Colonel Vincent "Clawhammer" Witcher: The Civil War's Biggest Weirdo

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  • čas přidán 21. 08. 2019
  • Of all the eccentric characters from Civil War history, no one quite compares to Colonel Vincent Addison Witcher, "The Clawhammer," ruthless guerilla fighter and commander of the 34th Virginia Cavalry.
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Komentáře • 1,2K

  • @AtunSheiFilms
    @AtunSheiFilms  Před 3 lety +1192

    CORRECTION: A year and a half after I made this video, a viewer reached out to me and said, "You made a mistake in your Vincent A. Witcher video. Robert E. Lee didn't write any memoirs." I replied, "I know he didn't, and I never said that." The viewer said, "Yes you did," and sent me a timestamp. Whoops! Not sure why I included that - maybe the the thin Alaskan air was making me delirious. It's true that JEB Stuart repeatedly praised Witcher, but looking into it again, I couldn't find any instance where Lee did. Sorry, everyone!

    • @fan9775
      @fan9775 Před 3 lety +91

      0/10
      Literally unwatchable. SmH

    • @doctordoc2351
      @doctordoc2351 Před 3 lety +51

      Well, thank you for correcting yourself even after all this time

    • @ChaseMcCain81
      @ChaseMcCain81 Před 3 lety +5

      Oh, a new comment.

    • @Gabefalconb
      @Gabefalconb Před 2 lety +40

      I used to respect you. Now, after making a simple mistake, I cannot even look at you. For shame

    • @dewayneweaver5782
      @dewayneweaver5782 Před 2 lety +29

      It nice that you admitted your mistake, but you really should invite Bobby Lee's ghost onto your program so that you can personally apologize for confusing him with JEB Stuart.

  • @abyssimus
    @abyssimus Před 3 lety +787

    "Your honor, I mutilated that corpse in self defense."
    "Objection! He's clearl--"
    *Draws pistol*
    "...Overruled."

  • @kennagel8088
    @kennagel8088 Před 4 lety +922

    Little is known about his younger brother, Philip " the screwdriver, "

  • @colliwer
    @colliwer Před 4 lety +1966

    I don’t think I’ll toss a coin to this particular Witcher...

  • @Vesta_the_Lesser
    @Vesta_the_Lesser Před 3 lety +214

    Here I thought "clawhammer" was going to refer to a literal hammer, this guy cracking people skulls, but no, this guys is a fashionable psycho who kills people _in other ways_

    • @Anonie324
      @Anonie324 Před 2 lety +14

      He didn't need any tools to bash men's brains out, God gave him two perfectly good hands with which to accomplish this deed, I do declare.

    • @seed_drill7135
      @seed_drill7135 Před 2 lety +2

      My family is from Southwestern Virginia and when I hear clawhammer I think banjo playing.

    • @dohvahkene4473
      @dohvahkene4473 Před 2 lety +1

      Rock can be hammer, if needed

    • @PrettyPinkPersephone
      @PrettyPinkPersephone Před 2 lety

      Only marginally different ways tbh.

    • @dohvahkene4473
      @dohvahkene4473 Před 2 lety

      @@PrettyPinkPersephone Rock + Stick = Hammer

  • @MedievalTrebuchet
    @MedievalTrebuchet Před 4 lety +1570

    Wow, I can't believe this guy got away with all that and lived to a ripe old age in Utah as a Mormon. America is wonderful

    • @AtunSheiFilms
      @AtunSheiFilms  Před 4 lety +250

      Ha!

    • @torinjones3221
      @torinjones3221 Před 4 lety +30

      It's beautiful that finally found peace and salvation.

    • @AudieHolland
      @AudieHolland Před 4 lety +63

      I'm utterly disappointed he never actually used an actual claw hammer instead of a rock to bash out the brains of those he rightfully condemned according to the law of the west!

    • @dumoulin11
      @dumoulin11 Před 4 lety +82

      @@AudieHolland "rightfully condemned" ... you're a real angel aren't you?

    • @michaelmayo2489
      @michaelmayo2489 Před 4 lety +16

      dumoulin11 he did add the caveat of “according to the law of the west”

  • @bennjenn929
    @bennjenn929 Před 4 lety +266

    Wholly unsatisfying outcome to hear that this man never got punished for his foul disposition...

    • @maxk4324
      @maxk4324 Před 4 lety +35

      I don't know if I'd call serial brain smashing a "foul disposition" but I do agree with your general sentiment.

    • @williamrichards3707
      @williamrichards3707 Před 4 lety +6

      Maybe not in this life and I'm sure he got punished in the hereafter. Because in the end no one like that completely escapes punishment...

    • @rickc2102
      @rickc2102 Před 3 lety +25

      @@williamrichards3707 you sweet summer child...

    • @purple-headedyogurtslinger2683
      @purple-headedyogurtslinger2683 Před 2 lety +9

      Yup and Josef Mengele died on a beach in Brazil.

    • @LordVader1094
      @LordVader1094 Před 2 lety +3

      @@rickc2102 Lol imagine unironically using a fucking GoT quote in the year of our lord 2021.

  • @vincentmeade2534
    @vincentmeade2534 Před 3 lety +310

    As a mormon myself, I cant really imagine sitting next to a dude in church who didn't use punctuations?

  • @awesomedallastours
    @awesomedallastours Před 4 lety +1103

    Psychopaths and weirdos throughout history usually have great careers during troubled times. Great video!

    • @KoreaMojo
      @KoreaMojo Před 4 lety +60

      They usually get to the top and keep those troubled times coming.

    • @mrswright2058
      @mrswright2058 Před 4 lety +15

      Not much different from today.

    • @JoeSkylynx
      @JoeSkylynx Před 4 lety +24

      IIRC, the US and UK both flirted with the idea of using psychopaths as law enforcement after a nuclear war. The idea being that most of them with their lack of empathy would be able to dish out punishments more brutally.

    • @Bellephus
      @Bellephus Před 4 lety +20

      The French Revolution is the best example of that, undoubtedly.

    • @jodu626
      @jodu626 Před 4 lety

      So true

  • @Nugnugnug
    @Nugnugnug Před 4 lety +112

    The School of the Alligator has produced some very interesting witchers.

    • @cassuttustshirt4949
      @cassuttustshirt4949 Před 3 lety +4

      "We aren't supposed to kill humans? Where's the fun in that? Instead, lets kill lots of them!

  • @benperkins5443
    @benperkins5443 Před 3 lety +90

    I watched this with a completely straight face until you said "he practised law in Virginia for a while" shorty after you named all the times he killed people with rocks. I had to pause the video and sit in dumbfounded silence for a few minutes after that.

  • @gregandy4277
    @gregandy4277 Před 4 lety +124

    I imagine there’s a quote by clawhammer waiting to be discovered that goes something like this:” If a rock was good enough for Cain, why by God it is good enough for me.”

    • @edwardpoe7323
      @edwardpoe7323 Před 4 lety

      Because Cain used the jawbone of an ass

    • @RogerValor
      @RogerValor Před 4 lety +36

      this is fake, it has punctuation

    • @teslashark
      @teslashark Před 4 lety +12

      @@edwardpoe7323 That's Samson

  • @KFranzaltdorf
    @KFranzaltdorf Před 4 lety +389

    "Not a slave holder among them" ...wait, he was pro-purge and pro-torture, but anti-slavery? Certainly a weirdo.
    Greetings from Chile!

    • @uarbor70
      @uarbor70 Před 4 lety +93

      It's not that they didn't believe in slavery they were too poor to own anything much less a $3,000 slave

    • @KFranzaltdorf
      @KFranzaltdorf Před 4 lety +54

      @Carolina to the Caribbean Yeah, but he didn't say "And all my lads were just humble and poor citizens", he said that they weren't slave holders. He did not emphasize the money, he emphasized the slave ownership. It's weird...

    • @hissyhonker220
      @hissyhonker220 Před 4 lety +6

      You people are too damn dumb to see that besides a few politicians and politically appointed generals no one really gave a shit about owning slaves when your average wage is maybe 200 bucks a year. It's a war about killing that bastard with a blue government issue uniform and musket shooting in your front yard.. duh! You dimwitted dwarfs

    • @plunkadelicdaydream
      @plunkadelicdaydream Před 4 lety +8

      Totally disagree on this particular point: The damn dummies and their dumbass system of free labor made the other dumb bastards "skeeared" that they might be put on the same level with all God's dimwitted bastards, blue, black, and gray alike. Now all the damn dummies get a fair shake, at least in theory.

    • @Special_Tactics_Force_Unit
      @Special_Tactics_Force_Unit Před 4 lety +6

      The majority of the Confederate army didn't give a shit about slaves.

  • @columbiayore2522
    @columbiayore2522 Před 4 lety +396

    Dont you ever make fun of Review Brah again

  • @AvengerAtIlipa
    @AvengerAtIlipa Před 3 lety +38

    Witcher: *Commits unspeakable, horrendous war crimes*
    Atun-Shei: "What a fucking W E I R D O "

  • @drdiva70
    @drdiva70 Před 4 lety +216

    Great vid. Altho you should have included that time Witcher fought off a giant magical water spider. Oh well. Cant wait for the henry cavil tv show

  • @bman6065
    @bman6065 Před 4 lety +158

    He was like the Dirlewanger of Virginia. Disappointed to hear Lee approved of his actions.

    • @teslashark
      @teslashark Před 4 lety +18

      Lee could overlook some pillaging of friendly units...

    • @bman6065
      @bman6065 Před 4 lety +12

      @@teslashark Lee was a serious disciplinarian but in war shit happens. Can't cut your ranks when you're going on offensive operations.

    • @AtunSheiFilms
      @AtunSheiFilms  Před 4 lety +108

      I'm not convinced Lee was aware of the full details.

    • @Rendell001
      @Rendell001 Před 4 lety +18

      @@AtunSheiFilms that would be my view also - Lee would be familiar with Whitcher's conventional cavalry duties under Stuart's command but I highly doubt he'd be aware of his... "irregular" activities.

    • @sld1776
      @sld1776 Před 3 lety +9

      Lee was a giant asshat who should be remembered in disgrace.

  • @erikrungemadsen2081
    @erikrungemadsen2081 Před 4 lety +161

    Just started this video. This guy cannot be weirder than Stonewall Jackson!
    After video. He is is not weird he is terrifying.

    • @williamrichards3707
      @williamrichards3707 Před 4 lety +6

      He obviously was a pathological psychopath! As far as I'm concerned Jefferson Davis Lee all the other Confederate officers who were wants Union Officers should have been tried for treason and hung for war crimes against the nation!

    • @gregdzialo9998
      @gregdzialo9998 Před 4 lety +3

      @@williamrichards3707
      ...except that treason by definition requires intent to overthrow the government.
      The Confederacy never intended nor fought to overthrow the government.

    • @williamrichards3707
      @williamrichards3707 Před 4 lety +5

      You better check the constitution on that check our article 3 read it closely what they did was treasonous if you can't see that written in the Constitution then you're not reading! I studied constitutional law paid for by the United States government! As far as I'm concerned Jefferson Davis, Robert E Lee, in any other Union officer who chose to fight against their country is guilty of treason. That's not an opinion, that's a fact! I suggest you read therefore you learn...

    • @mrdave777
      @mrdave777 Před 4 lety

      Please elaborate on your comment on Stonewall!? It couldn’t be further from the truth. Because he sucked on lemons?!

    • @erikrungemadsen2081
      @erikrungemadsen2081 Před 4 lety +4

      @@mrdave777 There was the whole thing with him holding his long arm in the air to equalize his circulation, he was capable of falling asleep while eating, He was more than a little religious seing signs, portents and omens in everything. He was known for remembering entire textbooks and repeating them again and again to his students in Virginia and when asked to explain things he would just repeat the exact same thing again. The lemon thing is not something special, he was just glad of fruits in general, i read somewhere he actually prefered peaches. Also he did not eat pepper. He did not have chairs in his study preffering to work standing up. Jackson was beloved by his men and the South in general, but he was excentric and yes some of that excentrism was embelished to add to his myth. He is sort of like the German Marshal Blucher mildly excentric, but by some described as crazy due to misunderstandings or overembelishments.

  • @themusicman1556
    @themusicman1556 Před rokem +5

    I just realized 2 things: 1 that southerners tend to refer to unprecedented attacks as "self defense", and that the civil war from the southern perspective was just such a thing.

  • @blaisevillaume2225
    @blaisevillaume2225 Před 4 lety +67

    If I know one thing about this country it's that, no matter how far north you are, you will always find at least one dude flying a Confederate flag within a 30 mile radius of any given point.

    • @tskmaster3837
      @tskmaster3837 Před 3 lety +6

      If I know only one thing it's the fact that Confederate Flag Wavers hate minorities because they know they are a minority and will forever be one.
      Confederate States of America: 0-1. Wave that flag proudly, boys, because it means something.
      "It's not the CSA flag, it's the Battle Flag of Virginia." "What's their record?" "Same as the CSA, 0-1. But if you look at the individual battles against US soldiers..."

    • @nautiquecowboynautiquecowb5317
      @nautiquecowboynautiquecowb5317 Před 3 lety +2

      So true no matter where you travel in this country or even overseas you'll find a Confederate flag ain't that something. People love it I don't believe all people that fly it are racist.

    • @blaisevillaume2225
      @blaisevillaume2225 Před 3 lety +4

      @@nautiquecowboynautiquecowb5317 It ain't a surprise. The Confederate flag spread as a symbol in the 1960s used by a bunch of racists who were trying to fight the civil rights movement.
      In the North, it is flown by racists who want people to know they are racist. You really have to be the most simple-minded, awwshucks-idiot in the world to fly a Confederate flag and not be racist.

    • @nautiquecowboynautiquecowb5317
      @nautiquecowboynautiquecowb5317 Před 3 lety +3

      @@blaisevillaume2225 Are you sure ? How do you know what's in a man's heart? People like you need to think before they speak. Some say the flag is a sign of defiance and being proud of the geographical area. And you see it as racist that's your opinion but name-calling that's just childish.

    • @blaisevillaume2225
      @blaisevillaume2225 Před 3 lety +3

      @@nautiquecowboynautiquecowb5317 You say you're not racist, but you fly a flag that was created as a symbol of keeping black people in slavery and was revived as a symbol of denying them civil rights. How does that not make you an idiot? What is an idiot if that's not it?

  • @JeffreyDeCristofaro
    @JeffreyDeCristofaro Před 4 lety +53

    There is no shortage of psychos in times of conflict, particularly the ones that manage to literally get away with murder. What a fine world we all live in!

    • @JeffreyDeCristofaro
      @JeffreyDeCristofaro Před 4 lety

      @@andrewcamden Sad but true. And even if there actually WAS a more progressive reason to go to war, and we had ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER OPTION but to fight it, I bet that those same indecent folks would just use it as an excuse to make themselves look dignified while carrying out atrocities of the most DEGENERATE kind in the interim. It's happened before in history, with people of that type already in prison who selected the option of joining the army in wartime in exchange for amnesty (and even possible fame as a war hero) rather than spend the last years of their lives in prison waiting for their death sentence to be carried out. In their minds, better to "go out and die fightin' like a man" than suffer misery and humiliation as a criminal, and ironically, what more would they do but perpetrate war crimes? Now I'm not saying that all prisoners were or are like that - hell, there are corrupt politicians and capitalists at the top social ranks that deserve life sentences while countless innocents below them are jailed, and who would try to reinstitute the draft for the chances of screwing the lower classes just to move up in rank and wealth, but if war doesn't discriminate, all types of people - both the good and the bad - get involved, and it's not a pretty picture when the worst dregs imaginable who are no better than the criminals on top get involved in a really overt way during wartime.

    • @scottouellette9411
      @scottouellette9411 Před 3 lety

      The F.B.I. estimates there are over 30000 serial killers in the United States. Some more active than others.

    • @bloodyhell8201
      @bloodyhell8201 Před 3 lety

      @@JeffreyDeCristofaro oskar dirlewanger says hi

  • @blastershogun
    @blastershogun Před 4 lety +239

    Sounded like the Khmer Rouge took pointers from him.

    • @robertnett9793
      @robertnett9793 Před 4 lety +5

      Only learn from the best, eh?

    • @dougreid2351
      @dougreid2351 Před 4 lety +17

      "Ends justify means" is the credo of tyrants, criminals and murderers.

    • @Redmenace96
      @Redmenace96 Před 4 lety +5

      Interesting comment. During vid I was thinking of modern war crimes. Modern America forgets their own past. We are a nation founded on murder, but we overcame that?

    • @grmpEqweer
      @grmpEqweer Před 4 lety +5

      @@Redmenace96
      We just do it overseas now.

    • @Patchaddictedpolymath
      @Patchaddictedpolymath Před 4 lety +2

      @@Redmenace96 Are you under the impression that crimes against humanity are unique to America ? Or just ignorant to the fact that rape and slavery was common-place before the white man showed up

  • @wooderdsaunders6801
    @wooderdsaunders6801 Před 4 lety +144

    Thought when you said bloody and clawhammer . I expected killing union troops with a clawhammer. How many thought the same?

    • @williamrichards3707
      @williamrichards3707 Před 4 lety +4

      When's new meaning to clickbait doesn't it. I won't be watching anything else by this twit...

    • @dougreid2351
      @dougreid2351 Před 4 lety +11

      Killing soldiers and killing prisoners isn't at all the same thing. Murdering "sympathizers" likewise presents little risk to the killer. There is nothing civil about"civil war."

    • @d.aardent9382
      @d.aardent9382 Před 4 lety

      Yah

  • @MurdochMMQCR
    @MurdochMMQCR Před 3 lety +15

    Vince be like:
    "If I cant have brains no one will"

  • @rayburnmullins3156
    @rayburnmullins3156 Před 4 lety +12

    My great,great,grandfather was 14or 15 yrs old in witcher's co f 34th battalion

  • @MrOPRockwell
    @MrOPRockwell Před 4 lety +62

    This is quickly becoming one of my favorite history channels on youtube

  • @mr.classified6167
    @mr.classified6167 Před 4 lety +24

    "Claw Hammer" the serial killer soldier.

  • @stormblessed2321
    @stormblessed2321 Před 3 lety +6

    I hate it when evil people get happy endings.

  • @andmicbro1
    @andmicbro1 Před 3 lety +4

    Sometimes a serial killer finds themselves in the midst of a war, and they don't wind up as infamous as their peacetime counterparts. Because they were "in the service of their country" instead of horrible horrible people.

  • @steeler4life
    @steeler4life Před 4 lety +80

    Died "peacefully"..damn, thts a shame...painful death I would've wished on him

    • @williamrichards3707
      @williamrichards3707 Před 4 lety +7

      I think an eternity in hell more than makes up for it!

    • @jacobdonnely2608
      @jacobdonnely2608 Před 4 lety +1

      He did is nation well and deserved a peaceful death, the man rests peacefully in heaven now.

    • @thomasswafford250
      @thomasswafford250 Před 4 lety +17

      @@jacobdonnely2608 by murdering helpless people and tormenting their widow?

    • @jacobdonnely2608
      @jacobdonnely2608 Před 4 lety

      Thomas Swafford by joining the confederacy and then proceeding to do such, he served his nation well, and rests in heaven now.

    • @thomasswafford250
      @thomasswafford250 Před 4 lety +15

      @@jacobdonnely2608 I don't think slaughtering helpless people is very much in keeping with the teaching of Jesus. If God was on the side of the Confederacy, why did they lose?

  • @whatthe239
    @whatthe239 Před 4 lety +82

    The real reason he’s hiding in Alaska is cause he was talking smack about Reviewbrah

  • @JB-hl1qx
    @JB-hl1qx Před 4 lety +56

    Wow just wow .. I've been going to Gettysburg since 85 & never heard of this guy . Amazing video. And I thought bloody bill Anderson was a rough guy geez 😬.

    • @edwardpoe7323
      @edwardpoe7323 Před 4 lety +5

      It's because he wasn't a real soldier, and when he faced real soldiers he lost

    • @hunterrichie2764
      @hunterrichie2764 Před 4 lety +5

      @@edwardpoe7323 yep because real soldiers leave behind equipment when facing a larger force. Cough cough Custer cough

  • @danisawesome4214
    @danisawesome4214 Před 4 lety +26

    Choose your weapon
    Witcher: This rock oughta do it

    • @paullogan2196
      @paullogan2196 Před 4 lety +3

      I challenge you to a duel - I'll take rocks at 0 paces

    • @ronstreet6706
      @ronstreet6706 Před 4 lety +4

      Ordinary person...swords or pistols
      Witcher...hold my rock!

  • @IceAngler
    @IceAngler Před 4 lety +10

    I love all the AOEII music constantly in the background of these videos.

  • @WeHaveExplosive
    @WeHaveExplosive Před 4 lety +6

    Now I've read and heard of a few sadistic, violent war crimes in my time, but not using punctuation takes the cake. This man was an absolute psychopath.

  • @rjohnson1690
    @rjohnson1690 Před 4 lety +18

    Good god, this guy was the Oskar Dirlewanger of the rebellion. He was worse than Nathan B Forrest.

    • @Deavertex
      @Deavertex Před 4 lety +6

      Forrest was a fine cavalry commander -- one of the best. Of course, he considered anyone who wasn't Caucasian to be subhuman (he wasn't alone, but he took it to extremes), and he was in great part responsible for the KKK.

    • @rjohnson1690
      @rjohnson1690 Před 4 lety +3

      Deavertex Forrest was good at raiding and fighting substandard troops. His actions at Chickamauga were subpar. (as were Wheeler’s)
      A dirty little secret people love to forget, is that Forrest was routed by Robert Milroy of all people.

  • @yrecros
    @yrecros Před 4 lety +46

    I like the age of empires song in the background

  • @aex-blacksmithuk2111
    @aex-blacksmithuk2111 Před 4 lety +18

    I don't care which side he was on, he sounds like he was a genuine 100% nutter, of the first water!

  • @cathyhayes2062
    @cathyhayes2062 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Glad to have found this project that you have filmed.The soldier that Col. Witcher was tried for war crimes for killing was my 4x great grandfather Jim" Tarkeg"Maynard and my father told us the story of his widow offering him a glass of water to wash down his lies - Cathy Maynard Hayes

  • @mattgilbert7347
    @mattgilbert7347 Před 2 lety +2

    Been bingeing your videos for several days. Wonderful stuff.

  • @matthewlebo1841
    @matthewlebo1841 Před 2 lety +4

    Interesting story close to my home: Witcher’s Boys participated in the Battle of Guyandotte (Now part of Huntington, WV, where I live) in November 1861, while he was a captain. The Confederate force captured around two-thirds of the 9th (West) Virginia Infantry recruiting there, including sitting US Representative for Virginia, Major Kellian V. Whaley. Whaley escaped during the withdrawal, stole Witcher’s hat, and served the rest of his term in Washington, away from the front.

  • @jakubwitczak6192
    @jakubwitczak6192 Před 3 lety +12

    Video about the witcher: Begins.
    The wind: is howling.

  • @Decadent36
    @Decadent36 Před 4 lety

    I've sporadically been seeing a few of your videos over the past week and have enjoyed the content. This particular one earned you a sub!

  • @sharadowasdr
    @sharadowasdr Před 4 lety +24

    So these guys were the Confederate Dirlewangers

    • @JagerLange
      @JagerLange Před 4 lety

      I'd still feel safer leaving my kids with Witcher though. If I had any.

  • @ronniekinardjr8404
    @ronniekinardjr8404 Před 4 lety +12

    Good to hear total honesty about the criminal minded people who were put on pedestals laterally. May you be protected from the modern day ignorant people who choose not to believe the truth of there marders

  • @Ammo08
    @Ammo08 Před 3 lety +4

    Very good video. I live in Missouri and both sides raked over our state, many of the groups switching sides based on which way the winds were blowing..These type of wars have historically brought out the worst in people...

  • @Balon-Breakspear
    @Balon-Breakspear Před 4 lety +1

    That’s such a beautiful background. Amazing view. Keep up the good work and if you can film from more gorgeous locations.

    • @scottouellette9411
      @scottouellette9411 Před 3 lety +1

      Watch Discovery channels THE LAST ALASKANS...great scenery.

  • @debaterofeverythingpresent2775

    "Not a slave holder among them"
    It's like saying not a single concentration camp guard was in my Nazi regiment.

    • @alexdiaz155
      @alexdiaz155 Před 3 lety +2

      They weren’t in the war for the politics, just the party.

    • @sashakhan4317
      @sashakhan4317 Před 3 lety +3

      Yeah and both make sense. People were fighting for their country in both cases, Not the politicians.

    • @wisemankugelmemicus1701
      @wisemankugelmemicus1701 Před 3 lety +4

      The SS and German Army were seperate. And you wouldn't have concentration camp guards serving alongside Infantry Regiments. That's like saying the US Army has full frontline infantry regiments and then you have fuck ton of mall cops just randomly thrown in there.

    • @swirvinbirds1971
      @swirvinbirds1971 Před 3 lety +4

      And it is disingenuous. Looking at slave ownership per person distorts the truth that slavery ownership was by household. The sons, daughters and spouses who did not technically own the slaves were still just as heavily invested in slavery. In some southern states over 50% of households owned slaves.

    • @wisemankugelmemicus1701
      @wisemankugelmemicus1701 Před 3 lety

      @@swirvinbirds1971 OP was also wrong, but I digress

  • @mackenziebrock8137
    @mackenziebrock8137 Před 4 lety +48

    Why wasn’t this guy put on trial for war crimes after the war?

    • @Necron990
      @Necron990 Před 4 lety +18

      No witnesses left alive or those living had seen enough brain bashing.

    • @dinahnicest6525
      @dinahnicest6525 Před 4 lety +26

      If I had witnessed that, then saw the KKK, I would probably be a little reluctant to testify.

    • @thatsnodildo1974
      @thatsnodildo1974 Před 4 lety +6

      Probably because war crimes werent really a thing most likely till much later

    • @lonl123
      @lonl123 Před 4 lety +18

      A lot of atrocities, both southern and northern were pretty much swept under the carpet after the war, so that the country could try and start healing the wounds from the war and move on. Plus as another commenter said, War crimes weren't really recognized as such back then. There are a few exceptions, (The Anderson Prison Camp being one ) but yeah...it was all pretty much forgotten in the name of peace.

    • @Necron990
      @Necron990 Před 4 lety +2

      All of you make good points, but this guy and his crew are a whole different level of psycho. I mean unless there's other units going around being sociopaths 24/7, you'd think this crew would stick out and demand a posse or 2!

  • @82bobcattucker47
    @82bobcattucker47 Před 4 lety +12

    We had several psychos in Tennessee. One was hanged in Nashville at the end of the war.
    Champ Ferguson.

    • @donyoung7874
      @donyoung7874 Před 3 lety +1

      Buried in Sparta, TN.

    • @82bobcattucker47
      @82bobcattucker47 Před 3 lety +1

      Don Young I know a few good folks laying in Sparta. Beautiful Town.

    • @donyoung7874
      @donyoung7874 Před 3 lety

      @@82bobcattucker47 My dad's family is from there. I want to find Champ's grave next time I'm down. Have you seen the old graves at Mt Pisgah in Walling, just outside of Sparta?
      You might be interested in this book: www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626194041/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  • @daxisperry7644
    @daxisperry7644 Před 4 lety +2

    I love how your background music is the same music in Age of Empires 2. Great game and soundtrack.

  • @DaKdawg
    @DaKdawg Před 4 lety +2

    Absolutely fascinating. Thank you for the share. I had been to Gettysburg, but haven't studied hardly at all the cavalry clash. I shall endeavor to remedy this. Weird dudes in the Civil War...I got a feeling there's plenty of them. Found out I share a birthday with 3 Civil War confederate generals. No union ones...sadly. I can't wait for more strange stories.

  • @BillRoyMcBill
    @BillRoyMcBill Před 4 lety +4

    "...brave fellows not a slave holder among them."
    A commendable sentiment.

  • @studinthemaking
    @studinthemaking Před 4 lety +4

    He formed a group of killers. Now there a strong sentence about someone life work.

  • @zachseatdriver9671
    @zachseatdriver9671 Před 4 lety +2

    You deseve so many more subscribers, i dont know how i only just now found you

  • @stephenwood6663
    @stephenwood6663 Před 4 lety +2

    The description of Witcher's Parole makes me think of Sinis 'the Pine-bender', an outlaw who Theseus faced. Sources vary on whether he would force travelers to help him bend pine trees to the ground and then unexpectedly let go, catapulting the victims into the air, or if he tied people to two pine trees that he bent down to the ground, before let the trees go and tearing his victims apart. Witcher's method seems more efficient than either of these - if Sinis really existed, I'd hazard that this was most likely his strategy.

  • @mullarky
    @mullarky Před 4 lety +4

    Great content!

  • @roadhouse6999
    @roadhouse6999 Před 4 lety +4

    This guy sounds like someone a Witcher would get a contract on after people mistook his victims for those of a monster.

  • @Jacob-yg7lz
    @Jacob-yg7lz Před 2 lety +2

    Believe it or not, the Witchers weren't the only Appalachian clan that shot up a courthouse mid trial like that. The History Guy did a video on the "Hillsville Massacre", which was pretty much the same situation.

  • @georgewright3949
    @georgewright3949 Před 3 lety +2

    Really making John Brown and Pottawamie look like an act of mercy

  • @chuautesuma
    @chuautesuma Před 4 lety +6

    I thought I had AOE II on in the background, then realized its in the video.

  • @bassmangotdbluz3547
    @bassmangotdbluz3547 Před 4 lety +19

    My younger brother has an IQ like Einstein and he too writes without punctuation or capitalization. He can count cards and is an idiot savant about history, dates, numbers. He would not drive a car, he always preferred to walk everywhere and now that he is blind from Diabetes he has no choice.

    • @hissyhonker220
      @hissyhonker220 Před 4 lety

      Your watching an idiot with a idiots mind, expect stupid statements

    • @captainpinky8307
      @captainpinky8307 Před 4 lety

      has he tried zeolite or the "Spooky2" treatment?

    • @NoNoseProduction
      @NoNoseProduction Před 4 lety

      Wat

    • @rakninja
      @rakninja Před 3 lety

      @@hissyhonker220 i know this is a year old comment, but i cant help laughing every time i see someone call someone else stupid, and they use the wrong "you're."

    • @hissyhonker220
      @hissyhonker220 Před 3 lety

      @@rakninja Just because you can spell does not guarantee intelligence.
      Feel better now lil one? Ciao 😘

  • @thearchivist3610
    @thearchivist3610 Před 5 měsíci +1

    Imagine your trying to deal with your clingy ex and some psychopath runs in and kills three of your cousins and wins the court case this situation is honestly insane

  • @maryneu4435
    @maryneu4435 Před 4 lety +2

    I grew up in Lee County and never heard about this man or union sympathizers in the county. Great video and you have a new subscriber. I am continuing to undo all the years of "lost cause"history embedded in my brain. Thanks for the awesome content!

  • @therhodesianlegion6141
    @therhodesianlegion6141 Před 4 lety +8

    I love this channel!!!!!

  • @lollmemmSm0keweed
    @lollmemmSm0keweed Před 4 lety +4

    Man Robert E Lee seems to surround himself with the most interesting company

  • @alistairbain6149
    @alistairbain6149 Před 2 lety +2

    Okay dude, James was NOT a ‘pretty clingy guy.’ He was controlling - uber-controlling. Sounds like he practised what today is known as ‘coercive control.’ Nasty, psychologically-damaging, mentally-destroying stuff. I believe it is now a criminal offence in America.

  • @jeffsanders1609
    @jeffsanders1609 Před 2 lety +1

    I don’t think over ever seen a Civil War video start in Alaska and I don’t think I’ll ever see one like that again

  • @Wintermute01001
    @Wintermute01001 Před 4 lety +27

    This guy should be a villain in a horror movie

    • @robertnett9793
      @robertnett9793 Před 4 lety +1

      Now he *was* a villain in a real horror show...

    • @sharadowasdr
      @sharadowasdr Před 4 lety +1

      A civil war themed psychological horror show of a prisoner's last days before being brutalized by witcher's men would be great !

  • @stevesandberg2715
    @stevesandberg2715 Před 4 lety +6

    Was last seen working on a kerosene-powered chainsaw.

  • @Big_Steve11
    @Big_Steve11 Před 4 lety +2

    5:45 At first I was thinking "oh she's keeping a piece of her husband to bury", I didn't realize *everyone* was nuts in the 1800's

    • @JediKnight19852002
      @JediKnight19852002 Před 4 lety +1

      The 19th century was a special level of crazy. Especially when it came to death.

  • @randystuder4982
    @randystuder4982 Před 4 lety +1

    My friend's great grandmother was married to William Hughes. They lived in Lee County,Va. William and his brother were the brothers he referenced .

  • @teresaclineshumate9589
    @teresaclineshumate9589 Před 4 lety +3

    My great great grandfather Adam Cline was a member of Witcher's Battalion. I hope he didn't participate in any of the horrible events you mentioned in the video!

  • @radiofreeutah5328
    @radiofreeutah5328 Před 4 lety +10

    Honest question: The Utah Mormons of that time were involved in some fairly violent altercations with various outside groups. This would include the Utah War (with the Federal government), various battles and skirmishes with Native tribes, and (of course) the Mountain Meadows Massacre (the slaughter of an entire wagon train of unarmed settlers who had surrendered).
    It seems that combat veteran like Witcher would have been naturally drawn into conflicts like these. Is there any evidence his military skills were put to use in the Utah Territory?

    • @Stardweller1
      @Stardweller1 Před 4 lety

      I doubt it. Most of the violence between the Latter-day Saints and others occurred prior to the Civil War, and was the result of tension between them and the US government. That tension arose largely because when the Latter-day Saints were being persecuted the local and Federal governments tended to turn a blind eye to the harassment and massacres (and in the case of the local governments they occasionally even participated), while on the other side things like polygamy and the fact that the Latter-day Saints were acting almost like a nation unto themselves made them look pretty suspicious. But when the Civil War broke out, the US government decided that was a bigger priority than whatever the Latter-day Saints were doing, so they just kind of left them alone. Heck, even before that, Lincoln had already compared them to an old rotten stump in a field that was too stubborn to be removed or destroyed, so they’d just have to plow around it. Then he said to tell the Latter-day Saints that he’d leave them alone if they did the same.
      So since he didn’t move to Utah until after the war, I doubt his military skills were used there.

  • @brunozeigerts6379
    @brunozeigerts6379 Před 3 lety +1

    I half expected him to stumble into view and say, 'It's....'

  • @RAYoung-ie3cf
    @RAYoung-ie3cf Před 3 lety +1

    Every breath that man took after the war was an injustice. He should have at least rotted away in prison.

  • @typicalreenactor3055
    @typicalreenactor3055 Před 4 lety +8

    You just let all of the neo- confederates know where you are

  • @ArakDBlade
    @ArakDBlade Před 4 lety +6

    I wish I could live in the Alaskan wilderness. That place is gorgeous. Too bad I have absolutely no wilderness survival skills.
    Oh also good video.

    • @nevadahiker6661
      @nevadahiker6661 Před 4 lety

      It is Seward Alaska if you are curious! The video is shot on Mount Marathon, looking across the bay at Mt Alice.

    • @ArakDBlade
      @ArakDBlade Před 4 lety +1

      @@nevadahiker6661 no kidding? I took a cruise to Alaska last year and we got off the boat in Seward but didn't stay long since we had to catch our bus to Anchorage to fly home. So I saw that mountain but from below. :D

    • @nevadahiker6661
      @nevadahiker6661 Před 4 lety

      @@ArakDBlade That's awesome! I grew up in Seward, and have been up Mount Marathon at least 100 times!.I recognized it immediately!

  • @muchneededwater5936
    @muchneededwater5936 Před 3 lety +1

    1:06 Ngl seeing this while walking next to windows at midnight scare the shit out of me

  • @johnferguson8473
    @johnferguson8473 Před 4 lety +1

    Very well told, throughly enjoyed it...

  • @ccole1255
    @ccole1255 Před 3 lety +3

    who else is disappointed that he didn't actually bash people with a claw hammer?

  • @johnburt7935
    @johnburt7935 Před 4 lety +4

    Wait...this guy's the biggest weirdo in the Civil War?
    I mean, considering what kind of weirdos there were in that there war . . . .

  • @hannahhengler.2585
    @hannahhengler.2585 Před 4 lety +2

    "that kid who went to your school who always wore a suit" HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?! Is this something that happens multiple places? I thought it was just us!

  • @Vox_Rhododendron
    @Vox_Rhododendron Před 23 dny

    >Mindlessly violent
    >Part of a paramilitary gang
    >Hates punctuation
    This guy was an IRL Cormac McCarthy character.

  • @j.tastic9132
    @j.tastic9132 Před 2 lety +3

    Northern Alaska? Yeah right. Nice try buddy, but I know Rohan when I see it.

  • @Ridley_1992
    @Ridley_1992 Před 4 lety +5

    One of my ancestors was in his unit

    • @rayburnmullins3156
      @rayburnmullins3156 Před 4 lety

      So was one of mine company f

    • @ronstreet6706
      @ronstreet6706 Před 4 lety

      @@the_exegete hope you do too

    • @the_exegete
      @the_exegete Před 4 lety +2

      @@ronstreet6706 Why, I'm not enslaving anybody. Seems excessive to want this just because I hate slavers, like the despicable monster Roman was spawned from.

  • @michaelmundis6266
    @michaelmundis6266 Před 3 lety +1

    I'm pretty sure that a friend of mine might have one of Vincent Witcher's frock coats, with his name in the armpit of the coat. Pretty cool!!

  • @mauktheogre4477
    @mauktheogre4477 Před rokem +1

    I did some reading and genealogy work for an assignment and found out one of ancestors from Wayne county, 2nd Lt James "Tar Keg" Maynard of the Home Guard was executed by the 34th Virginia cavalry, I can only imagine that it's probably one of the reasons why his son Aaron Maynard joined up with the army. Anyway great informative video, shame the bastard didn't pay for his crimes.

  • @zacharypeck9241
    @zacharypeck9241 Před 4 lety +3

    My Ancestors were in Witchers unit tough men my 3rd and 4th great grandfather Andrew and Leronzo Cole and thier brothers

  • @Gravelgratious
    @Gravelgratious Před 4 lety +7

    Colonel Witcher ? Better toss a coin to him!

  • @forrestpenrod2294
    @forrestpenrod2294 Před 4 lety +2

    Are there any books on this?
    Can’t find anything online about him.

  • @johnnychaos152
    @johnnychaos152 Před 4 lety +1

    Witchers first action in the war was his participation in a raid on the town of Guyandotte in what is now West Virginia. That's where I live. There was a Union recruitment camp here that the Confederates attacked on November 10th 1861. A large portion of the new recruits hadn't even been issued weapons yet so it was a rather lopsided beating. But AFTER the fight was when things got interesting. Guyandotte was actually heavily supportive of the Southern cause and several of the townspeople in fact helped plan the attack by providing maps, sentry locations, etc. So when the raiders began shooting and arresting citizens and looting private homes they were naturally in shock. One particular civilian was taken to a nearby apple orchard and hung for some unknown reason. The killing and plundering continued into the night and only stopped when Union reinforcements arrived the next morning. The raiders quickly took their prisoners and plunder and got out of town, leaving the dead recruits and civilians lying in the streets. The furious Union soldiers, having no rebels to fight, proceeded to burn down most of the town in revenge. A couple of days later General John Floyd, the commander of the local Virginia forces, had Witcher arrested and charged him for the murder of at least two of the citizens of Guyandotte. Unfortunately for the host of people that would later cross paths with him, Floyd was overruled and Witcher was allowed to resume his command.

  • @Bzerker01
    @Bzerker01 Před 4 lety +3

    I am related to this guy the family story is that we Witchers murdered the entire other family in the court with out a single loss on our side. We also were friends with the judge.
    The Witcher side of our family has always been know to be quick to anger and very mad.

  • @aaronbecker5617
    @aaronbecker5617 Před 4 lety +9

    No surprise, crazed toxic characters abound in the south

    • @T555BIRD
      @T555BIRD Před 4 lety +8

      Then there was Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Speck, and Jeffrey Dahmer amongst others that abound in the North.

    • @AtunSheiFilms
      @AtunSheiFilms  Před 4 lety +9

      In fairness the north had Custer...

    • @aaronbecker5617
      @aaronbecker5617 Před 4 lety +1

      Yeah but you haven't seen "characters" until you come down past Missouri, North might have its crazies but it takes a southern panche to get a fellow named "Clawhammer " ☺

    • @BrentWalker999
      @BrentWalker999 Před 4 lety

      @@AtunSheiFilms the best rendition of Custer is in lucky Luke comics.

  • @litkeys3497
    @litkeys3497 Před 3 lety +2

    With a name like that I'd think he would've delivered his victims to the magistrates assembled in the court in the shire in which he dwelt

  • @stephenle-surf9893
    @stephenle-surf9893 Před 4 lety

    Man,that's some great history, and this is how it should be shown, brilliant work and is it only me but the claw hammer coat looks cool as hell!

  • @Jim-Mc
    @Jim-Mc Před 4 lety +4

    Getting recommended all these weird anti-Southern videos. I'm from Tennessee. Have I been flagged for some reason or is there some kind of purge coming that CZcams is promoting?

    • @the_exegete
      @the_exegete Před 4 lety +5

      It's anti-southern to talk about a real person and the things that person actually did.
      I suppose you think vigilantes murdering people for allegedly sympathizing with their country was a good thing? Or is it a good thing but nobody should be allowed to talk about it? What exactly is your fucking problem here?

    • @sirluisray1974
      @sirluisray1974 Před 4 lety +3

      It is not anti South is anti crazy...

    • @Jim-Mc
      @Jim-Mc Před 4 lety

      @@the_exegete Well I was mainly referring to the whole corpus of work here not the story of this individual. But that affected southern accent seems intended to be derogatory. Maybe a southern girl dumped this kid.

    • @the_exegete
      @the_exegete Před 4 lety +2

      @@Jim-Mc I've gathered from other videos that he's from the south and used to be a Lost Causer, and holds special contempt for that ideology because he feels it mislead him as a youth. But despite that he still has a genuine love and fascination for the Confederacy. Or at least that is my impression. He also worked as a historical reenacter and has videos specifically about various old accents, so I dunno at least somebody found his southern accent accurate enough to pay him for it.
      I would certainly rate this channel's feelings toward the old south as being much much warmer than my own, so YMMV I suppose.

    • @edwardpoe7323
      @edwardpoe7323 Před 4 lety +1

      Anti southern? Fact the Confederacy lost. Why did they lose? Because they were beaten by a better general. Why did the north have a better general. Because Lincoln was a better leader and would not quit until he found a better general. The Confederacy were traitors, plain and simple. If the south Rose again all we would have to do to beat them is cut oo their welfare the end

  • @thehistorynerdpodcast7040

    That’s so crazy, I’m from pittsylvania county and got a degree in history from the university there. I have never heard of this before.

  • @pittsyltucky
    @pittsyltucky Před 8 měsíci

    "The building they were using as a courthouse" was actually the courthouse. It was brand new then and is still standing. The original ash trees that were fertilized by those Clement boys' blood were just lost to the emerald ash borers a couple of years ago.

  • @seeingeyegod
    @seeingeyegod Před 4 lety

    It's amazing how eloquent the run on sentences were back then.