LT. ROBERT A. MCCHESNEY KILLED IN ACTION JUNE 29, 1861, WHILE LEADING A SCOUTING PARTY IN TUCKER COUNTY TO BREAK UP A UNIONIST MEETING

$2,500.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1266-189

This is one of three portraits we recently acquired showing the three sons of the McChesney family of Rockbridge County, Virginia, who served in the Confederate Army and which we offer separately. All three are housed in their original wood and plaster oval frames and were probably exhibited in the same family home. This is Alexander Gallatin McChesney, the eldest, born in 1829 (and named after another brother who died as an infant.) All three surviving brothers attended Washington College and the University of Virginia. Robert seems to have followed this by studying medicine in Maryland and becoming a physician, as was eldest brother Alexander.

He is shown vignetted half-length, waist-up, wearing a dark blue officer’s frock coat, regulation for prewar Viriginia militia and typical of some early war volunteers. The edges of his shoulder straps are visible.  The buttons are domed, likely Virginia state seals. He wears his sash over one shoulder, indicating he was officer of the day when he sat for the image. He is shown leaning slightly to one side with one gloved hand around the grip of his cavalry saber, about to draw it.

The condition is excellent. The colors are strong and delicately applied. He face is in focus, clear and the color shows his blue eyes, brown hair and beard with his cheeks slightly tinted. This was likely enlarged by the photographer from another image for its coloring, framing and display by the family. The artist vignetted the figure and shaded the background slightly, but we note the details are correctly oriented, so he was likely working from an albumen image or used the same negative to create this one.

Like many, McChesney may have had prewar militia experience, but when war came he enlisted at Brownsburg, Rockbridge County and mustered in on May 14, 1861, as First Lieutenant of the “Rockbridge Dragoons,” which became Co. H of the 14th Virginia Cavalry Regiment. In late June reports of a meeting by pro-Union citizens to hold an election, reportedly in Rowlesburg, Preston County, by some sources and in St. George, Tucker County by others, caused McChesney to lead a scouting party to break it up. They were attacked by Union troops somewhere near Hannahsville, Tucker County, and McChesney was killed in the confused fighting. Accounts of the fight also differ in some details, particularly whether McChesney realized too late he had bitten off more than he could chew. One account has him ordering his men, some ten in number, to turn back just as they were attacked; another has him leading twenty to thirty, learning he was vastly outnumbered, but nevertheless determined to press on, when they were suddenly cut off on a narrow road by 300 Union infantry to their rear and cavalry to their front. However the fight developed, McChesney was killed by musket ball to the chest in the fighting. His spurs, sword and wallet were purportedly returned to the family by an Ohio officer. He was buried near where he fell, but exhumed soon after and interred back in Rockbridge County. The more heroic version of the fight, by one of the survivors, says that McChesney was armed with a "double barrel shot gun, 9 buck shot in each barrel, brace of pistols and saber and he shot all his Loads and used his saber, and got through and 150 yds up the road before he and his horse was both killed." (See the Spring 1985 West Virginia and Regional History Newsletter for this quotation and also for identified copies of this image and that of Alexander. Other McChesney family material is also held by West Virginia University.)

This is a very strong portrait, with great color, tones and clarity, of a Confederate cavalry officer, one the earliest casualties of the war, and the first officer from Rockbridge County to be killed.    [sr][ph:m]

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