Person:Balas Deweese (1)

Balas served in the 14th Virginia Calvary and in the 11th New York Infantry during the Mexican War.(source-noted on tombstone)

source:http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvcalhou/soldiers.htm DEWEES, Balas (Bayles) C., 1st Lieutenant, Co. E, 14th Virginia Cavalry. Born 25 Aug. 1828. Enlisted in C alhoun Co., Va. 26 Sep. 1862 (31 Aug. 1862). Absent on detached duty January to February 1863. Present 30 Apr. 1863, however resigned 27 Apr. 1863 because of llliteracy. Captured in Logan Co., Va. 9 Dec. 1863. Sent to Wheeling. Age 35, 6 ` 1`, dark complexion, gray eyes, sandy hair, farmer. Transferred to Camp Chase . Exchanged 12 Mar. 1865. In hospital in Richmond the same day with chronic bronchitis.

Source: Recollections of a Life Time, by Col. D. S. Dewees. (The Honorable A. Smith of Eden, West Virginia, helped Col. Daniel S. Dewees write his recollections in 1902 and 1903.) In 1861, when the war clouds began to lower over the land and public sentiment assuming formidable proportions, Balas Dewees's sympathies were with the South, he espoused the cause of secession, which was fully known the country surrounding him being about evenly divided, the Union forces having come to Spencer, Roane County. Colonel Gilmore, commanding in the fall of 1861, sent out a detachment of men to apprehend Balas and bring him in, which they did, intercepting and capturing him on the head of Spring Run, a tributary of the West Fork, coming in the creek at Arnoldsburg. He was taken to Spencer and had a formal trial before a board of officers of the Ninth Virginia Regiment, the prosecuting witness, making contradictory statements, Balas was detained, during which time he was kept under guard, there being five soldiers of the Ninth Regiment Indianans, who were comrades of Balas in the Mexican War and meeting with him under the circumstances with which he was surrounded, made the point to be the detailed guards to guard him, which they done more as hosts than enemies in war. In a few days the regiment moved from Spencer to Glenville, taking my brother Balas along, his old Mexican comrades continuing as his guards and assured him that if Colonel Gilmore didn't release him that on their march to Glenville they would make it convenient so that he could take a French leave of absence, their remembrance of the ties of affection formed in their associations as soldiers and comrades in Mexico were stronger than any obligation that they felt to the cause in which they were then enlisted, and one mile up Millstone, above Arnoldsburg, at the mouth of the little hollow where Dr. Price now resides, Balas and his old Mexican comrades halted and were sitting by the side of the road, the regiment passing on, after which Balas and his old comrades had agreed on an armistice for the remainder of hostilities, so far as they were concerned, during which time, Balas's wife Mary, accompanied by Levi Reed, a member of the Ninth Regiment, and her brother-in-law, who went on and overtaking Colonel Gilmore, procured Balas's release, thus concluding an honorable release for him.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Tombstone.

   Lower Fink Cemetery, Calhoun County, West Virginia