The Steeles, like so many of their neighbors in Logan, sided mostly with the South. It's known that at least five of Ralph A. Steele's seven sons served with the Confederacy, and it's believed they all did.

HAWKINS: Enlisted in the 60th Va. Infantry (Wise Legion) in Charleston, VA (7/20/61). He was hospitalized at CSA Gen. Military Hospital #4, Wilmington, NC, for what appeared to be typhoid fever. Granted amnesty after taking a loyalty oath (4/1865). In the same company was Ralph Steele, who enlisted in Princeton (12/11/62) at age 20, and died in the Gen. Military Hospital at Mt. Jackson, VA (8/30/1864). This was probably Hawkins' son, who is shown in the 1850 Census as seven years of age.

LEWIS: Enl. in Co. 1, 129th Militia (8/27/61); Co. A, Va. State Line (9/10/62); and Co. B, 45th Battlion, Va. Inf. (5/1/63).

LORENZO DOW: Enlisted in Co. B, 36th Va. Inf. (5/27/61), and discharged on a disability (4/4/62). He later enl. in Co. I, 1st VSL (date ?) & Co. B, 45th Battalion, Va. Infantry (5/1/63).

JOHN: Enlisted in Co. I, 1st VSL (date unknown) and Co. B., 45th Battalion, Va. Inf. (5/1/63). He was taken POW at Winchester, VA on 9/19/64, sent to Point Lookout, MD where he was held until exchanged on 2/18/65. He died of pneumonia at the Receiving & Wayside Hospital in Richmond 4 days later at age 35. Believed to be Ralph's son.

GEORGE: Enlisted in Co. 1, 129th Militia (8/27/61) and Co. E., 45th Battalion, Va. Infantry (7/5/63).

SAMUEL S.: Enlisted in Co. A, 2nd VSL (date ?), later enlisted in Co. D, 22nd Va. Cav. (5/1/63) in Russell Co., VA. Resident of Hansonville Community according to 1860 Census for Russell Co. Also believed to be Ralph's son.

WILLIAM A.: Enlisted in Co. 1, 129th Militia (8/27/61), Co. I, 1st VSL (9/10/62), and Co. B, 45th Battlion, Va. Inf. (5/1/63). At the conclusion of the war, he took a loyalty oath and was paroled in Charleston, WV on 5/9/65.