwelling formerly owned by a Confederate sympathizer who had fled when the Union forces occupied the town.Turning on her charms she soon made friends with many of the soldiers and guards, on of whom trusted her to “weigh” his gun, to compare it to her own hunting rifle.It was fatal.Nancy raised the gun and put a bullet through the young man’s heart.She quickly raced to the stable and took Lieutenant Colonel Starr’s best horse and escaped. Later
Perry Conley and a few of his gang were surprised and Perry and most of
his gang were killed. In
1993 the citizens of Summersville produced a play based on the life of
Nancy Hart. A
large stone located in the edge of the West Fork near Nancy’s home is
known
locally as “Nancy’s Dancing Rock”.This
is reputed as being a childhood play area for Nancy. Information
collected and arranged by Gene F. Elmore, Sr., December 28, 1993 Mr.
Elmore gave this information to the Nancy Hart Chapter, Order of
Confederate
Rose, December 1994 “The
Confederacy
had some spies who obtained valuable information, notably the famous
female
spies, Belle Boyd, Mrs. Rose O’Neal Greenhow and “Harrison Longstreet’s
Spy”.Nancy Hart, a mountain woman
of western Virginia, served not only as a spy but also a guide for
Jackson’s
Cavalry.When she was captured in
July 1862, she seized her guard’s musket and shot him dean and escaped.” DEVIDED
WE FOUGHT – a Pictorial History of the War, 1861-1865, by David Donald.
Book No. 973.711 |
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Revised
7 Febrary 2005