In early 1862 there were reports of small bands of armed Unionists sniping Confederate forces operating in the Laurel Valley area of Madison County, North Carolina. According to Maj. Marcus Erwin of the 2nd NC Battalion-Infantry, the people in Madison and surrounding counties "have been considerably and not unnecessarily alarmed on account of certain disloyal men on Laurel whose depredations in the way of robbing, murdering, &c. have reached a point beyond the endurance of the citizens of this part of the state." These "depredations" continued for much of 1862 and were reported frequently in North Carolina and Tennessee newspapers.

The Asheville News speculated in November of 1862 that these Unionists were "men from East Tennessee, who have fled from their homes to avoid the conscript law." The 112th NC Regiment of Militia of Haywood County, led by Col. Christopher C. Rogers, numbering 250 men along with 60 Cherokee Indians (probably members of Thomas's Legion) "were holding them in check." Runners had been sent to Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Department of East Tennessee, requesting assistance. Maj. Gen. Smith was absent, but Brig. Gen. Henry Heth, acting commander of the department, dispatched Company G of Col. James R. Love's Regiment-Thomas's Legion (NC), to assist the North Carolina Militia at that time.

On January 5, 1863, North Carolina Governor Zebulon B. Vance wrote to the Confederate Secretary of War, James A Seddon, about the increasing problem of deserters lurking in the mountains of the state and the need for more troops to defend it. "The militia has become too feeble to resist them, as that section has turned out its proportion for the war with the greatest patriotism and unanimity." Gov. Vance's proposed solution was to organize a small force "under the command of experienced officers" that would be called out when needed, armed and equipped at the expense of the state, if President Jefferson Davis would accept them into Confederate service on these limited terms.

Secretary Seddon essentially offered no help from the Confederate government — he recommended that Gov. Vance call out the militia. Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith (CSA, Department of North Carolina & Southern Virginia) disagreed — he was clearly not an admirer of the North Carolina Militia — and he wrote to Secretary Seddon that "it was not advisable to call out the militia at this time, and I will add that I do not think it will ever be advisable to do so."

Later in January of 1863, a band of about fifty (50) Unionists raided Marshall, the county seat of Madison County, North Carolina — they seized salt then plundered part of the town, including the home of Col. Lawrence M. Allen of the 64th NC Regiment (State Troops). These marauders were believed to be men from Shelton Laurel. Confederates in the area were sent to search for the culprits, supported by the Militia regiments from Madison (110th NC Regiment of Militia), Yancey (111th NC Regiment of Militia), and Buncombe (108th & 109th NC Regiments of Militia) counties. None reported anything of these searches.

Brig. Gen. James G. Martin (CSA, Department of North Carolina & Southern Virginia) instructed Col. John W. McElroy, of the 111th NC Regiment of Militia, that Gov. Vance intended the Militia to exercise the primary role in rounding up the marauders and to suppress the violence — however, Col. McElroy was also instructed to put his Militia under the command of any Confederate officer with equal or greater rank that might be assigned to go after the Unionists. Again, there are no reports that this was done.

On January 18th, Lt. Col. James A. Keith led a detachment of three (3) companies of the 64th NC Regiment (State Troops) to Shelton Laurel and captured several men and boys suspected of participation in the earlier raid on the town of Marshall. Locals were tortured to reveal the names of the bandits, and, once identified, these Unionists (old men and boys) were apprehended. The prisoners were escorted towards Knoxville, Tennessee, but along the way Lt. Keith ordered thirteen (13) of the prisoners shot at a spot along the roadside, including three (3) boys between the ages of 13 and 16. Ironically, the North Carolina Militia regiments instructed to handle this matter were not even remotely involved in the capture or murdering of the suspected Unionists.

The "massacre" sparked a large controversy and greatly disturbed Gov. Vance, a native of nearby Buncombe County. Brig. Gen. William G.M. Davis (CSA, Department of Tennessee), who had been dispatched by Brig. Gen. Henry Heth with troops from Tennessee to suppress Unionist activity reported, inaccurately, to Gov. Vance that he had no evidence of Unionists in the mountain region he was patrolling. Brig. Gen. Davis then announced his pan to have the 111th NC Regiment of Militia disband since they were no longer needed. He then placed the surviving prisoners in the hands of Col. John W. McElroy of the 111th NC Regiment of Militia to transport to jail, and instructed Col. McElroy "to turn your attention to Yancey County when you are through with Madison before disbanding the Militia."

After the war, Lt. Col. James A. Keith was arrested for his actions at Shelton Laurel, but he was spared prosecution by presidential amnesty. No one ever stood trial for the Shelton Laurel murders.

North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XX, P.238-241.

https://www.ncpedia.org/shelton-laurel-massacre

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelton_Laurel_massacre