The Moccasin Rangers
Clay County WV


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Little is known of an organization during the Civil War called the Virginia
State Rangers. This organization apparently was the Confederacy's attempt
to form a home guard unit for those with Southern sympathies. Randall
Osborne and Jeffrey C. Weaver, however, do shed some light on the Rangers
in their book called "The Virginia State Rangers and State Line".

According to Osborne and Weaver, this organization was authorized by an act
of the Virginia General Assembly on March 27, 1862. The act authorized ten
or more companies, but less than twenty. A total of nine companies were
raised and commissioned by Governor Letcher on March 18, 1862.

Actually, some companies were already in operation, and Governor Letcher
forwarded blank commissions to their leaders, which were completed by the
guerrillas in case they were captured.

The Rangers primarily operated in what is now the state of West Virginia.
Their fundamental mission was to operate in small detachments behind
Federal lines to counter Federal scouting parties and foragers. Their area
of operation was on the northern, western and northwestern frontier of the
Old Dominion. When the Rangers were in proximity to regular Confederate
units they were to subject themselves to the commanding officers of those
units.

Company A of the Virginia State Rangers come to be known as the Moccasin
Rangers. Peregrin Hays and George W. Silcott, of Arnoldsburg, Calhoun
County, W.Va., organized the Moccasin Rangers as a home guard unit. When
Captain Perry Connally took command of the Calhoun County Home Guards, he
began calling them "The Guerrillas". The men disliked the name, and changed
it to "The Moccasin Rangers".

The men from Clay County with Southern leanings who wanted to enlist with
the Confederacy probably first joined the Moccasin Rangers since Calhoun
County is immediately adjacent to Clay County.

The United States forces considered the Moccasin Rangers outlaws rather
than soldiers and gave every indication that when captured they would be
treated as such. One captured group was charged with being bushwhackers,
horse thieves, robbing Union men, pressing Union men into the service etc.

Following is a list of known Clay County men who were members of the
Moccasin Rangers. Anyone having further names they wish added to the list
is urged to send them in to me. Art Friend

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ADKINS, PETER - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav. Enl.
Frankfort, 3/19/63 (also as Clay Co., 4/1/63). Dstd. Took oath of
allegiance, Charleston, 5/23/65, age 21, 5' 7", fair comp., brown hair,
gray eyes, farmer, res. of Nicholas Co., WV B. ca. 1844.

ADKINS, SILAS - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav. Enl.
Frankfort, 3/19/63 (also Clay Co., 4/1/63).

BOGGS, WALTER - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav. Enl.
Clay Co., WV. 4/1/63. Taken POW in Braxton Co., 12/9/64. Sent to
Clarksburg, WV. 12/13/64, then to Wheeling, 12/16/64, age 18, 5' 7", fair
comp., light hair and gray eyes, farmer, residing in Braxton Co., WV. Sent
to Camp Chase 12/27/64, desired to take the oath of Allegiance. Took the
oath, released, 5/15/65.

BOGGS, WILLIAM F. - Co. C., 2nd VSL. Enl. on ?. Taken POW on 6/15//63 in
Clay Co. Sent to Camp Chase via Wheeling, WV. then age 25, 5' 8" 3/4",
light comp., dark eyes, fair hair, res. of Clay Co. Transf. to Johnson's
Island and took oath of allegiance on 10/9/63.

BUTLER, OLIVER MARION - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav.
Res. of Clay Co., WV. Arrested and confined by 3/15/62, charged with being
a thief and a bad man. Confined in Camp Chase Prison in Columbus, Ohio.
Among group of 770 Confederate prisoners exchanged at Vicksburg, Miss. on
12/8/1862. Enl. Frankfort, WV. 3/19/63, but records do not show if he was
present or not.

DORSON, RICHARD S. - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav.
Enl. Frankfort, WV, 3/20/63 (Clay Co., WV.4/1/63).

MELLEHAN, JOHN P. - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Gave a statement 1/28/65, which listed
him as age 20, a Res. of Braxton Co., WV. Says he was arrested 5/62 by
Capt. O'Brien (VSL) with a guard of 5 or 6 men, taken to Bath Co., and
assigned to Co. H. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav. Enl. Clay Co., WV.
5/1/63. Dstd on the night of 4/28/64, escaping the vigliance of the pickets
in the dark and walked 100 miles home. Taken POW in Clay Co., WV. 5/12/64,
within 10 miles of his home. Held at Atheneum Prison, 6/10/64, age 19, 5'
8", light comp. brown hair and hazel eyes, farmer, res. of Clay Co., WV.
Sent to Camp Chase 6/11/64, charged with being a bushwhacker and robber.
Took the oath of allegiance, released 2/8/65. B. ca. 1845.

ROGERS, JAMES - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav. as
Corp. B. ca. 1845. Enl. Frankfort, WV. 3/19/63 (Clay Co. WV. 4/1/63).
Paroled at Charleston, WV. 5/9/65, age 20, 5' 9" fair com. dark hair and
dark eyes.

SUMMERS, ANDREW J. - Co. G, 3rd VSL. Later served in Co. H, 19th VA Cav. as
Corp. Enl. Clay Co., WV, 4/1/63.