A 12 year-old slave, portrayed by by Hinton native Mekia Crawford, led Yankees from Callahan VA across the mountains to Hillsboro, WV on the icy return from the Salem Raid. It happened 150 years ago this December.
Link to news about the film: Raleigh Register-Herald article by Catherine Moore
Locally-made documentary film viewed in Sandstone and Sutton
Averell’s Raiders ride across the big screen at two upcoming regional events. This documentary is one feature of the Hidden History Weekend, September 27 - 29th, presented at various venues in southern West Virginia. Averell’s Raiders & the 35th Star will be shown at the National Park Service Visitor Center auditorium in Sandstone, 2PM on September 29th. That showing is free and open to the public.
The two-hour film is also entered in the West Virginia FILMmakers Festival, held in Sutton on October 4, 5 and 6. Averell’s Raiders is the final film in the festival lineup, scheduled for 2:20 Sunday afternoon. A festival pass is $25, though a ticket to see an individual film is $10. The full schedule is available online.
Averell’s Raiders is a true story of the Civil War in West Virginia, focusing on the command of Union General William Woods Averell. This story of the birth of West Virginia is the work of Summers County filmmaker Jon Averill (a distant cousin of the Civil War general). Many Summers County residents took part in the filming. The battles of White Sulphur Springs, Droop Mountain, Cloyd’s Mountain, and the Salem Raid are re-lived in the production. If you are unable to attend a showing, Averell’s Raiders is available on Blu-ray or DVD at Oak & Otter, Richmond’s Store, area National Park Visitor Centers, and Tamarack. Further information can be found at www.averellsraiders.com.
The two-hour film is also entered in the West Virginia FILMmakers Festival, held in Sutton on October 4, 5 and 6. Averell’s Raiders is the final film in the festival lineup, scheduled for 2:20 Sunday afternoon. A festival pass is $25, though a ticket to see an individual film is $10. The full schedule is available online.
Averell’s Raiders is a true story of the Civil War in West Virginia, focusing on the command of Union General William Woods Averell. This story of the birth of West Virginia is the work of Summers County filmmaker Jon Averill (a distant cousin of the Civil War general). Many Summers County residents took part in the filming. The battles of White Sulphur Springs, Droop Mountain, Cloyd’s Mountain, and the Salem Raid are re-lived in the production. If you are unable to attend a showing, Averell’s Raiders is available on Blu-ray or DVD at Oak & Otter, Richmond’s Store, area National Park Visitor Centers, and Tamarack. Further information can be found at www.averellsraiders.com.
As West Virginia prepares to celebrate its 150th birthday, a new documentary film tells the story West Virginia’s secession from Virginia during the storm of war. Averell’s Raiders & the 35th Star follows the Union army’s defense of the new state of West Virginia, along with its attacks on Confederate infrastructure in Saltville, Wytheville, Radford and Salem launched from secure mountain bases in West Virginia. The film tells stories of brave mountain people living in small communities in West Virginia and bordering Virginia counties.
Spring of 1863 brought a Confederate invasion of western Virginia in an attempt to stop the birth of the new state. The Federal army then assigned General William Woods Averell to organize, train and lead what were then widely scattered and disorganized units of West Virginia infantry. The daring raids under his leadership secured the boundaries of the new state during the Civil War.
Averell’s Raiders and the 35th Star is fast-paced documentary storytelling featuring primary sources such as diaries, field journals, and memoirs from those who witnessed the events. Historians Eric J. Wittenberg, Dr. David Bard, Scott Patchan, Mike Smith, John D. Long and Howard McManus contribute their expertise to the narrative. General Averell’s 3rd great nephew, Ralph Dascomb Rhodes, also helped in the research and articulation of the movie. Many scenes in Averell’s Raiders are dramatized by Civil War reenactor groups and actors from southern West Virginia. Original music and renditions of Civil War music by southern West Virginian artists Jordan Hart, Greg and Tish Westman, Jim Costa, and Zack Merritt provide an essential component to this artful film.
Jon Averill, a distant cousin of the General, spent over a year researching and producing the movie. His last work, Passing Thru Sandstone, played at the Ritz Theatre in Hinton to sellout crowds and appeared on WV Public Television. Filmed in high definition and featuring stunning scenery, Averell’s Raiders runs almost two hours. Tickets for the Memorial Day premiere at the Ritz in Hinton are on sale at Otter and Oak, 2nd Avenue, Hinton (304 466-4870) and at Richmond’s Store in Sandstone. Tickets are $6. A sneak preview, open to media, cast, and special guests happens on Saturday, May 25th at 1PM. A limited number of advance tickets are also available for the preview. The film is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Check www.averellsraiders.com for more information.
Write to Jon at <[email protected]> for more information.