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“Come, children and listen; I’ll tell you in rhyme
A story of something that happened one time.
There was war in the land, and each brave heart beat high,
And many went forth for their country to die …
And the heat of the battle is borne by the strong;
But no matter how small or unfit for the field,
Or how feeble or graceless the weapon you wield,
O fail not, until the last enemy’s gone,
To stand up and show all which side you are on!”

—Anna Rosalie Henderson, Which Side Are You On?
published in Junior Recitations, 1922

The Hendersons were like many families during the U.S. Civil War, with family members fighting on the sides of the Union and the Confederacy. George Washington Henderson Jr enlisted in the Union Army in 1862, serving at Camp Chase in Columbus while his father, George Washington Henderson Sr, was serving as a delegate for at the Wheeling Convention that ultimately resulted in the statehood of West Virginia. Although G.W. was a slave owner, he was a strong supporter of the Union and stepped up to serve as a delegate even though it meant his family would endure hardships at home because of his absence.

On the other side of Virginia, the sons of Archibald Henderson, Richard Henry Henderson and Octavius Cazenove Henderson both held high positions within the Confederate Army. Both were cousins of George Washington Henderson Sr.

Anna Rosalie McIntosh Henderson’s family was directly impacted by the war when her cousin Alexander was killed at the battle of Gettysburg. Anna Rosalie wrote several poems about the war and the toll it took on families. These poems appeared in different publications, including her book Life and Song and in Junior Recitations.

The area surrounding Henderson Hall played role in the U.S. Civil War, primarily due to its strategic location along the Ohio River and the vital B&O Railroad. There was activity from both sides, with Union forces constructing Fort Boreman in Parkersburg to protect the railroad and Confederate forces attempting incursions into the state.