Peter Wilt
Peter Wilt
February 15, 1775 - 1825
Peter Wilt is probably the person of that name whose military service record shows that he was slated to march from Virginia to fight against insurgents in southwestern Pennsylvania in 1794. This action became known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Peter's record shows that he became ill during the march to Pennsylvania and was left behind. He was given three months pay for the period September 1 to December 1, 1794. The record shows that prior to his discharge, Peter served under the command of Ensign William Clark. (It is highly likely that this was the same William Clark who would later gain great fame for his leadership role in the Lewis and Clark expedition, which explored the western half of America from 1804 to 1806. It is known with certainty that this William Clark was an officer in the Whiskey Rebellion.) Previously, Peter had served under Col. William Campbell's Regiment of Virginia. Peter was paid $3 per month.
Peter Wilt
Feb 1819 – December 21,1900
German descent. Opened 1st Saloon in Parsons, WV on corner of 1st and Water Street.
Lived on Clover Run 2 miles from St. George, WV in 1884.
1870 Census Saint George Twp, Tucker County, WV
Wilt, Peter W M age 50
Catherine W F age 50
George W M age 24
Sarah W F age 19
Pauline W F age 16
Thomas W M age 14
Anzina W F age 11
1860 Census Barbour County, WV
Household Members
Peter Wilt age 41
Catharine Wilt age 41
Mary M Wilt age 20
John H Wilt age 18
Abigal Wilt age 16
George K Wilt age 14
Wilson Wilt age 12
Sarah J Wilt age 9
Vilary Wilt age 6
Thomas Wilt age 4
Anzina Wilt age 1
1850 Census District 5 Barbour County, WV
Household Members
Peter Wilt age 31
Catharine Wilt age 31
Mary Wilt age 9
John Wilt age 8
Abba Wilt age 6
George K Wilt age 4
Wilson Wilt age 2
(From History of Tucker, Co WV Peter Wilt, was a native of Maryland
and of German ancestry. He founded the family in Barbour County became a private soldier, served three years as a volunteer, and in one of the battles in which he took part was wounded in the leg, a wound that necessitated his retirement from the service at the end of three years. He married Catherine Wilson,and they reared nine children: John H.,
Mary, Wilson, George, Abbey, Sarah, Thomas, Violena and Enzina. (digital copy of History of Tucker County, WV by Hu Maxwell)
Peter Wilt was born in 1819, in Maryland, of German descent. In 1839 he married Catharine Wilson. He lives on Clover two miles from St. George, and follows farming and saloon keeping, the only saloon in Tucker County. Children : John H., Mary M., Abogail, George K., Sarah. J., Yilena, Thomas, Anzina and Wilson.
Wilt, Peter
Regiment Name: 31st Regiment, Virginia Infantry
Side: Confederate
Company: K
Soldier's Rank In: Private
Soldier's Rank Out: Sergeant
Alternate name:
Film Roll #M382 roll 61
CONFEDERATE VIRGINIA TROOPS
31st Regiment, Virginia Infantry
Overview:
31st Infantry Regiment was organized under W.L. Jackson and mustered into Confederate service in July, 1861. Many of its members were raised in Marion, Pendleton, and Gilmer counties. The unit was active in Lee's Cheat Mountain Campaign and Jackson's Valley operations. Later it was assigned to General Early's, W. Smith's, Pegram's, and J.A. Walker's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. The 31st participated in the difficult campaigns of the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then moved with Early to the Shenandoah Valley and was active around Appomattox.
This regiment reported 13 casualties at Greenbrier River, 37 at Camp Alleghany,
19 at McDowell, and 97 at Cross Keys and Port Republic. It lost 3 killed and 17
wounded at Cedar Mountain, had 5 killed and 20 wounded at Second Manassas, and
suffered 1 killed and 7 wounded at Sharpsburg. Of the 267 in action at Gettysburg,
Ten percent were disabled. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 7 officers and 49
men of which 22 were armed.
The field officers were Colonels John S. Hoffman,
William L. Jackson, and Samuel H. Reynolds; Lieutenant Colonels Francis M. Boykin,
Alfred H. Jackson, and J.S. Kerr McCutchen; and Majors James C. Arbogast, Joseph H.
Chenoweth, and William P. Cooper.
Excerpt from:
Union and Confederate Solders and Sympathizers of Barbour County, West Virgina
By John W. Shaffer
Wilt, Peter
Enl. Co. K 31st Va Inf 5-29-61 wd in leg Port Republic 6-9-62 and took Oath 11-29-64. Farmer $200/155; b. Allegany Co. Md., 1819; Methoditist Protestant Church; m. Catherine Wilson 1839; moved to Tucker Co. W.Va. after war where living 1884.
Peter Wilt Co. K 31st Va Inf reported wounded in battle June 9, 1862 Battle of Port Republic, VA
Report signed by Wm Potter
Peter Wilt Co. K 31st Va Inf absent wounded at Hospital Oct, 1862
Report signed by Wm Potter
Report date Clarksburg, West Va Dec 5, 1864
Peter Wilt
Discription
Age 45 height 5 feet 8 inches Complexion Fair eyes Hazel hair Red
Where born, Allighany Co. VA
Occupation Farmer
Residence Barbour Co. Wva
Enrolled: May 1862 at Phillippi, VA
Reported Nov 28 1864 Fort Pendleton to Capt Godwin
Brigade Imbodens Peter took oath and released Nov 29, 1864
Report signed F. McCaw
31st Virginia Infantry
HISTORY
31st Infantry Regiment was organized under W.L. Jackson and mustered into Confederate service in July, 1861. Many of its members were raised in Marion, Pendleton, and Gilmer counties. The unit was active in Lee’s Cheat Mountain Campaign and Jackson’s Valley operations. Later it was assigned to General Early’s, W. Smith’s, Pegram’s, and J.A. Walker’s Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. The 31st participated in the difficult campaigns of the army from the Seven Days’ Battles to Cold Harbor, then moved with Early to the Shenandoah Valley and was active around Appomattox. This regiment reported 13 casualties at Greenbrier River, 37 at Camp Alleghany, 19 at McDowell, and 97 at Cross Keys and Port Republic. It lost 3 killed and 17 wounded at Cedar Mountain, had 5 killed and 20 wounded at Second Manassas, and
suffered 1 killed and 7 wounded at Sharpsburg. Of the 267 in action at Gettysburg,
Ten percent were disabled. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 7 officers and 49
men of which 22 were armed. The field officers were Colonels John S. Hoffman,
William L. Jackson, and Samuel H. Reynolds; Lieutenant Colonels Francis M. Boykin,
Alfred H. Jackson, and J.S. Kerr McCutchen; and Majors James C. Arbogast, Joseph H.
Chenoweth, and William P. Cooper.
The Battle of Port Republic, VA 1862
(excerpt from Civil War Trust)
"Stonewall Jacksons Shenandoah Valley campaign achieved improbable success in the early summer of 1862. In early June, he led his small army to the town of Port Republic, only a few days ahead of two pursuing Union armies. From Port Republic, he could escape the valley and return to Richmond a hero. Jackson, however, could not pass on a chance to defeat the Union columns in detail as they approached, one on either side of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. On June 8, Jackson’s men dealt a severe blow to Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont's Yankees at Cross Keys, on the west side of the fork.
That same day, Union cavalry crossed over from the east side of the fork and raided
Jackson’s headquarters at Port Republic. In a brief skirmish the Yankees nearly captured
Jackson and, for a time, controlled the vital North Bridge over the South Fork.
The arrival of the 37th Virginia drove the Yankees from the village, leaving Jackson
in possession of Port Republic and its river crossing.
The Federals—the lead element of Brig. Gen. James Shields' division, temporarily
commanded by Brig. Gen. Erastus B. Tyler—established a strong defensive position
along the Lewiston Lane. Their right rested on the river and extended along the
Lewiston Lane toward the River Road, where their left was anchored on a high knoll
called the Coaling. Tyler judiciously placed his artillery here, giving the Yankee
gunners command of nearly their entire front which consisted primarily of an open
field between the River Road and the South Fork. With Fremont cowed, Jackson made
plans to attack and destroy this second column.
Just after 5:00am on June 9, Brig. Gen. Charles Winder led the famed "Stonewall"
Brigade in an attack against Tyler’s position. Artillery rounds from the Coaling
tore into Winder's men advancing across the open plain, driving them back, with
Yankee infantry in hot pursuit. Though Jackson outnumbered Tyler on paper, Confederate reinforcements were slowed considerably by a bottleneck at the North Bridge. The situation east of the River Road was entirely different. Thick woods shielded the Southerners' approach, allowing the 2nd and 4th Virginia to advance directly upon the Union gunners at the Coaling. The Virginians seized control of Tyler’s artillery platform only to be confronted by an onslaught of Federal infantry. After a vicious hand-to-hand struggle, the Confederates were forced to relinquish control of the guns while they waited for their own reinforcements. When help finally arrived in the form of Brig. Gen. Richard Taylor's Louisiana brigade, the Southerners again charged the Coaling, this time taking it in flank. This was too much for Tyler's men, who hastily
fled down the reverse slope. With the Yankee artillery position firmly in Confederate
hands, the whole of Tyler's line collapsed and withdrew in confusion.
With the two Federal wings now cut off from one another, the Yankees withdrew north
through the Valley. After three weeks of marching and fighting, Jackson had neutralized
the Union threat in the Shenandoah for the foreseeable future.
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