Virginia Memory, Library of Virginia
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THIS DAY IN VIRGINIA HISTORY

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June 05, 1864

Series V, Records of the Virginia Prohibition Commission, 1916–1934, Accession 42740, State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Series V, Records of the Virginia Prohibition Commission, 1916–1934, Accession 42740, State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

W. C. Saunders Was Wounded at the Battle of Piedmont

According to this later account in the Richmond Journal, Major W. C. Saunders was shot through the chest at the Civil War Battle of Piedmont. Although Saunders initially seemed to have sustained a mortal wound, a local citizen observed that he was still alive and revived the major with mountain whiskey (moonshine). This story was used by Major Saunders to encourage anti-prohibition sentiment, and he wrote regularly until his death to the Virginia Prohibition Commission for a transportation permit for his medicinal whiskey.