Pictured is Lieutenant Robert A. McChesney, son of Captain James and Frances Ann McChesney. Robert was the first officer to die in the Civil War. Robert’s mother, Frances Ann (McNutt) McChesney was a first cousin to Nancy Glasgow of Adams County, Ohio.
Last week we left off with the violent murder of Captain James McChesney by John Reid, a raving mad man who had killed his young children and was on the verge of murdering the rest of his family. James was the husband of the beautiful Frances Ann McNutt. Frances was the daughter of Alexander and Rachel (Grigsby) McNutt and the sister of Governor Alexander McNutt of Mississippi. After the death of James, Frances gave birth six months later to a son, James Zachariah McChesney. Frances never married again. She spent her days raising her eight children and running a huge plantation. Frances not only lived with the tragic death of her husband but faced many other heart wrenching tragedies through out her life. In 1828, her oldest son died at birth. In 1853, eleven years after James’s death, her oldest daughter died four days after giving birth to a daughter. Of course, her whole world came crashing down with the beginning of the Civil War. Her third child, Dr. Alexander Gallatin McChesney, who had graduated from the Washington University of Virginia and Jefferson Medical College in Pennsylvania, joined the southern cause. He entered the war as Capt. of Company F of the Virginia Calvary Bath Squadron and became an Army surgeon. In 1854, Alexander had married the wealthy Sallie Gatewood Moffett. They had 10 children. Alexander survived the war but died in May 1877, at the age of 48, just three months before his mother.
Frances fourth child and second living son, First Lieutenant. Robert A. McChesney also joined the southern cause. Robert was a graduate of Washington University and the University of Virgina where he studied medicine. Robert enlisted on May 14, 1861, in Company H of the 14th Virginia Calvary then called the Rockbridge Dragoon. He was six feet two inches tall, of great physical strength and quite handsome.
The 2nd Rockbridge Dragoons, led by Capt. John R. McNutt and Lieut. Robert McChesney, were camped with Brig. Gen. Garnett at Laurel Hill. On the night of June 28, 1861, Lt. Robert McChesney and nine other men rode northeast toward St. George, then the seat of Tucker County, along Cheat River on a scouting mission. A report had come to their attention that the Yankees were holding a special election about eight miles below St. George and was being protected by a large guard of the Union army. The election was being held to establish a new government in northwest Virginia.
Robert and his company were sent to scout it out and to disrupt it if at all possible. When within a half a mile of the election location Lieut. Robert McChesney felt some type of premonition and ordered his men to turn around. Just as they were in the process, a group of Union solders who were waiting in ambush commenced firing upon them. Robert was killed instantly as a musket ball entered his left side near his heart. One of his fellow soldiers stated he saw him lying dead by his horse and the bridle still in his hand. The rest of the company returned fire and verily escaped with their lives. Five or six horses were killed and several of the men reported having bullets ripped through their clothing. Two other men were wounded but made it back to camp without further difficulty.
Robert was killed just 32 days after the war was declared on Jun 29, 1861, one day short of his 29th birthday. He was the first officer to be killed in the great War of the Rebellion. He had only been in uniform for 45 days when his life was abruptly taken. His sword, spurs and purse were returned by Colonel James Irvine of the Ohio Infantry.
Colonel James wrote the family a short note containing these words. “I will therefore, not speak of it further than to say that he bore himself gallantly, and my sympathies were greatly for him when he fell.” “What should have been our common country, lost a brave and gallant man.”
Robert served in the same company with his brother, Alexander Gallatin McChesney. Robert was buried there but the following Sunday, a Mr. Anvil, Mr. Talbott and a Mr. Bohon went to Hannahsville and retrieved Robert’s body. Robert’s body was laid to rest in the New Providence Presbyterian Church cemetery, in Raphine, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
