Ironton Register Aug. 16, 1888 – The first instinct of a soldier when he gets inside the enemy’s lines, is to get on the other side of them as quickly as possible, especially if he is alone. That was the experience of Martin Slaughter of Company I, 5th West Virginia on the memorable 24th of July near Kernstown.
“Our regiment was pushing through an orchard to the pike and crossing it when a force of rebel cavalry dashed upon us. Our ranks were broken and in retreat and so the reb cavalry was rather bold and jumped right on us, firing furiously in every direction. Right at the edge of the pike was a house and an open cellar into which twenty of the boys jumped to seek protection against the rebel carbines. My partner by the name of Cross ran into the cellar, too, and besought me to follow but I told him he would be captured sure and I wouldn’t go in there. So, I struck across the pike and jumped down in a little creek bottom and found myself all alone, and the rebels past me on the pike. I then realized my sad predicament and began to behold faint glimpses of old Libby in the distance,” said Martin Slaughter.
“However, I thought I wouldn’t give up but do my level best to get back to my regiment. So, I began sneaking out of there going in the direction of the woods and away from the pike. I had to dodge along the creek and in the bushes at a very lively rate for the rebs were all around me. Well, I got into the woods and then began my march toward Winchester.
Every little while I took a peep over at the pike and saw it full of rebs pushing hard along after our boys. I then pushed through the woods more rapidly than ever – making a forced march to get ahead of the enemy. I thought certainly that the rear of our retreating forces couldn’t be far, but every time I came to the edge of the woods there, I beheld nothing but the gray coats. And thus, my march and anxiety kept up from 10 o’clock in the morning until after sundown. I succeeded in evading the rebs very successfully, but about dusk, I ran against a circumstance that came near terminating the whole business rather unfortunately for me.
Martin Slaughter continued, “I came to an open treeless strip of ground and made bold to cross it, and then the rebel cavalrymen whom I had noticed and whom I had hoped wouldn’t observe me had stopped to get a bite of something about 200 yards from where I crossed. But fortune didn’t smile on me there. Those cavalrymen mounted his horse and galloped after me. In the meantime, I reloaded and when he got near me and demanded my surrender again, I refused and kept going on. He shot at me with a revolver and the ball grazed my blouse sleeve. By this time, I neared a stone fence, and jumping over that I turned and fired at him. I didn’t wait to see the result of my fire for as soon as the trigger was pulled, I turned and ran as tight as I could and soon observed that I was not followed.
“By this time, it was getting a little dark in the woods, but I pushed on as best I could hoping to find the rebs halted so I could get beyond them. Fortunately, after several reconnoiters, I saw the pike was clear and the concluding it was the open space between two camping enemies. I entered the pike and struck northward. I had not walked long when I was halted. ‘Who comes there?’ asked the sentinel. ‘A friend, I suppose.’ I answered. ‘How many are there?’ he asked again. ‘Only one,’ I replied. I then advanced and found it to be a picket post of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry, our own boys and then I knew I was all right. I passed on and caught up with my infantry at Bunker Hill but didn’t find my own regiment until the next day, but when I did get back to it, I appreciated their company more highly than ever.”
The Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, Ohio 03 Jun 1901 – From Ohio Towns – News Garnered in Buckeye Field – Race Riot at Ironton- Ironton, Ohio July 6 – Albert and John Slaughter were probably fatally stabbed by Luther Page and Abner Owens, colored. Charles Martin and Riley Slaughter were beaten with clubs. The mother of the Slaughters was knocked down with a club by Owens. John Slaughter was badly cut and will die.
Albert Slaughter had his jugular vein severed and his arm almost cut off. The trouble occurred over the slapping of a small white boy by a colored man and it almost caused a race riot. An attempt was made to organize a mob to lynch the prisoners, who were removed to jail in Portsmouth, Ohio. Not a dozen people were aware of the and Martin Slaughter, brothers of the wounded men, had started for the depot, but the train had pulled out a minute before they arrived. Officers disarmed negroes and arrested John Scales, who flashed a revolver. Negroes were openly congregating and displaying arms.
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