Photo: 50th VA Infantry battle flag
Age at Enlistment: 20
Length of Service: 1861-1865
State: Virginia
Rank: Pvt
Unit: 50th VA Infantry Regiment
Service Record: Enlisted first in Grayson Cty Militia; then Co. H enlisted of the 50th VA on 3 June 1861;
Story provided by findagrave:
Source of Information: This story was told to George Blevins of Wise by an old woman who remembered it distinctly and the foregoing was related by George Blevins.
Just prior to the surrender, Andrew J. developed pleurisy and due to lack of medical treatment it ate a hole in his side and he was given a furlough until his health improved. He returned to his home in the Glades of Wise County and the treatment of loved hands and rest from the worries of war worked wonders and he was soon able to go around again. At that time Wise County had a bunch of Home Guards and many of the members of the Guard were hiding out to keep from entering the service and some had deserted and were also using the name of Guard to cover their stealing and many other crimes. A fellow by the name of Mack Jessee was a member of this Guard and he approached Blevins one day and told him that he would have to return to the War. “No, not in the condition I am in now”, Blevins answered. “Well, then why don’t you join the Home Guard with us, then?” he asked. Blevins replied that if he joined anything it would not be a bunch of horse thieves and robbers. However, Blevins became alarmed or afraid of the Home Guard and hid out around the Glades, only coming home at night or when a safe chance presented itself. At this time among the Home Guards were two men by the name of John Bickley and _______ Minnifee. It was agreed that they would kill Blevins and in return they were to get a chicken pie for dinner from the Home Guards. Early one Sunday morning after Lee had surrendered and peace had been made, Blevins left his hiding place and went home. Eli Bond, a friend of Blevins’, went to the home of Blevins and asked him to go home with him and write a letter for him to a friend in the Confederacy. Bond lived at the site where the Yellow Creek Bridge is East of Wise and when the two friends got to the home and shortly after their letter was begun, the womenfolk called that the Guard was coming. Bond and Blevins hurried out the back and started to run up the old Hurricane Road. In the race, Blevins was shot down and the Guard passed him up trying to catch Bond, who eventually escaped through the Glades and made his get away. When returning back down the road, Minifee tried to make his horse trample Blevins who was still yet alive, though mortally wounded. The horse, each time, would jump over the man and Minifee dismounted and shot the wounded man through the head. Minifee and Bickley knew they would be apprehended for this crime so they started riding toward Guest Station to make their getaway and while passing this place they killed John Newberry who was attending the funeral of his mother. Sometime later Bickley was passing back through this section and sent a woman ahead to warn him of danger. The authorities got word of this, captured the woman and forced her to tell what time he would be through. He was to pass that night and Lieutenant Cyphers rounded up a bunch of citizens and captured him. He was taken then on Sunday morning to the spot near Yellow Creek Bridge where Blevins was killed and again the stillness of the Sabbath morning was punctuated by the crack of a rifle and another life passed over. He was buried in the old cemetery opposite the Wise Primitive Baptist Church on the Highway leading south from Wise. Minifee was not captured by the authorities of this county.
Survived War: No
Cemetery / Burial: Blevins-Cox Cemetery, Wise Co. VA
Soldier Info: Born in Scott Co., VA in 1841; Died in Wise Co., VA in 1865
Relationship to Author: 2nd cousin 5x
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