History

Company F of the 17th Virginia Cavalry was formed by the counties of Wood, Jackson, Wirt and Roane located in Virginia in 1862. These counties now lie in the "occupied" state of West Virginia. Company F was known by the name "The Night Hawk Rangers". The 17th Virginia Cavalry was formed after the War for Southern Independence had begun. The men that made up this company were from all walks of life. There were farmers, physicians, lawyers, merchants and teachers. A few of the men were well educated.
Company F was organized on September 23, 1862. They originally served as Company N of the 14th Virginia Cavalry. The company was then assigned to the 17th Virginia Cavalry upon the regiment’s organization. Captain James S.A. Crawford would be in command of Company F.
Captain Crawford was a 23-year-old attorney. He was born in Virginia and was educated in Missouri. In the fall of 1861, Crawford enlisted with the Greenbrier Cavalry. When he was appointed the Captain of Company F, he began recruiting men and boys from the western part of Virginia.
In 1862, a small scouting party from Company F was sent out on one of these recruiting expeditions. While out, the men broke Yankee lines and visited their homes before going back. While home, the men were presented a flag by some of the women in town. The women, whose names were Miss Fannie Hopkins, Miss Margret Coffer, Mrs. Sallie Stephenson Jackson, and Miss Mary Cook, presented the men with a handmade silk and homespun flag. The inscriptions on the flag were, "Liberty or Death" on one side and, "The Night Hawk Rangers" on the other side. It was very unusual for a company to have a flag, and thus it became very important to the men of Company F. The flag was carried into every conflict on a mahogany staff with a spearlike piece on the top.
The 17th defended the Shenandoah Valley, were present for the burning of Chambersburg, fought at Gettysburg and were with Lee at Appomattox. These are only a few of the Places Company F was during the war. They fought battles and skirmishes across five states. During the fight at Gettysburg, each man of the 17th was given a brand new Enfield rifles and ten rounds of ammunition and told to hold their ground. This took place at the great cavalry battle between JEB Stuart and George Custer at Rubal Farm east of town on the third day of fighting. The 17th was also Lee’s rear guard during the Confederacy’s retreat from Gettysburg across the Potomac, and back into Virginia.
Company F was also present for Jubal Early’s invasion of the North, the last time the South would invade Yankee soil. It was here, at the battle of Monocacy in Maryland, that the "Night Hawk Rangers" would loose their beloved flag. In July 1864, during the fight, the Rebs had the Yankees on the run. During the pursuit, the Yankees turned and began to fight back. A boy named James Mills was the color bearer that day. Having been shot through the shoulder early in the fight, he was having trouble guiding his horse. The horse led him through the Confederate lines. Bleeding and very weak, Mills found himself surrounded by Yankees. They grabbed his horse by the bridle and ripped the flag from his grasp. Mills did, however, get in a good lick with the spear on top of the flagstaff; severely wounding a Yankee before the flag was taken. The men of Company F tried to get the flag back, but it was carried back to Washington, D.C. during the night. A Yankee newspaper described the flag as being blood stained. The original flag can still be seen at the Lew Wallace Museum in Indiana. (This flag has now been returned to Monocacy, Maryland.)
Soon after this battle, the 17th found themselves at Appomattox. They fought in the battle, but did not surrender. Company F cut their way through Union lines and rode all day and all night towards the south. Intending to join with General Johnson; However, the news of Lee’s surrender reached them first. Company F then disbanded. A few of them went to a post and were paroled, but most of them went directly to their homes and never took the oath to serve the Union. Thus they were and always will be Rebels.

This informatin was also complied by Linda Cunningham Fluharty. And is in the book "Wood County West Virginia" by H. E. Matheny