Page News & Courier

Heritage and Heraldry

Page execution: Marylanders fall for defying barn-burners, part 2

Article of May 31, 2001

When last we left the Hershbergers, fear was moving through the family for concern over the dead Federal cavalryman that now lay buried nearby in a shallow grave. As the visiting local men, who had carefully concealed the grave of the soldier, finished their supper, they reassured Mrs. Hershberger that they would remain nearby during the night to keep an eye out for what may happen.

Federal cavalry did not arrive until the next day. Finding the grave of the soldier, the troop gathered information from Mrs. Hershberger and felt confident in her honesty, holding no blame to the family except for leaving the body in the open without properly seeing to him. "Courteous" to her from that moment, the Federals still swore die straits to the Confederate assailants.

Meanwhile nearby, having evaded wound or capture throughout the war, Enoch Van Buren "Mac" Kauffman (Page Volunteers of Co. K, 10th Va. Infantry) was at home with his brother Phillip M. Kauffman (Co. E, 35th Battalion Va. Cavalry) when Federal cavalry came to burn the family barn. Sometime in this event, both brothers were found and captured (October 2, 1864) and stood as very good candidates for revenge over the dead Federal cavalryman. As a fortunate turn of fate, the young men were spared because of the actions of two Marylanders from Company C, 1st Maryland Cavalry of Major T. Sturgis Davis' command.

Three days following the capture of the Kauffman brothers, these Marylanders clashed with Federal cavalry in the Page Valley. It was said of Confederate trooper Churchill Crittenden that he emptied every load in his pistol and wounded "a Yankee lieutenant very severely" before being taken. Confederate John J. Hartigan accompanied Crittenden in the affair. Having been detailed to procure provisions for their company in the county. "Whilst getting their supplies at a farm-house," wrote W.W. Goldsborough, author of "The Maryland Line," a large party of the enemy came suddenly upon them. They attempted to escape, and a running fight ensued, which resulted in the death of two or three of the enemy and the wounding of Crittenden severely, and the capture of both himself and Hartigan."

A Crittenden family newsletter in 1912 gave further details of what followed. After having been brought to Colonel William H. Powell, commanding the Federals from near Luray, the men were taken through a mock trial and ordered to be executed. Prior to the execution, both men asked for pen and paper to draft farewell letters, but were refused the opportunity; Crittenden to his mother and Hartigan to his "young wife."

The family newsletter continued: "At noon Crittenden and Hartigan were set before a firing party of twenty-five and told to run for their lives. Hartigan ran and fell, pierced by many bullets. Crittenden stood with folded arms, facing his executioners. Again the order to fire was given, but not a trigger was pulled. The Union officer in command then addressed his men saying he would repeat the order once more; they were soldiers and must obey, and should any man fail to respect the command, he should suffer the penalty of death himself for his disobedience."

"During this harangue Crittenden seated himself on a rock, calmly looking at the squad and awaiting his end. Then he rose. "Ready! Aim! Fire!" rang out the third command. A line of leveled rifles greeted him as he rose and faced them. Down dropped twenty-four silent rifles, their owners unwilling to harm the quiet man before them. One alone of the twenty-five pressed a trigger. A single flash, a little smoke, a sharp report, and Churchill Crittenden's life blood flowed for the cause he loved."

The conclusion of the story to follow in the next article . . .

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