Buncombe County NcArchives News.....Unusual Will Written By Confederate Officer abt 1920
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jene Welch welchaid@communicomm.com January 23, 2007, 7:54 am

Asheville Citizen-Times abt 1920
UNUSUAL WILL WRITTEN BY CONFEDERATE OFFICER

Maj. J. W. Woodfin had Premonition of Death Before Battle


Because of the premonition that death was near at hand, Major John W. Woodfin, 
brilliant Asheville barrister, wrote one of the most unusual wills on record 
in Buncombe county just before leading his Confederate troops into battle at 
Camp Fisher in the eastern part of the state.  He came through that encounter 
unscratched, but was killed a short time later in a skirmish with Kirk’s 
Raiders near Warm Springs, now Hot Springs.

Will in Form of Letter

Something of the character of the man can be gathered from Major Woodfin’s 
will which was written in the form of a letter to his brother, N. W. Woodfin, 
and probated in November, 1863.  
It follows:

								“Camp Fisher
								“March 13, 1863

“Dear Brother:
			“I presume the Ball is in motion.  I was up all night 
moving about to fix up to give the enemy the best I could fix up for him. 
 	At 5 o’clock we learned positively that the enemy was just below 
our lower battery. “It is now near 8 o’clock and the enemy is not yet in sight,
but we hear the firing of cannon supposed to be from Croatan Battery.  
Badly prepared as we are I see there is not much indication to surrender 
or retreat on the part of our leaders or men.

        “I have just sent Mira and the two Captain’s wives 18 miles 
in the country where she will be safe.  I presume I want you to do for 
me the very best you can whether I am living or dead; if the latter, 
I want Mira to have and to hold all I possess in my own and her
right during her life - remainder to our little niece, Mira, but always 
subject to any disposition she may want to make of any of our negroes, 
particularly her own, or those her father did own, and their offspring 
now or hereafter.  I want no negroes sold except for a fault to be judged
by her or you.  I give you the right to sell all of my property to pay my 
debts, or for any other purpose.

	“I expect both the Miras to be liberal in any event to all our 
other relatives, and especially my several sisters.

	“You may think from my hurried way of writing that I am 
excited; I am not, nor will I be.  I am in a hurry because the boy is
waiting and I fear the mail will leave me.  The increased roar of 
cannon since I began writing warns me too that I must be among our men.

	“My affectionate regards to all, and very especially to our aged 
parents.

			“I am affectionately yours,
			
			
				“JOHN W. WOODFIN”


Major Woodfin, soon after this battle, was placed in command of a detachment 
to prevent Kirk’s regiment from overrunning the western part of North 
Carolina.  In a skirmish near Warm Springs, Major Woodfin was charging across 
a bridge spanning the French Broad when a bullet found its mark and he fell 
from his mount into the water mortally wounded.  He never regained 
consciousness and his comrades brought his body to his home on what is now 
Baird street in Asheville.  He sleeps in Riverside cemetery, which overlooks 
much of the fertile valley that he once owned.

Was large Landowner

Major Woodfin was born in 1818 in what is now Henderson county, but was then a 
part of Buncombe county.  He and his brother, N.W. Woodfin, became large 
landowners and between them, owned about 100 slaves, old resident recall.  The 
present Y.M.C.A. plant in Asheville was the home of N.W. Woodfin.

John Woodfin married Maria (Mira) McDowell, beautiful daughter of Col. Charles 
McDowell, of Burke county.  He was admitted to the bar in 1845 and had a very 
large practice.

He was extremely handsome, dashing and brave.  His magnetic personality 
radiated geniality and sunshine.  He was always in a good humor and told a 
story well.

When the war broke out he enlisted for the duration of the struggle.  He 
formed one of the first companies in Buncombe county.

Since he had no children of his own, he and his wife became devoted to a 
beautiful niece, Mira.  She, after Major Woodfin’s death, married a Holland 
and their descendants still reside in Western North Carolina.


(typed as it appeared in The Asheville Citizen-Times)


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