A Counter Rebellion In Virginia

Some weeks previous to the advance of Gen. Banks up the valley of Shenandoah there seems to have been an uprising of the Unionists there which was suppressed by Stonewall Jackson.  There has been vague hints of the matter in the Richmond papers, but the following from the Richmond Whig of April 15^th shows that it was of some importance:

The Rockingham Register says that the Blue Ridge rebellion has been pretty effectually crushed out.  The active measure adopted for its suppression have resulted in dispersing the parties engaged in it to the four winds.  It embraced, we learn at one time, between 300 to 400 persons of different ages from 16 to over 45 years of age.  They were not all natives of Rockingham but had gathered in the Blue Ridge from Green and Page counties with a few from Albemarle.  They were a very literate ignorant set and were tolerably well armed with rifles, shot guns and in one instance with a pike.  They fled from their homes on the approach of the troops sent after them, and dodged about in squads in the by-paths and gorges of the Blue Ridge.  One of them shot from under him the fine riding horse of the high sheriff of Rockingham, Y. C. Ammon, Esq.  Mr. Ammon was quietly pursuing his way on one of the mountain roads when the shot from the hidden foe struck his horse in the belly producing his death in a few hours.  The Register says it should not be inferred that the whole of the population in that is tinctured with disaffection and disloyalty and disposed to rebel against the government of their country.  There are some as staunch and true friends as the confederacy has anywhere residing right in the midst of these outlaws and rebels.  The imposing and formidable demonstration however made by Lieut. Co. John . Jones per order of Stonewall Jackson, has had the happy effect of driving them from their haunts and places of rendezvous and scattering them in confusion.  A few prisoners and a few horses were taken and it is hoped the course pursued by Lieut. Col. Jones has effectually put down and crushed out this miserable abortion of a rebellion against the confederate authorities.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 4