Yale University Library

39002002962737

A REGORB

OF

EVENTS IN NORFOLK COUNTY, VIRGINIA, FROM APRIL 19th, 1861,
TO MA Y lOoh, 1862, WITH A HISTORY OF THE SOLDIERS
AND SAILORS OF NORFOLK COUNTY, NORFOLK CITY
AND PORTSMOUTH WHO SERVED IN THE
CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY OR NAVY.

BY
JOHN W. H. POETEE,
A COMEADE OF STONEWALL CAMP, CONFEDEKATE VETERANS,
OF POETSMOUTH, VA.

POETSMOITTH, VA.!
W. A. FISKE, PEnSTTEE AND BOOKBINDEB,
1892.

Cc7,2. iS

TO
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WM. H. STBWABT, FOBMEBLY OF NOBFOLK COUNTY, BUT NOW A
CITIZEN OF POKTSMOUTH, WHO SEBVED FAITHFULLY THEOUGH THJl WAE FBOM TBE
BEGINNING TO THE END, AS LIEUTENANT, CAPTAIN, MAJOB AND LIEUTENANT-
COLONEL, AND TO WHOSE ASSISTANCB IS DUE THE COLLECTION OF MANT INTEBES-
TIN6 FAOTS CONTAINED IN THIS TOLUME ; TO STONEWALL CAMP, CONFEDEB-
ATE TETEBANS, OP PORTSMOUTH, AT WHOSE SUGGESTION THIS WORK WAS
BEGUN ; TO PICKETT-BUCHANAN CAMP, OP NOBFOLK, WHICH IS PER-
FOEM1N6 A GOOD TASK IN BELIEVING THE NECESSITIES OP MANY
OLD COMBADES IN THE ARMY OF NORTHEEN VIRGINIA, AND TO
THE THIBTY-POUE HUNDRED MEN OP NOBFOLK COUNTY,
NORFOLK CITY AND PORTSMOUTH, WHO BID ADIEU TO
THEIR HOMES AND KINDRED ON THE IGTH OF MAY,
IStiS, AND MARCHED FORTH UNDER THE BAN
NERS OF THE SOUTH,
THIS BOOK IS EESPECTFITLLY DEDICATED
BY

The Autboe.

PREFACE.

Stonewall Camp, Confederate Veterans, of Portsmouth, being
desirous of preserving the names of the Confederate soldiers and
sailors of this county, appointed various historical committees ; but
slow progress was made, and each succeeding year rendered the task
more diificult of accomplishment. Having been an eye-witness
of some of the scenes herein related, and having become pos
sessed of many authentic records and personal reminiscences, I
have, by request, undertaken the work. I have collected the
names of more than thirty-three hundred men who marched
under tl^e Southern flag, from their homes in Norfolk county on
that memorable 10th of May, 1862, and have followed them
through the smoke of battle, in the hospitals, and sometimes
through prison walls, recording when and where they' were
wounded, or when and where they died. In a work of this char
acter, the first which ever sought to tell the history of the private
soldier in the ranks as well as the doings of the' officer in com
mand, and which must depend largely upon recollection, much of
necessity, will be left out which should be made to appear ; for
memory, after a lapse of more than a quarter of a centui-y, will
sometimes fail to recall events just as they happened, and com
rades who were associated witJi us then have j)assed out of mind,
but nmch has been rescued from oblivion. The mistakes are
more tiiose of omission than of commission. I liave not succeeded
in getting the names of the Portsmouth men in the Navy Yard
in Eichmond who, like the Jews at the rebuilding of King Solo
mon's Temple, worked with their tools while their swords were
by their sides ready to be taken up at a moment's notice. Those
men were in the trenches around Eichmond almost as much as
they were employed in their workshops, and their names should
appear in this b6ok, but nearly all of the Confederate Navy De
partment records appear to have been destroyed. Most of the
men were advanced in years and have " passed beyond the river,"

I have ascertained and published ithe names of 1,018 men from
Norfolk county, of whom 280 were killed or died during the war,
1,119 who enlisted in Norfolk, city companies, of whom 176 were
killed or died, and 1,242 from Portsmouth, of whom 199 were
killed or died, making a total of 3,379 men, of whom 655 gave
up their lives for the cause in which they enlisted, and hundreds
of others were disabled from wounds. A number of Norfolk county
men were in the Princess Anne Cavalry and in Company F, 3d
Virginia Eegiment, which was recruited principally in Nanse-
mond county, and these will more than offset the Nansemond men
in Company I, 9tli Virginia Infantry. Tracing up tliese facts has
required months of patient research and inquiry. If I have not
given each man as extended a record as he deserves I hope he
will consider the humber of names in the book and the limitless
bounds it would occupy if not condensed.
J. W. H. P.

CONTENTS.
Chaptek. Page,
I. The first year of the war in Portsmouth, .... 9
II. The Portsmouth Light Artillery  88
III. The Dismal Swamp Rangers, Co. .\, 3d Va., . . . 47
IV. The Virginia Riflemc'fi, Co. B, 3d Va., .... 52
V. The National Grays, Co. H, 3d Va.,  57
VI. The Third Virginia Regiment,  63
VII. Capt. Jno. H. Myers' Company, Co. E, Cth Va., . . 70
VIII. The Virginia Artillery, Co. D, 9th Va., .... 73
IX. The Portsmouth Rifles, Co. G, 9th Va  78
X. The Craney Island Artillery, Co. I, 9th Va., . . . 8(i
XL The Old Dominion Guard, Co. K, 9th Va,, ... 93
XII. The Ninth Virginia Regiment, .'  101
XIIL The Virginia Defenders, Co. C, 16th Va., . . . .126
XIV. The St. Bride's Artillery, Co. 1, 38th Va., . . . .132
XV. The Norfolk County Rifle Patriots, Co. F, 41st Va., . 136
XVI. The Jackson Grays, Co. A, 61st V.,  141
XVIL The Wilson Guard, Co. B, 61st Va.,  147
XVIII. The Blanchard Grays. Co. C, 61st Va  151
XIX. The Jackson Light infantry, Co. D, 61st Va., . . . 154
XX. The Border Rifles, Co. E, 61st Va.,  157
XXI. The Virginia Rangers, Co. H, 61st Va., . , . .161
XXII. The Bilisoly Blues, Co. I, 61st Va.,  164
X:^nL Company K, 61st Va., Co. K. 61st Va., . . . .169
XXIV. The Sixty -First Virginia Regiment, . . . .173
XXV. In Outside Commands, . ... . . . 200
KXVI. The St.- Bride's Cavalry, Co. F, 15th Va. Cavalry, . . 206
XXVII. Field and Staff  210
XXVIII. The Wise Light Dragoons  • . .220
^..-'-XXIV. In the Navy— Portsmouth,  221
XXX. Operations Around Norfolk, 1861-2, .... 228
XXXI. Norfolk Light Artillery Blues,-  247
XXXII. Norfolk Light Artillery, (Huger's Battery), . . . 255
XXXIII. Company A, 6th Virginia Regiment, .... 259
XXXIV. Woodis Riflemen, Co. C, 6th Va.,  262
XXXV. The Norfolk Light Infantry, Co. D, 6th Va., . . .266
XXXVI. Company F, Co. G, 6th Va  269
XXXVII. The Independent Grays, Co. H, 6th Va., . . . .276
XXXVIII. The Sixth Virginia Regiment,  279
XXXIX. The Norfolk Juniors, Co. H, 12th Va., . . . .288
XL. The Atlantic Artillery,  294
XLI. The United Artillery,  296
XLII. Young's Harbor Guard,  .301
XLIII. The Signal Corps,  304
XLIV. Field and Staff, . ,  306
XLV. In the Navy— Norfolk,  313
XLVI. In Other Commands,  324
XLVII. The First Iron-clad, the Virginia,  327
XLVIII. The Battle in Hampton Roadei,  358

ERRATA.

Page 42, liiie 20, for July 14th read July 1st.
55, " 5, for 1884^5 read 1864-5.
55, " 49, for Five Forks read Appomattox.
74, " 37, for June, 1862, read June, 1863.
83, *' 1, for Barton read Barton.
127, " 29, for Company G read Company C.
129, " 47, for September 30th read September 14th.
139, head line, for 61st Virginia read 41st.
175, line 38, for 1892 read 1862.
190, " 24, for Maj. J. T. Woodhouse, read Lieut. Col.
E. O. "Whitehead.
207, " 47, for Israel Eason read Isaac.
249, " 12, for Petersburg read Fredericksburg.
289, " 46, for May 19th-21st, '62, read '61.
34S, " 8, for 1861 read 1862.
In Thos. Scott's Advertisement add Undertaking.

CHAPTEE I.
THE FIRST YEAE OF THE WAE IN POETSMOUTH.
Thirty-one years have gone by since the beginning of the strug
gle between the States which, raging for four years, reached
nearly every portion of the South, from the Potomac to the Eio
Grande, and left in its devastating track blazing homes and wasted
fields. In no previous war in the history of tlie world's battles
was there a greater display of bravery and fortitude than the
people of the Southern States put forth in defence of those prin
ciples of self government which had been in.stilled in them from
the foundation of the American Union, and no braver men served
under the banners of the Southern Confederacy than those whom
the City of Norfolk, the City of Portsmouth and County of
Norfolk sent to the front when the Governor of Virginia issued
his call for volunteers. Thfey were brave men and courageous
soldiers, fighting most of the time in defence of the honies and
families of others, while their own homes and families were in
the possession of the enemy, but, in the many struggles of that
long and weary war, in the heroic charge of Pickett's Division at
Gettysburg, in the determined rush of Mahone's Brigade at the
" Crater," proving their devotion to Virginia and the metal that
was in them.
Many of them fell upon the field of battle, or died from dis
eases contracted from exposure iu the line ol duty, and many re
turned home with a leg or an arm gone or with bones brokei;i,
and disabled, while those who survived the ordeal of battle and
exposure are rapidly passing away.
The twenty-seven years since the last gun was fired and the last
soldier of the South laid down his arrns, have witnessed the funeral
of many a survivor of " the Lost Cause," and while there are still
enough left to tell the tale, and before memory becomes dimmed
by age, it is proper that the names and deeds of those who, had
success crowned their bravery and devotion, would have Hved in
history and in song as heroes and patriots should be collected and
preserved. The record of the men who marched from this county is one to
which future generations of their children may recur with pride.
From the General at the head of his brigade to the humblest sol
dier m the ranks, " Fame crowned their brows with an amaranthine
wreath that will never fade,*' and the object of this modest volume
is to collect and preserve this record.
The city of Portsmouth sent more men to the Confederate
cause than there were voters in the city, and it has been said by

10 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5. ¦
one who has given the subject suflficient study to speak advisedly,
that there was not an important battle fought east of the Missis-
sip|)i river during the entire war in which there was not present
a soldier from Portsmouth. At this late day memory cannot
recall the names of all those brave men who, upon distant battle
fields, so gallantly upheld the name and fame of the little city
which gave tliem birth and sent thom forth at the call of duty,
hence many of tiiiem will necessarily be omitted from its' pages;
passed from memory as the years roll by !
I leave to the general historian the task of tracing out the
progress of campaigns and describing the manoeuvres, the charges
and the struggles when armies met in deadly combat, and will
endeavor to tell, as well as I can, the part which Norfolk, Ports
mouth and the county of Norfolk took in that great war. The
history of one is the history of the other, for their companies •
stood shoulder to shoulder in the same regiments, marched to the
tap of the same drum^, sat by the same camp fires and fell upon
the same battle fields.
In the year 1861 Portsmouth, fhe county seat of Norfolk
county, was a city of about nine thousand inhabitants, of whom
less than six thousand were white persons. Norfolk county, ex
clusive of tlie cities of Noa-folk and Portsmouth, contained a pop
ulation of about twelve thousand, of whom about seven thousand
were white persons. The Gosport navy yard, the most important
of the United States Naval Stations, was located at the southern
extremity of the city, and, on account of the large amount of
work done there by the Government, usually gave employment to
from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred mechanics and laborers.
The city was prosperous and contented, and when the question of
seceding from the Federal Union came before the people on the
4th of February, 1861, in the form of an election for delegates to
the State Convention, Portsmouth and Norfolk county, which
together were entitled to two delegates, elected Dr. "ViUiam
Wliite and Mr. James G. Holladay upon what was known as the
Union ticket, by a large majoi-ity'over Messrs. James Murdaugh
and Samuel M. Wilson, who ran upon Avhat was known as the
Secession ticket. The Union sentiment predominated largely in
the State Convention also, but, unfortunately, the sentiment of
the men who controlled the North was in favor of forcing' rather
than persuading back into the Union the States which had already
seceded, and, in obedience to that sentiment. President Lincoln
issued his call for 75,000 troops, assigning to Virginia her pro
portionate share. Then it became evident that Virginia would
not be permitted to hold a neutral position but would be com
pelled to fight with or against the other Southern States, and the
convention underwent a change of opinion. It was held that it
would be better to stand or fall with those States than to take up

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 11
arms against them, and meji who were elected as Union delegates
voted to submit to the people, for ratification or rejection, the
Ordinance of Secession. This resolution was passed April 17th,
1861, and was to be submitted to a vote of the people on th6 fourth
Thiirsday in May following, but the State was virtually out of the
Union from the day tlie convention adopted the ordinance.
It will not avail .anything to discuss the right of a State to se
cede from tlie Federal Union, for, whether the right existed or
not, under the Constitution, it has been stamped put under the
feet of more than a million of soldiers, but six years after that
date the Congress of the United States, which denied the right of
the States to go out of the Union of their own accord, claimed
for itself the right and authority to put them out, and the South
ern States became territories, under military governors, and, after
going through a course of reconstruction prescribed by act of
Congress, were readmitted into the Union as States, with their
, constitutions radically altered to suit the views of the majority in
Congress. As a prerequisite to their readmission into the Union,
they were required to vote to ratify certain amendments to the
Constitution of the United States ; hence those amendments were
adopted and became the law of the land by the a;id of the votes
of States which \\'ere out of the Union, by act of Congress, and
under military government. - But this discussion is foreign to the
object for which this work is being written. Virginia, by virtue
of a reservation in the resolution by which her Legislature ratified
the Constitution of the United States and consented to become a
State in the Federal Union, always claimed the right to withdraw
therefrom. In that resolution she said :
"The powers granted under the Constitution, being derived
from the people of the United States, may be resumed by them
whensoever the same may be perverted to their injury or oppres
sion." And the State Convention, believing the time had arrived
when the powers conferred upon the General Government were
being perverted to the injury of the people of Virginia, and that
the State had the legal and constitutional right to do so, decided
to withdraw from that compact.
The State Convention passed the ordinance of secession on the
17th of April, 1861, but it was not made public immediately. On
the night of the 18th General William B. Taliaferro arrived in
Norfolk with authority from Governor Letcher to take command
of the Virginia forces in that city, and on the same day Lieuten
ants Eobert B. Pegram and Catesby Ap. E. Jones, who had re- ,
signed from the United States Navy, were appointed by the
Governor captains in the Virginia Navy, with orders to take
command of the naval station and organize naval defences.
General Taliaferro was accompanied by Major Nathaniel Tyler

12 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
and Captain Henry Heth as his stafi, and .the Virginia military
forces in the vicinity consisted of the Norfolk Juniors, Indepen
dent Grays, Woodis Eifles, Company F, and the Light Artillery
Blues of Norfolk City; the Portsmouth Eifles, Old Dominion
Guard, National Grays, Marion Eifles and Portsmouth Light
Artillery, of Portsmouth, and the Dismal Swamp Eangers, of
Deep Creek, and the Eifle Patriots, of Great Bridge, Norfolk
county, the twelve companies numbering probably eight hundred
and flf ty men, but without any ammunition. The two artillery ¦
companies had each four light guns. The naval forces at the
disposal of Captain Pegram consisted of absolutely nothing.
There was also in Norfolk county a small cavalry company, the
Wise Light Dragoons.
The Navy Yard was under the command of Commodore Mc-
Cauley, who, under the very peculiar circumstances which sur
rounded him, was uncertain how to act, and the Navy Depart
ment at Washington left him without instructions. He had re
ceived orders on the 16th from the Department to immediately
flt'out the Merrimac, to put her guns on her without loss of time
(they had been taken ashore), and to send her, with the other
vessels capable of being moved, together with the ordnance,
stores, &c., beyond the reach of seizure.
Commodore McCauley construed the order to mean a desire on
the part of the Navy Department to abandon the station, and did
not feel_ authorized to disobey the order to the extent of bringing
on hostilities by maintaining possession of the Navy Yard and
firing upon the City of Portsmouth, more especially as the United
States Government had made no hostile demonstration against
the State of Virginia.
There were at the Navy Yard at that time, the sloop-of-war
Cumberland, 22 guns, in commission, with a full complement of
ofiicers and men on board ; the sloops-of-war Plymouth, 22 guns,
and Germantown, 22 guns, and the brig Dolphin, 6 guns, almost
ready for sea; the steam frigate Merrimac, 40 guns, almost ready
for sea and undergoing repairs ; the line of battle ship Pennsyl
vania, 120 guns, in commission as a receiving ship, with a consider
able crew on board, and the 74-gun ships Delaware and Columbus,
and the frigates Earitan, Columbia and United States, dismantled
and m ordinary. The force of sailors and marines on the various
vessels and at the Navy Yard was probably about 600, well armed
and abundantly supplied with ammunition. The Plymouth Ger
mantown, Dolphin and Merrimac were lying alongside the wharves
and men were working on them. The Delaware and Columbus
were at a wharf at the southern end of the yard, and might have
been considered as in "Eotten Eow," a term applied to vessels
lor which the Government no longer has any use
Commodore McCauley might have held the Navy Yard for a

THE IIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 13
considerable time against any forces at the disposal of the State of
Virginia. The Cumberland and Pennsylvania could have swept
it with their guns, and he has been considerably censured for not
doing so, but there was another side to the question. The Penn
sylvania might have been considered as stationary. She was sup
posed to have been fast in the mud, and could easily have been
enfiladed by batteries on shore, in such a position that her broad
side could not be brought to bear on them, and furthermore, it
would have been possible, shut up in a close harbor as those two
vessels were, to have captured them by a determined attack, by
boarders at night, just as General Magruder, later in the war,
captured the steamer Harriet Lane in Galveston harbor. By the
erection of batteries on the St. Helena side of the river, opposite
the Navy Yard, the Cumberland could have been driven away or
destroyed. She would have been compelled to have relied upon
her sails for motive power. It is true the State of Virgima had
nothing heavier than twelve-pounder howitzers with which to
man those batteries, but Commodore McCauley was not familiar
with the resources of the State, and therefore, in the light of the
last orders he had received from Washington, determined to leave
with what he could take with him and destroy the remainder.
His determination was quickened by reports which reached him
that the Virginia forces were sinking obstructions in the river
below Fort Norfolk and erecting batteries. He was deceived also
by the continued moving of trains on the Norfolk and Petersburg
Eailroad within hearing of the Navy Yard, and thought they
were bringing troops to Norfolk. This was done by General
Mahone, who was then president of the railroad company, for the
purpose of creating just such an impression.
The work of destruction began a little before noon on the 20tli,
and the frigate Merrimac was the first object of the destroyers.
Carpenters and machinists were at work on her at the time. The
carpenter of the Cumberland, with a small squad of sailors to
assist him, opened her bilge cocks and she filled with water and
settled quietly until she rested on the bottom. Owing to her
great draft of water she did not settle far.
After the 12 o'clock bell was rung for the workmen to knock
off for dinner, the gates of the Navy Yard were closed, and no
one waspermitted to enter without the approval of the Commo
dore. The work of destruction then proceeded very rapidly. The
standing rigging of the Germantown was cut away and the guys
which held Sie neavy masting shears were cut in two, so that the
shears fell across her and she was broken and sunk. The Ply
mouth and Dolphin also were scuttled, as were also the 74-gun
ships Delaware and Columbus, but on account of their great
depth they were not submerged.
During the afternoon it became generally known in Portsmouth

14 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
that the vessels and stores in the Navy Yard were being destroyed
and a rumor became prevalent that it was the intention of Com
modore McCauley to set the buildings on fire. This, it was feared,
would cause serious damage in tlie city, as it was separated from
the yard only by the width of Lincoln street, which was but sixty
feet wide, and a meeting of citizens was held, at which Messrs.
Samuel Watts, James Murdaugh and William H. Peters were
appointed a committee to wait upon Commodore McCauley to
endeavor to i^ersuade him to reconsider that purpose, if he really
entertained it, but the Commodore refused to see them and they
were denied admission into, the yard.
About dusk the sloop-of-war Pawnee, under Captain Paulding,
steamed up to the Navy Yard, and her crew were added to the
wrecking force. It is said the torch was applied by the orders of
Captain Paulding. The long building on the north . front of the
yard, facing Lincoln street, and in which was the main entrance,
was set on fire and totally destroyed. This building, among other
things, contained the armory of the yard, and its hundreds of
rifles, carbines, pistols, cutlasses, and other ordnance stores, besides
ropes, canvas, &c. The two large ship houses, A and B, were'
also fired. Ship house A had in it, on the stocks, the 74-gun ship
New York, completely framed, with her deck beams, carliiies and
knees completed, and partially planked, inside and out, and her
decks partially laid.
The fire from the ship houses communicated to the Merrimac,
Plymouth, Germantown and Dolphin, and all of them that was
above the water was consumed. The Pennsylvania, Earitan and
Columbia, which were anchored out in the stream, shared the fate
of the ship houses. They were set on fire and burned almost
down to their keels. Several* buildings, containing stores of va,-
rious kinds, were fired and, together with their valuable contents,
totally destroyed.
An effort was made to destroy the usefulness of the heavy
cannon, hundreds of which were in the yard, by breaking off their
trunions with mauls, but this was successful in onlyl few in
stances. There was a large quantity of Kquor in the spirit room
in the naval store house, and the sailors,- getting possession of this
liquor, filled themselves so full of it that they were unable to keep
up the work of destruction. . They spiked a number of the cannon
with nails, but these were easily gotten out subsequently bv the
Confederates. j j
History says an attempt was made to blow up 'the large stone
dry dock but that it was discovered by the Confederates in time
to prevent its successful accompHshmeiit, but history is at fault in
this instance, as in many others. The true reason why the dock
was not blown up has never before been published, and the proof
of it seems conclusive. On the morning of the 21st, about day-

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 15
break, detachments from the Portsmouth military companies
which had been under arms all night, marched into the Navy
Yard and took possession of it, and Privates David A. Williams,
of the Old Dominion Guard, and Joseph F. Weaver, of the
Portsmouth Eifie Company, attracted by curiosity, strolled down
to the dry dock, and, looking down into it, noticed a train of
loose powder, leading down to the culvert at the northeast corner.
Mr. Williams immediately ran down into the dock and broke the
connection by kicking one of the planks down. They then hunted
for the fuse or slow match, but did not succeed in finding it, and
concluded that after the train was laid the orders to blow it up
had been countermanded, or that there had been some other hitch
in the proceedings. Soon afterwards the wicket gate was opened by
the Confederates and the water turned into the dock. This
caused about thirty barrels of powder to float out of the culvert.
The cause of the failure to ignite the train of powder remained
a mystery until the following February, when it was discovered
by a singular coincidence. Mr. Weaver had, in the meantime,
been appointed a carpenter in the Confederate States Navy, and
was attached to the steamer Seabird in the fight at Eoanoke
Island February 7th, 1862, between the small fleet of small steam
ers under Commodore Lynch, and the greatly superior force of
United States vessels. Ihe Island fell into the hands of the Fed
erals on the 8th, and Commodore Lyneh's fleet, having fired away
all of its ammunition, fell back to Elizabeth City for a new sup
ply, but did not succeed in obtaining any. On the 9th the Fed
eral fleet arrived before Elizabeth City, and the tugs Ealeigh and
Beaufort escaped though the Dismal S'wamp Canal, but the Sea-
bird and Fanny were too wide to get through the locks. The ,
Seabird was sunk by a 9-inch Coluinbiad and her crew were cap
tured. While a prisoner on board a Federal gunboat Mr. Weaver
¦formed the acquaintance of a master's mate, with whose mess he
obtained his meals, and the mate, finding out that he was from
Portsmouth, told him about the attempt to blow up the dry dock
at the Navy Yard. He said he had charge of a party of sailors,
with orders to destroy it ; ' that he put the powder in, and he de
scribed to Mr. Weaver the arrangement of the planks to hold the
train, just as Mr. Weaver had seen it on the morning of the 21st
of April ; that after the powder had been placed in the culvert
and the train was laid to it, he sent the sailors to their boat,
lighted the fuse, and then, instead 'of placing it where it would
ignite the powder, threw it overboard. He gave as a reason for
doing so, that he had a number of friends living in Portsmouth
near the Navy Yard, who had been very kind to him ; that the
quantity of powder with which the dock was mined was sufficient
to have blown some of the stone beyond the Navy Yard wall,

16 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
and, in falling, it might have crushed in some of the houses and
killed some of the women and children in the. city, and he did not
care to be the instrument to take their lives. He said he lighted
the match so that he would be able to report that he had done so,
and he had no apprehension that any of the officers or men would
go back to the dock to see if it was biirning.
His account tallies exactly with what Mr. Williams and Mr.
Weaver saw when they went to the dock that morning, and as
they were the first to go there, there is no reason to doubt its cor
rectness. He could not have so accurately described the situation
unless he had seen it. One plank extended from the gate chain
to the side of the dock, and from the middle of this plank another
plank extended into the culvert, thus forming the letter T, and
the train was laid along those 'two planks. It will be remembered '
that Messrs. Weaver and Williams searched carefully for the
fuse, but did not succeed in finding it, nor was it subsequently
found. Had it been lighted and gone out of its own accord, the
remains would have been found there. The failure to destroy
the dock was due, therefore, to the humanity of the man who was
ordered to do the work, and not to the sagacity of the Confeder
ate officials. At this writing, -May 27th, 1892, Messrs. WiUiams
and Weaver are both living in Portsmouth. Mr. Williams is in
the employment of the Seaboard and Eoanoke Eailroad Company
as section master, and Mr. Weaver is keeping a drug store on,
South street.
But, to return to the Navy Yard and its destruction. The old
frigate United States, around which clustered so many memories
of brave deeds and gallant victories, was the only vessel which
was spared in the general devastation, and that night of the 20th
of April was a night of anxiety in Portsmouth The immense
ship houses, with their millions of feet of timber, were scathing
volcanos of flames, and the huge ship Pennsylvania was a pyra
mid of fire, while the burning Merrimac, Dolphin, Germantown,
Plymouth, Earitan and Columbia and the large store houses
added to the confiagration and lighted up the heavens with a lurid
glare that was seen for thirty miles. To add to the dangers of
the night the dwelling houses on the north side of Lincoln street
in Portsmouth caught fire, and the whole city was threatened with
destruction, which was only averted by a change of the direction
of the wind. Occasionally one of the guns of the Pennsylvania,
which had been left loaded by her crew, would be discharged as
it became hot enough from the fire to ignite the powder, but, for
tunately, no one was hurt by them, and amid all of this crackling
of fiames, booming of guns and deluge of falling sparks, the cry
arose that the Pawnee was about to bombard the city.
A correspondence had taken place between General Taliaferro
and Commodore McCauley in which the General proposed to the

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 17
Commodore that if he put a stop to the work of destruction the
Pawnee and Cumberland would be permitted to leave the Navy
Yard andthe port in safety. He had no means to prevent them
from leaving, and in fact was very anxious to have them go, but
Commodore McCauley was not aware of that and accepted the
proposal. Accordingly, about midnight the Pawnee left the yard
with the Cumberland in tow. Captain Paulding returned an
answer to General Taliaferro threatening severe retaliation in case
¦they were molested. This was construed to mean the bombard
ment of the two cities, and probably gave rise to the rumor which
was prevalent in Portsmouth.
During "the reign of terror" which existed in the city on the
20th, an order was received from the Governor calling out the
military companies of Portsmouth and Norfolk county. They
assembled about 2 o'clock in the afternoon of that day, and were
in continual service from then until the surrender of General
Lee's army at Appomattox Court House on the 9th of April, 1865.
Those companies composed the Third Virginia Volunteers, and
were as follows :
Portsmouth Eifle Company, Captain John C. Owens ;
Old Dominion Guard, Captain Edward Kearns ;
The National Grays, Captain John E. Deans;
The Marion Eifles, Captain Johannis Watson ;
The Dismal Swamp Eangers, Captain James C. Cheat of Deep
Creek, Norfolk county;, and,
The Portsmouth Light Artillery, Captain Cary F. Grimes,
four guns.
The Union Guard, a company composed exclusively of our
Irish- American citizens, was formerly in the Third Eegiment, but
was disbanded about a year before the war broke out from lack
of interest among its members.
The Eegiment was nnder command of the following field and
staff officers :
Colonel, James G. Hodges; Lieutenant .Colonel, David J. God
win ; Major, William C. Wingfield ; Adjutant, John W. II.
Wrenn ; Commissary, C. W. Murdaugh ; Quartermaster, John
Hobday ; Surgeon, H. F. Butt ; Assistant Surgeon, V. B. Bilisoly.
On the night of the 20th the men slept on their arms in the
Court House and City Hall, and at day break on the 21st one-half
were sent to the Navy Yard and the other to the Naval Hospital
point to assist in building an earthwork. After the Military en
tered the yard Lieutenant C. F. M. Spotwood of the Virginia
Navy went in, and, hoisting a State flag upon the flag staff, took
formal possession in the name of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
and Captain Eobert B. Pegram assumed command. He was re
lieved on the 22d by Commodore French Forrest, who arrived
under orders from Governor Letcher. Captain Pegram was sub-

18 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
sequently ordered to the command of the post at Pig Point, at
the mouth of the Nansemond river, and had command of the
battery there on the 5th of June, when the United States steamer
Harriett Lane was driven off by the Portsmouth Eifle Company.
Later in the day of the 21st the military, with the exception of
the National Grays, were marched from the Navy Yard to the
Naval Hospital Point, and the Eegiment became re-united. A
very strong earthwork was thrown up there and manned with
guns from the Navy Yard. Obstructions were placed in the
harbor so as to narrow the channel, and guns wei'e mounted at
Fort Norfolk, so that it would have been difficult if not impos
sible for the Pawnee and Cumberland to have returned, had they
desired to do so. On the 21st the Norfolk County Eifle Patriots
took possession of the Government ordnance depot at St. Helena,
opposite the Navy Yard. The officers of the Third Eegiment
had hardly gotten warmed in their quarters when Governor
Letcher, in pursuance of the policy of placing in command of the
volunteer troops, field officers with whom they had not been fa
miliarly associated before they were mustered into service, re
moved Colonel Hodges, Lieutenant Colonel Godwin and Major
Wingfield from their commands and aiDpointed in their stead
Colonel Eoger A. Pryor, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Mayo, Jr.,
and Major Joseph V. Scott, whereupon the staff officers of the
Eegiment tendered their resignations and entered the service in-
other positions.
Colonel Hodges and Lieutenant Colonel Godwin were assigned
to the Fourteenth Virginia Eegiment, Major Wingfield became
Major and Commissary of Mahone's Brigade and afterwards of
the Division, Doctors Butt and Bilisoly were appointed Surgeons,
and Messrs. Murdaugh and Hobday were elected Lieutenants in
the Bilisoly Blues, afterwards Company I, Sixty-first Virginia, a
company which was shortly afterwards orgamzed. Adjutant
Wrenn was elected Captain of the Virginia Eifles of Portsmouth.
. After remaining at jthe Hospital 'Point about a week or ten
days the Portsmouth .E,ifle Company was detached from the Third
Eegiment and ordered'to Pig Point and the Old Dominion Guard
was detached and ordered to Pinner's Point to take charge of
fortifications, and in June were organized with the Ninth Virgima
Eegiment as Companies G and K, respectively.
After the State seceded from the Union and hostilities had
actually commenced the military fever ran high in the city and
county, notwithstanding their strong Union sentiments. Their
love for Virginia was stronger than their love for the Union.
They believed in the opinions which were held by the men who
founded the American Government, the fathers of the Eevolu
tion, that their allegiance was due, first to their State and after
wards to the General Government, and that it was due to the

THE FIRST YE.AR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 19
General Government only so long as the State was a part of it.
New companies were organized rapidly. In the city these were :
The Virginia Defenders, Captain Edward Blamire, afterwards
Co. C, 16th Va. Eegiment, infantry.
The Virginia Artillery, Captain James H. Eichardson, after
wards Co. D, 9th Va. Infantry.
Captain Jplin II. IVIyers' Company, attached as Co. E to the
6th Va. Eegiment.
The BiKsoly Blues, afterwards changed to the Eebel Grays,
Captain Charles E. McAlpine, Co. I, 61st Va. Infantry.
The Jackson Artillery, Captain V. O. Cassell, which was at
tached to the 61st Va. Infantry as Co. D.
The Bilisoly .Blues contained a number of men from the Bow
ers' Hill section of Norfolk county.
Thus there were mustered into the Confederate service from
'the city of Portsmouth one company of light artillery and nine
companies of infantry, distributed asf oUows :
Two in the 3d Eegiment, three in the 9th Eegiment, one in the
16th Eegiment, one in the 6tli Eegiment, two in the 61st Eegi
ment. The Virginia Eangers, Company II, 61st Eegiment, was re
cruited partly from Portsmouth, though credited here to Norfolk
county. All of its officers in active service were from the city.
All of those companies were large, and five of them, viz., the
Portsmouth Eifle Company, Old Dominion Guard, National
Grays, Jackson Artillery and Portsmouth Light Artillery, num
bered over one hundred men each.
In addition to those companies there were two or three hundred
Portsmouth men scattered among other commands. One com
manded a North Carolina Brigade, four were field officers in
North Carolina Eegiments, one commanded an Alabama Eegi
ment, ten were Sur-geons in the Army, between forty and fifty
were officers in the Navy, they were in full numbers.in the Nor
folk Light Artillery Blues, the Signal Corps and in the Navy,
and every man who entered the service from this city was a vol
unteer. The city was evacuated by the Confederates before the
conscript law was put into openition, and after it fell into the
hands of the Federals, boys arriving at a sufficient age to do mili
tary duty made their escape througn the Federal lines and joined
their fathers and older brothers in the Confederate Army.
At the beginning of the war there were only two organized
volunteer infantry companies in Norfolk county, one of which,
thie Dismal Swamp Eangei's, Captain James C. Cheat command
ing, was raised in the vicinity of Deep Creek and was attached to
the Third Eegiment, and the Norfolk County Eifie Patriots,
Captain William II. Etheredge, was raised in the Great Bridge
section, it afterwards became Company F, Forty-first Eegiment.

20 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
In the shifting of the companies composing the Third Eegiment
the Dismal Swamp Eangers became Company A. Like the men
of Portsmouth, those of Norfolk county were none the less Vir
ginians, though they had opposed the secession of the State, and
when the tocsin of war was sounded, and the Governor called for
volunteers to fight the battles of the Commonwealth, there was a
general rush to arms, and young men and old ones responded to
the call. The following companies were speedily organized and
mustered into service and assigned to regiments in due course of
time: The Craney Island Artillery, Captain John T. Kilby, Co. I,
9th Va. Eeg.
The St. Bride's Artillery, Captain George A. Martin, Co. I,
38th Va. Eeg.
, The St. Bride's Cavalry, Captain John Doyle, Co. F, 15th Va.
Cavalry. The Jackson Grays, Captain William H. Stewart, Co. A, 61st
Va. Eeg.
The Wilson Guard, Captain John W. M. Hojpkins, Co. B, 61st
Va. Eeg.
The Blanchard Grays, Captain John G. Wallace, Co. C, 61st
Va. Eeg.
The Border Eifles, Captain Jetson Jett, Co. E, 61st Va. Eeg.
The Virginia Eangers, Captain James C. Clioat, Co. H, 61st
Va. Eeg.
 , Captain Max Herbert, Co. K, 61st Va. Eeg.
Quite a number of Norfolk county men living near the Princess
Anne county line joined the Princess Anne cavalry. Captain Bur
roughs, Co. I, 15th Va. Cavalry, while many in the Western
Branch section joined the Nansemond cavalry, which was attached
to the 13th Eegiment. The Tanner's Creek section contributed a
large number of men to the various companies which were raised
in Norfolk «ity. Thus it will be seen that Norfolk county con
tributed fully eleven companies to the Confederate Army. Co.
H, 61st Eegiment, was recruited partly in Portsmouth, and Co. B,
9tli Va., was recruited partly in Norfolk county, in the vicinity
of Craney Island. The eleven companies accredited to the county
were thus distributed :
One in the 3d Eegiment Infantry, one in the 9th Eegiment
Infantry, one in the 38th Eegiment Infantry, one in the 41st
Eegiment Infantry, six in the 61st Eegiment Lifantry, one in the
15th Eegiment Cavalry.
On the 23d of May, 1861, a very unfortunate occurrence took
place at the Naval Hospital battery, owing to the hasty and in
considerate action of Colonel Eoger A. Pryor. The State Con
vention passed the Ordinance of Secession on the 17th of April
and directed that it be submitted to a vote of the people on the

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 21
23d of May for ratification or rejection. The people were the
final court to decide the question, and if a majority of them cast
their votes in favor of the ratification of the ordinance the State
would secede from the Union, but if the majority of votes should
be the other way it would remain in the tlnion. The question
for the people to decide was, therefore, whether or not the State
should secede.
As has already been said, the Union sentiment was very strong
in Portsmouth. It permeated all classes of her citizens, and when
the vote was taken most of the members of the Marion Eifle
Company voted against the ratification of the ordinance. Colonel
Pryor, who was an ultra Secessionist, became so enraged at them
for exercising a privilege which they had a perfect right to exer
cise, that he assembled the regunent, ordered the Marion Eifies to
advance to the front and ground arms. He then made a bitter
ahd offensive speech to them and disbanded the company, charg
ing the men with disloyalty to Virginia. This action on his part
was very uncalled for. Those men had acknowledged their alle-
§iance to Virginia as superior to their allegiance to the United
tates, and had responded to the call of Governor Letcher for
troops, even while the State was stiH in the Union, but when
called upon at the election to declare whether they were in favor
of the State going out of the Union or remaining in it, they voted
as they thou^t best for themselves and the Commonwealth. The
company reorganized under the name of Virginia Eiflemen and
was continued in the 3d Eegiment as Co. B, and the men made
good records for themselves as soldiers. It was a member of this
company. Sergeant Eobert A. Hutchings of Portsmouth, who
planted the colors of the 3rd Eegiment on the stone wall at Get
tysburg when Pickett's Division made its famous and historic
charge there. The company remained at the Hospital battery
until June 7th, when they went to Burwell's Bay with the 3rd
Eegiment, but Colonel Pryor's ill advised and hasty action lost
to the State the services of some of the old members, who would
doubtless have made good soldiers, . for the best soldiers were not
necessarily those who had shouted loudest for Secession.
Immediately upon the evacuation of the Navy Yard the Con
federates began pouring trooj)s into this section. Several compa
nies from Petersburg and the Eichmond Grays were the first to
arrive, and reached Norfolk on the 21st. Four companies from
Georgia arrived in Portsmouth on the 22d. These were the Co
lumbus Light Guard, of Columbus, the Macon Volunteers and
Floyd Eifles, of Macon, and the Spaulding Grays, of Griffin, and
in a very short time there were gathered for the defence of the
harbor the following organizations :
The 3d, 6th, 9th, 12th, 41st and 61st Virginia Eegunents.
The 3d, 4th and 22d Georgia Eegiments and the 2d Georgia
Battalion.

22 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
The 1st Louisiana Eegiment and 3d Louisiana Battalion.
The 3d Alabama Eegiment.
The 2d North Carolina Battalion, afterwards the 32d Eegiment.
The Portsmouth Light Artillery ; the Norfolk Light Artillery
Blues, the United Artillery, the Atlantic Artillery and thcHuger
Battery, of Norfolk, the Siilem Artillery, and the Louisiana Guard
Artillery. \
Burroughs' and Cooper's Calvary Companies 15th Virginia Cav
alry, and two companies of cavalry from Nansemond county and
one from Southampton county, in the 13th Virginia Cavalry
Eegiment. There was also a North Carolina battalion stationed near Suf
folk. Captain Martin's Company, of Norfolk county, and Cap
tain Young's, of Norfolk city, were also on duty near here.
General Taliaferro was superseded in command by General W.
Gwynn on the 23d of April, and he was relieved by Generd
linger on the 24th of May, with headquarters in Norfolk. Gen
eral Blanchard commanded the troops on the Portsmouth side of •
the river. The Navy Yard was under the command of Commo
dore French Forrest, who had under him Captain and Executive
Officer S. S. Lee ; Captain A. B. Fairfax, ordnance officer ; Naval
Constructor John L. Porter ; and Chief Engineer William P.
Williamson, all of whom had resigned from the United States
Navy. Two days after the Navy Yard was burned by. the United
States forces Mr. William H. Peters, of Portsmouth, was- ap
pointed by Governor Letcher Paymaster in the Virginia Navy
and assigned to duty there. Mr. Peters took an inventory of the
stock and material left in the yard, which he reported to the
Governor, who .transmitted it to the State Convention then in
session. Mr. Peters' report states that there were in the yard
when it fell into the hands of the Confederates 1,085 heavy can
non of six, eight, nine and ten-inch bore. These were ready for
service, with carriages, breeching, blocks and tackle complete, and
their possession enabled the Confederates to prepare for defence
against the attacks of their enemies.
There were also on hand in the yard, as per said report, 250,-
000 pounds of powder, a large number of shells, stands of grape
shot, and various other ordnance equipment stores, valued at
$341,000. Also bread, beef, pork, flour, and other provisions,
valued at $38,763. Also clothing, flannel, shirting, round jackets,
&c., valued at $56,269. Also general naval supplies, such as
timber, anchors, chains, copper, &c., valued at $1,448,223.
In a paper read before Stonewall Camp, Confederate Veterans,
of Portsmouth,_ by Mr. Peters the latter part of 1891, he gave the
locahties to which cannon were shipped from the Navy Yard from
April 21st to July 1st, 18tl, the date Virginia formally turned

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 23
the Navy Yard over to the Confederate States Government.
Ihese were as follows. The six-inch guns were 32-pounders, and
the seven-inch were 42s :
To battery at Naval ILispital, 13 six-inch and 2 eight-inch guns.
_ " " " Craney Island, 12 six-inch, 10 eight-inch, 7 nine-
inch and 1 ten-inch.
To battery at Fort Norfolk, 8 nine-inch guns.
" " " Boush's Bluff, 5 six-inch guns.
" " " Pinner's Point, 7 " "
" " " Pig Point, 12 six-inch and 2 eight-inch guns.
" _ Eichmond, 90 six-inch, 12 seven-inch, 10 eight inch and 24
nine-inch. To Charleston, 43 six-inch, 12 seven-inch and 3 old English
cannon. To Fredericksburg, 4 six-inch.
" Fort Powhatan, 6 six-inch.
" Kempsville, 1 twelve-pounder and 2 nine-pounder brass guns.
" Seaboard and Eoanoke Eailroad Co., 1 twenty-seven pounder.
" Savannah, 10 six-inch guns.
" Pensacola, " " "
"_ Captain Thomas, at Baltimore, 20 twenty-four pounders and
20 six-inch guns.
To Memphis, 5 six-inch guns.
" New Orleans, 13 six-inch, 8 eight-inch and 2 nine-inch guns.
" Tennessee, 32 six-inch guns.
" Lieutenant George T. Sinclair, for army South, 16 six-inch,
9 seven-inch, 8 eight-inch and 1 nine-inch.
To Norfolk city, 3 six-inch.
" battery at Seawell's Point, 8 six-inch and 6 nine-inch guns.
" " • " Lambert's Point, 6 "
" " " Burwell's Bay, 5 "
" " " Pagan Creek, 4 "
" " " Powell's Point, 4 "
" " " City Point, 6 "
" General Gwynn and taken to North Carolina, 197 six-inch,
1 seven-inch, 11 eight-inch, and 4 twenty-four pounders.
All of those guns which were sent to General Gwynn shortly
afterward were captured by the enemy, owing to the want of wis
dom which prevailed in the management of affairs in Eastern
North Carolina by the Confederate Government, coupled with
the inefficiency and inexperience of some of the officers in imme
diate command.
The Federal forces had scarcely evacuated the Navy Yard be
fore the active Virginia troops began erecting batteries at every
available point in the harbor which would command the ap
proaches by river to the city. Guns were sent over to Fort Nor
folk from the Navy Yard and mounted there, and three heavy

24 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
guns were placed in position at the Hospital Point on the morn
ing of the 21st behind a temporary breastwork of cotton bales
to keep the Pawnee and Cumberland back while a substantial
breastwork was being built. This was so far completed by the
end of the week as to have twelve heavy guns in position, and the
experience of the naval officers was brought into requisition in
drilling the men at the guns.
While the battery at the Naval Hospital was being constructed
formidable works were going up at Pinner's Point under the su
pervision of Major F. W. Jett, of the engineers. Fort Norfolk,
Boush's Bluff, Lambert's Point, Craney Island and Seawell's
Point, so that, in less than ten days, the Confederates were able
to bring about seventy-five or eighty guns to bear upon a vessel
attempting to enter the harbor, and a fleet of wooden vessels
could scarcely have run the gauntlet. These batteries were sub
sequently strengthened by the addition of rifled cannon, the
heaviest fortiflcations being on Craney Island and Seawell's Point.
The fortifications at Pinner's Point contained 12 six and eight-
inch guns and four six-inch rifle guns, banded at the breech.
One of the batteries was also roofed over and supposed to. be
bomb proof.
Pig Point, at the moutli of the Nansemond river, was also for
tified. The battery there was manned by the Portsmouth Eifle
Company, Captain John C. Owens, and the post was under com
mand of Captain E. B. Pegram of the Navy. This battery had
a small engagement with the United States cutter Harriett Lane
on the 5th of June, which hauled off after an exchange of shots
for about twenty minutes. No one was hurt in the battery, nor
was the earthwork injured, though one of its guns, a 48-pounder,
was disabled by a shot from the Lane. The batteries at Pinner's
Point were under command of Captain George Harrison of the
Navy, and the men at Craney Island were drilled at the guns by
several Naval officers, chief of whbm was Lieutenant Sharpe'of
Norfolk. Captain A. B. Fairfax of the Navy was ordered to the Na,vy
Yard in charge of the Ordnance Department, and was a man of
practical ideas. Under his orders, with the approbation of Com
modore Forrest, an experiment was made of rifling one of the
32-pounder Dahlgren guns which was left by the Federals when
they made their hasty exit. An experienced mechanic was di
rected to supervise the work, and in order to strengthen the gun
strong wrought iron bands were shrunk around it at the breech.
The work was finished that summer and the gun was mounted on
a small steam tug called the Harmony belonging to Captain James
Brown of Portsmouth, and used for carrying freight between
Portsmouth and Norfolk. Captain Fairfax took command of
this little vessel of one gun, and, taking on board twenty-five

THE FIRST YE.\R OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 25
shells, steamed down into Hampton Eoads to engage the United
States vessels which were anchored there. It was a repetition of
the combat between David and Goliath. The frigate Savannah
was the first object of the Harmony's attack. She was lying at
the mouth of the James river, and the rifle gun from the little
craft threw its shells over and into the big frigate, but the shots
which were aimed at her in return fell far short of their mark.
Captain Fairfax continued the engagement until he had fired
away all of his ammunition.
This gun was a great advancement in the science of the manu
facture of ordnance, and the inventor has not received the credit
which is justly due him. It was the work of Mr. Thomas Carr
of Portsmouth, who, at the time, was a foreman or quarterman in
the Steam Engineering Department of the Gosport Navy Yard.
Mr. James Flemming was Master Machinist and Chief Engineer
William P. Wilhamson was ui charge of the Department. Mr.
Carr says he saw two Parrott guns in possession of the 3d Georgia
Eegiment, which was camped near the Navy Yard, and noticed
the manner in which they were rifled and banded, and the thought
occurred to him that it would be practicable to rifle and band the
six-inch Dahlgren guns, and he got up a machine which could be
attached to a lathe and with which the grooves might be cut in
the guns. He made a small pencil sketch of it and submitted it
to Chief Engineer WilHanison, who at once saw its utility and
sent for Captain Fairfax, to whom the machine and its objects
were explained. Captain Fairfax approved of the idea and di
rected Mr. Carr to go ahead with it, to make his machine and ex
periment on one of the guns. Mr. George Maxwell of Ports
mouth, an experienced machinist, operated the machine and did
the mechanical part of the work, and its successful test was made
in the engagement between the Harmony and Savannah. Mr.
Carr was an humble mechanic, interested only in the success of
the Southern cause, and not seeking to make either fame or for
tune for himself out of the war, and has therefore not been men
tioned in connection with this great experiment, but he claims
that he is none the less entitled to all the credit which should at
tach to it. Hundreds of heavy cannon were rifled in the South
after Mr. Oarr's idea. Mr. Carr is alive at this writing and is
stiU a citizen of Portsmouth.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Navy Yard was evacuated
by tlie Federals on the 20th of April and the Confederates had
fortified the harbor to prevent the return of the United States
men of war, communication was kept up with Baltimore by the
Bay Line steamers until the 30th, when the United States Gov
ernment declared the port in a state of blockade. That day the
steamer William Selden was permitted to come through with her
mails and passengers but the Confederates seized her and refused

26 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
to allow her to return. She brought down a large number of
Baltimoreans who had taken part in the riot in that city on the
19th of April, when the Massachusetts troops were passing
through. Upon their arrival here they organized themselves into
a military company, were joined by a number of recruits from
Southampton and Norfolk counties, and were assigned to the 9th
Virginia Eegiment as Company B, and were on duty on Craney
Island until May 10th, 1862, when they marched off with the
regiment at the evacuation of this section by the Confederates.
The following were the officers of the company at Craney Island :
Captain, John D. Myrick of Norfolk.
First Lieutenant, John O'Donnell of Baltimore.
Second Lieutenant,  Parker of Southamjjton county, Va.
Third Lieutenant, Benjamin F. Cason of Princess Anne county.
Among the defences of the harbor was the old frigate United
States. This was the only vessel spared by Commodore McCauley
when he burned the Navy Yard. The Confederates subsequently
changed her name to the Confederate States, fitted her up with
a battery, manned her, and anchored her near the bend in the
channel just above Craney Island. The sunken vessels Merrimac,
Plymouth, Germantown and Dolphin, which were lying alongside
the wharves at the Navy Yard, were gotten up by the Baker
Wrecking Company, under direction of the Confederate authori
ties, to get them out of the way, and some work was commenced
on the last three vsdth a view to fitting them out. The Merrimac
was burned down to her water fine, and it was not thought any
use could be made of her beyond taking her machinery out of
her, but subsequent events proved the fallacy of human predic
tions, for "the stone which the builders rejected became the key
stone of the- temple." But the Merrimac will be made the sub
ject of another chapter, and many matters of locg-l interest will
be found in the short historical sketches of the various companifes
from Portsmouth and the county, which will follow later on in
this work.
On the 7th of June, 1861, the companies of the 3d Eegiment,
under Colonel Eoger A. Pryor, which had been on duty at the
Naval Hospital batteries, were ordered to Burwell's Bay in Isle
of Wight county, and the Hospital batteries were left in the care
of the Elhott Grays, Captain Louis Bossieux, of Manchester, at
tached to the 12th Virginia Eegiment, and the Jackson Grays,
Captain William H. Stewart, of Norfolk county, afterwards Co.
A, 61st Virginia Eegiment. About the same time the Old Do
minion Guard of Portsmouth was reinforced at Pinner's Point by
the Craney Island Artillery of Norfolk county. Captain J. T.
Kilby, and the Portsmouth Eifle Company at Pig Point was rein
forced by Company H, 59th Virginia Eegiment, Captain Niblett,
of Lunenburg county.

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 27
Quite an active trade in sugar and fruit was carried on between
Norfolk and the West India Islands, by way of Hatteras Inlet,
through the agency of light draft schooners, and the steamer J.
E. Coffer was converted into a gunboat, armed with one gun, and
with her name changed to the Winslow, captured a number of
prizes off Cape Hatteras, which she brought into the Carohna
sounds. She was finallj^ lost by running upon an obstruction or
sunken wreck while going to the assistance of a French vessel
which had gotten ashore on the coast near Ocracoke Inlet.
Had Secretary Mallory, of the Confederate States Navy, been
possessed of a little foresight about this ' time, the affairs of the
Southern Confederacy .might not have turned out so disastrously.
Naval Constructor John L. Porter, of Portsmouth, in June, 1861,
while in Eichmond on business connected with the conversion of
the Merrimac into an iron-clad, urged upon Secretary Mallory the
importance of importing at once from England steam engines and
armor plates for gunboats to defend the Southern ports. Mr.
Porter had been a Naval Constructor in the United States Navy,
and upon the secession of Virginia resigned his commission and
tendered his services to her. He was opposed to the war and to
the secession of the State, but when she had decided to go out of
the Union he cast- his fortunes with her. He knew the resources
of the United. States and its ability to speedily fit out a large naval
force, and caUed Secretary Mallory's attention to the fact that,
while the South was rich in material out of which to build gun-
¦ boats, it was deficient in means of building machinery for them
and preparing armor plating to protect them. He further told
the Secretary that it would not be long before the United States
would have afloat a sufficient force to blockade the ports of the
South and shut them up from the outside world, and urged that
steps be taken at once to import engines and armor iron before it
would be too late. Secretary Mallory replied that it was useless
to go to all of that expense ; that the war would be over in six
months, and Mr. Porter could not convince him otherwise. Soon
matters tumed out just as Mr. Porter had predicted.
On the 29th of August a^ powerful Federal fleet attacked the
forts at Hatteras Inlet, and they surrendered after a short but de
structive bombardment. Lieutenant William H. Murdaugh, of
the Navy, of Portsmouth, was severely wounded during the bom
bardment. The Confederates abandoned the fort at Oregon Inlet
shortly afterwards, and on the 8th of February, 1862, Eoanoke
Island was captured, and the United States vessels held undis
puted possession of the North Carolina sounds. The fleet of
shells, which the Confederates gathered in the sounds and called
gunboats, could afford no material resistance to the overwhelming
force which was sent against them. Some were sunk at Eoanoke
Island, and the rest retreated to Elizabeth City, leaving the troops

28 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
on Eoanoke Island, to the number of 2,500, to their fate, which
was not long doubtful. Newborn was captured on the _4th of
March, and fifty-eight heavy guns and three hundred prisoners
fell into the hands of the enemy. On the 12th of April Fort
Pulaski, at the entrance to the Savanna:h river, surrendered after
a short bombardment, and Fort Macon, at the entrance to the
harbor of Beaufort, yielded on the 25th, so that on the whole
Southern Atlantic coast only two ports, Wilmington and Charles
ton, were left to the Confederacy, and these were closely block
aded. Then, when it was too late. Secretary Mallory's eyes were
opened, and he made contracts everywhere, and with every one,
to build iron-clad gunboats. Old saw mills were robbed of their
machinery to furnish motive power for them, while armor iron
with which to cover them could not be obtained at any price.
There was .only one establishment in the South, the Tredegar
Iron Works in Eichmond, where it could be manufactured, and
the capacity of that was very limited. While the Merrimac was
being changed into an iron-clad at the Navy Yard here a half-
dozen smaller and lighter draft vessels could have been built like
the Eichmond, had there been machinery and armor iron on
hand for them. As it was, the work on the Merrimac was greatly
delayed because the Tredegar Works could not furnish the iron
fast enough, and others were wholly neglected.
After 3l of the ports had been closed Secretary Mallory devel
oped an energy wmch, had it manifested itself earlier, might have
saved the Southem Confederacy from destruction, and in May,
1863, according to an official report of Chief Constructor John L.
Porter, there were fourteen vessels completed, as to their wood
work, waiting for iron to cover them. The amount needed was
4,230 tons. Others were in course of construction, but the ma
chinery with which to propel them was of the crudest kind. So
scarce was iron in the Confederacy that, when Captain Cooke was
superintenduig the building of the Albemarle on the Eoanoke
river, he went through the country blacksmith shops and gathered
up every scrap and old bolt he could find. How different would
matters have been had Secretary Mallory taken Mr. Porter's ad
vice in 1861. Considerable money was expended in efforts to
secure vessels abroad to cripple the enemy's commerce, but the
defence of the home ports of the South was neglected.
Matters moved along smoothly in this vicinity after the Federal
forces left until the attack upon Fort Hatteras, already alluded
to. This, and the fall of Eoanoke Island and the loss of its gar
rison of 2,500 men, who could have been saved had there been a
vessel present to have taken them off, were severe blows to the
Confederacy^, as they opened the whole of Eastern North Caro
lina to the incursions of the enemy's gunboats and infantry sup
ports, and forced the Confederates to guard hundreds of miles of

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 29
territory in their uncertainty as to where the next blow would be
struck. Hatteras and Oregon Inlets should have been better pro
tected. The fall of Eoanoke Island had an influence on the Con
federate affau-s about Portsmouth also, as it exposed the fines
there to an attack from the rear, while the Federal force at For
tress Monroe was a constant menace from the front, and, in order
to meet demonstrations from the enemy in that du-ection, the 3d
Georgia, 1st Louisiana, 32d North Carolina, the Portsmouth Eifle.
Company and Grimes' Battery were sent to the vicinity of South
Mills. The 3d Georgia had two engagements with the enemy
before the arrival of the other troops, one at Chicamicomico, Oc
tober 5th, 1861, and the other near South Mills, April 19th, 1862,
and it was daily apprehended that the force which captured New-
bem would make an attempt in the direction of Portsmouth. The
bulk of this force, however, was subsequently sent to the Penin
sula to reinforce General McClellan.
In the Navy Yard everything was activity. Hundreds of
skUled mechanics who had enlisted in the army were detailed to
work there. Work was commenced on the Merrimac on the 12th
of July, 1861, and several other vessels were being built. The
Eichmond, an iron-clad, to carry four guns, built with slanting
roof like the shield of the Merrimac, but with ends above the
water line and protected like the shield, was launched, as were
the Hampton and Nansemond, two two-gun gunboats, and the
Escambia and Elizabeth, two light draft, iron-protected gunboats,
to carry two guns each, were also commenced, and later another
of the same character, called the Yadkin. Some work was done
on the Germantown and Plymouth also, towards fitting them out.
The machine shops and foundries were being run to their utmost
capacity. Numerous thirty-two pound Dahlgren guns were rifled
and banded, like the one with which Captain Fairfax so success
fully contended against the frigate Savannah, and were sent to
the different batteries around the harbor and to other localities.
Some were sent to Seawell's Point, and a masked battery of them
was constructed at the point nearest the Eip Eaps, but was never
unmasked". It was left there for the Federals when Norfolk was
evacuated.. Two were placed on the outer battery at Seawell's
Point, and were manned by the Jackson Grays, of Norfolk
county. Several were sent to Craney Island, four to Pinner's
Point, and four to Naval Hospital Point, all of which were sub
sequently donated to the enemy.
During all these trying times the ladies of Portsmouth were
not idle. The newly organized companies of Portsmouth and
Norfolk county were mustered into service without uniforms,
and many of the companies which came from further South were
similarly conditioned, but the ladies organized sewing circles and
made up hundreds of uniforms for them. They also made organ-

30 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
ized efforts to care for the sick soldiers in the camps and in the
hospital, so that many a poor fellow who was stricken down by
disease, in consequence of the exposure of camp life, had his
fevered pulses cooled and his couch softened by the tender hands
of the ladies of Portsmouth. Nor did their good works stop here,
but they were untiring in their efforts to provide the soldiers with
shoes, blankets, overcoats and everything else which would make
them comfortable, while the families, of those who were in, the
service were tenderly cared for. Nor was the City Council back
ward in aiding the cause in which the State of Virginia was en
gaged, as will be seen by glancing over the records of its proceed
ings from April, 1861, to May, 1862.
On the 18th of April, 1861, $1,500 was appropriated to pur
chase arms and ammunition for the defense of the city, and on
the 3d of May the Council passed a resolution authorizing the
Mayor to make provision for quartering and feeding the troops
arriving in the city from the South. On the 15tli of June the
sum of $1,000 was appropriated for the relief of the families of
Portsmouth soldiers who were in the field, and an appropriation
of $500 was made to, purchase sabre bayonets for the Portsmouth
Eifle Company. On the 17th of July $500 was appropriated to
the Portsmouth Artillery Company to procure side arms and
$1,000 to the relief of the families of Portsmouth soldiers, and on
the 14th of August $1,000 additional was appropriated for this
purpose. That night a committee composed of Messrs.. Arthur
Emmerson, John S. Stubbs and David Griffith was appointed to
consider the question of rehef of the families of the military, and
made their report on the 26th. The committee stated that they
had ascertained that four hundred families were in need of assist
ance, and recommended that the sum of $5 per month be appro
priated to each. The report of the committee was concurred in
and the sum of $10,000 was appropriated to carry the recommen
dation into effect. The reports of the Eelief Committee show
that there was expended of this sum for August and September
$2,690, and similar amounts thereafter. For April, 1862, the
amount expended was $1,450, distributed among twQ hundred
and ninety families.
On the 4th of May it became rumored that the Confederates
intended evacuating the city and that it was the purpose of the
authorities to burn the Navy Yard, and, at a meeting of the
Council held that night a committee was appointed to wait upon
Captain S. S. Lee, who had been Commandant of the Ndvy Yard
since March 24th, to protest against setting the buildings on fire,
as it would endanger the city, besides, if left standing, they would
be servicable to the' Confederate Government after the close of
the war. The Mayor was authorized to employ the watchmen in
the Navy Yard after the evacuation to protect the property from

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 31
incendiaries. The protest of the Council, however, did not avail
anything, and the buildings were all burned.
On the 17th of March General McClellan began transferrino-
his army from Manassas to Fortress Monroe fo-r the purpose of
trying to reach Eichmond by the Peninsula route, instead of the
overland route, upon which the Federal armies had been operat-
mg for the preceding year, and General Joseph E. Johnston, com
mander ol the Confederate forces which had been operating in front
of him at Manassas, followed him, and the opposing armies con
fronted each other near Yorktown. General Johnston was per
haps the most skillful general in conducting a retreat the worid
ever saw, and having decided some time in April that he would
fall back near Eichmond, communicated his plans to the Confed
erate authorities in that city, who approved of them. McClellan
was getting ready to open a number of heavy batteries upon Gen
eral Johnston's fines, and the Confederate commander felt appre
hensive of the result of the bombardment, though subsequent
events later in the war demonstrated the fact that earthworks
could stand an unlimited amount of pounding without being ma
terially injured. There does not seem to have been much ground
for his apprehension, for the works at Yorktown prevented an
expedition up York river to turn his left flank, and Swinton, in
his "Anny of the Potomac," says "the iron-plated , Merrimac
reigned mistress of Hampton Eoads ' and prevented a turning expedi
tion up James river." But General Johnston had determined to
fall back, and did not desire' to do it by piecemeal, therefore his
plan included the evacuation of Norfolk and Portsmouth. Per
haps he wanted the 15,000 troops there to reinforce his army
before Eichmond, but, be that as it may, it was decided to evac
uate Norfolk and Portsmouth, and to abandon the Navy Yard,
with its valuable machinery and. its facilities for building ships
and casting cannon. It was the principal workshop in the South,
and its loss was irreparable.
The latter part of April or the first of May, 1862, Secretary
Mallory, of the Confederate States Navy, arrived in Portsmouth
and informed Captain S. S. Lee, commanding the Navy Yard,
that it was the intention of the Government to evacuate the city.
He directed Captain Lee to remove such naval supplies as could
be moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, and other points. Ac
cordingly the work of, evacuating commenced. Several train
loads were sent off by rail, and a convoy of vessels started up
James river for Eichmond. Among them was the new iron-clad
Eichmond, then ready to receive her armor. These were loaded
with such stores as were available, and taking advantage of the
darkness of night, the vessels steamed or were towed past New
port News. Tne terror of the Merrimac's name kept that por-
. tion of Hampton Eoads free from Federal vessels, therefore the

32 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
expedition was not interfered with in its passage. Two new gun
boats, the Nansemond and Hampton, built at the Navy Yard,
also steamed up to Eichmond.
Early in the morning of the 10th of May Captain James Byers
commanding the tug J. B. White, of Norfolk, deserted with his
tug to Old Point, and General Huger became very apprehensive
that he would report the condition of affairs in Norfolk to the
Federal authorities at Fortress Monroe, and that they would send
an expedition to capture the two cities before the Confederates
could get away. He therefore determined to leave at once, and
hurried away with his splendid division of twelve or fifteen thous
and troops, when no one pursued and thousands of dollars worth
of valuable stores were burned in the haste with which the place
was abandoned. The buildings in the Navy Yard were burned,
as was also what was left of the Germantown and Plymouth.
The Escambia and Elizabeth, which might have been towed to
Eichmond, had the attempt been made in time, were set on fire
and destroyed, as was also the Yadkin, which was on the stocks.
The dry dock, also, was somewhat injured. As the day ad
vanced General Wool, commanding the forces at Fortress Mon
roe, noticed that the Confederate flag had been hauled down from
the batteries at Seawell's Point, landed 6,000 men near the base
of Willoughby's Spit and advanced towards Norfolk. He was
met in the afternoon about half-past four o'clock near the en
trenched camp by Mayor W. W. Lamb, of Norfolk, who in
formed him that the Confederate forces had left the city, and, as
the representative of the civil authorities, he was ready to sur
render it. The next day a force of Federals crossed over the
river to Portsmouth and occupied that city. Later an expedi
tionary force was pushed out towards Suft'olk.
The scenes at the evacuation of Portsmouth by the Confeder
ates were peculiarly distressing. The soldiers bid adieu to their
wives, mothers and little children with the full knowledge that,
as the Southern Confederate authorities found themselves unable
to hold the city while they had possession of it, they would never
be able to recover possession until the close of the war, and in
every man's mind was the natural dread and uncertainty as to
what would become of their wives and helpless little ones, in the
hands of the enemy, vrith no means of sustenance and no one to
take care of them. Under these circumstances it required the
highest amount of moral courage and the sublimest degree of pa^
triotism for a man to turn his back upon his family and to march
forth and encounter the dangers and uncertainties of the future
which lay before him.
On the 10th of May, 1862, the last Confederate soldier marched '
out of Portsmouth, the Portsmouth Eifle Company brino-ino- up.
the rear, and, looking back through the thirty years which have passed

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 33
since then, the anxious countenances of the women and children
who were left behind, as they thought of what the morrow would
bring^ them, can be seen as vividly to-day as then. It was an im
pression which can never be erased from memory "while the
mind holds sway in the seat of thought ; " and of the twenty-two
hundred men of Portsmouth and Norfolk county who marched
away from their homes on that day nearly one-fourth fell upon
the field of battle or died from disease contracted in the service,
and three years after they bid adieu to their homes and families
the remnant came back, broken in hea-lth, disabled from wounds,
or their bodies enfeebled from seeds of diseases contracted in the
loathsome prison camps of the enemy.
The batteries which had been erected around the harbor with
so much care and labor, and the scores of heavy guns which had
been placed in positions where, it was fondly hoped, they would
keep the foe at bay forever, were abandoned without a struggle
and in such haste that no effort was made to remove the guns.
Nearly all of the workmen who were employed in the Navy
Yard followed the army to Eichmond and took their families
with them. These men were employed in the navy yard which
was improvised in that city or sent to Charlotte to work on ord
nance stores. Those who were retained in Eichmond were or
ganized into a battalion for local defence, and elected Martin
Curlin, of Portsmouth, major. The battalion was frequently
called into service defending the city against raiding parties of
the enemy, and thus enabled the regular army to remain in front
of the enemy's main army.
The names which follow in the histories of each company em
brace those who marched away from the cities and county with
their commands on the 10th of May, 1862, as far as they could be
obtained. There may possibly have been a few others, but there
were not many. Those lists have been very carefully prepared,
and while possibly not absolutely correct, are very nearly so.
Those who are marked as having been detailed in. 1861 are be
lieved to have followed the army to Eichmond upon the evacua
tion. Some of them worked in the Nary Yard there or at other
points in the South, but most of them rejoined the companies to
which they were originally attached.
The lists of those who were killed or died in the service is be-'
fieved to be correct, though, as the places at which they died were
made up partially from memory by the survivors, it is possible
that there may be a few. errors in that particular feature. It is
very certain, too, that quite a number of men were wounded but
whose wounds were forgotten by those now hving, and while the
record is rehable as far as it goes, it is possible that some were
wounded who are not so recorded. The work of gathering to
gether these facts was postponed so long after the close of the

34 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
scenes herein recorded, and so many of those who took part in
them have died since they laid down their arms, that the wonder
is, not that much has been omitted but that so much has been col
lected and preserved. The author has given it careful- study,
and no accessible source of information has been neglected. He
hopes, therefore, his readers will approve what he has succeeded
in rescuing from oblivion and not criticise him for not having
done better.
While the Federal forces occupied the city of Portsmouth the
citizens, whose sympathies were with the Southern Cause, expe-
rienced all of the rigors and oppressions of a conquered people.
Not only were their personal liberties taken from them but their
religious privileges were abridged. The Northern Methodist
Church sent " missionaries " to the city, and by order of the Federal
Commander of the post the old Dinwiddle Street Methodist
Church was taken from its congregation and turned over to one
of these imported preachers, for the purpose of conducting ser
vices therein. The order was issued one Saturday, and that night
fires were made in the furnaces for the purpose of heating the
building for the next day's services, but, on account of a defective
flue, the building caught on fire and was burned to the ground.
Then another order from' the Military Commander gave St. John's
Episcopal Church to the disappointed preacher, and that church
was used by the Northern Methodists until after the close of the
war, when its owners again obtained possession of it. Eev. John
H. D. Wingfield, pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church was arrested
and put to work on the streets with a ball and chain fastened to
his leg and the church was taken possession of and converted into
a hospital for negro troops.
Portsmouth had the honor of being represented in the very
closing scenes of "the drama of the Lost Cause." A number of
mechanics from the Gosport Navy Yard were taken to Charlotte,
North Carolina, upon the evacuation of Portsmouth by the Con
federates and were employed there by the Government in the
manufacture bf ordnance stores. These men were organized into
a military battalion and were frequently called away from their
work benches to repel raiding parties of the enemy! After the
fall of Eichmond President Davis started southward, and upon
the arrival at Charlotte of the train bearing the specie which was
in the Confederate Treasury volunteers were called for to es'cort
it to the army of General Kirby Smith m the Trans-Mississippi '
Department, and sixty of these men volunteered for that service.
The corps of midshipmen from the Confederate Naval Academy'
under Captam W. H. Parker of the Navy, was with the train!
At Chester, South Carolina,, the party was joined by Mrs. Davis
wife of President Davis. She had with her her infant daughter'
now Miss Winnie, and at that point the specie was transferred to

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH.

35

wagons. _ On the march from Chester to Newberry Mrs. Davis
became tired of riding in the wagon and got out to walk, carrying
the baby in her arms, but Messrs. Charles T. Myers, C. W. Walker
and Henry A. Tabb volunteered to relieve her of the burden, and
took turns at carrying tlie little traveler.- The company again
took the cars at Newberry and proceeded as far as Abbeville,
where the specie was again loaded in wagons and the escort pushed
on to Augusta, Georgia, when news came that the Federal forces
had taken possession of Macon and thus interposed between them
and the Mississippi. The specie belonging to the Eichmond banks
was deposited in a bank in Augusta and the expedition then turned
back and moved on to Abbeville, South Carolina, where they met
President Davis and a part of his Cabinet, and the specie belong
ing to the Confederate Treasury was turned over to him. A bag
of pennies was very generously given to the company. The men
counted them and found there would be just 33-^ cents apiece
and put them back in the bag and returned them with thanks.
The corps of cadets were disbanded at Abbeville on the 2d of
May. General Johnston's army had surrendered then, and the
company of volunteers was ordered back to Charlotte. President
Davis left them at Abbeville and- pushed on until he was captured.
The Captain of this company had a roll of its members, but, not
appreciating the importance it might become as a matter of his
tory, permitted it to become lost. This was, perhaps, the last
organized body of Confederate troops east of the Mississippi river.
It was composed of about forty-five Portsmouth men, five Wash-
ingtonians and ten North Carolinians from Charlotte. The follow
ing are all of the Portsmouth men whom memory can recall :

John Archer,
John Anderson,
James Brown,
Bartlett Brown,
Henry C. Brown,
Thomas Baker,
Wash. Bright,
Samuel Butt,
Eeuben Culpepper,
Wilfiam Culpepper,
Eobert Culpepper,
John E. Deans,
Charles Davis,
Thomas Dwyer,.

George Daougherty,
J. W Davis,
Alphons Dunham,
Thomas H. Deans,
Eichard Grimes,
Edward Lewis,
Walter Mahoney,
Charles T. Myers,
Cornelius Myers,
Joseph Merchant,
George Maxwell,
Eobert Myers,
Merritt Moore,

John Owins,
William Peed,
C. C. Peed,
James Peed,
Benj. Presson,
James Potter,
Hugh Smith,
Joshua Sykes,
Wm. H. Turner,
Henry A. Tabb,
C. W. Walker,
Wm. Whitehurst,
Wilham J. 'Wood,
Total, 41'.

Jerry Nichols,
•Lieutenant Thomas Gleason of Co. D, 9th Va. Eegiment, and
Privates Wilham T. Edwards, Co. G, 9th Va., and Edward Grant
of Co. C, 16th Va. Eegiment, all of Portsmouth, were also with
the party. They had been captured previously and paroled, but

36 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
had not been exchanged, and had not, therefore, rejoined their
companies. The five men from Washington were :.
William Clements, William Thompson, William Tucker,
George Thompson, John Tucker.
After the war Major F. W. Jett, formerly of Hampton, re
moved to Portsmouth. He was a Civil Engineer in the Confed
erate army and superintended the construction of the earthworks
at the Naval Hospital and at Pinner's Point in April, 1861. He
also built a military road from the Western Branch to Nansemond
river and a bridge across the Western Branch. Upon the evacu
ation of Portsmouth by the Confederates he became, Chief of
Engineers of Anderson's Division, afterwards Mahone's, and ren
dered very efficient service. He was specially complimented in
General Anderson's official report of the part taken by his Division
in the battle of Fredericksburg. It occurred to Major Jett that
the Portsmouth and Norfolk county soldiers, who had won fame's
immortal wreath in such battles as Gettysburg and the Crater,
should have a monument erected to commemorate their courage
and fortitude, and by his efforts a Monument Association was or
ganized in 1875, with the following officers :
President — Adjutant James F.' Crocker.
Vice Presidents — Major William H. Etheredge and Colonel
William White.
Treasurer — Major George W. Grice.
Secretary — Corporal O. V. Smith.
Directors — Sergeant B. A. Armistead, Captain John T. Griffin,
Major W. C, Wingfield, E. G. Ohio, Esq., Captain James H.
Toomer, Colonel D. J. Godwin, Captain John H. Gayle, Captain
C. W. Murdaugh, L. E. Watts, Esq., Sergeant Major Charles T.
Phillips, Lieutenant Colonel William H. Stewart, Private Alonzo
Ives, Captain Thomas M. Hodges and Captain Jetson Jett.
A design by Charles E. Cassell, Esq., architect, of Portsmouth,
was selected for the monument, and the corner stone was laid
December 14th, 1876, with Masonic ceremonies. The stone for
the monument was presented to the Association by the Seaboard
and Eoanoke and Ealeigh and Gaston railroad companies, and
came from a granite quarry in North Carohna belonging to the
Ealeigh and Gaston company. The Monument Association paid
the cost of quarrying it, and the two railroad companies hauled it
to the city free of charge. Major Jett was untiring in his efforts
to raise money to carry on the work, and but for his energy and
determination it would undoubtedly have fallen through, but
after several delays and interruptions. Major Jett announced on
the 12th of June, 1881, that the next day he would be prepared
to swing the copestone in position and complete the monument
proper. On the morning of the 13th the ladies of the Confed
erate Memorial Association of Portsmouth "manned" the arms

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN PORTSMOUTH. 37
of the capstan and raised the copestone in position. The site, on
Court street in front of the Court House, was selected 1^ a com
mittee composed of Messrs. H. V. Niemeyer, Samuel 'Watts, F.
W. Jett, James T. Borum and George M. Bain, Jr., and the City
Council gave its consent.
The monument is of granite, fifty-five feet six inches high. The
base is fifteen feet across and seven feet high, surmounted by a
sub-base seven feet square and thirteen feet high. Four white
metal statues, life size, one on each side of the base, represent the
different branches of the service, infantry, cavalry, artillery and
the sailors.
Major George W. Grice, who was elected treasurer of the Asso
ciation, died in October, 1875, and was succeeded by Mr. William
H. H. Hodges. Mr. Hodges died .in January, 1880, and Mr.
William V. H. Williams was elected treasurer and filled the posi
tion until the completion of the monument.

CHAPTEE II.
THE POETSMOUTH LIGHT AETILLEEY,
GEIMES' BATTEEY.
This company dates its organization back to a period prior to
the war of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain, in
which it achieved an enviable record. The principal engagement
in which it took part was the battle of Craney Island in 1814,
where, under command of Captain Arthur Emmerson, it con
tributed materially to the repulse of the British, and in 1861, at
the beginning of the war between the North and the South, it
was the oldest artillery company in the State. The company in
1861 was equipped with four smooth bore iron field pieces, and
the following were its officers :
Captain — Cary F. Grimes.
First Lieutenant — John H. Thompson.
Second Lieutenant — Bernard Fauth.
The company was ordered into service by Governor Letcher
on the 20th„of April, 1861, upon the secession of Virginia, and
responded promptly. There were -at that time about forty men
on its rolls, but with the actual commencement of hostilities re
cruits rapidly joined its ranks until its membership exceeded a
hundred. On the night of April 20th the United States naval
authorities burned the Gosport Navy Yard and evacuated it.
The company was on duty that night, with their battery parked
at the intersection of High and Court streets, but without any
ammunition. On the 21st the company was marched to the Naval Hospital
grounds, where it remained until May 16th, when it was ordered
to Hoffier's creek to guard the shore of Hampton Eoads from
Craney Island to the mouth of Nansemond river.
'On the 20th of July Private Eichard Webb was elected Third
Lieutenant, as under the Confederate Army regulations the com
pany became entitled to another officer. While at Hoffier's creek
the name of the company underwent an informal change, and in
stead of the Portsmouth Light Artillery it became known as
" Grimes' Battery," and their camp at Hoffier's creek was named
Camp Grimes.
On the 26th of March, 1862, there was a reorganization of the
company, as the one year term of the original enlistment of the
men was about to expire. This was nominally a reorganization
but was really only a new election of officers, as the members of
the company re-enlisted in a body "for three years or the war."
38

PORTSMOUTH LIGHT ARTILLERY-GRIMES' BATTERY. 39
There were present for duty that day in camp ninety-nine men who
answered to roll call. The following officers were elected:
Captain — Cary F. Grimes.
First Lieutenant — John H. Thonapson.
Second Lieutenant — William T. Fentress.
Third Lieutenant — Thomas J. Oakham.
The next month Francis Euss was elected Fourth Lieutenant,
as the size of the company and the number of guns in the battery
entitled it to four Lieutenants.
In the early portion of 1862 the United States forces captured
Eoanoke Island and held undisputed possession of the waters of
Albemarle Sound, and in April a brigade of troops under General
Eenb advanced from Elizabeth City towards South Mills, threat-
. ening the Dismal Swamp canal. General Huger ordered the 3d
Georgia Eegiment, one of the finest regiments in the Confederate
army, and numbering fully a thousand men, under Colonel A. E.
Wright, to check their advance, and on the 23d of April Grimes'
Battery was ordered from Hoffier's creek to reinforce the Geor
gians. The 1st Louisiana and the Portsmouth Eifle Company,
Co. G, 9th Virginia, were also sent with them, but the reinforce
ments arrived too late to take part in the action. Colonel Wright
fought the enemy at Sawyer's lane, about three miles from South
Mills, and drove them back to Camden Court House.
On the 2d of May, however. Grimes' Battery had a brush with
the enemy on its ovm hook. One section, under Lieutenant
Thompson, opened fire upon two United States gimboats in Pas
quotank river, and, after a spirited engagement, forced them to
drop down the stream, considerably damaged. The next day a
countryman brought news into camp that one of them sank shortly
after the engagement from the effects of the shot. The other
section of the battery, under Captain Grimes' immediate com
mand, was on the opposite side of the river from Lieutenant
Thompson, but not being able to find an eligible position in which
his pieces could be brought to bear upon the gunboats, it took no
part in the action.
On the 5th of May the battery returned under orders to Ports
mouth and was given two additional guns, making six in all with
which it was equipped. It moved off with t^e Division of
General Huger on the lOth, when Portsmouth was eivacuated, and
arrived in Petersburg^on the 14th. On the 24th the battery was
ordered to Drewry's Bluff, and on the 28th was marched to Eich
mond and became a part of the Army of Northern Virginia, which
was then barring McClellan's way to Eichmond.
Grimes' Battery never shirked a duty or shrunk fr6m obeying
an order because the execution thereof was attended with danger,
and it soon became known throughout the arniy as a fighting bat
tery. Captain Grimes' courage . was proverbial, bordering even

40 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
upon rashness, and on several occasions the battery received the
commendation of General Anderson, to whose Division it was
attached. On the 25th of June, at the beginning of the seven days' battles -
around Eichmond, during which General McClellan's army was
driven from Mechanicsvillo to Harrison's Landing on James river,
the battery had two guns engaged, shelling the enemy at rather
long range, from 400 to 800 yards, and silenced two Federal guns,
and at Malvern Hill on the 1st of July it behaved with distin
guished gallantry, maintaining a fight at close range and unsup
ported against about eighty or one hundred Federal guns, which
were sheltered by breastworks. Captain Grimes held his position
for about two hours, until ordered to retire. He lost here three
men killed, Walter A. Creekmore, John W. Matthews and Wil
liam Swain, besides eight wounded, of whom E. T. W. Sumners
and John Weymouth died. James H. Gaskins lost a leg here.
Fifteen horses belonging to the battery were killed while getting
into position.
On the 27th of July the battery was ordered to City Point for
the purpose of firing upon the Federal transports in James river,
and returned in time to join the army in its march to .attack
General Pope. It engaged in an artillery fight at Warrenton
Springs on the 26th of August and had three men wounded there,
one of whom died, and on the 30th reached the battle ground at
Second Manassas. In this battle it added largely to the reputar
tion it had already made in its previous encounters with the enemy,
and charged in line with Mahone's Brigade in the final rush upon
and defeat of the left wing of Pope's army.
It was with the army on its march to Maryland, took part in
the battle at Crampton Gap September 14th, and, at Sharpsburg
September 17th, 1862, lost its gallant commander, who was shot
from his horse while directing the fire of his guns. Captain
Grimes was in command of a battalion, composed of three com-
' panics. Grimes' Battery of Portsmouth, 4 guns, Huger's Battery
of Norfolk, 4 guns, and Moorman's Battery of Lynchburg, 4 guns.
The battahon was under command of Major Saunders, but that
officer was absent at the time and Captain G^rimes, as senior officer,
was in charge. Lieutenant Thompson had immediate command
of Grimes' Battery. The battle had wavered backward and for
ward on the left and center, where Jackson, after driving back
Hooker's corps of the Federal army, had in tum been pushed
back by the attack of Mansfield's corps. This in turn had been
defeated by the assistance of fresh troops which arrived on the
field from Harper's Ferry, and Sumner's corps of 20,000 men,
coming to the assistance of their beaten comrades, was once more
turning the tide of battle against the Confederates. At this crit
ical moment Grimes' battalion arrived upon the battle field with

PORTSMOUTH LIGHT ARTILLERY-GRIMES' BATTERY. 41 .
Anderson's Division and took post upon the Confederate left
center, where the Federal attack had been most successful. The
enemy were driven back, .but the toll paid for the victory was
heavy. Captain Grimes was struck from his horse by a wound in
the thigh from a rifle ball, and as his men were bearing him off
the field a second ball struck him in the groin and ended a mili
tary career which had given promise of a brilliant maturity.
The men of the battery buried him with heavy hearts, and
marked his grave, so that after the war his remains were disin
terred and brought back to the home and family, from which he
parted just four months before he received his death wound.
This brave soldier and kind friend was long lamented by the men
in his command. His remains are interred in Oakwood Ceme
tery, near Portsmouth.
Upon the death of Captain Grimes Lieutenant John H. Thomp
son was promoted to captain, but was not destined to long wear
his well-earned honors. Prior to the battle of Sharpsburg General
Lee had decided upon a reorganization of the artillery arm of the
service. Horses were becoming scarce, and there was too great a
proportion of artillery in the a,rmy as compared with the infantry.
Captain Grimes, as commander of the battalion, had received
orders to recommend one of his compdnies to be disbanded and
to divide the men among the other two, but as the order was not
to. bd executed immediately, and he had facilities for keeping all
three in the field, he decided to wait until after the close- of the
campaign to make the changes. Had he done so at once the
Huger Battery would have been disbanded, as Captain Huger
was the junior captain, but Captain Grimes' death made Captain
Thompson the junior, hence, when, upon the return of the army
to Virginia, and when near Winchester, General Lee's order was
carried into effect. Grimes' Battery was disbanded and its men,
about eighty in number, were divided between the two other
companies in the battalion. This was part of General Order
October 4th, 1862, and embraced twenty other batteries. Captain
Thompson says he had perhaps as many men present for duty as
the other two companies combined, and protested earnestly to
General Lee against his company being disbanded, but General
Lee explained to him the necessity for tlie movement in so kindly
a manner that all of the sting was taken out of it.
The detachment which went with Moorman's battery subse
quently became horse artillery and were attached to the cavalry
arm of the service, Fitzhugh Lee's Division. They kept up, as far
as possible, a separate organization in that battery under Sergeant •
William H. Hughes, and maintained their reputation until the
close of the war. On the 11th of June, 1864, Sergeant Hughes
was promoted to a lieutenancy in the Lee Battery of Light Artillery
and Thomas J. D. White became sergeant. The detachment

42 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
which was assigned to the Huger Battery also proved the metal
that was in them, but, having passed out of existence as a separate
organization, the brave deeds of the men in the battery brought
credit to other places than their own beloved city, Portsmouth.
Upon the disbanding of the battery the officers were assigned
to other fields of duty, and . General Lee, in recognition of then-
great disappointment in being deprived of their battery, very ¦
kindly assigned them to positions which were agreeable to them.
The section which was assigned to Moorman's Battery distin
guished itself in an engagement December 4th, 1862, on the Eap-
pahannock river, near Port Eoyal, with four Federal gunboats,
the Anacostia, the Coeur de Leon, Currituck and Jacob Bell.
Sergeant Huglies had charge of a three-inch rifle gun, and George
W. E. McDonell was gunner. The gunboats were driven down
the river by Moorman's Battery with heavy loss. The battery
had one man killed, Private Compton of Lynchburg.
MALVEEN HILL.
Below will be found Captain Grimes' report of the work of the
batterv during the seven days' battles, ending at Malvern Hill
July 14th, 1862: Camp neae Falling Ceekk, Va., July 21st, 1862. _
8w — Below please flnd a report of the movements of my bat
tery from June 20th last, when I was ordered to report to Briga
dier General Mahone, on the advanced lines, for the purpose of
relieving Captain Moorman's battery.
After reporting to General Mahone we were expecting an en
gagement with the enemy every day, but -had none until the 25th,
on which day we discovered the enemy on the opposite side of
French's farm, between the Charles City and Williamsburg roads,
at which place I engaged them with one section of my battery at
850 yards distance, driving the enemy from his position. I after
wards moved one piece up to French's house, within 450 yards of
his position, and opened on him, which was quickly replied to by
him with a 12-pounder Parrott rifle gun ; but I had the pleasure
of driving him from his position, leaving his horses and guns be
hind ; which fact I was not aware of until informed the next morn
ing by Colonel Smith of the 49th Virginia and others. The
enemy was then attacked by a portion of three regiments of
General Mahone's Brigade, the 12th, 6th and 49th Virginia. The
4th Georgia and 28th North Carolina Eegiments were also on the
field. The enemy was driven from the field, making a complete
stampede. I had the good luck on that day to lose neither man
nor horse.
Nothing of importance occurred with my battery after the 25th

PORTSMOUTH LIGHT ARTILLERY-r-GRIMES' BATTERY. 43
until July 1st. On that day I was on the Charles City road with
General Mahone's Brigade and was ordered back to Darbeytown
road to report to Brigadier General Armistead, which I immedi
ately did. When I arrived at that position and reported. General
Armistead told me that a captain had just reported his battery to
him for duty and directed me to report to the first general I saw,
and, General Wright being the first, I reported to him, and while
talking to General Wright General Armistead's aide came up,
stating that General Armistead had become disgusted with the
captain who had reported his battery to him and had driven him
with his battery from the field and that he wished to see General
Wright. General Wright asked me to ride with him, which I
did. When we found General Armistead he told General Wright
that the captain alluded to above had formed so many excuses
about getting his battery on the field that he had driven him from
the field, and that he wanted General AYright to send a battery
that was willing to go in and engage the enemy. General Wright
told him he had one, naming mine. General Armistead asked me
if I could carry my battery on the hill. I told him if any battery
in the world could go, mine could. He directed General Wright
to show me the position to take, which he did. I found the
enemy with their batteries planted and their infantry drawn up
in line of battle at about 1,200 yards distant. I then went to the
rear for my battery and carried it on the field. As soon as tne
battery entered the field the enemy opened fire on it, killing one
man and wounding three, and killing one horse and wounding
two before I fired a gun. I unlimbered and commenced firing as
soon as possible, and vrith telling effect on the enemy.
I remained on the field about two hours. Lost three men killed
outright and eight wounded, of whom two have since died. I
lost ten pubhc horses killed and seven wounded. My own private
horse was killed, also my first lieutenant's horse.
My officers behaved very well, but I feel it my duty to speak
more particularly of First Lieutenant John H. Thompson, who
remained on the field with me until the last gun was taken off.
I had so many horses killed and wounded that it took three trips
to get all my guns off.
On the next day, the 2d, Colonel DeLagnel, chief of artillery,
ordered me back to the old camp, near Eichmond, to refit my
battery. As soon as I completed it I was ordered by yourself to
camp near Falling creek, on the Eichmond and Petersburg turn
pike, where I now am, with my battery complete and in good
condition, ready and willing to meet the invaders . of our soil at
any time and anywhere. 1 have, General, the honor to be.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
C. F. GEIMES,
Captain Field Battery, Virginia Volunteers.
Mc0or General B. Huger.

44 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
General Armistead said : " No men could have behaved better
than Captains Pegram and Grimes; they worked their guns after
their men were cut down, and only retired when entirely disabled.
What I wanted never arrived; that is, more guns and heavier
ones." The roster of the company, at the close of this chapter, is from
the date of its being mustered into service. It was made up from
memory, for the author, by some of the survivors, and it is pos
sible some names may have escaped them duiing the lapse of
twenty-seven years, since the close of the war. For many of the
dates in this chapter the author is indebted to Mr. Thomas H.
Virnelson, who kept a diary of the movements of the company
until the second battle of Manassas.
Captain Cary F. Grimes, killed September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg.
Captain John H. Thompson, promoted captain.
Lieutenant Bernard Fauth, joined signal corps and killed 1864.
Lieutenant Richard Webb, transferred to cavalry. Thirteenth Virginia.
Lieutenant William T. Fentress.
Lieutenant Thomas J. Oakham.
Lieutenant Francis Rubs. privates.
Allen, M. W., severely wounded .luly 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, and on the
Petersburg lines 1864.
Ash, John W. (sergeant), surrendered at Appomattox.
Boyce, David, wojunded at Chancellorsville May 3d, 1863, and at Warren
ton August 28th, 1862.
Bohannon, Churchill.
Buchanan, W. H., wounded at Brand.y Station.
Beaton, Edward E.. wounded April ist, 1865, on Hatcher's Run and died
. in hands of enemy.
Brownley, A. M.
Bell, W. H., died at Culpepper Court House 1862.
Bland, Thomas.
Brent, George W., wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas, and
transferred to Navy.
Backus, William T., Jr., died at hospital May, 1862.
Batten, William A.
Bright, William Jordan.
Boutwell, Richard M., killed April Ist, 1865, on Hatcher's Run.
Crismond, John W.
Crismond, George E.
Cummings, SouthaU.
Cutherell, William H.
Cherry, W. H., wounded September 17th, 1862, Sharpsburg.
( liGmr TflTTip^
Creekmore, Walter A., killed July Ist, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Culver, George D., died at Jefferson from wounds received Aug-ust 28th
1862, at Warrenton Springs. '
Billion, James A.
Dilsburg, John H.
Ewell, John, wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Fitz Simmons, Thomas.
Forbes, V.
Griffin, J. B.
Gaskins, James H., lost leg at Malvern Hill July 1st, 1802.
Goodson, Henry P., died from wounds September 16th, 1864, in hospital.

PORTSMOUTH LIGHT ARTILLERY-GRIMES' BATTERY. 45
Hughes. William H. (sergeant), promoted to lieutenant in Lee's Battery.
Hopkins, Joshua H. L.
¦ Hopkins, Hillery, died in Shenandoah Valley 1862.
Hansford, W. R., died on Rappahannock 1863.
Ironmonger, C. E.
Ironmonger, A. C.
Ives, Francis M.
Jones, William H., died in Charlottesville 1862.
Jones, George T., died in hospital June 1862.
Johnson, Ed. H .
King, George W.
Lewis, Robert.
Lewis, Willi^am A., wounded July Ist, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Lynch, Wilson B., wounded September 17th, 1862, Sharpsburg.
Lash, George W.
Linn, Charles B.
Liverman, H.
Morris, James E., died 1865.
Moore, W. A., wounded slightly at Spotsylvania C. H. May 12th, 1864.
Mahoney, William B.
Moreland, pdward.
Montgomery, Richard.
McHomey, Stephen.
Matthews, Alonzo.
Miller, P. H.
Morgan, A. ¦"
MUes, Henry, died in field hospital September 16th, 1864.
Matthews, Ed-ward.
Matthews, John W., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Murphy, John.
McDonell, Alex. H.
March, Edward G., discharged 1862, over age and disability.
Myers, William T.
Minter, A. M.
Murray, Dennis.
Miller, Thomas E.
Miller, John.
McDonell, George W. R., wounded Malvern Hill 1862, Brandy Station
1863, Wilderness 1864, Petersburg 1864.
Nicholson, F. J. ,
Newby, S. W.
Overman, Quinten, killed September 17tb, 1862, Sharpsburg.
Parker, A. K.
Parker, Ephriam.
Peed, Robert.
Phillips, William, di.scharged 1862, over age.
Parker, Thomas.
Russ, Samuel P., captured April 2d, 1865, on Hatcher's Run, and died at
Point Lookout 1865.
Reynolds, Joseph S., wounded on Petersburg lines 1864.
Eogers, F. D.
Beardon, Michael E., died in Richmond 1864.
Rieger, Joseph.
Rehin, Fred.
Swain, William, killed .July Ist, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Stoakes, Joseph M., killed September 17th, 1862, Sharpsburg.
Stoakes, H. C.
Shephard, Edward .1.
Stores, Richard.
Spragg, Aaron.
Saunders, Robert, wounded at Brandy Station,

46 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
I
Sheppard, William E.
Snow, John W.
Stores, James.
Summers, E. T. W., died in hospital from wounds received July 1st, 1862,
at Malvern Hill.
Straub, E. G., captured wounded in Pennsylvania in July, 1863, and died
at Point Lookout.
Tyler, John B.
Virnelson. Thomas H.
Williams, Charles C, died from wounds received August 30th, 1862, at
Second Manassas.
Williams, Charles L.
Warren, Cary R., discharged 1862, under age.
Whitehead, William.
Wing, Thos. P., promoted first sergeant, wounded near Petersburg 1864.
Wilson, Willis.
Webb, James, Jr.
Weymouth, John, died in hospital from wounds received July Ist, 1862,
at Malvern Hill.
Widgeon, Jacob.
Whitehead, Severn.
Waller, James T.
Whitehead, Virginiua.
White, Thomas J. D., wounded at Williamsport July 1863.
Wrench, Jolin.
Warren, John J.
Wilson, John. ,
Webb, Thomas C. died at Churchland 1864.
Killed and died,— 26.

CHAPTEE III.
DISMAL SWAMP EANGEES, COMPANY A, THIED VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in 1856 at Deep Creek, in Nor
folk county, on the edge of the Dismal Swamp. Deep Creek was
a small village and the neighborhood thinly populated, the peo
ple, therefore, deserve commendation for their zeal and spirit in
organizing and maintaining such a large and efficient company.
At the breaking out of the war in 1861 the officers of the com
pany were :
Captain — James C. Choat.
Fii-st Lieutenant — John E. White.
Second Lieutenant — John F. Stewart.
First Sergeant — Thomas M. Hodges.
And the company was attached to the 3d Virginia Volunteer
Eegiment. In anticipation .of trouble in Portsmouth with the Federal au
thorities in possession of the Gosport Navy Yard, and appre
hending that orders Would be issued by the Governor calling the
regiment to arms. Captain Choat mustered his company on the
19th of April and marched with them to town. This was the day -
before the Navy Yard was burned. The next day the Governor's
orders came and found the Dismal S\famp Eangers already under
arms. The company was with the Portsmouth companies that
night, and the next morning was sent to the Naval Hospital and
assisted in building the batteries there.
In the shifting of the original companies composing the 3d
Eegiment the Rangers were retained on it and became Company A.
Shortly after being mustered into service Sergeant Thomas M.
Hodges was elected 3d Lieutenant. Captain Choat resigned in
the fall of 1861. Lieutenant White became captain. The other
Lieutenants were promoted one grade, and Sergeant Littleton H.
White was elected 3d Lieutenant, and these officers continued on
duty until the reorganization of the company in April, when sev
eral changes were made. Captain White was appointed Commis
sary of the regiment, and was, later in the war, sent to the Black-
water river as commissary in charge of the purchase of provisions.
Lieutenant Stewart was appointed Adjutant of the regiment and
the following were elected officers :
Captain — -Thomas M. Hodges.
First Lieutena;nt — Fred Martin.
Second Lieutenant — Wm. James Williams.
Third Lieutenant— Littleton H. White.
The company left the Hospital battery on the 7th of June,
47

48 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
1861, with the regiment and went to Burwell's Bay, where it re
mained until the middle of March, 1862, when it was ferried over
the James river to reinforce General Magruder on the lines at
Yorktown. It took part in a skirmish at Dam No. 2, and assisted
in repulsing McClellan's attempt to cross ; was in the battle of
Williamsburg and fell back with the army towards Eichmond. It
took part in the battle of Seven Pines May 31st and June 1st,
and all of the battles of the seven days' fighting except Malvern
Hill, where it was held in reserve The company suffered very
severely at Frazier's farm July 30th. , It carried sixty-eight men
into the battle and five of them, including Lieutenants Martin and
Williams, were killed and seventeen others were wounded, of
whom five subsequently died from their wounds.
Shortly after the seven days' battles Lieutenant L. H. White
was retired on account of physical disability and John E. Ed
wards was elected 1st Lieutenant, S. W. Gary 2d, and Osceola
White 3d. The company went through the campaign of 1862,
beginning with Second Manassas, taking in Harper's Ferry and
Sharpsburg, and terminating in the crushing defeat of Burnside's
army at Fredericksburg December 18th. At the battle of Get
tysburg Company A was deployed as skirmishers, and, under
command of Captain Hodges, led the charge of Kemper's Brigade
of Pickett's Division up Cemetery Hill. Captain Hodges and
Lieutenant White were wounded and Lieutenant Gary was cap
tured. They recovered from their wounds and rejoined the
company. Lieutenant Osceola White was killed at the battle of
Dinwiddle Courthouse on the 31st of March, 1865 (the day before
the battle of Five Forks), in which a portion of Pickett's Division
defeated Sheridan's Cavalry. Captain Hodges had command of
the 3d Eegiment at the battle of Five Forks, and surrendered it
at Appomattox.
It is a singular fact that, though the company was in the line
of skirmishers at Gettysburg and received the fire of the en
trenched Federals before the main line of battle, none of its men
were killed. A number were wounded.
The company had three Orderly Sergeants during the war 
Thomas M. Hodges, who was promoted to Lieutenant and after
wards to Captain ; Nathan Hodges, who was captured at Gettys
burg and died in prison at Point Lookout, and Patrick Henry
Miller, who was captured at Gettysburg and exchanged. He was
appointed Orderly Sergeant upon his return and filled that posi
tion until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battle
of Dinwiddle Courthouse March 31st, 1865, and conveyed to the
hospital at Farmville, where he again fell into the hands of the
enemy upon the retreat of the army to,Appomattox.
Maurice Liverman, of Company A, was mortally wounded at
the battle of Frazier's Farm June 30th, 1862, and turning to some

DISMAL SWAMP RANGERS, CO. A, THIRD VA. REGT. 49
of his comrades, he said: "Boys, I can't five much longer, so hold
me up so that I can fire one more shot and kill one more Yankee
before I die, to get even with them for my own, death." His
comrades complied with his request.
The following members of the company were in the charge of
Pickett's Division at Gettysburg. The company was detailed as
skirmishers for the 3d Eegiment :
Captain Thomas M, Hodges, wounded.
Second Lieutenant S. W. Gary, captured.
Third Lieutenant Osceola White, wounded.
First Sergeant Nathan Hodges, captured.
Sergeant P. H. Miller, wounded and captured.
John Nash.
" John H. Cherry. PEIVATES.
Barnes, Edward, Hodges, James, captured ;
Benton, Joseph J., Hodges, Patrick .PL, captured;
Britton, James J., Hodges, Josiah,
Cherry, James E., Halstead, William,
Duke, Gideon, Herbert, William, captured ;
Fentress, Batson, ILnbury, Samuel W.,
Friedlin, John, Jolhff, John W.,
Forward, John W., Kilgore, Mallory,
Gallop, John, Jr., Liverman, Hardy, captured;
Godfrey, Mark, Nash, Wilham H.
Below w^ll be found a roll of the company :
Captain, James C. Choat, resigned 1S61.
First Lieutenant John R. White, promoted Captain, appointed A. C. S.
1862.
Second Lieutenant John F. Stewart, appointed Adjutant 3d Regiment,
wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas, and July 3d, 1863, Gettys
burg, captured at Five Forks.
Third Lieutenant Thomas M. Hodges, promoted Captain, wounded July
3, 1863, Gettysburg, and Frazier's Farm June 30, 1862, surrendered
at Appomattox.
First Sergeant Littleton H. White, promoted Lieutenant, discharged for
disability 1862.
Second Sergeant S. W. Gary, promoted Lieutenant, captured at Gettysburg
and not exchanged.
Third Sergeant Fred Martin, promoted 1st Lieutenant, killed June 36th,
1862, Frazier's Farm.
First Corporal John H, Cherry, wounded Gaines' Mill June 27th, 1862,
and Dec. 13th, 1862, Fredericksburg.
Second Corporal Nathan Hodges, captured at Gettysburg and died at
Point Lookout.
Third Corporal John C. Nash, wounded June 27th, 1862, Gaines' Mill,
Fourth Corporal Thomas B. Bartee, wounded slightly Juue30th, 1862, Frar-
zier's Farm, and captured at Five Forks April 1, 1865.
Musician Ralph Cherry (colored).
'• George Blamire "

50 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.

Brown, Bartlett, detailed to work in Charlotte, 1862.
Barnes, Edward.
Bateman, Raynor, discharged 1862, disability.
Benton, Joseph J., wounded September 17th, 1862, Sharpsburg.
Britton, James J., captured at Five Forks.
Bright, Thomas J., died in hospital 1863, Staunton.
Cherry, James C, killed June 30th, 1862.' Frazier's Farm.
Cherry, James E., wounded September i7th, 1862, Sharpsburg.
Casey, Kaynor, died in hospital March, 1862, Camp Pemberton.
Culpepper^ Maurice, severely wounded June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm,
and appointed Provost Marshal at Waverly,
Culpepper, Miles.
Culpepper, Marshall, wounded June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm, disabled
and discha^'ged.
Coffleld, J. A., transferred to Maryland cavalry.
Creekmore, Malachi, wounded April 1st, 1865, Five Porks.
Duke, Gideon, died in hospital August, 1863, at Gordonsville.
Bason, George W., wounded slightly April 1st, 1865, Five Forks, cap
tured and died from disease contracted at Point Lookout.
Edwards, LeRoy B.
Edwards, John R., promoted to Lieutenant, wounded September 17, 1862,
Sharpsburg.
Etheredge. Evan D., died in hospital 1862.
Etheredge, James M., died in hospital 1862.
t'entress, Batson.
Fentress, Joshua, died in hospital December, 1862.
Friedlin, John.
Fisher, William C, killed January, 1865, Dutch Gap.
Forward, John W., captured Five Porks.
Gallop, Samuel, discharged 1862, over age.
Gallop, John, Sr., "
Gallop, John, Jr., wounded slightly at Cold Harbor, 1864.
Godfrey, Stephen, died in hospital 1862.
Godfrey, Mark, surrendered at Appomattox.
Gordon, Benjamin F., died in hospital December, 1862.
Hodges, James, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged, supposed to
have died in prison.
Hodges, Joshua, mortally wounded April 5th, 1862, at Williamsburg and
died in hospital, Richmond.
Hodges, Patrick H,, captured at Gettysburg.
Hodges, Josiah.
Herring, Gideon, captured at Five Forks.
Halstead, Wilson.
Herbert, William, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged.
Hanbury, Samuel W., killed November, 1864, Dutch Gap.
JoUiff, John W., wounded June 30th, 1862, at Frazier's Farm wounded
June 3d, 1864, Cold Harbor.
Joynes, William P.
Joynes, Custis T., transferred to artillery.
Keeling, Robert N. W., detailed for hospital duty, transferred to Signal
Corps.
Kilgore, Malory, captured at Five Forks.
Liverman, Hardy, wounded June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm and Gettys
burg, captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged.
Liverman, Maurice, killed June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm.
Miller, Patrick H. , promoted 1st Sergeant, wounded and captured at Get
tysburg, exchanged and wounded at Dinwiddle Courthouse March 31st
1865, and captured at Farmvilie on retreat. '
Morse, Luke, discharged 1862, disability.

DISMAL SWAMP RANGERS, CO. A, THIRD VA. REGT. 51
McGuire, Dudley P., transferred to Kentucky regiment and promoted to
Assistant Surgeon.
McConnell, G. B., transferred to Kentucky regiment.
Nash, James E.
Nash, William H., detailed in hospital.
Peaks, John D., detailed in hospital, Richmond.
Reed, l^hotnas P., wounded 1865 on picket, Dutch Gap.
Simmons, W. A., discharged 1861, disability, and died.
Sawyer, Kader, killed June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm.
Tucker, .lames A., died in hospital in Ri(!h^lond July, 1862.
Tucker, Willis, discharged 1861, disability.
Taylor, John.
White, Edward P., transferred to 14th Virginia Regiment.
Whitehead, John D., died in hospital January, 1863.
Williams. Wm. J., promoted 2d Lieutenant, killed June 30th, 1862, at
Frazier's Farm.
White, O!^ceola T., promoted 3d Lieutenant, wounded July 3d, 1863, at
Gettysburg, killed .March 31st, 1865, at Dinwiddle Courthouse.
Weston, W. W., captured at Five Forks.
Killed and died,— 20.

CHAPTEE IV.
THE VIEGINIA EIFLEMEN, COMPANY B, THIED VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was originally the Marion Eifles, which was or
ganized in Portsmouth about the year 1856, and was one of the
original companies in the Third Virginia Eegiment. At the
breaking out of the war it responded to the call of Governor
Letcher and turned out with about eighty men on the 20th of
April, 1861. The officers were : '
Captain — Johannis Watson.
First Lieutenant — WiUisim C. Taylor.
Second Lieutenant — George W. Hutchings.
Third Lieutenant — Alex. 0. Mathieson.
The company was mustered into service with the rest of the
Portsmouth companies, and, on the 21st of April, was sent to the
Naval Hospital point, doing there its full share of duty and re
sponding willingly to every call made upon it. On the 17th of
April the Virginia Convention passed the Ordinance of Secession,
but directed that it be submitted to a vote of the peopl^ on the
23d of May for ratification or rejection. On that day the Marion
Eifles were still on duty at the Hospital batteries, and the first
fifteen men, as their names came on the roll, were allowed to go
to the Court House to vote. Those men were opposed to the
State seceding from the Union, and fourteen of the fifteen voted
against the ratification of the Ordinance of Secession. Before
their return to camp the news had arrived there as to how they
had voted, and Colonel Eoger A. Pryor, who was then commander
of the 3d Eegiment and of the post, became furiously angry,
refused to allow any more men from the company to go to town
to vote, and, upon the return of those who had voted, had them
put in confinement in the lower rooms in the hospital building.
An election was being held, but Colonel Pryor did not seem will
ing that any one in the command should vote who entertained
different views from his own. He telegraphed that night to Gov
ernor Letcher that he had put the men in confinement for voting
against the Ordinance of Secession and asked what he should do
with them. Governor Letcher telegraphed back to release them
immediately ; t"hat the election was intended to be a, free one, and
every citizen had a right to vote as he chose. Colonel Pryor re
leased the men and the next day disbanded the company upon
the charge of " disloyal conduct," and turned its guns over to a
Petersburg company which had been armed with boarding pikes.
Many conservative men disapproved of this proceeding, and re
garded it as an attempt on the part of Colonel Pryor, at the very
82

VIRGINIA RIFLEMEN, CO. B, THIRD VA. REGT. 53
outset of the Southern Confederacy, to suppress the right of suf
frage, and perhaps that officer himself subsequently regretted his
ill considered action. It lost to the Confederacy and Virginia the
services of more than fifty men, who would doubtless have proved
themselves good soldiers. They had followed the lead of Gov
ernor Letcher, though opposed to leaving the Union, and in so
doing had acknowledged that their allegiance was due first to the
State. _ They voiced their sentiments by their votes,, but would
have yielded their support to the sovereign authority of the State,
as thousands of others did, who felt that she was doing wrong in
seceding. On the 6th of June about thirty of the old member^ of the
company, with a few additional recruits, reorganized the company
under the name of the Virginia Eiflemen, and elected the follow
ing officers :
Captain, Alonzo B. Jordan.
First Lieutenant, Wilham C. Taylor ; Second Lieutenant, George
W. Hutchings ; Third Lieutenant, Vernon C. Grant.
First Sergeant, Alex. C. Mathieson ; Second Sergeant, Eobert
Guy ; Third Sergeant, Thomas Gleason ; Fourth Sergeant, Daniel
T. Brownley.
First Corporal, Eobert A. Hutchings; Second Corporal, Wil
liam Outten ; Third Corporal, Eobert W alton ; Fourth Corporal,
William H. Lumber.
The next day, June 7th, 1861, the company left the Hospital
point with the regiment for Burwell's Bay, in Isle of Wight
county. The following September Lieutenant Taylor resigned
on account of a difficulty with Colonel Pryor, and on the 13tn of
September Captain Jordan resigned to take a position in the corps
of engineers. Lieutenant Grant's appointment as quartermaster
of the regiment created another vacancy, and Captain John W.
H. Wrenn was elected Captain, Second tieutenant Hutchings was
promoted to First Lieutenant, and Sergeants Mathieson and Guy
were elected Second and Third Lieutenants. Captain Wrenn re
signed early in 1862, Lieutenant Hutchings was promoted to
Captain, Lieutenants Mathieson and Guy were advanced one grade
each. Sergeant Thomas Gleason was elected Third Lieutenant and
Sergeant Daniel T. Brownley became First Sergeant. The above
were the officers of the company at the beginning of the campaign
around Eichmond in 1862.
Captain Hutchings was wounded at Frazier's Farm June 30th,
1862, but subsequently rejoined the company. He was with it at
Gettysburg July 3d, 1863, while under the shelling from the
Federal batteries on Cemetery and Eound Top hills. The 3d
Eegiment was in Kemper's Brigade, Pickett's Division, and was
kept lying down in fine of battle from 10- A. M. to 3 P. M. under
a scorching July sun, with scarcely a breath of air to temper the

54 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
heat, and Captain Hutchings and Sergeant Brownley were sun
struck. A number of the men, too, were overcome by the heat
and were unable to advance when the charge was ordered. Lieu
tenant Guy was killed by a shell while the company was in the
line before the advance was ordered. The shell cut off his arm
and he died shortly afterwards from the wound. The same shell
killed Private Joshua Mnrden and wounded Private Walter Leg-
gett. Lieutenant Gleason was wounded at Gains' Mill June 27th,
1862, but recovered and rejoined the company, in time to go on
the Gettysburg campaign. He commanded tlie company in the
charge and was captured at the stone wall. He was not exchanged.
Lieutenant Mathieson was with the company whenever it was
possible for him to do so, but his health was delicate and he finally
died in a hospital in Petersburg early in 1865.
The company was a small one originally, numbering only fifty-
seven, rank and file, as appeared from the muster roll for Sep
tember, 1861, and it was still further reduced by details, &c.
Some of the men were excellent mechanics, whose services were
needed to work upon the vessels being built for the navy, and
eleven of them were detailed for that purpose, three were dis
charged, three were promoted to positions out of the company,
four were transferred to the liavy and three (officers) resigned.
This brought the effective strength down to thirty-three, and of
these nine were killed or died, besides one of those transferred to
the navy, eight are recorded mth having received vvounds, and
five were captured at Gettysburg and not exchanged. Only
thirteen of those who remained with the company escaped. At
the battle of Gettysburg July 3d, 1863, the company had three
commissioned officers and twelve non-commissioned officers and
privates present for duty.
It will be remembered .that Pickett's Division arrived on the
battle field about 10 A. M. and was drawn up in line of battle
until 3 P. M. before it was ordered to charge, and all that time
the men in the 3d Virginia Eegiment were exposed to the sun
and to the enemy's artillery fire. The two together disabled nine
of the fifteen men in Company B. Lieutenant Guy was killed,
as was also Private Joshua Murden, Private Walter Leggett was
wounded, six of the others were overcome by heat, so that only
six were in condition to advance when the order was given. Those
six were Lieutenant Gleason, Sergeant Eobert A. Hutchings,
Corporal William H. Lumber and Privates William A. Fiske,
William E. Herbert and William Moran, all of whom, except
Private Fiske, were captured. Providentially none were struck
in the advance. Company B was next to the colors, and when
nearing the stone wall the color sergeant was killed and the colors
fell with him, but Sergeant Eobert A. Hutchings picked them up
and carried them to the stone wall from behind which the enemy

VIRGINIA RIFLEMEN, CO. B, THIRD VA. REGT. 55
were driven. A full account of this charge will be found in the
history of the 9th Virginia Eegiment, chapter XII, further on in
this work. The Virginia Eiflemen, Company B, participated in
all the battles and skirmishes in which the 3d Eegiment was en
gaged up to the winter of 1SS4-5, and in proportion to the num
ber of men actively on its roll suffered as heavily as any company
which left the city. Its death rate was about one out of every
three. The company had a second difficulty with Colonel Pryor at the
reorganization near Yorktown. The men re-enlisted for the war,
and when doing so re-enlisted with the understanding that the
company would be assigned to a regiment which Colonel D. J.
Godwin was raising. Colonel Pryor put Captain Hutchings and
several of the men under arrest upon the charge of mutiny, but
the matter blew over and the company remained in the 3d Eegi
ment. The company became very much disorganized and reduced on
the lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds in the winter of 1864-5,
and being left without a commissioned officer Lieutenant John
Edwards of Company A, the Disinal Swamp Eangers, was as
signed to the command. There were only five men present for
duty at the battle of Five Forks. These were James Archer, W.
A. Fiske, William Morrissett, Peter Morrissett and William Wil-
• kins, all of whom, except Archer, fell inix) the hands of the
enemy. Private Fiske was wounded. Archer surrendered at
Appomattox. Below win be found the names of the members of the company
as per the muster roll for September, 1861 :
Captain Alonzo B. Jordan, resigned September 13th, 1861, appointed in
Engineer Corps.
Captain John W. H. Wrenn, elected Sept. 13th, 1861, resigned 1862.
First Lieutenant William C. Taylor, resigned 1861, September.
Second Lieutenant George W. Hutchings, elected Captain, wounded June
30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm.
Third Lieutenant Vernon C. Grant, appointed Quartermaster of regiment.
First Sergeant Alex. C. Mathieson, elected Lieutenant, died in hospital 1865,
Petersburg.
Second Sergeant Robert Guy, elected Lieutenant, killed July 3d, 1863,
Gettysburg.
Third Sergeant Thomas Gleason, elected Lieutenant, wounded July 27th,
1862, Gains' Mill, captured July 5th, 1863, Gettysburg and not ex
changed. ^
Fourth Sergeant Daniel T. Brownle.v, promoted to First Sergeant.
First Corporal Robert A. Hutchings, promoted Second Sergeant, captured
July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, with colors of the 3d Regiment.
Second Corporal William Outten, promoted Third Sergeant.-
Third Corporal Robert Walton, detailed 1862 to work in Navy Yard.
Fourth Corporal Wm. H. Lumber, captured at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863.
Musician James Archer, captured April Ist, 1865, Five, Forks.
Musician Abraham Choat, discharged 18B1, being a slave.
PRIVATES.
Anderson, Charles.
Borum, Edward C, detailed 1862 to work in Navy Yard.

56 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Borum, John, detailed 1863 to work in Navy Yard.
Bush, Joseph M., detailed 1862 to work in Navy Yard.
Bowen, Hine, wounded June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm.
Broughton, Joseph.
Butler, Johm
Butters, Francis H., detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Bright, John T., captured in Mary land. ^eptfimber, 1862, and not heard from.
Butler, Thomas, discharged 1S(!2, -under ago.
Davis, John W., detailed 1863 to work in Nav.y Yard:
Dunn, Edward, appointed Regimental Drum Major June 22d, 1861.
Etheredge, Cornelius, transferred to Navy.
¦ Fiske, William A., wounded April Ist, 1865, Five Forks, and captured.
Fitchett, George, detailed 1863 to work in Nay.v Yard.
Grimes, Bartlett, wounded September 17th, 1862, Sharpsburg, and enlisted
in Navy.
Herbert, Wm. E., captured July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, and not exchanged.
Host, George.
Hawkins, Wm., transferred to Navy and killed at Little Washington, N. C.
Hall, Henr.v C, died in hospital.
Hea-th, William, killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Jarvis, Benjamin, detailed 1862 to work in Navy Yard.
King, Charles A., detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Jordan, James, killed June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm.
Leggett, Walter, wounded July 3d, 1863. Gettysburg.
Loudoun, James T., killed June 29th, 1862, Cold Harbor.
Moran, William, captured July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, not exchanged.
Morrisett, William, captured at Five Forks April 1st, 1865.
Morrisett, Peter, captured at Five Forks April 1st,. 1865.
Murden, Joshua, killed July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Norsworthy, Francis.
Parker, William, wounded June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm, transferred
to Signal Corps.
Parsons, William H., transferred to Navy.
Powell, Benjamin F., wounded slightly twice.
Read, Charles, wounded June 30th,* 1862, Frazier's Farm, and died in
hospital from wound.
Simmons, Thomas, died in hospital 1862.
Smith, George A., transferred to Navy.
Thomas, William, detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Wilkins, William, promoted to Commissary Sergeant, captured at Five
Forks Afiril 1st, 1865.
Wilkins, Andrew, discharged June 20th, 1861, disability.
White, Charles.
Killed and died,— 10.

CHAPTEE V.
THE NATIONAL GEAYS, COMPANY H, THIED VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in Portsmouth in May, 1856, and
at once a friendly rivalry sprang up between it and the Old
Dominion Guard as to which company should attain the largest
number of members and the greatest proficiency in drilling. Cap
tain P. H. Daugherty was the first captain of the company, and
was succeeded by Captain John E. Deans, who continued in com
mand until the reorganization in 1862, when he was not re
elected. It was handsomely uniformed in gray, and its soldierly
appearance on parade was marked At the time of the John
Brown war, in 1859, the Grays volunteered their services and
were sent to Harper's Ferry, taking- with them on the trip five
commissioned officers, ten non-commissioned officers, forty-three
privates, two non-commissioned staff, commissary and ordnance
sergeants, and two musicians, a total of sixty-two men. They
were on duty at Charlestown from November "27th until Decem
ber 20th, and returned home after John Brown was hung.
When Governor Letcher issued his orders on the 20th of April,
1861, for the troops in this city to take up arms the National
Grays were as ready to serve their State as they were in 1859,
and the company turned out with full ranks under the following
officers :
Captain — John E. Deans.
First Lieutenant — James Dongan.
Second Lieutenant — William F. Whitehurst.
Third Lieutenant — George W. Mitchell.
Fourth Lieutenant — ^William F. White.
There was no authority in military law for the position of 4th
Lieutenant, but as the company numbered about a hundred members
before the war and wanted an officer to command the fourth section,
Lieutenant White was given that honorary title, but with the be
ginning of actual war the fictitious had to give way to the real,
and the honorary position of 4th Lieutenant passed dut of exist
ence. Lieutenant White joined Company E, 61st Virginia, and
was subsequently promoted to Captam of one of the companies in
the 6th Virginia Eegiment. The company was ordered to the
Gosport Navy Yard on the 21st of April, 1861, and remained
there doing guard duty until August, when orders were received
to rejoin the regiment, the 3d Virginia, at Burwell's Bay, in
Isle of Wight county. The 3d Eegiment left the Naval Hospital
batteries on the 7th of June, but the Grays, Company H, were
continued in the Navy Yard. While thus engaged on guard duty
6 67

58 NORFOLK COUNTY. 1861-6.
news arrived of the battle of Manassas on the 17th of July, and
fancying that the war would end before they would have an op
portunity to do any fighting, the Grays asked to be ordered to
their regiment. Their first application was denied, but their
second attempt was more successful, and General Huger ordered
them to report to Colonel Pryor. They left the Navy Yard and
marched to the ferry wharf under an escort of the 3d Georgia
Eegiment, crossed to Norfolk and took the Norfolk and Peters
burg cars for Zuni, from which station they marched to Camp
Cooke, near Burwell's Bay, and from there they moved to Camp
Pemberton, near Smithfield. Death made its first appearance^ in
the tanks of the company while at Camp Pemberton._ Julian
Peed, one of the youngest members of the company, died there
in the hospital in 1861, and Corporal Eobert A. Sherwood died
in 1862.
Nothing of special note occurred there until the middle of
March, when, upon the landing of General McClellan's army at
Fortress Monroe, March I7th, 1862, the 3d Eegiment was carried
across James river in canal barges to reinforce General Magruder,
who was holding the Confederate lines from Yorktown to War
wick river. "While getting on the barges Captain Deans fell
overboard from the wharf. He was dressed in full uniform and
was. weighed down by his sword and pistol, and had a narrow
escape from drowning. The regiment remained on the north side
of the river only one day, when it was taken back, to Camp
Cooke, but was ferried over again to General Magruder's assist
ance on the day following. This proves that the Confederate
counsels at that time were attended with much doubt and uncer
tainty. However, upon the second trip the regiment was re
tained on the north side and was attached to General Colston's
Brigade of Longstreet's Division.
The company was on duty at Dam No. 2 when General Mc
Clellan made his first attempt to advance upon General Magru
der's lines, and assisted in repulsing his attempt to cross the
stream, and upon the strength of this repulse General McClellan
halted his troops and proceeded to dislodge General Magruder by
regular approaches and a series of eartliworks. The regiment
was ordered 'into the battle of Williamsburg April 5th, 1862, late
in the afternoon and held its position until the battle ended »and
General Johnston had made all of his arrangements to fall back
towards Eichmond, when it was ordered to retire.
While the Grays were in the lines at Yorktown an incident
happened which, in the lapse of time that has intervened since
then, becomes laughable and proves how unreasonable men can
become when they are clothed with authority over other men.
While the regiment was at Camp Pemberton Major Bradford,
who was mustering officer for Huger's Division, visited' the camp
for the purpose of ascertaining how many of the men were will-

NATIONAL GRAYS, CO. H, THIRD VA. REGT. 59
ing to re-enlist, as they were nearing the expiration of the year
for which they had been originally mustered into service, and in-
fonned them that they could re-enlist in any command they
might desire. Colonel Pryor was very unpopular with the
Grays and they were very anxious to be removed from under his
command, consequently, though all of the them re- enlisted,
most of them expressed a desire to re-enlist in some of the
Portsmouth companies which were in other regiments. They
thought Colonel Pryor was too overbearing.
On the 19th of April, 1862, the company was on picket duty
and was relieved on the 20th, marched to their quarters and
stacked arms. This was just one year after the original muster of
the company into service, and, as has been observed before, most
of the men had re-enlisted into other organizations. Colonel
Pryor had the company mustered and said to them :
" I understand some of you men want to go home."
One of them answered: "No, sir, we do not want to go home,
but we want to go to the companies in which we re-enlisted.'-'
Colonel Pryor became very angry at this reply, told the com
pany^ a battle was about to be fought and. accused the men of
wanting to get away to avoid that battle, and asked how many
were mlhng to remain until after the battle.
This taunting speech aroused the anger of the men, and Lieu
tenant Lingo, speaking for the others, said :
"Colonel Pryor, we are not leaving on account of the enemy
or the approaching battle, but we do not desire to serve any
longer under your command, but if we are put under the imme
diate command of Major Scott (the Major of the 3d Eegiment)
every man wiU cheerfully remain here until the battle is over."
Colonel Pryor then said : "All who desire to be placed under
the orders of Major Scott will step three paces to the front." The
whole company, with the exception of four men, marched promptly
the three steps, whereupon Colonel Pryor ordered Major Scott to
march them to Yorktown and put them in jail upon the charge
of mutiny. They remained in jail three hours, when they were
marched to the headquarters of General D. II. Hill, placed in a
pen with a rope stretched around it, and put under the guard of
a company of North Carolina troops. Shortly afterwards the men
were sent to work upon the breastworks as a punishment. Lieu
tenant Dongan ventured to protest against this treatment of his
men, but was placed under arrest for it. The officers of the regi
ment took the matter in hand and brought about a settlement. A
law was read to the men which the Confederate Congress had
passed, and of which they had been ignorant, requiring men who
re-enlisted to re-enlist in their original commands, so the Grays
remained in the 3d Eegiment and Colonel Pryor apologized to the
company for the harsh language and treatment he had used to
wards the men.

60 NORFOLK county; 1861-5.
At the reorganization of the company on the Yorktown Penin
sula, the following officers were elected :
- Captain — John D. Whitehead.
First Lieutenant — George W. Mitchell.
Second Lieutenant — William S. Cooke.
Third Lieutenant — John W. Lingo.
After the battle of Fredericksburg Lieutenant Cooke was dis
charged under a surgeon's certificate of disability and Lieutenant
Mitcmeir was killed at Gettysburg under the shelling immediately
before the charge of Pickett's Division July 3d, 1863. Orderly
Sergeant John C. Fulford was elected Lieutenant, and Lieutenant
Lingo also having been discharged upon a surgeon's certificate of
disability. Lieutenant Fulford became First Lieutenant. Captain
Whitehead was among those who reached the stone wall at Get
tysburg alive, but was captured there. He was exchanged in
March, 1865.
The company had six Orderly Sergeants during the war, viz.:
William P. Sturtevant, who was discharged for over age the first
year of the war ; William S. Cooke, promoted to Lieutenant 1862 ;
Eichard Mahone, killed at Frazipr's Farm June 30th, 1862; Ben
jamin Mitchell, died in hospital 1863 ; John C. Fulford, promoted
to Lieutenant, and Frank T. Tyran, who held the position when
the war ended.
Captain Whitehead lived through the war and escaped without
a wound, notwithstanding the many battles in which he led his
coinpany. After the war he moved to Eichmond, and when the
1st Virginia Eegiment of that city was re-organized he was elected
its Lieutenant Colonel. He was a gallant soldier and a good man,
and was well worthy to lead the Grays.
M. D. Montserrate of the Grays was acting Sergeant Major of
the regiment,' and just before the battle of Five Forks was ap
pointed color bearer. He carried the colors in that fight and was
wounded twice, once in the shoulder and once in the forearm, but
continued carrying the colors until he was surrounded and cap
tured. John Yost carried. the colors of the 3d Eegiment at the
battle of second Manassas, and was the first -man in the regiment
to reach a Federal battery which it was charging. ,
The following men were present with the company at Gettys
burg and participated in the charge of Pickett's Division:
Captain John D. Whitehead, captured.
Lieutenant George W. Mitchell, killed under the shelling.
PEIVATES.
Ashton, Edgar, Keehng, William, wounded and
Arrington, James E., captured,
Barrett, Solomon H., Lash, James,
Barrett, George, captured, Loomis, James W.,
Beeks, William H., , Mahone, Harrison, wounded and
Barrom, Osceola, wounded, captured,

NATIONAL GRAYS, CO. H, THIRD VA. RliUT. 61
Goodson, Calvin, wounded and McHorney, William II.,
captured, O'Donnell, Patrick,
Gay, Henry B., Smith, James, wounded,
Hanrahan, George, Stoakes, Edward, wounded,
Howard, James T. B., captured. Tee, John C, captured,
Hickman, Joseph, Weddon, John li,
Jenkins, Miles, West, William,
Kirby, Johnson, Yost, John,
Below will be found a copy of the names of the members of
the company as per the muster roll for July and August, 1861 :
Captain John E. Deans, dropped at reorganization, 1862.
" John D. Whitehead, elected Captain at reorganization.
First Lieutenant James W. Dongan, dropped at reorganization, 1862.
George W. Mitchell, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettsburg.
"' " John C. Fulford, surrendered at Appomattox.
Second " William F. Whitehurst, dropped at reorganization, 1862.
" " William S. Cooke, discharged for disability, 1863.
Third " John W. Lingo, discharged for disability, 1864.
Fourth " William F. White, promoted. Captain Co. B, 6th Virginia.
First Sergeant William P. Sturtevant, discharged for over age, 1862.
'• ¦ " Richard Mahone, killed June 30th, 1862, at Frazier's Farm.
" " P. T. Tynan, promoted First Sergeant. '
" " Bcnjauiin Mitchell, died in hospital, 1862.
Sergeant William H. Bloxom, promoted to Ordnance Sergeant of Regiment.
Coi-poral William R. Hanrahan, transferred to Signal Corps, 1862.
" Robert A. Sherwood, died at Camp Pemberton, 1863.
Musician Henry Foils.
Johnson Tabb.
" William Brown. PRIVATES.
Ashton, Edgar, wounded at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863.
Ashton, J. V. B., detached April, 1861, in employment of railroad company.
Arring-ton, James E.
Atkinson, George W., discharged 1861, under age.
Barrett, George, captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Barrett, Solomon H., wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Beeks, William H.
Boswick, William, discharged 1861.
Bari-om, Osceola, wounded July 3d, 1803, Gettysburg.
Bland, Thomas, detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard. .
Culpepper, David, wounded September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg.
Culpepper, Joshua, died from wounds received at Gaines' Mill June 27th,
1862.
Culpepper, Joseph, wounded June 27th, 1862, Gaines' Mill.
Coston, Thomas.
Cntherel, Arthur, transferred to Company B. , , , ^ o,r u
Deans, Robert E., promoted Sergeant, wounded and disabled June 27th,
1862, Gaines' Mill.
Deans, Joseph, discharged 1861, disability.
Deans, Thomas H., discharged August 23, 1861, disability.
Dolly, William.
Etheredge, John E.
Edgar, George, detached 1862.
Franklin, Thomas, killed June, 1862, at Frazier's Farm.
Friedlin, Adolph, killed June, 1862, at Frazier's Farm.
Flemming, Thomas, discharged for disability 1861.
Flemming, Caleb, discharged for disability 1861.
Gripies, James B., killed June 30thi 1862, at Frazier's Farm.
Goodson, Calvin, wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.

62 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Gay, Henry B., wounded and disabled June, 1864, at Turkey Ridge.
Gleason, George W., severely wounded 1862 and detached.
Graham, Thomas.
Harley, Thomas D., discharged August 19th, 1861, disability.
Hanrahan, George.
Hunley, John, discharged 1862, over age.
Howard, James T. B., captured at Gettysburg.
Hawkins, William, transferred to Company B.
Hickman, Joseph, captured at Five Forks April Ist, 1865.
Hoops, John, detached 1862 to work on ordnance.
Host, George, transferred to Company B.
Hoffler, Elias.
Herbert, William E., transferred to Company B, 3d Virginia
Joyner, Cordy J., detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Jenkins, Miles.
Kirby, Johnson, wounded July 3d, 1863. at Gettysburg, and wounded and
disabled April, 1865, at Hive Forks
Keeling, William, wounded and disabled July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Lee, Charles P., detached 1861, engineer on Seaboard railroad.
Lash, Joseph.
Linscott, David, detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Lash, James.
Loomis, James W.
Loudon, J. T., transfeired to Co. B, killed June 30, 1862, at Frazier's Farm.
Merkie, George.
Monserrute, M D., promoted Color Bearer of Regiment, wounded April 1st,
1805. at Five Forks.
Mahoney, James H., discharged for disability.
Mahone, Harrison, wounded, disabled and captured July 3d at Gettysburg
and died in 1865 from dii3ea.se contracted at Point Lookout.
Mahone, Wilmer, died iu hospital in Richmond 1862.
McHorney, William H., severely wounded June 30th, 1862, Frazier's Farm.
McElwee, Andrew, transferred to Maryland line 1863.
McFa.rland, William.
Mclntyre, George, killed September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg.
Nichols, Thomas J., discharged 1861 for disability.
Nichols, Jerry, detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Nottingham, Jacob, detached 1801 to work in Navy Yard.
O'DonnelU Patrick, wounded December 13th, 1862, at Fredericksburg, and
wounded and disabled March 31st, 1865, at Dinwiddle Court House.
Peed, Julian, died at Camp Pemberton 1«61.
Rowan, William H., severely wounded June, 1802, Seven Days battles.
Rond, Charles, detailed 1861 to work in Nav.y Yard.
Roberts, Thomas, detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Rowell, William, died in hospital in Richmond 1802.
Scott, Robert G., discharged 1861, over.age.
Smith, James, Third Sergeant, wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Stoakes, Isaiah, Second Sergeant, discharged 1861, over age.
Savage, Thomas.
Stoakes, Edwd., wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, died in hospital 1864.
Tee, John C, severely wounded June 27th, 1862, Gaines' Mill. ^
Tabb, Thomas, detached 1861 to worl^ in Navy Yard.
Tabb, Henry A., detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Thomas, Samuel, detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Veal, James.
Volkmau, C. W., detailed 1862.
White, John S., discharged 1862, over age.
Weddon, John R.
West, William E.
Welslagcr, George, discharged 1861, disability.
Yost, John, wounded and disabled March 31st, 1865, at Dinwiddie C. H.
Killed and died — 15

CHAPTEE VI.
THIED VIEGINIA EEGIMENT  COI.STOn's, PEYOe's, KBMPEe''s BEIGADES.
longstreet's, Anderson's, pickett's divisions.
The 3d Virginia Eegiment, previous to the breaking out of the
late war, was composed of seven companies, five from the city of
Portsmouth and two from Norfolk county, but with the com
mencement of hostilities some of the companies were transferred
to other regiments, and only three of the original companies were
retained in it. These were the Dismal Swamp Eangers of Nor
folk county, which became Company A ; the Marion Eifles of
Portsmouth, Company B, and the National Grays of Portsmouth,
Company H. The remaining companies of the regiment were
from neighboring counties. Company C was from Petersburg,
Company D from Dinwiddie, Companies E and G from South
ampton, Company F from Nansemond, Company I from Isle of
Wight and Company K from Halifax.
The old field officers of the regiment were removed by Governor
Letcher and assigned to other commands, and Colonel Eoger A.
Pryor was assigned to it as Colonel, with Lieutenant Colonel
Joseph Mayo and Major J. V. Scott.
The regiment was stationed at various batteries in the vicinity
of Portsmouth, with headquarters at the Naval Hospital, until the
7th of June, 1861, when it moved to Burwell's Bay, and shortly
afterwards to Camp Pemberton, near Smithfield. Company H
remained behind doing guard duty in the Navy Yard until August,
when it joined the' regiment at Camp Pemberton.
About the middle of March, 1862, the regiment was ferried
across James Eiver to reinforce General Magruder at Yorktown.
General McClellan had transported his army from the vicinity of
Washington to Fortress Monroe with a view to reaching Eich
mond by the way of the Peninsula between the James and York
rivers. Shortly after reaching Yorktown the 3d Eegiment was
assigned to Colston's Brigade, Longstreet's Division. Its first
engagement with the enemy was on the 5th of April, 1862. The
regiment was on duty at Dam No. 2, and the advance of McClel
lan's army attempted to cross Warwick river at that point but
was driven back. It was in consequence of this repulse that
McClellan decided to assail the Confederate lines by regular ap
proaches. He therefore halted his troops and began building
earthworks. General Johnston, who relieved General Magruder in command
of the Confederate forces, decided to withdraw from Yorktown
and fall back towards Eichmond, and in consequence oft his de-
63

64 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861.-5.
termination the troops moved out of their works on the 4tli of
May and began their retrograde movement. McClellan followed
after, and. pressing so closely upon the retiring Confederates as to
endanger their wagon train. General Johnston halted a portion of
his army under Longstreet to check the pursuit. Longstreet made
his dispositions for battle near Williamsburg, and the Federal ad
vance was so roughly handled that it was driven back upon the
main army with the loss of twelve hundred piisoners, besides killed
and wounded. The affair took place on the 5th, and was a com
plete victory for the Confederates. The 3d Eegiment participjited
in the battie.
After the anny reached the vicinity of Eichmond Colonel Pryor
was promoted to Brigadier General and given command of the
Brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Mayo became Colonel. The
Brigade was composed of the 3rd Virginia, the 14th Alabama,
the 14th Louisiana and 2d Florida Eegiments and 1st Louisiana
Battalion. It participated in the battle of Seven Pines May 3 Ist,
1862, in which, had General Huger acted with more promptness
in moving his troops and beginning the attack, Casey's Division
of the Federal army might have been destroyed instead of simply
defeated. The regiment, as a part of Longstreet's Division, was engaged
in the battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, Cold Harbor and
Frazier's Farm. In this last battle its losses were very heavy.
At the battle of Malvern Hill Longstreet's Division was held in
reserve on account of its active participation in the previous
fighting. The next encounter \rith the enemy was at Thoroughfare Gap
August 29th, where Longstreet brushed aside a force of Federals
who sought to hold the Gap and thereby prevent him from uniting
with Jackson's Corps at Manassas. Lee was chasing General Pope
towards Washington. Jackson had gotten in his rear at Manassas
and was holding his ground, waiting for the arrival of General
Lee with Longstreet's Corps to give Pope a decisive blow. The
battle of Second Manassas was fought on the 30th. Pryor's Bri
gade was a part of the right wing under Longstreet, and was in
the front fine. The brigade advanced across an open field and
through a piece of woods, beyond which was another field, and on
the farther side of this field was a battery of Federal field artillery
and a double fine of infantry. In marching through the woods
the brigade became very much broken and a halt was called to
rectify the alignment. "While this was bemg done the 3d Eegi
ment became separated from the rest of the brigade. While the
allignment was being perfected General Pryor rode up to Colonel
Mayo, commanding the 3d Eegiment, and requested him to take
command of the brigade, as he was too much exhausted to o-o any
further. " "^

itijn rnitiu VIUULMA REGIMENT. (j5
During the confusion the 3d Eegiment became separated from
the rest of the brigade, and Major Ur(|uhart, upon whom the
command devolved, seeing General Pender's Brigade coming up
on his left, reported to that officer and asked permission to charge
with him and be accounted for in his report. General Pender
apceded to the request and the 3d Eegiment, joining on to the
right of Pender's Brigade, chargetl with it. As soon as it passed
out of the woods it became exposed to a very heavy fire of mus
ketry and artillery, which, however, did not stay its onward rush.
John Yost, of the Portsmouth National Grays, Company H, car
ried the colors of the 3d Eegiment, and was the first man to reach
the Federal battery which had been playing upon them. The
cannoneers were driven from their guns, and the infantry being
pushed back at the same time, the battery was captured. A dis
pute arose between the 3d Eegiment and Pender's Brigade as to
which had captured it, but 'there can be little doubt that John
Yost was the first man to reach it, and that he planted the colors
of the 3d Virginia there, and the regiment was at his heels.
The regiment took part in the investment and capture of Har
per's Ferry September 14th, 1862. Was at the battle of Sharps
burg on the 17th of September and Fredericksburg on the 13th
of December. On the lOtli of November the regiment was de
tached from Pryor's Brigade, by order of General Lee, and at
tached to Kemper's Brigade, Pickett's Division. At Fredericks
burg while the Federal Corps of Generals Couch, Wilcox and
Hooker were making their assaults upon the positions held by
McLaws' and Eansom's Divisions, Kemper's and Jenkins' Bri
gades, of Pickett's Division, were sent to reinforce Eansom's Di
vision, should he need their assistance, and just before the last
charge of Hooker's Corps the 3d Eegiment was sent by General
Eansom to relieve the 24th North Carolina Eegiment of Eansom's
Brigade, which had been -in the trenches fbr forty-eight hours-,
and, shortly after it had- relieved the North Carolinians, it con
tributed to the repulse of the last effort of Burnside to carry
General Lee's position. For fuller details of this battle see Chap
ter XXIV., 61st Virginia Eegiment, post — .
The 3rd Eegiment remained in the trenches all night, in antici
pation of a renewal of the attack the next day, and all through
the night the Federals were busy removing their wounded from
the front of the Confederate works, where they had fallen in their
repeated charges during the day. The groans of the wounded and
dying, and the appeals for assistance were dismal beyond descrip
tion. The night was intensely cold, and the Confederates made
no effort to interrupt the work of the Federal ambulance corps.
The 3d Eegiment left the vicinity of Fredericksburg in Feb
ruary, 1863, with Pickett's Division, for the neighborhood of
Suffolk. The detachment, composed of Pickett's and Hood's

66 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861^5.
Divisions, under Longstreet, and numbering some twelve or thir
teen thousand men, were on a huge foraging expedition, but their
presence at- Suffolk greatly alarmed Major General John Peck,
commander of the Federal forces in that locality. On the 12th
of April at 3 o'clock P. M. he telegraphed General Hooker, near
Fredericksburg, to send a corps to reinforce him, that Longstreet
had thirty thousand men with him. At 9 P. M. he telegraphed
that Longstreet had thirty-five thousand men, and at 11 P. M.
telegraphed that lie had thirty-eight thousand men and one hun
dred and fifty guns. There was considerable skirmishing going
on around Suffolk until the 4th of May, when, having accom
plished the object for which he was sent there, Longstreet broke
camp and returned to the Eappahannock and rejoined General
Lee; After the defeat of ECooker at the battle of Chancellorsville,
which was fought while Hood's and Pickett's Divisions were de
tached at Suffolk, General Lee moved his army into Pennsylvania
and Hooker's army was withdrawn from Virginia to protect
Washington. As is told in history, the two armies met at Gettys
burg. The 3d Eegiment was in Pickett's Division, and reached
the battle field about 10 o'clock on the morning of July 3d, and
was placed in line of battle in an open field, where it remained
under the broiling sun for five hours before it was ordered to
charge. The sun proved a valuable ally for the enemy, for scarcely
half of the men in the regiment were able to move when the ad
vance was ordered. (This charge is fully described in Chapter
XII., the 9th Virginia Eegiment, post.)
Eeturning from Gettysburg the 3d Eegiment participated in
the cavalry fights at Williamsport, while the army was waiting
there for the Potomac river to subside so as to become f ordable,
and, upon the return of the army to Virginia, was sent with
Pickett's Division to North Carolina. It took part in the storm
ing and capture of Plymouth and the capture ol Little Washing
ton, and was ordered back to Virginia to unite with the forces
under Beauregard, which were being concentrated to check But
ler's advance from Bermuda Hundreds towards Eichmond. When
the train carrying the brigade from Weldon to Petersburg reached
Belfield, information had been received that a raiding party of
Federal cavalry was approaching that locality. The 3d Eegiment
was left behind to protect the railroad bridge and the rest of the
brigade kept on to Petersburg, arriving in time to assist in the
defeat of Butler at Drury's Bluff on the 16th of May, 1864.
The regiment rejoined the brigade later in May and was present
in line of battle at Cold Harbor and Turkey Eidge from the latter
part of May tq the 13th of June, when Grant again moved off to
the left and crossed James river below City Point. It crossed
James river on pontoons near Drury's Bluff on the 16th and par-

THE THIRD VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 67
ticipated in the battle of Chester Station between Pickett's Divi-
sioii and Butler's troops. Butler was driven back over three lines
of field works, behind each of which he endeavored to make a
stand, and finally retired behind his fortifications at Bermuda
Hundreds. On the 26th of March, 1865, Pickett's Division was moved out
of the lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds and sent, to the ex
treme right of the army, defeated Sherman's cavalry at Dinwiddie
Court House on the 31st, and the next day was cauglit in the trap
at Five Forks and almost annihilated. "The 3d Eegiment was
commanded that day by Captain Thomas M. Hodges of Company
A, and enough of them escaped to keep up their organization.
It was at Saylor's Creek on the 6th of April and participated in
the defeat of Humphrey's Division at Farmville on the 7tli, the
last triumph of the Army of Northern Virginia. And all that was
left of it surrendered on the 9th at Appomattox Court House.
The 3d Eegiment took part in the following battles : •
Dam No. 2, April 5, 1862. Suffolk, April, 1863.
Williamsburg, May 5, 1862. Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.
Seven Pines, May 31, 1862. Williamsport, July, 1863.
Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862. Plymouth, 1864.
Gaines' Mill. June 27, 1862. Little Washington, 1864.
Savage s Station, June 29, 1862. 2d Cold Harbor, June 1-3, 1864.
Frazier's Farm, June 30, 1862. Turkey Eidge, June 3-13, 1864.
Thoroughfare Gap, August 29, Chester Station, June 16, 1864.
1862. Dinwiddie C. H., Mar. 31, 1865.
Second Manassas, Aug. 30, 1862. Five Forks, April 1, 1865.
Harper's Ferry, Sept. 14, 1862. Saylor's Creek, April 6, 1865.
Sharpsburg, Sept. 17, 1862. Farmville, April 7, 1865.
Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862. Appomattox C. H., Apr. 9, 1865.
The battle of Gaines' Mill, fought on the 27th of June, 1862,
in which the 3d Eegiment took quite an active part, was one of
the most brilliant victories achieved by the Confederates during
tlie war. The day before McClellan had been dislodged from his
advanced position at Mechanicsville, and, falling baclc to Gaines'
Mill, withdrew troops from his left wing and heavily reinforced
his position there. Strong works were built to protect his men,
and during the larger portion of the battle the Confederates were
engaged storming those entrenchments. There were in reality
two battles that day. The first is designated the battle of Ellison's
Mill, and General Pryor, in his official report of it, says :
" In this affair at EUison's Mill my command sustained a consid
erable loss. The battalion of Lieutenant Colonel Coppins and the
3d Eegiment Virginia Volunteers were especially distinguished."
The enemj' fell back about a mile and a half and assumed a
new position on the farm of Dr. Gaines, where, receiving heavy
reinforcements, a new stand was made. Pryor's brigade arrived

68

NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.

in front of this position at 11 o'clock A. M. and advanced to at
tack, but finding the enemy too strongly posted, retired. A
second attempt was likewise unsuccessful, and General Pryor
waited for reinforcements. Being joined later by the brigades
of Wilcox, Featherstone and Pickett, another charge was ordered
and the victory was won. The enemy was driven in confusion
from theiy works and his artillery fell into the hands of the vic
torious Confederates. General Pryor's report says : " In this
brilliant fight my brigade bore a not. unworthy part. Although
they had been engaged with the enemy from the earliest dawn,
and had already suffered serious losses, they were not behind the
foremost in the final victorious charge."
At Frazier's Farm, also, the 3d Eegiment played an important
part. Pryor's brigade was ordered into the fight about 4 o'clock
P. M., and was actively engaged until the enemy retreated, leav
ing prisoners and cannon in the hands of tlie Confederates, and
leaving his wounded behind. The losses of the brigade during
these engagements were heavy. The 3d Eegiment had nineteen
killed and seventy-eight wounded.
The regiment surrendered at Appomattox Court House Api-il
9th, 1865, with three C9mmissioned officers and sixty-two enlisted
men. The following is a copy of the official roll :
COMPANY A.
Captain Thos. M. Hodges,
Private John W. Forward,
" Mark Godfrey.
COMPANY B.
Private James H. Archer.

COMPANY c.
Private John E. Carr,
" Eobert Lewis,
" H. A. Liverman,
" Wm. Crowder,
COMPANY D.
Corporal Leroy W. Beal,
" Benj. Cleary,
Private Waverly Barham,
" L. Barrett,
" Thos. L. Cleary,
" M. E. Edwards,
" James C. Lane,
" Eobert A. Hood,
" George F. Eawles,
" Ben 0. Simons,
" T. E. Wells,

COMPANY D.
Private Geo. W. Wilhams,
" II. K. Williams,
" E. N. Williams,'
COMPANY E.
Sergeant T. Lifsy,
" T. Blankenship,
Private John G. Bristoe,
" Charies E. Wells.
COMPANY P.
Captain P. E. Wilson,
Sergeant James M. Emmerson,
Private Henry Humphlet.
COMPANY G.
Sergeant D. C. Eeid,
Corporal Lewis Marks,
Private John A. Critchlow,
" Wm. T. Critchlow,
" Thomas H. Gray,
" Andrew J. Harrison,
" Jesse Johnson,
" E.G. Joiner,
" J. E. ^iles.

THE THIRD VIRGINIA REGIMENT.

69

COMPANY G.
Private Thomas E. Pate,
" George A. Powell,
" George W. Simons,
" Joseph Turner,
" John Turner,
" Joseph A. Worrell.
COMPANY H.
Lieutenant John C. Fulford,
Private H. P. Foils,
" W. E. Gaultney,
" M. Jenkins,
" W. H. Keeling,
" W. H. Eowan,
" J. M. Tabb.

COMPANY I.
Private W. A. Durham,
" P. D. Mitchell.
COMPANY K.
Sergeant John A. Allen,
Private Alex. Bray,
" Z. Dunnaway,
" E. T. Elliott,
" W. J. Fletcher,
" Charies F. Guthrie,
" John D. Peck,
" James A. Seamster,
" P. E. T. Tuck,
" John P. Wilburn,
" W. W. Wilson,
" Nat J. Wilhams,
" E. E. James.

CHAPTEE VII.
CAPTAIN JOHN H. MYEES' COMPANY, CO. E, SIXTH VA. EEGIMENT.
This company had a short life and was the victim of too strict
discipline. It was organized in Portsmouth immediately after
the burning of the Navy Yard by Captain Myers,_who vc-as an
Orderly Sergeant in the battalion of marines stationed in the
Navy Yard, but.being a Virginian and unwilling to fight against
his State, he managed to m&e his escape when Commodore Mc
Cauley moved oft with the Pawnee and Cumberland, and re
mained behind. He was an excellent drill master and had no
difficulty in raising a company of which he was elected Captain.
It was regularly mustered into the Confederate service and was
assigned to the 6th Virginia Eegiment as Company E. The regi
ment was then under command of Colonel William Mahone. The
officers were:
Captain — John H. Myers.
First Lieutenant, Virginius C. Cooke; Second Lieutenant, V.
O. Cassell.
First Sergeant, B. J. Accinelly ; Second Sergeantt, Enos Mur
phy; Third Sergeant, Eichard D. Brown; Fourth Sergeant,
Chas. Syer.
The company was on duty with the regiment in the entrenched
camp between Norfolk and Seawell's Point, but Captain Myers
undertook to carry out with the volunteers the same methods
which he had been accustomed to put into operation in the ma
rine corps in the Navy, and every infraction of the rules, how
ever slight, or any inattention to dress or parade or drill was vis
ited by the severest punishment in his power to inflict. If a man
was absent from a roll call Captain Myers would report him as a
deserter and wanted to offer a reward for his arrest and retnrn to
camp, said reward to be deducted from his pay. Matters in the
company became so unbearable that nearly every man in it ap
plied for transfers to other commands, and as the best solution of
the dilemma the Colonel recommended that the company be dis
banded. Both of the Lieutenants had resigned and the men were
trying to get out. The last report of the company is a curiosity
in its way.- It was dated September 1st, 1861, and twenty-two
men who were merely absent from roll call were reported as de
serters, with a recommendation that all of their pay be taken
from them. Others were reported for other offences, with the
recommendation that one month's pay be deducted from them,
and scarcely a man in the whole list had met the entire approval
of the Captain. This report was made up after the receipt of
70

CAPT. JOHN H. MYERS' CO., CO. E, SIXTH VA. REGT. 71
the order disbanding the company, and the summary was as fol
lows: Transferred to Company D  11 men.
" " " Q 1 "
Appointed hospital steward  1 "
Mustered out, 1 officer and 20 men  20 "
,Eesigned, 2 officers.
Mustered out, unwilling to remain in service. . 6 "
Died, 1 ; discharged for disability, 7  8 "
Deserted  22 "
Total — 3 officers and  69 men.
Nearly all of the men enlisted in other companies and made
good soldiers. It was unfortunate that the Captain could not
appreciate the difference between a company newly organized of
men who had been used to the widest liberty in all of their move
ments and who needed to be brought under a state of discipline
by patient and persistent efforts, and a company of regulars on
shipboard. There was abundant material for a good company,
but it was badly managed. Below will be found a complete roll
of the company from the date of its organization, in April, 1861,
to its disbandment, September 1st, 1861. One private, Elijah
Creekmore, died. '
Captain — John H. Myers.
First Lieutenant — Virginius S. Cooke.
Second Lieutenant — V. O. Cassell.
First Sergeant — B. J. Accinelly.
Second Sergeant — Enos Murphy.
Third Sergeant — Eichard D. Brown.
Fourth Sergeant — Charles Syer.
First Col-poral — William White.
Second Corporal — James Thornton.
Third Corporal — William Parsons.
Fourth Corporal — John W. Howard.
PRIVATES.
Allen, Wm. A., Cotton, John, , -Hall, Henry,
Bullock, Joseph, . Creekmore, Elijah, Harrison, Chas. H.,
Barrett, Joseph, Doyle, Nathaniel, Halstead, Eichard,
Britton, Wm., Dewberry, James, Hozier, Joseph,
Ballance; John, Elliott, Charles, Hudgins, Edward,
Badger, M., Eason, Augustus, Hopkins, Hillary,
Backus, Wm. T., Jr., Elliott, John W., Halstead, Alex.,
Barrett, Matthew, ¦ Frestine, John, Jordan, James,
Cherry, Germain, Graham, James, Jordan, Wm. E.,
Curtain, Michael, Godwin, A. D. B., Jordan, Joseph,
Collins, Wm. B., Gwynn, Isaac, Johnston, Geo. W.,'

72

NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.

Knight, John M.,
Kent, Michael,
Lewis, Thomas,
Lingston, George,
Lee, Lewis,
Murphy, Patrick,
Mathews, Jacob,
Miller, Phliip,
Newby, Samuel,

Parker, George,
Parker, Eobert W
Parker, E. K.,
Peel, John,
Eeynolds, H. C,
Eourko, .Bernard,
Scheill, Mitchell,
Spaulding, John E
Tennis, t. S.,

Tennis, Wm.,
Walker, George,
Wagner, Fred,
Whitehurt, Eobt. B.,
White, Charles,
Wallace, James,
Walsh, Michael,
., Walsh, James,
Wilger, Thomas.

CHAPTEE VIII.
THE VIEGINIA AETILLEEY, COMPANY D, NINTH VIEGINIA INFANTEY.
This company was organized about tlfe 12th of April, 1861, for
the purpose of offering its services to South Carolina, and elected
the following officers :
Captain— William J. Eichardson.
First Lieutenant — Charles E. McAlpine.
Second Lieutenant — Samuel W. Weaver.
Third Lieutenant — -George Linn.
Fi_rst_ Sergeant — John D. Skellin.
Virginia had not then passed the Ordinance of Secession, nor
was the company uniformed or commissioned. It was unarmed
also, and had not applied to Virginia for arms when the State
seceded. When Governor Letcher issued his call for troops on
the 20th of April, 1861, the Virginia Artillery gave up the idea
of going to South Carolina and responded to Governor Letcher's
call. The company was organized as an artillery company, .but
was not furnished with a battery and became an infantry com
pany and was attached to the 3d Virginia Eegiment at the Naval
Hospital Point.
When the Navy Yard fell into the hands of the ^' irginia troops
this company got a brass howitzer from off the old frigate United
States, took it to the Independent Fire Company's engine house,
put it in order and carried it to the Naval Hospital, but under
orders from General Huger it was subsequently turned over to
Grimes' Battery by Colonel Pryor. It was not given up willingly.
The company took with' them to the Naval Hospital Point about
one hundi-ed and twenty-five men, but most of them were skilled
mechanics, and as their services were needed to work on vessels
in the Navy Yard, quite a number of them were detached by or
ders from headquarters. So many were thus detached that when
the company was ordered to Craney Island about a month later
there were only eighty in the ranks. Until the company was or
dered to Craney Island the men were armed with long boarding
pikes which were obtained in the Navy Yard. Shortly after their
transfer to Craney Island the ladies of Portsmouth organized a
sewing circle and made uniforms for them and their boarding
pikes were exchanged for fiint lock muskets. Some months later,
when Lieutenant Colonel De Lagnel was in command of the post
at Craney Island, these guns were sent to Norfolk and changed
into percussion guns.
While the company was at the Naval Hospital battery the men,
by a very slight accidental circumstance, obtained the name of
6 73

74 ' NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
" Wild Cats." which stuck to them to the close of the war. Being
near home and no enemy nearer than Old Point, the men were
very desirous of spending as much time at home with their fami
lies as possible, while Colonel Pryoj''s whole energies seemed to
be bent on contriving means to keep them in camp. He placed
sentinels very close together around the grounds, but in rear of
the Hospital there was*a very high brick wall which Colonel
Pryor thought could not be scaled without a ladder, and as there
were no ladders available he neglected to guard that part of the
camp. The men in Company D soon found means of getting
over, and one day a party of young ladies who "were walking
through the grove in rear of the Hospital saw three or four of
them climbing over, and one of the young ladies remarked that
they could climb equally as well as wild cats. Even to this day,
thirty-one years afterwards, the men of Company D are spoken
of as "Eichardson's wild cats."
On May 29th, 1861, the company was detached from the 3d
Eegiment and ordered to Craney Island, then under command of
Colonel George Eichardson, and was placed in charge of a water
battery of six 32-pound guns, bearing upon the main channel of
the river from Seawell's Point.
Lieutenant McAlpine resigned on the 4th of Mayj 1861, to take
command of a new company which was being organized under
the name of Bilisoly Blues. This caused a vacancy in the position
of First Lieutenant, and Orderly Sergeant Skellin was elected to
fill it. Second Sergeant Eichard Vermillion was promoted to 1st
Sergeant. These were the officers of the company until the re
organization on the 20th of April, 1862, when the following were
elected :
Captain — William J. Eichardson.
First Lieutenant — Samuel W. Weaver.
Second Lieutenant — George Linn.
Third Lieutenant — Eichard Vermillion.
First Sergeant — William A. Culpepper.
Second Sergeant — Thomas H. Myers.
Captain Eichardson was promoted to Major of the 9th Eegi
ment in June, 1862, and Lieutenant Weaver became Captain.
Lieutenant Linn died in a hospital in Winchester in 1862, and
Lieutenant Vermillion became 1st Lieutenant. Sergeant William
A. Culpepper was wounded at Gettysburg and disabled from fur
ther service, and 2d Sergeant Thomas H. Myers was promoted to
Orderly Sergeant.
When the 9th Virginia Eegiment was organized in June, 1861,
this company was attached to it as Company D. The boys were
very much amused at the requirements of the Adjutant of the
post at Craney Island, Lieutenant Thomas Smith, son of Colonel
F. H. Smith, President of the Virginia Military Institute, who

VA. ARTILLERY, CO. D, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 75
insisted upon their coming upon parades and drills with their
faces cleanly shaved and shoes highly polished. If Lieutenant
Smith followed the army after it got into active warfare he pos
sibly omitted the polished shoes from the "army regulations."
His connection with the 9th Eegiment as Adjutant ceased when
Craney Island was evacuated by the Confederates. There were
on Craney Island in May, 1862, eight companies, of which one
was from Portsmouth, two from Norfolk city, two from Peters
burg, one from Chesterfield, one from Salem, one from Baltimore
and Norfolk county, and when orders were received to abandon
the island the troops forded the narrow channel between the island
and the main land and marched to Suffolk, where they took the
cars for Petersburg.
On the 24th of May, 1862, Company D was detached tempo
rarily from the regiment and ordered to Battery No. 5 in the
fortifications around Eichmond ; rejoined the regiment on the 2d
of June, and about the 7th of June was sent to a battery on the
York Eiver railroad and placed in charge of two long 24-pounder
rifle guns. The 4th Georgia Eegiment was with the company as
a support. While here an incident occurred which came near
wiping out of existence the whole company. The magazine was
close m rear of the earthworks, and was heavily stocked with
powder, &c., and a shell from one of the enemy's guns fell right
into it, but, fortunately, did not explode. There was powder
enough in the magazine to have blown every man in the company
to atoms. The company opened the battle of Mechanicsville on
the 26th of June by shelling at long range a piece of woods in
which the enemy had obtained a lodgment, and from which the
Confederate infantry afterwards drove them. On the 27th the
company was moved to Tree Hill batterv, in front of Eichmond,
between the York Eiver railroad and the liver, and was there
untU after the battle of Malvern Hill, when it was ordered back
to the regiment. After that it was constantly with the regiment
and participated in all of its battles. Sickness, wounds and trans
fers of its members to other commands reduced its ranks. Many
of its men were transferred to Grimes' Battery in April, 1862.
The following men were in the charge of Pickett's Division at
Gettysburg July 3d, 1863 :
Captain Samuel W. Weaver, captured.
First Lieutenant Eichard Virmillion.
First Sergeant Wilham A. Culpepper, wounded and captured.
Second Sergeant Thomas H. Myers.
PEIVATES.
Bailey, Thonaas, Cutherell, Leonard,
Bland, George, Cross, John, killed,
Byrd, Daniel, killed, Cowper, Walter G.,

76 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
Darden, Joseph, captured. Skinner, Abraham, captured,
Hansford, Jas., wounded slightly. IJrquhart, William, wounded,
McCoy, Eufus K., wounded, Williams, Samuel, captured,
Miltier, Daniel, wounded, Walton, George W., captured,
Eeed, Eobert E., killed, Yates, Josiah W., wounded.
Thus, of the twenty men who went in the charge fourteen were
either killed, wounded or captured.
Below will be found the roster of the" company for June, J 861.
Conscripts from other portions of the State who were added to
the company in 1864' and 1865, are omitted because they were
not Portsmouth men.
Captain William J. Eichardson, promoted to Major 9th Virginia.
First Lieutenant Charles K. Mc.\lpin, promoted Captain Co. I, 61st Virginia.
" " John C. Skelling, dropped at reorganization.
Captain Samuel W. Weaver, captured at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863, and not
exchanged.
Lieutenant Richard Vermillion.
" Ggorge Linn, died in hospital in Winchester 1862.
Orderly Sergeant Thomas H. Myers, wounded August 26th, 1862, at War
renton Springs. PRIVATES.
Anderson, John, detached 1861.
Bright, Johnathan, discharged July, 1862, over age.
Bright, W. Jordan, transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Brent, John.
Bailey, Thomas A.
Bland, George.
Brown, James, drummer.
Boutwell, Richard, transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Bateman, Robert, died in hospital 1863.
Byrd, Daniel, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Brownley, A-. M , tran.sferred to Grimes' Battery.
Culpepper, William A., promoted First Sergeant, wounded, disabled and
captured at Gettysburg.
Cutherell, Leonard, wounded Drury's Bluff May 16, 1864, died in hospital.-
Cross, John, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Cowper, Walter G., severel,y wounded at Suffolk 1863.
DeGraw, William, furnished substitute 1861.
Deakin, George.
Darden, Richard.
Day, William, transferred to Governor's Guard.
Darden, Samuel.
Darden, Joseph L., captured at Gettysburg.
Eastman, Lewis, transferred to Navy.
Futtctt, George.
Grant, George W.
Goodson, Henry, transferred to Grimes' Battery.
Greenwood, James, transferred to the Navy.
Gray, William.
Hansford, James, wounded May 16th, 1864, Drury's Bluff.
Hansford, Eichard, transferred to Grimes Battery".
Houston, John, detached 1861.
Hall, Samuel, killed 1862 by falling tree.
Hall, Cary J., transferred to Navy 1862.
Hampton, .\ugustus.
Happer, Richard W. B., discharged 1861, under age.

VA. ARTILLERY, CO. D, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 77
Howell, Fletcher, died in hospital 1863.
Hand, Samuel T., Jr., discharged 1861, disability.
Harvey, Walter, accidentally drowned 1861.
Ironmonger, (!. E., transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Jarvis, John E.
JoUett, W. H., suiTendered at Appomattox.
Linn, Charles B., transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Long, L. C, discharged August 28th, 1862, over age.
McDonell, George W. R., transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
McCoy, R. K., wounded and disabled at Gettysburg and appointed Commis
sary Sergeant, surrendered at Appomattox.
Moore, Fred E., died in hospital 1863.
Minter, Andrew, transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Morris. William T., detached 1861.
Matthews, John W., tran.sferred to Grimes' Battery 1862. ,
Nicholson, C. M., died in Chiraborazo l-ospital February 26tb, 1862.
Newman, .lohn B., discharged July, 1862, over age.
Peed, Leroy S., detailed 1863.
Pitt, L. D., transferred to Navy 1862.
Quillan, John.
Reed, Eobert E., killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Sale, Henry G., discharged for disability 1863 and entered the Navy.
Sheppard, William B., transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Skinner, Abraham, died at Point Lookout 1864.
Seacrist, Barclay, died at Point Lookout 1864.
Stublin, William C. (Sergeant), discharged 1862, over age.
Thompson, .John W., killed May 16th, 1864, at Drury's Bluff.
TTrqnhartj William, wounded July 3d. 1863, at Gettysburg.
Webster,  , discharged July, 1862, over age.
Williams, Samuel.
Walton, George W.
Walton, John W., transferred to Navy 1862.
Wilkerson, William.
Watson, Joseph W.
White, Joseph, discharged for disability 1861.
White, Eichard W. B., Sergeant.
Walsh, Joseph, detached 1861,
Wrench, John, transferred to Grimes' Battery 1862.
Wrenn, Edward, killed .May 16th, 1864, at Drury's Bluff.
Yates, Samuel, died 1865.
Yates, Josiah D., wounded severely July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, and
slightly in three other battles.
Killed and died— 16.

CHAPTEE IX.
CO. G, NINTH VA. EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in Portsmouth in 1792, conse
quently it had passed through an existence of sixty-nine years
and witnessed two wars, when Governor Letcher issued his
order on the 20tli of April, 1861, calling its members to arms. The
company was armed with old style Mississippi rifles, without bay
onets, but subsequently the City Council of Portsmouth made an
appropriation to fit them with sabre bayonets, which were manu
factured in the city at the Union Car Works.
For much of the information concerning this company and also
concerning the 9tli Virginia Eegiment, to which it was attached,
the author is indebted to Orderly Sergeant John W. Wood, who
kept a diary from the evacuation of Portsmouth by the Confed
erates on the 10th of May, 1862, until the close of the war.
On the 20th of April, 1801, when the company was ordered
into service, the following were the officers :
Captain — John C. Owens.
First Lieutenant — Lemuel T. Cleaves.
Second Lieutenant — William F. Tonkin.
Shortly afterwards Orderly Sergeant William J. Wood was
elected 3d Lieutenant. The Eifies, like the other Portsmouth
companies, was in the 3d Eegiment. It responded promptly to
the Governor's order, mustered under arms on the afternoon of
the 20th of April, and on the morning of the 21st was ordered,
one-half to the Navy Yard and the other half to the Naval Hos
pital Point. The following week the whole company was or
dered to Pig Point, at the mouth of the Nansemond river, to
fortify that point. They built there a strong earthwork and
manned it with guns from the Navy Yard. Captain Eobert B.
Pegram of the navy was assigned to the battery as commander of
the post, and also for the purpose of instructing the men in the
use of the heavy guns, for which service his previous experience
in the United States Naivy eminently qualified him. The earth
work had not been completed and only four guns had been
mounted before the United States cutter Harriet Lane, mountincr
eight guns, made an attack upon it. The Lane took a position
where only two of the guns of the battery could be brought to
bear upon her and succeeded in disabling one of the guns by a
well directed shot, which entered the embrasure and struck the
gun on its muzzle. The fight, however, was kept up with the
other o'un, and after a spirited engagement of about twenty min
utes the Lane hauled oft', considerably damaged aiid having a
78

PORTSMOUTH RIFLE CO., CO. G, NINTH VA. REGT. 79
number of men injured. She was sent to Washington for re
pairs. No one was hurt in the battery. The members of the
company acted with the coolness of veterans, though it was the
first time they were nndei- fire. This battle was fought June 5th
1861. ^
After the fall of Eoanoke Island, which , took place on the 8th
of February, 1862, the Federals landed a force of troops at Eliza
beth City, N. C, and in April passed over to the opposite side of
the Pasquotank river and landed a brigade, under General Ecno,
m Camden county, and pushed on through that county towards
South Mills. _ The 3d Georgia Eegiment, under Colonel A. E.
Wright, hearing of the approach of the enemy advanced by orders
from headquarters to meet them, and in an engagement near
South Mills compelled them to fall back to Elizabeth City. The
Portsmouth Eifie Coinpany had suffered considerably from mala
ria in their camp at Pig Point and had been removed to Ports
mouth for the purpose of recuperating, and were doing provost
duty in the city at the time of General Eeno's advance,"hence, as
the company was immediately available, it' was ordered by Gen
eral Blanchard to march to South Mills to reinforce the Geor-
fians.. The 1st Louisiana Eegiment and Grimes' Battery from
'ortsmouth were also sent there as reinforcements, but the fight
was over and the enemy had retired before their arrival.
The Eifles kept on to the vicinity of Elizabeth City and did
duty there as the advanced picket until it was determined by the
Confederate authorities to evacuate Portsmouth, when they re
ceived orders to return to the city, which they did, arriving in
time to take part in the closing scenes. The company' was camped
at Oak Grove, on the Soutii street road about a quarter of a mile
from the city, and was the last body of troops to leave. After
all the other cominands had moved off the Portsmouth Eifles re
ceived orders to march into the city and destroy all of the cotton
and tobacco which was stored there, to prevent it from falling
into the hands of the enemy, and were eye-witnesses to all of the
dread and distress which was manifested and felt by the women of
Portsmouth, who were thiis being abandoned to the uncertain
treatment of their foes, while the men were inarching off to bat
tle and possible death.
Having accomplished the object for which they had been sent
back, they started at 6 o'clock P. M. May 10th ^nd marched to
Bower's Hill, where they arrived about 9 o'clock and were
camped in the quarters which had been built there by the 3d
Louisiana Battalion, and from which they had moved only a few
hours before. The next day, the 11th, the march was resumed,
but orders were received by Captain Owens to return a couple of
miles back toward Portsmouth as a rear guard for the division,
and they kept that distance behind the rest of the troops until

80 NORFOLK COUNTt. 1861-5.
they reached Suffolk. The Eifles were then ordered up, placed
on the Seaboard and Eoanoke railroad cars and taken to Weldon,
from which point they were carried by rail to Petersburg, arriv
ing there on the 12th, and were quartered on Dunn's Hill.
The 9th Virginia Eegiment was here united and organized by
the election of field officers, an account which will appear further
on. The Portsmouth Eifies became known in the regiment as
Company G, and, as in the reorganization of the regiment Cap
tain Owens 'was elected Major, a new election of officers was held
in the company. Lieutenant Cleaves was elected Captain, which
position he held until the close of the war ; Lieutenants Tonkin
and Wood were each advanced one grade, and Orderly Sergeant
Nathaniel C. Gayle was elected 3d Lieutenant. William H.
White was elected Orderly Sergeant. ^ He was subsequently killed
at the battle of Malvern Hill July 1st, 1862. Lieutenant Wood
resigned in the winter of 1862-3, and Orderly Sergeant John. H.
Lewis, who had succeeded to that position on the death of Ser
geant White, was elected 3d Lieutenant. There vvere no other
changes among the commissioned officers during the war except
that toward the close of the war Lieutenant Gayle received an
appointment as carpenter in the Navy and was transferred to
that branch of the service. Lieutenants Tonkin and Gayle were
wounded at Gettysburg July 3, 1863, and Lieutenant Lewis was
paptured at the stone fence.
The company lost two Orderly Sergeants during the war. Ser
geant William II. White, who was killed at Malvern Hill, and
Sergeant John K. Beaton, who was killed at Drury's Bluff May
16th, 1864. " Upon the death of Sergeant Beaton, John W. Wood
was promoted to the position and held it until the close of the
war, which ended with the surrender dt Appomattox.
In 1862, while the company was in the vicinity of Elizabeth
City, N. C, a number of the men went bathing about sundown in
the Pasquotank .river, but soon had a hornet's nest about them in
the form of hundreds of moccasin snakes which, havino- had un
disputed possession of the stream for years, entered a vigorous
protest against the intruders upon their vested rights. The boys
lost no time in getting to the shore and left the snakes in posses
sion of the river.
On one occasion while on picket duty about five miles from
Elizabeth City near a farm house on the banks of the Pasquotank
river the company formed the acquaintance of a very pretty
young girl about thirteen or fourteen years old, daughter of the
gentleman who owned the place. The young lady told them that
a short time before then a United States gunboat came up the
river and stopped in front of the house, that a partj' of men came
ashore from it, and one of them, a soldier, pointed his gun at her
with the intention of shooting her, and would have done so had
not an officer kijocked down the gun with his sword.

PORTSMOUTH RIFLE CO., CO. G, NINTH VA. REGT. 81
After the company had been on duty a short while at Pig Point
Company H (Captain Niblett commanding), 59th Virginia Eegi
ment, was sent to the battery as a reinforcement. This company
was from Lunenburg county, Virginia, and afterwards became a
part of Wise's Brigade. Camped near them as supports, were
the 1st Louisiana and the 4th Georgia Eegiments.
While at Pig Point Private James W. Morgan died. He died
in August, 1861, and was buried in Portsmouth. This was the
first death in the company. Private Ephraim Bailey was tajjcn
sick from exposure while the company was in the vicinity of
Elizebeth City, N. C, and died in ahospital in Eichmond shortly af
ter the Confederates evacuated Portsmouth. Later on, when the
company became exposed to the dangers of the battle-field and to
exposure amid snow and rain, deaths became more common, and in
the remaining three years of the war twenty-two of its members
gave up their lives an unavailing sacritice upon the altar of their
country, while many more were prostrated by wounds which dis
abled them for life and brought them to untimely graves. The
Portsmouth Eifles made for themselves a gallant record and were
in the front of the battle on many a hard fought field. In the
charge of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg, which stands promi
nently forward as one of the most noted events in the history of
the Army of Northern Virginia, the Portsmouth Eifie Company
had forty-eight men, of whom seven were killed and so many
were wounded and fell into the hands of the enemy that only
seven of them were able to report for duty the day after the bat
tle. Of three commissioned officers who went with the company
in the charge two were wounded and the other captured. One
of the men. Corporal Lemuel H. Williams; planted the colors of
the 9th Eegiment at the stone wall and was killed almost at that
very moment. Sergeant Joshua Grimes of Company I of Nor
folk county, was the color bearer of the regiment, and carried the
colors to within twenty yards of the wall and was shot down,, se
verely wounded. The flag fell with him, but Corporal Williams
immediately picked it up and bore it to the farthest point of ad
vance made by the division, when he received his death wound.
On the 24th of August, 1862, while Longstreet's Corps was
:^ushing on after General Pope towards the battle-ground of
Second Manassas the 9th Eegiment was in the advance, and Com
pany G was the advance picket. That day the gompany captured
three Federal cavalrymen, and on the 10th of May, 1864, when
the bold front made by Armistead's Brigade and Grade's Ala
bama Brigade near Drury's Bluff checked Butler's advance
upon Eichmond and saved the city from capture. Company G
was detailed as skirmishers in front of the 38th Virginia Eegi
ment. In this action Privates James W. Findley and James
Land were wounded and Private William T. Edwards was cap-

82 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
tured. On the 17th of June, 1864, after General Butler had
been bottled up at Bermuda Hundreds Company G was a part of
the picket line and made a charge upon and captured the Federal
, picket line in their front, but as the left of the Confederate picket
line had failed to advance Company G returned to the original
position, bringing a large number of prisoners with them.
While the 9th Eegiment was advancing with Armistead's Bri
gade up tlie Gettysburg heights and when near the stone wall be
hind which the enemy was sheltered. Private William G. Monte
of the Portsmouth Eifle Coinpany, Company G, casting his eye
along the line of advancing Confederates, then at the long lines
of the enemy, who were pouring into them a deadly fire of artil
lery and musketry, and then over the country behind him where
stood seven of the nine divisions of the Confederate army, ex
claimed, "What a glorious sight!" He then took his watch out
of his pocket, noted the time of day and put it back again. In
less than two minutes he was dead. A Federal bullet found a
vital spot, and one of the bravest and coolest men in General Lee's
army passed to "the great unknown."
In his official report of the battle of Pig Point, June 5th, 1861,
Captain Eobert B. Pegram of the Navy, who commanded the
post, says:
" For men who had never been in action, the Portsmouth Eifles
were remarkably cool and self possessed, and, after a few rounds,
got the range of the enemy and fired admirably well. Every
officer and man behaved in the most spirited and creditable man
ner, and were so regardless of danger that I had often to interpose
my authority to prevent their exposing themselves unnecessarily
to the enemy's fire."
The following meinbers of the company were in the charge of
Pickett's Division at Gettysburg. Some were wounded who are
not so recorded, but thiir names cannot be recalled to memory.
Their wounds were slight.
Lieutenant W. F. Tonkin, 'WOunded.
" Nat G. Gayle, wounded.
" John H. Lewis, captured.
Sergeant John K. Beaton, wounded.
" John E. Dunn, killed.
" John W. Wood.
" L. C. ii-ayle, captured.
" David W. Ballentine, captured.
Corporal Lemuel H. Williams, killed.
" William H. Brittingham. PRIVATES.
Anderton, Wm. T., captured, Buxton, John T., captured,
Brownley, Wm. K., captured, Bourke, Jos. B., captured, '
Boyd, Henry C, Bennett, Wilham B., killed.

PORTSMOUTH RIFLE CO., CO. G, NINTH VA. REGT. 83
Barton, Eobert P., captured, Lattimer, John W., killed,
Creecy, George A., wounded, Lewis, George W., wounded,
Etheredge, Sam'l, fitter bearer, Monte, William G., killed,
Emmerson, George, Moreland, J. Baker, captured,
Edwards, William T., Myers, Stephen A.,
Edwards,' Oney R., Nash, Eichard J., killed,
Denson, Virginius S., Neville, William S., captured,
Ferebee, George W., captured, Owens, Thomas C, killed,
Fiendly, James W., Phillips, Henry 0., wounded
Ferebee, Joseph K., captured, and captured.
Grant, Jordan W., captured, Phillips, Michael, captured,
Gaskins, Thomas S., captured. Peed, Samuel S., captured,
Harvey, Arthur W., captured, Eevill, George A., captured,
Hargroves, John E., wounded Eevill, Eandall, wounded,
and captured. Sale, John E., wounded •and
Harding, Milton L., captured, captured,
Kelsick, John E., Stewart, James T.,
Land, James W. T., wounded, Williams, Millard C, wounded.
The following were present for duty but were detailed upon
other service and did not go into the charge :
Brownley, Charles, Murphy, Enos, White, George A.,
Bailey, James M., Owens, A. B., Whitehurst, M. P.,,
Berry, George T., Eoane, Alonzo B., Wilkerson, Geo. P.,
Johnston, Theophilus, Thompkins, Thos. G.
Below will be found the list of names on the roll of the com
pany for August, 1861 :
Captain John C. Owens, promoted Colonel 9th Virginia, killed at Gettys
burg.
Captain Lemuel T. Cleaves. '
Lieutenant William P. Tonkin, wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Lieutenant William J. Wood, resigned 1862-3.
Lieutenant Nathaniel G. Gayle, wounded at Gettysburg, transferred to
Navy 1865.
Lieutenant John H. Lewis, captured at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863.
First Sergeant William H. White, killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
John K. Beaton, killed May 16th, 1864, Drurv's Bluff.
" " John R. Dunn, killed July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
John W. Wood.
Sergeant L. Christopher Gayle, captured at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863.
" David W. Ballentine, captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Corporal Thomas George, transferred to Navy 1863.
" Theophilus F. Ash.
Lemuel H. Williams, killed July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
William H. Brittingham. PRIVATES.
Anderton, William T., captured July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Brownley, William K., captured at Gettysburg, died at Port Delaware.
Boyd, Henry C.
Buxton, John T., captured at Gettysburg, died at Point Lookout.
Berry, George T., transferred to Navy 1863.
Bourke, Joseph B., captured ^uly 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.

84 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Bennett, William B., killed July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Barrett, W. H.
Burton, Robert P., captured July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Brownley, Charles.
Bailey, James M., killed May 16th, 1864, Drury's Bluff.
Bailev, Ephriam, died in hospital at Richmond May .5th, 1862.
Boushell, John, detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard and promoted Cap
tain in Naval battalion, Richmond.
Culpepper, Roland H.
Creecy, George A., wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Collins, George W. P. D., detailed 1862 to work in Navy.
Culpepper, Reuben, detached September, 1862.
Denson, Virginius S.
Etheredge, Samuel R.
Emmerson, George W.
Edwards, William T., captured May 10th, 1864, DruryJs Bluff.
Edwards, Oney H.
Edwards, Amos W., detached 1861 to work on machinery.
Ferebee, George W., captured a,t Gettysburg July 3d, 1863.
Ferebee, Joseph K., captured at Gettysburg, died at Point Lookout.
Fiendly, James W.
Gleason, James, promoted Lieutenant Company H, 61st Virginia Regiment-.
Grant, Jordan W., captured at Gettysburg, died at Point Lookout.
Grant, Benjamin F., wounded and died.
Gaskins, Thomas S., captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Harding, Milton L., captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Hennicke, Henry 0.
Harvey, Arthur W., captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Hargroves, John R., wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, and captured.
Holt, Edwin W.
Hundley, James H., discharged 1861, disability.
Herbert, John D.
Hoffler, Samuel, promoted Ordnance Sergeant Mahone's Brigade.
Hennicke, Fred.
Johnston, Theophilus.
Johnson, Columbus, wounded at Warrenton Springs and died.
.Johnson, Augustus, killed at Warrenton Springs August 28th, 1862.
Jobson, J. Tyler.
Kelsick, John R.
Land, James W. T., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Lattimer, John W., killed July 3d,> 1863, at Gettysburg.
Lewis, George W., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg. '
Mathews, W. R., discharged 1861, disability.
Morris, Prank, transferred to Company I, 13th Virginia Cavalry, wounded
at WiUiamsport 1863 and Five Porks April Ist, 1865.
Monte, William G., killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Murphy, Enos, died in hospital May 4th, 1865.
Moreland, J. B., captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Myers, Stephen H.
Morgan, James W., died August, 1861, at Pig Point.
Mathews, H., discharged 1862, over age.
Nash, Richard James, killed July 3^, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Neville, William S., captured July 3(1, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Owens, Thomas C, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Owens, A. B., detailed as courier at brigade headquarters.
Owens, Edward M., captured at Sayler's Creek April 6th, 1865.
Oliver, William J., detached at Longstreet's headquarters 1862, rejoined
the company iu 1884 and surrendered at Appomattox.
Phillips, Michael, captured July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, and died of pneu
monia at Point Lookout.
PhiUips, William R.

PORTSMOUTH RIFLE CO., CO. G, NINTH VA. REGT. 85
Phillips, Henry 0., wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, and captured.
Peed, Samuel S., captured July 5th, 1863, in Pennsylvania.
Pugh, Lindsay, detached 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Phillips, Charles T., promoted Sergeant Major 9th Regiment.
Revell, George A., captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Revell, Randall, wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Robertson, William D., discharged 1861 for disability.
Roane, Alonzo B.
Savage, T. A.
Sherwood, 0. B., discharged 1862, over age.
Sale, John E., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Stewart, James T.
Smith, William P., discharged 1861 for disability.
Tyson, Luther.
Tompkins, Thomas G.
Thomas, William James, killed June 1st. 1862, at Seven Pines.
White, George A.
Watts, George W. H.
Whitehurst,' Marshall P.
Williams, Millard C. wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Wilkerson, George P.
Woodhouse, 'I'homas C. ,
Weaver, Joseph F., appointed carpenter in Navy.
Williams, Thomas H., transferred to Company K, 9th Virginia.
Williams, J. Herbert.
Whitfield, Lewis, killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Virnelson, William B., detached 1862 to work in arsenal.
Virnelson, Joseph H., detached 1862 to work in Navy Yard and appointed
engineer in the Navy.
Killed and died— 24.

CHAPTEE X.
THE CRANEY ISLAND ARTILLERY, CO. 1, NINTH VIRGINIA INFANTRY.
This company was organized immediately after the Governor
issued his call for volunteers in April, 1861, and the members
came from Norfolk county, in the vicinity of Churcliland, and
from the upper portion of JN'an.semond county, the larger portion,
however, being from Norfolk county. The officers of the com
pany under whom it was originally mustered into service were :
Captain, John T. Kilby.
First Lieutenant, J. 0. B. Crocker ; Second Lieutenant, William
S. Wright.
First Sergeant, John II. Wright; Second Sergeant, James C.
Bidgood; Third Sergeant, Keely Harrison; Fourth Sergeant,
Henry B. Lower.
Upon being mustered into service the company was ordered to the
battery at Pinner's Point and was attached to the 9 th Va. Eegiment
as Company I, remaining on duty there until the evacuation by
the Confederates on the 10th of May, 1862, when it marched to
Suffolk. At Pinner's Point the company occupied comfortable
quarters which the men built for themselves with lumber furnished
by the Quartermaster's Department, but the health of the men
was not good in camp, and four of them died in hospital during
the year they were there. The battery at Pinner's Point con
tained twelve 32 and 68-pounder Dahlgren guns, and, nearer the
end of the point, there was another battery of four 6-inch rifle
guns. These were originally 32-pounder Dahlgren guns, and
were rifled and banded in the Navy Yard. These two batteries
were manned by Company I and Company K. In rear of the
batteries there were erected two furnaces for heating shot red hot,
and also a bomb-proof magazine, but no opportunity presented
itself of testing their efficiency as the enemy never appeared be
fore the battery.
In May, 1862, there was a reorganization of the company, and
the men re-enlisted for the war. There was also a slight change
in the officers. On account of a disagreement or misunderstand
ing Lieutenant Wright declined a re-election and enlisted as a
pnvate in Company K. First Sergeant John H. Wright was
discharged, at his own request, for the purpose of organizing an
other company. In this he succeeded, and became its Captain.
It was attached to the 61st Virginia Eegiment as Company IL
Lieutenant Wright was with Company K in the battle of Seven
Pines, and was wounded through the fleshy portion of the arm.
After recovering from his wound he was appointed Adjutant of
86

CRANEY ISLAND ARTILLERY, CO. I, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 87
the 61st Virginia Eegiment and died in camp in the fall of 1863
of congestive chill.
At tlie reorganization of Company I Captain Kilby and First
Lieutenant Crocker were re-elected and Cornelius M. Dozier was
elected Second Lieutenant. John Arthur was elected Third
Lieutenant, bnt failed to qualify or to connect himself with the
company. Private McKemmey Lewis was elected First Sergeant.
After the evacuation of Pinner's Point the company went to Pe
tersburg and was in camp on Dunn's Hill with the rest of the
regiment, but remained there only a few dayS' when it was de
tached and sent to Battery No. 5 in the fortifications around
Eichmond. On the 1st of June it was ordered to rejoin the regi
ment at Seven Pines and marched to that place, but did not reach
there until after the battle was over. It missed one other battle,
that of Drury's Bluff, which was fought on the 16th of May,
1864, while the company was absent from the regiment on de
tached duty, but, with those two exceptions, it participated in all
of the battles in which the regiment was engaged.
During the month of June the regiment took part in several
skirmishes and picket fights, which accustomed the men to fire,
and when the battle of Malvern Hill was fought, the first general
engagement in which Company I took part, the men acted with
the coolness and steadiness of old veterans and were conspicuous
for their gallantry. Color Sergeant John T. Bain of Company I
had the colors of the regiment, and when the regiment was charg
ing up the hill was shot down, receiving a wourfd from which he
subsequently died. Captain Kilby picked up the fiag, stood with
it in front of the line, waved it to the men and held them to their
position. While thus waving the colors the staff was shot in two
just above his hand, but he caught it up again, and handing it to
Joshua Grimes of his company told him to hold on to it under all
circumstances and contingencies. Lieutenant Colonel Gilliam in
his official report of the battle [see Chapter XII., the 9th Virginia
Eegiment, post] alludes to this incident, but speaks of it as the
flag of another regiment. The 9th Virginia and 4th Georgia were
somewhat mixed together at the time, ¦ which was possibly the
cause of Colonel Gilham's mistake.
Company I lost very heavily in this battle. Four men were
killed outright on the battle fleld and two others died from wounds
received there, while eleven others were wounded more or less
severely. The killed were Lieutenant Cornelius M. Dozier, Ser-
feant Joseph Prentis, Corporal Lucilhcus W. Jones and Private
homas Parker. Sergeant Henry B. Lower and Color Sergeant
John T. Bain were mortally wounded, were taken to Eichmond
and died shortly afterwards in the hospital. The day before the
battle Corporal Jones had been elected by the company to the
position of Third Lieutenant, but was killed before he obtained

88 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
his commission. Sergeant Prentis was a gallant boy, scarcely
eighteen years old, son of Mr. Eobert Prentis, proctor of the Uni
versity of Virginia. His dead, body was found the day after the
battle, nearer the enemy's lines than any other, showing that in
his zeal to snatch victory from the seething volcano of shot and
shell they wei'e endeavoring to storm, his young and chivalrous
spirit had carried him far in advance of his comrades.
Captain Kilby was with the company at Warrenton Springs,
Second Manassas, Harper's Ferry and Sharpsburg, and on the 2d
of October, 1862, was appointed a Surgeon in the army and
assigned to the 3d Georgia Eegiment. Lieutenant Crocker then
became Captain. On the 13th of August Corporal John C. Nie
meyer and Private John Vermillion of Company K were elected
Second and Third Lieutenants in Company 1, and upon the pro
motion of Lieutenant Crocker to Captain they were advanced to
First and Second Lieutenants respectively.
Captain Crocker was a steady soldier, something on the order
of the Eoman sentinel at Herculaneum, who stood at his post
while the burning ashes were falling all around him and finally
entombed him. He was a Norfolk county farmer at the beginning
of the war, without any experience in military tactics, but as kind
hearted as a woman, as brave as a lion and as steady as a stone
wall. His men loved him like a father, and were fond of getting
off practical jokes at his expense. On one occasion, in the midst
of a battle, one of his men, knowing his total unacquaintance with
military matters, and to see what he would say, exclaimed,- " Cap
tain! I have blown the tube out of my gun." "Well, blow it
back again," replied the Captain. A little later another of his
men sang out, " Captain, they are cross firing at us." " Well,
cross fire back at them," came back his reply.
At the battle of Gettysburg the company was in the charge of
Pickett's Division, and paid a heavy toll for the gallantry it dis
played and the fame it won on that occasion. It carried thirty-
eight men in the charge, of whom three were killed, thirteen
wounded and eleven captured. Some of those captnred were
wounded also. Lieutenant Neimeyer and Privates Mills Brinkley
and Jesse Norfleet were killed. Captain Crocker was captured
and Lieutenant Vermillion was wounded and captured. Color
Sergeant Joshua Grimes was severely wounded while carrying
the flag, but recovered, and on the 17th of August, 1864, was
appointed Ensign of the regiment with the rank of Third Lieu
tenant. He was again wounded at Drury's Bluff May 16th, 1864,
this making the third time the bullets from the enemy made a
lodgement in his body. , Frank M. Arthur, who was captured at
Gettysburg, was elected Second Lieutenant while in prison, and
was subsequently exchanged and commanded the company until
the battle of Five Forks, on the 1st of April, 1865, when he again

CRANEY ISLAND ARTILLERY, CO. I, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 89
fell into the hands of the enemy. During the interval between
the battle of Gettysburg and the following spring the company
was without any commissioned officer, and Orderly Sergeant
McKeminy Lewis was in command, but in the spring of 1 864
Lieutenant W. T. E. Bell of Accomac county was sent from Camp
Lee to take charge of it, and remained until the retnrn of Lieu
tenant Arthur from prison.
Captain Orockcu* and Lieutenant Vermillion were not exchanged
but were kept in prison until the close of the war. Captain
Crocker was one of the Confederate officers -who were sent, to
Morris Island in Charleston harbor by the United States authori
ties and placed under the fire of the Confederate batteries. The
reason they assigned for this proceeding was that there were some
Federal officers confined in the city of Charleston who were ex
posed to the tire of their guns which were aimed at that city.
Just before the battle of Gettysburg Private Mills Brinkley had
one of those mysterious presentments or premonitions of approach
ing death. While the regiment was passing up Cemetery Hill,
in the charge of Pickett's Division, he turned to Lieutenant Nie
meyer, who, with Lieutenant Vermillion, was at his post in rear
of the line, and told him he felt as if he were going to be killed,
and asked permission to leave the ranks. Lieutenant Niemeyer
refused his request and ordered him to take his place in the line.
Lieutenant Vermillion joined in his request. He reminded Lieu
tenant Niemeyer that Brinkley had always proved himself a brave
and good soldier, but Lieutenant Niemeyer again refused and
Brinkley resumed his position in the ranks. He had hardly taken
twenty steps further in advance when a piece of shell struck him
in the forehead, killing him instantly. In a very few minutes
afterwards Lieutenant Niemeyer was himself killed.
The following members of the company participated in the
charge of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg. Several who received
slight wounds did not report to the hospital and are not recorded
as having been wounded.
Captain J. O. Crocker, captured.
First Lieutenant John C. Niemeyer, killed.
Second Lieutenant John Vermillion, wounded and captured.
Sergeant McKemmie Lewis, wounded.
Color Sergeant Joshua Grimes, wounded. .
PRIVATES.
Arthur,- Frank M., captured, Capps, Josiah, wounded and cap-
Barnes, Belson, wounded, tured,
Bidgood, W. D., captured, Gomer, John D.,
Brinkley, Mills, killed, Gwynn, George W., wounded,
Brinkley, Granville, captured, Harrell, Eeuben, captured,
Brinkley, Daniel, Herring, E. H.,
Carney, Eichard, wounded, Humphlet, J. T., wounded.

90 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Jcmes, Nathan E. K., wounded Skeeter,- Wilham J.,
and captured. Small, Benjamin, wounded,
Jordan, John L., wounded. Stallings, J. Van,
Lassiter, Eichard, Taylor, Benjamin, captured,
Norfleet, Jesse, killed, Taylor, Williamson B.,
Parker, William J., • Vann, William H., wounded,
Eichardson, GcOrge Clay, Wilkins, Henry,
E.il)y. Thomas, captured, Walton, Henry, wounded,
Eiddick, Amos, captured, Wilkins, George,
Stringer, John E.,
Below will be found the roster of the company. Those marked
with a star were from Nansemond county.
Captain John T. Kilby, appointed Surgeon C. S. Army October 2d, 1862.
Captain J. (). H. ticckt'T. promoted Captain October 2d, 1862, captured
July 3d, 186.'!, at (Jettysburg and not exchanged.
•Second 1 ii'iilcnani William S. Wright, resigned 1862, enlisted in Company
K, woniidi'd .lunc Iht, 1862, at Seven Pines, promoted Adjutant 61st
\irginia. died iu fall of 1863.
Seconil Lieutfiia-nt Cornelius M. Dozier, killed July 1st, 1862, at Malvern
Hill.
First Lieutenant John C. Niemeyer, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
First Lieulenant John Vtrmilliou, wounded and captured July 3d, 1863,
Geltysburg. and not exchanged
*Seooiid Lieuteiidiit frank M Arthur, captured at Gettysburg, exchanged
and captured .\iiril Ist, 1865, at Five Forks.
*First Sergeant John H. VS right, promoted Captain Company H, 61 st Vir
ginia Regiment
First Sergeant Mcfvem'uy Lewis, promoted First Sergeant April, 1862,
wounded Jul.y 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, and captured April 1st, 1865, at
E'ive Forks.
*Sergeant Charles Badger, died iii hospital October 4th, 1862, Richmond.
Sergeant Keely Harrison, transferred March 27th, 1862, to Company C,
13th Virginia Cavalry.
Sergeant Henry B. Lewer, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, died July
22d, Richmond.
Sergeant Joseph Prentis, killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Sergeant Joshua M. Grimes, promoted Ensign, wounded July 1st, 1862,
Malvern Hill, July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, May 16th, 1864, Drury's Bluff.
*Sergeant William H. Vann, captured at Five Forks April 1st, 1865.
Sergeant T. J. Grimes, wounded.
Corporal Henry Walton, wounded July Ist, 1862, Malvern Hill, and July
3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, promoted Color Corporal.
Corporal Willis D. Bidgood, captured Julv 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, and April
1st, 1865, at Five Forks.
Corporal Lucillicus D. Jones, killed July 1st, 1862, at Malvern Hill.
Corporal Belson Barnes^ wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, and cap
tured at Five Forks April 1st, 1865.
PRIVATES.
Barnes. George.
Barnes, J. B., detailed in Division Provost Guard.
Bidgood, Nathaniel, furnished substitute 1862 and discharged.
*Bidgood, J. C, furnished substitute 1862 and discharged.
Bidgood, J. H., discharged September 13th, 1862, for disability.
Bidgood, Tully W., absent, sick in hospital.
*Bain, John T., wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, died August 6th in
hospital Richmond.

CRANEY ISLAND ARTILLERY, CO. I, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 91
*Briukley, Mills, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg,
*Brinkley, Granville, captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
*Brinkley, Daniel.
*BrinRley, Mallory, died in hoRX>ital April Ist, 1862, Pinner's Poiut.
Bunting, William H., transferred to Navy January 11th, 1862.
Bunting, Lloyd, transferred to Company C, 13th Virginia Cavalry.
Bunting, Francis H,, died in hospital March 27th, 1862, Pinner's Point.
Burley, William, killed 1864, Howlett House.
Busby, William A., wounded April 13th, 1863, at Suffolk.
*Crocker, W. H., captured September, 1862, died in Kort Delaware,
Carney, Richard, wounded August 28th, 1862, Warrenton Springs, and
July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
*Cox, William, died in hospital July 5th, 1862, Richmond. •
Capps, A. J., transferred to Comjiany C, 13th Virginia Cayalry.
Capps, Josiah, captured July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, died at Point Lookout.
Dennis, Samuel, transferred March 27th, 1862, to Company Cj 13th Virginia
Cavalry.
Duncan, Blanch, surrendered at Appomattox.
Duncan, John, captured at Five lorks.
Duncan, Richard, captured at Five Forks.
*Dean, Edward G., discharged 1863 for disability.
Daughtrey, William, died March 27th, 1862, in camp. Pinner's Point.
Duke, Henry, transferred March 27th, 1862, to Company C, 13th Virginia
Cavalry .
*Duke, Nathaniel, wounded July 1st, 1862, at Malvern Hill, and disabled.
Duke, Lewis.
Evans, Charles, died in hospital 1864.
Field, Richard.
Gwynn, George W., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
*Gomer, John D., died in hospital 1864, Richmond. .
*Greene, Jesse, died iu hospital November 28th, 1862, Richmond.
George, J. W., suppo.'^ed to have been killed 1865.
Gurley, J., died in hospital 1864, Richmond.
*Harrell, Elkana.
*Harrell, Abrani, discharged in 1863 for disability.
Harrell, Edward.
*Harrell, Josiah, died in hospital in 1862, Richmond.
*Harrell, Reuben, captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg and died in prison.
*HarreIl, Henry, died in hospital in camp June, 1862, York River railroad,
*Herriug, R. H., captured April Ist, 1865, at Five Forks.
Henry, William C, transferred to Navy January 18th. 1862.
*Hiimphlet, Jno. T., promoted Color Sergeant, wounded July 3d, 1863, at
Gettysburg.
.Tohnson, Thos., died in hospital in 1863, Richmond.
Jones, Nathan E. K., wounded and captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
*Jones, Jas. G., died in hospital November 28th, 1862, Charlottesville.
Jordan, John L., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, and captured
. April Ist, 1865, at Five Forks.
Johnigan, Richard.
Keeter, W. W., died in hospital November 20th, 1862, Staunton.
King, .James.
King, Thomas,
Lewis, William, detailed cook.
Litchfield, Jacob, detailed cook.
Lewis, Ambrose, died in hospital June 22d, 1862, Richmond.
Lassiter, John, wounded August 28th, 1862, at Warrenton Springs, and
died November 25th at Richmond.
*Lassiter, Richard, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, wounded at Suf
folk, April 13th, 1863. and captured at Five Forks.
*Norfleet, Jesse, killed July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Parker, Thomas, killed July 1st, 1863, at Malvern Hill.

92 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-.5.
Parker, W. J., captured April 1st, 1865, at Five Forks.
*Parker, Jesse, cajjtured April Ist, 1865, at Five Forks.
Ruthledgo, Anthony, died in hospital 1865, Richmond.
Richardson, Gto. Clay, captured April 1st, 1865, at Five Forks.
*Rudd, Augustus S., died in hos])ital .lune 18th, 1862.
*Riddick, Mills, wounded April 13th, 1863, at Suffolk, disabled and detailed
in passport oiHce, Petersburg.
*Riddick, Amos, captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
*Raby, Thos., cajitured July 3d, 1863; at Gettysburg.
*Stallings, J. Van, captured April 1st, 1865, at Five Forks.
SaTage, William, captured April 1st, 1865, at Five Forks.
Spivey, Jetheo, transferred March 27th, 1862, to Company C, 13th Virginia
Cavalry.
Sawyer, Albert. .
Skeeter, W. J., surrendered April 9th. 1865, at Appomattox.
Small. Benjamin.
Savage, Mike L., died in hospital 1862, Pinner's Point.
Spaulding, John S..,
*Stringer, John E.,
Taylor, Benj., captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Taylor, WiUianison B., captnred April 1st, 1865, at Five Forks.
*Vann, Alfred, wounded April 13th, 1863; at Suffolk, and died in hospital.
Wagner, James, detailed as Ordnance Sergeant.
*Wilkin's, Henry.
*Wilkins, George.
AVilson, A. J , transferred February 1st, 1862, to Company C, 13th Virginia
Cavalry.
*Wright, Jos. S., transferred April 30th. 1862, to Signal Corps. ¦
*Wright, J. Edwin, transferred April 30th, 1863, to Signal Corps.
Killed and died— 34.

CHAPTEE XI.
THE OLD DOMINION GUARD, COMPANY K, NINTH VIEGINIA INFANTRY.
This company was organized in Portsmouth June 26tli, 1856,
and soon became one of the largest and most popular companies
in Virginia. Even before the war it was nothing unusual for it
to parade with from eighty to ninety m,en, and at the celebration
of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown, which
took place on that historic island in 1857, and which drew together"
the military companies of the entire State, the Old Dominion
Guard was the largest company on the grounds. The first Captain
of the company was Captain John W. i oung, who was succeeded
by Captain Edward Kearns.
At the beginning of the late war the Old Dominion Guard was
one of the companies in the 3d Virginia Eegiment, and on the
20th of April, 1861, it was ordered into active service by Governor
Letcher, and remained in the field until the close of the war.
On the night of the 20tli the men were quartered in the Court
House, and at daybreak on the 21st part of them were marched
to the Navy Yard, with other troops, to take possession and guard
property there, and the remainder were marched to the Naval
Hospital poiut to build* an earthwork to prevent the return of the
United States vessels Pawnee and Cumberland, which had left
the Navy Yard abouf 1 o'clock, that morning. Subsequently the
whole company went on duty at the Hospital point and remained
there about a week, when it was detached from the 3d Eegiment
and ordered to Pinner's Point, just below the Hospital point,
where they were shortly afterwards joined by the Craney Island
Artillery under Captain John T. Kilby, one of the companies or-
fanized in Norfolk county and subsequently attached to the 9th
'^irginia Eegiment as Company I. Here a strong earthwork con
taining twelve guns, six and eight-inch Dahlgrens, was built under
tlie supervision of Major F. W. Jett of the Engineer Corps, and
later another earthwork, containing four six-inch rifle guns, was
thrown up nearer the point. In June, 1861, the 9th Virginia
Eegiment was organized and the Old Dominion Guard was at
tached to.it as Cornpany K. The post at Pinner's Point was under
command of Lieutenant George Harrison of the Navy, who held
the brevet rank of Major, and who was assigned to that duty on
account of his previous experience in the use of heavy guns. The
younger members of the company soon learned Major Harrison's
weak points, and he was tlie victim of many a practical joke.

94 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
When the company was mustered into service on the 20th of
April the following were the oificers :
Captain — Edward Kearns.
First Lieutenant — Dennis Vermillion.
Second Lieutenant — L. A. Bilisoly.
And shortly afterwards, while in camp at the Hospital point,
Sergeant Henry A. Allen was elected Third Lieutenant.
Camp life at Pinner's Point was not very exciting, and the main
drawbacks were extra guard duty or temporary confinement in
the guard house for going to town without leave of absence, re
strictions which the young soldiers regarded as extremely onerous
and unnecessary. While there the company lost one of its mem
bers. Young Jacob W. Keeling died from pneumonia, tie came
from Suffolk, originally, and his remains were taken there for in
terment. A detachment from the company escorted the body to
the Norfolk and Petersburg Eailroad depot in Norfolk. >
During the summer and fall the company occupied tents, but
when cold weather set in, timber was sent to the camp and the
company built vei-y comfortable quarters. They were the best
military quarters in the harbor, and, considering the fact that
very few of the men had ever had any previous experience in
that kind of work, they were marvels of comfort and conven
ience. While there the company enjoyed excellent health, and, on one
occasion of inspection, while occupying the tents, there were
one hundred and five men in line for duty. During the fall of
the year, the season of chills and fevers, it was noticed that,
while very few of the members of the Old Dominion Guard, a
company raised exclusively in the city, were affected. Company
I, which was on duty with them, and which was composed of
men who were raised in the country, and nearly all of whom
were used to hard work, had so many men on the sick list that
Company K had to perform a part of their guard duty. This
fact seems to bear out the theory that men raised in the cities
can stand exposure better than those raised in the country.
While at Pinner's Point the gallant Captain Kearns made his
first great and only attempt at oratory; The ladies of Ports,-
mouth made a very handsome silk flag for the Old. Dominion
Guard and selected Miss Virginia Handy, daughter of Eev. 1 . W.
K. Handy, of the Presbyterian Church, to make the presentation.
The company was drawn up in line in a shady grove near the
camp and a large number of ladies and other friends of the com
pany were present. Miss Handy, in very appropriate and touch
ing language, placed the handsome banner in the hands of Cap
tain Kearns, " whose modesty was only*exeelled by his bravery."
Captain Kearns began his response, and it was his first effort.
He said : "Miss Handy and Ladies of Portsmouth! — On behalf of

OLD DOMINION GUARD, CO. K, NINTH VA, INFANTRY. 95
the Old Dominion Guard, I accept this magnificent flag, which
will be our guide in the front of battle, and, if I falter ! ^ Here
he forgot the -rest of his carefully prepared speech, but he re
peated, "If 1 falter!!" bnt' memory would not" come to his aid,
and, after a lengthened pause, drawing his sword hastily from its
scabbard and flashing it in the air, he exclaimed: "If l' falter! I
hope Christ may kill me ! ! "
A roar of applause and laughter greeted this abrubt and unex
pected termination of the oration.
When the company left Portsmouth with the regiment and the
Confederate battle flags were substituted for the State flags, this
flag was left in Petersburg for safe keeping and disappeared in
some way or other. The company never knew what became
of it.
Nearly half of the members of the Old Dominion Guard were
young men under the age of twenty-one years and were full of
life and enjoyment. On one occasion the Hospital steward, who
was not averse to an occasional dip into " something strong," re
turned to camp from the city with a demijohn of sherry wine in
liis wagon, and stopping in front of the guard house, left it in the
wagon and went into the building occupied by the officers as
quarters and in which he kept his drugs. The sentry at the
guard house reported the condition of affairs to the company's
quarters, and in a very few minutes three of the boys appeared
upon the scene with two buckets, one empty and the other full of
water, and in less time than it would take to tell it the wine was
transferred to the empty bucket and the demijohn was filled with
water. Shortly after the embryo doctor came out foi- his "jug,"
carried it in the house and the officers were invited 'tu partake.
Their smiles were " childlike and bland " when they s^v the pro
portions of the demijohn, but upon tasting its contents they
classed the luckless apothecary as a "heathen Cliiaee." Hd pro
tested, however, that it was wine when hs left town. That night
No. 6 and No. 9 messes, with their invited guests, enjoyed a wine
supper with hardtack accompaniment.
One night in the vrinter of 1861-2, a little after dark, the sen
tinel on duty at the battery heard cries of distress and for help
coming from down the river. A gale of wind was blowing from
the north, which brought the sound directly to the battery. The
officer of the guard was called and the camp was aroused, and
notvrithstanding the heavy gale which was blowing, two frail
skiffs were speedily manned by strong and brave men from
both Company I and Company K and pushed forth in the teeth
of the storm to rescue the drowning men. It was a severe strug
gle, but the brave hearts and strong arms of the oarsmen pre
vailed and two men who were found clinging to the piles which
had been driven across the river near Lambert's Point by the

96 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
Confederates to obstruct the channel, were brought back nearly
dead from cold and exposure. They were members of Company
D, 9th Virginia Infantry (the Jackson Artillery of Portsmouth),
and were stationed on Craney Island. They were returning from
Portsmouth in a sailboat to their camp, but the boat was upset by
the storm, near the obstructions. They managed to catch hold of
the piles, but a third man who was with them in the boat, Walter
Harvey, of Portsmouth, of the same company, was drowned. The
rescue of those drowning men was as daring an act as was per
formed during the war. A terrible storm was raging, the waves
were high and the cold spray was frozen upon the oarsmen as it
was dashed over them in their frail skiffs. Unfortunately no re
cord was kept of the names of the brave rescuers, and they are
therefore lost to history. The men who were saved were Leonard
CutliQrell and William Day.
In April, 1862, one year after the original enlistment of the
men, they re-enlisted in a body for the war and held an election
of officers, with the following result :
Captain — Dennis Vermillion.
First Lieutenant — Edward Kearns.
Second Lieutenant — Ilenry A. Allen.
Third Lieutenant — L. A. Bilisoly.
Captain Kearns declined to accept the 1st Lieutenantcy and re
signed, at the same time severing his connection ^vith the com
pany of which he had been Captain almost from its organization
in 1850.
On the 10th of May the company received orders to burn their
quarters and march with the rest of Huger's Division to the de
fence of Richmond, and of the one hundred and sixteen men who
had been with the company during its stsiy at Pinner's Point,
though they were leaving behind them their homes, mothers, sis
ters and sweethearts, soon to fall into the hands of the enemy, not
one remained behind. The refusal of Captain Kearns to accept
the 1st Lieutenantcy occasioned the promotion of 2d Lieutenant
Allen to 1st Lieutenant, 3d Lieutenant Bilisoly to .2d, and Orderly
Sergeant Eobert M. Butler was elected 3d Lieutenant. The com
pany was united with the rest of the 9th Eegiment at Dunn's
Hill, near Petersburg, on the 12th of May, and its identity as a
separate organization was lost in that of the regiment. " Its history
then became the history of the regiment. It participated in all
the battles in which the regiment was engaged except the battle
of Drury's Bluff, May 16th, 1864, which took place while Com
pany K and also Company I were temporarily detached from the
regiment on other duty, and while so detached was moved to the
north side of Eichmond to resist the advance of Sheridan's cav
alry raiders.
Lieutenant Butler resigned after the battle of Seven Pines

OLD DOMINION GUARD, CO. K, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 97
June 1st, 1 862 ; Captain Vermillion was killed at the battle of
Malvern Hill July 1st, 1862; Lieutehant Bilisoly was wounded at
Seven Pines June 1st, 1862, anil again wounded and disabled
from further service at Second Manassas August 30th, 1862, and
retired. Lieutenant Allen was promoted to Captain upon the
death of Captain Vermillion, and was captured at the stone wall
in the charge of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg -July 3d, 1863,
and was kept a prisoner until the close of the war. He was one
of the Confederate officers whowere taken to Morris' Island, South
Carolina, by the United States authorities and placed under the
fire of the Confederate batteries defending Charleston harbor.
He was not womided during the war.
While the regiment was on the inarch with Longstreet's Corps
towards Suffolk in the spring of 1863 Henry C. Hudgins was
elected 1st Lieutenant and James H. Eobinson 2d Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Hudgins was wounded early in the charge of Pickett's
Division at Gettysburg, but recovered from his wound and com
manded the company till the close of the war. Lieutenant Eob
inson was severely wounded and captured at Gettysburg, was sub
sequently exchanged, recovered from his wound, and was with the
company in the closing scenes of the drama, which culminated at
Appomattox Court House. The following members of the com
pany were in the charge at Gettysburg :
Captain Henry A. Allen, captured.
First Lieutenant Ilenry C. Hudgins, wounded.
Second Lieutenant James H. Eobinson, wounded and captured.
First Sergeant James II. Walker, captnred.
Second Sergeant Adolph Bilisoly, wounded.
Third Sergeant Thomas J. Dashiell, captured.
Fourth Sergeant William Wallace Williams, captured.
Third Corporal E. B. James, wounded.
^ PRIVATES.
E. E. Bilisoly, wounded, Eobt. T. Daughtrey, captured,
E. K. Brooks, captured, Wm. Walter Dyson,
Thos. E. Borland, wounded, Andrew C. Host, 'wounded,
Geo. W. Barnes, wounded, Joseph W. Jordan, wounded and
J.C. A. Davis, wounded. captured,
John A. F. Dunderdale, killed, Edward B. Williams, wounded.
Thus of the nineteen men who went into the fight eighteen
were either killed, wounded or captured. _ The company, lost
heavily in the battles of Seven Pines, Malvern Hill and Five
Forks. In this last battle the ,9th Eegiment bore the brunt of
the flank attack of Warren's corps of General Grant's army.
George W. Barnes, of Company K, carried the colors of the regi
ment in that engagement.
Below will be found a roll of the company to May, 1862, em
bracing the Portsmouth men. Later in the war a number of

98 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
conscripts were sent to it, but as they were from other portions
of the State, their names are omitted.
Captain Edward Kearns, resigned 1862.
Captain Dennis Vermillion, killed Malvern Hill July 1st, 1862.
First Lieutenant L. Augustus Bilisoly, wounded at Seven Pines .Tune 1st
and Second Manassas August 30th, 1862, and retired.
Captain Henry A. Allen, captured at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863, and not
exchanged.
Third Lieutenant Eobert M. Butler, resigned 1862.
First Lieutenant Henry C. Hudgins, wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Second Lieutenant James H. Robinson, wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettys
burg.
Bihsoly, A. L., promoted 1st Lieutenant P. A. C. S.
Brown, Samuel Y., Sergeant, appointed hospital steward.
Benson, F. R., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Benson, F. L., Commissary Sergeant, appointed hospita.l steward.
Bilisoly, Adolphus, promoted Sergeant, wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettys
burg.
Bilisoly, U. B., wounded April Ist, 1865, Five Forks.
Bilisoly, Joseph L., detailed as Sergeant Major July, 1863, appointed hos
pital steward February, 1864.
Bilisoly, J. J., promoted Lieutenant Company D, 61st Virginia.
Brown, James W., transferred to Norfolk Light Artillery Blues May, 1862.
Bilisoly, E. E., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Brown, Joe Sam, transferred to Norfolk Light Artillery Bines May, 1862.
Brooks, E. K.
Brooks, Tudor F., discharged physical disability 1862, and employed in
Commissary Department.
Blamire, E. B.
Borland, Thomas R., wounded slightly July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Bennett, John C, killed at Malvern Hill July 1st, 1862. *
Barnes, George W., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Beeks, G. W., discharged 1862, under age.
ButAer, George W.
Butt, Josiah, discharged 1861, physical disability.
Bennett, William M.
Cutherell, George A., wounded at Suffolk April 13th, 1863, and discharged.
Collins, A. B.
Crocker, James P., promoted Adjutant 9th Virginia Regiment, wounded
Julylst, 1862, Malvern Hill. o
Cocke, John N.
Cocke, William H., appointed Assistant Surgeon 14th Virginia and mortally
wounded April, 1865.
Cassell, Charles E., promoted 1st Lieutenant Topographical Engineers.
Crismond, James P., detached for naval service 1861.
Collins, William B., promoted Ordnance Sergeant.
Creekmur, Charles J., appointed Paymaster's Clerk iu Navy. 1862.
Cherry, Eugene.
Dyson, W. Walter.
Dent, William, detached 1861.
Dashiell, Thomas J., slightly wounded at Five Forks, promoted Sergeant
Daughtrey, Robert T. ' .^
Davis, J. C. A., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Dunderdale, J. A. F., killed at Gettysblirg July 3d, 1863.
Foreman, William N. , wounded a.t Five Forks April 1st, 1865
Foster, Frank S., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Foster, A. R., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862, and died in hospital
Forbes, Thomas IST., died 1862, wounded Seven Pines June 1st, 1862.

OLD DOMINION GUARD, CO. K, NINTH VA. INFANTRY. 99
Fiske, Melzar G., killed at Malvern Hill July 1st, 1862.
Gray, J. N. (Sergeant), discharged June, 1861, physical disability.
Godwin, Leroy C, transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Grant, L. H., drummer.
Guthrie, Benjamin W., appointed Master iu Navy.
Griffin, Cornelius.
Hambleton, William H., killed at Warrenton Springs August 2Sth, 1862.
Handy, S. O., died June 10th, 1862, in hospital, Richmond.
Hargroves, W. W., transferred to a North (Jarolina regiment.
Host, .\ndrew C, wounded July 3d, 18()."i, iit Gettysburg.
Hudgins, J. Madison, promoted to Captain and A. C. S.
Hume, R. G., transferred to Norfolk Light Artillery Blues May, 1862.
Hobday, .V. T., transferred to Commissary Department.
James, R. B., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Jordan, O. D., discharged July 1st, 1861, disability.
Jack, E; A., appointed Engineer in Navy.
Jordan, Joseph W., died of wounds received at Gettvsburg, 1863.
Kilby. W. T., transferred to Norfolk Light Artillery Blues May, 1862.
Keeling, Joseph W., died in hospital 1861.
King, Leslie R., appointed Engineer iu Nav.y.
Lewis. Jacob, detailed for hospital duty, over age.
Langhoriie, John C. , appointed Captain's Clerk in Navy.
Langhorne, William S., discharged, under age. September, 1862, and en
listed in Signal Corps.
Moore, Joseph P., transferred to Norfolk Light Artillery Blues May, 1862.
Myers, Robert W., discharged, physical disability, and died.
Morris, Charles S., slight wound at Five Forks April 1st, 18(55.
Neaville, William A., wounded and disabled at Seven Pines .Tune 1st, 1862,
Niemeyer, John C, pntmoted 1st Lieutenant Company I, Oth Virginia, and
killed at Gettysburg July 3d, 1863.
Niemeyer, Henry V., discharged, under age, September, 1862, and enlisted
in Signal Corps.
Owens, Charles.
Parrish, James H., promoted Surgeon C. S. A., Chambliss' Brigade.
Parker, Willis M.
Pierce, Thomas W., appointed Major and Quartermaster.
Pierce, William H., killed on picket June, 1862, near Richmond.
Porter, John W. H.,*trausferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Richardson, John H., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Rodman, Robert C.
Richardson, N. F.. transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Richardson, Charles E., transferred to North Carolina regiment.
Reid, Charles, transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Riddick, James W., promoted Captain and Adjutant General Scales' North .
Carolina Brigade and severely wounded.
Rudd, Benjamin F., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Smith, William A., died 1862.
Smith, William Alfred, transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Smith, John, discharged 1862, over age.
Smith, Herbert L., transferred to Company I, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Smith, Arthur, transferred to Company I, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Savage, 'T. J., transferred to Signal Coi-ps April, 1862.
Turner, G. M., discharged Juno, 1861, disability.
Tabb, William H., promoted Sergeant Major 3d Regiment and detailed
1862 to work in Navy Yard.
Vermillion, John, promoted 2d Lieutenant Company I, 9th Virginia,
wounded at Gettysburg.
Vermillion, Alex. P.
Vermillion, G. S., discharged September, 1862, under age, and enlisted in
Signal Corps!
White, Thomas J., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.

100 NORFOLK COUNTY, 18B1-6.
White, Frank J., promoted Surgeon C. S. A.
Walker, James H., promoted to 1st Sergeant.
Wingfield, R. C. M., transferred to Norfolk Light Artillery Blues May, 1862.
Williams, David A., wounded and disabled at Seven Pines June 1st, 1862.
Williams, David E., captured at Five Forks April Ist, 1865.
Woodley, Joseph R., promoted Lieutenant in Signal (Jorps April, 1862.
Williams, Luther, wounded and disabled at Seven Pines June 1st, 1862.
Williams, W. Wallace, promoted to Sergeant.
Williams, Ed. B., wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Williams, A. J., appointed hospital steward.
Williams, Thomas H.
Wilson, Wilham H.
Wright, William S., wounded at Seven Pines, promoted .Vdjutaut 61st Vir
ginia and died 1863.
Williamson, Lewis W., appointed hospital steward.
Young, M. P., appointed Engineer in Nav.y.
Young, C. W., transferred to Signal Corps April, 1862.
Killed and died— 16.

CHAPTEE XII.
THE NINTH VIRGINIA EEGIMENT  AEMISTEAd's, BAETON's, STEW-
aet's brigade — huger's, Anderson's, pickett's divisions.
We have traced the histories of Companies D, G and K, of
Portsmouth, and Company I, of Norfolk county, from the be
ginning of the war until they lost their identity in the organiza
tion of the 9th Virginia Eeghnent of Infantry," and as their sub
sequent record is embraced in that of the regiment, it can be
told best by recording the movements and battles in which the
regiment was engaged. The actual date of the formation of the
regiment has been lost for the reason that the fleld officers were
not originally elected by .the company officers, but were assigned
to it by Governor Letcher while the companies were stationed in
different localities, but the companies were assigned to it some
time in June, 1861, and were as follows :
Company A, the McEea Eifles, of Petersburg, Captain James
Gilliam. Company B, the Baltimore Artillery, of Baltimore, Capt. John
D. Myrick.
Company C, the Chesterfield Yellow Jackets, of Chesterfield
county, Capt. John Mason.
Company D, the Virginia Artillery, of Portsmouth, Captain
Wm. J. Eichardson.
Company E, the Isle of Wight Blues, of Isle of Wight
county, Capt. John Shevers.
Company F, Chuckatuck Light Artillery, of Nansemond
county, Capt. James J. Phillips.
Company G, the Portsmouth Eifles, of Portsmouth, Captain
John C. Owens.
Company H, the Salem Artillery, of Salem, Captain Happ.
Company I, the Craney Island Artillery, of Norfolk county,
Capt. J. T. Kilby.
Company K, the Old Dominion Guard, of Portsmouth, Capt.
Edward Kearns.
At the time of the formation of the regiment in June, 1861,
the companies composing it were distributed among the various
fortifications around the harbor of Portsmouth and Norfolk,
doing duty as heavy artillerists as well as infantry. Companies
A, B, C, D and H were on Craney Island, where the regimental
headquarters were located. Cornpanies E and F were at Day's
Point, Company G was at Pig Point and Companies I and K
were at Pinner's Point. The officers of the regiment who were
assigned to' it by Governor Letcher, were Colonel Francis H.
101

102 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Smith, Lieutenant-Colonel John T. L. Preston, Major Stapleton
Crutchfield, Adjutant Thomas Smith. All of these-officers were
attached to the faculty of the Virginia Mihtary Institute, and
before the evacuation of Portsmouth by the Confederates, Colonel
Smith and Lieutenant-Colonel Preston were returned to their
duties at that institution, and Major Crutchfield was electedMajor
of the 58th Virginia Eegiment. ' After their departure, Lieuten
ant-Colonel DeLagnel, of the regular army, commanded the post
at Craney Island until the 10th of May, 1862, when it vyas evac
uated, and Major Harden seems to have been in immediate com
mand of the 9th Eegiment until it assembled at Petersburg on
the 12th.
Upon the receipt of orders to evacuate their batteries, the scat
tered companies of the regiment marched by different roads to
Suffolk, and from there were carried by rail to Petersburg and
quartered on Dunn's hill to the north of that city, across the
Appomattox river, and, on the 21st, orders were received for the
company officers to elect field officers. The election was held the
following day, and the officers elected were : Colonel, Johnston
DeLagnel ; Lientenant-Colonel, D. J. Godwin ; Major, James
Gilliam. Colonel DeLagnel having been appointed to a position which
was more satisfactory to him, declined to accept the command .of
the 9th, and Lieutenant-Colonel Godwin was promoted to Colo
nel, Major Gilliam to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain John C.
Owens, of the Portsmouth Eifles, was elected Major ; Private J.
F. Crocker, of Company K, was appointed Adjutant, and Pri
vate C. T. Phillips, of Company G, Sergeant Major ; hence all of
the field and staff officers, except the Lieutenant Colonel, were
from Portsmouth.
On the 24th of May, Companies A, D and H were detached
from the regiment and sent to man batteries in the fortifications
of Eichmond. Company D was ordered back after the battle of
Malvern Hill, Company A rejoined in the fall of 1864 on the
lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds, but Company H was not
with the regiment again. It wa? given a battery of field gun.s
and thus was turned from an Infantry to a Light Artillery Com
pany. Company I, also, was absent on other duty at the battle
of Seven Pines. The other companies of the regiment remained
in camp on Dunn's hill until the 29th, when, with three days'
rations, the command was marched at 7 a. m. to the depot in Pe
tersburg to take the cars for Eichmond, but remained at the depot
until 6 p. m. before the cars were ready for them; and after get
ting on the cars they were four hours making the twenty-two
miles to that city. That night the men made their beds on the
grass in the capitol square, and the next morning at 7 o'clock
marched to Blakely's farm in Henrico county. The regiment

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 103
was there assigned to Armistead's Brigade, Huger's Division, com-
• posed of the 9th, 14th and 53d Virginia Eegiments, and the 5th
Virginia Battalion, and began in reality the life of a soldier.
Up to that time the men had been sheltered in tents or comfort
able quarters, and their first night in the field was passed amid a
terrible down-pour of rain, without shelter of any kind.
On the 31st of May the i-egiment received orders to march to
Seven Pines with the brigade, and at night slept in a camp of
the enemy from which they had been driven during the battle of
that day. The Federal dead and wounded lay thick all around
them, and the boys enjoyed the lemons, sugar and other delica
cies which they found in the deserted camp.
The next day, June 1st, proved the unfitness of the com
mander of that part of the Confederate army for the position he
occupied. At 7 a. m. the 9th Eegiment moved forward, nnder
orders, about three hundred yards in advance of their camp of
the night before, without pickets or skirmishers in front, and
were told not to fire, that Pryor's Brigade was in front of them.
The line was halted in a thick, swampy woods and the order was
given to stack arms. The men were in fancied security, their
guns not loaded, and, while obeying the order to stack, a line of
battle of the enemy, occupying a position in their front, poured
a volley of musketry into them at close range. The surprise M'as
complete, but the men fell down upon the ground and began to
load and fire in return. The left of the line, however, did the
most sensible thing they could do, namely, fell back out of range
of the fire, and as this exposed the fiank of the 9th Eegiment,
"that fell back also. It was evident that the Confederate com-
maiidef in that part of the field did not know either the. positions
of his own troops or of the enemy, though there had been fight
ing all the day before, and that the lives of the • men would be
sacrificed without any special object in view or plan to be carried
out. General Armistead afterwards did what he could to repair
the mishap. He seized a Virginia state flag, and, having rallied
the men in his brigade, led them forward again to the position
frOm which they had retired, better preparad to do battle. While
they were thus engaging the enemy, the 3d Alabama Eegiment
passed through them and charged the enemy's works, but me po
sition was too strong to be carried by a direct assault and the Ala-
bamians were repulsed with, heavy loss, among the killed being
their commander, Colonel Lomax, who was left dead upon the
field. The 9th Virginia then fell back about a hundred yards
out of range of the fire, and the enemy made no attempt to fol
low. Later in the- afternoon the 9th was ordered to rejoin the
brigade, and thus ended its connection with this unfortunate affair
in which many brave men lost their lives without accomplishing
anything thereby, and from which great results might have foi-

104 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
lowed, had the movements of the division been wisely directed ;
but as it was even the simplest ordinary means were neglected to
ascertain the position and strength of the enemy. The men in
the ranks could plainly see that' the battle was being fought on
that portion of the field without any special plan or purpose, and
were not, therefore, bnuyed up by that confidence which inspires
a soldier when he feels that his n'lovemcnts are being directed by
wisdom, even though his life is being risked for success.
Colonel- Godwin's horse was wounded by a minie l)all in the
battle of Seven Pines and bruised the Colonel's leg quite pain
fully by running against a tree. Colonel Godwin left the field
in consequence thereof and the command of the regiment de
volved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Gilfiam; and, as ('olonel Godwin
was afterwards assigned to other duties and never rejoined the
regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Gilliam became its permanent com
mander. General Armistead, however, was not friendly towards
him and prevented his promotion, so that in 1863 he tendered his
resignation and Major Owens became Colonel, Captain James
Jasper Phillips was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and Captain
Wm. J. Eichardson was promoted to Major.
During the month of June a number of small engagements
took place in front of that portion of the Confederate lines held
by Huger's Division. On the 20tli Sickles' Brigade advanced
beyond their entrenchments, but was driven back by the 1st
Louisiana Eegiment. On the 21st Sickles' Brigade, reinforced by
Meagher's Brigade, attempted to advance their positions but the
1st Louisiana, 4th Georgia and a regiment of North Carolina reg
ulars attacked them and forced them to retire within their original
lines. At the same time the 16th Massachusetts, which attempted
an advance, was driven back by the 53d Virginia. The 9th
Virginia had a severe picket fight with the enemy in its front and
on the 25th had another skirmish, in which it captured a number-
of prisoners. The engagement of the 25th was an extensive affair
but the 9th regiment was not heavily engaged in it. On the 21st
Armistead's Brigade was reinforced by the addition of the 38th
Eegiment, which from that time became permanently attached to
it, and on the 28th the 57th Virginia also was attached to it.
On the 26th was fought the battle of Mechanicsville, the first
of the seven days battles. McClellan's advanced position, his ex
treme right, was attacked and carried, those of the enemy who
escaped fell back upon Gaines' Mill, where General Lee made an
attack on the 27th. McClellan had reinforced his troops in that
locality. The battle was a complete victory for the Confederates
and McClellan began his return to Harrison's landing on the
James river, his sole object being to save as much of his army as
possible. Being a part of the right wing of General Lee's army,
and the battles of Mechanicsville and Gaines' Mill having been

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 105
^ fought on the left, Armistead's Brigade was not engaged in either
of them and remained in position . until the 29th, when it was
ordered forward, down the Charies City road, in the direction of
the enemy. ' That da;y an advance of ten miles was made and the
brigade lay all night in line of battle.
On the next day, June 30th, the brigade moved forward at 7
a. m. under orders from General Lee, to intercept McClellan's
retreat. The whole division was up, but the march was so slow
and tlie halts so frequent that by 4 o'clock in the afternoon only
seven miles had been passed over in the nine hours the troops haii
been marching, and a halt was made at 4 p. m., when the brigade
went into camp for the night, though it lacked three hours of
sundown. The brigade had not fired a shot during the day, and
during^ the night McClellan marched his whole army by in safety
and fortified the heights of Malvern Hill.
The blundering which had marked his operations on the right
wing of the army up to that time continued to mark the counsels
of the leaders, and the bravery of the troops could not counteract
the mistakes of the generals. The 9th Eegiment was aroused
about day break on the morning of the 1st of July, arrived" on the
field in front of Malvern Hill about 1 o'clock p. m., and was kept
in line of battle, exposed to the fire of nearly a hundred guns, the
heaviest artillery fire of the war, for three hours, and, having
stood the storm of shell and other deadly missiles for that length
of time without firing a musket in reply, was marched to a ravine
on their immediate right and a little in rear of a piece of rising
ground from which two rifle guns of Grimes' Battery, of Ports
mouth, without any assistance, were trying to silence nearly the
whole of the artillery in McClellan's army.
After a short interval of rest, from a half -hour to an hour, the
regiment was ordered to charge the enemy's guns and their in
fantry supports, and the men moved forward on a run, cheering
as they went. They rashed over a long flat piece of ground,
down a valley, up the opposite hill, down into another depression
and up the hill, upon the top of which were a hundred cannon
and forty thousand men, firing at them showers of shell, grape,
canister and minie balls. It was like sending a small terner to
chafge an elephant, and the long list of killed and wounded testify
to the bravery of the men and the incompetency of the comman
der who sent them upon their hopeless errand. The color ser
geant of the 9th Eegiment was wounded and the flag-staff was
shot in two, but Captain Kilby, of Company I, of Norfolk county,
picked the flag up and brought it oft' the field. After its repulse
the regijnent fell back, to the depression in the ground nearest to
the enemy's line and, partially sheltered by the rising ground in
front, continued the engagement until long after dark, when the
battle ended and the troops were re-called from the field. The
8

106 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
regiment lost heavily in this battle. Captain Dennis Vermilhon
and Privates John C. Bennett and Melzar G. Fiske, of the Old
Dominion Guard, of Portsmouth, were killed, as were also Ser
geant Wm. H. White, of the Portsmouth Eifles, and Lieutenant
Cornelius Dozier and Sergeant Joseph Prentis, of Company I, of
Norfolk county. Sergeant Prentis was a gallant boy not more
than eighteen years of age, and was the son of Mr. Eobert Pren
tiss, who, for a number of years before the war, was Proctor at
the University of Virginia. His body was recovered the day after
the battle and was found to be nearer the works of the enemy
than any other. Sergeant Ilenry B. Lewer, Corporal Lucillicus
Jones and Private Thos. Parker also were killed. Adjutant
James F. Crocker was seriously wounded and did not rejoin the
regiment until October, 1862. Grunes' Battery distinguished
itself at Malvern Hill and made a reputation for gallantry which
was marked, even in that army where gallant deeds were common.
Had a Jackson commanded the right wing of General Lee's army
General McClellan's retreat would have been cut off before he
reached Malvern Hill and his army possibly captured. The posi
tions of the two lines would have been reversed and he would
have been compelled to have carried Malvern Hill himself by
assault in order to have effected his escape. The result would
not have been in doubt. His attack would have been repulsed in
front while Jackson's, Hill's and Longstreet's Divisions would
have closed in on his rear. For official reports of this battle see
further on.
After the battle of Malvern Hill General E. H. Anderson was
appointed commander of Huger's Division. The 9th Eegiment
was moved back toward Eichmond and on the 9th of July crossed
the James river into Chesterfield county and went into camp at
Falling creek, where the men were put to work drilling daily and
building earthworks. On the 16th of August the regiment
marched to Eichmond and took the cars for Louisa courthouse,
reaching there at midnight. This movement was in connection
with the advance of the army against General Pope, which cul
minated in the second battle at Manassas and the invasion of
Maryland. Marching through Louisa and Orange counties, the
men forded the Eapidan at Summerville, marched through Oul-
peper county and crossed the Orange and Alexandria railroad at
Brandy Station. On the 24th the regiment had a skirmish with
Federal cavalry on the opposite side of the Eappahannock river
and on the 25th pushed across the river into Fauquier county.
On the 28th it had a very severe fight at Warrenton Springs with
the enemy's infantry and artillery, in which private Wm. H.
Hambleton, of the Old Dominion Guard, and Augustus Johnson,
drummer of the Portsmouth Eifles, and Ordinance Sergeant Giot.
of Norfolk county, were among the killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 107
Gilliam and Major Owens were wounded. On the 29th the march
was resumed at 3:30 p. m. The brigade passed through Thorough
fare Gap and halted until 11 p. m., when the march was again
resumed and continued all night. Passing through Haymarket
and Drainsville, the brigade arrived on the battle field at Manassas
about daybreak on the morning of the 30th. By an unexplained
mistake the brigade was marched inside the Federal lines but
withdrew quiety without being discovered and, marching back
about a mile, the men lay down to rest and sleep, while waiting
for orders. Anderson's Division was the rear division of the
army and Armistead's Brigade was the rear of the division, so
that, with their arrival. General Lee had his whole army at hand.
Llistory has described the second battle of Manassas. It has
told how Jackson, by his grand flank march, placed himself in
rear of General Pope's army and intercepted his retreat upon
Washington ; how Pope attacked him on the 29th of August but
was repulsed with overwhelming loss ; how Jackson maintained
his position vrith his right resting on the Warrenton turnpike,
' along which General Lee was advancing with Longstreets corps to
reinforce him ; how General Lee formed his army in the shape of
a letter "V, with Jackson's corps on the left and Longstreet's on
the right, and when Pope, on the morning of 30th, advanced to
renew the attack upon Jackson, Longstreet's corps struck his
flank. It has recorded also the important part which Anderson's
Division of Longstreet's corps played in that great battle. It
held the enemp in check until the time had arrived for a general
advance along the whole line, when it joined in the grand rush of
infantry and artillery, and the Federal lines in its front were
swept out of existence. Guns, flags, stores and innumerable
prisoners feU into its possession. During the battie Armistead's
Brigade had orders to support Mahone's Brigade of the same
division, which was in the front line, but Mahone's Brigade never
faltered. It made a grand charge that day and covered itself
with glory, and therefore Armistead's Brigade had no opportunity
to get into the front line but followed it in reserve. The brigade
was not an actual participant in the battle to the extent of en
gaging the enemy, though it was continuously exposed to the fire
of the Federal artillery and lost a number of men, among them
Private Lewis Whitfield, of the Portsmouth Eifles, Co. G, 9th
Va. He was from North Carolina, and was attending school at
the Virginia Collegiate Institute in Portsmouth when the war
broke out, and as several of his school friends joined the Eifles he
joined that company also. He was killed by a shell, which tore
away one of his hips.
Armistead's Brigade and the 9th Eegiment with it, moved on
with the army into Maryland, took part in the investment and
capture of Harper's Ferry, which surrendered September 14th,

108 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
with 12,000 prisoners and 73 guns, and at 4 p.m. on the 15th
started to rejoin General Lee, who was concentrating his army at
Sharpsburg.' The regiment crossed the Potomac into Virginia,
made a detour througli Jefferson county, recrossed the Potomac
at Shepherdtown and reached the battle field at Sharpsburg at 9
a. m. on the 17th, in time to take part in the repulse of Sumner's
corps, which was pressing heavily npon the Confederate left and
left centre. General Lee in this battle, with 35,000 men, held his
ground all day and repulsed General McClellan's assaults, with
90,000 men, and held possession of the battle field. General
McClellan made no attempt to renew the battle the next day and
as General Lee had nearly exhausted his supply of ammunition
and was far from his base of supplies, he decided to fall back into
Virginia. The 9th Virgniia remained on the field until 3 p. m.
on tne 18th, when it fell back to the Potomac, recrossed at Shep
herdtown and was retained on picket duty on the banks of the
river on the Virginia side. The army marched by easy. stages to
Fredericksburg, the Oth Virginia arriving there on the 26th of
November and remained in the lines until the 13th of December
in momentary expectation of an attack by the Federal army, then
under General Burnside, who had succeeded General McClellan.
On that day was fought the battle of Fredericksburg. Burnside
crossed his army over the Eappajiannock river on the 12th, and
early on the morning of the 13th advanced to turji the Confeder
ate right under Jackson, but was driven back. Later assaults by
Couch's and Wilcox's corps and one division of Hooker's corps
upon the Confederate centre under Longstreet, were easily re
pulsed with heavy slaughter among the attacking columns. The
9th Virginia was in the Confederate line of battle but as the battle
was fought on the defensive by General Lee and the enemy did
not assail that part of the lines, they were more spectators than
actual participants in the battle. A little to the right of the po
sition held by the 9th Virginia, a brigade of Federals had secured
a position in a railroad cut or an excavation of a similar character,
but the 57th North Carohna Eegiment, commanded by Colonel
Archibald C. Godwin, of Portsmouth, (afterward promoted to
Brigadier-General and killed in Early's campaign in the Valley)
made a gallant charge upon them and drove them out.
The Eegiment remained in the vicinity of Fredericksburg until
the 15th of February, 1863, when the movement of Picket? s and
Hood's Divisions, under Longstreet, towards Suffolk was begun.
Shortly before then Armistead's Brigade had been taken from
Anderson's Division and put in the Division of Virginia troops,
under General Pickett. The Eegiment broke camp near Freder
icksburg on the 15th and on the evening of the 16th reached
Hanover Junction. That night snow fell to the depth of about
ten inches and the men were marched ten miles through it. On

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 109
the night of the 18th a deluge of rain came down, and the 19th
witnessed them wading through slush and mud about knee deep,
.through Eichmond and Manchester, into Chesterfield county.
On the 20th they reached Chester Station and went into camp,
remaining there until the 1st of March, as the ground was cov
ered with snow all the time. On the 1st of March the regiment
moved on through Petersburg, where it remained until the 26th,
and then pushed ahead to the vicinity^ of Suffolk. Here an at
tack was made on the enemy, who were driven back to the town,
and the Portsmouth and Norfolk county boys in Pickett's Divi
sion were in high spirits, hoping that the army would keep on to
Portsmouth and they could once more meet their families and
friends, but the object of General Longstreet's movement there
was to collect provisions, and after accomplishing that object, he
returned with his army, Hood's and Pickett's Divisions, to the
main army of General Lee. He reached Manchester May 16th.
Armistead's Brigade was in camp near Hanover Junction from
May 18th to June 3d, when it was sent to King William county
to meet a raiding party of Federal cavalry which was reported to
be advancing in that direction, returning to Hanover Junction on
the 7th. On the 8th the brigade started on the march for Penn
sylvania. The 9th Eegiment marched through the counties of
Caroline, Spottsylvania, Orange, Culpepper, Fauquier, Loudoun,
Clarke, Jefferson and Berkley, crossed the Potomac river at Wil
liamsport on the 25th, and at 4 o'clock p. m. on the 2d of July,
went into cam^ within Uve miles of Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania.
There had been heavy fighting that day between the enemy .and
the corps of A. P. Hill and Ewell and part of Longstreet's and it
Avas felt that the 3d would be decisive of great events.
The division (Pickett's) moved forward from camp at 3 a. m.
on the 3d, and after being halted twice on the road, reached the
battle field at 10 o'clock and remained drawn up in line, under
the shelling of the Federal artillery until 3 p. ra., when it was
ordered to storm the entrenched position held by the enemy on
the top of Cemetery Hill. This charge has become historic.
Pickett's Division of three brigades — Kemper's, Garnett's and
Armistead's, and numbering 4,500 men, ranlc and file, after lying
for five hours under a burning July sun, exposed to the shelling
of the Federal batteries, marched at ordinary quick step more
than three-quarters of a mile across an open field, up the hill to a
stone wall, behind which lay more than ten thousand Federal
troops and sixty pieces of artillery, which were playing upon
them as they advanced, drove the gunners from their cannon and
the infantry from the wall, captured the position and hundreds of
prisoners at an immense sacrifice of life, and, looking back over
iiearly a mile of open field for Hood's and McLaws' Divisions
which were expected to support, them, found that neither had
started. Somebody hac^ blundered.

110 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Colonel Walter H. Taylor, General Lee's Adjutant General, in
his admirable work, "Four Years with General Lee," lays the
blame on General Longstreet for keeping back those two divis
ions, as it was General Lee's order that they should support
Pickett's charge. It is due to General Longstreet to say that he
denies having received any order to that effect, and held the two
divisions to repel an anticipated Federal attack on his right ; but
as General Meade was fighting a defensive battle entirely, there
seems to have been no reasonable ground for such an apprehen
sion. However, the fact remains that those of Pickett's men
who escaped the showers of gretpe, canister and leaden hail, and
reached the stone wall, found themselves nearly a mile from any
reinforcements, while more than three-fourths of the army re
mained idle spectators of their devotion, with every general of
brigade and nearly every field office!- of lower grade killed or dis
abled from wounds and with no one left to assume direction of
affairs, while the enemy was concentrating against them a force
ten times their number. They held the captured works, and a
number of prisoners for about twenty minutes when, finding
themselves about to be surrounded and knowing that to remain
there meant death or captivity, for half of General Meade's
army was moving against them, the men began to retire. Some
got back safely to their own lines, but they were few.
Only three brigades were in the charge. Generals Armistead
and Garnett were Jcilled and General Kemper severely wounded.
Colonel Jno. C. Owens, of Portsmouth, commanding the 9th
Virghua, was mortally wounded and died in the field hospital
about 2 o'clock that night. Colonel J. G. Hodges, of Ports
mouth, commanding the 14th Virginia, was killed. Lieutenant-
Colonel Phillips, of the 9th, and Lieutenant-Colonel White, of
the 14th, of Norfolk county, were wounded, and Major Eichard
son, of Portsmouth, of the 9th Virginia, was captured. Adju
tant John S. Jenkens, bf Portsmoufli, of the 14th, was killed,
and, of the officers of the five Portsmouth and two Norfolk

White, of Company A, 3d Virginia, Lieutenants Vermillion,
Company I, Tonkin and Gale, Company G, and Hudgins and
Eobinson, Company K, 9th Virginia were wounded, and Captains
Whitehead, Company H, 3d Virginia, Allen, Company K,
Crocker, Company I, and Weaver, Company D, 9th Virginia, and
Lieutenants Gary, Company A, Gleason, Company B, 3d Vir
ginia, and Lewis, Company G, 9th Virginia, were captured. Of
eighteen commissioned officers who were in the charge with the
seven Portsmouth and Norfolk county companies, only one 
Lieut. Eichard Vermillion — escaped. Three were killed seven

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. HI
were wounded and seven were captured. Adjutant Crocker, of the
9th, of Portsmouth, was captured ; Lieutenants Guy and Mitchell
were killed by the shelhng, previous to the advance ; Sergeant
Eobert A. Hutchings, of Company B, of Portsmouth, caught up
the colors of the 3d Virginia, when Color Sergeant Gray, of
Dinwiddie county was shot, and carried them to the stone wall,
and Joshua Grimes, of Company I, of Norfolk county, was
ensign of the 9th Virginia and carried the colors of that regi
ment to within twenty yards of the wall when he was severely
wounded and fell, but Corporal Lemuel IT. Williams, of the
Portsmouth Eifles, Company G, picked them up and carried them
to the stone wall where he was killed. General Armistead
led the charge of his brigade on foot, with his hat cm the point of
his sword, and had scaled the stone wall and stood beside a cap
tured cannon, with his hand resting on it, when he was killed by
a musket ball. Colonel Owens of the 9th Virginia, was shot
. through the groin with a musket ball before the line reached the
stone wall, and was carried off the field. Company A, the Dis
mal Swamp Eangers, under Captain Thomas M. Hodges, was in
the skirmish line in front of the 3d Virginia, and though two of
its commissioned officers were wounded, none were killed outright.
Swinton, who is the fairest of all the Northern historians of
the war, gives a very graphic account of the charge of Pickett's
Division at Gettysburg in his "Army of the Potomac," though
he falls into the error of all of the l^orthern writers in greatly
exaggerating the strength of the Confederates. He fixes the
strength of the attacking force at 15,000, and yet says "its front,
was so narrow that it did not cover more than two of the incom
plete divisions of the 2d corps, numbering some 6,000 men.
This ^inconsistency should ha^e been apparent to the author.
Pickett's Division numbered 4,500 men and Heith's Division
could not have been much larger, and 15,000 Confederates would
have over-lapped 6,000 Federals." With this exception, his ac
count of the charge is very fair for an opponent. He says :
"As Pickett's Division of Longstreet's corps had reached the
f round during the morning, it was appointed to lead the van.
'ickett formed his division in double fine of battle, with Kemp
er's and Garnett's Brigades in front and Armistead's Brigade
supporting, while on the right of Pickett was one brigade of
Hill's corps, under General Wilcox, formed in column by battal
ions; and on his left, Heth's Division (also of Hill's corps),
under General Pettigrew. The attacking force numbered about
fifteen thousand men, and it advanced over the intervening space
of near a mile in such compact and imposing order that, whether
friend or foe, none who saw it could refrain from admiration of
its magnificent array. The hostile line, as it advanced, covered
a front of not more than two of the reduced and incomplete divis-

112 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
ions of the second corps, numbering, it may be, some six thou
sand men. While crossing the plain it received a severe fire of
artillery which, however, did not delay for a naoment its deter
mined advance, so that the column pressing on came within
musketry range, the troops evincing a striking disposition to
withhold their fire until it could be delivered with deadly effect.
The first opposition it received was from two regiments of Stan-
nard's Vermont Brigade of the first corps, which had been
posted in a small grove to the left of the second corps in front of
and at a considerable angle with the main line. These regiments
opened upon the right flank of the enemy's advancing hues,
which received also an oblique fire ifrom eight batteries under
Major McGilvray. This caused the Confederate troops on that
fink to double in a little towards their left, but it did not stay
their onward progress. As, during the tramp of the enemy
across the intervening plain, the rifled guns had flred away all
their canister, they were withdrawn or left on the ground inac
tive, to await the issue of the impending shock between the two
masses of infantry — a shock momentarily expected — for the as
sailants approached steadily while the Union f6rce held itself
braced to receive the impact. When at length the hostile lines
had approached to between two and three hundred yards, the di
visions of Hays and Gibbon of the second corps opened a
destructive flre, and repeated it in rapid succession.
" This sally had the effect to instantly reveal the unequal metal
of the assaulting mass and proved what of it was iron and what
clay. * * * Pettigrew's troops broke in disorder, leaving
two thousand prisoners and fifteen colors in the hands of Hays'
Division. Now, as Wilcox's Brigade had not advanced, Pickett's
Division remained alone, a solid lance head of Virginia troops,
temperd in the fire of battle. Solitary this division, buffeting
the fierce volleys that met it, rushed up the crest of Cemetery
Eidge and such was the momentum of its assault that it fairly
thrust itself within Hancock's line.
" It happened that the full strength of ' this attack fell upon
Webb's Brigade of three regiments. This brigade had been dis
posed in two lines ; two of its regiments, the 69tli and 71st Penn
sylvania, posted behind a low stone wall and slight breastworks
hastily constructed by them, while the remaining regiment, the
72d Pennsylvania, lay behind the crest, some sixty paces to the
rear, and so placed as to fire over the heads of those in front.
When the swift advancing and yelling array of Pickett's force
had, notwithstanding the volleys it met, approached close up to
the stone wall, many of those behind it, seeing their fire to be
now vain, abandoned the position ; and the Confederates, detect
ing this wavering, rushed over the breastworks, General Armis
tead leading, and crowned the stone wall with their standard.

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 1 ] 3
The moment was as critical as can well be conceived- but
happily the regiments that had been holding this f i-ont line did
not, on faihng back, do so in panic ; so that, by the personal
bravery of General Webb and his officers, they were immediately
rallied and reformed on the rear of the brigade, which held the
second hue behind the crest, and Hancock instantly drew to
gether troops to make a bulwark against any further advance of
the now exultant enemy.
" As the hostile front of attack was quite narrow, it left Han
cock's left wing unassailed. From there he drew over the
brigades of Hall and Harrow. * * * The 19th Massachusetts
Eegiment. * * * Mallon's 42d New York Eegiment. * *
While Colonel Stannard moved two regiments of his Vermont
Brigade to strike the enemy on the right flank. These movements
were quickly executed. * * * The breach was covered, and
in such force that in regular formation, the line would have stood
four ranks deep.
" Whatever valor could do to wrest victory from the jaws of
hell, that it must be conceded, the troops of Pickett had done,
but now, seeing themselves in a desperate straight, they flung
themselves on the ground to escape the hot flre and threw up their
hands in token of surrender, while the remnant sought safety in
flight. * * The Confederate loss in killed and wounded was
severe. Of the three brigade commanders of Pickett's Division,
Garnett was killed, Armistead fell fatally wounded within the
Union lines, and Kemper was borne off, severely hurt. In addi
tion it left behind fourteen of its field Officers, and only a single
one of that rank escaped unhurt, while of the rank and file, three-
fourths were dead or captives. * * But this illustrious victory
was not purchased without severe price paid, and this was sadly
attested in the thousands of dead and wounded that lay on the
plain. The loss of officers was again especially heavy, and among
the wounded were Generals GibbOn and Hancock."
After their repulse, Pickett's Division retired to their camp of
the night before and remained there until the army started on its
return to Virginia. General Meade succeeded in resisting Gen
eral Lee's efforts to dislodge him from his advantageous position,
but General Lee's army was not beaten. He remained in front
of Gettysburg all of the next day to give General Meade an op
portunity to attack him, but that officer was content with having
succeeded in repelling the assault upon himself, and had no idea
of leaving his fortified position to attack the Confederates. Gen
eral Lee, finding that General Meade would not attack him, and
having nearly exhausted his supply of artillery ammunition, the
army fell back to the Potomac river at Williamsport, Pickett's
Division being assigned the duty of guarding the thousands of
prisoners who were captured in the battle.

114 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
When the army reached Williamsport, the river was swollen so
high from recent rains that it was not fordable, and the army re
mained there from the 8tli to the 13th of July, by. which time a
bridge had been constructed, and the army crossed over on it.
All of this time General Meade kept his army at a respectful
distance, sending forward occasionally a force of cavalry to try to
gather up a wagon train or a few stragglers. While in Williams
port, the 9th Eegiment was doing provost duty, and the boys had
excellent sleeping accommodations. On the '18th of August the
brigade, then commanded by Colonel Aylett, of the 53d regiment,
camped at Gordonsville, and on the 7th of September was ordered
to Eichmond, arriving there at night on the 12th and immediately
took the cars for Petersburg. That day the brigade marched
twenty-six miles and traveled twenty-two miles on tlie cars.
From that time to the following June, it was hurried from
place to place to head off raiding parties of the enemy, which
were making their appearance at different points from Eichmond
to Goldsboro. On the 6th of October the brigade was sent by
rail to Kinston, N. C, and on the 14th placed in very comfortable
winter quarters near that town, but on the 1st of November it
was moved back to Petersburg. On the 7tli it was sent back to
Weldon, and from there to Garysburg, arriving at 8 a. m. on the
8tli. It remained there until the lltn, when it was carried back
to Petersburg. On the 28th it started to rejoin the armv of
General Lee, then confronting General Meade at Mine l^un,
reached Hanover Junction the next day at 8 a. m. and went into
camp. On the lOtli of December it was again sent by rail to
North Carolina and on the 13th went again into the camp of Oc
tober near Kinston.
On the 30th of January, 1864, the brigade moved on towards
Newberne and on the 1st of February formed line of battle and
had a small engagement with the enemy, driving in the pickets,
&c., which was merely intended to employ the force there to pre
vent it from interfering with the movement of a portion of the
army which was operating elsewhere. On the afternoon of the
2d the brigade broke camp for Kinston, and on the 13th took the
cars for Petersburg, crossed James river on the 15th on a pontoon
bridge above Drury's Bluff and camped in Henrico county two
miles to the east of Eichmond. In February two raiding parties
^of Federal cavalry started towards Eichmond, one from the di
rection of Fortress Monroe, under General Wister, which got no
further than Bottom's bridge, and the other under Genera! Kil-
patrick and Colonel Dahlgren, from General Meade's army on the
Eapidan. On the 1st of March the 9th Eegiment was marched
to Bottom's bridge, thence to the Virginia Central railroad to head
off Kilpatrick, who was operating there, but escaped, and at nio-ht
to the Mechanicsville turnpike to try and head off Dahlgren who

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 115
had reached the vicinity of Eichmond that afternoon about sun
down and had been attacked and defeated by the 3d Battalion of
Virginia Eeserves, under command of Senior Captain John A.
McAnerny, and attached to the brigade of General Custis Lee, on
the Westham plank road about three miles from the city. In this
battahon was a company of boys from Eichmond, whose ages
ranged from sixteen to eighteen, under command of Captain Ed
ward Gay, and they displayed the courage of old veterans. The
author saw one of them bringing in a Yankee prisoner, about
twice his own size, whom he had captured, though himself suffer
ing from a wound in the arm.
Though this affair has no direct connection with the history of
the 9tli Eegiment, but as it was of considerable importance in its
results, though comparatively insignificant in itself, and for this
reason has been overlooked, or merely touched upon in the histo
ries of the war, the author asks the indulgence of the reader in
giving his recollection of it as it appeared to him. He was at the
time, temporarily with Company A, commanded by Captain John
Manico, a gallant fellow from New Orleans, who came to Vir
ginia with the Washington Artillery and was wounded at Manas
sas, disabled and discharged.
On the 28th of February General Kilpatrick left General
Meade's army on the Eapidan with between three and four thou
sand cavalrymen, for Eichmond, to capture the city and release
the Federal prisoners who were confined in Libby Prison and on
Belle Isle.
At Spotsylvania Court House the force divided, and Colonel
Dahlgren with five hundred picked men, pushed on towards the
James river above Eichmond, while the main body, under Kil
patrick, headed directly for the city, reaching the north side of it
on the 1st of March. The interposition of Armistead's Brigade,
of which the 9th Eegiment formed a part, stopped his further
progress in that direction, and he escaped down the peninsula to
Fortress Monroe.
Dahlgren pursued his course towai ds James Eiver, reached it
near Goochland Court House, and then followed the course of the
river towards Eichmond, reaching the vicinity of the city, on the
west, the same day, March 1st, that Kilpatrick had arrived, but
later in the afternoon. A considerable force had by that time
been collected around the city for its defence. News reached
Eichmond of the approach of Dahlgren's party and the 3d Bat
talion, Custis Lee's Brigade, was sent to meet it. The battahon
left the city about 4 o'clock p. m. and marched rapidly out the
Westham plank road. The battalion was composed of seven or
eight companies and had about four hundred men present in its
ranks. The rain was pouring down in torrents, but the men were
in the best of spirits, as if they were going to a frolic instead of a

116 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
fight. First Lieutenant Mon-is, a brave young North Carolinian,
2d Sergeant John F. Mayer, of Norfolk, and another, were to
gether on the left of Company A. One of the trio remarked, " If
our sweethearts were here now they might call us their rain
dea/rs."" Sergeant Mayer said " Yes, and though it has scarcely
been an hour since we left Eichmond, we are already ' wetercms.'' "
Lieutenant Morris did not want to get left on the play of words,
and, remembering the day and month, and having his wits fresh
ened by stepping into a mud puddle over his shoe tops said he
thought " This first march this year is the softest ^Am^ the battal
ion ever got into." This incident is recalled merely to illustrate
the fine spirits which animated the battalion, from Captain
McAnerny down.
After marching about three miles the battalion met a cavalry
man on his way to the city, with a report, and he informed Cap
tain McAnerny that the enemy, in considerable force, had attacked
our cavalry picket and it had fallen back to a position about a
quarter of a mile in advance of where we then were. The cap
tain halted the battalion, gave orders to close up and load ; after
which it moved forward again, the men joking as they marched.
It was then about sundown.
Eeaching the picket, the battalion filed to the right, in a field,
and fronteci to the advancing enemy, with the left resting on the
road and the cavalry picket occupying the road. Captain
McAnerny threw out skirmishes and ordered a charge, telling the
men to reserve their fire until he gave the order, and then
to fire together. The enemy were advancing also, some mounted
and some on foot, and in less than a minute the sharp cracking
fire of the skirmishers began. These fell back gradually or rather
paused for the main line to overtake them, when they took their
places in the ranks. Captain McAnerny halted the ' line so that
the fire of his men could be dehvered with more accuracy, and
when the enemy's line had reached within about twenty yards gave
the order to firs. That one volley settled the affair. Those of
the enemy who were not killed or wounded, stood not upon the
order of their going, but left at once. A second volley added
speed_ to their retreat. A mounted section endeavored to turn
the right of the battalion which was exposed in open field, but
the rear rank of the right company faced to the rear and gave
them such a well-directed volley that only one of them escaped.
The battalion was armed with Austrian rifles, which were perhaps
the best guns in the Confederate army. Those of Dahlo-ren's
men who escaped made their way around to the north of *ilich-
mond, closely followed by the Confedei-ates, and were stopped by
a party of Home Guard's in King and Queen county. An en
gagement ensued and Dahlgren was killed and the men with him
were captured. On his body was found an order to his men to

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 117
release the Federal prisoners on Belle Island, kill President Davis
and other citizens of Eichmond, and burn the city. He came
near liberating the thousands of prisoners on Bell'e Isle, for he
had gotten within less than two miles of them and there was
nothing between hmi and them but the 3d battalion. Had that
failed in its duty, .the ten or twelve thousand prisoners might
have been released, though the subsequent arrival of other troops
would have been m time to have kept him out of the city.
Captam A. E. Wilson, of Portsmouth, was on duty in King
and Queen county at the time of this affair and recovered from
the prisoners about two bushels of silver plate which they had
stolen from Virginia farm houses while on their raid.
The 9th Eeghnent remained in the vicinity of Eichmond all
the month of March. On the 23d there was a terrible storm
and " the beautiful snow " fell to the depth of eighteen inches, and
m April the bottom seemed to have dropped out of the Confed
erate commissary department. The men in the 9th had nothing
to eat on the 8th or 9th. The next day, however, brought relief
and rations.
On the 3d of May the brigade started to join General Lee's
army on the Eapidan, and on the 5th had reached Taylorsville,
on the Eichmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Eailroad, when it
was recalled in haste to Eichmond to meet Butler's advance from
Bermuda Hundreds, where he had landed with the corps of Gen
erals Gilmore and W. _F. Smith, numbering some thirty thousand
men. Arriving in Eichmond by rail, the brigade was immedi
ately transported by steamer to Drury's Bluff and marched to the
outer hue of defences. On the 8th the brigade was drawn up in
line of battle, the men about five feet apart and covering a space
of three miles.
May 10th Armistead's Brigade and Grade's Alabama Brigade
formed an attenuated line of battle reaching from the Petersburg
railroad to the river and advanced against the enemy to develop
his strength and position. Armistead's Brigade attacked two
lines of battle of the enemy and pushed them back for nearly a
mile, when Grade's Brigade having obliqued to the left, a large
interval was created on the left of Armistead's Brigade, and as it
was about to be flanked there by the increasing masses of the
enemy. General Barton, who commanded it, ordered it to retire.
In this battle the 9th Eegiment captured a gun on the turnpike,
but when the brigade fell back it was left behind, as there were
no horses to bring it off. This affair served to keep General
Butler quiet for a few days, and as Sheridan was then in the vi
cinity of Eichmond on his gigantic raid vrith three cavalry divis
ions, Armistead's Brigade was moved from Drury's Bluff by
steamer at 1 o'clock on the morning of the 12th to Eichmond.
Sheridan had repulsed Stuart's attack at Yellow Tavern and killed

118 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
that great cavalry leader on the 11th, and on the 12th reached
the outer defences of the city. At 9 a. m., on the 12th, Armi
stead's Brigade formed line of battle on the Mechanicsville turn
pike, and during the day was moved to the Meadow Bridge Eoad
and back to the Mechanicsville turnpike and to the York Eiver
Eailroad. Grade's Alabama Brigade made an advance early m
the afternoon to feel Sheridan's position and retired to wait for
re-enforcements. These ai-rived later in the day and an advance
was made by Grade's, Armistead's and Ilunton's Brigades, but
Sheridan had moved off.
While Sheridan was on the Meadow Bridge Eoad an incident
occurred which made a deep impression on the memory of the
author. There was a farm house down the road about a quarter
of a mile from the Confederate works and Sheridan had placed
there a battery of field guns which was firing at the Confederate
works, and a battery in the works across the road was replying.
While this artillery duel was going on, a tall, elderly gentleman,
carrying in his arms a two or three-year-old child and accompa
nied by two beautiful young ladies, one of whom was leading a
little six or seven-year-old girl by the hand, came down the side
of the road along a path inside the bordering fence, walking
quietly to the Confederate lines. Upon reaching the works_ the
men helped them over. They lived in the house where Sheridan
had 2)laced his battery, and in coming along the "side of the road
paid no more attention to the shells which were flying past them
than if they had been snow balls.
Sheridan effected his retreat in safety to the Pamunky river,
where he rejoined General Grant, and, in the meantime, Butler
having been encouraged to make another attempt to reach Eich
mond, advanced from Bermuda Hundreds. The brigade was
moved to Drury's Bluff on the 15th, and the next day took part
in what is known in history as the Battle of Drury's Bluff. It
resulted in a victory for the Confederates, and would have been
more decisive still but for the failure of General Whiting to ad
vance with his division to attack the left and rear of the enemy,
as ordered by General Beauregard. This failure on his part to
attack, left open the line of retreat for the enemy, of which he
availed himself and fell back within the fortifications at Bermuda
Hundreds. In this battle the bri^de was commanded by Colonel
B. D- Fry, of the 13th Alabama Eegiment, who was assigned to
it by General Eobert Eansom, under whose orders it was acting.'
General Eansom preferred charges against General Barton for
some fault he found with him in the action of the 10th and re
moved him from his command. A correspondence ensued in
relation to the matter in which General Barton got the better of
it, and every officer of the brigade signed a petition to the Sec
retary of W ar asking that he be re-instated. A court of inquiry

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 119
was ordered, but its delays were so numerous that the war ended
befor the matter was settled, and in the meantime General George
H. Stewart was ordered to command it August 27th, 1864. Gen
eral Barton had been assigned to the brigade in 1863, after the
death of General Armistead at Gettysburg.
General Barton, in his official report of the 10th of May, pays
a high compliment to the 9th Eegiment for their steadiness and
good conduct on that occasion. On the 16th the battle was begun
while a heavy fog was on the ground and Barton's Brigade was
ordered to support Hoke's North Carolina Brigade, but owing to
the fog Hoke's Brigade obliqued to the right and Barton's obhqued
to the left, which brought the 9th Eegiment under a very heavy
and destructive fire of the enemy, to which they did not reply,
thinking Hoke's Brigade was in their front. They were ordered
to he down, which they did, until a fianking force from the bri
gades turned the enemy's right and captured those in front of the
9th. The fog lifting at this time disclosed the fact that Hoke's
Brigade had moved off to the right. The 9th Eegiment pressed
on to Bermuda Hundreds after the retreating Federals, and on
19th the brigade was ordered to join the main army, then near
Spotsylvania Court House. It' took steamer at Drury's Bluff
and reached Eichmond at midnight, where the whole brigade
slept on the streets on the pavement. The next day they took the
cars for Milford Station, where they debarked, pushed on, and
camped within five miles of Spotsylvania Court House.
On the night of the 20th Grant moved off from Spotsylvania
Court House, and Armistead's Brigade, now Stewart's, and again
united with Pickett's Division, was marched towards Hanover
Junction. The whole of the division had gotten together again.
On the 24th the brigade was in line of battle on the North Anna
river, and fronted the enemj^' in his unsuccessful effort to force a
passage there, and remained in position until the 27th, when the
army moved off to Cold Harbor, in consequence of another move
ment of General Grant to the left. On the 30th it was again
drawn up in line of battle and had a heavy engagement on the
picket line, and on the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th of June, was in
line of battle at .Cold Harbor waiting for an attack from the ene
my which never came. He made heavy assaults on 1st and 3d,
upon other portions of the fine and was repulsed easily, losing
about thirteen thousand men in less than fifteen minutes.
• On the 6th, Company G, 9th Eegiment, was sent forward to
try to establish a new picket line, but finding the ground occupied
by a superior force of the enemy, fell back to the old line, and on
t£e 16th the division crossed over James river on pontoons at
Drury's Bluff, and at 3 p. m., while on the Eichmond and Peters
burg turnpike near Chester Station, the head of the column,
Stewart's Brigade, was fired upon by the enemy, who proved to

120 NORFOLK COUNTY. 1861-5.
be Butler's forces, who had again started out from Bermuda
Hundreds. Line of battle was formed immediately and the enemy
were attacked and dri\'en from a line of earthworks, the division
spending the night in the captured works. On the 17th the at
tack was renewed and Butler was again driven back behind his
entrenchments at Bermuda Hundreds, from which he did not
again emerge during the war. Pickett's Division remained on
the lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds until March 26th, 1865,
when it was moved off to the extreme right of the army to check
the advance of Sheridan's Cavalry. Three brigades of the divi
sion, Stewart's, Terry's and Corse's (Hunton's was somewhere else)
struck Sheridan's command at Dinwiddie Court House and drove
it before them. This was the 31st of March, and the next
morning while they were fighting Sheridan in front, Warren's and
Humphrey's corps of Federal infantry, attacked them in flank and
rear. The 9th Eegiment was marched to the left and thrown in
reverse to try to stop the flood and bore the brunt of Warren's
charge. It stood its ground, however, until it was overwhelmed.
The enemy came on faster than the men could load and fire, and
most of the 9th Eegiment, being killed, wounded or surrounded,
fell into the hands of the enemy. The colors of the 9th Eegi
ment were bourne in this battle by George W. Barnes, of the
Old Dominion Guard, Company K, and the regiment was in the
form of a letter L, with one side fronting out from the left of the
Confederate line of battle and the other fronting to the rear.
Very few of the men escaped from Five Forks, and those who
did, were caught in a similar trap at Saylor's Creek on the 6th. •
While the 9th Eegiment, which was taken from the centre of
the brigade in line of battle, was hurrying to the left to try to
stay the progress of Warren's and Hmnphrey's Corps, it passed
the 56th North' Carolina Eegiment, of Eansom's Brigade, com
manded by Lieutenant-Colonel G. G. Luke, an old Portsmouth
boy, and the Portsmouth companies in the 9th recognizing him,
gave him a cheer, and George Barnes, the color-bearer, knowing
as every other man in the line did, that the regiment was being
sent as a sacrifice to give time to the others to escape, sang out :
" Here goes old Portsmouth, Colonel — good-bye ! "•
Swinton, in his Army of the Potomac, speaking of this effort
to stop the movement of Warren's Corps upon Pickett's left and
rear, says :
"Held as in a vice by the cavalry, which controlled their whole
front and right, they now found a line of battle sweeping down
on their rear. Thus placed, they did all that men may. Form
ing front both north and south, they met, with desperate valor,
this double onset. * * * * Yet, vital in all of its parts,
what remained still continued the conibat with unyielding metal.
Parrying the thrusts of the cavalry from the front, tnis poor

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 121
scratch of a force threw back its lef t in a new and short crotchet,
so as to meet the advance of Warren."
Pickett's force of six thousand contended with twelve thousand
cavalrymen under Sheridan and twenty-two thousand infantry in
the two corps of Warren and Humphreys.
Nearly aU of the men in the 9th who escaped at Five Forks
were killed or captured at Saylor's Creek, and very few were left
to surrender at Appomattox, except those who were with the
wagons, or in the commissary or hospital departments, these being
necessarily in the rear and not usually participating in the battles,
escaped in the general destruction. 'The regiment was engaged
in the following battles, besides numerous skirmishes and picket
fights :
Seven Pines, June 1st, 1862, Suffolk, April, 1863,
Malvern Hill, July 1st, 1862, Gettysburg, July 3d, 1863,
Warrenton Springs, Aug. 28th, Newberne, Feb. 4th, 1864,
, 1862, Drury's Bluff, May 10th, 1864,
Second Manassas, Aug. 30th, Drury's Bluff, May 16th, 1864,
1862, Chester Station, June 16th, '64,
Harper's Ferry, Sept. 14th, Dinwiddie Court House, March
1862, 31st, 1865,
Sharpsburg, Sept. 17th, 1862, Five Forks, April 1st, 1865,
Fredericksburg,Dec. 13th, '62, Saylor's Creek, April 6th, 1865.
It was engaged also in the numerous skirmishes, which might
almost be termed battles, at Hanover Court House, Cold Harbor
and Turkey Eidge, from May 28th to June 13th, 1864, while
General Lee was holding General Grant at bay, and had a num
ber of minor engagements with the enemy while on the line at
Bermuda Hundreds. An amusing incident occurred while at this
latter place. By a mutual understanding between the men on
both sides, there had been an intermission of picket firing for
several Aveeks, when, one day, a Federal soldier called out from his
side, " Johnnie, look out to-morrow, there will be negro troops on
picket." The answer went back, " All right, we^l fix them."
The next day, sure enough, the negroes were observed holding the
advanced line, and with a yell, they were charged by the Confed
erates. They scattered and ran as if an avenging angel was after
them. Later, white troops were sent to the front, and the friendly
feeling between the opposing pickets was restored. That was the
last attempt to put negro pickets on that line.
Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips recovered from his wound received at
Gettysburg, was promoted to Colonel, and commanded the regi
ment until the closing scenes on the retreat from Petersburg.
Major Eichardson, who was captured at Gettysburg, was not ex
changed. He was paroled just before the close of the war, but
not having been exchangee!, was not with the regiment in its
closing struggles.

122 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
MALVEEN HILL.
The following is the official report of Lieutenant-Colonel
James Gilliam, who commanded the 9th Eegiment at the battle
of Malvern Hill. It will be remembered that only seven compa
nies of the regiment were present in that affair. Companies A,
D and H had'been detached and placed in batteries in the forti
fications around Eichmond :
Feazier's Farm, Near Eichmond, Va.,
July 2d, 1862;
Sir — I beg leave to submit the following report of the action
of the 9th Virginia Eegiment during the battle of July 1st :
On the morning .of July 1st we left the Charles City road in
pursuit of the enemy and arrived about 10 a. m. at this farm.
We were first left to guard the road to prevent a flank movement
of the enemy, and for two hours were exposed to a most appall
ing and incessant artillery fire, and, notwithstanding the terror
of its rage, my officers and men behaved with great coolness
and gallantry.
About 5 o'clock we were ordered to change our position and
take post in rear of and to support an artillery battery, and, in
about thirty minutes afterwards, were ordered to charge the ene
my's battery, supporting Cobb's Brigade, and it is but ]ust to say
that no regiment ever charged with more impetuosity. On they
went with utmost speed amid the deadly fire of musketry and
artillery. Having a force in our front interfering with our fire
we, by an oblique to the right, came within good musket range of
the opposing lines of the enemy and poured in upon them volley
after volley until night closed the scene.
Where all behaved so well, the mention of individual acts
might seem to be invidious, but justice demands that I should
call your attention to the acts of Captain J. T. Kilby, Company
I, who, amid the fire of the enemy, seized a flag of some regi
ment that had been broken and tried to rally its scattered rem
nants and bring them against the foe, and while thus acting the-
flag staff was shot from his hand. Of Captain James J. Phillips,
wlio, after our color bearer was shot down and its guard scattered,
preserved the colors of his regiment and saved it from the dishonor
of leaving its colors on the field and restored them, still to wave
in their proper place. Of Lieutenant James F. Crocker, Adju
tant of the 9th Eegiment, who received several severe if not
mortal wounds in bravely leading the regiment in front of its
colors, encouraging the men by his bold and gallant bravery.
And I might, indeed, mention every officer in the field as having
done their duty nobly, not only in this fight, but in all the hard
duty that we have had to undergo in the last thirty days.
In closing my report, it is with feelings of the deepest regret
that we have to number among our fallen brave the names of

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 123
Captain Den'nis Vermillion, Company K, and Second Lieutenant
0. M Dozier of Company I. These brave and gallant officers fdl
bravely fighting for their homes and firesides, martyrs to vandal
tyranny ; but a grateful country will cherish their sacrifice and
preser\-e their memory.
Below you will please find a duplicate report of the casualties
m my regiment, Avhich you will discover to be quite large, since
It carried not exceeding one hundred and fifty effective fighting
men on the field.
Killed — Two officers and 7 enlisted men, wounded 1 officer and
33 enhsted men, missing 23 enhsted men. Eecapitulation— Killed
9, wounded 34, missing 23 ; total, 66.
Beheving that my regiment did its duty faithfully, I cherish
the hope that we shall meet your kind approval.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
Jas. S. Gilliam,
Lieutenant Colonel Commanding 9th Va. Eegiment.
Brigadier General Armistead,
Commanding Fourth Brigade.
During the night McClellan abandoned Malvern Hill and re
treated to Hai-rison's Landing. General Wright, in his official
report of the battle, says his brigade was ordered by General
Armistead to follow his (Armistead's) brigade in a charge upon
the enemy's works at Malvern Hill, and he went because General
Armistead ordered him to do so, though he felt it was an im
proper move to charge one hundred guns and twenty-five thousand
men with two brigad^es not exceeding in numbers twenty-five
hundred men. General Magruder's management of affairs after
his arrival upon the field does not seem to have been more judi
cious than that which proceeded. Charges were made by single
brigades and sometimes by separate regiments. The Confederate
artillery was badly managed. Instead of massing there seventy-
five or eighty guns. Grimes' battery was sent in first and disa
bled,, then Moorman's was put in with a like result, and then
Pegram's. The official reports of the Brigadier Generals make
no mention of General Huger being on the field, and that officer
disclaimed any responsibility for the way the battle was fought.
In his official report he said :
"As the different brigades of my division were sent forward
into the battle of Malvern Hill, and I was directed to report them
to another commander, though myself present, I was not in com
mand during this battle. As I was treated in the same manner
at Seven Pmes, I can only hope this course was accidental and
required by the necessities of the service."
The report of Brigadier Eobert Eansom, who was attached
to Huger's Division for that occasion, throws some light upon the
condition of affairs which left that division without a head on the

124 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
field and led to the disaster at Malvern Hill. General Eansom
says :
" In this position we remained exposed to the bursting of an
occasional shell until about 5 p. m., when a message reached me
from General Magrader asking that I would go to his support.
The summons was not obeyed, but I sent word to General Huger
to get instructions. His reply sustained my action. In about
half an hour another order from General Magruder arrived.
General Huger was present, and under his dictation I informed
General Magruder that orders to me must come through General
Huger. The engagement was now very warm and extended along
our whole front.' At 7 p. m. I received word from General Ma
gruder. that he must have aid, if only one regiment. The mes
sage was so pressing that I at once directed Colonel Clarke
to go with his regiment and report to General Magruder,
and, at the same time sent my aide-de-camp. Lieutenant Broad-
nax, to General Huger for orders. Lieutenant Broadnax brought
me somewhat discretionary orders, to go or not, but not to place
myself under General Magruder."
Major-General D. II. "Hill in his official report of. the battle

" The battle of Malvern Hill might have been a complete and
glorious success had not our artillery and infantry been fought in
detail. * '* * Notwithstanding tlie tremendous odds' against
us and the blundering management of the battle, we inflicted
heavy loss npon the Yankees."
General Longstreet blames General Magruder for it. He says :
"It was soon ascertained that the enemy was in position and
great force at Malvern Hill. A little after 3 p. m. I understood
that we would not be able to attack the enemy that day, inasmuch
as his position was too strong to admit of it. About 5 o'clock,
however, I heard the noise of battle, and soon received a message
from General Magruder calling for reinforcements."
The Confederates lost in this blundering affair, 685 killed, 3,444
wounded, and 498 missing ; total, 4,627.
Captain John T. Kilby, of Company I, 9th Virginia Eegiment,
has furnished the author with the following personal recollection
of this unfortunate affair. He says :
" When we were lying down under the hill, in the ravine, be
fore going into that fatal charge, General Armistead ordered me
to send two videttes to the brow of the hill to watch the pro
gress of the battle. The position was an exposed one, and 1 se
lected for the duty Joseph Prentis, a distant relative, and Mills
Eiddick, my nephew. In a few minutes Mills Eiddick re
ported to me that he thought the enemy was about to advance,
and form a new line, which I reported to General Armistead, who
reported to General Magruder, who was very near me when he

THE NINTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT.

125

heard the report, and ordered our regiment to charge across the
field. I was within a few feet of him and heard every word he
said. He was in a towering passion and used very profane lan
guage. His actions and his language on that occasion left a very
decided impression on my mind that General Magruder was quite.
under the influence of liquor. General Armistead protested
against his men being sent into the charge, saying it was down
right murder to have men ordered cut up as our regiment must
necessarily be. From the time we entered that ravine, about 3
p. m., until the charge, I was with General Armistead and heard
his protest to General Magruder in reference to that charge across
the field."
Only Forty members of the 9tli Eegiment remained to surren
der at Appomattox Court House. These were :
Captain J. P. Wilson, Jr., Company A, commanding regiment.
Surgeon A. E. Barry.
Quarter Master Sergeant W. E. Butler. COMPANY G.

COMPANY A.
Sergeant Eeuben Euffin,
" Jas. C. Brister,
Private Marcus A. Clarke,
" Marion W. Stern.
COMPANY B.
Private James W. Moore.
COMPANY C.
Sergeant Ealph H. Stewart,
" John T. Morrisett,
Private L. M. Lundie,
" S. M. Wilkerson.
COMPANY D.
Private Eufus K. McCoy,
" Wm. IL Jollett,
" G. W. Martin.
COMPANY P.
Private James Graham,
" James Eitchie.
COMPANY G.
Sergeant J. W. Fiendley,
Private Chas. D. Brownley,
Albert B. Owens,

" John E. Sale,
" D. White,
" W. J. Ohver,
" A. Savage,
" M. P. Whitehurst.
COMPANY H.
Corporal E. Aiken,
" H. "Chambers.
Private H. Clements,
" H. Spiers,
" Eichard A. Hargrave.
" T. B. Wills.
COMPANY I.
Private Jas. E. Barnes,
" Blanch Duncan,
" Wash. L. Gwynn,
" Wm. J Skeeter.
COMPANY K.
Private E. E. Bilisoly,
W. B. Collins,
T. E. Borland,
Jas. M. Williams,
Ed. Watkins.

a
u a a

The original roll is followed in the above list, though there
may be some errors in the initials. The names in this hst Avhich
are not on the rolls of the separate companies were conscipts, or
men who joined after the evacuation of Portsmouth.

CHAPTEE XIIL
VIRGINIA DEEENDEES, COMPANY 0, SIXTEENTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
This company was organized in Portsmouth on the night of the
20th of April, 1861, iminediately upon the receipt of Governor
Letcher's proclamation calling for volunteers. In anticipation of
trouble a paper had been in circulation for several days prior to
that time seeking signatures for the organization of the company,
and it culininated that night. The following officers were elected :
Captain — Edward T. Blamire.
First Lieutenant, A. T. Culpepper ; 2d Lieutenant, John H.
Gayle ; 3d Lieuteu'ent, Thomas Barraud.
First Sergeant, Joseph Sanner ; 2d Sergeant, A. S. Watts ; 3d
Sergeant, J. Thompson Baird ; 4th Sergeant, William W. Davis.
The company was mustered into service at once, assigned to the
16th Virginia Eegiment as Company C and ordered with the reg
iment on duty in, the entrenched camp back of Norfolk, leading
there rather a quiet life, varied only by an occasional alarm, upon
a report that the enemy were endeavoring to effect a landing at
Seawell's Point or Willoughby's Spit.
In April, 1862, one year after the original muster of the com
pany into service, those of the men who were in camp and had
not been detached on other duties, re-enlisted for the war and
elected officers. Camp fife had produced some dissatisfaction,
and all of the old officers were not re-elected. Fourth Sergeant
Joseph Sanner had in the meantime been transferred to a Mary
land company, and was not with Company C. The following
was the result of the new election. Sergeant A. S. Watts was
also out of the company, having been elected Sheriff of Ports
mouth :
Captain — Thomas Barraud.
First Lieutenant, John H. Gayle ; 2d Lieutenant, A. T. Cul
pepper ; 3d Lieutenant, J. Thompson Baird.
First Sergeant, James H. Toomer ; 2d Sergeant, William Bay-
ton ; 3d Sergeant, James H. Eichardson ; 4th Sergeant, Leonard
J. King.
Upon the evacuation of Portsmouth and Norfolk May 10th,
1862, by the Confederates, Company C moved off with the regi
ment to Petersburg and then to Eichmond. While in front of
Eichmond just before the battle of Seven Pines, the regiment was
ordered to the Shenandoah Valley to reinforce General Jackson,
but before reaching there the orders were countermanded and it
was ordered back to Eichmond. Eeturning by rail by way of
Lynchburg, it reached the vicinity of Eichmond June 3d, 1862
126

VIRGINIA DEFENDERS, CO. C, SIXTEENTH VA. REGT. 127
two days after the battle of Seven Pines. It was then attached
to Mahone's Brigade and participated in all the battles in which
the brigade was engaged.
Captain Thomas Barraud was killed in the battle of Bristoe
Station October 14th, 1863, and Lieutenant John H. Gayle was
promoted to Captain. Lieutenant A. T. Culpepper resigned in
the winter of 1862-3 on account of ill health. Lieutenant J.
Thompson Baird was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and lost a leg
at Davis' Farm, near Petersburg, August 19th, 1864, and was
inc^acitated for further service and retired. Sergeant Leonard
J. King was_ elected 2d Lieutenant to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of Lieutenant Culpepper and the promotion of
Lieutenant Baird, and was severely wounded at the battle of the
22d of June, 1864,_ at Wilcox's Farm. First Sergeant, James H.
Toomer was appointed Captain in the Corps of Engineers in
1863, and Second Sergeant William Bayton was promoted to
1st Sergeant and held the position until the close of the war
and surrendered at Appomattox.
Three of the privates of the company were promoted to the
position of Adjutants of regiments. These were :
John S. Jenkins, Adjutant 14th Virginia, killed in the charge
of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg.
Edward B. Ward, appointed Sergeant Major of the 16th Vir
ginia, promoted to Adjutant, and escaped without a Avound.
Levin Gayle, appointed Adjutant of the 12th AlabamaEegi-
ment of Eodes' Brigade, and wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spot
sylvania Court House.
At the second battle of Manassas Martin McCoy of Company
G led the charge of the regiment and was from ten to twenty feet
in advance of it.
It is not necessary to say anything further to establish the rep
utation of a company for gallantry and good conduct during the
war than to say it was in Mahone's Brigade, for no brigade in the
army, not even the famous organization which Stonewall Jackson
inspired Avith his own indomitable determination ranked higher
in the Confederate Army, and among the many conflicts in which it
took a prominent part none ranked higher or deserved more
credit than the battle at Crampton Gap, Maryland, September
14th, 1862, in which four regiments of this brigade, the 6th, 12th,
16th, and 41st Virginia (the 61st Virginia had not then joined the
brigade), with about eight hundred men, rank and file, held in
check Franklin's Corps of 20,000 men and prevented them get
ting up in time to relieve the garrison at Harper's Ferry. The
Virginia Defenders, Company C, Kith Virginia Eegiment, took
an active part in that battle. The following account of this battle
was prepared for the author by Captain James H. Toomer, of
Portsmouth, who was, at the time, 1st Sergeant of the company.
It contains his recollections of the affair, as a participant therein

128 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
" THE ' VIRGINIA DEFENDERS ' AT THE BATTLE OF CRAMPTON GAP 
RECOLLECTIONS OF A PARTICIPANT.
" On Saturday afternoon, September 13th, 1862, the company
was ordered on picket duty and took position on a spur of South
Mountain,' keeping watch all Saturday night and Sunday morn
ing. About midday we received orders to leave, and after
marching some miles were placed in position to defend Crampton
Gap, Mahone's Brigade occupying a path at the foot of the
mountain, running at right angles to the road from Burkettsville
over the mountain. Our company fortunately was placed behind
a low stone wall, the two Suffolk companies on our right and on
the other side of the main road, and the other companies of the
regiment on our left. The battle commenced by the enemy
placing two Parrott guns on a little eminence just this side of
Burkettsville, in order to feel our strength and position. Pretty
soon they advanced their skirmishers and followed this up by a
heavy attack of their infantry. Several attempts were made to
reach our lines, but we succeeded each time in repulsing them,
until, massing their forces, we were " overwhelmed by superior
numbers" and forced to retreat. It was a trying time for the
Confederates engaged in that struggle. Our force was only about
eight hundred men, wliile it was said the enemy had twenty
thousand, and from our position we could see the immense dis
parity of numbers against us. One of the prettiest sights I ever
saw was 'the charge of one of their regiments against the lines
just on our left. It was a large regiment, with very full ranks,
and was supposed by us to be the " PennsylA^ania Bucktails."
They came over the field grandly, the officers all in place and
cheering the men onward, the men well aligned on the colors,
with the Stars and Stripes floating proudly above them and borne
aloft by a stalwart sergeant, who bore himself every inch a sol
dier. Half way across the field the fire upon them was so deadly
they halted and threw themselves upon the ground to avoid, as
much as possible, the destructive rain of Mime balls poured into
their ranks. But reinforcements coining up behind them, they
were pushed forward and finally carried the left of the line.
Meanwhile, on our side,, we had successfully beaten back every
effort against us. In our front was an open field and distant
about eighty or one hundred yards Avas a fence running paraUel
with the wall behind which Ave were placed. The enemy ranged
themselves behind this fence and across, the field each side huned
its deadly missiles at the other. Twice the enemy left the fence
and essayed a charge, but each time were driven back before they
had gained half the distance between us, leaving the ground blue
with their dead and wounded. After three hours hard fio-htino-
we were flanked on both our right and left and the order was
given for the regiment to fall back. Three of us in our company

VIRGINIA DEFENDERS, CO. C, SIXTEENTH VA. REGT. 129
were cut off from the road and had to make our retreat up the
steep side of the mountain, the whole field by this time filled
with the charging enemy, roaring like bulls of Bashan and howl
ing Hke devils let loose from the infernal regions. Pulling our
selves up by laying hold of branches of trees and cHmbing from
ledge to ledge, with the music of Minie balls continually in our
ears, we succeeded in getting safely over the mountain. *
"When the brigade reformed in Pleasant Valley only four in
our company and seventeen in the regiment answered to their
names. Nearly the whole regiment was captured, but we had
succeeded in holding the Gap against Frankfin's Corps till it was
too late for him to march through to the rehef of Harper's Ferry,
and the next morning the place was surrendered to our forces.
"We afterwards had the satisfaction of hearing from good
authority that the Secretary of War had pronounced our defence
of Crampton Gap to be one of the most gallant performances of
the war. Certainly it was a glorious exploit for eight hundred
men to hold at bay twenty thousand for three hours, and but for
the rapid succession of important events • occurring just at this
time this achievement of Mahone's Brigade would occupy a larger
space in men's memories than it has done heretofore."
A section of Grimes' Battery was engaged in this battle and
was vrithdrawn by order of Colonel Munford after firing all of its
ammunition. Colonel Parham was in command of Mahone's
Brigade, General Mahone having been wounded in a previous
battle. Colonel Munford in his report says: "Colonel Parham
did everything in his power to hold his position, and his little
command fought splendidly."
When the army was falling back into Virginia after the battle
of Sharpsburg, rations became scarce and the men were given ten
ears of corn for a day's feed. One day one of the men in the
Virginia Defenders was noticed by the other men coming from
the direction of General Mahone's headquarters with his ten ears
of corn upon his arm, and upon being questioned said he had
been to the General to complain of the shortness of his rations.
He said General Mahone told him it was the best that could be
done, that he had nothing else for himself, and that he had in
formed the General that he did not object to the ten ears of corn,
that was all right as far as it went, -but that five bundles of fod
der should accompany it as " a feed." He did not repeat General
Mahone's reply.
The company took part in the following battles, besides nu
merous other engagements, some of which were of enough im
portance to be termed battles :
Charles City Eoad, June 30th, Second Manassas, August 30tli,
1862, 1862,
Malvern Hill, July 1st, 1862, Crampton Gap, Sept. 30th, '62,

130 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Sharpsburg, Sept. 17th, 1862, Turkey Eidge, June 4th to 13, '64.
Fredericksburg, Dec. 13th, '62, Frazier's Farm, June 13th, '64,
Chancellorsrille, May 1st, 2d Wilcox Farm, June 22d, 1864,
and 3d, 1863, Guriey House, June 23d, 1864,
Salem Church, May 3d, 1863, Crater, July 30th, 1864,
Gettysburg, July 2d & 3d, '63, Davis Farm, Aug. 19th, 1864,
Bristoe Station, Oct. 14th, '63, Eeams' Station, Aug. 25th, '64,
Mine Eun, Dec. 2d, 1863, Burgess Mill, Aug. 29th, 1864,
Wildnerness, May 6th, 1864, Hatcher's Eun, Feb. 6th, 1865,
Spotsylvania C. H., May 12th, Amefia C. H., April 5th, '65,
Hanover C. H., May 28-9th, '64,Cumberland Church. April 7, '65.
Cold Harbor, June 2d & 3d, '64, Appomattox, April '9th, 1865,
The following is a list of the names on the muster roll of the
company in August, 1861, with the grades they attained :
Captain E. .T. Blaitiire, thrown out at J-eorganization, 1862.
Captain Thomas Barraud, killed October 14, 1863, Bristoe Station.
(.'aptain John H. Gayle, promoted Captain, captured at Crampton Gap
September 14th, 1862, exchanged and surrendered at Appomattox.
Lieutenant A. T. Culpepper, resigned winter 1862-3, ill health.
Lieutenant J. Thompson Baird, lost leg August 19th, 1862, Davis' Farm,
and retired.
Lieutenant Leonard J. King, severely wounded June 22d, 1864, Wilcox's
Farm.
First Sergeant Joseph Sanner, transferred to Maryland line 1862.
First Sergeant James H. Toomer, promoted Captain of Engineers.
First Sergeant William H. Bayton, wounded, surrendered at Appomattox.
Sergeant A. S. Watts, elected Sheriff of Portsmouth November, 1 861, and
discharged.
Sergeant W. W. Davis, died from wounds received July 1st, 1862, Malvern
Hill.
Sergeant .Tames H. Eichardson.
Sergeant Charles A. Etheredge, transferred to Commissary Department, re
joined the company in July, 1864, surrendered at Appomattox.
PRIVATES.
Anderson, John W.. drummer, discharged August, 1862, under age.
Bain, R. T. K., Corporal, furnished substitute June, 1862.
Brittingham, James E., wounded.
Brownley, Joseph F.
Brown, Eugene H., Corporal, appointed Engineer in Navy, wounded at Fort
Fisher.
Butt. Wilson A., killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Buff, August, appointed hospital steward 1861.
Collins, William W., wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Cherry, I. Jerome, promoted Assistant Surgeon C. S. Army.
Cooper, John G., wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, surrendered at Ap
pomattox.
Cooper, Clarence, wounded near Petersburg.
Cutherell, Samuel, furnished substitute 1861.
Dann, Silas S., promoted Sergeant, surrendered at Appomattox.
Darden, Edward.
Deal, William, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm, surrendered at
Appomattox.
Diggs, William W., wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm, surrendered
at Appomattox.
Emmerson, William.

VIRGINIA DEFENDERS, CO. C, SIXTEENTH VA. REGT. 131
Gayle, Levin J., promoted Adjutant 12th Alabama Eegiment, wounded at
Spotsylvania Court House May 12th, 1864.
Gayle, John M., killed October 29th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Grant, Eobert S., detailed 1862, for service in Navy Yard.
Grant, Edward.
Godwin, Charles W., detailed 1861.
Godwin, William, severely wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Godwin, Ellison, surrendered at Appomattox.
Gornto, William, severely wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Hennicke, Albert V., appointed hospital steward Howard Grove.
Haynes. James K., wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas, died in
hospital.
Herbert, John L., wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, discharged and
enlisted in lOngineer Corps.
Hunter, Samuel W., severely wounded and detailed on hospital duty, re
joined company and surrendered at Appomattox.
Hubbard, Alonzo S., detailed 1861 to vVork in Navy Yard.
Ivy, I. 0., transferred to 13th Virginia Cavalry.
James, George W., captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Jarvis, J. M.. discharged 1861, disability.
Jack, John, detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Jenkins, John S., promoted Adjutant 14th Virginia, killed July 3d, 1863,
Gettysburg.
Lash, John W., detached with sharpshooters of regiment.
Langhorne, James K., appointed Engineer in Navy.
Latimer, Charles W., transferred to Navy.
Linn, John, Coi-poral, discharged 1862, over age.
Lynch, Stephen, killed accidentally 1862.
Manning, James, discharged 1862, disability.
Mercer, James.
McCoy, Francis, discharged 1862, over age.
McCoy, Martin V. B., died in hospital 1863, U. S. Ford.
McPherson, Noah.
Moreland, Eobert, captured and not exchanged.
Moreland, W. H., discharged August, 1862, over age.
Munden, Nathan, wounded July 30th, 1862, crater.
Peters, Jas. H., transferred to naval stores department.
Proctor, Jas. C, wounded and disabled July 1st, 1862, Malvem Hill.
Poulson, George, discharged for disability and appointed hospital steward.
Spady, Thos. V., detailed as courier and surrendered at Appomattox.
Smaw, Daniel G., captured at Crampton Gap September 14th, 1862.
Shelton, Wm. Naylor, Corporal, detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Siblev, Eobert E.
Scott, Albert A., detailed as hospital steward.
Tart, John Quincy, discharged 1862, disability.
Tomlinson, Ed E., drummer, discharged August, 1862, under age.
Ward, Edward B., promoted Adjutant 16th Eegiment.
Watters, Jas. P., , ,^ ^
Wellener, Joseph, detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Whitehurst, N. E., lost arm May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Whitehurst, John W.
Wills, John S., killed 1864, near Petersburg.
Wills, Joseph P., died in 1863 at U. S. Ford in hospital. ., . ,.^ .
White, N. E., discharged 1862, over age, enlisted in the Norfolk Light Ar
tillery Blues.
Wilson, AVm. S., discharged 1861, over age.
Wilkins, Jas. E. ,^.,,
Williams, W. W.. killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hdl.
Williams, Walter.
Williams, Joseph.
Killed and died— 10.

CHAPTEE XIV.
THE ST. bride's LIGHT ARTILLERY, COMPANY I, THIRTY-EIGHTH
VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
This company was raised in St. Bride's parish of Norfolk
county, and contained among its membership quite a number of
men from Norfolk city. As its name will indicate, it was origi
nally intended for a light artillery company, but was never fur
nished with a field battery, and, having served for some time as
heavy artillerists, the compa,ny was, finally, towards the close of
the war, put into the 38th Virginia Infantry Eegiment. It was
mustered into the Confederate service by Major Bradford, mus
tering officer for Huger's Division, on the 26th of June, 1861.
On that day officers were elected as follows :
Captain — George A. Martin.
First Lieutenant, Wm. M. Chaplain ; 2d Lieutenant, John J.
Whitehurst; 3d Lieutenant, Benj. F. Halstead.
First Sergeant — Alfred B. Williams.
The company left this vicinity early in 1862 and was ordered
to take charge of a battery on the Nansemond river, remaining
there until May 10th, vsrhen the troops from here were moved to
Eichmond for the defense of that city. The guns, which were
in the battery, were removed and carried to Eichmond, and it
seems probable that they were carried to Drury's Bluff, though
' the evidence on this point is not conclusive. At any rate Cap
tain Martin says they were saved to the Confederrcy. Upon
reaching Eichmond, the company being . Arithout a field battery,
was given some old muskets and attached temporarily to the 14tli
Virginia Eegiment of Armistead's Brigade, and took part with
that regiment in the battle of Seven Pines, June 1st, 1862, after
Avhich it was detached from the 14th Eegiment and ordered to
the fortifications around Eichmond and attached to the 20th Bat
talion Heavy Artillery, commanded by Major Eobertson.
Lieutenant Whitehurst was discharged for disability, though
the exact date of his discharge is somewhat uncertain, but on the
25th of April, 1864, Avhen the company was relieved from duty
in the fortifications of Eichmond and attached to the 38th Vir
ginia Eegiment of Company I, 3d Lieutenant Benj. F. Halstead
had been promoted to 2d Lieutenant, and 1st Sergeant A. B.
Williams had been promoted to 3d Lieutenant. The company
participated in the two battles of May lOtli and 16th, 1864, near
Drury's Bluff, and in the battle of Chester Station on the 16th of
June, folloAving, between Pickett's Division and the forces of
132

ST. BRIDE'S LT. ARTIL'RY,CO. I, THIRTY-EIGHTH VA.REGT. 1,33
General Butler, who had made an advance from Bermuda Hun
dreds towards the Eichmond and Petersburg Eailroad. Butler
was driven back into his entrenchments and remained there until
the close of the Avar. The company participated in the battles of
Dinwiddie Court House, March 31st, 1865, and Five Forks,
April 1st.
On the 28th of March, 1865, Captain Martin was promoted
to Lieutenant Colonel of the Eegiment, his commission to date
from December 2d, 1864. Lieutenant Chaplain was wounded
and disabled at the battle of Drury's Bluff, May 16tii, 1864, and
was retired on the 14th of December. Lieutenant Williams was
discharged for disability in 1864, and upon the retirement' of
Lieutenant Chaplain, 2d Lieutenant B. F. Halstead was promoted
to 1st Sergeant, Thos. A. McClanen was elected 2d Lieutenant,
and Josiah W. Leath, 1st Sergeant. In comparison Avith the
other companies which went from Norfolk county to the Confed
erate army its hst of casualties was small. No record or other
information is obtainable of the losses, if any, at Five Forks.
BeloAv will be found a list of the members of the company
who left with it at the evacuation of Norfolk county by the Con
federates on the 10th of May, 1862, and were accounted for on
the roll for December, 1864. In 1863 the company was strength
ened by the remaining men in a disbanded company from Lynch:
burg, one of whom was killed, two wounded and three died in
hospital. Captain Geo. A. Martin, promoted Lieutenant Colonel 38th
Virginia Eegiment March 28th, 1865.
First Lieutenant Wm. M. Chaplain, wounded May 16th, 1864.
at Drury's Bluff, disabled and retired.
First Lieutenant Benj. F. Halstead.
Second Lieutenant Jno. J. Whitehurst, resigned 1863.
Second Lieutenant Thos. A. McClanen.
Third Lieutenant A. B. Wilhams, resigned 1864.
First Sergeant Josiah W. Leath, promoted 1st Sergeant De
cember 1st, 1864, wounded May 16th, 1864.
SERGEANTS.
' Chas. H. Melson, Jno. E. James, Eobert M. Saddler.
PRIVATES, ETC.
Aydlott, John, Boggs, Wm., Cofer, Eobert E.,
Allen, John E., Bush, Wm., Cofer, Eeuben F.,
Brown, Jno. W., Blunt, Thos., Davis, Elzy,
Bullock, Wm., Cooper, M. V. B., Dier, Edward F.,
Brummell, Eichard, Cooper, James, Dozier, Jas. W., Jr.,
Barcroft, Edward, Capps, A. J., Downing, Chas. W.,
Beal, John, Callis, Henry, Everett, Chas.,
Balls, Jno. E., Constable, Chas. W., Fitchett, Wm.,

134

NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861--6.

Forrest, John,
Frost, W. W.,
Flora, Henry C,
Ferguson, Ilenry,
Garrett, W. T.,
Graham, Joseph,
Graham, Tinsley,
Graham, Jno. B.,
Godfrey, Gervais K.,
Godfrey, Wm. T.,
Guy, George,
Hudgins, Wm. H.,
Hudgins, Samuel N.,
Holland, John,
Harvey, John,
Harvey,' Henry,
Howe, Wm.,
Ironmonger, James,
Jordan, Miles H.,
James, Geo. T.,
James, Jno., (Sergt.)
Jones, Jno. W.,
Kuhn, Thos. C,
Lambert, Thos.,
Lee, Thos. J.,

Lamonte, Joshua,
Lamonte, Henry,
Lambert, Jno. N.,
Lambert, Ilenry J.,
Land, Ilenry,
Morris, A. W.,
Martin, Wm.,
Mott, LcAvis,
May, Joseph S.,
Morse, Henry,
Minor, Wm. B.,
Needom, Wilson,
Omler, Joseph,
Old, W. W.,
Powell, Jno.,
Peyton, Jas. A.,
Pugh, Abraham,
Peed, Chas. W.,
Eeed, John,
Eeed, David,
Eoss, Edward,
Eogers, Eoderick,
Eobinson, Wm.,
Eainey, Malachi,
Eevel, John,

Sawyer, C. T.,
Smith, Jas. E.,
Stringer, Thos. J.,
Smith, W. S. (Corp'l)
Shermadine, Wm.,
Sykes, Wm.,
Spence, Abner,
Sykes, Jesse,
Tucker, W. H.,
Tucker, Samuel,
Tebault, Daniel,
Tripple, Chas.,
Vandenberg, James,
Whitehurst, Jas. IL,
Whitehurst, C. P.',
Whitehurst, W. A.,
Whitehurst, George,
Wilder, Jas. M.,
Wilder, Benjamin,
West, Jno.
Wood, Lorenzo,
Waterfield, Benj.,
Waterman. Absolem,
Walker, W. W.,
Woodward, Samuel,

CASUALTIES.
Private, Balls, John R., wounded May 16th, 1864, died July 16th.
" Crews, Jos. B., (Lynchburg) died in hospital, Eichmond, August
19th, 1864.
Private, McGraw, Wm., (Lvnchburg) died in hospital, Eichmond, July 29th,
1864.
Private, Phelps, Eobert S., (Lynchburg) died in hospital, Eichmond, July
6th, 1864.
Private, Tinsley, Geo. W,, (Lynchburg) wounded May 16th, 1864, died
August loth.
Lieutenant, Chaplain, Wm. M., wounded May 16th, 1864, disabled and dis
charged.
Private, Driscol, Chas. E., (Lynchburg) wounded May 16th, 1864.
" Graham, .John B., wounded May 16th, 1864.
" Leath, Josiah W., wounded May 16th, 1864.
" Lee, Thos. J., wounded August 25th, 1864, lost a leg.
Old, W. W., wounded June 1st, 1862, Seven Pjnes.
" Phillips, Aldusten D., (Lynchburg) wounded May lOth, 1864, and
disabled, discharged November 28th, 1864.
Private, Eeed, David, wounded August 25th, 1864.
" West, John, wounded May 16th, 1864.
Col. Geo. A. Martin, formerly Captain of the company, thinks
the following were killed or died, though their names seem to
have been omitted from the official reports :
Corporal Wm. Harden, killed May 10th, 1864, at Drurv's Bluff.
Private Mathias Wright, killed May 16th, 1864, at Drury's Bluff.
" Joshua Lamonte, killed May 16th, 1864, at Drury's Bluff.

ST. BRIDE'S LT. ARTIL'RY,CO. I, THIRTY-EIGHTH VA.REGT. 135
Private Henry Lamonte, killed August 25th, 1864, at Bermuda Hundred.
" -Thos. Khun, killed August 25th, 1864. at Bermuda Hundred.
" Henry Flora, died in hospital, Eichmond.
Chas. Whitehurst, died in hospital, Eichmond.
" Wm. Sykes, died in hospital, Eichmond.
" Jos. S. Ma.y. died in hospital, Petersburg.
PROMOTIONS.
Private W. W. Old was promoted to Captain and A. A. G. on the staff o^
Genera.1 Edward Johnson, and afterwards on the staff of General lOwell.
Private Charles W. Downing was promoted to Captain in Cohoon's Bat
talion.
Private John Aydlott was promoted to Commissary Sergeant 20th Battal
ion Heavy Artillery.
The following members of Company I surrendered at Appo
mattox :
,*Edward Barcroft, John W. Gunter,
Jacob Connor, Wm. Lettrell,
*J. W. Dozier, P. D. MitcheU,
W. A. Dunham, *A. Pugh,
C. Driskell, *J. F. Sykes.
*Original members of the company. The others were transferred to the
company.

CHAPTEE XV.
THE NORFOLK COUNTY RIFLE PATRIOTS, COMPANY F, FORTY-FIRST
VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
This was one of the largest and best companies whichentered
the service of the Confederate States. It was organized in 1860,
the men being from that section of Norfolk county lying be
tween Washington Point, now Berkley, and Great Bridge, and
was mustered into service on the 21st of April, 1861, at Norfolk.
The following were the officers of the company at the breaking
out of the war and under whom it was mustered into service^:
Captain — William H. Etheredge.
First Lieutenant, Philip Biddle ; 2d Lieutenant, Jetson Jett ;
3d Lieutenant, Arthur Portlock ; 4th Lieutenant, John N. Ether
edge. Lieutenant Etheredge was physically unable, on account of ill
health, to do military duty, but was . mustered in M'ith the com
pany and served for the" original term of enlistment of twelve
months, when he was retired.
On the 21st of April the company was ordered to take posses
sion of the arsenal at St. Helena, opposite the Gosport Navy
Yard, and remained there until the latter part of May, when it
was transferred to the Navy Yard and did guard duty there while
the iron clad Virginia (Merrimac) was being built. Captain Eth
eredge has related to the author the anxiety of Commodore For
rest, who had command of the Navy Yard and who seemed bur
dened with a fear that the Yankees would attempt to burn it up.
On one occasion he informed Captain Etheredge that he had re
ceived a letter telling him that the Yankees had offered a million
dollars to any one who would set fire to the ship, and urged re
doubled Adgilance on the part of the guard. Captain Etheredge
assured him that no Federal emissary should get near enough to
set her on fire. Captain Etheredge says scarcely a day passed
without some such incident as that happening between the Com
modore and himself.
In March, 1862, the company left the Navy Yard, Avent to
Seawell's Point and joined its regiment, the 41st Virginia, it
being Company F. The officers of the 41st were Colonel John
E. Cliambliss, Lieutenant Colonel William A. Parham and Major
Joseph Minetree. The cornpany left Seawell's Point May 10th,
1862, Arith the balance of Huger's Division for Eichmond. In
March Lieutenant Jett resigned and organized a company called
the Border Eifles, of which he was elected Captain. As Com
pany F had more than the regulation number of men for one
136

NORFOLK CO. PATRIOTS, CO. F, FORTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 137
company about twenty five or thirty of them at their own request
were assigned to Captaui Jott's new coinpany, and their names
will not appear on the roll of Compaiiy F.
The first battle in which the 41st Eegiment was engaged was
the battle of Seven Pines. The regiment was under command
of Colonel Chambliss and had already been assigned to Mahone's
Brigade. ItAvas advancing in line of battle, not aAvaije of the
close proximity of the enemy. Company F was on the extreme
right and next to it was a company from Petersburg. While the
regiment v^as advancing the left inarched faster than the right,
and being in an oblique position, received a flanking fire from the
enemy, Avhich, being. unexpected, threw the regiment into confu
sion and that portion of it nearest the enemy retired very hastily.
Captain Etheredge sprang to the front of his company, spoke a
few words of encouragement to them, reminded them of their
promise to follow wherever he led, and they stood by him man
fully. A portion of the Petersburg company, on his left, under
their captam, also stood their ground, and these two companies
formed a nucleus ujdou which the other companies rallied.
In the midst of the confusion Colonel Chambliss rode in front
of Company F and his horse was killed under him. Just as he
fell Dr. James Parrish of Portsmouth, Surgeon of the regiment,
rode up and offered his horse to the Colonel, who declined it,
saying, "I believe I will stay here on foot with the old man,"
meaning Captain Etheredge.' He reminded Dr. Parrish that his
post was in the rear and ordered him to it.. Colonel Chambliss
assembled the captains of the various companies of the regiment
at his tent the next day, and after complimenting Captain Ether
edge, told them that the stand made by Company F had saved
the credit of the regiment.
After the battle of Seven Pines Colonel Chambliss was trans
ferred to a cavalry regiment and Captain Etheredge was pro
moted to Major of the 41st. This also caused a change in the
officers of Company F, aiid Lieutenant Biddle became captain.
Captain Biddle died in a hospital September 16th, 1862, and 1st
Lieutenant Arthur E. Portlock succeeded him. He was wounded
at Chancellorsville May 3d, 1863, recovered from his wound and
died, from sickness in Eichmond August 9th, 1864. Lieutenant
W. Scott Sykes became captain at the death of Captain Portlock
and commanded it until the close of the war. He was wounded
July 30th, 1864, at the Crater, but recovered and surrendered
with the company at Appomattox April 9th, 1865, with seventeen
members of the company. The company participated in twenty-
one j)itched battles and numerous smaller affairs and lost thirty-
one men by death from wounds or sickness. First Lieutenant
John T. Widgeon was killed May 1st, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
10 '

138 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
Captain Wm. H. Etheredge, promoted Major 41st Regiment, surrendered at
Appomattox.
Captain Phillip W. Biddle, died September 16tli, 1862, Winchester.
Captain Arthur B. Portlock, died August Oth, 1864, Eichmond, wounded
May 1st, 1803, Chancellorsville.
Captain W. Scott Sykes, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater, surrendered at
Appomattox.
Lieutenant John T. Widgeon, killed Ma.? 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Lieutenau* Eobert C. Jones, surrendered at Appomattox.
Lieutenant Wm. T. Gray, promoted 2d Lieutenant March 11th, 1864, rC'
signed.
Lieutenant John N. Etheredge, not re-elected at reorganization in 1862.
Sergeant John H. Kirb.v, sick in hospital at time of suirender.
Sergeant David W. Whitehurst, surrendered at .Appomattox.
Sergeant John F. Murden, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater, surrendered at
Appomattox.
Sergeant James B. Armstrong, killed May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Sergeant Robert W. Carson, died February, 1865.
Sergeant George T. Tart, died in prison, captured August 19th, 1864.
Corporal John D. Hudgins, died January. 1863.
Corporal Josephus Godfrey, killed August 30ch, 1863, 2d Manassas.
Corporal John Z. Lowe, captured August 19th, 1864, not exchanged.
Corporal H. T. Wilhamson, surrendered at Appomattox.
Corporal Arthur H. Tatem, captured October 27th, 1864, not exchanged.
pravATES.
Butt, Frederick, captured October 27th, 1864, on parole at surrender.
Butt, Henry, wounded July 2d, 1863, and disabled, Gettysburg.
Butt, Francis, wounded August 30th, 1862, and disabled, Manassas.
Barrett, Wm. S., appointed musician for regiment.
Banks, Edwin, mortally wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Butler, James N., detailed in Q. M. Department.
Bailey, Wm. H., (1) killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Bailey, Wm. H., (2) captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Ballentine, Thos. E., wounded June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines and furnished
substitute.
Buck, David.
Cuthriell, Enos, detailed March Ist, 1862, by Secretary of War.
Cuthriell, John W., detailed March 1st, 1862, bv Secretary of War,
Cuthriell. Joseph E., detailed March 1st, 1862, 'by Secretary of War.
Carter, Wm. E., captured at evacuation of Petersburg.
CreeKmore, Gregory, detailed 1861 to work in Navy Yard.
Detrick, John, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, and furloughed.
Dashiell, Leven H., wounded Seven Pines, Malvern Hill and Manassas, and
was detailed in Q. M. Department at surrender.
Dey, Apollos 0., wounded June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines, furnished substi
tute.
Dey, David, detailed by order of Secretary of War,
Dunn, J. Thos., captured August 19th, 1864. not exchanged.
Davis, Wm. H., captured oh retreat from Petersburg.
Davis, Wm. T.
Deyser, Luke, killed on retreat from Petersburg.
Edmonds, John J., detailed in hospital department.
Edmonds, W. C, detailed in ordnance departmeut.
Edmunds, Henry.
Edmunds, Abel,' captured October 29th, 1864, and not exchanged.
Elliott, Kemp B., discharged 1862.
Etheredge, Charies 0., wounded June Ist, 1862, Seven Pines
Edmondson. Gabriel, wounded September 17th, 1862, Sharpsburg and
transferred to navy,
Etheredge, Samuel A., surrendered at Appomattox.

NORFOLK CO. PATRIOTS, CO. F, FORTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 139
Forbes, Elijah B., wounded May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville, and transferred
to navy.
Foreman, Josephus, killed August 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas.
tisher, Caleb, surrendered at Appomattox.
Forrest, John R., detailed in Q. M. department.
Foreman, Washington, wounded June 30th, 1862, Charles Citv Road, sur
rendered at Appomattox.
Foreman, Thos., in hospital during the war.
Fitchett, Wm. E., wounded June 1st. 1862, Seven Pines.
Fentress, John, wounded June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines, disabled July 1st,
1862, at Malvern Hill and discharged.
Godfrey, Walton, died December, 1.862, near Fredericksburg.
Gibson, Peter H., sick in hospital at time of surrender.
Gilbert, Robertson, detailed by order of General Mahone.
Gilbert, Eichard B.
Hodges, Eiley W., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Hodges, Wm. W., killed June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines.
Hodges, Josiah, died in hospital.
Hodges, David, killed July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Hanbury, Wm. T., discharged.
Howell, Jesse B.
Hughes, Isaac B., killed Jute 1st, 1862, Seven Pines.
Harrison, Benjamin F., detailed in hospital, Eichmond.
Halstead, Henr.v, captured.
Hodges, John H., wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, furnished substi
tute.
Hodges, John K., pounded May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Hall,- Samuel, wounded June Ist, 1862, Seven Pines, and killed July 30th,
1864. crater.
Hodges, Samuel, killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern HiU.
Hall, Edward, wounded May 6th, 1864, Wilderness, surrendered at Appo
mattox.
Hodges, Geo. A., discharged April 16th. 1862.
Hudgins, Wm., died in hospital April 18th, 1862.
Hall, Geo. W., Qaptui-ed on retreat from Petersburg.
Herbert. Melnotte, promoted 1st Lieutenant Company D.
Jones. Walter C. killed May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Kirby, W^m. H., discharged March 25th, 1862, disability.
Knight, Wm. H.
Lowe, Wm. J., captnred in Petersburg.
Lockbart, Benj. H., wounded August 30th, 1862, Manassas, and detailed in
passport offlce, Gordonsville.
Lynch, Oresmus M., wounded' June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines, and captured.
Merchant, Francis M., promoted Lieutenat Company K, 61st Virginia.
Miller, Wm. H., detailed to regimental drum corps.
McDanen, Wilson L., died in hospital.
Murphy, Wm. J.
Murphy, James T,
Murden, Samuel, wounded June 22d, 1864, Wilcox Farm, and detailed in
commissary department.
Murden, Eeuben, mortally wounded May Ist, 1863, Chancellorsville,
Murden, Henry, died in hospital, 1862.
Murden, CamUlus, killed May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Manning, Canning, captured and not exchanged.
McPherson, Eobert, discharged April 25th, 1862.
Miller, W. H.
Nash, James E., discharged for physical disability..
Nicholson, Allen F., discharged April, 1862, over age.
Pontlock, Wra. F., wounded August 30th, 1862, Manassas, surrendered at
Appomattox.
Portlock, Dempsy, surrendered at Appomattox.

140 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1S61-5.
Pherral, Isaac, killed August 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas.
Eandolph, James A., wounded and disabled August 30, 1862, 2d Manassas.
Eitter, James A., wounded July 30th, 1804, Crater, Surrendered at Appo
mattox.
Sykes, James W., wounded July 2d, 1803, Gettysburg, surrendered at Appo
mattox.
Sykes, Alex F., wounded June 30th, 1862, Charles City Eoad.
Speight, David, died in hospital.
ScaH, John D., surrendered at Appomattox.
Squires, Seth W., died in hospital, 1801.
Tatem, Nathaniel C, detached with Eansom's Brigade, surrendered at Ap
pomattox.
Tatem, Elijah A., wounded and disabled July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, and
discharged.
Tatem, John W.,
Ta.ylor, .Tames F., died in hospital.
Whitehurst, Christopher,- discharged.
Williamson, Virginius, captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Williamson, Samuel, captured.
Williams, Samuel, killed June 2d, 1 864, Cold Harbor.
Woodhouse, Moses C.
Wright, David L., discharged.
Woodward, Odeu, captured in Pennsyh-ania and never heard from.
Williamson, Everett, appointed Ordinance Sergeant of regiment, surrendered
at Appomattox.
Vellines, Watson B., discharged April 16th, 1862, by General HUger.
Killed and died— 31.
This company participated in the battles of —
Seven Pines, June 1st, 1862. Spotsylvania, C. H., May 12th,
Charles City Eoad, June 30th, 1864.
1862. Turkey Eidge, skirmishing June
Malvern Hill, July 1st, 1862: 4th to 13th, 1864.
Manassas, Aug. 30th, 1862. Frazier's Farm June 13th, 1864.
Crampton Gap, Sep. 14th, 1862. Wilcox Farm, June 22d, 1864.
Sharpsburg, Sep. 17th, 1862. Cold Harbor, June 2d and 3d,
Fredericksburg, Dec. 13th,1862. 1864.
Chancellorsville, May 1st, 2d, Crater, July 30th, 1864.
and 3d, 1863. Davis Farm, Aug. 19th, 1864.
Salem Church, May 3d, 1863. Beam's Station, Aug. 25th,1864.
Gettysburg, July 1st and 2d, Burgess Mill, Oct. 29th, 1864.
. 1863. Hicksford, Dec. 9th, 1864.
Bristoe Station, Oct., 14th, 1863. Hatcher's Eun, Feb. 6th, 1865.
Mine Eun, Dec. 2d, 1863. Cumberiand Church, April 7th,
Wilderness, May 6th, 1864. 1865.
Amelia C. H., April 5th, 1865.
In all of the above battles the Confederates were victorious ex
cept Malvern Hih, Crampton Gap and Bristoe Station. In the
flrst and last of these three the Federals successfully resisted the
Confederate attacks, but retreated after the battles.

CHAPTEE XVI.
THE JACKSON GEAYS, COMPANY A, SIXTY-EIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company Avas recruited in St. Bride's Parish of Norfolk
county, in the section now knoAvn as Pleasant Grove Magisterial
District, and was organized at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church,
July 1st, 1861. The company left Pleasant Grove on the 10th of
July, and reached the Court House at Portsmouth on the 12th,
and was mustered into service there. It was then officered as
follows :
Captain, Wm. H. Stewart.
First Lieutenant, Wm. C. Wallace ; 2d Lieutenant, John T.
West; 3d Lieutenant, Geo. T. Hodges.
Fu-st Sergeant, . Camillus A. Nash ; 2d Sergeant, Wilham A.
West ; 3d Sergeant, William A. Dudley ; 4th Sergeant, Henry S.
Etheredge. First Corporal, Peleg Pritchard ; 2d Corporal, Geo. D. Old ;
3d Corporal, Thos. H. Sykes ; 4th Corporal, Laban Mansfleld.
The company was named after Mr. James P. Jackson, the pro
prietor of the Marshall House in Alexandria, who was killed in
that city on the 24th of May for defending the flag he had hoisted
over his hotel. That daiy, a large force of Federals, numbering
eight or nine thousand men, was pushed across the Potomac river
early in the morning, and occupied the town. Seeing the Con
federate flag flying at the top of the staff on the hotel. Colonel
Ellsworth, of Chicago, commanding a regiment of Fire Zouaves
of New York city, went up to the top of the building, with sev
eral men from his regiment, and took it down. As he was de
scending from the elevation, Mr. Jackson, who had been aroused
by the noise, came out from his bed room with a double ban-el
gun, and upon his asking the cause of the commotion. Colonel
Ellsworth pointed to the flag in his possession and said : " This
is my trophy." Mr. Jackson replied, " And you are mine." and
immediately flred, killing him dead. Colonel Ellsworth's com
panions returned the fire, shooting Mr. Jackson and afterwards
i-imning a bayonet in him.
After remaining at the Court House for a few days, the com
pany was ordered to the batteries at the Naval Hospital and re
mained on duty there testing the heavy rifled cannon which were
being re-modeled in the Gosport Navy Yard, until December,
when, at its OAvn request, it was sent to Sewell's Point and put in
charge of a masked battery of six heavy rifled guns of six-inch
caliber. This was the most advanced battery among the defences
141

142 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
of the harbor of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and was within range
of the Federal guns at the Eip Jlaps or Fort Calhoun.
When the Confederate iron-clad Virginia, better known, how
ever, as the Merrimac, went down to Hampton Eoads and had
her battles with the United . States fleet, on the 8th and 9tli of
March, 1862, this battery took part, with two rifle six-inch guns,
in the engagement, as the naval vessels, passing to and from Fort
ress Monroe, passed within range of its guns. Two men belong
ing to the company were wounded in this engagement. They
were Lieutenant Wm. C. Wallace, who was slightly hurt, and
Private A. B. Cooper, whose skull was fractured, and whose
wound was so serious that he was incapacitated from further ser
vice and was discharged. They were wounded by a shell from
the Sawyer gun at the Eip Eaps. One of the rifle guns burst
one of its bands from too rapid firing and becoming overheated.
On the morning of May 10th, 1862, the company abandoned the
battery by order of General Huger and formed the rear guard of
the troops as they fell back upon Norfolk, crossed the ferry to
Portsmouth-and was the last command which left that city by rail,
being moved out on flat cars late in the afternoon. Only one
company remained after the departure of the Jackson Grays,
namely, the Portsmouth Eifie Company, and that marched out of
the city to Sufl'olk.
Upon the arrival of the company at Petersburg, it was assigned
to duty with the 61st Virginia Eegiment as Company A. At that
time the regiment was under command of Lieutenant-Colonel
Wm. Fred. Niemeyer, and, in a few days, the company, with
Company C, the Blanchard Grays, of Norfolk county, was de
tached from" Hie regiment, and with a two gun battery of six-
pounders, ordered to the neighborhood of Bermuda Hundreds, in
Chesterfield county, to watch the movements of the Federal fleet
in James river. While there, during the seven day's battles, the
fleet made a demonstration up the Appomattox river towards
Petersburg, and attempted to secure a large quantity of coal which
was stored at Port Walthal, but this small force attacked them
and so annoyed them as to force them to hug the opposite shore,
where several of the vessels stuck in the mud, and after two days
the enemy was forced to set fire to and abandon one gunboat.
This action took place on the 26th of June, 1862. From Ber
muda Hundreds, the company was ordered to guard the fords of
the Eappahannock river, while General Lee, with his army, was
engaged in the Maryland campaign. While there, upon one oc
casion, while scouting near Bristoe Station, it met a Federal brig-
age belonging to Seigles' corps, accompanied by a battery of artfl-
lery and a company of cavalry. Under cover of a forest, which
concealed the smallness of the Confederate force, an attack was
jyiade upon the Federals who were repelled. The company cap-

JACKSON GRAYS, CO. A, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 143
tured several prisoners and withdrcAv without having suffered any
loss. After the return of General Lee's army from Maryland m
October, 1862, the Jackson Grays, with the 61st Virginia Eegi
ment, was assigned to Mahone's Brigade, and became a part of
the army of Northern Virginia. From that time it followed
closely the fortunes of that ai-my, took part in all of its battles and
victories and marches, and when the final defeat attended its ban
ners, surrendered fifteen muskets at Appomattox Court House on
the 9th of April, 1865.
Of the commissioned officers of the company, not one escaped
the shots of the enemy. Captain Wm. H. Stewart, its first cap
tain, was promoted to major and then to lieutenant-colonel of the
raiment, and was twice wounded. First Lieutenant Wilham C.
Wahace was promoted to captain in May, 1862, upon the promo
tion of Captain StcAvart to major. He was wounded slightly at
Sewell's Point in the engagement of the 8th of March, 1862, be
tween the ironclad Virginia (Merrimac) and the Federal fleet, in
which the shore battery at Sewell's Point took part, and was mor
tally wounded on the i9th of August, 1864, at the battle on the
Petersburg and Weldon railroad, sometimes called the battle of
Davis Farm._ He fell into the hands of the enemy and died
within their fines. He was a little more than twenty-two years
old at the time of his death, having been born at Wallaceton,
Norfolk county, on the 23d of March, 1842. He was brave, gentle
and pohshed, and loved by aU who knew him.
Upon the death of Captain Wallace, Lieutenant John T. West
became captain of the company. From November, 1863', until
August 19tli, 1864, Lieutenant West was detailed from the com
pany by order of General Mahone, and placed in command of a
select company of sharp shooters, which with four other compa
nies, one from each regiment in the brigade, constituted the corps
of one hundred and fifty men known as Mahone's sharp shooters,
more than three-fourths of whom were killed or wounded during the
campaign of 1864, but from that date, until the close of the war,
commanded his own company. He was wounded twice, once by
a bayonet thrust at the Crater, July 30th, 1864, and once by a
piece of shell on the Plank Eoad in February, 1865. Third
Lieutenant George T. Hodges, on account of the promotion of
Captain Stewart and Lieutenant West, and the death of Captain
Wallace, became First Lieutenant of the company and escaped
with a slight wound, which he received May 3d, 1863, at the battle
of Salem Church, a part of the battle of Chancellorsville, which
took place between Sedgwick's corps of General Hooker's army
and a portion of General Lee's army, which had been sent to sto^D
his advance from Fredericksburg. First Sergeant C. A. Nash was
promoted to second heutenant, and was slightly wounded at the
Crater, July 30th, 1864, but remained with the company. On the

144 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
19tli of August, 1864, he received avery severe wound and shortly
afterwards resigned his commission and volunteered as a private
in Mosby's command. Lieutenant Nash is at this writing, 1892,
Colonel of the 4th Virginia Volunteers. The company lost by
deaths from wounds and disease forty-three men, probably more
than any other company which went into the service fi-om Ports
mouth and Norfolk county and the roll which follows gives the
names of seventeen others who were wounded. Some of them
were wounded more than once. There Avere certainly others,
' though they have escaped from memory in the lapse of twenty-
seven years. At the battle of the Crater, July 30th, 1864, the
company lost four men killed and six wounded, which was fully
half of those present for duty. It lost men killed in the battles
of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania,
Cold Harbor, Wilcox Farm, the Crater, Davis Farm, Burgess
Mill and Hatcher's Eun, while in the other battles in whicli it Avas
engaged its casualties embraced the wounded only. Very few of
its members fell into the hands of the enemy and some of those
were wounded. Company A was a company of whose war record
Norfolk county may well feel proud, in fact, she may of all of her
companies. Below will be found a roster of the company, copied
from the muster roll of May, 1862 :
Captain Wm. H. Stewart, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 61st Virginia,
wounded.
Captain W. C. Wallace, wounded Sewell's Point, killed August 19th, 1864.
Captain John T. West, wounded by bayonet at Crater, wounded February
28th, 1865.
Lieutenant Goo. T. Hodges, wounded May 3d, 1863, Salem Church.
Lieutenant Camillus A. Nash, wounded .July 30th, 1864, Crater, and August
19th, 1864, Davis Farm.
Sergeant Wm. A. West, appointed Commissary Sergeant in 1864.
Sergeant Wm. E. Dudley, captured at Burgess Mill in 1864.
Sergeant Henry S. Etheridge, appointed hospital steward.
Corporal Pelig Pritchard, wounded October 20th, 1864, Burgess Mill.
Corporal Geo. D. Old, yjromoted Captain and f'onimissary 61st Virginia.
Corporal Thos. H. Sykes, captured at Gettysburg.
Corporal Laban Mansfield, killed October 20th, 1864, Burgess Mill.
Musician James Toy.
Musician Wm. Mahoney. PEIVATES.
Butt, Henry Jas., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Bright, Geo. W., killed May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Curling, Ashwell, killed June 22d, 1864, at Wilcox Farm.
Castine, Jeremiah, killed July 30th, 1804, at Crater.
Creekmore, Josiah, discharged in 1862 for disability.
Castine, J. T.
Cooper, A. B., wounded March 8th, 1862, Sewell's Point, and discharged.
Cooper, J. A., wounded by ba,yonet July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Cooper, C. C. , wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Creekmore, Marshall 0., killed by sharpshooter May 14th, 1864, Spotsyl
vania C. H.
Creekmore, John W., promoted to Sergeant, captured October 20th, 1864,
Burgess Mill.

JACKSON GRAYS, CO. A, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 145
Creekmore, Willoughby W., died in hospital, 1864.
Culpepper, Daniel E., died in hospital, 1863.
Culpepper, John, died in hospital, 1863, U, S, Ford.
Deford, Johu W., promoted to corporal, died in hospital. May, 1863.
Diggs, Benj. F., captured at Gettysburg.
Duncan, Abner, wounded and disabled February 28th,1864,Germanna Ford.
Ferrell, Johu, died in hospital, April, 1862.
Foreman, Acelius G., killed May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Foreman, Carey, wounded October 20th, 1864, Burgess Mill.
Foreman, W. A,, detailed in hospital.
Fulford, James E , killed February 6th, 1865, Hatcher's Eun,
Fulford, James, died in hospital, U, S. Ford, 1868.
Grimes, J. A.
Grimes, J. F. W.
Guinn, Franklin.
Harrison, Wm. H., wounded October 14th, 1863, Bristoe Station, placed
on roll of honor, by order of General Lee, for gaily ntry at Crater.
Halstead, J. P., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Halstead, T. E.
Halstead, J. E., died in hospital.
Hodges, Isaiah, killed by sharpshooter May 14th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Hodges, Caleb.
Hodges, Thomas H., died in hospital March, 18'63, U. S. Ford.
Jennings, Lemuel, killed May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Jennings, Wickers P., promoted to corporal.
Lewis, Abner.
Lynch, John, died in hospital March, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Lynch, Leroy, died in ho.spital March, 1863, D. S. Ford.
Lee, Alexander O.
Mathias, Simon.
Morgan, W. P., died in hospital from wound.
Morgan, A. C, wounded August 19th, 1864, and died.
Miller, .1. J., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater,
Miller, J. H.
Miller, Lovett.
Mercer, Sam, M., died in hospital.
Murphy, T. 0. C.
Nash, Cincinnatu.'-, promoted Sergeant.
Nash, Henry.
Only, Nahariah.
Overton, C. N., wounded at Gettysburg.
Overton, Grand.v.
Prichard, Wiley, died in hospital, 1862.
Pritchard, Joseph, died in hospital January, 1862.
Eied, William M., wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Scott, Wm. T., wounded and died in prison September, 1863,
Scott, Joseph.
Sivells. D. T., killed May 2d, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Sivells, Alexander.
Speight, Benj. F., died in hospital Jannar.v, 1862.
Sykes. W. 0., promoted to Corporal, killed August 19th, 1864, Davis Farm.
Sykes, Joseph, killed July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg,
Sykes, Josephus.
Sykes, Henry, died in hospital, U. S. Ford, March, 1863.
Sykes, J. C. C, died in hospital, September, 1863.
Thompson, Wm., detailed in Ordnance Department.
Warden, James.
Warden, Richard H., died in hospital.
Waller, W. George, died in prison.
Wood, Joseph N.. promoted to Corporal.
Wood, Keeling, died in hospital, March, 1864.

146 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
Woodward, Joseph T., died in hospital, January, 1862^
Woodward, Leander, wounded at Gettysburg.
Whitehurst, Eobert.
Whitehurst, Willoughby, killed May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Williams, D, A., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Williams, MarcelluS W., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Wright, Peter, wounded May 6th, 1864, Wilderness and at Crater.
West, l.eroy McC, promoted Corporal, wounded May 6th, 1864, Wilderness,
October 20th, 1864, Burgess Mill.
West, W. W., transferred to navy.
Whitehead, Martin V.
Williams, .Joseph, died in hospital December, 1861.
Williams, M. D., died in hospital January, 1863.
Worden, Wm. H., died in hospital February, 1862.
Killed and died— 43.

CHAPTEE XVII.
THE WILSON GUAEDS, COMPANY B, SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in 1 861 in that portion of Nor
folk county now known as Butt's Eoad and Pleasant Grove town
ships or magisterial districts, and contained a number of North
Carolinians from Currituck county, near the Norfolk county line.
The company was named after Colonel Samuel M. Wilson, who
was then engaged in organizing a regiment of heavy artillery,
and it was the intention of the Wilson Guards to form a part of
that regiment. After being mustered into service the company
was, at its own request, assigned to Colonel Wilson's command as
Company B. The officers of the company at its organization
were :
Captain, J. W. M. Hopkins.
First Lieutenant, Thomas F. Baxter ; 2d Lieutenant, A. II.
Lindsay ; 3d Lieutenant, James E. Fulford.
First Sergeant, James A. Stott.
Lieutenant Lindsay resigned January 20th, 1862, and Lieuten
ant Fulford was promoted to 2d Lieutenant, and Sergeant Stott
was elected 3d Lieutenant. This caused the promotion of Benj.
F. Baxter to 1st Sergeant, but on the 19th of May he was trans
ferred to the Petersburg Cavalry and A. B. C. Fisher became 1st
, Sergeant. Captain Hopkins resigned on the 3d of January,
1863, Lieutenant Baxter became Captain, Lieutenant Fulford
was advanced to 1st, and Lieutenant Stott to 2d Lieutenant, and,
on the 13th of January, Sergeant Fisher was elected 3d Lieuten
ant. Captain Baxter was wounded at the battle' of Daris' Farm
on the 19th of August, 1864, and Lieutenant Fulford was cap
tured at the battle of Burgess Mill on the 27th of October.
Lieutenant Stott was wounded at the battle of Burgess' Mill, but
recovered sufficiently to rejoin the company, and surrendered with
it at Appomattox Court itouse. He was acting Adjutant of the
regiment at the time of the surrender. Lieutenant Fisher died
in a hospital at Charlottesville on the 12th of March, 1864.
Upon the evacuation of Portsmouth, the Wilson Guards joined
the 61st Eegiment in Petersburg and assisted in the election of
regimental officers, after which it did provost duty for a while in
that city and was subsequently sent with Company A on picket
duty on the Appomattox river in the vicinity of City Point. In
August it rejoined the regiment and moved to Eichmond, thence
to the upper Eappahannock or Eapidan river. While there the
company had two skirmishes with the enemy — one at Warrenton
Junction on the 4th of November, 1862, and the other at Eappa-
147

148 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
bannock bridge on the 7th. It rejoined the regiment on the 24th
and was with it when it began the march to Fredericksburg. The
company had two other first Sergeants in addition to those men
tioned above. John II. Tucker succeeded Sergeant A. B. C.
Fisher when the latter was promoted to 3d Lieutenant On the
13tli of January, 1863, and held the position until August I7th,
1864, when he died from wounds received at the battle of the Crater,
July 30th. . Willoughby D. Barnard then succeeded to the first
sergeancy and held it until the close of the war.
The company lost by death fully . one-third of the members
who left Norfolk county with it, and surrendered at Appomattox
with one commissioned officer, four non-commissioned officers and
eight privates. At the time of the evacuation of Portsmouth by
the Confederates, it was on duty at Barrett's Neck.
Below will be found the roll of the company embracing both
the Norfolk county and Currituck county men :
Captain J. W. M. Hopkins, resigned January 3d, 1 863.
First Lieutenant Thomas F. Baxter, promoted Captain January 3d, 1863,
wounded August 19th, 1864. Davis' Farm.
Second Lieutenant James E. Fulford, promoted 1st Lieutenant, wounded
July 30th, 1864, and captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Third Lieutenant James A. Stott, promoted 2d Lieutenant, wounded Aug.
19th, 1864, October 17th, 1864, rejoined company, surrendered at Ap
pomattox.
First Sergeant Benjamin P. Baxter, transferred to Petersburg cavalry May
19th, 1862.
Second Sergeant A. B. C. Fisher, promoted 3d Lieutenant January 13th,
1863, died in hospital March 12th, 1864, in Charlottesville.
Third Sergeant John H. Tucker, promoted to 1st Sergeant, wounded July
30th, 1864, at the Crater and died August 17th.
Fourth Sergeant, Willoughby B. Barnard, promoted 1st Sergeant April
17th, 1864.
Fifth Sergeant Francis H. Williams.
Corporal Thomas Williams, xjromoted Ordnance Sergeant 61st Eegiment,
captured December 17th, 1863, in Currituck county. North Carolina,
and exchanged.
Corporal Ivy C. Brown, promoted Sergeant, killed .Tune 30th, 1864, Cold
Harbor.
Corporal John H. Halstead, transferred to Signal Corps April 30tb, 1862,
Corporal James E. Tucker, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
PRIVATES.
Ansel, Andrew J., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Asbold, Wm.
Aydelott, Jacob.
Ballance, Stephen E., wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Ballance, Stephen B, Jr., wounded and captured August 19th, 1864, Davis'
Farm.
Bowden, John A., killed August I9th, 1864, Davis' Farm,
Beasley, Joachin, promoted Corporal,
Bunnell, Kenneth, captured May 26th, 1864 sick in hospital Atlee Station.
Ballentine, James M., died in hospital April 11th, 1862.
Bray, Thomas A., died in hospital June 1st, 1864, Eichmond.
Bourke, Thomas, died in hosijital 1862, Eichmond.
Cotton, Benjamin C, died in hospital December'3d, 1862,
Creekmore, Seth.

WILSON GUARDS, CO. B, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 149
Curling, Joseph H. Sr., wounded and captured August 19th, 1864, Davis'
Farm.
Curling, Joseph H, Jr., died in hospital February 26th, 1864, Orange Court
House.
Curling, Z. T., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill,
("goiier, William A., wounded June 22d, 1864, Wilcox Farm.
Davis, William G. B., discharged July 25th, 1863, disability,
Davis, James, died in hospital 1862.
Doxey, David W., killed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Dudley, Willis W., died at Point Lookout April, 1865.
Eason, John T., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Ferrell, George.
Faushaw, xVlpheus, detailed Teamster, June 17th, 1862.
Fentress, Joseph, died in hospital January 24th, 1864, Petersburg.
Foreman, John W., transferred to Company G, April 30th, 1863.
Grandy, A. W., transferred from Company C November 23d, 1863.
Gregor.v, William H., wounded June 22d, 1864, at Wilcox Farm^ died June
2oth.
Grimstead, Jonathan, died in hospital December 11th, 1862.
Hall, Thomas F.
Hall, Samuel, wounded and captured August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Halstead, William M., promoted Corporal, died iu hospital June 25th, 1863.
Harris, Samuel.
Harrison, John S., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Hodges, Celius, wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, died August 3d.
Hodges, Thomas W.
Hodges, John W., died in hospital June 18th, 1862.
Hanbury, John W.
Jones, Celius W., died in hospital March 29tb, 1862.
Keaton, Samuel, discharged December 22d, 1862, over age.
Kinsey, James M., detailed in hospital.
Kinsey, William H., detailed as nurse in hospital March 8th, 1863.
Kinsey, Samuel, captnred October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Lee, Madison, wounded June 22d. 1864, at Wilcox Farm.
Lee, John J., captured. October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Martin, Charles, discharged August 14th, 1864, over age.
Mathias, Hilliard W., wounded October 27,th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Maund, David W., transferred to Signal Corps April 30th, 1862.
McClanan, Henry B., promoted Corporal, wounded July 30th, 1864, at
Crater, died August 6th.
McPherson, Jesse, wounded July 4th, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Miles, A. W., died iu hospital.
Mercer. Jacob B., wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania and died.
Miller, Jesse, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Mills, James, wounded December 12th, 1862, at Fredericksburg, died De
cember 13th.
Nichols, Thomas J., discharged July 15th, 1863, disability.
Nichols, Willoughbv, killed July 30th, 1864. at the Crater.
Nichols, James, died in hospital December 16th, 1863, Eichmond.
Parsons, Johnson T., captured July 5th, 1863, Gettysburg.
Parker, Peter, died in hospital 1863, Eichmond.
Powers, Wesley, transferred to Company C November 23d, 1863.
Eogers, Charies K., died in hospital April 12th, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Saunders, Daniel, died in hospital February 13th, 1853.
Scarff, Charies S., captured June 6th, 1864, Cold Harbor.
Smith, Eichard.
Simmons, John E., transferred to Company II January Ist, 1863.
Steel, William W., captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Stewart, Ashwell.
Stewart, Tazwell, died in hospital 1863, Eichmond.
Stewart, William, killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. .H.

150 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
Stanlev, Samuel, died in hospital April 15th, 1864.
Stanley, Hillary, died in hospital June 18th, 1862, City Point.
Sykes, William, discharged May 13th, 1862, disability.
Sykes, George A., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Thompson, Christopher.
Waterfield, Cone.
Waterfield, WiUiam T., died in hospital May 14th, 1863.
Waterfield, Alex., died in ho,xpital June 22d, 1862.
Waterfield, Malachi J., killed in battle.
Wicker, C. W., wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Waterfield, John C, wounded and disabled near Petersburg, 1864.
White, William, captured October 27th, 1864. Burgess' Mill. ,
White, Eyland C, captured April, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Whitehurst, Walter S., discharged March 18th, 1862, disabilit,v.
Williams, Wilson W. D., killed October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
WilUams, Quinton T., transferred June 27th, 1862, to Petersburg Cavalry.
Wicker, William T., died in hospital Februrry 18th, 1863.
Killed and died— 38.

CHAPTEE XVIII.
THE BLANCHAED GEAYS, COMPANY C, SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in the Great Bridge section of
Norfolk county in 1861, and was named in honor of Colonel A.
G. Blanchard, commander of the 1st Louisiana Eegiment. Upon
being mustered into service it was assigned to the battalion which
Colonel Samuel M. Wilson was organizing for duty in the batteries
around the harbor of Norfolk and Portsmouth. This battalion
afterwards became the 6lst Virginia Eegiment, and the Blanch
ard Grays became Company C. The following were the officers :
Captain, John G. Wallace.
First Lieutenant, Ashville Simmons ; 2d Lieutenant, St. Julien
Wilson ; 3d Lieutenant, Benj. James.
First Sergeant, John H. Bogart.
The company remained on duty near Portsmouth until the
evacuation of the city,' May 10th, 1862, when it was carried by
rail to Petersburg and participated in the organization and election
of officers of the 61st Eegiment. It did provost duty in Peters
burg for a while and went from there to the Appomattox river on
picket duty, and about the 28th of August reported back to the
regiment on Dunn's Hill and accompanied it to Eichmond. Early
in September it was ordered to the Eapidan with the regiment
and did picket duty along the river guarding fords, and scouted
as far as Wan-enton Junction. Upon the return of General Lee's
army from the Maryland campaign, the various companies of the
61st Eegiment which were scattered along the Eapidan, were
concentrated, and the regiment moved down to Fredericksburg to
observe the movements of Burnside's army, and delay him as long
as possible in crossing the Eappahannock river. The company
was present at the battles of Fredericksburg; Chancellorsville,
Salem Church, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, Mine Eun, Wilderness,
Spotsylvania Court House, and in fact in all of the battles in
which Mahone's Brigade was engaged after October, 1862.
Lieutenant Simmons resigned his commission as 1st lieutenant
on the 30th of March, 1864, and Lieutenants St. Julien Wilson
and Benjamin James were promoted to 1st and 2d lieutenants re
spectively. At the battle of the Crater, fought on the _30th of
July, 1864, Captain Wallace was severely wounded and disabled,
and Lieutenant Wilson was mortally wounded. Lieutenant James
Avas promoted to 1st heutenant upon the death of Lieutenant Wil
son and was captured on the 27th of October foUowing, at the
battle of Burgess' Mill. This left the company without any
commissioned officers. 151

152 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
This company lost as many men during the war, in proportion
to its numbers, as probably any other which entered the Confed
erate army from Eastern Virginia. Of eighty-four names on its
muster rolls six were transferred to other commands, and three
were discharged from the army upon surgeon's certificates of dis
ability, thus leaving with the company only seventy-five men and
of these, thirty-three never returned. Disease carried off more
than were killed in battle.
After the battle of Burgess Mill the company was commanded
by Lieutenant V. A. Haynes, of Company D, and surrendered at
Appomattox with six privates.
Below will be found the roll of the company :
Captain John G. WaUace, wounded and disabled July 30th, 1864, Crater.
First Lieutenant AshvUle Simmons, resigned March 30tli, 1864.
Second Lieutenant St. .lulien Wilson, promoted 1st Lieutenant April 1 st,
1864, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater, died July 31st.
Third Lieutenant Benjamin James, promoted 1st Lieutenant July 30th,
1864, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess Mill.
First Sergeant Jhon H. Bogart, captured October 16th, 1863, at War
renton.
Sergeant Jas. E, Garret, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MiU.
" Wm. H, James,
John Shirley.
Corporal Josiah Etheredge.
" Wm. H. Calhoun, transferred to Maryland line February 1st, 1864.
Ed. W. Forbes, wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
John Gallup. PRIVATES.
Banks, Wm., died in hospital May 6th, 1862, Norfolk.
Banks, James M. .
Beals, Benj. J., captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MiU.
BeU, Enoch F., died in hospital March 30th, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Byrum, Wm. F.
Berry, Martin, discharged March 29th, 1862, for disability.
Boushell, M. A., died in hospital Februar.y 13th, 1864, Orange Court House.
Berryman, Ed. F., appointed Sergeant Major 6ist Eegiment .July 1st, 1862.
Bradle.y, Eeuben.
Butt. John.
Burford, Samuel.
Byrum, James C, wounded May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville, died May 7th.
Byrum, Gideon F., died in hospital January 23d, 1863, Eichmond.
Cartwright, James E.
Cox, Sharp K.
Creekmore, Theophilus, died in hospital April 14th, 1863, at U. S. Ford.
CoweU, Benj. B., promoted corporal, killed Jul.y 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Curtis, Thomas, discharged January 30th, 1863, disability.
Darnold, John W.
Deconier, John, discharged February 24th, 1864, disability,
Doxey, Grandy B., wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm,
Eason, Geo. W.
Forbes, Nathaniel, died in hospital April, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Fulford, Thos. H., captured July 14th, 1863, in Maryland.
Glenn, Samuel T., transferred to Maryland line March 26th, 1 862.
Grandy, Abner N., transferred to Compan.y B November 21st, 1862.
GaUop, John C, died in hospital March 20th, 1863, Eichmond.
Guilford, James, died in hospital May 16th, 1863, Charlottesville.
Halstead, Miles W., wounded July 30th, 1863, at Crater, died August -st.

BLANCHARD GRAYS, CO. C, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 158
Harris, Miles D., wounded July 30th, 1864, and captured October 27th,
1864, at Burgess' MiU.
HiU, Solomon A., died in hospital October 16th, 1862, Culpepper.
Hughes, Charles.
Kher, William, wounded May 1st, 1 863, ChanceUorsville, died May 7th.
Lupton, J. W.
Lee, WiUis, died in hospital June 17th, 1862, Petersburg.
Marchant, Johnston, captured July 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Mansfield, Mathias, died in hospital October 10th, 1862, Petersburg.
Mercer, Samuel, died in hospital June 8th, 1862, Eichmond.
Miller, Frederick.
Mathews, Kphriam, wounded August 19th, 1864, Wilcox Farm.
Mercer, Jas. P. W., wounded May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville, died May 7th.
MiUer, Peter F., transferred to Company I, 61st Virginia Eegiment.
MiUer, Peleg, died in hospital AprU 18th, 1862, St. Helena.
Melson, Henry, died in hospita,! September 20th, 1863, U.S. Ford.
McPherson, James M,, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Northern, James, died in hospital June 24th, 1862, Eichmond.
Only, Wm, H., captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MiU.
Overton, Samuel S.
Paul, William James, transferred to Maryland Une April 24th, 1862.
Powers, Wesley, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Powers, John, died in hospital May, 1863.
Rolison, John, died in hospital February 7th, 1863, Eichmond.
Ehoner, John, died in hospital July 15th, 1864, Eichmond.
Stewart, Adrian D., wounded Jnly.4:th, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Sawyer, Nelson, died in hospital January 20th, 1863, Eichmond.
SaviUs, Marcus A., captured October 27th, 18o4,at Burgess' Mill.
Shirle.v, John, wounded accidently June 21st, 1863.
Sawyer, Joseph, died in hospital February 24th, 1863, near Fredericks
burg.
Spaight, Eaynor, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MUl.
Sawyer, Gideon L., died in hospital January 19th, 1863, Eichmond.
Stewart, David H., died in hospital June 29th, 1862, on Appomattox river.
Sawyer, William J.
Suggs, George F., wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Turner, Thomas, wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, died July 31st.
Waller, Josiah, died in hospital June 15th, 1862.
Warren, James E., wounded June 22d, 1864, Wilcox Farm.
Waterfield, Saunders, died in hospital December 31st, 1862, Lynchburg.
Warren, John.
Whateley, Leven, transferred to Maryland line February 1st, 1864.
Whitehurst, David, killed by faUing tree in camp November 30th, 1862.
Wright, WilUam, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MUl.
Woodward, Litaness.
Musician Charles Hughes, captured July 5th, 1863.
Killed and died-33.

11

CHAPTEE XIX.
JACKSON LIGHT INFANTEY, COMPANY D, SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEG
IMENT.
This company was organized in the City Hall, Portsmouth, on
the 10th of March, 1862, and elected officers as follows :
Captain, V. O. Cassell.
First Lieutenant, John Powers; 2d Lieutenant, Virginius A
Haynes ; 3d Lieutenant, Alex B. Butt.
First Sergeant, J. J. Bihsoly.
The original idea when the company was organized was to
make it a heavy artillery company for duty in ' a regiment which
was being organized for special services in the fortifications
around the harbor, but it was furnished with muskets, and the
evacuation of Portsmouth by the Confederates before the organ
ization of the regiment was completed did away Arith its useful
ness as heavy artillerists. OAring to the short period of time
which elaspsed between the organization of the company and the
evacuation of Portsmouth, it had a very uneventful history inde
pendent of the general history of the regiment of which it formed
a part. It was on duty at the entrenched camp south of Ports
mouth known as the Forrest entrenchments, after Commodore
Forrest, commanding the Navy Yard, when the city was evac
uated. It was then moved to Petersburg, quartered for two or
three days in that city, and then moved into camp on Dunn's
Hill. It was with the regiment (the 61st Virginia) as Company
I) when it was ordered to the Eapidan, in the summer of 1862,
and participated in all of the battles in which the regiment was
engaged, a f nil list of which we be seen in the sketch of the reg
iment itself— Chap. XXIV.
After the 61st regiment became a part of Mahone's Brigade,
Lieutenant Alex B. Butt was appointed Adjutant of the 41st
Virginia Eegiment of the same brigade, and was mortally wounded
at the battle of Chancellorsville and died in a hospital. Cap
tain V. O. Cassell lost a leg in the same battle and was incapaci
tated for further service and retired. This promoted Lieutenant
John Powers to Captain, and 2d Lieutenant Haynes to 1st Lieu
tenant. Orderly Sergeant Julius J. Bilisoly was promoted to 2d
Lieutenant. Those officers served throughout the war with the
command. The company was in several small engagements or
skirmishes with the enemy in 1862, and was in line of battle at
Fredericksburg December 13th, 1863, and under a heavy artillery
fire, but was not actively engaged, as the enemy's attack was
made upon another portion of the Confederate lines to the right
164

JACKSON LIGHT INFANTRY, CO. D, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 155
of the position held by them. Chancellorsville was the first bat
tle of any magnitude in which it was engaged. In this battle
Private J. Wiley Howard lost a leg and Private Joseph Barrett
was wounded. It had two men killed at the Crater figh-t — John
Sheppard and John Wood — and surrendered at Appomattox
April 9th, 1865, with one Lieutenant, one Ordnance Sergeant
and six privates, all that was left for duty of upwards of sixty
men who left Portsmouth Arith the company on the 10th of May,
1862. More than one fourth were killed or died, and of the re
mainder some were wounded and some fell into the hands of the
enemy and were not exchanged. The following is a list of the
members of the company who left Portsmouth with it. The list
of casualties opposite the names of the men has been prepared
from memory, and some may have been omitted who were recip
ients of wounds, blit it is probable that all who were killed or
died have been reported properly :
Captain V. O. CasseU, lost leg at Chancellorsville, May 3d, 1863, and retired.
Captain John Powers, promoted to Captain in 1863.
First Lieutenant V. A. Haynes.
Third Lieutenant A. B. Butt, promoted Adjutant 41st Eegiment, kUled at
ChanceUorsville.
Second Lieutenant J. J. BiUsoly, promoted from 1st Sergeant.
Sergeant Jesse Ives, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm, and Febru
ary 6th, 1865, Hatcher's Eun.
Sergeant Charles Syer, promoted Color Sergeant 61st Eegiment, captured
August 19th, 1864.
Sergeant David S. Eobertson, discharged 1864, over age.
Corporal Joshua Denby, wounded July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg, near Peters
burg, 1864, and captured the day before the surrender at Appomattox.
Corporal W. H. Dunstan, died in hospital in 1862, Petersburg.
. PHIVATES.
Accinelly, B. J., promoted Ordnance Sergeant 61st Virginia Eegiment.
Ashton, Gerdon C.
Ashby, WaUam.
Butt, Eobert P., died in hospital, 1863.
Barrett, Joseph, wounded May 3d, 1863, at ChanceUorsvUle.
Butt, Wesley G., kUled February 6th, 1865, Hatcher's Eun.
Barber, George W.
Chamberlaine, WiUiam, died in hospital, 1862, Petersburg.
Charabei-laine, Thomas, wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania, killed Au
gust 19ttb, 1864, Davis Farm.
Coston, WilUam C.
Coston, Henry C.
Coston, Thos. J.
Cherry, Wm. Alex, promoted Corporal, wounded August 19th, 1864, and
died from wound.
Cooke, Thos. J., wounded May 12th, 1864, and died.
Cotton, John, Orderly at Colonel's Headquarters.
Denby, James, wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Davis, John Harrison, with medical corps.
Flarity, Thomas.
Flanagan, Edward, died in hospital, 1862. ^„„^ ^ . , _
Flemming, Malon B., wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Godwin, A. D. B., wounded May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.

156 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Hughes, Edward, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Howard, J. Wiley, promoted corporal, lost leg May 12th, 1864, Spotsyl
vania.
Hogg, John.
Hodges, Josiah, discharged 1862, over age,
Humphries, John,
Jordan, Wm. Thomas, kUled February 6tb, 1865, at Hatcher's Eun.
Jarvis, Thomas.
Keeling, Joseph, wounded May 3d, 1863, ChanceUorsville.
Lester, A. E., drummer.
Moore, William, discharged 1862, disabiUty.
Mathews, Elbert, died in hospital, Petersburg, June 21st,1862.
Miller, PhUip.
Moore, Wm. J., not heard of after the battle of Chancellorsville.
Marsh, Ben.
Mayo, George Washington, died in prison. Fort Delaware.
Murray, John T.
Nelson, John, discharged 1862, disabiUty. ¦
Only, John, died in hospital.
Only, James, died in hospital.
Outens, John.
Only, Thos. E., wounded.
Pate, Wm., wounded.
Perry, E. A., detailed as sharpshooter, captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Parker, George, wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Eichardson, Benjamin.
Eutter, Thomas, wounded May 6th, Wilderness, and August 2oth, 1864,
Beams' Station, captured the day before the surrender at Appomattox.
Eeynolds, H. C, wounded Spotsylvania, 2d Cold Harbor, and August 19th,
1864, captured the day before the surrender at Appomattox.
Eawson, Charies.
Singleton, John, wounded Hanover Junction, May 29th, 1864.
Shepperd, John, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
White, John, died in hospital.
Whits, Tim, died in hospital at GordonsviUe.
Ward, Baker.
Walker, Wm. M.
Wood, John H., kUled July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Williams, Hillary G.
Walker, Lewis WUson, wounded May 8th, 1864, Shady Grove.
Young, George W.
Killed and died— 16.

CHAPTEE XX.
COMPANY E, SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized early in 1862, and AN'as composed
of about twenty-five of the Norfolk County Eifie Patriots, Com
pany F, 41st Virginia, who left that company on the reorganization
in April, and together with new recruits, formed this company.
The members were mostly from that portion of Norfollc county
now known as WasMngton and Pleasant Grove Magisterial Dis
tricts, but there were two men from Deep Creek and eight from
the city of Portsmouth. The officers of the company at its or
ganization, were :
Captain, Jetson Jett.
First Lieutenant, L. W. Godfrey ; 2d Lieutenant, William T.
Drewry ; 3d Lieutenant, Walter C. Ives.
First Sergeant, Augustus W. Portlock ; 2d Sergeant, Dennis
M. Etheredge ; 3d Sergeant, Augustus E. Pitts ; 4th Sergeant,
Camillus E. Tatem.
First Corporal, Alonzo Ives ; 2d Corporal, Thomas Williamson ;
od Corporal, James M. Wilkins ; 4th Corporal, Curtis O. Ives.
The company was mustered into the Confederate States service
at Washington Point, now Berkley, and was quartered for a week
or two at the Marine Hospital building, when it was assigned to
the 61st Virginia Eegiment as Company E, and ordered to Oak
Grove, near Portsmouth, and remained there, doing provost duty
in the city, until the evacuation. On the 10th of May, 1862, it
was taken by rail to Petersburg, where the Avhole of the 61st reg
iment was collected, and remained there for two or three weeks,
Avhen, with Companies B and G, it was ordered to City Point on
picket duty and remained there until late in August, when the
regiment was called together on Dunn's Hill, near Petersburg,
and on the 28th of August started to the front to join the Army
of Northern Virginia, under General Lee. Upon reaching the
Eapidan river. Companies E and F were detached from the regi
ment for special duty and ordered to report to Staunton. Com
pany E was divided into small squads and stationed in the small
towns on the Valley turnpike from Staunton to Strausburg.
Company F was retained in Staunton. In June, 1863, the two
companies were ordered to rejoin the regiment, which was then
stationed in the vicinity of Fredericksburg, and after that partici
pated in all of the battles in. which the regiment was engaged.
They missed Chancellorsville, but got back in time to join the
arrny on its march to Pennsylvania and to take part in the battle
of Gettysburg, July 2d and 3d, when Company E had its first ex-
167 '

158 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
perience in a general engagement. In this battle Lieutenant
Walter C. Ives was killed and Lieutenant L. W. Godfrey was
wounded. On the 12th of May following. Lieutenant W. T.
Drewry was killed at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House.
After the death of Lieutenant DreAvry, Sergeant Griffin F. Ed
wards was elected 2d lieutenant, but prefering the position of
sergeant-major of the regiment, which he then held, he declined
to accept the lieutenancy. He was subsequently promoted to
adjutant of the regiment, and held that position from early in
1865 until the close of the war. Private Wm. F. White, of
Portsmouth, who was a member of this company, was elected in
1864 captain of one of the Norfolk city companies in the 6th
Virginia Eegiment, in Mahone's Brigade. The company lost by
death from wounds and from sickness, twenty-nine men, while
thirteen others are reported below as having been severely woun
ded. The list of wounded was much larger than this, but as it was
made up from memory, many were forgotten. While the roster
is believed to be correct and full as to those who were killed or
died, it does not profess to include all of those who were wounded.
This company retained its organization intact until the closing
scenes of the drama at Appomattox, where it surrendered one
officer. Captain Jett, and seventeen men.
•The wounding of Adjutant Griffin F. Edwards at Cumberland
Church on the 7th of April, 1865, was a singular exhibitipn of
what some would term hard luck. The brigade (Mahone's)' was
lying doAvn in line of battle, behind a slight breastwork about two
feet nigh, which the men had thrown up hastily to protect them
selves from the fire of a force of Federal sharp shooters, who,
from the top of a piece of rising ground about a half a mile off,
had perfect range of the position. They were armed Arith globe
sight rifles and were expert in their use. Lieutenant-Colonel
Wm. H. Stewart had command of the division picket line and a
portion of it had been attacked by a heavy force of Federals and
pushed back. General Weisiger, who commanded Mahone's
Brigade, and who was at the left of the line, sent for Col. Stewart
for the purpose of placing a force at his disposal to re-establish
the line. Colonel Stewart moved over the front of the division
for nearly a half mile, exposed all the while to the sharp shooters
who took frequent shots at him, all of which missed. When he
reached General Weisiger's position that officer ordered Colonel
V . D. Groner, commanding the 61st Eegiment, to make a detail
of men, and Colonel Groner called Adjutant Edwards to him and
repeated the order. While standing up before Colonel Groner,
and before he could execute the order, one of the sharp shooters
lodged a ball in his shoulder, which disabled him, and when the
brigade fell back that night he was left behind. Two days after
wards, namely, the 9th, the army surrendered at Appomattox.

Border rifles, company e, sixty-first va. regt. 159
Colonel Stewart was standing near Adjutant Edwards when he
was shot, and though the more and longer exposed of the two,
escaped unharmed.
Below will be found a roll of the company, which is as complete
as it is possible to make it at this late day, but it is believed to
contain the names of every man who left with the company at the
evacuation of Portsmoiith by the Confederates on the 10th of
May, 1862.
The names here following were on the muster roll of the com
pany May 31st, 1862 :
Ca.ptain, Jetson -lett.
First Lieutenant, L. W. Godfrey, wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Second Lieutenant, Wm. Drewry, killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Third Lieutenant, Walter C. Ives, killed July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg.
First Sergeant, Gustavus W. Portlock, wounded August 19th, 1864, Weldon
railroad, died in hands of enemy.
First Sergeant, James M. Wilkins.
Sergeant Dennis M. Etheredge, died in hospital, Staunton, October 17th,
1862.
Sergeant Augustus.E. Pitt, appointed musician.
Sergeant Camillus E. Tatem, wounded J.uly 30th, 1864, Crater,
Sergeant Alonzo Ives, wounded May 6th, 1864, WUderness, and July 30th,
1864, Crater.
Corporal Thos. Williamson, wounded August 19th, 1864, Petersburg and
Weldon raUroad, Davis' Farm.
Corporal Curtis O. Ives, wounded August 19th, 1864, Petersburg and Wel
don railroad, Davis' Farm.
Corporal Joshua Charlton, wounded July 30th, Crater,
Corporal L. W. Charlton. PRIVATES.
Ballance, Martin, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Butt, Andrew, wounded July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg, died in hands of the
enemy.
Butt, Thomas, died in hospital 1862.
Brinkley, Wm. D„ died in hospital 1864. •
Cartwright, Dempsey, kiUed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Charlton, Samuel Q., died in hospital 1862, Staunton.
Cherry, Absolem.
Cherry, Eichard.
Corbit, Eichard, died in hospital October, 1863, Eichmond.
Creekmore, John W.
Creekmore, Wesley P., died in hospital 1862, Petersburg.
Curling, Bartlett.
CurUng, Edmond, wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania, captured Aug.
19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Cutherell, George,
CuthereU, Milton, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Cutherell, Wm. E., killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Deford, Eichard H.
Dewberry, Wm. T., captured October 27th, Burgess' Mill.
Edmonds, Luther, appointed musician.
Edwards, GriflSn F.,. promoted Sergeant-Major November 1S63, Adjutant
February, 1865, wounded April 7th, 1865, Cumberland Chnrch, and left
on fleld.
Etheredge, Frederick, kUled May 8th, 1864, WUderness.
Etheredge, Isaiah, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' MiU.

160 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-S.
Etheredge, John, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Etheredge, Martin.
Ferrebe, Grandy, wounded August 19th, 1864, and died in hospital.
Foreman, John E.
Poster, James S., captured July 3d,- 1864, near Petersburg.
Gammon, Joshua B., kiUed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Gifford, Samael, killed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Gammon, Alex., kUled May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Gibson, Wm. M., discharged 1864.
Grimes, John F.
Gwynn, Asbury, captured August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Gwynn, Frederick, died in hospital 1 864, Eichmond.
Gilbert, Thos., died in hospital May, 1862, Petersburg.
HaU, Cary W.
Hall, James S.
Hewett, M. W., discharged October 27th, 1862, disabiUty.
Hanbury, Fred.
Hanbury, Horatis B.
Hanbury, James C,
Hodges, Dan'l, died in hospital October, 1 863, Staunton.
Hozier, Jeremiah E., wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania and
August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Ives, Felix G.
Jarvis, Alex. A., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Lane, James E., killed June 2d, 1864, Cold Harbor.
McLean, John A,, detailed for service in Labrator.y, Charlotte, N. C.
McPherson, Peter, killed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm,
Only, Absolem, discharged for disabilit.v.
Only, Alexander, killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Osborne, Eaison, wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Ottley, Wm. N., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' MiU.
Owens, Geo.
Portlock, Thos. E., died in hospital 1863, Staunton.
Eudd, Wm. D.
Saunders, Wm. D. B., killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Stewart, Thos., killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Stokes, James.
Stokes, Eobert.
Stokes, WUson F., kUled June 22d, 1864, WUcox's Farm.
Tatem, Benj. F., promoted Quartermaster Sergeant, 1862.
Wagner, Lewis.
Williamson, Chas. C.
WiUiamson, Elton, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
WilUamson, Henry, wounded May 12th, 1862, Spotsylvania.
WUkins, W. L S., promoted 2d Sergeant.
White, Wm. P., promoted Captain 6th Virginia Regiment.
Wilson, Joseph.
WUson, Joshua T., captured August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm,
Wright, Benj., kiUed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Lindon, Mitchel.
KiUed and died— 29.

CHAPTEE XXL
THE AaSGINIA EANGEES, COMPANY H, SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
In March, 1862, Captain James C. Choat, formerly captain of
Company A, 3d Virgmia Eegiment, and Sergeant John H.
Wright, formerly of Company I, 9th Virginia Eegiment, both of
Norfolk county, were engaged trying to raise separate companies,
and finding that the field had been very thoroughly gleaned over
and that there were few men in the city or county wno were not
already in the Confederate serAdce, concluded to consohdate their
work and make one company of it. The members of the company
were part from the city and part from the county near the western
suburbs and toAvards Deep Creek. The company organized and
elected officers on the 26th of March. Those officers were :
Captain, James C. Choat.
First Lieutenant, John H. Wright ; 2d Lieutenant, James F.
Carr ; 3d Lieutenant, Henry E. Orr.
Firs tSergeant, James H. Gleason ; 2d Sergeant, W. W. Eew ;
3d Sergeant, John Sory.
The company was immediately mustered into service and as
signed to the 61st Virginia Eegiment as Company H. A short
time before the Confederates evacuated Portsmouth Captain
Choat accidently shot himself in the arm and resigned the com
mand of the company to Lieutenant Wright, who was promoted
to captain. The company left Portsmouth on the 10th of May,
1862, marched to Suffolk and there took the cars for Petersburg,
and camped a short time on the heights to the south of that city,
after which it was moved to Dunn's Hill with' the rest of the reg
iment. While there Lieutenant Carr was appointed commissary
of the regiment, but shortly afterwards resigned, and was dis
charged upon a surgeon's certificate of disability, and Sergeant
James H. Gleason was elected lieutenant. The company did
provost duty in Petersburg until August 28th, when the regiment
broke camp and marched to Eichmond, and from there took the
cars for Eapidan Station, and assisted in rebuilding the bridge
over that river, which had been burned. From there the com
pany was ordered to Warrenton, and did provost duty until the
latter part of October, when it was ordered to rejoin the regiment
and marched to Fredericksburg. After that time the regiment
was attached to Mahone's Brigade.
While the company was at Warrenton, Captain Wright received
an appointment assigning him to other duty and he resigned the
captaincy of the company. He subsequently enhsted as a private
in the signal corps. Lieutenant Orr then became captain. Lieu-
161

162 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
tenant Gleason was promoted to 1st lieutenant and Sergeant W.
W. Eew was elected 2d lieutenant. Captain Orr commanded the
company unfil the close of the war. Lieutenant Gleason was
severely wounded and disabled at the battle of Spotsylvania
Court House, May 12th, 1864, and was retired. At the battle of
the Crater, July 30th, 1864, the company lost very heavily. One
man was killed, and Lieutenant Eew and five privates were
wounded. Lieutenant Eew's wound was very severe, but he re
covered in time to rejoin the company and surrendered with it &t
Appomattox Court Itouse, when there were present two commis
sioned officers, one sergeant and six privates. The company lost
very heavily in proportion to its numbers, and participated in all
of the battles in Avhicli the regiment was engaged. Below will be
found a roll of the company, together with the casualties as far
as it has been possible for them to be obtained. At this date none
of the officers who were in actual serrice with the company are
liring, and the source of information concerning the killed and
wounded has been narrowed down to very clos'e limits, but the
roll embraces all who left the county with the company on the
10th of May, 1862, and the list of casualties is correct as far as it
goes :
Captain James C. Choat, accidently wounded May, 1862, and resigned.
First Lientenant .John H. Wright, promoted Captain, resigned 1862, en
listed in Signal Corps.
Second Lieutenant James F. Carr, appointed Commissary, discharged 1862.
Third Lieutenant Henry E. Orr, appointed Captain 1862, surrendered at
Appomattox.
First Sergeant James A. Gleason, elected 1st Lieutenant, wounded and dis
abled May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania, and retired.
Third Sergeant Jonn E. Simmons, promoted 1st Sergeant.
Fourth Sergeant Washington W. Eew, elected Lieutenant, wounded July
30th, 1864, Crater.
Corporal John C. Sorey.
Corporal Edward L. Mansfleld.
Corporal George Eoss.
Musician John W'. Mitchell.

Aydelott, Henry C, died in hospital 1863, U. S. Ford.
Adkins, G. B., wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Brittingham, Francis 0.
Ballentine, John.
Berryman, Ed. F., promoted Sergeant, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis'
Farm.
Bowden, Wm.
Grumpier, Solomon B.
Cherry, Eichard J., promoted Sergeant, detached 1864.
Cherry, Miles, died in hospital 1863, Petersburg.
Cherry, John.
Cherry, David.
Cherry, Paul W., died in hospital 1862, at Petersburg.
Cooke, Antonio M., wounded Crater, WUderness and Hatcher's Run.
Chamberlaine, Willis.
Culpepper, Franklin J.

VIRGINIA RANGERS, CO. H, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 163
Duke, Francis, kiUed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Eddie, R., wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Foreman, Isaiah, transferred to Company G.
Foreman, James R., died in hospital.
FriedUn, Amile C.
Gallup, John, Sr.
Gilding, Geo. F.
Gallagher, Carne.v.
Gallagher, Edward, captured,
Hodges, Thos., promoted Corporal.
Hodges, William.
Hozier, John W., made Corporal, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Hodges, John T.
Halstead, Thos.
Haynes, John W., promoted Sergeant.
Harrel, Alexander.
.lohnson, Alonzo.
Johnson, James H., made Corporal.
Johnson, John B., captured April 8th, 1865, on retreat.
Johnson, Lender, made Corporal, detached for service at Danville, 1863.
Jordan, Wm.
Lassiter, James, died in hospital, U. S. Ford.
MUler, Christopher, wounded May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
MiUer, J. F.
Mansfield, James, kUled near Petersburg.
McNider, Wm. H. , kiUed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Mansfield, WUloughby, made Corporal, killed May 6th, 1864, WUderness.
Mears, Thos., lost leg June 22d, 1864, Wilcox Farm. '
Mc'Tyre, Eobt. W., made Corporal.
McGlone, J.
Only, HoUoweU, died in Chimborazo Hospital of Pneumonia May, 1863.
Only, Joseph.
Robinson, E.
Taylor, Thos. H.
Tranham, A. S., wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Turner, Mills.
Wilkins, Eichard.
White, Geo. T.
Wjatt; H. T., wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
KiUed and died— 10.

CHAPTEE XXII.
SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in Portsmouth June 16th, 1861,
and contained in its membership quite a number of men from the
vicinity of Bowers' Hill, in Norfolk county. The following were
the officers under whom it was mustered into service :
Captain, Charles E. McAlpine
First Lieutenant, Frank W. Armistead ; 2d Lieutenant, John
Hobday ;• 3d Lieutenant, C. W. Murdaugh.
The company was ordered to Seawell's Point and was attached
to the 41st Virginia Eegiment as Company G. It was on duty
there until the 29th of April, 1862, when it was detached from the
41st Eegiment and ordered to report to Lieutenant-Colonel Archer
at Fort Boykin, near Smithfield. On the 27th of May it was or
dered to report to the major commanding Battery No. 3, in the
fortifications around Eichmond, and on the 10th of July was
ordered on provost duty in Eichmond city, but was continued on
that service only four days, when, July 14th, it was assigned by order
of the secretary of war, to th^ regiment of Colonel Samuel M.
Wilson, afterwards the 61st Virginia. On the 20th of July orders
were received from Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. F. Niemeyer, com
manding the regiment, to report to him on Dunn's Hill, near
Petersburg, and on the 21st Captain McAlpine reported with his
company. The battles around Eichmond in June, 1862, took
place while the company was in the batteries there, but it was not
ordered in any of them. Upon reaching Dunn's Hill the com
pany was given the letter I, as it was the ninth company which
had been assigned to the regiment. The tenth company was as
signed later. The strength of the company then was about fifty-
nine men.
At the reorganization of the company in June, 1862, all of the
old officers except Lieutenant Armistead were re-elected. Lieu
tenant Armistead severed his connection with the 'company, and
enlisted in one of the Nansemond companies in the 13 th Virginia
Cavalry. Lieutenants Hobday and Murdaugh became respect
ively first and second lieutenants, and on the 29th of July, at a
special election held by order of the Department Commander,
General French, Frank M. Marchant was elected 3d lieutenant.
Captain McAlpine was promoted to the position of Major of
the Eegiment May 12th, 1864, and on the same day Lieutenant
John Hobday was appointed captain. Lieutenants Murdaugh and
Marchant were each advanced one grade. Lieutenant Murdaugh
was seriously wounded in the hip at the battle of Chancellorsville
164

BILISOLY BLUES, CO. J, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 165
or more properly speaking, Salem Church, on the afternoon of
May 3d, 1863. General Lee had shaken General Hooker from
his entrenched position near Chancehorsville, and was about to
sweep down upon him with his whole army, when he received
news that General Sedgwick, having crossed the Eappahannock
river at Fredericksburg and captured Marye Heights, was advanc
ing in his rear.
General Lee detached a number of brigades, among them Ma
hone's, to check Sedgwick's further advance, and the two forces
met at Salem Church. Coinpany I was deployed as skirmishers,
and while engaging the enemy in front, was fired into from be
hind by Semmes' Georgia. Brigade. Thus caught between two
fires, one from the enemy and the other from friends, the position
of the company was by no means an agreeable one. It was here
that Lieutenant Murdaugh was wounded. He was comphmented
in General Order No. 283 from General Lee's headquarters, for
gallantry on that occasion. The battle was a complete rictory for
the Confederates and only the darkness saved Sedgvrick from
destruction. He made his escape during the night across the
river. Captain Hobday was killed October the 27th, 1864, at the battle
of Burgess' Mill, and Lieutenant Murdaugh was promoted to
captain. Lieutenant Marchant became 1st lieutenant, and these
two continued the officers of the company until the close of the
war. The company was quartered, on Dunn's Hill, doing provost
duty in the city of Petersburg from July 21st to August 29th,
1862, when the regiment moved to the Eapidan river, and was en
gaged in guarding the fords of that river against the scouting
parties of the enemy. ' Major McAlpine left behind at his death,
some notes and memoranda relating to his coinpany, and among
others, mentions private Albert Powell, who was conspicuous for
gallantry at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House May 12th,
1864, and W. F. Butt, who was mortally wounded there. He
speaks of Private Butt as " a good man and reliable soldier." In
that battle Mahone's Brigade charged and captured three lines of
field works.
Speaking of Captain John Hobday at the battle of Wilcox
Farm, near Petersburg, he says : " The conspicuous gallantry of
Captain John Hobday on the 22d of June, 1864, will ever be re
membered. It was through his sagacity that the enemy were
flanked and defeated. With his small command of twenty-one
men, he passed down the enemy's fines, a distance of two hundred
yards, and demanded their surrender." Private Charles W. Col
lins is thus mentioned by him : " It was through the courage and
gallantry of Charles W. Collins that Major Charles E. McAlpine's
ufe was saved on this occasion. He shot and killed a Federal

166 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
officer who had a pistol levelled at Major McAlpine's breast, at a
distance of not more than six feet, and was about to fire at .him."
Private Collins was reported to brigade headquarters for special
mention for distinguished gallantry at the battle of Shady Grove
May 8th, 1864, a continuation of the battle of the Wilderness, and
was killed in the battle of August l9th, 18,64, on the Petersburg
and Weldon railroad, sometimes called the battle of Daris' Farm.
He was a very gallant boy, was not more than fifteen or sixteen
years old when he joined the company in Portsmouth in 1861,
and was the son of Mr. William B. Collins, who lived at the south
east corner of Court and Glasgow streets. He was never knoAvn
to . shirk duty or to shrink from danger. He was always in the
front when fighting was going on and passed unscathed through
twenty-three battles before he received his death wound. Cap
tain Hobday too, was as gallant a man as ever lived.
The company was in twenty-five heavy battles, seven smaller
engagements, and numerous skirmishes, and lost by death sixteen
men, one out of every four, while scarcely a man escaped Arithout
a wound. In an order issued from the headquarters of the rem-
ment in December, 1863, Colonel Groner said : " Company 1,
though composed of material difficult to control, is under the best
discipline of any company in the regiment."
Captain Murdaugh recovered from the wound he received at
Chancellorsville and rejoined the company in the hues around
Petersburg, but at the time of the retreat from Petersburg he was
attending an extra session of the Legislature, of which he had
been elected a member, and which had been called to try to pro
vide means to meet the emergency which was then too apparent
in the affairs of the South and the State, and could not get back
to his command in time for the surrender .at Appomattox.
Below Arill be found the roster of the company, made up from
the best information at hand. The hst of names is correct, and em
braces all who went into service with the company at the evacua
tion of Portsmouth by the Confederates :
Captain Charles E. McAlpine, promoted Major, wounded.
First Lieutenant F. W. Armistead, dropped at reorganization. May, 1862,
joined 13th Virginia Cavalry.
Second Lieutenant John Hobday, Jr., promoted Captain May'12th, 1864,
wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater, and killed October 27th, 1864, at Bur
gess' Mill.
Third Lieutenant C. W. Murdaugh, promoted Captain October 27th, 1864,
wounded May 3d, 1863, at Salem Church (ChanceUorsville).
First Sergeant John M. Sherwood, surrendered at Appomattox.
Second Sergeant Edward C. Shepherd, disabled, detaUed for hospital duty.
Third Sergeant David W. Thornton, detaUed to work in govemment shops.
Corporal George OglcAd, discharged October, 1861, disability.
Corporal Calvin L. Peek, promoted Sergeant, captured October 27th, 1864,
and not exchanged.
Corporal Charles Evans, wounded May 3d, 1863— ChanceUorsville, captured
August 19th, 1864, and not exchanged.

BILISOLY BLUES, CO. I, SIXTY-FIRST VA, REGT. 167
Musician Joseph J. Smith, drummer. PRIVATES.
Beaton, Joseph, surrendered at Appomattox,
Bateman, Jonathan,
Barcroft, George W., left in hospita? in Norfolk sick. May 10th, 1862, and
never heard from.
Butt, WUliam T,, mortally wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania Court
House, and died May 24th in Camp Winder Hospital, Eichmond.
Berkley, Lycurgus, furnished substitute May 6th, 1862, substitute deserted
May 10th.
Cooper, Arthur, died in hospital.
Casey, Klvin K., lost an arm May 6th, 1864, WUderness.
Casey, James A.
Cherry, Elias W., captured July 4th, 1863, Gettysburg, and died in prison.
CoUins, Chas. W., killed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
ColUns, Thomas, promoted Corporal.
Curtis, Eevel W., kUled July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
DoUett, Wm. W.
Duke, Eobert.
Duke, Parker, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Eure, Hillary.
Eure, Henry.
Eure, Augustus, over age, furnished substitute October 23d, 1861.
FerrUl, John, died June, 1862, Battery No. 10. Eichmond.
Fowler, A. J.
Godwin, Laban T., promoted Sergeant, captured August 19th, 1864, and
not exchanged.
Hyslop, Denwood, captured August 19th, 1864, not exchanged.
Hallo way, Joseph.
Hewlett, Joseph F., captured July 4th, 1863, not exchanged.
Heckrotte, Oliver.
Herbert, Joseph T., transferred to 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Horton, Daniel W., sent to hospital September 26th, 1862, and supposed to
have died.
Jones, Walter J., promoted Lieutenant in 41st Virginia Eegiment, and killed
May 6, 1864, WUderness.
Jackson, Wm. A., furnished substitute April 24th, 1862.
King, Joseph.
King, George, captured August 19th, 1864, and not exchanged.
King, Edward.
Kilgore, M. P., promoted Sergeant October llth, 1862, kUled July 30th,
1864, Crater.
Mason, Wm., killed Cumberland Church, AprU 7th, 1865.
Miller, John C.
Manning, S. D., died in hospital September, 1862, Petersburg.
Marchant, F. M., promoted 3d Lieutenant July 29th, 1862, promoted 1st
Lieutenant October 27th, 1864.
Meares, James E.,. discharged for disability from wounds,
Mears, Thomas F., captured May 29th, 1864, not exchanged.
Nottingham, B. P., died in fleld hospital, October, 1863, Brandy Station.
Porter, Thomas.
Powell, Albert, name pubUshed for disting-uished gallantry at Spotsylvania
C.H., May 12th, 1864.
Peel, Thomas, captured August 19th, 1864, not exchanged.
Peek, Ammon, captured October 27th, 1864, not exchanged.
Eibble, Joseph, furnished substitute May 6th, 1862, substitute deserted
May 10th.
Rodman, Pierce, discharged September, 1861, disabihty.
Sibley, Wm., captured July, 1863, in Pensylvania and never heard from.

168 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
St. George, Wm. E., captured July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg, not exchanged.
Smith, W. J., died in Eichmond May 20th, 1863.
Tompkins, Joseph.
Toppin, Smith, promoted Sergeant, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
White, John D., wounded July 30th, 1864, at the Crater, and discharged
December 23d, 1864, disabled.
White, Eichard, wounded seriously July 30th, 1864, at the Crater, dis
charged January 9th, 1865, disabled.
Ward, JuUus, kUled July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Whitson, William, discharged September, 1861, disability.
Wise, Stephen, died in hospital, 1863.
Youre, Stephen.
KiUed and died— 20.

CHAPTEE XXIII.
COMPANY K, SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in 1861 in that portion of Nor
folk county known as Ferry Point, now Berkley, and was gotten
up through the efforts of Captain Herbert. It contained in its
ranks a number of old men and young boys, but these were soon
sifted out as not being within the military age and were dis
charged. The officers of the company under whom it was mus
tered into the Confederate service were :
Captain, Maximillian Herbert.
Fii-st Lieutenant, Joseph T. Herbert; 2d Lieutenant, Eevel I.
Taylor ; 3d Lieutenant, Maximillian Herbert, Jr.
First Sergeant; Frank M. Marchant.
The company Avas attached to a mixed battalion of four compa
nies, some of whom were from Virginia and some from North
Carohna, under the cpmmand of Lieutenant-Colonel John T. P.
C. Cohoon, and known as Cohoon's battalion. The command
does not appear to have been a very efficient one, however, for on
the 14th of July, 1862, it was ordered to report at Camp Lee,
near Eichmond, for the purpose of being disbanded. The com
mander at Camp Lee was directed to discharge such men in the
battalion as were above or below the legal military age and to re
tain the others. The men in Captain Herbert's company were, at
their oAvn request, assigned in a body to Captain Chas. E. McAl
pine's Company, Company I, 61st Virginia Eegiment. The four
commissioned officers were retired and forty-seven men were
tumed over to Captain McAlpine, all of whom were subject to
military duty.
Captain Herbert was not satisfied with the order disbanding
his company, and having obtained from Captain George A. Mar
tin, of the St. Bride's, Artillery, of Norfolk . county, whose com
pany exceeded the regulation number, a promise to turn over to
him enough men to recruit his command up to the standard re
quired for a company, he sought an interview with the Secretary
of War and obtained on order revoking the former order concern
ing Cohoon's battalion, so far as it affected his company, and di
recting Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer to turn the men over to
him again. Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer hesitated in obeying the
order, represented to the Secretary oi War that he thought the
men would be more efficient under Captain McAlpine, and recom
mended that they be permitted to remain with him. His recom
mendation was disapproved, however, and Captain Herbert got
his men again. They were re-assigned to him on the 28th of Au-
12 169

170 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
gust, 1862, and, having gotten about a dozen recruits from Cap
tain Martin, the company was, that day, assigned to the 61st
Eegiment as Company K, thus completing the regiment. While
the men were in Company I, two of them were discharged for
physical disabiUty, and one. Sergeant Frank M. Marchant, was
elected 3d Lieutenant of Company I, so that only forty-four men
were re-assigned to Captain Herbert, and of these, .Albert Powell
and Jonathan Bateman were subsequently transferred to Com
pany I. Captain Herbert died in Petersburg the 30th of Septem
ber, 1862. The three Lieutenants were each advanced one grade,
and Sergeant John S. Cason was elected 3d Lieutenant. Captain
Joseph T. Herbert resigned on the 13th of August, 1864, and
the company remained under command of 1st Lieutenant Taylor
until the battle of Burgess' Mill, October 27th, 1864, when he was
captured. Lieutenants Max Herbert, Jr., and Cason were on the
picket line in front of Bermuda Hundreds when the army fell
back from Petersburg about the 1st of April, 1865, and fell into
the hands of the enemy, and First Sergeant James Adams became
commander of the company on the retreat. Adams was an ex
cellent soldier and richly deserved a commission, which, however,
he never received.
The company followed the fortunes of the regiment, partici
pated in all of its battles, contributed its share of tne regular toll
of dead and wounded which was paid for rictory, and at the sur
render of the remnant of the army at Appomattox, had two pri
vates left for duty. First Sergeant Adams was captured on the
retreat the day before the surrender. He had been without any
thing to eat for two or three days, and managing to come across
a little food, he and one of his men stopped to cook it, thinking
they were far enough in advance of the enemy to do so with
safety ; but in the midst of the operation they were surprised by
a body of pursuing cavalry and gathered in. The company was
a small one and its Tosses were proportionately heavy. One man out
of every three who left their homes on the 10th of May, 1862, at
the evacuation of Norfolk and Portsmouth, paid with their lives
the penalty of their devotion to their State.
The following roll is believed to be complete and embraces all
who were killed or died in hospital, or were so badly wounded as
to require them to report to a hospital. Some who received slight
wounds which did not incapacitate them from duty, are not re
corded as having been wounded. The roll embraces the men who
were transferred to the company by Captain Martin, as well as
Captain Herbert's original members.
Captain Max A. Herbert, died in hospital, September 30th, 1862, Peters
burg.
First Lieutenant Joseph T. Herbert, promoted Captain September 30th,
1862, wounded May 3d, 1863, atChanceUorsviUe, resigned August 13th,
1864. ^ '

COMPANY K, SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENTT. 171
Second Lieutenant Eevel I. Taylor, promoted First Lieutenant, captured
October 27th, 1864. Burgess' MUl.
Third Lieutenant Max A. Herbert, Jr., promotcjd 2d Lieutenant.
First Sergeant John S. Cason, promoted 3d Lieutenant.
Second Sergeant, Littleton D. Eeed, captured September 23d, 1863, never
rejoined the compimy.
Third Sergeant Geo. W. Tatem, discharged August 30th, 1862, disabiUty'
Fourth Sergeant James Adams, promoted 1 st Sergeant, captured on retreat
from Petersburg.
Corporal Thomas H. Edwards.
Corporal James Bradley, died in hospital, 1863, Eichmond.
PRIVATES.
Absolem, Leonard, died in hospital, 1864, Eichmond.
Burfoot, Jesse, captured April 5th, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Burton, George, sick iu hospital, Lynchburg, at the surrender at Appomat
tox.
Bateman, Martin, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm, reported for
duty August 31st and captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MiU.
Bradley, Charles M., discharged for disability June 10th, 1863.
Bailey, Chas. L., captured April, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Bean, Frederick, wounded and captured July 3d, 1863, and never rejoined
the company.
Dillon, Lee W., captured September 22d, 1863, and never rejoined the com
pany.
FrankUn, Peter J., died in hospital March 20th, 1863.
Fields, John, died in hospital June 14th, 1862, Petersburg.
Forbes, Simeon, died in hospital 1864, Eichmond.
Flannagan, Andrew, captured April, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg,
Hozier, David T., died in hospital June llth, 1862, Petersburg.
Griggs, Chas. W., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Garress, Isaiah, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' MUl.
Hozier, Jas. K. P., promoted Corporal, captured on retreat from Peters
burg.
Hitchcock, Malachi, wounded July 30th, 1864.
Hunter, John B., died in hospital April 10th, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Halstead, Wm. R,, discharged 1864,
Harrison, Thomas, captured AprU 19th, 1863, and never rejoined the com
pany,
Halstead, Chris., promoted Sergeant, wounded June 22d, 1864, at Wilcox
Farm, and captnred.
Jackson, Abner, died in hospital June 20th, 1862, Petersburg.
Jennings, Edward, died in hospital 1864, Richmond.
Lewton, Wm., kiUed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Morris, Wm. H., kUled August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Melson, Levi.
Mitchel, John.
Roberts, Wingfield, wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H., cap
tured AprU, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Sawyer, John I., wounded May 8th, 1864, Shady Grove, captured October
27th, 1864.
Stafford, Richard, surrendered at Appomattox.
Sykes, Jos. J., died in hospital 1864.
Stephens, Jos. L., discharged June 22d, 1863.
Sorey, Evan, wounded June 15th, 1864, Turkey Ridge, surrendered at Ap
pomattox.
Staylor, Thos., wounded May 2d, 1863, ChanceUorsvUle, captured on retreat
from Petersburg.
West, Delaware, died in hospital, Richmond, 1862-3.
Wilson, John, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MUl.

172 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
WUson, WHlis, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' MiU.
WUson, Benj. E.
Williams, William, captured July 5th, 1863, and never rejoined the com
pany.
WiUiams, Jordan, died in hospital June 23d, 1864, Eichmond.
Wickings, Jas. J., died in hospital April 10th, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Killed and died-17.

CHAPTEE XXIV.
THE SIXTY-FIEST VIEGINIA EEGIMENT-
BEIGADES  ANDEESON's, MAHONe's DIVISIONS.
The companies composing this regiment were organized and
mustered into the Confederate service early in the war, as will be
seen from the short sketches'of, each of them which precede this
chapter, and were on duty in different localities in the vicinity of
Portsmouth and Norfolk. In the winter of 1861-2, Colonel
Samuel M. Wilson obtained authority from Governor Letcher to
raise a regiment of heavy artillery for service in the fortifications
around the harbor, and at his request, several companies applied
to be assigned to it, and others were assigned without haring made
apphcation, so that, when Portsmouth was evacuated. May 10th,
.1862, the regiment lacked only two companies of haring a full
complement. Company I was afterwards assigned to it, July
14th, 1862, and Company K, August 28th, thus making ten com
panies. These were :
Company A, Jackson Grays, of Norfolk county. Captain Wm.
H. Stewart.
Company B; Wilson Guai-ds, of Norfolk county. Captain John
W. M. Hopkins.
Company C, Blanchard Grays, of Norfolk county. Captain Jno.
G. WaUace.
Company D, Jackson Light Infantry, of Portsmouth, Captain
V. O. Cassell.
Company E, Border Eifles, of Norfolk county. Captain Jetson
Jett. Company F,  , of Isle of Wight county. Captain
 HoUand.
Company G,  , of GreenriUe county. Captain E.
E. Moseley.
Company H, Virginia Eangers, of Portsmouth and Norfolk
county, Captain John H. Wright.
Company I, Bilisoly Blues, of Portsmouth, Captain Chas. E.
McAlpine. Company K,  , of Norfolk county, Captain Max.
Herbert. Company F was partly from Southampton county, and Com
pany G contained a few men from Sussex county and also some
from Northampton county. North Carohna, near the GreenviUe
hue, and among these latter was Captain Moseley. Companies B
and C had a number of North Carolinians also, from Currituck
county, near the Norfolk county fine.
173

174' NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
The officers of the first eight companies held a meeting in Jar-
rett's Hotel, in Petersburg, about the middle of May, 1862, and
elected field officers. They were :
Colonel, Samuel M. Wilson.
Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. F! Niemeyer.
Major, Wm. H. Stewart.
OAring to the evacuation of Portsmouth and Norfolk by the
Confederates, there was no longer need for the services of the
regiment as heavy artillery, and it was changed into an infantry
regiment and numbered the 61st. Colonel Wilson faUed to join
the regiment after it was organized and the command devolved
on Lientenant-Colonel Niemeyer. It remained on Dunn's Hill,
near Petersburg, doing provost duty in that city and picket duty
on the Appomattox river as far down as Bermuda Hundreds and
City Point, until August 28th, when it was ordered to Eichmond
and went into camp on the Brook turnpike. It remained there a
very short time and early in September it was ordered to the
Eapidan to guard the fords of that river, while the army of Gen
eral Lee was in Maryland. Companies E and F were sent to
Staunton to do provost duty and did not rejoin the regiment until
after the battle of Fredericksburg.- The other companies were
distributed at Warrenton, Culpepper, Eappahannock and other
places. Wm. S. Wright, who was then serving as a private in the Old
Dominion Guard, of Portsmouth, Company K, 9th Virginia Eeg
iment, was, in the summer of 1862, appointed Adjutant of the
61st, and shortly afterwards, while the regiment was at Warren
ton, Colonel Virginius D. Groner, of Norfolk city, was elected
colonel and took command.
On the 17th of September, Major Stewart, with three compa
nies of the regiment and a squadron of cavalry belonging to the
1 5th Virginia Cavalry Eegiment, was at Bristoe Station on the
Orange and Alexandria railroad, where he had been ordered for
the purpose of getting up several locomotives, which had been
thrown from the track there, during the operations previous to
the battle of Second Manassas. That day General Birney, who
commanded the Federal forces near Fairfax Court House, sent an
officer with a flag of truce, ostensibly to obtain permission to bury
or remove their dead, who had been killed in the battles of
August 29th and 30th, but really to ascertain howmuchof a force
was there. General Birney made report to the authorities, at
Washington that his "flag of truce met a party of Confederates
at Bristoe Station, under command of Major "Wm. H. StcAvart,
who stated that it would take three days to communicate with his
general and declined to receive the flag." He further reported
that " the force there was small and might be surprised and cap
tured if he had authority to send a cavalry force against them."

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 175
The necessary authority was given him and he made the attempt,
bnt Major Stewart had succeeded by that time in getting the lo
comotives on the track, and, steam having been gotten up, the
whole train moved off to the Eapidan, carrying the three compa
nies of the 61st Eegiment with it.
In the fall of 1862 a Federal spy, acting under orders from
General S^igel, went to Staunton, and in his report, dated No
vember 13th, says : " Staunton, with its manufactories of boots,
shoes and clothing for the enemy, its extensive hospital prepara
tions for thousands of sick, the general supply depot, the place
of safe keeping of all the captured Harper's Ferry plunder, is de
fended by one coinpany of the 61st Virginia Infantry, twenty-
four field pieces, and a mixture of cavalry and artillery, though
small in numbers." This was Company F. Company E was
doing provost duty on the Valley turnpike.
Early in November the Secretary of War seems to have become
alarmed for the safety of Eichmond, and on the 5th he sent orders
to General Lee to send the 61st Virginia Eegiment and the Nor
folk Light Artillery Blues to that city. General Lee replied on
the 10th that he had not obeyed the order because he had not
been able to supply their places on the upper Eappahannock.
On the loth of November the three Florida Eegiments in Gen
eral Eoger A. Pryor's Brigade Avere organized into a separate
brigade, and placed under command of General Perry, of that
State, and General Pryor, by order of General Lee, was . relieved
from duty with the army of Northern Virginia and ordered to
report to the Secretary of War, in Eichmond, who, on the 12th,
issued an order to General Lee to send the 1st and 61st Virginia
Eegiments to Eichmond, to be forwarded to Petersburg, as the
nucleus of a new brigade for General Pryor ; but, having need
for them on the Eappahannock, General Lee did not comply with
the order. General Pryor became impatient at the delay in send
ing those two regiments to him and wrote to General Lee, No
vember 23d, asking that they be sent at once to him, as he wished
them to operate in the vicinity of the Blackwater river. General
Lee sent him the following reply :
Headquaetees Aemy op Noetheen Vieginia,
November 25th, 1892.
Brig. Gen. B. A. Pryor, Richmond, Va.:
Geneeal — Your letter of the 23d inst. has been received. I
regret my inability to detach from this army the two regiments
you desire to constitute a brigade, to operate on the Blackwater,
under your command. As far as I am able to judge, troops are
more wanted here than there, and it might be better to bring the
troops which it is contemplated to unite with those in question, to
this army. I regretted, at the time, the breaking up of your for-

176 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
mer brigade, but you are aware that the circumstances which pro
duced it were beyond my control. The 61st Virginia has, in ac
cordance with the desire of the colonel of the regiment, been
attached to Mahone's brigade, which was organized from the sec
tion of country from which it came. I hope it will not be long
before you will be again in the field, that the country may derive
the benefit of your zeal and activity. , I thought, and still think,
that your services would be more valuable to the country south of
James river, after your brigade was dismembered, and that troops
could be organized in that region sufficient to form your com
mand. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient ser
vant. E. E. Lee, General.
On the 15th of November General Burnside started with his
army from Warrenton towards Fredericksburg, and General Lee
ordered the Blst Virginia and the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues
to that towii. The advance of Burnside's army, Sumner's corps,
reached Falmouth on the afternoon of the 17th, and an attempt
was made as if to cross the river. According to the official report
of General Lee it was checked by the 15th Virgiiiia Cavalry, four
companies of Mississippi infantry and Lewis' battery of light ar
tillery. General Sumner says he made no attempt to cross, that
his batteries drove Lewis' men from their guns, and he was anx
ious to cross and take possession of them, but was prevented by
positive orders from General Burnside. The 61st Eegiment
reached Fredericksburg on the morning of the 18th, and found a
large force of the enemy on the opposite side of the river. Colo
nel Groner, in order to create the impression upon their minds
that a large Confederate force was present; had large fires built
all along the heights and burned up nearly every fence rail in the
vicinity. The ruse was successful and the enemy waited for rein
forcements and to establish his communications before attempting
to cross. In the meantime General Lee's army began to arrive
from Culpepper and Orange Court House, and continued coming
in, until he had collected an effective force of 72,564 men for
duty, including infantry, artillery and cavalry.
General Lee was apprehensive that Fredericksburg would be
occupied by the enemy before the 61st Eegiment could reach
there, and gave Colonel Groner orders how to proceed in that
event. The commander of that cavalry operating on the river
was ordered to keep Colonel Groner advised as to the movements
of the enemy so as to guard against surprise. Shortly after the
army reached Fredericksburg, the 61st Eegiment was attached to
Mahone's Brigade, which was then composed of the 6th, 12th,
16th, 41st and 61st Virginia Eegiments, and was a part of Ander
son's Division,

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 177
The battle of Fredericksburg took place on the 13th of De
cember, 1863, and its details are a part of the history of the
war. On the 12th General Burnside crossed one hundred thou
sand men over the river, and on the 13th attacked the right of
General Lee's army, which was drawn up on the range of hills
overlooking Fredericksburg, and about a mile or a mile and a half
back from the town. Jackson's corps of three divisions, A. P.
Hill's, D.'H. Hill's and Ewell's — the last under command of Gen
eral Early^held the right of the line, and Longstreet's corps held
the left, arranged in the following order by divisions : Hood on.
the right and joining Jackson's left,^iiext Pickett, next McLaws,
next Eansom, and next Anderson, with his left resting on the
river. The 61st Eegiment was Arith Anderson and was exposed
to the fire of the Federal artUlery, but was not actively engaged
in the battle. The attack on Jackson was repulsed after heaA'y
fighting, with loss to the Federals. Then an assault was made
upon the position held by Eansom's and McLaw's Divisions, but
it was easily repulsed. The enemy advanced four times and were
driven back with great slaughter. The attacking columns were
composed of the 2d corps. General Couch, the 9th, General Wil
cox, and three divisions of Hooker's corps. Burnside's loss in the
battle was 12,321, and that of the Confederates was 4,201, ac
cording to General Lee's official report.
After the battle of Fredericksburg the 61st Eegiment remained
in camp near that town, enjoying rather a quiet time, until the
latter part of April, 1863, when the Federal army again got into
motion. General Hooker had been assigned to the command, re
lieving General Burnside. He had an army, according to United
States official reports, present for duty of one hundred and
twenty thousand infantry and artillery, twelve thousand cavalry,
and more than four hundred guns. General Lee had previously
detached Hood's and Pickett's Divisions under Longstreet to Suf
folk, and Eansom's Dirision to North Carolina, in February, and
had left to oppose Hooker's advance, only fifty-seven thousand
effectives. General Hooker left about thirty thousand men under
General Sedgwick in his lines opposite Fredericksburg. These
consisted of Sedgwick's own corps, the 6th, of twenty-two thou
sand men, as per his official report, and Gibbon's Division, of
Couch's corps, numbering between seven and eight thousand ad
ditional, and were designed to mask the real purpose, which was
to cross the Eappahannock Eiver higher up and turn General
Lee's left. This movement was successfully accomplished, and
General Hooker took up a position at ChanceUorsvUle and began
to fortify it. General Lee left Early's Division and Kershaw's
Brigade, in all, about nine thousand men at Fredericksburg to
oppose Sedgwick, and with the remainder of his army amount- .
ing to forty-eight thousand, including the . artUlery and the cay-

178 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
airy of Stewart, drew out of his works and marched to attack
Hooker's main army. This was on the 1st of May, and the ad
vance of the two armies met late in the afternoon near Chancel
lorsville. A considerable engagement followed, during which
Hooker withdrew to the position which he had fortified. The
next morning General Lee retained McLaw's and Anderson's Di
visions to hold Hooker in check in front, and sent Jackson with'
his own corps, composed of the divisions of A. P. Hill, Trimble
and Ixodes, numbering twenty-two thousand men to make a de
tour and attack his right fiank and rear. While Jackson was
making his flanking march, Lee drew Hooker's attention from-
him by feints upon his front, with McLaw's and .Anderson's Di
visions. About 6 o'clock in the afternoon Jackson got into a po
sition to strike, and sending forward Eodes' Dirision, overran the
Eleventh corps which formed Hooker's right, capturing prisoners,
guns and wagons. Night terminated the battle for that day, and
Jackson, riding through the Confederate lines with his staff to
ascertain the position of the enemy, was, in the darkness, mis
taken by his own men on his way back, for Federal cavalry, and
fired upon. He received three wounds, one of which necessitated
the amputation of his arm, and he died about a week after the
battle. The next day. May 3d, Stuart took command of Jack
son's corps, and extending his right formed a connection with the
left of Anderson's Division, near the Chancellor House, whereupon
General Lee ordered a general advance of the whole army and
Hooker was driven- out of his works into a second line, which he
had constructed across the angle formed hy the junction of the
Eappahannock and Eapidan Elvers. General Lee was about to
assault this position when his movements were arrested by news
from Fredericksburg. Sedgwick had crossed the river at Fred
ericksburg, captured Marye Heights from General Early, who fell
back before him, and was advancing in General Lee's rear to
wards Chancellorsville, to assist Hooker. General Lee sent back
Mahone's Brigade, Wilcox's Brigade, and three of the brigades
of McLaAvs' Division, the whole under command of General
McLaws, to check him. They met near Salem Church and Sedg
wick was driven back with a loss of five thousand men, including
his loss in his attack upon Early. The next day General Early
joined McLaws and General Lee sent Anderson with his three
remaining brigades to assist. With these forces the attack was re
newed, and Sedgwick, overwhelmingly defeated, was saved from
total destruction only by the approach of night, under cover of
which he recrossed the river at Banks' Ford. This attack was
made principally by Early's Division which assailed Sedgwick's
left. On the 5th General Lee got his army together again and made
arrangements to renew the attack on Hooker on the morning of

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 179
the 6th, but when his skirmishers advanced at day break, they
found Hooker had decamped across the river, leaving behind his
wounded, twenty thousand stand of arms and fourteen guns.
His loss was seventeen thousand one hundred and ninety-seven.
The Confederate loss was ten thousand two hundred and eighty-
one. _ The 61st Eegiment, as a part of Anderson's Division, was ac
tively engaged m every day's fighting and lost heavily. Major
Stewart, Captain Cassell and Lieutenant Murdaugh were wounded,
as was also Lieutenant Alex. Butt, of Portsmouth, adjutant of
the 41st Eegiment, who died from his wound. This was the
first battle of importance in which the 61st was actively engaged.
It was ready at Fredericksburg, but was not called upon. At
Chancellorsrille the men fought with , the steadiness of veterans.
After Chancellorsrille, General Lee began the invasion of Penn
sylvania and on the 1st, 2d and 3d of July fought the battle of
Gettysburg. The 61st Eegiment took part in the battle of the
2d and was held in reserve oh the 3d. It vvas, however, exposed
to the fire of the enemy's artillery on that day and lost a number
of men kiUed and wounded. It was heavily engaged on the 2d
and its losses were proportionate. The Confederates were suc
cessful in their attacks on the 1st and 2d' and the Federals Were
pushed back with heavy losses in killed, wounded and prisoners,
but in falling back. General Meade secured an advantageous posi-
tioB on the night of the 2d, from which General Lee failed to
dislodge him. General Lee's losses in the Gettysburg campaign
amounted to nineteen thousand men, killed, wounded and miss
ing. General Meade's were somewhat larger. An account of
the third day's fighting vrill be found in the history of the 9th
Virginia Eegiment, earlier in this work — chapter XII. General
Lee had present for duty at Gettysburg sixty-eight thousand three
hundred and fifty-two men (of whom fifty-four thousand three
hundred and fifty-six were infantry) including cavalry and artil-
tillery and official reports place the Federal army at one hundred
and five thousand effectives.
Two days after the battle of Gettysburg, General Lee fell back
to the Potomac river. His march iwas sIoav and deliberate. He
was anxious for General Meade to attack him. He was not strong
enough to drive Meade from his fortified position, but was very
AvUling to be attacked. He remained on the north bank of the
Potomac four or five days on account of the swollen condition of
the river, hoping the enemy would attack him, but, finding he
would not do so, and unable to remain any longer away from his
base of supplies, he crossed over into Virginia, followed at a re
spectful distance by his antagonist.
During the fall of 1863 nothing of special importance was done
on the Eapidan. In October General Lee endeavored to bring

180 NORFOLlt COUNTY, 1861-6.
about an engagement, and chased Meade into Fairfax county.
His advance overtook the rear of the retreating force at Bristoe
Station October 14th, and an engagement ensued, in which the
Confederates were badly handled by the officers in command on
the field, and the Federals, Warren's corps, held their ground
until night, when they .retired into Fairfax county. The 61st
Eegiment was present in that affair. It had an opportunity at
Mine Eun the following month to. repay the enemy two lold.
General Lee had detached a portion of his army and General
Meade thought himself strong enough to whip the remainder, but
he was checked at Mine Eun Avith the loss of upwards of two
thousand men, while the Confederate loss was scarcely as many
hundred. After that the army remained in winter quarters near Culpep
per Court House until the following May, 1864, when General
Grant began his overland campaign towards Eichmond. With
an army of one hundred and forty thousand men, 'of all arms, and
a wagon train consisting of upwards of four thousand wagons, he
started out to overwhelm General Lee, who had Arith him an army
composed of flf ty-tw6 thousand six hundred and twenty-six in
fantry, cavalry and artillery.
Grant crossed the Eapidan May 5th, 1864, and launched his
army forward into the region called the Wilderness, a thick,
woody section of country in the northern part of Spotsylvania
county, well grown up with underbrush and short pines, with a
view of turning the right flank of Lee's army and compelling \]s
retreat towards Eichmond. Lee, however, had no idea of retreat
ing, but threw Ewell's and A. P. Hill's corps across his front and
ordered Longstreet, with his two divisions. Hood's and McLaw's,
to join the army at once. They were camped near GordonsriUe.
Pickett's Division of Longstreet's corps was near Eichmond and
Petersburg. EweU and HUl attacked the oncoming masses of the
enemy, drove in their advance brigades and took up positions for
the battle which it was CAddent would be fought the next day.
Anderson's Division, to which the 61st Eegiment and Mahone's
Brigade were attached, had not then come up, and did not reach
the field until some time after the battle had been joined the
next day. General Lee formed his line of battle with Hill's corps
on the right and Ewell's on the left. Longstreet's corps, which
was expected to arrive during the forenoon, was to form on Hill's
right, but Grant began his attack on HUl's troops about daybreak,
before either Anderson or Longstreet had gotten up, and by
greatly superior numbers, forced Hill's line back. It gave ground
stubbornly and slowly until about seven o'clock, when the arrival
of Anderson's DiAosion enabled HUl to successfully resist his as
sailants. Hancock commanded that wing of the Federal Army,
and Avas reinforced to such an extent that he had under his com-

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 181
mand more than one half of Grant's forces, but he made no fur
ther headway. HUl held Ins ground, and soon Longstreet's men
began to arrive and take position. About noon Longstreet ordered
an advance of his own and HUl's corps and the Federals were
beaten back in confusion and completely disorganized. Longstreet
turned their left and doubled it back upon the center, and was
preparing a grand movement by which he expected to destroy
that entire Aring of Grant's army. He had sent forward Ma
hone's Brigade as a flanking party and advanced, himself at the
head of Jenkins' South Carolina Brigade, to renew the attack in
front. His OAvn and Jenkins' staff were mounted, and had with
them several captured Unite^ States flags, and, coming near Ma
hone's Brigade, they were mistaken for Federal cavalrymen and
fired upon. General Jenkins was killed and Longstreet was
wounded and disabled, while a number of the members of their
respective staffs were also killed or wounded. This put a stop to
the flanking movement and the Federals fell back and began
entrenching themselves, and, after some sharp fighting, the Con
federates also began building works. On the left of the Confed
erate line, the enemy made several unsuccessful attacks upon
Ewell's corps, and, after repulsing these, Ewell turned the right
of the Federal army, broke completely two of its dirisions, and
captured a number of prisoners.
Grant made several attempts on the 7th to carry the Confeder
ate fines by assault, but \rithout success, and on the niglit of that
day drew out of his works and moved off to the left for the' pur
pose of tui-ning General Lee's right, but upon arriving at Spotsyl
vania Court House the next morning, found a portion of General
Lee's army again posted across his front. An attack on the
Confederate lines was repulsed and during the day both armies
were getting into position. Upon the wounding of General
Longstreet, General Anderson was assigned to the command of
his corps and General Mahone was promoted to the command
of Anderson's Division, which, from that time, was known as
Mahone's Division.
On the 12th of May was fought the battle of Spotsylvania
Court House, in which General Lee successfully repulsed every
effort of General Grant to carry his lines and inflicted on him a
very heavy punishment. Grant's losses in the two battles of the
Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House, according to his official
reports, exceeded forty thousand.
The 61st Vu-ginia Eegiment was in the thickest of the fight,
and its loss was severe. Colonel Groner was wounded, as was
also Major Stewart, and Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer was killed.
The fighting was nearly over at the time he was kiUed. The
regiment, Avith the brigade, had charged and carried a line of breast
works defended by a min line of the enemy, and Captain Chas.

182 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
E. McAlpine, of Company I, had captured a very fine horse, fully
accoutred. CaUing Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer to him he pre
sented the horse to him, and as that officer accepted it, and was
extending his hand to take it, a minie ball from the enemy's skir
mish line pierced a vital spot in his body and his young life passed
out to the great unknown. He was just twenty-four years old
and singularly, had a presentiment that morning that he would be
killed during the day. He informed Major Stewart of his belief
that morning and before night his presentiment had become veri
fied. His remains were carried to Eichmond and interred. The
funeral ceremonies took place in the Broad Street Metliodist
Church. The death of Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer occasioned the pro
motion of Major Wm. H. Stewart to that position and Captain
Charles E. McAlpine was promoted to Major. In the fall of 1863
Adjutant Wm. S. Wright died with a congestive chijl, and in
March, 1864, W. A. S. Taylor, of Norfolk, was appointed by
Colonel Groner to fill the vacancy.
Grant remained in position in front of Spotsylvania Court
House until the night of the 20th, when, finding himself power
less to force Lee's position, he once more moved off to the left,
but Lee interposed again between him and Eichmond, at Hanover
Court House and Cold Harbor, and each time took heavy toll.
There was constant fighting from the 24th of May to the 13th of
June, in all of which the 6lst Eegiment and Mahone's Brigade
took part. The principle assault on the Confederate lines at Cold
Harbor was made on the 3d of June, between daylight and sun
rise. Grant ordered an attack all along the lines; The battle
lasted scarcely ten minutes, and in those ten minutes more than
thirteen thousand Federal soldiers were killed or wounded. The
Confederate loss barely exceeded cue hundred.
On the 13th General Grant again moved off to the left, but had
already made his nearest approach to Eichmond, and further
movements in that direction were carrying him away from the
city. He reached the James river and crossed over on the 15th
and 16th, at Wilcox's landing, below City Point. Official reports
from his corps commanders made his losses from the Wilderness
until he reached James river, more than sixty thousand men, a
number greater than General Lee's army.
General Lee reported from Taylorsville on the 24th of May, to
the Secretary of War, that Mahone had driven three regiments of
the enemy across the river and captured a stand of- colors and a
number of prisoners, among them an aide of General Ledlie.
Eepeated assaults by the Federals upon the Confederate lines
in front of Petersburg, from the 15th to the 20th of June, were
defeated, and each time the assaulting columns suffered severely,
their total losses amounted to about twelve thousand. On the

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 183
20tii Grant began regular seige operations. On the 22d he un
dertook to extend his left, composed of the 2d and 6th corps, to
envelop General Lee's right, but Hill's corps attacked them. Ma
hone's Brigade, with the 61st Eegiment on the right, turned the
flank of the Federal forces and captured two thousand prisoners,
fifteen hundred stand of arms, four Blakely guns and eight stand
of colors. The entire Federal losses that day exceeded four
thousand, of whom twenty-five hundred were captured. It was
in this battle that Major McAlpine complimented the skUl and
good judgment of Captain John Hobday, of Portsmouth. [See
ante. Chapter XXII, Cornpany I, 61st Virginia.]
On the 23d the brigade had another smart brush with the en
emy, in which it carried off a number of prisoners. On the 28th
Wilson's Division of cavalrymen, returning from a raid against
the Southside Eailroad was "headed off at Eeams' Station, on the
Petersburg and Weldon Eailroad, and scattered. The Confed
erates captured one thousand prisoners, thirteen guns and the
wagon train of the enemy.
The 61st Eegiment was at the battle of the Crater, July 30th.
The Federals had excavated a culvert or mine from their lines to
a point underneath the Confederate works, and placiag therein
two hundred barrels of gun powder, exploded it about day break.
The works immediately at that point were blown into the air and
the guns and many of the artillerymen were buried beneath the
falling debris. An attack was made by three dirisions of white
troops, Ledlie's, Potter's and Wilcox's, and one division of col
ored troops, composing the whole of Burnside's corps. These
troops rashed into the .breech, but were held in check by the
Confederate batteries on the right and left of the opening, which
began playing upon them. Mahone's Dirision was the nearest
avaUable force which coiUd ¦ be sent to repel the intruders, and
three of its brigades — Mahone's Virginia, W right's Georgia and
Saunders' Alabama — were hurried there. Mahone's and Wright's
arrived first, and, forming line of battle, with Mahone's on the
left, advanced to the charge. Wright's men faltered in face of the
withering volleys which met them and fell back. Later its place
was taken by Saunders' Brigade, which made a charge and dis
lodged the enemy from that portion of the field. The foUow-
ing'account of the charge of Mahone's Brigade, then under com
mand of General Weisiger, was written by Lieutenant Colonel
Wm. H. Stewart, who commanded the 61st Eeghnent, Colonel
Groner being absent on account of his wound received at Spot
sylvania Court House :
battle of the ceatee — eecollections of the eecaptueb of
THE lines  SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
As the wild waves of time rash on, our thoughts now and then
run back over the rough biUows to buried hopes and unfulfilled

184 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
anticipations, and oft we linger long and lovingly, as if standing
beside the tomb of a cherished parent. Thus the faithful follower
of the Southern Cross recaUs the proud hopes that led him over
long and weary marches and in bloody battles. These foot-sore
journeys and hard contested fields are now bright jewels in his
life airound which the tenderest cords of his heart are closely en
twined. They are moments of duty ! They are sacred resting
places for his baffied energies ? They are rich mines from which
the very humblest actor gathers the wealth of an approving con
science! He hears no psens by a grateful country — no bounty
rolls bear his name — yet these are sweet choristers ever chanting
priceless praises to the zeal and manhood Arith which he faced
Ills foe. The veteran of an hundred battles always points with
greater pride to one as the crowning glory of the many achieve
ments. So the soldiers of Mahone's Old. Brigade look upon the
great battle which I shall here attempt to describe.
My little fly tent, scarcely large enough for two persons to lie
side by side, was stretched over a platform of rough boards, ele
vated about two feet above the ground, in that little grave yard on
the Wilcox farm, near Petersburg. I was quietly sleeping within
it, dreaming, perhaps, of home and all its dear associations (for
only a soldier can properly appreciate these), when a deep rum
bling sound, that seemed to rend the very earth in twain, startled
me from my slumbers, and in an instant I beheld a mountain of
curling smoke ascending towards, the heavens. The whole camp
had been aroused, and all were wondering from whence came this
mysterious explosion. It was the morning of Saturday, the 30th
day of July, 1864. The long-talked-of mine had been sprung, a
battery blown up; and the enemy were already in possession of
eight hundred yards of our entrenchments.
Two hundred cannon roared in one accord, as if every lanyard
had been pulled by the same hand. The grey fog was floating
over the fields and darkness covered the face of the earth, but
the first bright streak of dawn was gently lifting the curtain of
night. The fiery crests of the battlements shone out for miles to our
left, and the nitrous vapors rose in huge bUlows from each line of
battle, and sweeping together formed one vast range of gloom.
The sun rose brilliantly, and the great artillery duel still raged
in all its grandeur and fury. An occasional shell from a Blakely
gun would swoop down in our camp and richochet down the line
to our right, forcing us to hug closely the fortifications.
Soon after. Captain Tom. Bernard, General Mahone's courier,
came sweeping up the lines on his white charger to the headquar
ters of Brigadier General D. Weisiger. Then the drums com
menced rolling off the signals, which were followed by "faU in"
and hurried roll calls. We were required to drive back the Fed-

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 185
erals, who were then holding, and within the very gates of the
city of Petersburg. It was startling news ; but our soldiers fal
tered not, and moved off at quick step for the seat of war.
Wright's Georgia Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
HaU, and our Virginia Brigade, the latter numbering scarcely
eight hundred muskets, constituted the force detailed to dislodge
the enemy, who held the broken lines with more than fifteen
thousand men, and these were, closely supported by as many
more. I remember that our regiment, the 61st, did not exceed.
two hundred men, including officers and privates, which I am
quite sure was the strongest in the two brigades. I suppose we
had marched the half of a mile when ordered to halt and strip
off all baggage except ammunition and muskets. We then filed
to the left a short distance to gain the banks of a small stream in
order to be protected from the shells of the Federal batteries by
placing a range of hills between. These the enemy were already
viewing Arithin four hundred yards with covetous eyes, and mak
ing dispositions to attempt their capture, for they were the very
keys to the invested city. When nearly opposite the portion of
our works held by the Federal troops, we met several soldiers who
were in the works at the time of the explosion. Our men began
ridiculuig them for going to the rear, when one of thom re
marked : " Ah, boys, you have hot work ahead — they are negroes,
and show no quarter." This was the first intimation that We had
to fight negro troops, and it seemed to infuse the little band with
impetuous daring, as they pressed onward to the fray. I never
felt more hke fighting in my life. Our comrades had been
slaughtered in a most inhuman and brutal manner, and slaves
were trampling over their mangled and bleeding corpses. Ee-
venge must have fired every heart and strung every arm with
nerves of steel for the herculean task of blood. We filed up a
ditch, which had been dug for safe ingress and egress to and from
the earthworks, until we reached the vale between the elevation
on which the breastworks were located and the one on the banks
of the fittle stream just mentioned — within two hundred yards of
the enemy. The ill-fated battery of six guns which had been de
molished by the explosion of eight tons of gun-powder, projected
from the line of earthworks for the infantry at an acute angle.
It overlooked the enemy's hue of works which were on the
northeastern elope of the same elevation, distant about one hun
dred yards. ,
The "Crater," or excavation, caused by the explosion, was
about twenty-five feet deep, one hundred and fifty feet long and
fifty feet Aride. Aiout seventy-five feet in rear of the support
ing earthworks there was a wide ditch with the bank thrown up
on the side next the fortifications. This was constructed to pro
tect parties carrying ammunitions and rations to the troops. Be-
13

186 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
tween this irregular and ungraded embankment and the main
line the troops had constructed numerous caves, in which they
slept at night to be protected from the mortar shells. The em
bankment from the bottom of the ditch was about ten feet high
and commanded the outer or main line. The space from the out
side of the fortifications to the inner edge of the ditch was more
than one hundred feet wide.
The " Crater," and the space on both sides for some distance,
were literally crammed with the enemy's troops. They were five
lines deep, and must have numbered between fifteen and twenty-
five thousand men. Their historians admit that their charge was
made by the whole of the ninth corps, . commanded by General
A. E. Burnside, and, that the fifth and a part of the second corps
were massed in supporting distance.
Mahone's old Brigade, after being deployed,, covered their front
- from the centre of the Crater to their right. Their silken ban
ners proudly floating on the breezes, supported by countless bayo
nets glistening in the sunlight, might on an ordinary occasion
have daunted our little band and made them forfeit a trial at
arms ; but they were desperate and determined, and reckoned not
the host that confronted them. I recollect counting seven stand
ards in front of our regiment alone. Our column was deployed
in the valley before mentioned, in full Adew of these hostile thous
ands. As the soldiers filed into line. General Mahone walked
from right tO left, commanding the men to reserve their fire until
they reached the brink of the ditch, and after dehvering one vol
ley to use the bayonet. Our line was hardly adjusted, and the
Georgians had not commenced to deploy, when the division of
negroes, the advance line of the enemy, made an attempt to rise
from the ditch and charge. Just at that instant General Mahone
ordered a counter charge. The men rushed forward, officers in
front, with uncovered heads and waving hats, and grandly and
beautifully swept onward over the intervening space with muskets
at trail. The enemy sent in the ranks a storm of bullets, and
here and there a gallant fellow would fall ; but the files would
close, still pressing onward, unwavering, into the jaws of death.
The orders of Major-General Mahone were obeyed to the very
letter, the brink of the ditch was gained before a musket was dis
charged, the cry " No quarter 1" greeted us, the one volley re
sponded, and the bayonet plied with such irresistible vigor as in
sured success in the shortest space of time. Men, fell dead in
heaps, and human gore ran in streams that made the very earth
mire beneath the tread of the victorious soldiers. The rear ditch
being ours, the men mounted the rugged embankment and hurled
their foes from the front line up to the very mouth of the Crater.
In the meantime, tha Georgia Brigade had charged, but were re
pulsed; and soon after it was re-formed in column of regiments

TBE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 187
and again charged, but was met by such a withering fire that it
again recoiled with heavy slaughter.
Our bloody work was all done so quickly that I had scarcely an
idea of the time it required to accomplish it, some say it" was
twenty minutes. It was over I am sure about noon, and then for
the first time we realized the oppression of the scorching rays of
that July sun, and many almost sank from exhaustion. The bri-
fade captured fifteen battle fiags, and our own regiment owned
ve of the seven that I had counted in its front. How many
men rallied to each of these captured fiags I have no means of
ascertaining ; but the Ninth Corps had been recently recruited,
and its regiments must have been well up towards the thousands,
and from these captured flags alone the reader may form an idea
of the numbers we had overcome. In that supreme moment,
when exulting over a great victory, how great I shall leave for
others to judge, as our eyes fell upon the bleeding comrades
around us, our hearts sickened within, for more than half our
members lay dead, dying, wounded and writhing in agonies
around us.
The wonderful triumph had been won at the price of the blood
of the bravest and best and truest. Old Company F, of Norfolk,
had carried in twelve men, all of whom were killed or wounded.
The Sixth Eegiment, to which it was attached, carried in ninety-
eight men, and mustered ten for duty at this time. The Sharp
shooters carried in eighty men, and sixteen remained for duty.
Nearly half of our own regiment had fallen, andthe 12th, 41st and
16th Eegiments suffered in like proportion. Up to this time only
an inconsiderable number of prisoners had been captured.
Mention of special acts of bravery would, perhaps, be out of
place here, for all who marched from that vale crowned them
selves heroes, and need no encomiums from my feeble pen.
During the charge, about fifty yards from the ditch. Captain
John G. AVallace, of Company C, 61st Virginia Eegiment, was
stricken down with a broken thigh. He lay upon his back, refus
ing to allow his men to take him from the field till the battle was
over, waving his hat and urging his men to " go on ; go forward."
Lieutenant St. Julien Wilson, of the same company, was mor
tally wounded, and died the next day. He was a young officer.
generaUy admired for his gaUant conduct on the field and manly
christian virtues in camp.
Captain John T. West, of Company A, encountered two burly
negroes at the brink of the ditch, and while parrying their thrusts
Arith his sword, was bayoneted in his shoulder by one of his own
men, who was too eager to assist him. Privates Henry J. Butt,
Jeremiah Casteen and D. A. Williams, three of the bravest of the
brave, from the same company, were instantly killed.
Private John Shepherd, a noble soldier of Company D, was
slain just before reaching the main line of breastworks.

188 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
Captain W. Scott Sykes, of Company F, Forty-first Virginia
Eegiment, was wounded in the shoulder while gallantly leading
his men.
Colonel Harry WUliamson, of the Sixth Virginia Eegiment,
lost an arm.
Captain David Wright, Company H, Sixth Virginia Eegiment,
was instantly killed whUe leading his men. He had been pro
moted from the ranks to captaincy on account of his gallant and
meritorious conduct.
Our townsmen. Judge C. W. Hill and John T. HUl, members
of the same regiment, the Sixth Virginia, were wounded almost.
at the same instant ; the former through the left arm, which was
afterwards amputated, and the latter through the Avrist.
Major W. H. Etheredge, of the Forty-first Eegiment, displayed
great gallantry, as was always his custom on the field. As he
jumped in the ditch, a brave Federal in the front line fired through
the traverse and killed a soldier at his side. He immediately
dropped his empty musket and snatched another from a cowering
comrade to kill Major Etheredge. At this juncture, the Major,
with remarkable self-possession, caught up two Federals who were
crouching in the ditch, and held their heads together between his
determined opponent, swinging them to and fro to cover the sight
of the musket, the Federal doing his best to uncover it so as to
unharm his friends by his bullet. Peter Gibbs, of the Forty-first
Virginia Eegiment, Company E, of Petersburg, rushed to the as
sistance of the Major, and killed his foe. Gibbs was a gallant
soldier, and fought Arith great desperation. It was said at the
time that he slew fourteen men that day.
Captain W. W. Broadbent, the brave commander of the Sharp
shooters, was mercilessly murdered, his skuU was broken in and
almost every square inch of his body was perforated Arith a bayo
net stab.
Although our principal task was completed, yet more heavy
work remained to be done to fully re-establish our lines. Briga
dier-General Bartlet, with about five hundred men, were cooped
up in the Crater, and their capture was the crowning event of the
bloody drama. Our wounded was sent to the rear as fast as pos
sible, and after piling the enemy's dead on each side of the
trenches, to make a pass-way, our ranks were closed up in proper
order. We were then ordered to keep up a sharp fire on the
enemy's works in front to keep them close, and on the Crater to
our right to prevent Bartlet's escape, as our position commanded
his rear, while Saunders' Alabama Brigade formed in the valley
and charged. The Alabamians made a grand charge under a ter
rible fire, reaching the crest of the Crater without faltering, and
here a short struggle ensued. They tumbled muskets, clubs, clods
of earth and cannon balls into the excavation on the heads of the

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 189
enemy with telling effect. This novel warfare, as before stated,
lasted only a few minutes, when Bartlet ordered up the white
flag, and about five hundred prisoners marched to our rear. The
negroes among them were very much alarmed, and vociferously
implored for their lives; One old cornfield chap exclaimed:
"My God, massa, I nebber pinted a gun at a white man in all my
life ; dem nasty, stinking Yankees fetch us here, and we didn't
want to come f us !"
The appearance of this rough, irregular hole beggars descrip
tion. It was estimated that it contained six hundredbodies. The
. importance of re-construcing this broken line of earthworks at
once, prevented the removal of these bodies — therefore, they were
buried as they had fallen, in one indiscriminate heap. Spades
were brought in, and the earth thrown from the side of the Crater
until they were covered a sufficient depth. By 3 o'clock in the
afternoon aU was over, and we were enjoying a welcome truce.
The extreme heat of the sun had already caused putrefaction to
commence, and the bodies in our front and rear, and especially
the blood-soaked earth under our feet in the trenches, exhaled such
a nauseating smell that I was forced to abandon my supper, al
though I had not tasted a morsel of food since the previous night.
There were thousands of captured arms around us, and during
the night some of our men would shoot ramrods at the enemy just
for the fun of hearing them whiz. One that was sent over drew
from a Federal the exclamation, " Great God ! Johnnie, you are
throAring turkey spits and stringing us togefeher over here. Stop
it !" A correspondent of one of the New York dailies, Avriting a de
scription of this battle from accounts obtained from wounded
officers, who arrived at Washington on the 2d of August, 1864,
uses the foUoAring language : " Often have the Confederates won
encomiums for valor, but never before did they fight, with such
uncontrollable desperation. It appeared as if our troops were at
their mercy, standing helpless or running in terror and shot doAvn
like dogs. No such scene has been Aritnessed in any battle of the
war. The charge of the enemy against the negro troops was ter-
riffic. With fearful yells they rushed down against them. The
negroes at once ran back, breaking through the line of white
troops in the rear. Again and again their officers tried to rally
them. Words and blows were useless. They were victims of an
uncontrollable terror, and human agency could not stop them."
Next morning was a bright and beautiful Sabbath, and nothing
of moment occurred. At least three thousand of the Federal
dead were still on the field putrifying under the scorching rays of
the sun. I remember a negro between the lines, who had both
legs blown off, crawled up to the outside of our works, stuck
three muskets in the ground, and threw a small piece of tent

190 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
cloth over them to shelter his head from the hot sunshine. Some
of our men managed to shove a cup of water to him, which he
drank, and immediately commenced frothing at the mouth, and
died in a very short time afterAvards. He had lived in this con
dition for nearly twenty-four hours.
On Monday morning a truce was granted, and the Federals
sent out details to bury their dead between the fines. They dug
a long ditch, and placed the bodies crosswise, several layers up,
and refilled the ditch.
After the Federals had finished burying their dead and were
moving off. General Mahone noticed that they had left the dirt
piled high enough for breastworks, midway between the two lines.
He quickly discerned the danger of this, as it would have af
forded shelter for another assaulting column. He stopped the
burial detail and made them level the ground as they found it.
General Pendleton, commander of the artiUery bf General Lee's
army, was standing near and paid a high compliment to General
Mahone's foresight.
The official reports of the various regiments give the losses- in
the brigade as follows, omitting a number of slightly wounded :
Killed. Wounded. Missing. '
Sixth Eegiment, Col. Geo. T. Rogers, commanding. .13  50.«  !12
Twelfth Reg., Major R. H. Jones, commanding  12  26 
Sixteenth Reg.. Maj. J. T. Woodhouse, coininanding..21  18 
Forty -first Reg., Maj. W. H. Etheredge, commanding..l3  31 
Sixty-flrstReg., Lt. Col. W. H. Stewart, commanding.. 19  43 
78 ] 68 12
Total losses— 258.
General Wdsiger, commanding the brigade, was wounded.
The next battle of importance in which the regiment took part,
was fought on the 19th of August, on the Petersburg and Wel
don Eailroad. This battle is sometimes called Davis' Farm and
sometimes Johnson's Farm, as it took place on both. Warren's
corps had been advanced to the left to occupy a position on the
raUroad, but was attacked by parts of Mahone's and Heth's Di
visions and his works handsomely carried. Twenty-five hundred
•prisoners belonging to Crawford's and Ayers' Divisions were cap
tured, among them, Brigadier-General Hays. Mahone's Brigade
suffered more .severely in this battle than in any other in v^hich
it was engaged. While the main battle was being fought else
where, this brigade was detached to check the advance of rein
forcements and was placed by General Weisiger in a very disad
vantageous position in whicli it was unnecessarily exposed, and
its losses were heavy. After it had been badly cut up. General
Mahone, going to that part of the field, ordered it to fall back to
a better position. It accomplished the object, however, of pre
venting the reinforcements getting up in time. The 61st Eegi-

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 191
ment carried nineteen officers, fifteen ambulance corps and one
hundred and fifty enlisted men to the fight, of whom seven were
killed, fifty-five wounded and fourteen missing. Total, seventy-
six. On the 25th the 61st Eeginient took part in the defeat of Han
cock's corps at Eeams' Station, in which battle Hancock lost
about • three thousand men, of whom seventeen hundred were
captured, with twelve guns and numerous standards.
On the 17th of December Grant sent a large force of infantry,
cavalry and artillery to destroy the Petersburg and Weldon
Eailroad south of Eeams' Station ; but upon reaching Hicksford
December 9th, it was driven back by a Confederate force, among
whom was the 61st Eegiment.
It participated in the battles of Burgess' MUl, October 27th,
1864; Hatcher's Eun, Febraary 6th, 1865; Amelia Court House,
AprU 5*h ; Cumberland Church, April 7th, and surrendered at
Appomattox April 9th. One Colonel, one Lieutenant-Colonel,
three non-commissioned staff, three Captains, two 1st and four
2d Lieutenants, thirteen Sergeants, ten Corporals, seventy-eight
privates, two musicians and one teamster. Total, one hundred
and eighteen.
Below AriU be found their names.
Colonel — Virginius D. Groner.
Lieutenant-Colonel — Wm. H. Stewart.
Captain — Alex. E. Etheredge, Assistant Quarter Master.
Hospital Steward — Henry S. Etheredge.
Ordnance Sergeant — Bartholomew J. Accinelly.
Quarter Master Sergeant — Benjamin T. Tatem.
COMPANY A  SBEGEANTS.
W. E. Dudley, Wm. A. West, Thos. H. Sykes.
coepoeals.
J. N. Wood, W. H. Harrison, Leroy M. West.
PEIVATES.
Columbus C. Cooper, Alex. O. Lee, Simon Mathias,
J. H. MiUer, T. E. Halstead, L. Miller,
J. J. Miller, Josephus Scett, E. Sirills.
COMPANY B.
Second Lieutenant — James A. Stott.
SEEGEANTS.
W. D. Barnard, F. H. Williams, T. WUliams.
First Corporal— J. Beasley.
PEIVATES.
Jacob A. Aydlott, W. A. Cooper, A. Fanshaw,
F. F. Hall, T. W. Hodges, E. Smith,
A. Stewart, 0. W. Wicker.

192 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
COMPANY C  PEIVATES.
J. M. Banks, S. K. Cox, E. Bradley,
G. W. Eason, J. W. Lupton, W. Powers.
COMPANY D.
Second Lieutenant, Julius J. Bilisoly.
PEIVATES.
J. H. Davis, W. C. Costen, A. D. B. Godwin,
Benj. March, Thos. Only, G. Parker.
Teamster, Alex. E. Lester.
COMPANY E.
Captain, Jetson Jett.
SEEGEANTS.
J. M. WUkins, • W. L. S. Wilkins, A. Ives.
COEPOEALS.
Joshua Charlton, Littleton Charlton.
Musician, L. E. Edmonds.
PEIVATES.
M. BaUance, MUton Cutherell, M. Etheredge,
J. E. Foreman, J. F. Grimes, C. W. HaU,
J. S. HaU, F. G. Ives, Geo. Owens,
W. D. Eudd, Chas. C. Williamson.
COMPANY F.
First Lieutenant, E. E. Owens.
First Sergeant, J. J. Anderson.
COEPOEALS.
W. H. Beale, W. B. HoUand.
PEIVATES.
J. Beale, S. Carr, L. Carr,
W. W. Corbitt, B. D. Council, J. Eley,
J. M. Eley, T. Hayes, W. Joyner,
J. Johnson, J. H. Moundfield.
COMPANY G.
Captain, E. E. Moseley.
First Lieut., W. F. Baugh, Second Lieut., J. M. Perkins.
First Sergeant, P. F. Howell.
Corporal, G. W. Collins.
PEIVATES.
K. Cobb, E. H. Cobb, A. Hawkins,
W. A. Harrison, A. Ivey, P. Lee,
J. Mulder, J. S. Nicholson, E. Eeese,
T. Tudor.

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 193
COMPANY H.
Captain, Henry E. Orr.
Second Lieutenant, W. W. Eew.
First Sergeant, E. F. Berryman.
PEIVATES.
A. Harrell, Thos. Hodges, J. F. MiUer,
J. M. McGlone, E. Eobinson, MUls Turner.
COMPANY I.
First Sergeant,. Jno. M. Sherwood.
Corporal, Thomas Collins.
Musician, Joseph J. Smith.
PEIVATES. '
Jos. Beaton, Wm. W. DoUett, Eobt. Duke,
A. J. Fowler, Joseph HoUoway, Edward King,
Albert PoweU, Jos. Tompkins.
COMPANY K  PEIVATES.
Eichard Stafford, E. Sorey.
At the battle of Cumberland Church, Mahone's Division and
General G. T. Anderson's Brigade of Georgians, surrounded a
Federal brigade in a ravine and captured the whole brigade, with ,
their colors, and marched them to Appomattox Court House,
where, upon learning that the army was about to be surrendered,
they asked General Mahone to give them their colors back again,
as it was a matter of pride with the regiments to have them at the
close of the war. General Mahone complied with their request,
and after the surrender of General Lee they were released.
Major McAlpine, after being with the regiment in all of its
toils and triumphs, resigned January 25th, 1865, to raise a battal
ion of Partizan Eangers. A misunderstanding with General
Weisiger was the prime cause of his leaving the regiment. Ad
jutant W. A. S. Taylor resigned in February, 1865, and Sergeant- ,
iMajor Griffin F. Edwards was promoted to that position. He
was severely wounded at Cumberland Church, April 7th, and left
behind on the retreat to Appomattox Court House.
The 61st Virginia was one of the best regiments in the army of
Northern Virginia, and made a record second to none other that
fought beneath its banners.
Lieutenant J. M. Perkins, of Company G, served faithfully
Arith his company throughout the war without having received a
wound, and surrendered at Appomattox. After the surrender he
started for his home in Surry county, and in attempting to ford a
stream near Hicksford, almost within sight of his home,, was
swept under by the current and drowned.
The regiment participated in the following battles, besides nu
merous skirmishes :

194 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Catlett Station, Sept. 29th, '62, Atlee Station, June 1st, 1864,
Fredericksburg, Dec. llth, 12th, Cold Harbor, June 2d and 3d,
ahd 13th, 1862, 1864,
Zoah's Church, April 30th, '63, Turkey Eidge, .(skirmishing)
McCarthy's Farm, May 1st, 63, June 4th to 13th, 1864,
Chancellorsville, May 2d and Frazier's Farm, June 13th, '64,
3d, 1863, Wilcox Farm, June 22d, 1864,
Salem Church, May 3d, 1862, Gurley House, June 23d, 1864,
Gettysburg, July ¦'2d and 3d, Crater, July 30th, 1864,
1863, Davis' Farm, Aug. 19th, 1864,
Bristoe Station, Oct. 14th, '63, Eeams Station, Aug. 25th, '64,
Mine Eun, Dec. 2d, 1863, Burgess' Mill, Oct. 27th, 1864,
Wilderness, May 6th, 1864, Hicksford, Dec. 9th, 1864.
Shady Grove, May 8th, 1864, Hatcher's Eun, Feb. 6th, 1865,
Spotsylvania C. H., May 12th, Amelia C. H., April 5th, 1865,
1864, " Cumberland Church, April 7th,
North Anna Eiver, May 21st 1865,
• to 23d, 1864, Appomattox C. H., April 9th,
Hanover C. H., May 28th and 1865.
29th, 1864,
The regiment»was also engaged in the following battles with the
Federal Cavalry :
Eappahannock Bridge, Nov. 7th, 1862,
Hagerstown, July 6th to llth, 1863,
Culpepper or Brandy Station, Aug. 1st, 1863,
Eeams' Station, June 27th, 1864.
GENEEAL MAHONe's EEPOET OF CHANCELLOESVILLE BArrLE.

Headquaetees Mahone's Beigade, Andeeson's Division,
May 27th, 1863.
Majoe — I beg leave to report the operations of this brigade in
the late battles of the Eappahannock. It is proper to premise
that this brigade, Arith that of General Posey, had been stationed
near the United States ford for the purpose of defending that
crossingof the Eappahannock. ¦•
On Wednesday, April 29th, it was reported to me that the
enemy had made his appearance in force at the Germanna and
Ely's crossings of the Eapidan. This appearance of the enemy on
our flank and rear, rendered our position at the United States ford
no longer tenable, and, with a view to checking his advance on
the flank of our army, as was now clearly discovered to be his
aim, the two brigades — General Posey's and mine — were immedi
ately placed in position near ChancellorsviUe, so as to cover the
roads' from Germanna and Ely's crossings of the Eapidan and that
of the United States ford, uniting at Chancellorsville. In the
meantime our camps, stores, equipage, transportation and such

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 195
were sent to the rear and without any material loss of any of
them. The brigades occupied their positions at Chancellorsville as in
dicated, until next morning, (Thursday, the 30th inst.) when,
under the direction of the Major-General commanding the divi
sion, (who had happily joined us during the night) they fell back
to tne United States Mine road, this brigade at and covering the
crossing of that road by the old turnpike. Before leaving our
position at ChanceUorsville, however, the enemy's cavalry advance
on the Ely's ford road had made its appearance, and after a pre
cipitate advance upon our pickets (capturing several) he subse
quently came upon our rear guard — the 12th Virginia Infantry,
Lieutenant-Colonel E. M. Field commanding — was repulsed, and
so effectually as to leave us free from any further annoyance dur
ing the change of position to which I have already . referred, and
then in process of execution. Shortly after we had taken up our
new position at the intersection of the mine and turnpike roads,
the enemy came down the turnpike in considerable force of cav
alry and infantry, but nothing occurred at this point beyond a
little skirmishing with the sharpshooters and reconnoitering
parties. The next day (Friday, May 1st,) this brigade led on the turn
pike road in the general advance of -our forces, and very shortly
engaged the enemy under General Sykes, when we had quite a
brisk little engagement, infantry and artiUery, Major-General
McLaws commanding. The enemy (United States regulars, many
of whom we captured) was promptly repulsed, and our line of
battle, now fonned, was moved rapidly forward to a point on the
turnpike south of ChanceUorsville, about 1^ miles, known as
McGee's. This brigade continued here with Major-General
McLaw's force, confronting the enemy's line of battle in that
quarter until the next day, when it waS transferred, aiid occupied
our front line, immediately on the left of the plank road. In this
position we continued up to the fall of Chancelkrsville, engaging
the enemy more or less warmly as the progress of General Jack
son's operations on his flank and rear seemed to call for, and as the
range of his (General Jackson's) enfilading fire would allow. It
was during this service of the brigade that the advance line of
skirmishers of the 6tli Virginia Infantry (Colonel George T. Eog
ers) under the immediate command of Captain W. Carter Wil
liams, charged over the enemy's abatis, near the plank road, fired
upon him in his rifle pits, captured there prisoners from four dif
ferent regiments, and- the colors and color-bearer of the 107th
Ohio, returning to his position with his handful of men, with the
loss of an officer as prisoner. This gallant and successful sortie
was made a little after dark Saturday, May 2d, when General
Jackson's fire was heavy, and it was in fighting over the same

196 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.

b

ground the next morning that the vaUiant Williams fell, mortally
wounded. The standard, a most elegantly finished work, was
duly delivered.
Immediately following the fall of Chancellorsville, this brigade
was sent, with a brigade of Major-General McLaw's Division, to
look after the enemy, then reported to be advancing up the plank
road from Fredericksburg, under General SedgArick. Meeting
General Wilcox with his brigade, about the divergence of the
jjlank and turnpike roads, and finding that the enemy was really
and rapidly advancing, it was at once determined to meet him at
Salem Church. At this point, possessing the advantage of ground,
our line was formed.
In the meantime, Major-General McLaws had joined us Arith
the balance of his division. My brigade, in the spirited fight at
this place, occupied the extreme left of the line, lying wholly in
the woods, and participated in the successful resistance made to
the enemy's very determined effort to break our line at that point.
Upon the conclusion of this battle, (Tuesday, May 5th) the brigade
joined its division. The conduct of the officers and men (in brav
ing the hardships and privations attending eight consecutive days
of exposure and excitement, as well as in battles) deserve high
commendation, and at least this acknowledgment at my hands.
The 12th Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel E. M. Field command
ing, for its rigid and efficient resistance of the superior force of
enemy while covering the formation of our line of battle on the
turnpike, Friday, May 1st ; the 6th Virginia, Colonel George T.
Eogers commanding, for its vigorous pressure and bold sOrties
upon the enemy and his works around Chancellorsville Saturday
and Sunday, May 2d and 3d, for its veteraitlike behavior at Salem
Church, receiving without disorder, the enemy's sudden fire, while
moring by the flank, and the 6l8t Virginia, Colonel V. D. Gro
ner, for its gallant and successful skirmish with the enemy during
the formation of our lines at Salem Church, deserve special men
tion, while the part borne by the 16th Virginia, Lieutenant-
Colonel Eichard O. Whitehead commanding, and the 41st Vir
ginia, Colonel William Allen Parham commanding, was every
where, though less ardrous, weU and bravely performed. In this
connection it is but due that I should record here my high appre
ciation of the efficient and gallant conduct of the staff officers with
me — Captain E. Taylor, Assistant Adjutant-General, and First
Lieutenant Eichard Walke, Ordnance Officer.
Among the gallant spirits who were seriously wounded, Captain
Eobert E. Banks, Company E, 12th Virginia Infantry, must be
mentioned. He fell among the foremost in the skirmish fight of
his regiment on the turnpike. May 1st, and was, at that time,
commanding an advance guard. His conduct on this occasion
was beautifully heroic. Tfie number of prisoners taken by the

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 197
brigade was large, but cannot be accurately stated, owing to the
hurried and detached manner in which they had to be sent to the
rear. The casualties of the brigade in aU of these battles were as
follows : Killed Wounded Missing Total
Sixth "Virginia Infantr,y  8 33 6 47
Twelfth Virginia Infantry  5 31 50 86
Sixteenth Virginia Infantry  1 17 18
Forty-flrst Virginia Infantry  6 23 29
Sixty-first Virg-inia Infantry  4 30 3 37
Detail bridge building, Germanna  38 38
Total  24 134 97 255
I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Wm. Mahone,
Brigadier General.
Major Thos. S. Mills, A. A. A. G., Anderson's Division,
1st Corps, Army Northern Virginia.
General E. H. Anderson, commanding the division, in his report
says : " It would be doing an injustice to Brigadier General Ma
hone, to omit to mention his bold, skillful and successful manage
ment, so well seconded by his brave Virginians." He also says :
" Major WiUiam C. Wingfield, chief commissary of the division,
rendered valuable service by careful and unremitting attention to
his duties." THE WOUNDING OF GENEEAL LONGSTEEET.
Colonel Virginius D. Groner, colonel of the 61st Virginia Eeg
iment, Mahone's Brigade, has furnished the writer with an ac
count of the wounding of General Longstreet in the battle of the
WUderness, which, as it differs somewhat from the usually ac
cepted theory of that unfortunate occurence, is here added.
Colonel Groner says Mahone's Brigade was on the extreme right
of Longstreet's line when it advanced and drove the enemy from
its front in utter confusion. That the brigade was formed with
the 6th Eegiment on the left, then the 16th, then the 61st, then
the 41st and the 12th on the right. That in order to turn the
flank of the enemy the brigade was ordered to make a left turn,
the regiments following each other in eschelon. After moving
some distance in this manner through the woods, which were on
flre and strewn thickly Arith dead and wounded men, the 12th
Eegiment became separated from the rest of the brigade, so that
the 41st, which was next to it, became uncovered on its right.
This was communicated to Colonel Groner, who halted that regi
ment and his own and reported to General Mahone that the 12th
Eegiment could not be found. General Mahone then approved
of his halting the 41st and 61st Eegiments, and ordered him to

198 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5
look for the 12th. When the 16th and 6th Eegiments got up on
the hue with the two other regiments, they halted also. Colonel
Groner says the line, thus formed, was about seventy-five yards
from the road in which General Longstreet was wounded, and
that the smoke from the burning woods and the underbrash was
so dense that it would have been impossible to have seen that dis
tance through them. He moved across the road and found the
12th Eegiment coming back. That regiment had crossed the
road, but finding that it had advanced too fast and was alone
there, bad started back to rejoin the brigade, and on its return it
was mistaken by the 41st for the enemy and fired into. He says
as soon as the 41st Eegiment began firing, the regiments to .the
left of it took it up, and there was a general f usUade from the
whole brigade, and that General Longstreet's party were in front
of the position held by the 16th and 6th Eegiments, and he was
struck by the random firing of one of those regiments. He fur
ther says that when he crossed the road to rejoin his regiment,
after finding the 12th Eegiment. he noticed the party of horse
men coming up, but is satisfied that, on account of the thickness
of the undergrowth in the woods and the dense smoke from the
burning leaves, they were not visible from the position occupied
by the brigade. ANOTHEE ACCOUNT.
Captain John T. West, of Company A, 6 1st Virginia Eegiment,
has furnished the author with his recollections of me affair, which
differ quite materially from Colonel Groner's. Captain West
says :
" On the morning of May 6th, 1864, I was in charge of a section
of Mahone's Sharpshooters battalion, commanded by Lieutenant-
Colonel Field, of the 12th Virginia. We were deployed in the
dense forest of the Wilderness, considerably in advance of the
brigade (Mahone's.)
By order of Colonel Field, I had just examined, with a scout
ing party, the woods in our immediate front, and reported that a
brigade of our men had just marched to the left, leaving the front
uncovered, with the enemy a short distance in advance. At this
moment a shot from a single musket came crashing through the
brain of the gallant and daring Acelius G. Foreman, of Company
A, 61st Virginia. Immediately the order forward ran along the
line, and in a few minutes, the brigade coming up at a double
quick, the battle was joined, the Federal line broken and driven
from its position, retreated in disorder. Then followed a running
fight for a mile or more, when the Federals were driven into
corral beyond the plank road. Just as the left of our brigade had
reached, and in part crossed this road, it was ordered to halt and
firing ceased. At this moment the left of the 61st Virginia rested
on or near the road which cut through our line, passing to the

THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 199
right and front at an angle of 30 or 40 degrees, and thus so re-
ceeding from our line of battle, that the regiments to the right of
the 61st could not see, and in all probability did not know that a
road was in their front.
In a very short time after the halt, General Longstreet and
staff, with General Jenkins and brigade, passed to thefront, along
this road, obliquely to our right. The writer and all that portion
of our brigade near the road, saw the movement and understood
it, but the regiments on the right further in the forest and in rear
of the road, did not see it or know that fresh troops were being
marched to their front, hence, when some of the men of one of
these regiments saw indistinctly, through the forest the waving of
the colors of Jenkins' Brigade, and the gleaming of muskets, they
very naturally supposed that the Federals, who had just retreated
in that direction, had rallied and were returning to renew the
battle, and unfortunately, at once opened fire. The firing rapidly
extended through several companies, and was only stopped by
Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Stewart and Captain W. C. Wallace,
who ran rapidly forward, calling out, "Cease firing, you are
shooting down your own men." Only one volley was fired, but
alas, Longstreet was disabled, Jenkins and many officers and men
kUled and an end put to a pursuit which possibly would have
proved a route to Grant's Army."

CHAPTEE XXV.
IN OUTSIDE COMMANDS.
The following Portsmouth men were in companies from
other locahties. There were probably others but they have
passed out of memory, and there are no muster roUs by which it
can be refreshed. The list of wounded is correct as far as it
goes, but probably many were wounded Avho are not so credited
here: Adams, Charles S., private, Signal Corps.
Ashton. R. N., private. Company K, 5th Virginia Cavalry.
j^shton, John C, private, Norfolk Light Artillery Blues.
Alien, Wm. A., private, Harbor Guard, transferred to artillery and lost a
leg at Newberne, N. C.
Brown, John B., private, N. L. A. Blues, a,ppoiiited engineer in Navy.
Brown, Henry C, private. N. L. A. Blujk detailed to work for navy.
Backus, Wm. T., private. Company I, Mth Virginia Cavalry. '
Biiiford, James M., sergeant. Company C, 23d Virginia Cavalry.
Barrett, T. S., Ordnance Department.
Boutwell, L. Warrington, private, Huger Battery.
Brinkley, W. D., private. Company E, 61st Virginia Regiment, died in hos
pital.
Briggs, Wm., C. S. Navy.
Brockett, Wm., private. Company H, 12th Virginia Regiment, appointed
engineer in navy.
Busby, W. A., private. Company I, 9th Virginia Regiment, wounded at
Suffolk.
Bratt, Mark,. private, 2d North Carolina Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Wil
liams.
Butt, Channing M., private Signal Corps.
Bingley, Wm. H., private. Signal Corps, died in hospital 1864.
^allance, John, private Company D, 6th Va,. Regt., died in hospital Sept.
1st, 1862, at Salem.
Blamire, James A., hospital steward, 19th street, Richmond.
Belote, Smith, Company H, 16th Virginia Regiment.
Cooke, Wm. G., private, 4th Virginia Battalion.
Crow, Charles, lieutenant, Purcell Battery, Richmond.
Crow, Benj. M., sergeant, Ist Virginia Regiment, wounded August, 1862, at
Cedar Mountain.
Clarke, W. H., pilot, C. S. Navy, killed iu fight between the Merrimac and
Monitor.
Curlin, Ashwell, private. Company A, 61st Virginia Regiment, killed Wilcox
Farm.
Cherry, Virginius, seaman, C. S. Navy.
Cone, Edward, sea-man, C. S. Navy.
Culpepper, Joseph S., private. Signal Corps.
Dilworth, John R., private. Signal Corps.
Denson, C. B., captain, Company E, 10th N. C. Regiment.
Dunn, Wm. H., private, Norfolk Light Artillery Blues.
Diggs, C. C, private. Company A, 3d Georgia Regiment, wounded July 1st,
1862, Malvern Hill.
Dockerty, Wm., private. Company 1, 13th Virginia Cavalry.
Denson, Jos. E,, private. Company E., 10th N. C. Regiment.
200

IN OUTSIDE COMMANDS. 201
Day, John H., private, N. L. A. Blues, wounded May 3d, 1863, Chancellors
ville.
Deconian, John, private. Company C, 61st Va. Regiment.
Dunn, J. Thos., private, Company F, 41st Va. Regiment.
Diggs, Benj-. H., private. Company A, 61st Va. Regiment.
Downing, Charles W., captain, Cohoon's Battalion.
Doyle, Nathan, private. Company C, 6th Virginia, captured at Gettysburg.
Elliott, Thos., private, Norfolk Light Artillery Blues.
Emmerson, John, corporal. Signal Corps, promoted to captain and A. C. S.
Elliott, John W., private Company D, 6th Virginia, captured at Gettys
burg.
Frestine, J. E., private Ludlow's Company, Norfolk, Company D, 6th Vir
ginia.
Ford, Wm., private, Upshur's Cavalry Coinpany, 13th Virginia.
Godfrey, W. J., private. Company I, 38th Va. Regiment.
Grant, Frank H., private. Company B, i)th Va. Reg-iment.
Grimes, Geo. W., lieutenant. Company G, 17th, N. C. Regiment.
Gray, .lames, seaman, C. S. Navy.
Gallagher, Edward, private. Company H, 61st Va. Regiment.
Gaffne.v, Lawrence, private. Company C, Ist Va. Regiment.
Griffin, Randolph, private. Company C, 3d Georgia Regiment.
Godwin, E. C, private, Signal Corps.
Holt, Wm., private, Stuart's Cavalry, wounded in arm.
Hope, A. M., private, Company H, Sth Va. Cavalry.
Hudgins, R. K., captain. Ordnance Department.
Hudgins, R. D., private. Company A, 3d Va. Battalion.
Haynes, James, private, N. L. A. Blues.
Haynes, Mich., private, Stuart's Cavalry.
Harrell, .Tos. H., private, 13th Va. Cavalry.
Halstead, W. W., private. Company A, 3d Va. Regiment.
Hester, Thos., private. W. H. Rogers' Company.
Hutchins, Edward, private. United Artillery, Norfolk.
Hodges, H. H., private. Captain Chalmouth's Company.'
Halstead, Chris., private. Company K, 61st Virginia Regiment, wounded
June 22d, 1864.
Hatton, Wm. L., private. Signal Corps.
Hull, Jacob B., private. Signal Corps.
Handy, F. A. 6., private. Signal Corps.
Handy, Moses P., courier.
•Hume, John H., private. Signal Corps, detailed in "Tax in kind" Depart
ment, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and appointed to command Company C, Wood's
Battalion, Alabama Reserves.
Huestis, B. H., private, Compan.y E, 32d Va. Regiment.
Jordan, .Tos. P., private. Company D, 6th Va. Regiment.
Jones, B. G., private. Company A, 16th Va. Regiment.
Jarvis, Alex., private. Company E, 61st Va. Rsgiment, killed at the Crater.
Jenkins, Chas. E., private. Signal Corps.
James, Stephen, private. Artillery Company, Richmond.
Jarvis, W. R., carpenter's mate, C. S. Navy.
Knott, Elvington, private. Company C, 13th Va. Cavalry.
Kreiger, Geo. A., sergeant. Company M, 2d Va. Reserves.
King, Geo., pnvate, Jackson's Division.
Keeter, W. W., private. Company I, 9th Va. Regiment, died in hospital.
Knight, Geo., private. United Artillery.
Lattimer, C. C, corporal, Huger Battery, eye shot out near Petersburg.
Lane, James, private. Company E, 61 st Virginia Regiment, killed at Cold
Harbor.
Lassiter, John, private. Company I, 9th Va. Eegiment, mortally wounded,
Warrenton Springs.
14

202 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
Lilliston, Robt. W., private. Company C, 6th Va. Regiment, Drum Major
Mahone's Brigade.
Liverman, H. H., private. Company A, 3d Va. Regiment, wounded Frazier s
Farm and Gettysburg.
Livesey, James E., private. Signal Corps.
Levy, Richard B., private. Signal Corps.
Lanier, Samuel; private, Graham's Battery, Petersburg.
Minter, Wm. R., private. Naval Brigade, surrendered at Appomattox.
Maupin, Geo. W. O, Jr., private, N. L. A. Blues.
Mahoney, E. N., private, Richmond Howitzers.
McMahon, Hugh, private, C. S. Navy.
Moore, George T., private, C. S. Navy.
McLane, J. A., private. Company E, 61st Va. Regiment.
Moore, F. M., private. Signal Corps.
Martin, John, private. Harbor Guard (Young's).
Nimmo, John, lieuteniiut, Richmond Howitzer's.
Niemeyer, H. Woodis, captain's clerk, C. S. Navy, killed at Island No. 10.
Nash, V. W., lieutenant, 32d Va. Regiment.
Nash, Wm. C., private. Signal Corps.
Owens, Joseph T., captain. Company D, 26th Va. Regiment, wounded June
16th, 1864, near Petersburg.
Owens, B. H., private. Signal Corps.
Parker, Wm. H., private. Signal Corps.
Peters, Osmond, Captain of Artillery, C. S. Army:, and assigned to ordnance
duty.
Porter, Robert, private, N, L. A. Blues.
Peed, C. C, private, Company G, Naval Brigade.
Parker, .Jos. A., private, McNeil's Independent Cavalry,
Palmer, Geo. 0. N., private. Company 1, 15th Va. Cavalry, discharged for
disabiht.y.
Parker, Stafford H., lieutenant, ordnance, lost an arm.
Parker, Wm. S., private, commissary department, 61st Va. Regiment.
Pierce, Elisha, private, Company I, 6th Va. Regiment.
Peters, Wm. R., private. Signal Corps.
Peters, Osmond, Jr., private. Signal Corps.
Pedrick, C. W., hospital steward.
Parker, Geo. D., captain battery Whitworth guns. Fort Ffsher.
Rainier, John T., corporal, N. L. A. Blues.
Roberts, John B., private, N. L. A. Blues.
Rogers, Chas. E., private. Company B., 6l8t Va., died in hospital April
12th, 1863.
Riley, Otey, C. S. Navy.
Ross, Joseph, private, 4th Georgia Regiment.
Ricketts, Augustus, private, Letcher Rangers.
Reynolds, Robert E., private, N. L. A. Blues, died in prison. Point Lookout.
Reed, Washington, private. Signal Corps.
Sullivan, Robert, petty officer, C. S. Nav.y.
Smith, James, private, N. L. A. Blues.
Smith, R. W., private. Company 1, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Smith, 0. v., corporal, Richmond Howitzers.
Shannon, Thos., lieutenant. Company F, 8th N, C. Regiment.
Sale, Geo, L., hospital steward.
Smith, Williamson, private. Company A, 16th Va. Regiment.
Saunders, W. D. B., private. Company K, 6l8t Va. Regiment, killed Spotsyl
vania C. H.
Stokes, Lemuel, private, 13th Va. Cavalry.
Spaulding, John A., private. Company I, 9th Va. Regiment.
Spooner, Alfred B., private. Signal Corps.
Scott, Thos., private, Signal Corps.
Sullivan, Henry, sergeant, Company C, 1st Va. Regiment, wounded, 2d Ma-

IN OUTSIDE COMMANDS. 203
Sullivan, Anthony, C. S. Navy, killed 1864, boarding the U. S. Str. Under
writer in North Carolina.
Thompson, E. Jr., private, N. L. A. Blues.
Tyler, Julius H., Company B, 16th Virginia Regiment, surrendered at Ap
pomattox.
Tyler, Henry C, private. Company B, 16th Virginia Regiment, surrendered
at Appomattox.
Thomas, L. W., lieutenant, Company D. 26th Va. Regiment.
Tatem, John F., private. Company F, 41st Va. Regiment.
Toomer, Chas. H., lieutenant, 41st Alabama, Gracie's Brigade, was in 30
battles, in which his company lost men killed, and 10 others in which it
had men wounded.
Toomer, Shelton, private, 3d Alabama Regiment, lost leg at Malvern Hill
July Ist, 1862, and name placed on roll of honor of the regiment for
gallantry in battle.
Turner, D. J. Jr., private. Signal Corps.
Tabb, Chas., private. Signal Corps.
Veale, Amos B., was probably the youngest soldier in the Confederate army.
He enlisted in Company H, 59th Va. Regiment as a drummer, at the
age of eleven years, and Captain Neblett, of the company, in a commu
nication to the Richmond Dispatch in thesummerof 1891, said: When
ever the regiment went into a fight, Veale laid aside his drum, got a
musket and did as good shooting as anyone in it. He lived through the
war without having received a wound.
Vickers, J. E., private, Huger's Battery.
Williamson, (larance H., private, N. L. A. Blues.
Wilkerson, Nathaniel, private. Company — , 13th Va. Cavalry.
Walker. C. W., courier. Gen. Blanchard, and in Naval Brigade,
Wiersdorf, Edward, 6th Va. Regiment, musician.
Webb, Richard, private. Company B, 13th Va. Cavalry.
Williams, J. Q. A., C. S. Navy.
Walton, D. S., engineer corps, C. S. Army.
White, Wm. F., captain. Company B, 6th Va. Regiment.
Wootten, Peck, private, Wythe Rifles. •
Wagner, Lewis, private. Company E, 61st Va. Regiment.
WiUiamson, Chas. C, private. Company E, 61st Va. Regiment, surrendered
at Appomattox.
Woodward, Jas. T., private, Coii:pan,y — , 13th Va. Cavalry.
Williams', Daniel A., sergeant, 17th N. C. Regiment.
Wright, Wm., private. Company C, 61st Va. Regiment.
Wallace, Solon, private. Company C, 61st Va. Regiment.
Wilkerson, Samuel, private. Company H, 12th Va. Regiment.
Widgeon, John T., lieutenant. Company F, 41st Va. Regiment, killed at
Chancellorsville. '
Whitehurst, D, W., sergeant. Company F, 41st Va. Regiment.
White, Wm. , sergeant. Company D, 6th Va. Regiment, transferred to navy
January 22d, 1864.'
Wright, Benj., private. Company E, 61st Va. Regiment, killed, Spotsylvania
Court House.
Welsh, Patrick, private. North Carolina Regiment.
Whitehurst, John, private, 2d N. C. Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Williams.
White, Wm. A., private. Signal Corps.
White, James C. Jr., private. Signal Corps.
Wilson, St. Julien, lieutenant. Company C, 61st Va. Regiment, killed at the
Crater.
Young, John W., private. Signal Corps.
Killed and died— 19. FEOM NORFOLK COUNTT.
The following Norfolk county men were in the Eandolph Dra-

204 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6
goons. Company C, 13th Virginia Cavalry, which was raised
principally in Nansemond county :
Second Lieutenant, Wm. F. Wise, wounded October llth, 1863, at Brandy
Station, and April 6th, 1865, at Saylor's Creek.
First Sergeant, Keely Harrison.
Sergeant, I. 0. Ivy. PRIVATES.
Bunting, Lloyd, wounded at Slaughter's Mountain.
Capps, Andrew J., captured at Stoney Creek, 1864, and died in prison at
Point Lookout.
Dennis, Samuel.
Dennis, M. W., discharged 1862, for sickness.
Driver, Elliott J., wounded 1863, at Middleburg, Loudoun county.
Duke, Hardy.
Duke, Henry.
Dunford, Emanuel.
Ford, Wi^.
Knott, Elvington, wounded, 1865, at Five Forks and captured.
Parker, Robert.
Skeeter, Joseph.
Spivey, Jethro, wounded. 1863, at Dutch Gap.
Spivey, Henry, died 1862.
Stokes, Lemuel, wounded at Snicker's Gap.
Wilson, Andrew J., wounded May, 1864, at Yellow Tavern.
Killed and died— 2.
Lieutenant Wise had a varied experience during the war. He
was elected a lieutenant in the Craney Island ArtUlery, Company
I, 9th Virginia Infantry, but declined, and joined a company of
students from the University of Virginia, Company G, 59th Vir
ginia ifeegiment (3d Eegiment Wise's Legion) and went through
the West Virginia campaign with it. The company was dis
banded by order of the Secretary of War on the ground that " so
much valuable material should be distributed for the good of the
service." He was then temporarily with General Eandolph at
Suffolk as civil engineer, and upon the organization of Company
C, 13th Virginia' Cavalry, was elected 2d Lientenant. He was
wounded October llth, 1863, at Brandy Station, and while dis
abled from active service, was acting assistant commissary to
Major W. A. Shepherd at Weldon. He rejoined the regiment
May 1st, 1864, while still unable to dismount or walk without as
sistance, and was assigned to temporary duty as aid to General
Chambliss, but his wound breaking out afresh, he was examined
by a medical board and retired as unfit for serrice. He, however,
again rejoined the company on the Petersburg lines, and was ac
tively engaged on the retreat from that city. He was wounded
at Saylor's Creek April 6th, 186'5, taken prisoner in the hospital
by the enemy a day or two subsequently, and taken to a hospital
in Washington, from which he was released May 21st, ,1 865, and
returned to his home in the Western Branch section of Norfolk
county.

IN OUTSIDE COMMANDS. 205
In addition to the foregoing the author aan recall the foUoAring
Norfolk county men who were in the Confederate service, but
whose names do not appear elsewhere :
Armistead, B. A., sergeant, Compan.y I, 13th Va. Cavalry.
Baxter, 0. F., private. Company I, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Drummond, H. P. P., private. Company 1, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Drummond, Thos. F., private. Company F, 46th Va. Regiment.
Griffin, John T., captain and civil engineer, Petersburg fortifications.
Fisher, Laben J., private. Company C, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Halstead, W. F., private. Company 1, 15th Va. Cavalry,
Hodges, John M., private, N. L. A. Blues.
Happer, George D. W., private, Wise's Legidn, cavalry.
Ives, Luther C., private. Company I, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Johnston, James, mustering and inspecting officer, Huger's Division.
James, Cornelius, private. Company F, 3d Va. Infantry.
Jones, John, seaman in the nav.v.
James, Edward, private. Company F, 3d Virginia Infantry.
King, James, private, Company F, 3d Virginia Infantry.
Kilby, John, private. Company F, 3d Virginia Infantry.
King, Goodman, seaman in the navy.
King, Moscoe, private. Company K, 3d Va. Infantry.
Lawrence, Albert, Company F, 3d Virginia Infantry.
Lynch, Samuel, private, 7th N. C. Regiment.
Mortin, Eugene S., private. Signal Corps, killed on Appomattox river.
Outten, E. A., private. Company 1, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Maund, David W., private. Signal Corps.
Richardson, John W., drummer, Company F, 3d Va. Regiment.
Smith, Samuel, private. Company I, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Scott, Jas. E., private. Company 1, 15th Va. Cavalry.
Spaight, Henry, private, 68th North Carolina Regiment.
Taylor, Jas. B., private. Company F, 3d Va. Infantry.
Wilson, Thos., private, Louisiana Guard Artillery.
Wallace. Geo. W., private. Signal Corps.
White, Wra. H., private, V. M. I. Cadets.
Woodhouse, W. W., private, Mosby's Rangers.
Waterfield, John, private, 7th N. C. Regiment.
Willey, John M., private, 68th N. C. Regiment.
White, Fred. A., private. Signal Corps.
Williamson, Wm. A., private. Signal Corps.
Killed and died — 1.

CHAPTEE XXVI.
THE ST. bride's CAVALEY, COMPANY F, FIFTEENTH VIRGINIA.
This was one of the largest and best equipped cavalry compa
nies in the Confederate service. Its members belonged princi
pally in St. Bride's Parish of Norfolk county, and from that it
obtained its name. It was organized at the beginning of the
war and was mustered into' service under the following officers :
Captain — John C. Doyle.
First Lientenant, Moses Myers ; 2d Lieutenant, Wm. Johnson ;
3d Lieutenant, Charles Johnson.
The company was attached to Burroughs' Cavalry Battalion
and did picket duty on the beach from SeaAvell's Point to Ocean
View from its 'organization until the CA'acuation of Norfolk by
the Confederates, when it moved to Petersburg and from there
to Eichmond. Upon arriving at the latter city it was ordered to
join Johnston's army, then in the vicinity of Seven Pines, and did
picket duty there. Shortly after the battle of Seven Pines it was
consolidated with Critcher's cavalry battalion into a regiment and
Critcher was made Colonel. The regiment was numbered the
15th, and the St. Bride's company became Company F. It was
well mounted, well equipped and composed of excellent material.
Colonel Critcher did not remain long with the regiment but re
signed in the summer of 1862 He was sutoceeded in command
by Colonel William F. Ball, who was stationed with the regiment
in the summer and fall of 1862 on the upper EappahannocK river
guarding the fords and watching the movements of the enemy.
In November the regiment was assigned to the brigade of General
W. H. F. Lee, and when General Lee was promoted to Major
General the brigade was placed under the command of Brigadier
General Lomax. ' ^
It will be impossible in this short sketch to foUoAV the company
through the numerous battles and skirmishes in which it was en
gaged. It was in active service in front until the close of the
war, doing picket and scouting duty while the army was station
ary, marching in front when it was on the advance and guarding
the rear 'when it was faUing back. It participated in all of the
battles in 'which the regiment was engaged. The officers who
were elected at the reorganization remained with it until the close
of the war and were fortunate in not being killed or disabled.
WhUe General Lee's army Avas in Maryland in September, 1862,
the line of the Eapidan river was held by the 15th Virginia Cav
alry, the 61st Virginia, and the Norfolk Light ArtiUery Blues,
and its duties there were very arduous and its skirmishes with the
206

ST. BRIDE'S CAVALRY, CO. F, FIFTEENTH VIRGINIA. 207
enemy were frequent. It had an engagement of considerable
magnitude at Falmoath with the advance of General Burnside's
army on its march to Fredericksburg in November, 1862, and
General Lee in his official report gives it the credit of having
prevented it from crossing the river. In March, 1862, at the re
organization of the company all of the old officers were thrown
out and left the company. The officers enumerated in the follow
ing list of names were elected.
Below will be found the roll of the company :
Captain John F. Cooper, captured at Louisa, Va.
First Lieutenant James L. Northern.
Second Lieutenant William H. Wilkins, captured Culpepper C. H.
Third Lieutenant Lemuel J. Pritchard, wounded at Louisa, Va.
First Sergeant Columbus W. Foreman, wounded near Culpepper C. H. June,
1864.
Second Sergeant William T. Smith.
Third Sergeant Roscoe H. Brown.
Fourth Sergeant John F. Old, wounded near Fredericksburg December 13th,
1862.
First Corporal Edgar N. Outten, captured at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
Second Corporal John J. Wilson.
Third Corporal William F. Ashly, killed near Petersburg, 1865.
Fourth Corporal William Pritchard, died in hospital ] 863, Richmond.
PRIVATES.
Ansel, John H., died in hospital.
Barnes, William H.
Bunting, George S.
Brown, William B.
Berry, John, died in prison Point Lookout.
Berry, Samuel, wounded Orange Court House.
Brice, George D.
Bullock, .Joseph A.
Cooper, Arthur.
Cooper, Edward P., discharged 1862, over age.
Culpepper, Daniel M., killed near Fredericksburg 1863.
Cox, 'Thomas, transferred to a North Carolina regiment.
Coleburn, Wm.
Creamer, James.
Creekmore, John J., killed near Fredericksburg 1863.
Creekmore, Alex. O., killed near Fredericksburg 1863.
Davis, Charles T., discharged 1862, disability.
DaAQS, Gideon V., discharged 1862, over age.
Denby, Andrew J., discharged 1862, over age.
Denby, Edward.
Dixon, Ralph.
Etheredge, Dennis, captured at Louisa, Va.
Eason, Israel.
Fentress, Joshua.
Fentress, David, discharged 1863, disability.
Fentress, Wm. H., died in 1862 in hospital.
Fentress, James, wounded at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
Foreman, Claudius T.
Foreman, Wm. H.
Foreman, Alex.
Frlzzell, Joseph.
Frizzell, John.

208 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Fulford, Arthur, ca,ptured at Culpepper C. H.
Forbes, Peter S.
Flora, John T., transferred to a North Carolina regiment.
Fiske, James W.
Fiske, Richard B., captured at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
Gammon, John W.
Gilbert, Timothy, captured at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
Grandy, Thomas G. , transferred to a North Carolina regimen t.
Gornto, David T., discharged 1862, disability.
Guy, Benjamin F.
Hancock, Wm. S., wounded at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
Hawkins, Wallace W.
Hancock, Francis A., discharged 1863, disability.
Harrison, Joseph M.
Hardy, J. Henry Clay.
Hanbury, Miles A.
Hanbury, Wm. T.
Hearriug, Edward L.
Hewlet, Ambrose.
Holmes, Wm. H., discharged 1862, over age.
Holmes, Henry, killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Holland, Wm., killed.
Humphries, Samuel.
Ironmonger, Thomas W., discharged 1862, over age.
Jennings, Noah M., killed in Pasquotank county, North Carolina, by Buf
faloes.
Jordan, Edward, discharged 1862, disability.
Joliff, Josiah.
Johnson, James V., transferred to Navy.
Lee, James W.
Larke, Robert W., discharged 1862, disability.
Lockheart, John.
Martin, .Japies G., discharged 1862, disability.
Martin, James E.
McPherson, Thomas G.
Mears, Elvington R., discharged 1862, over age.
Miller, Augustus.
Miller, James.
Munden, David T.
Nicholas, Willoughby L., captured at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
Old, James Y.
Parsons, Napoleon B.
Petty, Wm.
Pitts, Andrew J.
Peyton, Joseph A.
Robinson, Lemuel D.
Reid, Wm. C, transferred to Navy 1862.
Russell, Thomas R.
Simpson, Wm.
Stroud, Edward, discharged 1862, over age,
Sykes, Cornelius, furnished substitute 1862.
Sanderliii, John, transferred to a North Carolina regiment.
Sylvester, Keehng, killed in Camden county, North Carolina, by Buffaloes.
Steward, Solomon.
Sadler, Robert.
Slack, Edward.
Tabb, Robert B., wounded accidentally at Fredericksburg, disabled and
discharged.
Tyson, Wm. G., died in hospital 1863, Richmond.
Warden, Kosciusco, captured at Yellow Tavern May, 1864.

ST. BRIDE'S CAVALRT, CO. F, FIFTEENTH VIRGINIA. 209
Williams, David, wounded accidentally and disabled.
Wilson, Amsey W., killed Yellow Tavern May, 1864.
White, Thomas J.
Whitemore, Marchant, died from wounds.
Wilkins, Thomas B.
Williamson, Joshua J., died.
Wallace, Solomon, killed near Fredericksburg 1862.
Wilson, George A., furnished substitute 1862.
Killed and died— 17.

CHAPTEE XXVII.
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICEES.
The following field and staff officers from Portsmouth and
Norfolk county served in the Confederate army :
FEOM POETSMOUTH.
Brigadier General Archibald C. Godwin, killed August 18th, 1864, at the
battle of Winchester, Early's Valley campaign.
Colonel James Gregory Hodges, 14th Virginia Regiment, killed July 3d,
1863, at Gettysburg.
Colonel John C. Owens, Oth Virginia Regiment, killed July 3d, 1863, at Get
tysburg.
Colonel David J. Godwin, 9th Virginia Regiment, lived through the war.
Colonel Bristor B. Gayle, 12th Alabama Regiment, killed September 14th,
1862, at Boonsboro, or South Mountain.
Colonel James Giles, 29th Virginia Regiment, lived tiirough the war.
Lieutenant Colonel James C. (Council, 26th Virginia Regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel G. G. Luke, 56th North Carolina Regiment, lived
through the war.
Lieutenant Colonel Wm. F. Niemeyer, 61st Virginia Regiment, killed May
12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania Court House.
Major Giles B. Cooke, Assistant Inspector General on the staff of General
R. E. Lee, lived through the war.
Major John Q. Richardson, 52d North Carolina Regiment, killed July 3d,
1863, at Gettysburg.
Major Charles R. McAlpine, 61st Virginia Regiment, lived through the war.
Major William James Richardson, 9th Virginia Regiment, lived through tbe
war.
Captain Stephen A. Cowley, Adjutant General Quarles Division, killed at
Franklin, Tenn., 1864.
Captain James W. Riddick, Assistant Adjutant General Scales' North Caro
lina Brigade, severely wounded but lived through the war.
Adjutant John W. H. Wrenn, 3d Virginia Regiment, liveS through the war.
Adjutant James F. Crocker, 9th Virginia Regiment, lived through the war.
Adjutant Levin Gayle, 12th Alabama Regiment, lived through the war.
Adjutant Edward B. Ward, 16th Virginia Regiment, lived through the war.
Adjutant John S. Jenkins, 14th Virginia Regiment, killed July 3d, 1863, at
Gettysburg.
Adjutant Alexander E. Butt, 41st Virginia Eegiment, killed May 3d, 1863,
at Chancellorsville. FEOM NORFOLK COUNTY.
Colonel William White, Fourteenth Virginia Regiment, lived through the
war.
Lieutenant Colonel Willinm H. Stewart, Sixy-first Virginia Regiment lived
through the war. '
Lieutenant Colonel George A. Martin, Thirty-eighth Virginia Regiment lived
through the war. '
Major William H. Etheredge, Forty-first Virginia Regiment, lived through
the war. ^
Adjutant John F. Stewart, Third Virginia Regirawit, lived through the war
Adjutant Griffin F. Edwards, Sixty-first Virginia Regiment, lived throuch
the war. - ^
Adjutant William S. Wright, Sixty-first Virginia Regiment, died in 1863 of
congestive chill. 210

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. 211
MEDICAL CORPS.
Below wUl be found the names of the Portsmouth men who
were in the Medical Corps of the army :
Dr. H. F. Butt, Brigade Surgeon, Daniels' North Carolina Brigade.
Dr. V. B. Bilisoly, Surgeon of an Alabama regiment and at hospital, Selma.
Dr. W. M. Cocke, Assistant Surgeon Fourteenth Virginia Regiment, mor
tally wounded in April, 1865, near Petersburg and died in Old Capitol
prison.
Dr. J. M. Covert, Surgeon Louisiana Regiment, Hayes' Brigade.
Dr. James Parrish, Brigade Surgeon Mahone's Brigade, and subsequently
Brigade Surgeon of Chambliss' Cavalry Brigade.
Dr. B. H. Parker, Assistant Surgeon Thirty-second North Carolina Regi
ment and Surgeon Rhodes' Division hospital.
Dr. Jesse C. Shannon, Assistant Surgeon North Carolina regiment.
Dr. Franklin J. White, Surgeon in hospital, Richmond, and subsequently in
Kirkland's North Carolina Brigade.
Dr. Edwin M. Watts, Surgeon Simms' Brigade, Georgia.
Dr. Thomas H. Wingfield, Assistant Surgeon on staff of General R. E. Lee.
FEOM NOEFOLK COUNTY.
Dr. William E. Kemble, Surgeon North Carohna Brigade.
Dr. I. J. Cherry, Assistant Surgeon Chimborazo Hospital.
QUAETEEMASTEES AND COMMISSAEIES.
The following Portsmouth men held commissions in the Quar
termaster and Commissary Departments :
Robert M. Boykin, Captain and A. C. S. Young's Cavalry Brigade.
John K. Cooke. Major and Purchasing Agent.
A. E. Etheredge, Captain and A. Q. M. 6l8t Virginia Regiment.
John Emmerson, Captain and A. C. S. Southwest Virgiiiia.
George W. Grice, Major and Purchasing' Commissary at Augusta, Ga.
J. Madison Hudgins, Captain and A. C. S. Army of Northern Virginia.
Thomas W. Pierce, Major and C. S. Army of Northern Virginia.
Wm. H. Peters, Navy Agent Charlotte, N. C.
William Sherwood, Captain and A. Q. M. Mahone's Bjigade.
Arthur E. Wilson, Captain and Commissars' 14th Virginia Regiment.
Wm. C. Wingfield, Major and C. S. Mahone's Division.
FEOM NOEFOLK COUNTY.
John R. White, Captain and A. C. S. 3d Virginia Regiment and Purchasing
Commissary on BlacRwater river.
George D. Old, Captain and A. C. S. 61st Virginia Regiment.
General Archibald C. Godwin was engaged in business in
North Carolina at the beginning of the war and received a staff
appointment. He was afterwards appointed Colonel of the 57th
North Carolina Eegiment of Law's Brigade, Hood's Division,
and proved himself to be a gallant soldier. His regiment distin
guished itself at the battle of Fredericksburg December 13th,
1862. That was its first engagement and its ranks had not been
depleted by sickness and battle. A brigade of the enemy, under
cover of the banks of a creek which empties into the Eappahan
nock about two miles below Fredericksburg, approached the Con
federate lines and took up a position in the railroad cut. Colonel
Godwin charged them Arith his regiment and drove them out. He
was promoted to Brigadier General in 1864 and was killed on the

212 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
18th of August in the battle nea,r Winchester in Early's Valley
campaign. Colonel James Geegoey Hodges was born in Portsmouth on
the 28th of December, 1829, and embraced the medical profes
sion. He located in Portsmouth, and at the breaking out of the
war he had quite a lucrative practice. He was popular with the
people of that city and they testified their appreciation of his
worth by electing him to the position of Mayor. When Governor
Letcher issued his call for volunteers in April, 1861, at the" com
mencement of hostilities, Colonel Hodges was in command of the
3d Virginia Volunteers, composed of the military companies of
Portsmouth and Norfolk county, but was transferred by Gov
ernor Letcher to the llth Eegiment, which was on duty vrith
General Magruder on the Peninsula near Yorktown. Pie was
actively engaged in the battles of Williamsburg, Seven Pines,
Malvern HUl, Sharpsburg, Suffolk and Gettysburg, and was pres
ent with his regiment, though not actively engaged, at the battles
of Second Manassas and Fredericksburg. At Malvern Hill he
was stunned by the explosion of a shell near him and part of his
hair was burned by it. He was complimented in the report of
General Armistead, his brigade commander, for gallantry and
good conduct on this occasion. At the battle of Sharpsburg, and
for some time after, he had command of Armistead's Brigade in
the absence of General Armistead, who was appointed to com
mand the provost guard of the army, and was killed July 3d,
1863, while leading his regiment at the stone wall in the charge
of Pickett's Division at Gettysburg. His remains were buried
on the battle field by the enemy and his grave was not marked.
His family have, therefore, not been able to find them.
Colonel John C. Owens was born in Mathews county, Vir
ginia, March 19th, 1830, and removed to Portsmouth with ^his
parents when quite a small boy. When the war broke out he
was Captain of the Portsmouth Eifle ComjDany, one of the best
equipped and most popular companies in the city. He responded-
promptly to Governor Letcher's call and was mustered into ser
vice with his company, which numbered more than a hundred
men, and was assigned to the 9th Eegiment as Coinpany G. He
commanded the company at the battle of Pig Point, in which it
drove off the U. S. steamer Harriet Lane, June 5th, 1861, and in
May, 1862, at the reorganization of the 9th Virginia Eeghnent
was promoted to Major of the regiment. He was with the regi
ment at Seven Pines and, during the Seven Days' battles when
Huger's Division was moving doAvn the Charles City road with
orders to cut off McCleUan's retreat. Major Owens became impa
tient at the slowness with which the division was being moved,
and, fearing that McClellan would slip by before the division
reached the place at which it was expected to intercept him

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. 213
urged upon General Huger the importance of moving faster and
of making fcAver and shorter halts. He offered to take the ad
vance with the 9th Eegiment or any other force General Huger
might place under his command and proceed rapidly untU he met
a force of the enemy sufficient to stop him, but General Huger
would not accede to his request. McOleUan did slip by, escaped
with his army, and the useless waste of life at Malvern Hill fol-
loAved. Major Owens was wounded August 28th, 1862, at War
renton Springs but remained with the regiment through the
Maryland campaign, on its return to Fredericksburg, on its march
to Suffolk in the spring of 1863, and in June, 1863 was promoted
to the position of Colonel of the regiment. On the 3d of July,
1863, he led the regiment in the charge of Pickett's Division at
Gettj'sburg and was shot through the body with a shrapnel when
a little more than half way across the field. He was taken to the
field hospital in rear of the lines and died about two o'clock that
night and was buried there. He was a quiet, modest man, but
determined in the discharge of his duty. He died as he fought,
bravely and AA'ithont a murmur. After the war his remains were
brought back to Portsmouth and interred in Oakwood cemetery.
Colonel David J. Godavin was born in Suffolk in 1829 and
removed to Portsmouth in 1853 and began the practice of law.
Before the Avar he was several times elected Commonwealth's At
torney of Portsmouth and at the breaking out of hostilities was
Lieutenant Colonel of the old 3d Virginia Volunteer Eegiment of
Portsmouth and Norfolk county, but was relieved by Governor
Letcher. At the time of the evacuation of Portsmouth by the
Confederates he was engaged in raising a regiment of heavy ar
tillery, and after Huger's Division was moved to Petersburg in
May, 1862, he was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the 9th "Virginia
Eegiment and was promoted to Colonel. He commanded the
regiment at the battle of Seven Pines, June -1st, 1863, and the
horse which he was riding was wounded by a minie ball. This
caused him to rear and plunge and he struck Colonel Godwin's
leg against a tree, bruising it quite painfully. This disabled him
temporarily and he was assigned to other duty and did not rejoin
the regiment. He commanded a cavalry detachment in 1863
which was operating in the neighborhood of Gloucester Point.
Colonel Beistoe B. Gayle was born in Portsmouth April
19th, 1839, and was educated at the Virginia Military and CoUe-
g-iate Institute in Portsmouth. At the breaking out of the war
he was teaching school in Alabama and raised a company of in
fantry at Summerville, which was organized with the 12th Ala
bama Eegiment. At the reorganization of the regiment in May,
1862 Captain Gayle was elected Lieutenant Colonel, and at the
death of the Colonel, who was kUled at Seven Pines, was pro
moted to Colonel. The regiment came to Virginia in 1861 and

214 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
was attached to Eodes' Brigade. It followed the fortunes of
that gallant organization through the campaigns of 1862 and
marched with it into Maryland. Eodes' Brigade, with other
commands, was stationed at Boonsboro, or South Mountain, to
hold in check McClellan's army until Jackson could succeed in
the capture of Harper's Ferry and the army could be concentrated
at Sharpsburg. The enemy attacked Eodes' Brigade at Boons
boro on the 14th of September, ¦ and after a stubborn fight, in
which the enemy was checked until it was too late for them to
relieve Harper's Ferry, the brigade was withdrawn under the
cover of night. Colonel Gayle was killed in the battle and his'
body was left on the field when the regiment fell back. He was
just a little more than twenty-three years old. General D. H.
Sill, to whose command he was attached, spoke of him as " a
most gallant and accomplished officer." Captain E. E. Park,
who commanded the skirmish line of the 12th Alabama, thus de
scribes his death : " The enemy pushed forward and soon came
upon Colonel Gajle and the rear support. He was ordered to
surrender, but drawing his pistol and firing into their faces, he
exclaimed : ' We are flanked, boys, but let's die in our tracks,'
and continued to fire until he was literally riddled with bullets,
and surrendered up his pure, brave young spirit to the God who
gave it." [Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol. 1, No. 6,
page 437.]
LiEUTENANT-CoLONEL G. G. LuKE was bom in Portsmouth Oc
tober 19th, 1833, and was a grandson of Isaac Luke, who more
than a hundred years ago was one of the best known and most
prominent citizens of Portsmouth, and whose remains are in
terred in the burying ground attached to Trinity Episcopal
Church. He was educated at the public schools in Portsmouth
and in Partridge's MUitary Academy, and at the beginning of
the war was teaching school in Camden county. North Carolina,
and preparing for the practice of law. He- raised a company of
twelve months troops in Camden county, the North Carolina De
fenders, Company H, 32d North Carolina Eegiment. but his com
pany was ordered to Fort Hatteras and attached to the 17th North
Carolina. It was captured with that fort. Upon being ex
changed he raised another company for the war and was assigned
to "the 56th North Carolina Eegiment, Eansom's Brigade, and
promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. He led the charge of the bri
gade at the capture of Plymouth, was in the fighting around New
berne, was severely wounded at the battle of Drury's Bluff May
16th, 1864, was Arith the brigade in its battles around Petersburg,
and was captnred at Five Forks.
Lieutenant-Colonel William F. Niemeyee was born in
Portsmouth May 12th, 1840, of a family which had long resided
there, and was appointed a cadet in the MUitary Academy at

BJELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. 215
West Point in June, 1857, which position he resigned in May,
1861, and tendered his services to Governor Letcher. The first
year of the war he was assigned to the duty of driUing and su
perintending the equipping of the new companies which were
being organized in the counties adjacent to Norfolk and Ports
mouth, and in May, 1862, was elected by the officers of the 61st
• Virginia Eegiment to the position of Lieutenant-Colonel, and in
that capacity commanded the regiment from that time until the
fall of 1862, when Colonel V. D. Groner was assigned to it as
Colonel. Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer was with the regiment at
the battles of Fredericksburg, Zoah's Church, McCarthy's Farm,
Chancellorsville, Salem Church, Gettysburg, Hagerstown, Bristoe
Station, Mine Eun, Wilderness; Shady Grove and Spotsylvania
Courthouse, in which last battle he received his death wound.
The battle was over for the day and the enemy had been driven
back. It was late in the afternoon, and Captain McAlpine, of
Company I, had captured a fine horse that belonged to a Federal
officer, which he presented to Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer, who,
while in the act of extendingliis hand to take the horse, was shot
through the heart by a sharpshooter on the enemy's picket fine
. and died instantly. The battle was fought on his birthday, and
he was just twenty-four years old at the date of his death. He
was one of th'e youngest field officers in the army. His remains
were taken to Eichmond and there interred.
Majoe Giles B. Cooke Avas born in Portsmouth and belonged
to a family which had a fondness for military life, his father.
Major John K. Cooke haring been an officer in the Mexican war.
He entered the Confederate service as Adjutant of a regiment
commanded by Colonel PhUip St. George Cocke, and when Col
onel Cocke was promoted to the command of a brigade he became
Adjutant General of the brigade, and in that capacity took part
in the first battle of Manassas. In the Arinter of 1862-3 he was
Adjutant and Inspector General on the staff of Major General
Sam Jones, commanding the department of Western Virginia,
and from there was transferred to the staff of General Beaure
gard. FoUoAring that officer into Virginia in the spring of 1864
.he was, after the battle of Drury's Bluff, transferred to the staff
of General Eobert E. Lee as Major and Assistant Inspector Gen
eral. He foUowed the fortunes of the Army of Northern Vir
ginia from then until the close of the war and surrendered with
the remnant of the army at Appomattox.
Major John Q. Eichaedson was born in Portsmouth about
the year 1837 and received a coUegiate education. Happening to
be in North Carolina when the war began he enhsted in one of
the regiments from that State. SubseqiTently he_ received a staff
appomtment and was afterwards appointed Major of the 52d
North Carolina Eegiment. He was kUled in the charge of his

216 -NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
brigade at the battle of Gettysburg July 3d, 1863, while gallantly
cheering his men on. He was a courageous soldier and one of
the handsomest men in the army.
Major Chaeles E. McAlpine was born in Princess Anne
county, Virginia in AprU, 1827, and removed to Portsmouth in
1855 and began the practice of his profession, medicine. He was
extremelv popular in the community and had a very large prac- '
tice at the breaking out of the war. He was an ardent Secession-
est, and before Virginia seceded assisted in raising a company in
Portsmouth to go to South Carolina to offer their services to the
Governor of that State. He was elected First Lieutenant of this
company, but before it could obtain uniforms Virginia followed
the lead of Soutii Carolina and left the Union, and the company
Avas mustered into service in Virginia as Company D, 9th Vir
ginia Eegiment. Lieutenant McAlpine resigned his commission
May 14th, 1861, in Company D to accept the captaincy of a new
company then being organized and afterwards assigned to the
61st Virginia Eegiment as Company I. He was commissioned
Captain of this company June 16th, 1861, and was promoted to
Major of the 61st Eegiment May 12th, 1864, which position he
resigned March 25th,. 1865, for the purpose of organizing a bat
talion of partizan rangers to operate in the Blackwater section of
Virginia, but the close of the war put an end to His plans. He
was a fearless and dashing soldier, was always in the front of the
battle, and though several times wounded did not miss a battle in
which the regiment was engaged up to the date of his resigna
tion. Majoe William J. Eichaedson was born in Portsmouth Feb
ruary 29th, 1828, and for a number of years before the war was
Captain of the Portsmouth Eifle Company. When the troubles
between the North and South were about to ripen into a crisis
he organized a new coinpany called the Virginia Artillery, after
wards assigned to the 9th Eegiment as Company D, and was
elected its Captain. The company was on duty on Craney Island
the first year of the war, and at the reorganization in April, 1862,
Captain Eichardson was re-elected Captain of the company, which
position he held until June, 1863, when he was promoted to Ma
jor of the regiment. He was in the charge of Pickett's Division
at Gettysburg and was captured there and not exchanged. He
was paroled just before the close of the war and sent through the
lines to Eichmond but, not having been exchanged, he did not re
join his regiment.
Colonel William White was a broad-shouldered old soldier
and was as brave as he was big. He was born January 7th, 1820,
near Great Bridge, in Norfolk county, studied medicine at the
Medical College in Eichmond and hi New York, and at the
breaking out of the war was practicing medicine and lived at the

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. 217
viUage of Deep Creek, in Norfolk county, about eight miles from
Portsmouth. He was one of the Lieutenants oi the Dismal
Swamp Eangers at its organization in 1856, but resigned shortly
afterwards. In 1861 he Avas elected from Norfolk county and
Portsmouth as a Union delegate to the Virginia State Convention
which passed the ordinance of secession, and voted against its
passage in that body, but after the State had decided to secede
he yielded to . her sovereign authority and tendered her his ser
vices. He was appointed by Governor Letcher Major of the 14th
Virginia Eegiment, then under General Magruder at Yorktown,
and AA'hile there was placed in command of the detachment which
General Magruder sent to burn Hampton. At the battle of Mal
vern Hill Lieutenant-Colonel Evans of the 14th Eegiment was
disabled by a wound, and Major White was promoted to Lieuten
ant-Colonel, which position . he held until the battle of Gettys
burg, where Colonel Hodges was killed, and he was promoted to
Colonel of the regiment. He was severely wounded in the neck
in the. charge of Pickett's Division at. Gettysburg, but escaped
Arithout being captured, and from that time until the close of the
war was in command of the regiment, and frequently in com
mand of the brigade. The regiment was in Armistead's Brigade,
and Colonel White was present at .all of the battles in which it
was engaged. At the battle of Drury's Bluff May 16tli, 1864, he
planned and executed a flanking movement on the enemy's right
which contributed materially to the Confederate victory on that
occasion. Lieutenant-Colonel William H. Stewaet was born in the
village of Deep Creek, Norfolk county, September 25th, 1838.
He inherited a military disposition, for his grandfather was a sol
dier in the war of 1812 and died in the service, and his great
grandfather was a soldier in the Eevolutionary war, having^ been
appointed a Lieutenant in the llth Virginia Eegiment. He en
tered the schools in the neighborhood of his father's home near
Wallaceton, Norfolk county, and finished his education in 1859
at the University of Virginia. At the breaking out of the war
he was engaged with his father in the shingle and lumber busi
ness, which he gave up and entered the army as 2d Lieutenant in
the Wise Light Dragoons. (See chapter XXVIII). Upon the
disbanding of this company he was instrumental in organizing an
infantry company at Pleasant Grove Church, and on July 1st,
1861, Avas elected its captain. It afterwards became Company A,
6l8t Virginia Eegiment. At the organization of the regiment in
Petersburg in 1862 Captain Stewart was elected Major, and on
the 12th of May, 1864, was elected Lieutenant-Colonel, which
position he held until the surrender of the army_ at Appoma,ttox.
He was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsrille and again at
Spotsylvania Court House. He commanded the regiment at the
15

218 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
battles of North Anna Eiver, Hanover Court House, Atlee's Sta
tion, Cold Harbor, Turkey Eidge, Second Frazier's Farm, Wil
cox Farm, Gurley House, Crater, Eeams' Station, June 27th and
August 25th, 1864, Burgess' Mill and Hatcher's Eun, the colonel
of the regiment being absent on account of wounds. He was
with the regiment in the following battles also : Fredericksburg,
Eappahannock Bridge, Zoah's Church, McCarthy's Farm, Chan
ceUorsville, Gettysburg, Hagerstown, commanding brigade picket
line, Culpepper, Mine Eun, Wilderness, Shady Grove, Spotsylva
nia Court House, Davis' Farm, Hicksford, Amelia Court House,
Cumberland Church and. Appomattox, and was present with his
company in the engagements at Seawell's Point March Sth tand
May 8th, 1862, with the Federal fleet. He missed only two bat
tles in A^'hich it was engaged, namely, Bristoe Station, which tOok
place, when he was absent on leave, and Salem Church, which was
fought while he was in the field hospital suffering from a wound
received that morning at Chancellorsville.
Lieutenant-Colonel Geoege A. Maetin was born at Mount
Pleasant, Norfolk county, September 3d, 1833, and studied law
at the University of Virginia. At the breaking out of the war
he enlisted in the St. Bride's Artillery, a company organized in
Norfolk county, and was elected its Captain. In May, 1862, his
company was attached temporarily to the 14th Virginia Eegiment
and participated in the second day's engagement at Seven Pines
June 1st, after which it was retained in the fortifications around
Eichmond until April 25th, 1864, when it was assigned to the
38th Virginia Eegiment as Company I. Captain Martin subse
quently participated in the battles of May lOtli and May 16th,
1864, nea,r Drury's Bluff and June l€th near Chester Station. In
the battle of May 10th Colonel Cabell, commander of the regi
ment, was killed, and Captain Griggs, senior captain, was pro
moted to Colonel, and on the 28th of March, 1866, Captain Mar
tin, the next in rank, was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, his
commission to date from December 2d, 1864. For some days
previous to his promotion Lieutenant-Colonel Martin was sick in
a hospital in Eichmond, and upon the evacuation of that city
went to Lychburg by rail and was assigned by General Colston to
the command of the Home Guard for the defence of the city, but
when General Colston surrendered it he pushed on into Carolina,
following the fortunes of President Davis, and surrendered at
Augusta, Georgia, after the surrender of General Johnston's
army. Major William H. Etheredge was born near Great Bridge in
Norfolk county on the 27th of July, 1 820, and was raised a
farmer, at which occupation he was engaged at the beginning of
the war. Shortly before the war the men in that portion of the
county organized the Norfolk County Eifle Patriots, one of the

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. 219
largest and best companies which entered the Confederate service,
and he was elected Captain of it. It was subsequently asrigned
to the 41st Virginia Eegiment, as Company F. Captain Ether
edge on the 21st of AprU, 1861, took possesrion of the naval ord
nance stores at St. Helena-, opposite the Navy Yard, and for
nearly a year did guard duty in the Navy Yard. He was very
highly complimented by Colonel Charabhss, Colonel of the 41st
Eegiment, for gallantry at the battle of Seven Pines, and shortly
after that battle. Colonel Chambliss having been transferred to
the command of a cavalry regiment. Captain Etheredge was pro
moted to the position of Major of the 41st, which position he held
untU the surrender at Appomattox, when he laid aside the sword
which he had carried so worthily. He was present in every bat
tle in which Mahone's Brigade took - part, and though he always
fought in front of his men, was never wounded. He had a nar
row escape at the Crater, an account of which is told in Lieuten
ant-Colonel Wm. H. Stewart's account of that battle, ante, chapter
XXIV. No soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia has a
better war record than Major Etheredge. In probably more than
half of the battles in which the regiment was engaged he was its
commander, his superior officers being disabled either from sick
ness or wounds.
Captain Stephen A. Cowley was about 16 years old at the
beginning of the war and was attending a military school in North
Carolina, and Avas employed by the Governor of that State as
driU master for new troops at Ealeigh. In December, 1861, he
went to General Beauregard's army in Kentucky and was ap
pointed a Lieutenant in the regular army. He was at Fort Henry
when it fell, but escaped and went to Fort Donelson, where he was
captured at the surrender of the fort, was exchanged in October,
1862, and was appointed by Colonel Quarles Adjutant of his reg
iment, the — th Tennessee. Colonel Quarles was promoted to
Major General and Captain Cowley became Inspector General on
his staff. He was with General Quarles in the campaign between
Sherman and Johnston, and when Hood superceded Johnston he
was with the army in its advance into Tennessee, and was killed
on the enemy's breastworks at Franklin.

CHAPTEE XXVIII.
THE WISE LIGHT DRAGOONS.
During the John Brown rebellion in 1869, a cavalry commny
was organized in Norfolk county under the name \ of the Wise
Light Dragoons, of which Captain Aldustin WUson was cbmman-
der. The company retained its organization, but Captain Wilson
resigned as its commander, and at the breaking out of the war its
officers were :
Captain, John W. Young.
First Lieutenant, Columbus W. Foreman,
Second Lieutenant, Wm. H. Stewart.
The company turned out on the- 20th of April, and was sent to
SeaAvell's Point by the commanding officer in Norfolk to do picket
duty on the beach between that point and Ocean View. It re
mained there for nearly two months, but not having the requisite
number of men to be mustered into the Confederate service, it
was disbanded.
While it was engaged on picket duty there the United States
steamer MonticeUo was iu the habit of shelhng the woods, and
one of the shells exploded near Private  Sykes, wounding
him in the leg. This was the first casualty of war in the vicinity
of Norfolk, and Private Sykes was quite a lion for a short while.
It is to be regretted that a roll of the company cannot be obtained
but as the men entered the Confederate service in other com
mands, their names are recorded with those organizations. The
company was not mustered into the serrice of the Confederate
States, but a history of the part Norfolk county took in the war
would not be complete without a reference to it.

220

CHAPTEE XXIX.

IN THE NAVY  PORTSMOUTH.
In addition to a large number of seamen, Portsmouth was rep
resented in the Confederate States Navy by the foUoAring officers ;
Captain, James W. Cooke.

LIEUTENANTS.
Dulane^A^ Forrest, A. S. Worth,
"" Chas. J. Hasker,

John J. Guthrie,
John H. Parker, Walter "E. Butt,
Wm. H. Murdaugh, Wm. E. Hudgins,
SURGEONS.
Chas. H. WiUiamson, MASTERS.
Benj. W. Guthrie, CHIEF ENGINEERS.
Michael Quinn, James H. Warner,
Chas. Schroeder, Edward W. Manning.
ASSISTANT ENGINEERS.
E. Alex. Jack, Joseph E. Virnelson,
Leslie G. King, Jos. S. West,
Chas. H. Levy, Thos. J. White,
Jas. K. Langhorne, Moses P. Young.
NAVAL CONSTRUCTORS.

Jno. W. Murdaugh.
Wm. E. Wysham.
D. W. Nash.
John W: Tynan,

Eugene H. Brown,
John B. Brown,
Wm. B. Brockett,
Geo. W. City,

J. L. Porter, Chief,
John A. Loritt,
Eobert M.' Bain,
John T. Eustic,

Joseph Pierce,
GUNNERS.
John Owens,
CAEPENTEES.
Hugh Lindsay,
E. J. Meads,
Edward Williams.
SAILMAKERS.

Wm. M. Hope.
Thos. Baker.
Joseph F. Weaver,
Nathaniel C. Gayle,

Wm. Bennett, E. A. Mahoney.
Boatswain, L. J. Nelson.
Norfolk county was represented in the Navy by :
Lieutenant, C. B. Poindexter.
Assistant Surgeon, Geo. N. Halstead.
Captain James W. Cooke, who heads this list, was born in
North Carolina, and entered the United States Navy from that
State, April 1st, 1828, and resigned May 1st, 1861, as lieutenant.
He married Miss Mary Watts, of Portsmouth, which city from
221

222 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
that time became his home, and upon resigning from the United
States Navy, he tendered his services to Governor Letcher, and
received an appointment on the 4th of May as lieutenant in the
Virginia Navy. On the llth of June he was transferred^ to the
Confederate States Navy. His first duty in the Virginia Navy
was in connection with the erection of a battery at Fort Powhatan
on James river, and from there he was transferred to the Potomac
and assisted in blockading that river in the summer of 1861.
In the fall of 1861 he was ordered to the Gosport Navy Yard to
take command of a small steam tug, the EUis, formerly a canal
boat, which was manned with one 32-pounder Dahlgren gun, and
with this he was ordered to North Carolina as a part of Commo
dore Lyneh's mosquito. fleet. He took part in the engagement at
Eoanoke Island, February 7th, 1862, with the Federal fleet, and
his was the last of the Confederate vessels to withdraw. He held
his ground until he had fired away his last round of ammunition,
when he followed Commodore Lynch to Elizabeth City. On the
10th, when the attack was renewed at that town, the Ellis was
boarded by the crews of two Federal vessels, and though Lieuten
ant Cooke received a musket wound in the arm and a bayonet
thrust in the leg, he refused to surrender. He and his crew were
surrounded by overwhelming numbers and taken by main force.
He was paroled on the 12th of February and returned to his home
in Portsmouth. He was subsequently exchanged, and on the 17th
of September was promoted to commander. In 1863 he was or
dered to the Eoanoke river to superintend the building of the
ironclad gunboat Albemarle, which was being constructed at Ed
ward's Ferry, by Captain Gilbert Elliott, under contract with the
Navy Department, and was indefatigable in his efforts to procure
material with which to complete her. No stone was left unturned
in his zeal and when he started down the river with her to engage
the enemy, workmen were still hammering on her. The Albe
marle mounted two guns, and on the 19th of April, 1864, arrived
in front of Plymouth, which was being invested on the land side
by the troops of General Hoke. History has told how Captain
Cooke fought and defeated the Federal vessels. How he ran his
prow into the Southfield, sinking her in ten minutes, and then
drove .the Miami out of the river into the sound, and was only
prevented from destroying her by theinfei-iorityof the machinery
m his vessel, which was not of sufficient power to give her speed
to overtake her. The result of this victory on the water was the
capture of Plymouth with fifteen hundred prisoners and twenty-
eight, pieces of artUlery. Eelieved from the presence of the gun
boats, General Hoke's men stormed the enemy's works on theland
side and carried the toAvn by assault. Lieut. Col. G. G. Luke, of
Portsmouth, at the head of the 56th North Carolina Eegiment,
led the assaulting column and was the first man to «nter the town,

IN THE NAVT-PORTSMOUTH. 223
thus Portsmouth was represented by the captain of the Albe
marle, on the water, and by the leader of the storming party on
theland. & i- .r
As personal reminiscences are always interesting, and frequently
contain minutiae which are not found in the matter of fact
" official reports," the following account of this engagement, which
was written by Captain Gilbert Elhott, her builder, and published
in the St. Louis Eepublican of April 16th, 1887, wUl not be out
of place here. Captain Elliott was, at the time he commenced
buUding the Albemarie, adjutant of the 17th North Carolina Eeg
iment, stationed near Drury's Bluff, on James river, and was given
leave of absence from his regiment, by order of the Secretary , of
War, for that purpose. The leave of absence was " for two years
on full pay," probably the longest leave of absence granted during
the war. Captain Elliott says :
_ " Much to my gratification Captain Cooke was the officer as
signed by the Navy Department to supervise the construction of,
and afterwards command the ironclad ram Albemarle, which I
succeeded in building, under my contract with the government,
at a point on the Eoanoke river known as Edward's I erry, about
twenty miles below the town of Halifax. Of course I had the
warm sympathy of the citizens of that neighborhood, who ren
dered me all possible assistance, together witli the support and aid
of the government, and yet the difficulties with which I had to
contend were so great as to seem almost insurmountable. How
ever, after twelve months' unceasing labor, with a force averag
ing two hundred men, but few of whom, however, were skilled
mechanics, but all working with an eye single to the end in view,
I had the pleasure of delivering the ship into Captain Cooke's
hands, and she went into commission just in time to take a lead
ing part in the expedition organized by command of General Lee for
the recapture of the town of Plymouth and surrounding country.
" The Albemarle was 152 feet long, and 45 feet wide over all.
She drew about eight feet of water. Her armament consisted of
two rifled Brooke guns, mounted on pivot carriages, the shield or
house, was octagonal in shape, with three port holes at each end.
The shield was built of timber about fourteen inches in thickness
and covered with two courses of fiat iron, two inches thick and
eight inches wide, making eighteen, inches of wood and iron as a
protection against shot and shell. She carried a crew of seventy-
five or eighty men. The plans and specifications were drawn and
prepared by Naval Constructor John L. Porter, who also planned
the conversion of the man-of-war Merrimac into the ironclad Vir
ginia, at the Gosport Navyyard, and, as the Virginia was the first
vessel ever covered with an ironclad shield, it may truly be said
that to John L. Porter largely belongs the credit for the revolu
tion in the naval architecture of the world, exemplified in the

224 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
construction of that ship. The Albemarle was built on the same
general idea, but she was intended for an ironclad, and built, from
her keel up, for that purpose, while the Virginia was a frigate,
Arith her upper works cut down or razeed.
" On AprU 18th, 1864, the Albemarle dropped down the river
stern foremost, with a long chain payed out at the bow, by means
of which she was steered, it being impracticable to proceed down
the stream with the bow to the front, owing to the rapidity of the
current, the freshet at that time being the heaviest in the memory
of the oldest inhabitants. Captain Cooke kindly allowed me to
accompany him as a volunteer aid. Indeed I took with me a
force of men and some portable blacksmith forges and we put the
finishing touches on her armor only a few hours before she went
into action. There was a Federal battery at Warren's Neck, on
a considerable elevation, some three mile* above the town of Ply
mouth, commanding Thoroughfare Gap, where the river divides
into two streams, and piles, sunken vessels, and other obstructions
with a plentiful supply of torpedoes, had been placed here to
prevent our further descent, or to accelerate our possible descent
to the bottom of the river, but, thanks to the high water, we
floated safely over the obstructions and passed on down the river,
paying no attention to the Warren's Neck fort, although a well
directed fire was kept up against us as long as we were in range.
We were much comforted to find, however, that the shot and
shell did us no harm, and this was the case in all the engagements
with the ram. Her shield was built at an angle of forty-five de
grees, and, in time of action, was well covered with a greasy sub
stance we called slush, to facilitate the outward course of the shot
and shell striking against the roof. As a rule, the shot would
scoup out a little place in the iron roof about as large as a table
spoon and then ricochet over the ship and go on its way harmless.
The Albemarle was struck hundreds and hundreds of times, and
yet no one was hurt on her except a young sailor who had the
curiosity to put his head out of a port hole to see what was going
on outside, and was at once shot with a pistol from the steamer
Miami, lying along side and engaged with us at the time. Very
early on the morning of the 19th of April, 1864, the Miami and
Southfield, lashed together with spars and with chains festooned
from their sides, hove in sight, and so approached us, coming up
the stream. The design undoubtedly, was to run the Albemarle
down, but the pilot was eqnal to the occasion, and at Cooke's com
mand, signalled to the engineer to open the throttle-valves, and
with all the steam the engines would bear, and the immense force
of the current with which we were sailing, he put his helm hard
down and dashed the prow (or ram) of the Albemarle into the
side of the Southfield, sending her to the bottom of the Eoanoke
river with a suddenness that seems awful to contemplate. The

IN THE NAVT-PORTSMOUTH. 225
Miami was a fast side wheel steamer. There was a brief engage
ment with her, in which her commander. Lieutenant Flusser, lost
his life. A shell fired by his own hand struck our ship, exploded
and a fragment rebounding, kiUed that gaUant officer. The Al
bemarle was then making ready to ram the Miami, if possible,
but discretion was considered the better part of valor by the com
manding officer of the Miami, and he backed his vessel down the
stream for a mile or two, then turned, and kept on his way. The
Albemarle fpUowed in pursuit, but the race was to the swift that
day and the chase was soon abandoned. Plymouth fell as the re
sult of next day's battle, the Albemarle holding the river front
and rendering invaluable assistance in the bombardment of the
strongly fortified town.
" Later on. May 5th, 1864, a most memorable engagement took
place in the waters of Albemarle Sound, where, for the greater
part of a day, the Albemarle contended with eight heavily armed
Federal war vessels, some of them carrying 100-pounder Parrott
guns. Her assailants moved around her in a .circle, discharging
broadsides as they passed. Shot and shell rained down upon her
like hail on the roof of a house. Her smoke stack was riddled
with holes and almost shot away. In consequence, the flues would
not draw, and no steam could be made, propellers could not turn
over and she lay like a log on the Avater. The Sassacus, a large
double ender, ran into her, and jumped on her forward deck,
hoping to sink the ram by this additional weight, but our gunner
put a shot through one of the boilers of the Sassacus and she was
glad to haul off with the steam made by the other; Two of the
ships endeavored, by towing a large seine, to entangle the propel
lers, " but in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," and
Captain Cooke was able to raise a little steam, and so manoeuvred
his ship as to escape this ingenious contrivance for her destruction.
A bold effort was made to throw kegs of gunpowder down her
smoke stack, but that scheme failed also. One of her two guns
was disabled early in the action, the muzzle being shot away.
Night put an end to the conflict, and, with the aid of a quantity
of lard and bacon, which was used for fuel, enough steam was
gotten up to take the ship back to her wharf in Plymouth, and
comparatively uninjured, although each one of the other combat-
bants was seriously damaged, and some of them sunk. Captain
Cooke was as cool in action as he was brave and determined. He
did not know what fear meant and it has often been said- of him
thatlie would fight a powder magazine with a coal of fire."
Captain Cooke was promoted to captain in the navy for his
gaUantry on this occasion, and given a wider field of duty. An
other commander was assigned to the Albemarle, and a careless
fuard being kept on her. Lieutenant Cushing, of the United States
Favy, sunk her with a torpedo attached .-to the bow of a small

226 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
launch, while she was lying at the wharf in Plymouth. Captain
Cooke fived through the war, after which he returned to his home
in Portsmouth, and died in 1869.
Lieutenant Wm. H. Murdaugh was born in Portsmouth, en
tered the United States Navy September 9th, 1841, and was ap
pointed in' the Confederate States Navy June 26th, 1861. When
the secession movement began at the South he was executive
officer of the U. S. Frigate Sabine, then stationed in Pensacola
harbor, and upon the secession of Virginia, resigned . his cbmniis-
sion and entered the service of that State, and afterwards the
Confederate States. He was severely wounded at the attack upon
Fort Hatteras by the Federal fleet on the 29th of August, 1861.
He had command of a gun and was directing its fire when a piece
of shell shattered his arm. He was taken from the fort to one of
the Confederate gunboats, and thus escaped capture when the fort
fell. After recovering from his wound he was placed in com
mand of the steamer Beaufort, in James river, and in 1863, was
sent to Europe on special service for the Navy Department, and
was there when the war ended.
Lieutenant Walter E. Burr was born in Portsmouth, and
served on the Virginia in her battle with the Federal fleet in
Hampton Eoads, March Sth and 9th, 1862, and subsequently
commanded the Nansemond in James river. He entered ^the
Naval Academy in 1856.
Lieutenant Wm. E. Hudgins Avas born in Portsmouth, and at
the beginning of the war was a lieutenant in the U. S. Eevenue
Service, and entered the Confederate Navy as a lieutenant May
26th, 1863. He was Avith Captain John Taylor Wood in August,
1863, in his boat expedition against the Federal Gunboats Satellite
and Eeliance, off the mouth of the Eappahannock river and after
their capture, Avas placed in command of the Eeliance. Captain
Wood subsequently carried them up the Eappahannock, took
from them everything movable, and- then burned them. Lieuten
ant Hudgins served on various vessels after that and was on duty
with the navy in Battery Buchanan, near Fort Fisher, at the
entrance to Wilmington harbor, on the .15tli of January, 1865,
when it was captured. He AA^as slightly Avounded on that occa
sion. Lieutenant Charles J. Haskee was a boatswain in the United
States Navy and received a simUar appointment in the Confeder
ate Navy. He served in that capacity on the Virginia (Merrimac)
and was promoted to a lieutenancy for gallantry on that and sub
sequent occasions.
Lieutenant Forrest was in delicate health at the beginning of
the war and went to Western North Carolina to try to recuperate
but died there on the 10th of AprU, 1863,
Engineers John W. Tynan and E. A. Jack, and Carpenter

IN THE NA VT— PORTSMOUTH. 227
Hugh Lindsay were on the Virginia in her battle in Hampton
Eoads, and Gunner John A. Lovitt served on the Patrick Henry
in the same engagement. He and Engineer Tynan were on the
gunboat Chattahoochee in Florida, on the 1st of June, 1863, when
her boiler exploded, killing fifteen of her officers and crew. The
vessel was under command of Lieutenant John J, Guthrie at the
time, and Midshipman Charles K. Mallory, of Norfolk, was among
the number killed. The magazine was within about three feet of
the boiler and the coolness of Gunner Lovitt in quelling the panic
which ensued in consequence of this proximity and an apprehen^
ded explosion, was very highly commended. He was in Battery
Buchanan during the two attacks on that fort and Fort Fisher.
Carpenter Joseph F. Weaver was on the Seabird, Commodore
Lyneh's fiagship, at the battle near Eoanoke Island, February 7tli,
1862, and was captured when she was sunk at Elizabeth City, on
the 10th, by a 9-inch Columbiad shell from one of the,pursuing Fed
eral gunboats. He was paroled with Captain Cooke and subse
quently exchanged.
Engineers Schroeder, Warner and Manning, as well as all of
the others mentioned in the foregoing list rendered efficient ser
vices to the Southern Confederacy, and lived to see the terminar
tion of the war.
Engineer Schroeder made a cruise on the Tallahassee with Cap
tain Wilkerson, was one of the officers sent to Canada on the
expedition to release the Confederate prisoners confined on John
son's Island, and was afterwards sent to Europe to assist in pro
curing and fitting out cruisers for the navy.
On the 30th of April, 1863, Congress passed a special act " to
authorize the appointment of one Chief Constructor in the Navy."
It was passed as a recognition of , the services of Naval Constructor
John L. Porter, and he was appointed to it by President Davis.
Constructor Porter designed several sea-going ironclads, which the
Navy Department endeavored to have built in Europe. The
principal one was a powerful vessel, with a center turret contain
ing ten guns, and sheathed with iron ten inches thick. The Navy
Department made a contract Avitli G. N. Saunders, Esq., to build
her in England, but the war ended before she was completed.
Her bow projected forward under water, and was built solid for
about fifteen or twenty feet back from the stem, so as to serve for
a rami. He designed another, with hinged gunwales, which could
be raised or lowered at pleasure.

CHAPTEE XXX.
OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITY, APRIL, 1861, TO MAY 10, 1862.
When this work was commenced and it was thought by the
author that he would be compeUed to rely solely upon the mem
ory of the survivors of the war for wliat he might write, he
feared it would be impossible for him to obtain from that source
a sufficient amount of data pertaining to the troops who entered
the Confederate service from Norfolk city, to do theni justice,
hence, his original attention was to leave them out entirely, for
the reason that faint praise would be worse than none at all, but
since then he has had an opportunity to inspect the muster roUs
and official records of the various companies from their original
muster into service until, the 1st of January, 1865, and has, there
fore, found himself in a position to record as accurately as an
official report tells it, the story of those who marched away with
their commands on the 10th of May, 1862, at the evacuation of
the city, and did serrice in the field. After January 1st, 1866,
the official records eease, and. what appears upon the roUs of the
different companies after that time has been supplied from mem
ory. Before the war the sentiment of a majority of the people of
Norfolk city was opposed to the secession of the State, and at the
election to send a delegate to the State Convention, which had
been called to consider the situation, held February 4th, 1861,'
General George Blow was elected as a union delegate, over Mr.
James E. Hubard, secessionist, by a majority of 480, out of 1,434
votes cast. After President Lincoln's proclamation, calfing for
75,000 troops to coerce the States which had seceded. General
Blow voted with the majority in favor of the passage of the ordi
nance of secession, under instructions from a mass meeting held
AprU 4th.
Before the State had seceded the war fever was gathering force
in Norfolk, and the news of the attack upon Fort Sumpter, April
llth, augmented it to a still greater degree of fervor, so that on
the 19th of AprU, when General Taliaferro arrived in the city to
take command of the State troops and it was evident that there
was going to be war, the citizens, with singular unanimity, acqui
esced in the inevitable and girded themselves for the contest.
Before the beginning of hostilities there were in Norfolk city
the foUowing military companies, fully equipped with everything
except ammunition :
The Norfolk Light Artillery Blues, Captain Jacob Vickery.
The Woodis Eiflemen, Captain Wm. Lamb.
228

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 229
The Norfolk Juniors, Captain F. F. Ferguson.
The Independent Grays, Captain Eichard 0. Taylor.
Coinpany F, Captain H. W. WiUiamson.
All of these companies had full ranks, and in order to accom
modate the hundreds Avho were desirous of responding to the call
of the Governor, new companies were organized rapidly, as fol
lows :
The United ArtiUery Company, Captain Thomas Kevill.
The Norfolk Light ArtiUery, Captain Francis Huger.
The Atlantic Artillery, Captain J. Hardy Hendren.
The Norfolk Light Infantry, Captain John E. Ludlow.
Company A, 6th Eegiment, Captain Wm. N. McKenny.
The Norfolk Harbor Guard, Captain John J. Young.
Among these companies were quite a number of Norfolk county
men from the Tanner's Creek section, but as they enlisted in the
city, they cannot, at this late day, be fully identified.
On the night of the 1.9th of April, 1861, the Norfolk mUitary
companies took possession of Fort Norfolk, which was then use'd
as a powder magazine, and the powder therein stored, amounting
to five hundred barrels, or fifty thousand pounds, was placed on
board the revenue schooner James Buchanan, and sent to Eich
mond, under guard, for safe keeping.
On the afternoon of the 20th all was bustle and excitement in
Norfolk, and the " Pawnee war " raged there that night as well
as in Portsmouth. That afternoon some unauthorized persons
began sinking obstructions in the river below Fort Norfolk for
the purpose of shutting in the Federal authorities at the navyyard
and thus preventing them from removing the vessels and the vast
amount of valuable war material which was on hand. This fact,
coming to the knowledge of Commodore McCauly, commanding
the navyyard, hastened his departure and the destruction of ' the
navyyard. General Tahaferro, who was sent to Norfolk at the beginning
of hostilities to command and organize the State troops, Avas trans
ferred to Gloucester Point, and on the 25th of April, General
Walter Gwynn, an old army officer, assumed command, and in
turn was relieved by. General Huger, May 23d. In the meantime
troops from aU portions of the South were pouring into the city,
and batteries were erected at Seawell's Point, Boush's Bluff and
Fort Norfolk, and a line of entrenchments, Arith embrasures for
heavy artiUery, was thrown up back of the city to resist an attack
from the direction of Fortress Monroe, should one be made. The
Norfolk companies were assigned to regiments as follows :
Captain W, N. McKenny's Company to the 6th Virginia Eegi
ment as Company A.
The .Woodis Eifles to the 6th Virginia Eegiment as Com
pany C.

230 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
The Norfolk Light Infantry to the 6th Vu-ginia Eegiment as
Company D.
Company F to the 6tli Virginia Eegiment as Company G.
The Independent Grays to the 6th Virginia Eegiment as Com
pany H. I
The Juniors to the 12th Virginia Eegiment as Company H.
The Norfolk Light ArtUlery Blues, to the 16th Virginia Eegi
ment as Company H.
The United ArtUlery to the 41st Virginia Eegiment as Com
pany E.
Norfolk Light ArtiUery — unattached.
The Norfolk Harbor Guard — unattached.
The Atlantic Artillery — unattached.
In this connection it would, not be out of place to give a brief
history of the mihtary movements in the vicinity of Norfolk prior
to and which led to its evacuation by the Confederates.
On the 19th of May, while detachments from the Blues, Ju
niors and the Woodis Eifles, of Norfolk, and the Columbus Light
Guard, of Georgia, were at work upon the battery at Seawell's
Point, and before it was completed, only three guns having been
mounted and the sand blocking up the embrasures, the United
States Steamer MonticeUo opened fire upon it. The fire was
briskly returned by the fort and after a short engagement the
MonticeUo hauled off. No one in the fort was injured. Captain
Colquit, of the Columbus Light Guard, commanded the Confed
erates, and for want of a Confederate States flag, the battle was
fought under the Georgia State flag, belonging to the Light
Guard. During the firing the men had to work in front of the
embrasures shoveling aAvay the sand so that the guns could have
play. Captain Wm. Lamb commanded the Woodis Eifies and
the detachments from the Blues and Juniors were under Lieuten
ants W. T. Peet and John Holmes respectively. The bombard
ment was resumed by the MonticeUo on the 21st, but with like
result. This was the second engagement in Virginia between the
shore batteries and the Federal vessels, and the Norfolk boys, as
well as the Georgians, were not alarmed at the bursting of the
big shells, but stood their ground manfully.
During the winter of 1861-2, the soldiers from the far Solith,
who were quartered near Norfolk, would have suffered severely
from the cold, but for the patriotism and benevolence of the ladies
of the city, who organized themselves into sewing circles, and by
these and other means, raised funds to provide them with shoes,
overcoats and blankets, necessaries which the Confederate author
ities had not the means of supplying.
Two companies were started in Norfolk but f^led of organiza
tion for want of sufficient numbers. These were the Old Domin
ion State Guard, of which Captain Charles B. Langley was elected

OPERA! IONS- AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 231
commander, and the Lee Artillery, Captain James Y. Leigh.
The name of the first company was afterwards changed to the
Harris Guards, but neither was mustered into service. The men
whose names were enrolled enlisted in other commands.
It was the intention of the United States Government to fortify
and retain possession of the navy yard, and on the 19th of April
General Scott ordered Captain H. E. Wright, of the engineers, to
call at Fortress Monroe, get from Colonel Dimick, its commander,
a regiment of troops, reinforce Commodore McCauley, and pre
pare for the defence of the yard. Captain Wright arrived at
Fortress Monroe on the Pawnee, on the 20th, and Colonel Dimick
placed at his command a regiment of 370 ' men under Colonel
Wardrop. With this force he embarked on the PaAvnee and
reached the navy yard about dark- that evening. He found that
most of the vessels had already been scuttled and that Commodore
McCauley was disposed to defend the navy yard to the last ex
tremity. Accordingly the troops were landed and some prepara
tions made for defence, but Commodore Paulding, who came from
Washington on the Pawnee, decided to finish the destruction of
the yard and evacuate it. Captain Wright and Comniander Jno.
Eogers were sent to blow up the dry dock, taking with them forty
soldiers and a boat's crew from the Pawnee. From Captain
Wright's report, which is somewhat confused and conflicting, he
seems to have been considerably demoralized by the situation.
His description of the arrangements for blowing up the. dock does
not tally Arith what the Virginia troops found there the next
morning, but this may be accounted for by the supposition that
he ordered such arrangements to be made and supposed his subor
dinates had carried out his orders. He said, when' everything
was ready, he sent away all of the men except one seaman from
the Pawnee, and then they lighted four slow matches, the dock
haring been mined Arith 2,000 pounds of powder. Captain
Wright and Commander Eogers, from Captain Wright's report,
seem to have been left behind, among the burning buildings, after
everybody else had gone, and made their way -out of the main
fateway, through the fire, seized a boat, imagined themselves
red upon from Portsmouth, saw in the darkness a large military
force collecting against them " at a point below, where the river
was narrow," and therefore concluded to land in Norfolk and sur
render to (reneral Tahaferro. They were kindly treated, for
warded to Eichmond the next day and from there sent to Wash
ington. To quiet their fears that they would be assailed by the
people'of Eichmond, Governor Letcher escorted them to the cars
and sent a couple of .officers with them to Washington. Evi
dently " the man from the Pawnee " did not light the fuses, for
the mine was not exploded, nor were the fuses found. Captain
Wright's report omits to state v/hat became of this man. A very

232 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
well authenticated account of the dry-dock affair will be found in
chapter I, ante.
The last mail from Baltimore was received in Norfolk on the
9th of May, though the port had been declared in a state of block
ade earlier. The steamer arrived at Fortress Monroe from Balti
more that rnorning, and the Norfolk mail was sent up on the
William Selden, which was sent to Fortress Monroe for it, but the
Confederates did not send her down again. They detained her
in Norfolk and would not permit her to return, for fear that she
would be seized by the United States authorities. The army and
navy officers in the department of Norfolk did not get on harmo
niously together at first, and there was a warm dispute between
General Gwynn and Commodore Forrest as to the possession and
control of the property in the navy yard. General Gwynn com
plained to the Governor that he had been unable to obtain an in
ventory of the stores, &c., in the navy yard. General Lee, com
manding the State forces, advised mutual concessions, and the
breech was smoothed over. General Gwynn was relieved by
General Benjamin Huger on the 23d pf May.
Shortly after the breaking out of the war, the Confederates be
gan fortifying the Nansemond river, but it was difficult to reach
the batteries there from Norfolk, for the reason that the United
States vefesels controlled Hampton Eoads, but on the night of the
5th of June Captain A. Sinclair, of the navy, commanding the
small steamer Eoanoke, eluded them and ran his boat into the
river and established communications between the batteries and
the railroad at Suffolk.
On the 15tli of June, Saturday, the Federals opened fire upon
the batteries at Seawell's Point with a Sawyer gun, which they
had mounted at the Eip-Eaps, and General Huger sent down to
that point a lot of railroad iron to shield the magazine and the
face of the batteries. The distance from the Point to the Eip-
Eaps, as measured by the engineers, was 3 5-8 miles.
On the 23d of April Governor Letcher appointed General E.
E. Lee to command the State troops, and on the 10th of May the
Secretary of War, Mr. L. P. Walker, placed all of the Confeder
ate troops in Virginia temporarily under his orders. Colonel
Talcott, of the engineers, reported to General Lee on the 26th of
April that " seven guns had been mounted on the battery at the
Naval Hospital ; that at 10:30 a. m. on the 22d he commenced,
with one hundred and twenty laborers, to build a work on Craney
Island to mount twenty guns. A battery to mount twelve guns
has been laid out on Pinner's Point. The work on this is under
control of officers of the pavy. [It was buUt under the supervi
sion of_ Major F. W. Jett, of the Confederate Engineers.] The
works in progress will mount sixty-one guns when completed.
Of these, fourteen wiU be at the Naval Hospital, fifteen at Fort

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 233
Norfolk, twelve at Pinner's Point, and twenty at Craney Island."
On the 27th, two eight inch sheU guns and eight 32-pounders
were ready for action at the Naval Hospital, with furnaces and
fuel for heating shot. The work on the Pinner's Point battery
was commenced that day. On the 26th four 9-inch Columbiads,
with fifty rounds of ammunition for each gun, were sent to Craney
Island and mounted. Colonel Talcott did not think very highly
of Seawell's Point as a place for the erection of batteries. In his
report he calls it Seller's Point.
General Lee recommended to General Gwynn the advisability
of employing the naval officers in the construction and service of
water batteries, or such as were intended to act against shipping,
and in consequence thereof naval officers were stationed at all of
the batteries around the harbor to instruct the men in the use of
heavy guns. General Gwynn was constantly under apprehension
of an attack upon Norfolk by the Federal forces at Fortress Mon
roe, and in reply to urgent letters from him for reinforcements.
General Lee authorized him to recruit from the counticfi of Prin
cess Anne, Norfolk, Nansemond, Southampton and Gi eensrille,
and the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, six regiments of infan
try and artiUery and four companies of cavalry, and on the 4th of
May, at the request of Govemor Letcher, all oi the Geoigia troops
in and around Eichmond were ordered to Norfolk. Tliese were
the 4th and 22d Eegiments. The 3d Eegiment and 2d Battalion
had preriously arrived direct from Georgia. General Gwynn
wrote to Adjutant General Garnett in Eichmond for 100,000
rounds of . ammunition. General Garnett sent him 26,000, and
suggested, as there was an abundance of powder and lead in Nor
folk, that General Gwynn had better make arrangements to man
ufacture his own cartridges, as they were doing in Eichmond.
On the Sth of May General Lee ordered the 1st Louisiana Eeg-
iuient. Colonel A. G. Blanchard, from Eichmond to Norfolk, and
on the 14th General Gwynn reported that he had 6,000 troops
and wanted 4,000 more, and on the 21st he reported that the en
emy was reinforcing Fortress Monroe and asked for 4,000 more
troops. Singularly, while General Gwynn was apprehending an
attack from the garrison at Fortress Monroe the commander of
that fort was writing to Washington for reinforcements to repel
an apprehended attack by the Confederates.
On the 27th of May General Huger, who had relieved General
Gwynn in the command of Norfolk, reported to General Lee
that seven transports had that day landed troops at NeAvport
News, and the same day General Magruder reported a force va
riously estimated at from 3,600 to 5,000 men had marched to that
point from Fortress Monroe. General Lee became apprenensive
that the accumulation of such a large force there was for the pur
pose of operating against Suffolk, either by way of the Nanse-
16

234 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5
mond river or by crossing at Burwell's Bay, thus cutting off com
munication between Norfolk and Eichmond, hence he directed
General Huger to look particularly to the defenc^ of the battery
at Pig Point, to guard it against surprise or from an attack in the
rear, and at the same time endeavored to collect a force at Suf
folk. On the 27th General Huger divided the department into
two military districts. The Norfolk division, or east of the Eliz
abeth river, was placed under command of Colonel Withers of
the 3d Alabama Eegiment, and the Portsmouth division, or west
of the river, under Colonel Blanchard of the Ist Louisiana Eegi
ment. Colonel Withers had under him the 3d Alabama Eegi
ment, 2d Georgia Battalion, and the 6th, 12th, 16th and 41st Vir
ginia Eegiments. Colonel Blanchard's command embraced the
1st Louisiana, 3d, 4th and 22d Georgia, 3d and 9th Virginia Eeg
iments, 2d North Carolina Battalion and 3d Louisiana Battalion.
General Huger was a man of high character, of undaunted
courage, and an excellent ordnance officer, but lacked those pecu
liar qualifications which fit an officer to defend a post and com
mand troops in the field, and from this sprang an Iliad of woes
to the Confederacy which brought down upon himself the censure
of the Confederate Congress.
On the Sth of June the Virginia troops which up to that time
had been serving under orders from Governor Letcher, were
turned over to the Confederate States Army. General Huger's
district extended over the eastern counties of North Carolina
from Weldon to the ocean, but being unacquainted with the to
pography of his district, and on account of his age not possessing
the necessary^ activity to familiarize himself with it from a per
sonal inspection, the Confederates suffered disaster after disaster,
which possibly might have been avoided had proper precautions
been taken. A perusal of the correspondence which passed be
tween the subordinate commanders in North Carolina and the
headquarters in Norfolk and Eichmond indicates that there was
a lamentable lack of judgment on the part of those in authority,
if we may judge by results.
A powerful fleet was beuig fitted out in the North in August,
1861, and was gathering at Fortress Monroe. It destination was
known to be Hatteras Inlet, yet no material effort was made to
strengthen the little fort there, nor to reinforce it, but it was left
toasmaU force of undisciplined North Carohna troops, badly
drilled, Arith no experience in the use of heavy guns and with
only guns of short range and light caliber to resist almost the
whole navy of the United States government and a heavy land
force. There could be but one result, the fort surrendered after
a two days' bombardment by the fieet, which, anchored beyond °
the range of the guns of the fort, was unhurt. The fort was so
badly constructed that the men had no shelter from the shells,

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 235
which penetrated its waUs or f eU inside. This disaster occurred
on the 29th of August, 1861, and opened to the Federal navy the
waters of Pamlico Sound.
The next move of importance in that section was not made
untU the foUowing February, so that the Confederates had from
August to that date, nearly six months, to guard against further
disaster. Had there been machinery or armor plate in the Con
federacy with which to have equipped two iron-clad boats like the
Albemarle, which was subsequently built, Hatteras could have
been retaken and Norfolk held. The disasters at Eoanoke Island,
Newberne and Fort Macon would have been avoided, and the
troops which were sent to oppose Burnside in Carolina could have
been retained in Virginia against McClellan.
After the fort at Hatteras had been captured General Huger
sent the 3d Georgia Eegiment to reinforce it. There was a
lamentable scarcity of transportation in that locality. Commo
dore Lynch of the navy being impatient at the want of suitable
vessels for gunboats, got possession of nearly all of the tugs and
small steamers in the sound and mounted guns upon them." They
were valueless as gunboats, but might have been serviceable as
army transports, but transposing them into so-called men-of-war
deprived the army of their use, without adding anything to the
strength of the navy, as subsequent events fully developed.
Colonel Wright of the Third Georgia Eegiment, finding Fort
Hatteras in possession of the enemy, stopped his regiment at Eo
anoke Island and began fortifying it to prevent the enemy from
getting into Albemarle Sound, a movement which they were
prevented from making at the time on account of the shallow
ness of the water in Pamlico Sound and the depth of the vessels
in their fieet.
The importance of defending Eoanoke Island, as the key to
the defence of Norfolk, was urged upon General Huger and Sec
retary of War Benjamin in the summer and fall of 1861 by Gen
eral Gatlin and Governor Clarke of North Carolina, but their
recommendations were almost wholly disregarded. In December,
1861, by an order from the War Department the island was
placed under the orders of General Huger and General Wise was
sent there to command it. General "Wise, time and time again
urged upon General Huger and Secretary Benjamin the necessity
of putting it in«a proper state of defence and of reinforcing it
witn additional troops, but nothing seems to have been done by
either of them towards carrying out the recommendation. Gen
eral Huger had 15,000 well drilled and well armed troops around
Norfolk, but it does not seem to have occurred to him that they
could best protect Norfolk by being sent where the enemy was
about to attack.* In December he ordered the 3d Georgia back
to Portsmouth, learing on the island about 400 men of Wise's

236 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Legion and 1,800 raw levies of North Carolina troops, badly
drilled, undisciplined and badly armed. In reply to General
Wise's urgent call for reinforcements he wrote : " You want sup
plies, hard work and coolness and not men," and on the 13th of
January, 1862, he wrote: "I do not consider large forces neces
sary for the defence of the island. If the batteries can keep off
the gunboats and transports the inf an^try will have little opportu
nity to act." And in a letter of the ISth to the Secretary of War
he wrote that he " had no personal knowledge of the positions on
the island."
In reply to a letter from General Wise to the Secretary of War
for a supply of ammunition that officer wrote on the 12th of Jan
uary : " At the first indication of an attack upon Eoanoke Island
a supply will be sent you." General Wise replied if they were
to wait to be attacked before receiving powder from Eichmond,
the attack would be their capture, and defeat would precede the
arrival of ammunition. This prediction was verified as to the
navy. A supply of ammunition for Commodore Lyneh's fleet, sent
to him from the Navy Yard, did not Btart until after the battle
was over. Colonel Talcott of the Engineers reported to General
Huger that the island was in an indefensible condition and needed
guns, ammunition and men, but no action was taken upon his re
port. Early in December Commodore Forrest was applied to for
pile drivers to drive piles across the channel to obstruct the pas
sage of the Federal gunboats, and promised to send them, but
Colonel Shaw, commanding the island, reported to General Wise
that they had not arrived by the 30th and that Commodore For
rest's reason for the delay was that the men wanted to spend their
Christinas holidays at home. One pile driver arrived on the 6tli
of January, and on the 7th of February, when the attack was
made, there were still 1,700 yards of the sound open. All of the
tugboats in the vicinity but one had been converted into gun
boats, and that 6ne, Arith two large barges, which General Wise
held for transportation, was ordered away from him by General
Huger just as the battle was about to commence, which left him
no means of retreating from the island in case of defeat. Thus
the garrison was shut up on the island and ordered to defend it,
while they were denied the means with whifch to make the de
fence or of escape in case of defeat. The batteri«s were built on
the west or Croatan side of the island, near the north end of it.
The Governor of North CaroUna applied to Secretary Mallory of
the Navy for four rifled cannon for the defence of the island, but
faUed to get them, and, to add to the blunders which led to the
disaster. General Huger's countermanding General Wise's order,
lost the garrison the use of the six fleld pieces belonging to the
Wise Legion. They were in Norfolk under command of Colonel

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 237
Henningsen, and General Wise ordered him to charter a steamer
in Norfolk to bring the guns and ammunition to the island, and
to march the horses down the Currituck beach directly to Nag's
Head, but General Huger countermanded General Wise's order,
ordered Colonel Henningsen to hitch up his horses to his guns,
march the battery to PoweU's Point and transport them from
there to the island, but upon reaching PoweU's Point Colonel
Henningsen found himself fifteen or twenty miles from Eoanoke
Island, with Albemarle ^ound between them and no means of
getting across. The result of this blunder was that the battie was
fought, the island lost, and this important force was powerless to
render any assistance to their comrades.
The enemy made their appearance before Eoanoke Island on
the 7th of February, 1862, with about thirty gunboats and a force
of transports, and opened fire on the shore batteries, taking up a
position upon which the batteries could bring only three guns to
bear, one rifle and two smooth bore 32-pounders. They also
landed 10,000 men on the island, below the batteries. The fire
upon the batteries was kept up all day, but no damage was done
to them. During the engagement Commodore Lyneh's fleet of
tugboats, from a position near the main land, made a gallant flght
Arith a portion of the enemy's fleet, and after firing away all of
their ammunition, and having two boats sunk, fell back to Eliza
beth City. The next morning the bombardment of the battery
was resumed, and the land forces, marching up from the south
end of the island, met the troops which were there to defend it,
and, as might have been expected, defeated them, and, getting
in rear of the batteries, compelled their evacuation, as they had
no rear protection. Colonel Shaw fell back to the north end of
the island, and finding there was no boat by which his garrison could
be taken off, and knowing that his small, undisciplined force,
badly armed and without artillery, could not successfully contend
against the overwhelming force which was following them, de
cided to surrender, and thus was opened the gateway to the rear
of Norfolk, which should have been kept closed, and would have
been had the islajid been properly garrisoned and fortified. Lieuten
ant William Selden of Norfolk was in the engagement of the Sth
and was very favorably mentioned in the official report. He was
in charge of a six-pounder boat howitzer and was shot in the fore
head by a minie ball just as he was firing his last round of ammu
nition at the enemy. The Confederate loss in the battle was 23
killed, 58 wounded and about 2,600 captured. The Federals lost
37 killed, 214 wounded and 13 missing.
The Confederate Congress appointed a committee to investi
gate the disaster, and their report says the cause of the disaster
and defeat was "the want of necessary defences on the island, the
want of necessary field artillery, armament and ammunition, and

238 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
the great and unpardonable deficiency of men, together Arith the
entire want of transportation by which the whole command might
have been conveyed from the island after the defeat at the bat
tery." After exonerating General Wise from blame the report
goes on to say: "But the committee cannot say the same in ref
erence to the efforts of the Secretary of War and the command
ing officer at Norfolk, General Huger. It is apparent that the
island of Eoanoke is necessary for the defence of Norfolk, and
that General Huger had under his coiximand at that point up
wards of 15,000 men, a large supply of armament and ammuni
tion, and could have thrown in a few hours a large reinforcement
upon Eoanoke Island, and that himself and the Secretary of War
had timely notice of the entire inadequacy of the defences, the
want of men and munitions of war, and the threatening attitude
of the enemy. But General Huger and the Secretary of War
paid no practical attention to those urgent appeals of General
Wise, sent forward none of his important requisitions, and per
mitted General Wise and his inconsiderable force to remain and
meet at least 15,000 men well armed and equipped. If the Sec
retary of War and the commanding General at Norfolk had not
the means to reinforce General Wise why was he not ordered to
abandon his position and save his command ? But, on the con
trary, he was required to remain and sacrifice his command, with
no means in his insulated position to make his escape in case of
defeat. The committee, from the testimony, are therefore con
strained to report that whatever of blame and responsibility is
justly attributable to any one for the defeat of our troops at Eoa
noke Island on February Sth, 1862, should attach to Major Gen
eral B. Huger and the late Secretary of War, J. P. Benjamin."
The fall of Eoanoke Island has been treated of so extensively
in this connection for the reason that to it was due the evacuation
of Norfolk and Portsmouth by the Confederates the May follow
ing. It opened up to the incursions of the enemy the whole of
Eastern North Carolina and compelled the Confederates to main
tain a large army there to protect the Weldon and WUmington
railroad. This large detachment of troops from the army in Vir
ginia weakened it so that it was impossible, in the opinion of the
Confederate authorities in Eichmond to spare troops enough to
potect Norfolk both in front from Fortress Monroe and in rear
from the direction of Ehzabeth City, Edenton and the BlackAvater
river, hence it was abandoned.
It will be remembered that the 3d Georgia Eegiment was sent
by General Huger to Hatteras too late to be of service there, and
that Colonel Wright stopped at Eoanoke Island. On the 14th of
October Colonel Wright, with 160 men from his regiment, em
barked on three vessels from Commodore Lyneh's fleet, the Ea
leigh, Curlew and Junaluska, under the Commodore, and started

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 239
towards Chicamicomico. The expedition captured the tug Fanny
and forty-seven prisoners. The Fanny was armed with two rifle
guns, and Commodore Lynch added her to his fleet. On the 4th
Colonel Wright started again with his regiment to capture the
20th Indiana Eegiment, which had advanced from Hatteras to
Chicamicomico, and effected a landing, but the Indianians ran so
swiftly that by the utmost efforts of the Georgians they could not
overtake them. A number of stragglers were picked up in the
chase, and the Georgians lost one man, who died from exhaustion
in his effort to overtake the fleeing foe. General Wool reported
to General Scott that the Indiana Eegiment "completely de
feated" the Georgians. So much for official reports.
About the 1st of December the 3d Georgia Eegiment was or
dered back to Portsmouth and its place on Eoanoke Island was
taken by a newly organized regiment of North Carolina troops.
During the summer and fall of 1861 no effort was made by the
Confederates to recapture Fort Hatteras, though it was weakly
garrisoned, and though Governor Clarke of North Carolina was
constantly urging it. On the 19th of September the Federal gar
rison consisted of only 946 men. General Wool, too, was expect
ing them to recapture it, and was constantly urging upon the Fed
eral government the importance of strengthening the garrison if
it was intended to hold the place. But General Huger had his
- eye fixed npon Fortress Monroe, and could see nothing but an ex
pected landing of Federals at Ocean View On the 5th of Sep
tember Adjutant General Cooper telegraphed to know if he could
not spare the sailors at the Navy Yard to be- sent to the North
Carolina Sounds, and he replied that he could not spare a single
man, that he needed two more regiments. On the 30th
of November his muster rolls showed an aggregate present of 13,-
461, and on the roUs, absent and present, 16,143. January, 1862,
he had present 15,352. Present and absent, 16,761. He had
also 24 field pieces 'and 192 heavy guns, of which 46 were in the
vicinity of Suffolk.
On the 6th of December orders were received from Eichmond
to make all of the batteries around the harbor bomb proof, and
on the 7th of January, 1862, General Huger reported to the Sec
retary of War the f olloAving naval officers on duty in the batte
ries, with their respective ranks under the act of Congress allow
ing army rank to naval officers on duty with the army.
Commander E. F. Pinkney, commanding Fort Norfolk and
inspector of batteries, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Commander Charles F. Mcintosh, commanding Fort Nelson,
Lieutenant-Colonel. Commander W. L. Maury, commanding Seawell's Point bat
tery, Lieutenant-Colonel.
Lieutenant G. W. Harrison, commanding Pinner's Point Bat
tery, Major.

240 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
Lieutenant E. E. Carter, commanding Pig Point battery. Ma
jor. Lieutenant B. P. Loyall, assigned to Eoanoke Island, Captain.
Lieutenant J. S. Taylor, assigned to Eoanoke Island, to rank as
Major. The Monitor, iron clad, was expected to arrive at Fortress Mon
roe the latter part of February, and General McCleUan desired
General Wool to make use of her to capture Norfolk. General
Wool informed the Secretary that with 20,000 men and four bat
teries in addition to the force he then had at Fortress Monroe,
of 11,000 men and two batteries, with the co-operation of the
navy and of General Burnside's forces from North Carolina op
erating on its rear, he thought he could capture it. McClellan
urged upon him specially to capture the batteries at Seawell's
Point and spike the guns.
On the 16th of February, 1862, General Burnside sent an ex
pedition up the Chowan river for the purpose of burning the Sea
board and Eoanoke railroad bridges across the Blackwater and
Nottoway rivers. It reached Win ton on the 17tli and had an en
gagement with the 1st North Carolina Battalion, under Lieuten
ant-Colonel Williams, and a battery of artillery, and fell back.
During the night Lieutenant-Colonel Williams also fell back, and
the next day the gunboats returned and burned Winton. The
.Eichmond authorities thBn became very apprehensive for the '
safety of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and on the 27th General Hu
ger was ordered to put the two cities under martial law, to enroll
all the militia capable of doing military duty, and to make ar
rangements to remove the women and children and all other
persons who would embarrass their defence in case of a siege.
General Burnside continued active in his demonstrations in
North Carolina, and General Lee continued apprehensive of a
joint movement from Edenton and Newport News upon Suffolk,
and about the 1st of March the 14th and 53d Virginia, 2d Louis
iana, 16th North Carolina, and 16th Georgia Eegiments and
Cobb's Georgia Legion, with Moseley's battery of artiUery, were
conveyed to that town from General "Magruder's army on the Pe
ninsula. They took steamers from King's Mill for City. Point,
and were conveyed thence by rail to Suffolk, reaching there on
the 4th. The detachment numbered about 5,000 men, and on
the Sth General Huger crossed the 3d Alabama from Norfolk to
Portsmouth, near the Seaboard railroad, to be accessible in case
there should be need at Suffolk.
On the Sth and 9th of March the iron-clad Virginia (Merrimac)
had her battles in Hampton Eoads, and the resuTt of the second
day's battle, the battle between the Virginia and Monitor, alarmed
both General Huger and the Federal authorities. General Huger
recommended that the narrow passage left in the channel below

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 241
Lambert's Point be closed with obstructions, so as to pi-event the
Monitor from coming up to Norfolk, and Secretary WeUs of the
United States Navy, wanted General Wool to tow some vessels
loaded with stone to Seawell's Point and rink them in the chan
nel there to prevent the Virginia from coming out again. Gen
eral Huger's recommendation was disapproved by the Secretary
of War at Eichmond, who told him that the Federals were so
alarmed about the Virginia that they would not venture to enter
the harbor. The Secretary of War was correct, and the Federals
abandoned the idea of attacking the harbor from that side. As
sistant Secretary of the Navy G. V. Fox wrote to General Mc
Clellan on the 13tli as follows :
_" The Monitor is more than a match for the Merrimac, but she
might be disabled in the next encounter. I cannot advise so
great dependence on her. Burnside and Goldsboro are very
strong for the Chowan river route to Norfolk, and I brought up
maps, &c., to show you. It turns everything, and is only twenty-
seven miles to Norfolk by two good roads. The Monitor may,
and I think vrill, destroy the Merrimac in the next fight, but this
is hope, not certainty."
See what a train of events followed the failure of Secretary
Mallory to take the advice of Naval Constructor John L. Porter
in June, 1861, to import armor iron and steam engines for iron
clad gunboats. Two of them in A.lbemarle and Pamlico Sounds
would have been worth more than 30,000 men.
On the lOtli of February, two days after the fall of Eoanoke Is
land, the 6th Virginia Eegiment, under Colonel Thos. J. Cor-
pi-ew, was sent to Currituck Bridge, the eastern entrance to the
Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, and the 3d Georgia Eegiment
was sent back to South Mills, the Carolina end of the Dismal
Swamp Canal. A day or two afterwards, General Wise, falling
back from Nag's Head with the remnant of his brigade, met the
6th Virginia Eegiment at Currituck Bridge, took command and
fell back to Great Bridge, taking the 6tli Eegiment with him.
General Huger found him there, and requested the Secretary of
War to detach him and his brigade from the division. Accord
ingly, on the IStli, General Wise was ordered to report with his
infantry to General Joseph E. Johnston, at Manassas, and on the
20th turned over the post at Great Bridge and his artillery to
General Mahone.
Colonel Wright pushed on towards Elizabeth City, and formed
a junction with McComas' Battery of the Wise Legion, the South
ampton Cavalry, Captain Gillett, and two companies of North
Carolina militia, and on the 19th of AprU fought the battle of
South Mills, or Sawyer's Lane, or Camden. General Eeno, with
five regiments, the 21st ¦ Massachusetts, 51st Pennsylvania, 6th
New Hampshire, and 9th and S9th New York, and a detachment

242 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
of the 1st New York Marine Artillery, with six boat hoAritzers,
the whole numbering about 4,000 men, landed at Elizabeth City
and started towards South Mills to destroy the canal locks to pre
vent the passage of iron clads, which, it was reported to them,
were nearly ready at the navy yard at Portsmouth, for service in
the North Carolina sounds. Colonel Wright formed six compa
nies of his regiment in an advantageous position across the main
road, with his fiaiiks protected by a thick wood and swamp, placed
two of McComas' guns in the road, and awaited the approach of
the enemy. There was a large open field in front, and in this the
battle was fought. Colonel Wright sent the rest of his command
to the rear as a reserve and to guard a bridge across the Pasquo
tank river, in case there should be any attempt to cross from that
direction to his rear. The enemy began the attack about 12
o'clock, and continued it, with occasional intermissions, as their
assaults were repulsed, for about four hours. Several attempts to
turn the flanks, as well as to attack in front, were defeated by the
firing of artillery and infantry, and after the final repulse of the
enemy. Colonel Wright fell back to his entrenchments, about two
miles in the rear, and the enemy retreated to .Elizabeth City and
embarked immediately. Three of their regiments reached Eoa
noke Island the next morning, and the two others were conveyed
to Newberne. The next day Colonel Wright Avas reinforced by
the 1st Louisiana and the 32d North Carolina Eegiments, and
later by the Portsmouth Eifle Company and Grimes' Battery,
under comiriand of General Blanchard, who assumed command of
the brigade. Colonel Wright's loss in the engagement was six
killed, nineteen wounded and three missing. Among the killed
was Captain McComas, of the artiUery. "the Federal loss, as per
their official report, was thirteen Idlled, 101 wounded, and thirteen
captured. The uncertainty of the point of attack in North Carolina and
the many exposed points required the withdrawal from Virginia
of a large portion of General Johnston's army, and so great was
this drain that in AprU, 1862, the muster rolls of Generd Holmes'
command in North Carolina showed a force of nearly 25,000 ef
fective men, and the only troops who could be taken to fiU their
places were those under command of General Huger, iu thcAdcin-
ity of Norfolk and Portsmouth. General Johnston announced
his decision on the 2Sth of April to faU back from Yorktown and
recommended the evacuation of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and
General Lee, who had for some time apprehended a movement of
the Federals upon Suffolk, and doubted the abUity of the Confed
erates to detach troops enough to resist it, concurred in the move
ment, and orders were issued to General Huger to remove every
thing moveable, preparatory to marching away the troops, whom
he was ordered to concentrate on Petersburg. The evacuation of

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 243
Norfolk was hastened by a much earher retreat on the part of
General Johnston than was anticipated.
- There were no mUitary movements of interest in the vicinity
of Norfolk, after the battle of South MUls, until the Sth of May,
when the Federal fleet from Fortress Monroe, includihg the Mon
itor, moved up towards SeaweU's Point, and about noon opened
flre upon the batteries. The Virginia moved down from the
navy yard to take part in the engagement, but as she was turning
Lambert's Point the Federal vessels saw her and retired towards
Fortress Monroe. That morning the Galena and two other gun
boats started up James river, shelling the Confederate batteries as
they moved along. The Confederate steamers Patrick Henry and
Thomas Jefferson retired before them as they advanced. Early
in AprU, before it was ainticipated that the evacuation of Norfolk
and Portsmouth would be necessary, the Secretary of War di
rected that additional obstructions be put in the harbor, and after
consulting with Secretary Mallory, of the navy. Captain S. S.
Lee, who had relieved Commodore Forrest as commandant of the
navy yard, was directed to have the old 74-gun ships Delaware
and Columbus raised and taken to the narrow part of the channel
near Seawell's Point and there scuttled. The sloop of war Ger
mantown and the old frigate United States, which had been re-
christened "the Confederate States," were to be used, for the same
purpose, whUe the Plymouth was directed to be fltted up as a re
ceiring ship. A space was to be left open for the Virginia to
pass in and out, but was to be closed with an arrangement of
booms when not used for the passage of vessels. This was decided
upon because the old obstructions near Lambert's Point were so
close to the city that it could be reached from there by the ene
my's shells, should they succeed in passing the batteries at Sea
well's Point and Craney Island. Before anything could be done
towards carrying out the, proposed plan, the Confederates evacu
ated the place. In the meantime the wholesome fear the enemy
had of the Virginia kept them from making any attempt to enter
the harbor.
The Confederates left on the 10th of May, and knowing that
they were moving off. General Wool landed a force of 6,000 troops
on Willoughby's Spit, and about 9 a. m. started for the city. He
marched very slowly, so as to give the Confederates time to get
off Arithout any hindrance on his part, and arrived within about a
mile of the Norfolk at 5 o'clock p. m., having moved at the rate
of about one mile an hour. Here he was met by Mayor W. W.
Lamb, who surrendered the city, in the absence of military
authority, and, though the city was in possession of the United
States army and the guns which frowned from the numerous bat
teries were silent, Arith no soldiers near them to Avake them into
action, the Virginia still held a position inside of Craney Island,

244 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
and the Federal fleet held back from entering the harbor. That
night the old ironclad was set on fire by order of her own comman
der, and just before daylight on the morning of the llth, the fire
reached lier magazine and she was blown up. Then her late an
tagonists came boldly up to the city.
General Wool, in his official report of the landing of the Fed
eral troops, and their occupation of the city, forwarded to the
Secretary of War on the 12th of May, says :
Headquarters Department of Virginia,
Fortress Monroe, Va., May 12th, 1862.
SiE — On the 9 th of May (Friday afternoon) I organized a force
to march against Norfolk. On Saturday morning. May 10th, the
troops were landed, under the direction of Colonel Cram, at Ocean
View, and commenced the march towards Norfolk, under the di
rection of Brigadier Gfener.-ils Mansfield and Weber, who proceeded
on the direct route by the way of Tanner's Creek bridge, but
finding it on fire, they returned to the cross-roads, where I joined
them and took the direction of the column. I arrived by the old
road and entered the entrenchments in front of the city at twenty
minutes before 5 p. m. I immediately proceeded towards Nor
folk, accompanied by Hon. Secretary Chase, and met the mayor
and a select colnmittee of the Common Council of Norfolk at the
limits of the city, when they surrendered the city, agreeably to
the terms set fortli in the resolutions of the Common Council,
presented by the Mayor, W. W. Lamb, which were accepted by
me so far as related to the ciril rights of the citizens.
I immediately took possession of the city and appointed Briga
dier General Egbert L. Viele Military Governor of Norfolk, Arith
directions to see that the citizens were protected in all their civil
rights. Soon after I took possession of Gosport and Portsmouth.
The taking of Norfolk caused the destruction of the ironclad
Merrimac, whicli was blown up by the rebels about 5 o'clock on
the morning of the llth of May, which was soon- after communi
cated to you and the President of the United States. On the llth
I visited the navy yard and found all the work shops, storehouses,
and other buildings in ruins, having been set on fire by the rebels
who at the same time partially blew up the dry-dock.
I also visited Craney Island, where I found thirty-nine guns of
large caliber, most of which were spiked ; also a large number of
shot and shells, with about 5,000 pounds of powder, all of which
with the buildings, were in good order. So far as I have been
able to ascertain, we have taken about two hundred cannon,, in
cluding those at Seawell's Point batteries, with a large number of
shot and shells, as well as many other articles of value to the gov
ernment. Troops have been stationed at the navy yard, Craney Island,
SeaAvell's Point and other places.

OPERATIONS AROUND NORFOLK CITT. 245
Secretary of War Staunton issued a congratulatory order to
General Wool, claiming that his movement of 6,000 troops caused
the evacuation of Norfolk. The secretary knew that the evacu
ation was due to orders received from Eichmond two weeks pre
vious thereto, and that tluJ stores which could be moved had pre
viously been sent to Eichmond and Chariotte. What chance
would General Wool's 6,000 men have had of capturing Norfolk
or even escaping, in a contest with the 15,000 Avell drilled troops
who were under General Huger's command.
General Wool kncAv before he landed at Ocean View that the
Confederates had evacuated their batteries, and he took particular
care not to approach Norfolk until he was certain that the last
Confederate troops had left the city. Is any better evidence
Avanted than the fact that it took him from 9 o'clock a. m. to 5 p.
m. to ma,rch from Ocean View to the intrench ments back of Nor
folk, a distance of about seven miles.
The Confederate troops under General Huger were added to
the army of General Johnston for the defence of Eichmond.
General Huger commanded the division until after the battle of
Malvern HiU, when he was relieved from his command in the
field and appointed inspector of artillery and ordnance, with in
structions to report to the War Department for orders. His man
agement of the division at the battle of Seven Pines and during
the Seven Day's battles, terminating at Malvern Hill, did not
meet the approbation of the Confederate war authorities. His
troops were assigned to other commanders, and made records for
themselves, as soldiers, second to none in the army of Northern
Virginia. The council of war which decided that Norfolk was untenable,
was held before General Johnston went to the Peninsula. There
were present Generals Longstreet, Smith and Lee, President Davis
and Secretary of War Eandolph. It was agreed then that if the
Peninsula was evacuated, McClellan could cross a force over
James river, take post at Suffolk, that Burnside could reinforce
him from Elizabeth Citj, and starve out General Huger's forces
and force a surrender. Persons not so high in authority as those
.who held the council, have always doubted the necessity of evac
uating the city. They have taken the ground that if McClellan
' crossed over his army and located at Suffolk or advanced towards
Portsmouth, General Johnston's army could have crossed over
also and hemmed McClellan in between the two forces, while the
Virginia, in Hampton Eoads, could have prevented his receiving
supplies from Fortress Monroe, and, if Burnside left North Caro
lina to unite Arith him. General Holmes' 25,000 Confederate
troops in that State would have been released and could have
joined General Johnston in Virginia. McClellan had his eye on
Eichmond, not Norfolk.

246 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
On the 3d of May an officer of General Johnston's staff arrived
in Norfolk with an order to General Huger to evacuate the city
immediately. The order was issued May 1st, but the Secretary
of War, who was in Norfolk to see about the removal of stores,
&c., ordered General Huger to delay the evacuation until he could
remove such stores and munitions as could be carried off.

CHAPTEE XXXI.
the NOEFOLK LIGHT ARTILLERY BLUES.
When the war ended, this was probably t;he largest company in
the Confederate army, for though it had been thro ugh three years
of active service after the evacuation of Norfolk, and had lost six
teen men by death, besides many wounded, it had more than a
hundred and fifty men present for duty when the lines were
broken at Petersburg on the 1st of AprU, 1865, and the final
crash came, which involved the Southern Confederacy in its ruins.
Twenty-two of its members Avere from Portsmouth, ten or twelve
were from Princess Anne, six were from Maryland, while Norfolk
county, Southampton, Nansemond, Prince George, Petersburg,
Hampton and other places had representatives in its ranks, but a
large majority of its members were from the city of Norfolk, and
no company in the Confederate service was composed of better
material. The Blues were organized February 22d, 1828, with Captain
Miles King as their first commander. Captain King passed away
long before the war, but his work remained. At the breaking
¦ out of the late war " the Blues " turned out with full ranks, and
were on duty April 19th, 1861, when the powder was removed
from Fort Norfolk, and on the morning of the 20th, Arith two
field pieces, they were sent down the harbor towards Craney Is
land, to intercept the Baltimore boat, which was supposed to have
on board a detachment of marines for the navy yard. Their or
ders were to capture the marines and bring them to Norfolk.
They stopped the steamer but the marines were not on board.
The company was armed Arith four brass howitzers but these were
turned over to the Huger Battery, and the Blues were attached
to the 16th Virginia Infantry as Company H, until March 26th,
1862, when the company was detached from the 16th Eegiment
and reorganized as hght artillery.
The officers of the company when the war began were Captain
Jacob Vickery ; 1st LieuteuBnt, W. J. Nimmo ; 2d Lieutenant,
John Branham ; 3d Lieutenant, S. P. Moore, but Lieutenants
Branham and Moore did not go into service with it, and the offi
cers for the first year were Captain "Vickery; 1st Lieutenant
Nimmo,' 2d Lieutenant, W. T. Peet; 3d Lieutenant, E. B.
Banks ; 1st Sergeant, Thos. Nash, Jr. On the 22d of April the
Blues' were ordered to Craney Island and remained there about
three weeks, when they were sent to Boush's Bluff, near the
mouth of Tanner's Creek. There were on duty at that locality,
the Blues, the Juniors, of Norfolk, and a company organized by
247

248 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Captain John J. Young, and doing duty as heavy artillery. On
the 18th of May, 1S61, the tug Kahukee landed a force of labo
rers at Seawell's Point,for the purpose of building a battery in
that locality, and was shortiy afterwards chased and fired upon by
the United" States steamer MonticeUo. The Kahukee steamed for
Norfolk, with the MonticeUo in pursuit, and when the latter ves
sel had gotten within range of the guns in the battery at Boush's
Bluff, Captain Young fired a shot at her which turned her back.
During that day and the following morning the Confederates were
busy at work upon the battery at SeaweU's Point, and by the
afternoon of the 19th, had three guns mounted, when the Monti
ceUo took up a position to attack it. A detachment of the Blues,
under Lieutenant Peet, was sent from Boush's Bluff to reinforce
a company of Geor^ans, the Columbus Light Guard, which was
stationed there, and assisted in the engagement which followed.
After a brisk interchange of shots, the MonticeUo retired but re
turned again on the 21st. The Blues Avere present on this occa
sion also and did good serA'ice. Later that summer, the whole
company was ordered to Seawell's Point, and remained .on duty
there until the evacuation by the Confederates in May, 1862.
¦On the Sth of March, 1862, several of the Federal vessels which
were moving from Fortress Monroe towards Newport News, to
engage the Virginia (Merrimac) passed vrithin gun shot of the
batteries at SeaweU's Point, and among others^ the battery which •
was manned by the Blues, opened fire on them. They were in
the battery on the Sth of May when the Federal fleet from Fort
ress Monroe bombarded SeaweU's Point, until the . appearance of
the Virginia, coming doAvn from the navy yard, caused them to
retire. While at Seawell's Point several changes took place in the offi
cers of the company. Sergeant Nash was elected 1st Lieutenant
of the Huger Battery in April, 1861, Lieutenant Nimmo «lied on
the 25th of September, 1861, Captain Vickery resigned on the
4th of December, and on the 21st Captain Charles E. Grandy
was elected Captain. Other changes were made at the reorgani
zation of the company, so that when it left Norfolk the following
were its officers :
Captain — Charles E. Grandy.
First Lieutenant, Wm. T. Peet ; 2d Lieutenant, E. B. Banks ;
3d Lieutenant, James W. Gilmer.
After leaving Norfolk the company moved to Petersburg and
was there furnished with two rifle guns, two brass howitzers and
two Napoleons. It had then between ninety and a hundred men.
In the summer of 1862 Sergeant Henry V. Moore was elected
4th Lieutenant and 2d Sergeant E. F. V aughan became Orderly
Sergeant. These officers continued Arith the company until the
close of the war. Lieutenant Peet was wounded twice. The first

THE NORFOLK LIGHT ARTILLERT BLUES. 249
wound was received at the battle of ChancellorsA'ille on the 1st of
May, 1863, and the other on the 1st of April 1865, when the Con
federate lines in front of Petersburg were broken.. Lieutenant
Gilmer received a slight wound in the forehead in front of Pe
tersburg in 1864, from a piece of shell which struck the ground
and spent nearly all of its force before it struck him. The other
officers escaped without a wound.
yiie compaijy remained on duty around Eichmond and Peters
burg until the fall of 1862, when it Avas ordered to the upper
Eappahannock to assist the 61st Virginia Eegiment in guarding
the fords of that river and the Eapidan, and on the 16th of No
vember was ordered, with the 61st Eegiment, to Petersburg, ar
riving there on the 18th. On the 13th of December was fought
the battle of Fredericksbui^. The Blues occupied a piece of high
ground on the left of the Confederate line, with Anderson's Di
vision, and rendered material assistance in repulsing the assaults
of the enemy, but was fortunate in not losing any men. This
was the first battle Arith infantry in which the company was en
gaged. The winter of 1862-3 was spent on the Eappahannock river in
the presence of the enemy, and when General Hooker commenced
his turning movement in April, 1863, the Blues were on guard at
United States Ford. This position was turned by Hooker's pas
sage of the river higher up, and on the night of the 29th the
Blues retired towards ChanceUorsville, where, on the 1st day of
May, they opened the three days' battle which is known by that
name. One gun of the Blues' battery, together with another gun
belonging to Jordan's battery, engaged Weed's battery of regu
lars, supported by two brigades of Sykes' Division, at a distance
of three hundred yards, until the enemy retired. During this
engagement a can of shrapnel from one of the guns of the enemy
burst just in front of the Blues' gun, kUled Private W. C. Land
and wounded Lieutenant Peet shghtly,' Corporals J. H. Watters
and M. C. Keeling and .Privates J. W. Floyd, C. K. McKown,
John H. Day, T. J. Wilkins and W. D. Montague. This left
only two men to work the gun, and these tAvo, with the assistance
of Captain Grandy and Lieutenant Peet, who was not disabled by
his wound, continued to serve it. Private Floyd lost his arm.
This was the heaviest loss the company met with in any engage
ment during the war.
In June, 1863, the company was attached to Garnett's battal
ion of artUlery and foUowed General Lee into Pennsylvania, took
part in the battle of Gett;^sburg, and on the 14th of July recrossed
the Potomac river into Virginia Arithout having lost any men ex
cept one or two who were captured near Falling Waters.
The winter of 1863-4 was passed in comfortable quarters near
GordonsvUle, and in May, 1864, camp was broken to meet the
17

250 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
advance of General Grant in the Wilderness. The Blues were
constantly in front until the army settled down in front of Peters
burg, when the company vjas assigned a position in the lines near
the Boydton Plank Eoad. * WhUe there three me;n were kUled,
Privates Wm. Booth, J. Theodore Taylor, and A. M. Watters,
Taylor performed a very daring feat on the 30th of July, 1864,
during the battle of the Crater. The company was then sta
tioned near that locality and had not been moved to the Plank
Eoad. A large shell from one of the enemy's guns made a lodg
ment in the roof of the magazine, and, exploding, set the maga
zine on fire. Seeing this, and apprehending an explosion, an in
fantry regiment which was near by supporting the battery scat
tered, and considerable demoralization was felt all around, but
Taylor took a couple of buckets of water, went down into the
magazine and put the fire out. In this battle the company had
one man killed. Corporal E. M. Butler, and several wounded. •
Towards the close of the scenes around Petersburg the Blues
were divided into two sections, one of whom had charge of a mor
tar battery near the scene of the Crater fight and the other was
farther to the right, near the Boydton Plank Eoad, and it was
there that Grant made his assault upon the Confederate lines. AU
of the infantry had been withdrawn, and the Blues fought with
out supports. The enemy charged in front and to the right of
them. The assault in front was checked, but the works were
carried on their right and the exultant foe charged down the
trenches upon the battery. A portion of the guns changed front
to meet this attack, and they were fought untU the enemy reached
their muzzles, when the battery, with about sixty men, was cap
tured. The enemy's loss was very heavy and the price paid for
the battery was a dear one. The portion of the company sta
tioned at the mortar battery escaped from the lines, joined the
army on the retreat, and surrendered at Appomattox. The com
pany took part in the following battles :
SeaweU's Point, May 19th-21st, Chancellorsville, May 1st, 1863.
1861. Gettysburg, July 2d-3d, 1863.
Seawell's Point, March Sth, '62. Bristoe Station, October 14th,
SeaweU's Point, May Sth, '62. 1863.
Eappahannock Bridge. Wilderness, May 6th, 1864.
Fredericksburg, December 13th, Spotsylvania C. H., May 12th,
1862. 1864.
Cold Harbor, Turkey Eidge,
Petersburg lines from June 16th, 1864, to AprU 1st, 1866.
The Norfolk Light Artillery Blues was one of the companies
sent to Coggins' Point on the James river, in July, 1862, to bom
bard McClellan's camp at Harrison's Landing, on which occasion
the enemy were considerably surprised and alarmed, even if not
greatly damaged.

THE NORFOLK LIGHT ARTILLERT BLUES. 251
The following rolls show, first, those who were discharged from
the company or assigned to other fields of duty, and second, those
who left Norfolk in its ranks at the evacuation or joined the com
pany subsequently. Those marked with a star were from Ports
mouth, and, of all these names, every man remained faithful to
the Confederacy until the close of the war :
TRANSFERRED AND DISCHARGED.
Allyn, Joseph T., appointed 2d Lieutenant OrdnanceC. S. Army, May 25thi
1863.
Bagnall, Richard D., appointed Assistant Surgeon C. S. Army October 18th,
1861.
Blow, W. W., transferred to Ordnance Department.
Borum, Charles, appointed Lieutenant in the Navy.
Branham, John B., detailed as Department Clerk, Richmond.
'*Brown, John B., appointed Engineer in the Navy March 20th, 1863.
Bradford, 0., appointed Lieutenant in the Nav.v.
Cornick, Henry, appointed Master in the Navy April Ist, 1863.
Freeman, J. M., Jr., appointed Engineer in the Navy May 12th, 1863.
Gatch, J. A., appointed Lieutenant Company H, 6th Virginia Regiment,
April 7th, 1863.
Jo^inson, Ames C, appointed Engineer in the Navy.
*Kilby, W. T., transferred to Provost Marshal's offlce, Richmond.
Toy, Crawford H., appointed Chaplain 53 Virginia Regiment.
¦Whiting, John S., appointed Hospital Steward October Sth, 1861 .
Walker, R. V., discharged on account of disability.
Wright, Minton A., appointed Lieutenant 57th North Carolina Regiment
and killed.
*Wp8t, Joseph S., appointed Eng-ineer in the Navy.
Webb, Wm. T., discharged July 3d, 1863.
Captain, Chas. E. Grandy.
First Lieutenant, Wm. T. Peet.
Second Lieutenant, E. B. Banks.
Third Lieutenant, Jas. W. Gilmer.
Fourth Lieutenant, Henry V. Moore.
SERGEANTS.
1st, E. F. Vaughan, 3d, Wm. E. Taylor, 5th, J. H. Watters,.
2d, Geo. C. Hudgins, 4th, J. E. Wright, 6th, W. T. Clarke.
CORPORALS.
C. H. Busky, J. E. Keeling, W. D. Montague,
¦^J. T. Eainier, . C. S. Eogers, S. N. Brickhouse,
E. M. Butier, M. C. Keeling, E. L. Wright,
E. S. Broughton, T. J. Wilkins, J. M. ZiUs.
Wm. Boothe, J. W. Elliott,
Quartermaster Sergeant, B. D. Thomas.
Commissary Sergeant, John L. Keeling.
Ordnance Sergeant, John H. Nash.
PRIVATES.
*Ashton, John C. Benson, O. S. Brock, L.
Beale, H. Bishop, W. I. E. Brickhouse, B. D.
Bell, A. S. Bell, N. Brooks, E. W.

252

NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.

Brown, V. H.
*Browne, Joe S.
*Brown, J. W.
Brown, E. P.
Cooke, John S.
Cooke, M. T.
Collins, W. W.
Capps, L. 0.
Cornick, H.
CarroU, Win. S.
Chamberlaine, A. E.
Cocke, W. E. C.
Cox, Wm. E.
CuthereU, Wm. S.
Cocke, P. St. Geo.
*Day, John H.
Denson, A. J.
Donghtie, H. S.
Doyle, W. H.
Drummond, E. J.
Drummond, C. H.
*Dunn, Wm. H.
Dunn, J. E.
Evans, E.
*Elliott, Thos. H.
Elhott, T. E.
EUiott, J. A.
Fitzgerald, W.
Fitzgerald, D.
Fitzgerald, E.
Fletcher, F.
Floyd, John W.
Gamage, J. O.
Gaskins, G. O.
Ghisefin, H.
Ghiselin, E.
Goodrich, A. J.
Gordon, J. P.
Gordon, Geo. W.
Graves, C. M.
Gwathney, E. H.
Gordon, M.
Hodges, John M.
*Haines, J. M. D.
HiU, A.
Halstead, E. L.
HaUett, Wm. E.

Hatton, John F.
Haughton, A. Jr.
Higgins, I.
Higgins, A.
Hodges, Samuel.
*Hume, E. G.
Hunter, J. F.
Holmes, W. H.
James, H.
Johnson, J. W.
Jones, George.
Jones, E. H.
Joynes, S. H.
Joynes, W. C.
Joynes, C. T.
Johnson, A. W.
King, W. G:
Lee, L. M. Jr.
Land, W. A.
LeCompte, J. W.
Lee, F. D.
Lovitt, E. C.
Lovitt, H. C.
McKown, C. K.
*Moore, Jos. P.
McGuire, J. B.
Morris, J. J.
Morse, B. N.
*Maupin,G.W.O.Jr. Malborn, O. L.
Morris, D. P.
Mari, F. J.
Moore, J. E.
McCarrick, D.
Nash, W.
Newton, C. A.
Nimmo, P. E.
NorveU, C. E.
Petty, J. C.
Peet, J. D.
*Porter, Eobt. T.
E^d, John S.
*Eeynolds, Eobt. E.
*Eoberts, John B.
Eogers, John C.
Eogers, W. H. E.
Eogers, T. F.

Eogers, 0. S.
Saunders, S. S.
SebreU, N. C. H.
SmUey, C. D.
Sterrett, J. S.
Segar, T. F.
Smith, E. C.
*Smith, Jas. W.
Smythe, Wm.
Stewer, Edwin.
Swank, W. A.
Smith, C. A. Jr.
Smith, J. E.
Simmons, J.
*Thoinpson, E. Jr.
Taylor, W. J.
Taylor, J. Theodore.
Thomas, J. D.
Vaughan, E S.
Veale, Samuel.
Walters, John.
Watters, A. M.
West, Wm. M.
Whiting, T. B.
Whiting, J. E.
WUkins, C. L.
Wilkins, John F.
Wilkinson, James.
*Wingfield, E. C. M.
Whitehurst, L. H.
Whitehurst, S. T.
Woodhouse, P. D.
Worrell, J. E.
Wright, W. S.
Wilkins, W. A.
Ward, J. T.
Wilson, D. C. B.
Woodhouse, John
Woodward, W. W.
*White, N. E.
Wilkins, G. W.
White, C. E.
*Williamson, C. H.
Whitmore, 0.
ZiUs, J. A.
ZiUs, A. C.

THE NORFOLK LIGHT ARTILLERT BLUES. 253
CASUALTIES  KILLED AND DIED.
Booth, Wm., killed 1865, Petersburg lines.
Butler, R. M., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Dunn, J. R., died in hospital September 4th, 1868, Petersburg.
Gaskins, G. O., died in hospital, 1864, Petersburg.
Hatton, J. F., died in hospital, 1863, Petersburg.
Higgins, I., killed June, 1864, Turkey Ridge.
Land, W. C, killed May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
McCarrick, D., died in hospital, 1864, Petersburg.
Nimmo, W. T., died in hospital September 21, 1861, Norfolk.
Reynolds, R. E., captured July 14th, 1863, Maryland, died at Point Look
out.
Rogers, W. H. R., died in hospital September 24th, 1862, Richmond.
Steri-ett, J. S., died in hospital, 1862, Petersburg.
Taylor, J. Theodore, killed Plank Road, 1865, Petersburg.
Watters, A. M., killed Plank Road, 1865, Petersburg.
Wilkins, W. A., died in hospital, 1862, Petersburg.
Wright, Minton A., appointed Lientenant 57th North Carolina Regiment
and kiUed in battle.
Killed and died— 16. CASUALTIES  WOUNDED.
Broughton, Robert S., .\pril 1st, 1865, Petersburg lines.
Cooke, M. T., on the lines near Petersburg.
Cutherell, Wm. S., Chancellorsville May 1st, 1863.
Drummond, R. J., Chancellorsville May Ist, 1863.
Day, John H., Chancellorsville May Ist, 1863, and Petersburg July 30th,
1864.
Floyd, John W., Chancellorsville May 1st, 1863, lost an arm.
Gilmer, James W. (Lieutenant), on the lines near Petersburg.
, Gamage, John 0., July 3()th, 1865, at the Crater.
Johnson, John, April 1st, 1865, Petersburg.
Johnson, Augustus W., April 1st, 1865, Petersburg.
Keeling, M. C., May 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville, sent to Richmond wounded,
captured by Stoneman's Raiders, paroled, and wounded July 30th,
1864, Crater.
Lee, F. D., Petersburg lines, 1864, wounded, again 1865, and disabled.
Lovitt, H. C, Petersburg lines, 1865.
McKown, C. K., Ma.y 1 st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Montague, W. D., May Ist, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Moore, Joseph P., Jul.y 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Newton, C. E., Plank Road near Petersburg, 1864, lost a leg.
Peet, W. T. (Lieutenant), May Ist, 1863, Chancellorsville, and April 1st,
Ist, 1865, Petersburg.
Rogers, T. F., May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Reid, J. S., Petersburg lines, 1864.
Taylor, Wm. E., 1864, near Fredericksburg, on R., F. & P. R. R.
Taylor, Wm. J., near the Plank Road, Petersburg, 1864, lost a foot.
Wilkins, T. J., May Ist, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Watters, J. H., May 1st, 1863, at ChanceUorsville.
Walters, John, April 1st, 1865, Petersburg.
Worrell, J. R., Mav 1st, 1863, Chancellorsville.
Wilson, D. C. B., 1865, Petersburg lines.
The following names of members of the Blues were on the of
ficial muster roU as having been paroled at Appomattox :
Sergeant W. T. Clarke, Hospital Steward Jesse J. Mor-
Sergeant W. H. Doyle, ris.
Ordnance Sergt. Jno. J. Morris, Q. M. Sergeant J. C. Petty,

NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5,
vate C. H. Busky, special Private John Hodges,
uty. Private J. H. Nash, special dutj
vate W. W. Collins, special Private Eobert Porter,
uty, . Private C. D. Smiley,
vate Nonnan Bell, special Private John B. Eoberts,
uty. Private W. W. Woodward,
vate W. Fitzgerald, ¦ Private N. E. White,
vate Ed. Fitzgeraid, Private E. Whiting,
vate M. Gordon, Private John Walters,
Private E. C. M. Wingfield.

CHAPTEE XXXII.
THE NORFOLK LIGHT ARTILLERY  THE HUGER BATTERY.
_ In May, 1861, there were on the rolls of the Norfolk Light Ar
tiUery Blues more members than were permitted to one company
and on the 21st, by mutual consent, the company was divided and
a portion, splitting off from the others, organized a new company
under the name of the Norfolk Light ArtUlery, and requested
Frank Huger, Esq., son of General Benj. Huger, then command
ing the department of Norfolk, to becorne its captain. The invi
tation was accepted and the company was mustered into service
about the Sth of June under the following officers :
Captain, Frank Huger.
First Lieutenant, Thos. Nash, Jr.; 2d Lieutenant, Joseph D.
Moore ; 3d Lieutenant, Wm. J. Parrish.
First Sergeant, W. J. Butt ; 2d Sergeant, Jas. D. Gale ; 3d
Sei^eantj Wm. K. Ferguson ; 4th Sergeant, W. H. Caldwell.
First Corporal, John W. Stephens ; 2d Corporal, Benj. F. Bal-
som ; 4th Corporal, Eichard D. . Christian.
The company was given the guns belonging to the Blues, con
sisting of two brass six-pounder howitzers, one rifle gun and one
boat howitzer. Later in the war it was armed with two rifle guns
and two Napoleans.
Upon being mustered into service the company was sent into
camp in the entrenchments back of Norfolk and placed in a bat
talion vrith Moorman's Baittery, of Lynchburg, and Nicholson's
Battery, of Petersburg, and remained there until the evacuation
of Norfolk in May, 1862, when it was ordered to Petersburg and
thence to the army in front of Eichmond.
At the reorganization of the company in May, 1862, Captain
Huger and Second Lieutenant Moore were re-elected, but Lieu
tenants Nash and Parrish were dropped. Lieutenant Nash re
ceived an appointment as Lieutenant in the Provisional army and
was assigned to duty at various posts. For a long time he was on
duty in the Provost Marshal's office in Staunton, and Lieutenant
Parrish obtained a position in the navy. Private J. L. Tilghman
was elected 1st Lieutenant and Sergeant Jas. D. Gale, 3d Lieu
tenant. Lieutenant TUghman died in hospital in Eichmond iu
October, 1862. This caused the promotion of Lieutenants Moore
and Gale, and Sergeant F. M. Peed was elected 3d Lieutenant,
In 1863 Captain Huger was promoted to Major of Artillery,
Lieutenant Moore became Captain, Lieutenants Gale and Peed
were advanced to 1st And. 2d Lieutenants respectively, and 1st
Sergeant Wm. J. Butt was elected 3d Lieutenant, and John W,
259

256 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.

Stephens was promoted to 1st Sergeant. Sergeant Stephens be
came disabled in 1863, from the loss of a leg and John W. Ash, i
who was transferred to the company from Grimes' Battery, of
Portsmouth, became 1st Sergeant. There were no other changes ,
among the officers during the war.
In October, 1862, Grimes' Battery, of Portsmouth, was dis
banded and about eighty men of that company were transferred \
to the Huger Battery. The names of these men do not appear
on the roll which follows, for the reason that they already appear
on the roll of their original company.
The Huger Battery was slightly engaged in the battle of Seven
Pines, but suffered no loss, and during the Seven Days' battles
had an artillery duel with a Federal battery at the battle of Oak
Grove on the 25th of June, in which Captain Huger reported no
casualties, except the loss of one horse, which' was killed. The
Federal battery was forced to retire. On the 2Sth of August the
battery engaged a Federal battery at Warrenton Springs, and had
one man wounded. It was present at Second Manassas, August
30th, 1862, but was again fortunate in not meeting with any
losses. At Sharpsburg, September 17th, the battery was under
command of Lieutenant Gale, and was quite heavily engaged.
Here it lost one man killed and two wounded. Its next engage
ment was at Fredericksburg, December 13th, 1862, when it occu
pied a position with Anderson's Division on the left of the Con
federate line of battle, but suffered no loss. It was again fortu
nate at Chancellorsville. It was posted with Wilcox's Brigade at
Banks' Ford, and thus escaped the heavy fighting around Chan
ceUorsville on the 1st, 2d and 3d of May. On the 3d the battery
was moved from Banks' Ford to the breastworks on Taylor's Hill,
opposite Falmouth,and with two rifled guns opened on the enemy's
batteries across the river, and also upon a force of infantry, which
was in sight, then, upon Sedgwick's advance from Fredericks
burg, the battery fell back, foUowing Wilcox's Brigade in the di
rection of the Plank Eoad. The battery retired beyond the
brick church (Salem Church), when, meeting Mahone's brigade,
it returned with that command to the church, but, not finding an
eligible position. General Wilcox ordered it to retire down the
road. In this affair only one man was hurt. Private David
Boyce, who was assigned to the company from Grimes' Battery,
was slightly wounded in the shoulder.
The battery was. with the army in its advance into Pennsylva
nia, and at the battle of Gettysburg had one man wounded, and
one wounded in a cavalry attack while falling back from Gettys
burg. During this campaign Lieutenant Gale had command of
Penick's Battery from Halifax county.
After the Gettysburg campaign the company enjoyed a season
of rest until the beginning of Grant's overland campaign in May,

/

NORFOLK LIGHT ARTILLERT-HUGER BATTERT. 257
1864, when it Avas engaged almost constantly from the battle of
the Wilderness until the enemy settled around Petersburg. Here,
too, there was a constant round of firing, and the company did
duty at various positions between the Jerusalem Plank Eoad and
Eieves' Salient, and here it suffered its heaviest losses. When
Grant broke through the Confederate lines at Petersburg on the
1st of April, 1865, the Huger Battery was in position on Hatch
er's Eun, and the whole company was surrounded and captured.
It held its ground until further fighting became both useless and
impossible, and then, yielding to the inevitable, became prisoners
of war. First Sergeant John W. Ash managed to escape capture
at Hatcher's Eun and surrendered with the remnant of the army
at Appomattox Avitli Private Nathaniel G. Eeid, the sole repre
sentatives of the battery. The company had three men killed at
Hatcher's Eun when the lines were broken, namely, Eichard
Boutwell and Edward Beaton, who were assigned to it from
Grimes' Battery, and James O. Whitehurst, one of its original
members. The foUowing is the roll of the company after the reorganiza
tion in May, 1862, and embraces only the original members. The
men who were transferred to it from Grimes' Battery are not on
it, as has been previously stated :
Captain, Frank Huger, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel ot Artillery.
First Lieutenant, John L. Tilghman, died in hospital October, 1862.
Second Lieutenant, Joseph D. Moore, promoted to Captaiii.
Third Lieutenant. James D. Gale, promoted 1st Lieutenant.
First Sergeant, W. J. Butt, promoted 3d Lieutenant.
Second Sergeant, Fred. L. Bedout, in charge of stables.
Third Sergeant, Fred. M. Peed, promoted 2d Lieutenant.
Fourth Sergeant, Benj. F. Balsom, appointed Commissary Sergeant.
First Corporal, Chas. Rogers.
Second Corporal, Jos. A. Jordan.
Third Corporal, John W. Stephens, promoted 1st Sergeant, wounded Sept.
17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg, disabled in 1863, and discharged.
Fourth Corporal, Carlton C. Lattimer, lost an eye at Spotsylvania Court
House. PBIVATES.
Abdell, James.
Addison, James, wounded near Gettysburg, July 6th, 186'?.
Anderson, Chas. W., wounded September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg.
Barnes, Jno. C, died in hospital, Richmond.
Barnes, Samuel A.
Billups, Andrew J., killed by sharpshooters, 1864, Petersburg lines.
Bobee, Louis, in charge of Ambulance Corps.
Boole, John J.
Burford, Martin.
Boutwell, L. W.
Butt, Geo. W.
Butt, C. N. G., detailed clerk in Trea.sury Department.
Brown, Richard.
Browning, Heni-y C.
Carter, Richard W., assistant to Commissary Sergeant.
Conner, Christopher 0., wounded on Petersburg lines.
Curran, Albert G.

258 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Currier, Robt. A., died in hospital, 1863, Charlottesville.
Davis, Alex";
Douglas, Thos. H.
Edwards, John A.
Ewell, Jesse.
Ferguson, Wm. K.
Ferguson, Geo. S., transferred to cavalry.
Ferrat, John B., detailed in hospital, 1863, Richmond.
Forden, Wm. B.
Forrest, Wm. S., Jr.
Pugitt, Wm.
Gale, Jos. A., detailed December, 1862, Hospital Steward.
George, Jos. D.
Gale, A. C.
Gibbs, Wm.
Guyot, Thos., died in prison, 1865, Point Lookout.
Gormley, J. J., detailed 1862 in hospital, Charlottesville.
Hall, John P., wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Hammett, Israel J., killed by sharpshooters on Petersburg lines.
Herbert, Henry W.
James, Robert T.
Lipscomb, Chas. R.
Legett, Robert.
Merwin, W. F. . .
Mitchell, T. G.
Moreland, Richard R.
Morris, G. W., died in hospital June 7th, 1862, Petersburg.
Morris, Joseph.
O'Niel, Chas.
Parrott, Augustus.
Peed, Geo. W., killed at Spotsylvania Court House.
Phillips, Thos. B., wounded at Spotsylvania Court House and died in hos
pital, Charlottesville.
Ransome, Alex.
Reed, Nathaniel G.
Robbing, Jas. W.
Robinson, Edward C, absent sick.
Rose, Louis.
Rve, Richard, wounded on Hatcher's Run, lost an eye.
Smiley, Walter F.
Smiley, Thomas S.
Stephens, Richard H. Jr.
Summers, Wm. R.
Sullivan, John T., transferred to compan.v from a Georgia Regiment and
killed September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg.
Taylor, John.
White, Wm. 0., wounded on Hatcher's Run, 1S65.
Whitehurst, Jas. 0., killed on Hatcher's Run, April 1st, 1865.
Whitfield, Richard W.
Wickers, John.
Wright, Junius.
Killed and died— 11.

CHAPTEE XXXIII.
COMPANY A, SIXTH VIRGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company was organized in Norfolk immediately upon the
beginning of hostilities, and numbered in its ranks a few Norfolk
county men from the Tanner's Creek section. It was mustered
into service on the 22d of AprU, 1861, under the following offi
cers :
Captain — Wm. N. McKenney.
First Lieutenant, Eobert B. Taylor ; 2d Lieutenant, Chas. W.
Perkinson ; 3d Lieutenant, Chas. W. WUson.
First Sergeant, Thos. D. WaUace ; 2d Sergeant, Wm. E. Broth-
erton ; 3d Sergeant, John Lee Hopper ; 4th Sergeant, Arthur
Jakeman. First Corporal, Wm. T. BaUey ; 2d Corporal, Wm. H. HaU ;
3d Corporal, John Forsythe ; 4th Corporal, Thomas Stringer.
On the 22d of August, 1861, Lieutenant Eobert B, Taylor was
elected Captain of the Woodis Eifies, Company H, 6th Virginia
Eegiment, and resigned his commission in Coinpany A. First Ser
geant Thomas D. Wallace was elected 3d Lieutenant October 3d,
1861. The other Lieutenants, Perkinson and Wilson, were each
promoted one grade. The company was assigned to the 6th Vir
ginia Eegiment, Colonel Wm. Mahone commanding, as Company
A, a,nd ordered to report at what was afterwards known as the
Entrenched Camp.
In April, 1862, the company re-enlisted and re-elected officers,
with the f oUoAring result :
Captain — Charles W. Perkinson.
First Lieutenant, Charles W. Wilson ; 2d Lieutenant, George
H. Steward ; 3d Lieutenant, John Lee Hopper.
Lieutenant Steward was killed July 1st, 1862, at Malvern Hill
and Captain Perkinson resigned on the 17th of November, 1862.
First Lieutenant Wilson was promoted to Captain on the ISth
and continued in command until the battle of Turkey Eidge, on
the Sth of June, 1864, when he fell into the hands of the enemy.
Lieutenant Hoj)per became 1st Lieutenant and was wounded at
the battle of the Crater, July 30th, 1864. .Sergeant Arthur
Jakeman was promoted to 2d Lieutenant. In 1863 Captain WU
son was assigned to the command of the company of sharpshoot
ers belonging to the 6th Eegiment, and was on that duty when he was
captured. Just before the evacuation of Norfolk this company
was joined by a number of recruits from the counties of Patrick,
Franklin and Henry, who Avere in the camp of instruction near
Norfolk. Their names are designated by an * in the foUowing
259

260 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
roU. This roU embraces aU of those members of the company
who marched away with it at the evacuation of Norfolk by the
Confederates, or who died or were honorably discharged before
that date :
Captain, Wm. N. McKenney, not re-elected, discharged May 1st, 1862.
First Lieutenant, Robert B. Taylor, promoted Captain Company H, 6th Va.
Regiment, 1861.
Second Lieutenant, Chas. W. Perkinson, elected Captain May 1st, 1862, re
signed Nov. 17th.
Third Lieutenant, Chas. W. Wilson, elected 1st Lieutenant May 1st, 1862,
promoted Captain Nov. 18th, 1862, captured June 8th, 1864, at Turkey
Ridge.
First Sergeant, Thos. D. Wallace, promoted Lieutenant, not re-elected, dis
charged May 1st, 1862.
Second Sergeant, Wm. E. Brotherton, discharged Nov. 29th, 1861, for dis
ability.
Third Sergeant, John Lee Hopper, promoted 1st Lieutenant, wounded July
30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Fourth Sergeant, Arther Jakeman, promoted 2d Lieutenant.
First Corporal, Wm. T. Bailey, promoted Sergeant.
Second Corporal, Wm. H. Hall, promoted Sergeant, wounded June 22d,
1864, at Wilcox's Farm.
Third Corporal, John Forsyth, promoted Color Sergeant, wounded July 1st,
1862, at Malvern Hill, transferred to Navy Nov. llth, 1862.
Fourth Corporal, Thos. D. Stringer, committed suicide Oct. 18th, 1861, in
Norfolk.
Musician, Geo. D. Cain, discharged January 17th, 1863, under conscript act.
PHIVATES.
Anderson, John R.
Anderson, Edward P., captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
*Ackers, Wm. N.
*Arthur, Wm. G.
*Angel, Marshall J., wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
*Altice, Samuel H., captured September 14th, 1862, Crampton Gap, and not
heard Irom.
Buchanan, James, wounded, lost arm, June 21st, 1862, Charles City Road.
Baker, Isaiah G., captured May 22d, 1864.
*Byrd, Benj. E., died in hospital, Lexington, March 10th, 1863.
Banks, Wm. T., promoted Sergeant, wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg,
killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
*Boone, Daniel, sick in hospital after August, 1862.
Beasley, James W., wounded May 3d, 1863, Chancellorsville, and June 22d,
1864, at Wilcox's Farm.
Bowman, Abraham.
*Boone, Jacob R.,' captured September 14th, 1862, and never rejoined the
company.
Butt, John J., detailed hospital cook August 1 Oth, 1861.
Bell, Jos. S., discharged Nov. 29tb, 1861, disability.
Coffin, Thos. W., appointed Hospital Steward Sept. 8th, 1861.
Cooper, Flemming, died in hospital, 1862.
Cooke, Ezekiel, captured Sept. 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, exchanged and
captured Oct. 27th, 1864. at Burgess' Mill.
Coston, James, promoted Corporal, lost arm August 30th, 1862, Second
Manassas.
Carter, Henry C, Abounded June 22d, 1864, Wilcox's Farm, lost leg.
*Coleman, Skelton.
*Dyer, Stokeley, promoted Corporal April 27th, 1863.
Deal, WiUis, discharged August 1st, 1862, over age.

COMPANT A, SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 261
*KaBter, George W.
*Easter, Edward W.
Flora, Joel, furnished substitute and discharged June 24th, 1862, and sub
stitute deserted June 26th.
*Frith, Thomas D.
Field, Robert, died in hospital from wounds received June 21st, 1862.
*Guerrant, Stephen, furnished sabstitute.
Gregory, Quinton T., wounded and captured July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Gregory, Johu W., left behind in Norfolk, sick.
Hudgins, George McK., promoted Sergeant, killed July 30th, 1864, at
Crater.
Hozier, Wm. J., discharged October 15th, 1861, disability.
Hudson, Philip, killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Hill, Severn J., discharged 1862, over age.
Hodges, Solomon, wounded July Ist, 1862, Malvern Hill.
*Haile, Creed, captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap and Octo
ber 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
*Howell, Elkanah, wounded August 29th, 1862, at Thoroughfare Gap.
*Howell. Addison M., wounded August 29th, 1862, captured October 27th,
1864, at Burgess' Mill.
¦^Ingram, Isaac, detailed as teamster, 1862.
Jones. Robert C, died in hospital, 1662.
Judkins, Samuel, wounded July 1st, 1862, at Malvern Hill.
*Jones, Robert P.
*Jones, Aaron F., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Karn, Joseph H.
Lee, Ivy, wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness.
Lovitt, David, discharged February 6th, 1863, disability.
*Marsh, Smith, killed August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas.
Moore, Henry L.
*Ma80n, Wm.
*Moore, Owen L.
Messick. Wm. J., wounded June 21st, 1862,* and transferred to navy 1863.
Nottingham, Thomas J., detailed in Commissary Department on account
of ill health.
Pitts, Marcellus, died in hospital from wounds received June 21st, 1862.
Steward, George H., promoted Lieutenant, killed July 1st, 1862, at Mal
vern Hill.
Stott, Samuel, discharged 1862, under conscript act and subsequently re-
enlisted.
Sheppard, James, H., discharged 1862, being an. alien.
*Shiveley, Jehu, wounded May 25th, 1864, on picket line.
Tulane, Alonzo J , killed September 14th, 1862, Crampton Gap.
Whitehurst, Wm. H., promoted 1st Sergeant, wounded September 14th,
1862. at Crampton Gap, and October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill, and
July 30tli, 1864, at the Crater.
Wilkins, Wm. P., captured February 6th, 1865, at Hatcher's Run.
Warren, John M., captured April 29th, 1863, at Germanna Ford.
Williams, Newton J., discharged November 29th, 1862, disability.
Killed and died— 13.

CHAPTEE XXXIV.
THE WOODIS RIFLEMEN, COMPANY C, SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
This company was one of Norfolk's crack organizations at the
beginning of the late war. It was organized on the 3d of March,
1858, at a meeting held for that purpose, and thirty-four names
were enrolled. The meeting was presided over by Wm. C. Tar
rant, Esq., and Thos. W. Colly acted secretary. It was held in
the carpenter shop of Mr. Wm. F. Pumphrey, and a committee
of five was appointed to select a name. The committee reported
at an adjourned meeting, held on the 5th, and recommended that
the company be named "the Woodis Eiflemen," after Mayor
Hunter Woodis, who died during the prevalence of the yellow
fever in Norfolk in 1865. Th6 name was unanimously adopted.
On the ISth of March the company elected the following officers :
Captain, Wm. Lamb.
First Lieutenant, John Hayman ; 2d Lieutehant, Peter Dil
worth ; 3d Lieutenant, A. A. Gwaltney.
On account of some informality in the election, as not conform
ing strictly to the law, these were re-elected on the 15th of April,
and again on the 20th of May, before tliay could obtain their
commissions and the company its arms.
The uniform adopted by' the company consisted of a dark green
cloth single breasted frock coat, with black velvet trimmings,
three rows of gold ball buttons on the coat and black velvet breast
front. Dark green pantaloons and black velvet stripe, the whole
trimmed with gold cord, and with a shamrock, in gold, at each end
of the collar.
On the llth of May the following non-commissioned officers
were elected :
Sergeants — D. C. Waters, John W. Elliott, W. F. Pumphrey,
J. M. S. Wiatt, Wm. C. Wickings.
Corporals — Chas. S. Dashiel, Geo. W. Peed, S. W. Spratt,
Thos. J. Henderson, John W. White, Wm. E. James.
On the 5th of July, the 4th being Sunday, the company bor
rowed a flag from the Juniors and muskets from the Blues, and
made its first parade, turning out with 59 men. A handsome flag
was presented to the company in the Odd Fellows building, on
the 19th of August. On one side was a bust of ex-Mayor Hunter
Woodis and on the other the coat of arms of Virginia and the in
scription " Pace Gwes, Bello MiUtes,^^ which, being interpreted,
meant, " In peace, citizens ; in war, soldiers."
On the 22d of February, 1859, the company made its first an
niversary parade, with sixty-seven men in line. The following
262

WOODIS RIFLEMEN, CO. C, SIXTH VA. REGT. 263
winter it went to Harper's Ferry, on the occasion of the John
Brown war, and remained in Charlestown until the kst of the
gang was hung. Its first duty in connection with the war between
the North and South was on the 7th of March, 1861, when it did
guard duty all night in the city of Norfolk. It was again or
dered out on the 1 8th of April, and remained in service from that
time continuously until the close of the war. On the night of the
19th of April, it was present at the removal of the powder from
Fort Norfolk, and after that was accomplished was marched to
the old Custom House at the foot of Church street. On the 21st
the company was sent to Ocean View and a detachment of it,
under command of Captain Lamb, participated in the defence of
Seawell's Point battery against the attacks of the MonticeUo on
the 19th and 21st of May. Upon the formation of the 6th Vir
ginia Eegiment, Colonel Wm. Mahone was assigned to it as com
mander, and the Woodis Eiflemen were attached to it as Com
pany C. Captain Lamb resigned the captaincy of the company
in August, and on the 22d of the same month Lieutenant Eobert
B. Taylor, of Company A, was elected to succeed him. The offi
cers of the company, when it was mustered into service on the
19th of AprU, 1861, Avere :
Captain, Wm. Lamb.
First Lieutenant, John Hayman ; 2d Lieutenant, Wm. Sher
wood ; 3d Lieutenant, Almaine A. Gwaltney.
First Sergeant, David C. Watters ; 2d Sergeant, James M. F.
Wiatt ; 3d Sergeant, Alex. J. Denson ; 4th Sergeant, Thos. J.
Henderson. Lieutenant Sherwood was appointed commissary of the regi
ment, and, in May, 1862, at the reorganization of the field officers
of the 6th Eegiment, Captain Taylor was elected major, and at a
meeting of the Woodis Eiflemen, held during that month for the
purpose of reorganization and re-enlistment, 1st Lieutenant John
Hayman was elected Captain, David C. Waters 1st Lieutenant,
Alexander J. Denson 2d and James W. Dashiel 3d. Thos. J.
Henderson was elected Ist Sergeant. Lieutenant Waters was
killed in the battle of Malvern HiU, July 1st, 1862. Captain
Hayman resigned on the llth of March, 1863, and Lieutenants
Denson and Dashiel resigned on the 17th, thus leaving the com
pany without commissioned officers. On the 4th of April, 1S63,
2d Lieutenant George F. Crawley, of Company D, was elected
Captain, 3d Sergeant Stewart Spratt was elected 1st Lieutenant,
and on the 9th, Private Thomas W. PhilUps was elected 2d Lieu
tenant. Lieutenatit Spratt was kiUed at the battle of the Crater, July
30th, 1864, and 1st Sergeant Henderson was severely wounded
there. Sergeant James M. F. Wiatt was elected 3d Lieutenant in
Company D. Captain Crawley lived through the war and escaped

264 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
without a wound. He was captured at ChanceUorsvUle and ex
changed. At the breaking out of the war the Woodis Eiflemen
had a very fine drum corps attached to the company, which was
subsequently transferred to the regiment. The men composing it
were John B. Bohlein, John Flalack, John Foelman, Henry
Haggedhorn, Henry Hastings, Eobert LiUiston, Anson Palmer,
Geo. W. Skinner and Edward Wiersdorf.
After his resignation in March, 1863, Lieutenant Denson en
listed in the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues as a private.
Below will be found the names of the members of the company
who served with it after the evacuation of Norfolk by the Con
federates :
Captain Wm. Lamb, promoted to Colonel 36th North Carolina Regiment
August, 1861.
Captain Robert B. Taylor, elected Captain August 18th, 1861, promoted
Major 6th Virginia Regiment, April, 1862.
Captain John Hayman, elected May 3d, 1862, resigned March llth, 1863,
on account of defective eyesight.
Captain George P. Crawley, promoted April 4th, 1863, from 2d Lieutenant
Company D.
First Lieutenant David C. Waters, elected May 3d, 1862, killed July 1st,
1862, Malvern Hill.
Second Lieutenant Alex. J. Denson, promoted 1st Lieutenant July 1st,
1862, resigned March 17th, 1863.
Third Lieutenant James W. Dashiell, promoted 2d Lieutenant July 1st,
1862, resigned March 17th. 1863.
First Sergeant Thomas J. Henderson, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Second Sergeant James M. F. Wiatt, elected Lieutenant in Company D.
Third Sergeant Stewart M. Spratt, promoted Ist Lieutenant April Ist,
1863, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Third Sergeant Samuel Crane, wounded May 2d, 1863, at Chancellorsville,
and May 6th, 1864, at the Wilderness.
Fourth Sergeant Timothy D. Padgett, captured July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Fifth Sergeant Henry A. Tarrall, promoted Commissary Sergeant, captured
on retreat from. Petersburg, 1865.
First Corporal Alex. Masan, captured on retreat from Petersburg, 1865.
Second Corporal Wm. H. Frost, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' ¦
Mill.
Third Corporal John J. Williams, promoted Sergeant, killed May 6th, 1864,
at Wilderness.
Fourth Corporal Arthur J. Balsom. PRIVATES.
Angel, John R., discharged on account of disability.
Ashbury, John, wounded May 2d, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Bell, Washington.
Bateman, Arthur, captured July 2d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Brown, Edward.
Buchanan, Robert, Abounded July 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Balsom, Arthur J., captured July 2d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Bland, Samuel.
Bourk, John, Avonnded July Ist, 1862, at Malvern Hill.
Belote, John W.
Clarke, John J., promoted Corporal, captured May 12th, 1864, at Spotsyl
vania C. H.
Corprew, Samuel S., died in hospital July 27th, 1862.
Coleman, John M.

WOODIS RIFLEMEN, CO. C, SIXTH VA. REGT. 265
Doyle, Nathan C, captured July 2d, 1863. at Gettysburg.
Edironds, John T., captured October 27tii, 1804, at Burgess' Mill.
Fredericks, Lewis, wounded and captured August 10th, 1864, at Davis'
Farm.
Face, James P., discharged July 28th, 1862, over age.
Flannagan, John T., wounded Sept. 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg, and June
22d, 1864, at Wilcox Farm.
Fentress, Hillniy, wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas, lost a leg.
Gauley, John R.
Garrett, Edward, cnptured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Gale, Peter M., detailed as brigade butcher.
Hopkins, John, discharged July 28th, 1862, over age.
Ishon, George, captured July 2d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Joyce, .John M.
Land, Thomas F., captured .Vpril, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Nelluins, Wm.
Owens, Ammon H., killed May 2d, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Peters, John, died in hospital October 22d, 1862.
Powell, Henry.
Peed, John W., discharged December 3d, 1862, disability.
Phillips, Thomas W., elected 2d Lieutenant April 9th,' 1863, promoted to
1st Lieutenant October 20th, 1864, captured October 27th, 1864, at
Burgess' Mill.
Pitt, Wm. J., killed May 2d, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Pumphrey, Lemuel, promoted Corporal July 1st, 1863.
Ramsay, T., died in hospital, 1863.
Roberts,-John R., captured July 2d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Shipp, Wm. T.
Small, Caleb, killed June 2lBt, 1862, Charles City Road.
Sledd, Joseph, wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness.
Sigman, Jehu, Sr., conscriptfrom Franklin county, wounded May 6th, 1864,
at Wilderness, and died June 24th. ,
Sigman, Jehu, Jr., captured May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania.
Siginan, Peter', wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness, wounded and cap
tured April 7th, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Sigman, Joseph M., wounded June 25th, 1864, Petersburg.
Stanley, Robert J., captured June 6th, 1864, Cold Harbor.
Sheppard, John H.
Taylor, Richard, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Tarrant, Eleazer, wounded July 1st, 1862, at Malvern Hill.
Talbot, John B., wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness, and diedMay 15th.
Turner, George W.
Wright, Joseph, Sr., discharged July 28th, 1862, over age.
Wright, Joseph A., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Woodhouse, John .J., promoted Corporal, died in hospital May 28th, 1863.
Wynn, Benjamin F., wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas,
July 2d, 1863, at Gettysburg, and October 27th, 1864, at Burgess'
Mill.
White, Thomas R., killed May 1st, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Walters, Alfred, wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas.
Wray, John W., detailed as wagon driver June 24th, 1862.
Wallace, Wm , transferred to Maryland line July 12th, 1862.
Webster, W. D., died in hospital, 1862.
Young, Martial, died in hospital, 1862.
Young, J. B., died in hospital, 1862.
Killed and died— 16.

18

CHAPTEE XXXV.
«
THE NORFOLK LIGHT INFANTRY, COMPANY D, SIXTH VA. REGIMENT.
This company was raised in Norfolk immediately upon the be
ginning of trouble between the sections, and was mustered into
service befone it was uniformed. The officers of the company at
its organization and who were mustered in Avitli it, Avere :
Captain, John E. Ludlow.
First Lieutenant, Montford N. Stokes ; 2d Lieutenant, James
Malbon ; 3d Lieutenant, Geo. F. Crawley.
First Sergeant, Eobert J. Carty ; 3d Sergeant, Geo. F. Clarke ;
4th Sergeant, Wm. F. Carty.
The company was attached to the 6th Virginia Eegiment as
Company D, and, uniting with the regiment at once, lost its iden
tity as a separate organization. .During the first year of the war
the foUowing members were honorably discharged for various rea
sons, which, however, were not specified in the muster rolls :
Davis Ballentine, Edwin Craig, Geo. F. Clark, Dennis Harding,
Wm. Harrison, Henry Messfield, Geo. Sturgeon, Franklin A.
Sibley, Geo. Walther, Wm. Young,
At the reorganization of the company. Captain John E. Lud
low was re-elected captain, 1st Sergeant Eobt. J. Carty was re
elected, and Lieutenants Stokes and Crawley were elected 1st and
2d Lieutenants respectively, and James M. F. Wiatt 3d Lieuten
ant. Sergeant Carty was killed at the battle of Sharpsburg Sep
tember 17th, 1862, and Eobert Banks became Ist Sergeant of the
company, and Wm. F. Carty was advanced to 2d Sergeant.
On the 4th of April, 1863, Lieutenant Crawley was elected
Captain of Company C, 6th Virginia Eegiment, and resigned his
commission in Company D. Lieutenant Wiatt resigned on the
14th of May, 1863, and Lieutenant Stokes was raort^ly wounded
at the battle of Bristoe Station October llth, 1863, aiid died on
the llth of November. Corporal C. C. Benson was elected 2d Lieu
tenant April 7th, 1863, and Private E. H. Flournoy was elected
1st Lieutenant on the 17th of May, 1864. Captain Ludlow's
health broke down during the war, and upon the recommendation
of the regimental surgeon, he was detailed by special order, on
account of disability, December 30th, 1862, and assigned to duty
eni-oUing conscripts. He rejoined the company in 1863. The
relative mortality of the company was-, with one exception, greater
than that of any other Norfolk company, for of the seventy-six
men Avho left the city with it on the 10th of May, 1862, twenty-
three were killed or died from disease contracted in the service.
Among the list of those who died or were wounded are three
266

NORFOLK LIGHT INFANTRT, CO. D, SIXTH VA. REGT. 267
men who joined Company D, from Captain John H. Myers'
Company, of Portsmouth, (formerly Company E, 6th Eegiment)
when that company was disbanded' on the 1st September, 1861.
They are John Ballance, died in hospital September Ist, 1862 ;
Jos. P. Jordan, died AprU 20tli, 1863, and John Frestine, wounded
August 30th, 1862, and June 1st, 1864. Wm. White and John
W. EUiott, also joined Company D, from Captain Myers' Com
pany. The following is the roster of the company as per muster roll
of May and June, 1862 :
Captain, .John R. Ludlow.
First Lieutenant, Montford N. Stokes, wounded Oct. llth, 1863, at Bristoe
Station, and died Nov. 14th.
Second Lieutenant, Geo. F. Crawley, promoted Captain Company C, April
4th, 1863.
Third Lieutenant, Jas. M. F. Wiatt, resigned May 14th, 1863.
First Sergeant, Robert J. Carty, killed September 17th, 1862, at Sharps
burg.
First Sergeant, Robt. Banks, wounded August 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas,
and July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Second Sergeant, Wm. F. Carty, wounded August 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas,
' and disabled.
Third Sergeant, Wni. White, transferred to navy Janu'ary 22d, 1864.
Fourth Sergeant, Wm. Moore.
Fifth Sergeant, Wilson Coates, wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, and
died August 6tli.
First Corporal, James E. Brady, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess'
Mill.
Second Corporal, Chris. C. Benson, promoted 2d Liefutenant April 7th, 1863,
captured Oct. 27th, 1864.
Third Corporal, Wm. Stine.
Fourth Corporal, Stephen Blunt, wounded June 21st, 1862, on Charles City
Road, and died July 3d.
Musician, Thos. Lowery.
• PRIVATES.
Abdell, Thos. F.
Austin, Martin.
Absolem, Thos., died in hospital, April, 1863.
Adams, Thos. S.
Bradlev, Edward H.
Ballentine, Thos., wounded May 3d, 1863.
¦ Balance, John, died in hospital, September 1st, 1862, at Salem.
Burgess, Miles, died in hospital, Aug. 28th, 1863, Staunton.
Cororew, Geo., killed Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas.
Clarke, Wm. H.
Donald, Caleb J., died in hospital, Sept. 27th, 1862.
Dixon, Geo. W., wounded July 30th, 1884, at Crater.
Evans, Peter, wounded July 1st, 1862, at Malvern Hill.
Etheredge, Geo. W., wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness.
Elliott, John W., captured July Sth, 1863, in Pennsylvania.
Frestine, John W., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d .Manassas, and June,
1864, at Hanover Junction.
Fulcher, Gabriel F., died in hospital, Oct., 1864, Richmond.
Fisher, .las. E., died in hospital, April 7th, 1863.
Fowler, Robt., captured September 14th, 1862, Crampton Gap, and ex
changed.

268 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Flournoy, E. H., promoted 1st Lieutenant, May 17th, 1864.
Gills, Jos. P., killed Sept. 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap.
Hollingsworth, John J.
Hogwood, John.
Hopkins, Andrew. ,.,!..
Harrell,- John W., A\-ounded Sept. 14th, 1862, Crampton Gap, and. died De
cember 26th, in Charlestown.
James, Jos. P., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, and died Aug. 6th.
James, Richard Y., captured Oct. 27th, 1864, a,t Burgess' Mill.
Johnson, Wm. W.
Jordan, Jos. P., died in hospital, April 20th, 1863.
Jollie, Geo. F., conscript from Isle of Wight, killed Oct. 27th, 1864, at Bur
gess' Mill.
Kelly, Wm.
I^awrence, Geo. W., wounded, 1863.
Minnis, Clinton C.
Morris, Frank.
McCoy, Joseph.
Moreland, Robt., promoted Sergeant.
Martin, Samuel J.
Martin, Joshua, wounded June 29th, 1862, Charles City Road, anddied July
1st, conscript from Patrick county.
Nottingham, Obed.
Oakley, Thos.
Owens, John. •
Parr, Wm.
Pnrdy, John J., died in hospital, Oct. 31st, 1862, Richmond.
Ruthiedge, Absolem F., captured Oct. 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Robinson, Benj.
Ralph, John, captured Oct. 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Swift, Wm. H., promoted Sergeant March, 1863.
Scarft, Wm., died in hospital, July Sth, 1863.
Spencer, Levi.
Triffoi-d, Wm., wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Thoroughgood, Geo'., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Manassas, and died ¦
Oct. 1 st, at Warrenton.
Taylor, James, wounded Sept. 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg, and disabled.
Taylor, David R., wounded Sept. 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap.
A' osH »TflniPS '
Wills', Geo. T., wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness.
Williams, Robt. S.
Wilkins, Wm. P., died in hospital, Feb. 10th, 1863, Richmond.
Wood, James M.
Wood, Alexander, died in hospital, Aug. 1st, 1862, at Liberty.
Woodhouse, Chas., captured sick in hospital, July 14th, 1863, at Hagers
town, Maryland.
Warren, "W. J., died in hospital, July 15th, 1862, Richmond.
Killed and died— 23.

CHAPTEE XXXVI.
COMPANY G, SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. •
This company was organized in 1859, and when it entered the
service of the Confederate States, or rather the State of Virginia,
it was the largest infantry company in Norfolk, numbering on
its roll about one hundred and twenty-five or thirty members.
Quite a large number of them were promoted to positions in other
commands or given staff appointments. The officers of the com
pany when it was first mustered into service were :
Captain — Henry W. WiUiamson.
First Lieutenant, W. W. Chamberlaine ; 2d Lieutenant, Edward
M. Hardy ; 3d Lieutenant, Duncan Eobertson, Jr.
First Sergeant, John T. Lester; 2d Sergeant, Adolph H.
Jaqueman ; 3d Sergeant, Edward A. Dodd ; 4th Sergeant, James
B. Marsden.
First Corporal, Eobert G. Portlock ; 2d Corporal, George K.
Goodridge ; 3d Corporal, Jonathan E. Smith ; 4th Corporal, F. E.
Goodrich. The company, from its organization, was named " Company
F," and by that name it was known. It was attached to the 6th
Virginia Eegiment as Company G. It mustered under arms on
the 19tli of April, 1861, and took part in the removal of the
powder from the United States magazine at Fort Norfolk that
night, and was ordered to Craney Island as a part of the garrison
at that post. There it had charge of a battery of heavy guns. At
the reorganization of the company in AprU, 1862, Captain Wil
liamson was re-elected. Lieutenant Chamberlaine declined a re
election and retired from the company to another field of duty,
and Edward M. Hardy, Duncan Eobertson, Jr., and John T. Les
ter were elected 1st, 2d and 3d Lieutenants respectively. Cap
tain WiUiamson was elected Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment.
Lieutenant Hardy was promoted to Captain, and the other two
Lieutenants were advanced one grade each, leaving the 3d Lieu
tenantcy vacant, and when the company was near Drury's Bluff,
in May, 1862, this was tendered to the former Lieutenant, W. W.
Chamberlaine, and accepted by him, thus renewing his connec
tion with the company. The officers, therefore, when it entered
upon the stage of actual warfare were :
Captain — ^Edward M. Hardy.
First Lieutenant, Duncan Eobertson, Jr.; 2d Lieutenant, John
T. Lester; 3d Lieutenant, Wm. W. Chamberlaine.
First Sergeant, John E. Catlett.
Lieutenant Chamberlaine was wounded at Sharpsburg Septem-
269

270 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
ber 17th, 1862, was detached from the company in December,
1862, and was promoted to Captaiii and A. A. G. on the staff of
General Walker, Chief of Artillery of the 3d Corps, Army of
Northern Virginia. Lieutenant Lester was captured at Crampton
Gap September llth, 1862, was exchanged, rejoined the company
and was killed on the 12th of May, 18645 at the battle of Spotsyl
vania Court House. Lieutenant Eobertson was severely wounded
at Sharpsburg, but recovered, rejoined the company, and was
captured October 27th, 1864, at' the battle of Burgess' Mill.
Captain Hardy was wounded onthe22dof June, 1864, at Wilcox's
Farm, but recovered and rejoined the company.
The company remained on duty at Craney island until the 10th
of May, 1862, when the island was evacuated by the Confeder
ates. It then marched to Suffolk with the rest of the troops and
there took the cars for Petersburg, where it joined its regiment.
During the battle at Drury's Bluff between the shore batteries
and the Federal fieet composed of the Monitor, Galena'and Nang-
atuck. Company G was stationed on the bhiffs below the battery
as sharpshooters and did considerable injury among such of the
crews of the three vessels as exposed themselves upon the decks.
After that, the company returned to the regiment and did duty
with it to the end of the War. The company lost very heavily at
the battles of Malvern HUl and Second Manassas. In the first,
five of its members were killed or mortally wounded, and at the
last, four sacrificed their lives upon the altar of then- country's
liberty. Among these last were Wm. G. Eidley, of Southamp
ton county, a gallant youth scarcely more than twenty years of
age, who wais attending school at the University of Virginia when
the war broke out, and joined Company G in order to be with
his friends. Another, about . the same age, John B. Merritt, of
Brunswick county, a student at Eandolph-Macon College, and a
stranger in Norfolk, left college and joined this company on ac
count of the friends he had in it. He was mortally wounded in
the same battle in which Buck Eidley was killed.
Mahone's Brigade suffered quite severely at Second Manassas
and about half of the remainder were lost at Crampton Gap,
where it was sacrificed to hold Franklin's Corps in check until
the faU of Harper's Ferry. . Those who escaped fell back into
Pleasant Valley and made the forced march to join General Lee
at Sharpsburg. The brigade had been reduced so much by the
casualties of battle and the fatigue of that extraordinary march
that when it arrived upon the field of Sharpsburg it was scarcely
larger than a fuU company, and Company G consisted of Lieu
tenants Eobertson and Chamberlaine and" Private Chandler W.
HiU. Private George M. Todd came up during the progress of
the battle. In this battle Lieutenant Eobertson received a se
vere wound, which disabled him. At the battle of the Crater

COMPANT F, COMPANT G, SIXTH VA. REGIMENT. 271
every man in the company who was present in the fight was
eitherkiUed or wounded. Chandler W. Hill, then a Corporal,
lost his arm there. The few men in the company who reached
the battle field at Sharpsburg did good service while there. The
remnant of the brigade, about eighty men, halted in rear of the
town of Sharpsburg and was conducted 'by General Pryor, to
whose brigade it was temporarily attached, to a piece of ground
near the Piper House, in rear of the main fine of battie. The
Hagerstown road runs due north from Sharpsburg, and Dr. Pi
per's house is located to the right of the road, with a lane leading
to it at right angles from the road, and on the side of this lane
was a stone fence. General D. H. Hill's line of battle extended
across the angle formed by the hues of the road and lane, about a
quarter of a mUe from the point of junction. As soon as the men
reached that point the Federal artillery opened a. terrific fire
upon them. Some ran forward and reached the fine of battle, but
the larger portion sought shelter. It was here that Lieutenant
Eobertson was wounded, and Lieutenant-Colonel Parham, of the
41st Virginia, commanding the brigade, ordered Lieutenant Cham
berlaine to go to the rear and report to General Anderson the
condition of affairs. Lieutenant Chamberlaine had not gone far in
the execution of the order when he learned that General Ander
son had been wounded. He was then near the head of Piper's
lane, and noticed a six-pounder brass field piece and limber chest
on the Hagerstown road which had been left there by the com
pany to which it belonged. Just then the line of battle began
falling back, and, getting a few men to help him. Lieutenant
Chamberlaine dragged the gun into a commanding position, and,
with the assistance of several other officers, rallied a number of
the retreating infantry behind the stone fence. This force was
continually increasing as stragglers would come up, and pretty
soon the enemy made his appearance in front, preceded by a line
of -skirmishers. Lieutenant Chamberlaine obtained permission
from Major Fairfax, of General Longstreet's staff, to open fire
with tjje gun, and after a few rounds the enemy retired, but their
artillery opened on this solitary piece such a heavy fire that it was
moved to another position near the head of Piper's lane, where
it could command the ground in its front and yet be somewhat
sheltered from the enemy's batteries. Subsequently the enemy
made three attempts to advance, but the well directed fire of that
gun repelled them each time before they came within range of
the fire of the infantry behind the stone fence. Lieutenant Cham
berlaine sighted the gun and served the vent, and his gun's crew
was composed of Georgia infantrymen of Colonel G. T. Ander
son's Brigade, (General Jones, its commander, was wounded)
with Privates Chandler W. HiU and George M. Todd, of Company
G, as infantry supports.

272 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
After this third repulse there was a lull for about two hours,
and as it became desirable to ascertain what the enemy Avere en
gaged in. Colonel Wm. Gibson, of the 48th Georgia Eegiment,
threw forward a strong line of skirmishers and nlet a full line of
battle beginning to advance. The determined stand made by
these skirmishers induced the enemy to believe they were backed
up by a heavy force and caused them to suspend their contem
plated attack. Thus ended the fighting on that part of the field,
except by the enemy's artillery, vvliich disabled Lieutenant Cham
berlaine. The gun is said to have belonged to the linger Battery
of Norfolk, and was one of the guns which the Norfolk Blues
had before the war, and which was tumed over to Captain Huger.
The battery had been engaged- at that point earlier in the day,
but, being ordered to another part of the field, had to leave that
gun behind, as the horses belonging to it had been killed. The
company sent a detachment for it that night and carried it off.
At the commencement of hostilities Colonel Walter H. Taylor,
who was so well known throughout the Army of Northern Virginia
as General Lee's Adjutant General, was a Lieutenant in Company
G, but served only a few days ' with it before receiving an ap
pointment in the Provisional Array, with the subsequent assign
ment to the staff of General Eobert E. Lee.
Colonel Anderson, in his report of the action of his brigade at
Sharpsburg, mentions th6 incident of the gun and says : "At this
point I found a 6-pounder gun, and getting a few men to assist
in placing it in position, a Lieutenant of infantry, whose name or
regiment I do not know, served it most beautifully until the am
munition was exhausted."
Cplonel Anderson is mistaken about the ammunition being ex
hausted. The gun ceased firing only when the enemy retired be
yond its range. The fire of this gun is referred to also- in the
Federal reports, of the battle, by Brigadier General J. C. Caldwell,
commanding the brigade which made the attack, and by Major
General W. S. Hancock, both of whom thought there were two
guns instead of one. They report that Colonel F. C. Barlow,
commanding the 64th and 6 1st New York Eegiments (consoli
dated), was wounded in the groin by a shrapnel from it.
Below wUl be found the muster roll of the company for May,
1862, with one recruit added in 1864 :
Captain Edward M. Hardy, wounded June 22d, 1864, Wilcox's Farm.
First Lieutenant Duncan Robertson, Jr., wounded September 17th 1862
Sharpsburg, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill. '
Second Lieutenant John T. Lester, captured September 14th 1862 at
Crampton Ga,p, killed May 12th, 1864, at Spotsvlvania C. H. '
Third Lieutenant Wm. W. Chamberitiine, promoted Captain and A. A G on
staff of General Walker, Chief of Artillery 3d Corps, December 1863
wounded September 17th, 1862, at Sharpsburg. ' '
First Sergeant John R. Catlett.

COMPANT F, COMPANT G, SIXIH VA. REGIMENT. 273
Second Sergeant Charles A. McCourt, wounded July 1st, 1862, at Malvern
Hill and disabled, discharged November 12th, 18f)2.
Third Sergeant Albert B. Simmons, wounded October 14th, 1863, at Bristoe
Station, and died October 15th.
Fourth Sergeant Howard S. Wright, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, Second Mar
nassas, promoted Ensign 6th Regiment, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
First Corporal Wm. H. Langley, detailed in Commissary Department April
27th, 1863, rejoined company and captured October 27th, 1864, Bur
gess' Mill.
Second Corporal Oscar M. Styron, wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second
Manassas and disabled, discharged March 1st, 1863.
Third Corporal John T. Hill, promoted Sergeant April 25th, 1863, wounded
July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Fourth Corporal James L. D. Butt, appointed Hospital Steward November
22d, 1862.
Fifth Sergeant Wm. McLean, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, and
died in hospital. PItlVATES.
Archer, Robert L., detailed in Division ProA'ost Guard, Sept. 25th, 1862.
Arring-ton, Pet«r, promoted Corporal March 24th, 1863, Sergeant Major
30th North Carolina Regiment.
Biggs, Wm. G., wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas and died
August 31st.
Baylor, Robert B., captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Bell, Douglas, wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas,transferred to
18th Battalion Va. Heavy Artillery January 26th, 1864.
Biggs, James H., died in hospital October, 1862.
Bell, Robt. S., detailed in Commissary Department, 1862, and transferred to
18th Virg-inia Battalion Heavy Artillery November 13th, 1862.
Bell, James N., wounded June 2l8t, 1862, disabled and discharged, ap
pointed Sergeant Major 6th Virginia Regiment November 16th, 1863.
Chisman, John R., discharged 1864.
Clark, Fi-ed W., discharged for disability, November, 1862.
Cole, Cornelius M., killed October 14th, 1863, Bristoe Station.
Core, John H., discharged for disability November, 1862.
Deiches, W., detailed in hospital, 1862, discharged for disability, 1 864.
Dey, James B.
Etheredge,  , captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap.
Fentress, Thomas, appointed Hospital Steward October 12th, 1862.
Fitchett, Julius M., transferred to Griffin's Battery, October 22d, 1862.
Fletcher, Oliver N., wounded June 21st, 1862, and never rejoined company.
Freeman, Robert, captured July 13th, 1863, in Maryland, exchanged and
appointed Master's Mate in the Navy, June, 1864.
Gordon, John U., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Gordon, Win., R. appointed Hospital Steward, August 16th, 1862.
Goodridge, F. E. detached May 1st, 1861.
Gooilridge, Geo. K., detached October 27th, 1862.
Hill, Chandler, W., promoted Corporal, lost arm July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Holmes Alex. T., detailed in Quartermasters Department, 1862, captured
October 27th, 1864. ^ ,
Hipkins, Richard, wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas, and de
tailed in Quartermaster's Departme^t, February 18th, 1864.
Hardy, Thomas A., enlisted in company Sept. 14th, 1864, captured Octo
ber 27th, 1864. ^^ ,
Jones, John S., promoted Captain on General Garnett's staff and wounded
July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Kerr, Edward.' , „ . , ,, -,„., io„o
King J Barry, promoted Sergeant Major 6th Va. Regiment May 25th, 1863,
promoted Captain and Quartermaster Lightfoot's Artillery Battalion.
Langhorne, Wm. W., detached August 12th, 1864, in Lynchburg.

274 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Lawson, Adrian S., transferred to Company A, Sth Virginia Cavalry, De
cember 9th, 1864.
Marsden, B. A., captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, ex
changed and promoted to 2d Lieutenant P. A. C. S.
Merritt, John B., mortally wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas,
and died in hospital at Warrenton.
Moore, Walter S., promoted Sergeant Major 61st Virginia Regiment March
22d, 1863, promoted Ensign, 1863.
McPhail, Charles H., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
McKenny, Wm. N., detailed in Aririy Intelligence Offlce, July 1st, 1862.
Murray, John, furnished substitute and discharged.
Myrick, David, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, and died in hospital.
Pentz, George McK., transferred to Maryland line, 1862.
Reid, James T. S., promoted Ist Lieutenant Ordnance on General Loring's
staff.
Reynolds, Henry S., detailed in Commissary Department, November 21st,
1862, discharged 1864.
Robinson, Wm. C, killed October 14th, 1863, at Bristoe Station.
Robinson, Wm., wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas, trans
ferred to 32d North Carolina Regiment.
Robertson, Cary, promoted Sergeant Major, August 24th, 1864, killed at
Hatcher's Run, February 7th, 1865.
Robins, Geo. S., died in hospital, 1862, Richmond.
Rosenburg, Mich., detailed in hospital, October 7th, 1862.
Rowe, Stephen D.. tran.sferred to Company A, Sth Virginia Cavalry, August
17th, 1862.
Rowland, John H., captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, ex
changed and transferred to Company D, 20th Virginia Battalion Heavy
Artillery, December Oth, 1862.
Ridley, Wm. G., killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Seal, John R., discharged for disability December 27th, 1862.
Seal, Wm. B., appointed Hospital Steward, October 30th, 1862.
Smith, Jonathan K., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Segar, Johu, transferred to Company H, 38th Virginia Regiment, October
8th, 1862. b fo , .
Segar, Arthur S., promoted Lieutenant in another regiment.
Shipp, John S.
Smith, Henry.
Smoot, Wm., detailed October 20th, 1862, discharged for disability, Decem
ber 24th, 1862.
Southgatp, Lewellyn, captured September 14th, 1802, Crampton Gap, ap
pointed Sergeant Major in Colonel Godwin's command.
Stone, David D., captured May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Thomas, Richard S., detailed July 1st, 1862, in Army Intelligence Offlce,
Richmond.
Todd, Geo. M.
Umstadter, M., furnished substitute and discharged.
Voss, Albert C, killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Ward, Josiah J., wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas.
Whiting, Wm. N., captured July 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Whitehurst, Frank M., promoted 1st Lieutenant Company B, September
Oth, 1863.
Williams, John N., discharged for disability, April 6th, 1863
Wise, Wm. M. B., wounded June 21 st, 1862. transferred to Company A
46th Virginia Regiment, December 13th, 1862.
Walke, Richard, Jr., promoted Ordnance Officer Mahone's Brigade Decem
ber 1st, 1862. ° . '
Wicker, D.H. C, substitute for John Murray, died in hospital February
loth, 1863.
Walsh, Wm. V., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Toung, Thos. A.

COMPANT F, COMPANT G, SIXTH VA. REGIMENT. 275
TRANSFEHREl) AND DJSOH.'iRGED.
_ The following men who enlisted in the company at the begin
ning of the wa.r were transferred to other commands or honorably
discharged while the company was stationed on Craney Island :
Beale, Brooke, appointed sujtofflcer in the navy.
Collier, Jas. M., assigned to Medical Department Aug. 30th, 1861.
Cannon, Douglas C, transferred to Signal Corps March 31, 1861.
Cason, Benj. F., promoted 2d Lieutentaut Company B, 9th Va. Reg-iment.
Freeman, Jos. N. , appointed Engineer in the navy.'
Foremam, Columbus W., transferred to Company B, 5th Va. Cavalry, March
23d, 1862.
Guyot, Robert S., appointed Ordnance Sergeant 9th Va.Regimentandkilled
Aug. 28th, 1862, at Warrenton Springs.
Gwynn, T. P., appointed Lieutenant in the Marine Corps C. S. Navy.
Hunter, W. W., appointed Q. M. Sergeant Sth North Carolina 'Regiment,
Dec. 2d,-1861.
Hudgins, W. R., discharged for disability, 1862.
Hyman, F. M., transfeiTed to Signal Corps March 31st, 1862.
Jacquimon, A. H., discharged 1862, over age.
Keeling, Solomon S., transferred to Medical Department, Oct. 12th. 1861.
Mapp, Richard A., transferred to Signal Corps, March 3lst, 1862.
Milhado, A. G., transferred to Signal Corps, March 31st, 1862.
Marsden, James B., promoted Lieutenant in Bridgford's Provost Guard and
killed.
Morris, Jesse S., promoted in Medical Department, October 9th, 1861.
Mallory, Chas. O'C, promoted Sergeant Major 55th Va. Regiment, Dec.
12th, 1861.
Portlock, Robert G., promoted Sergeant Major Oth Va. Reg-iment, Dec. 1st,
1861.
Saunders, Palmer, appointed Midshipman in the navy and killed at the cap
ture of the Underwriter by the Confederates.
StolveSjMontford N., promoted Lieutenant Compan.v D, and killed at Bristoe
Station.
Sharp, Ja.s. H., promoted 2d Lieutenant P. A. C. S., Sept. 2d, 1861.
Stone, Geo. F., discharged for disability, 1862.
Taylor, Walter H., made 2d Lientenant P. A. C. S., promoted Adjutant Gen
eral on staff of General R. E. Lee.
Tunsta.ll, Alex., promoted Sergeant Major 6th Va. Regiment, May 6th, 1861,
and later promoted Adjutant.
Taylor, Robertson, apjjointed Quartermaster Sergeant 6th Va. Regiment,
promoted Adjutant 6th Regiment and Adjutant General Mahone's Di
vision and wounded at Wilderness May 6th, 1864.
Todd, H. S., elected Lieutenant Company B, Oth Va. Regiment.
Urquhart, .J. W., transferred to Company H, 5th Va. Cavalry, March 17th,
1862.
Urquhart, A. B., transferred to Company H, Sth Va. Cavalry, March 17th,
1862.
Wise, Wm. B., promoted Lieutenant in a North Carolina Regiment.
Walker, R. P., appointed 2d Lieutenant P. A C. S.
Walker, Geo. B., transfen-ed to Sussex Cavalry Aug. 10th, 1861, and killed.
Wilkerson, Henry D., promoted 2d Lieutenant Company B, 9th Va. Regi
ment, and mortally wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, died in
prison on Johnson's Island.
Williams, Thos. A., appointed Sergeant Major 6th Regiment, promoted
Lieutenant in Company K.
Walke, Isaac T., transferred to N. L. A. Blues, March 26th, 1862, promoted
Lieutenant of Ordnance Fitz Lee's Cavalry Division, and killed in 1864
at Woodstock.
Williamson, Captain Henry W., promoted Lieutenant-Colonel 6th Va. Regi
ment, lost an arm at the Crater.
Killed and died-26.

CHAPTEE XXXVII
THE INDEPENDENT GEAYS, COMPANT H, SIXTH VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
At the beginning of hostilities in Apr^, 1861, this company was
well equipped, well drilled, and in a very efficient condition, so
that it responded promptly to the call of the governor for volun
teers, and was mustered into service on the 19th of April, 1861,
under the following officers :
Captain, Eichard C. Taylor.
First Lieutenant, Wm. G. Wilburn ; 2d Lieutenant, Josiah H.
Smith ; 3d Lieutenant, David Wright.
First Sergeant, Henry D. Eeynolds ; 2d Sergeant, Geo. Hog
wood ; 3d Sergeant, Wm. F. Wood.
First Corporal, Walter A. Edwards ; 2d Corporal, Henry W.
Hill ; 3d Corporal, Isaac Seldner ; 4th Corporal, Wm. N. Beak.
The Greys were among the first troops sent to Craney Island to
take charge of the batteries which were being erected there, and
had charge of a section of heavy guns. Life on Craney Island
was very monotonous. The Confederates built strong earthworks
there and manned them with heavy guns. They built bumb
proofs and furnaces for heating shot but the enemy's vessels kept
at a respectful distance, and the Grays had no opportunity while
there to test their efficiency. While on the Island, the company
was attached to the 6 th Virginia Eegiment, as Company H, but
remained on the island until its evacuation on the 10th of May,
1862, when it joined the regiment upon its arrival at Petersburg.
Captain Taylor was promoted to Major, commanding an ar
tiUery battalion in the entrenched camp back of Norfolk, and at
the reorganization of the Grays in April, 1862, Lieutenant Darid
Wright was elected Captain, Josiah II. Smith 1st Lieutenant,
Wm. G. Wilberu 2d Lieutenant and Henry S. Eeynolds 3d Lieu
tenant. Lieutenant Smith was mortally wounded at the battle of
Manassas, August 30th, 1862, and died at Aldie on the Sth of
October. Lieutenant Eeynolds was discharged on the 23d of
January, 1863, and Thos. A. Gatch was elected 1st Lieutenant in
1864, and remained with the company until the surrender at Ap
pomattox. Captain Wright was killed at the battle of the Crater
on the 30th of July, 1864.
One of the most gaUant events of the whole war was a oharge
made on the enemy's entrenchments near ChancellorsviUe, May
2d, 1862, by companies B, C and H, of tiie 6th Eegiment. Gen
eral Mahone, in his official report of the affair says : " It was
during this service of the brigade that the advance line of skirm
ishers of the 6th Virginia Infantry, under command of Captain
W. Carter Williams, charged over the enemy's abatis near the
Plank Eoad, fired upon tiiem in tiieir rifle pits, captured there
276

THE INDEPENDENT GRAYS, CO. H, SIXTH VA. REGT. 277
prisoners from four different regiments, and the colors and color
bearer of the 107th Ohio Eegiment, returinng to his position with
liis handful of men, A^'ith the loss of an officer as prisoner. This
fallant and successful sortie was made a little after dark Saturday,
lay 2d, Avhen General Jackson's fire was heavy, and it was in
fighting over the same ground the next morning that the vaUiant
Williams fell mortally wounded."
_ The charge was made for the purpose of ascertaining the posi
tion of the enemy. The officer captured was Captain Crawley, of
Company C, and the manner of his capture was somewhat amus
ing. He had captured a Federal soldier, and when the company
retired he thought he was following it, but in the darkness of the
night and the thickness of the woods, he mistook his proper course
and went towards the enemy's lines instead of his own. The
prisoner he had with him told him he was taking the wrong direc
tion and, if he kept on, they would soon be inside the Federal
lines, and the condition of affairs would be reversed. He said he
did not wish to return to his own lines just then, but would like
to be captured, s® that he could get a short holiday while waiting
to be exchanged, and therefore he warned Captain Crawley that
he was taking the wrong direction, but Captain Crawley thought
he knew best, and kept on until, sure enough, he found himself
in the hands of the enemy. His former prisoner then took him a
prisoner and turned him over to the provost guard.
The company was a small one, but its losses were heavy com
pared Avitli its numbers. Nearly one- third of those who left Nor
folk with it and did service in its ranks were either killed or
wouiided. First Sergeant Seldner was killed May 3d, 1863, and
Walter A. Edwards was promoted to fill the vacancy. He was
present Avith the company in every battle in which it was engaged
except two, and escaped without a wound. He was captured at
Cumberland Church April 7th, 1865, two days before the surren
der at Appomattox Court House.
Below will be found the roll of the company after it left Nor
folk, together with the list of casualties :
Captain David Wright, promoted Captain May Ist, 1862, killed July 3pth,
1864, Crater.
First Lieutenant Josiah H. Smith, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas,
died Oct. Sth.
First Lieutenant Thos. A. Gatch, elected 1864, surrendered at Appomattox.
Second Lientenant Wm. G. Wilbem.
Third Lieutenant Henry S. Reynolds, discharged Jan. 23d, 1863.
First Sergeant Isaac Seldner, captured Sept. I4th, 1862, exchanged and
killed Mav 3d, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Second Sergeant H. W. Hill, appointed Ordnance Sergeant June 29th, 1862,
captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Third Sergeant Walter A. Edwards, promoted 1st Sergeant May 8th, 1863,
captured at Cumberland Church April 7th, 1865.
Fourth Sergeant Geo. Hogwood.
First Corporal Alex. M. Smith, promoted color bearer 6th Regiment, woun
ded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Manassas.

278 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Second Corporal Jas. A. Wirmington, promoted Sergeant May Sth, 1863.
Third Corporal Walter R. Wellons, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Mauas-
. ' sas and July 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Fourth Corporal John L. Simmons, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Ma,-
nassas, wounded May 2d, 1863, at Chancellorsville, and died May 3d.
PHIVATES.
Anderson, John T., wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness, and disabled.
Abdell, Wm. H., wounded May 3d, 1863, at Chancellorsville, disabled and
detailed in Richmond postofflce.
Boush, John T., detailed as wagon driver Dec. 4th, 1862.
Brown, Henry F., wounded Sept. 14th, 1862, lost arm May Sth, 1864, Shady
Grove.
Barnes, James, killed March 23d, 1863, by Piovost Guard, Petersburg.
Bonfanti, John, promoted Corporal.
Beane, Wm. W., wounded Ma.v 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania.
Crockett, Geo. wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, died Aug. 6th.
Dashields, Jas. J., killed May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Dunbar, John T., appointed Sergeant May Sth, 1863.
Dunn, Wm. F., promoted Corporal, wounded June 22d, 1864, captured April
5th, 1865, at Cumberland Church.
Dunn, Wm. A., died in hospital, Dec. Sth, JL863.
Ferris, James.
Gray, Wm.
Gilleriain, Peter J., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater. '
Higgins, Francis C, wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Ironmonger, L. M., promoted Sergeant May 5th, 1864, captured June 16th,
1864.
Johnson, Wm. B.
Johnson, Jacob T., died in hospital Aug. 7th, 1864, Richmond.
Jacobs, Julius, wounded May i2th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H., and supposed
to have died.
Laylor, Geo.
Lewis, Geo. E.
Mordecai, Phillip M.
Mannix, W. R., died in hospital, Aug. 19th, 1862, Danville.
Mitchell, Edward F., detailed and not with the company.
Nottingham, W. W., wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Plummer, .loshua.
Peek, Wm. N., killed July 1st, 1862,. Malvern Hill.
Ross, John R.
Roberts, Wm. J., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Reynolds, Wm. C., transferred to navy Sept. 3d, 1863.
Shirley, John, died in hospital, June, 1862.
Smith, Andrew.
Smith, John E., promoted Corporal, transferred to navy Sept. 3d, 1863.
Smith, Wm. J., wounded and captured May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Stubbs, Wm. J., detailed in Army Provost Guard.
Stryker, Martin, captured Oct. 27th, 1864, at Burgess" Mill.
Sykes. Wm. A.
Scott, Wm. T., wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Tomlinson, Geo., transferred to navy April Sth, 1863.
Wise, H. A., wounded July 30th, 1864, .at Crater.
Westbrook, D. A.
Wise, Geo. W.. wounded September 14th, 1862, lost arm May 6th, 1864,
Wilderness.
Winhall. Hiram, captured September 14th, 1862, and May 12th, 1864,
Spotsylvania C. H.
Wyatt, John L.
Wood, Wm. F., wounded Sept. 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, and died in
hospital July 14th, 1863.
Killed and died— 16.

CHAPTEE XXXVIII.
THE SIXTH VIEGINIA REGIMENT  MAHONe's, WEISIGEe's BRIGADE,
huger's, andeeson's, mahone's division.
Having given brief sketches of the five Norfolk companies
which were in tiiis regiment, their history would not be complete
witiiout teUing the part which the regiment played in that great
drama which was marked by so many deeds of noble heroism.
Of the fifty companies composing the five regiments in Ma
hone's Brigade, Norfolk county, including the cities of Nor
folk and Portsmouth, contributed sixteen, or one-third of the
whole. Of those sixteen, six were from Norfolk city, six from
Norfolk county, three from Portsmouth, and one from Ports
mouth and the county jointly, AvhUe in another. Company B, 6th
Eegiment, Norfolk and Portsmouth were both liberally repre
sented, though the bulk of the company was from Princess Anne
county. The 6tli Eegiment was organized almost immediately
upon the beginning of hostilities and was composed of the follow
ing companies :
Company A, of Norfolk city. Captain W. N. McKenney.
Company B, of Princess Anne, Captain W. Carter WiUiams.
Company C, of Norfolk city. Captain Wm. Lairib.
Company D, of Norfolk city. Captain John E. Ludlow.
Company E, of Portsmouth, Captain John H. Myers.
Company F, of Princess Anne, Captain George T. Eogers.
Company G, of Norfolk city. Captain Henry W. Williamson.
Company H, of Norfolk city. Captain Eichard C. Taylor.
Company I, of Manchester, Captain Louis Bossieux. •
Company K, of Chesterfield, Captain Darid M. Goode.
The officers of the regiment were :
Colonel — Wm. Mahone.
Lieutenant-Colonel — Thos. J. . Corprew.
Major— Wm. T. Lundy.
These officers were assigned to the regiment by Governor
Letcher. First Lieutenant Eobert B. Taylor, of Oompany A,
was detailed as Adjutant, and Alex. Tunstall, of Company G,
was appointed Sergeant Major. Subsequently Quartermaster
Sergeant Eobertson Taylor was appointed Adjutant. Companies
G and H were detached and placed on duty on Craney Island, and
Company I was stationed at the Naval Hospital battery. The
seven other companies were together in the entrenchments near
Norfolk. On the 1st of September, 1861, Company E was dis
banded by orders from headquarters, and the Nansemond Guards,
Captain Williams, became Company E. Some time in the fall
279

280 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
of 1861 the 6th, 12th, 16th and 41st Virginia Eegiments were or
ganized into a brigade, and on the 16th of November, 1861, Col
onel Mahone was promoted to Brigadier General. This occa
sioned the promotion of Lieutenant-Colonel Corprew and Major
Lundy, and Captain George T. Eogers, of Oompany F, was
elected Major..
On the iOth of February, 1862, upon the faU of Iloanoke Is
land, whicli occurred on' the Sth, the seven companies which were
with the regiment were ordered to Coin jock, or Currituck bridge,
at the North Carolina terminus of the Albemarle and Chesapeake
Canal, to protect that work should the enemy put in an appear
ance there, and also to cover the retreat of General Wise Avith
such troops as he might have saved from the wreck at Eoanoke
Island. There was a battery of three 32-pounder guns at Curri
tuck bridge. General Wise reached Currituck, bridge on his re
treat and, ranking Colonel Corprew, took command and ordered
a retreat to Great Bridge, where General Huger found the regi
ment. General Wise was transferred to another department, and
affairs at Great Bridge were turned over to General Mahone.
The regiment remained in that section until General Huger re
ceived orders to evacuate Norfolk, when it was marched to the
city, reached there May lOth, crossed the Eastern Branch on the
draw-bridge and took the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad cars
for Petersburg, Avhere it was joined by Companies G, H and I.
On the appearance of the Federal fleet, composed of the Monitor,
Galena, Naugatuck and Aroostook before the fort at Drury's
Bluff on the 15th of May, Companies G and I were sent to the
Bluff to act as sharpshooters, and every man on the vessels who
exposed himself became a mark for their fire. They were A^ery
efficient aids to the fort. They were scattered along the Bluff
lower down the river than the position at which the fort was lo
cated. The next day the regiment was ordered to Chaffin's Bluff
and remained there until after the battle of Seven Pines, in which
the other regiments of the brigade took part.
At the reorganization of the regiment in April, prior to the
evacuation of Norfolk, the following officers were elected :
Colonel — George T. Eogers.
Lieutenant-Colonel — Ilenry W. Williamson.
Major— Eobert B. Taylor.
Adjutant — Alexander Tunstall.
Adjutant Eobertson Taylor was appointed by General Mahone
Adjutant General of the brigade when the latter received his ap
pointment as Brigadier General. The field officers of the regi
ment wei-e peculiarly fortunate, for, though they did their duty
well and faithfully, only one of them received a wound during
the war. Lieutenant-Colonel Williamson lost an arm at the bat
tle of the Crater, on the 30th of July, 1864. Colonel Eogers and
Major Taylor escaped unhurt.

THE SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 281
After the battie of Seven Pines the regiment rejoined the bri
gade and remained witii it until tiie close of the war. On the
21st of June a very unfortunate affair occurred with the regiment.
A report reached the lines that a regiment of Federals was ad
vancing up tiie Charies City Eoad, and the first battalion of the
6th Eegiment was ordered to advance and intercept them. It
was understood also that the 41st Eegiment would take part in the
movement. Two small {)rivate roads ran paraUel with the Charles
City Eoad, one on each side, and the 41st Eegiment took the right
hand one and the detachment of the 6th the other. The detach
ment was under Colonel Eogers, and the idea was that the expe
dition would proceed until they came up with the enemy and then
close in on their rear and capture them. The batallion of the 6tli
passed through the outer Une of Confederate pickets and these
mistook Company I, who were uniformed with hght blue pan
taloons, for Federals, and fired on them, wounding one man.
After proceeding about two mUes down the road, a single musket
shot was fired from the rear and wounded three men in the de
tachment. A halt was then made and the men were ordered to
retire into the woods and lie down. After waiting a few minutes
for the appearance of an enemy or a repetition of the shot, and
there being no indication of either, the line was again formed in
the road and the march resumed. It was then getting towards
dusk, and some of the men of the first battalion, looking to the rear,
noticed the second battalion of the regiment foUowirlg them, and
only about a hundred yards behind. The second battalion was
.under command of Major Taylor, and was ordered out after the
first battalion had left camp, and just as it was noticed from the
first battalion, the men in the second battalion began firing upon
the first, mistaking it for the enemy. Some of the men in the first
battalion returned the fire until the voice of Major Taylor was
heard and recognized, ordering his men to fix bayonets, and the
firing on both sides ceased. The regiment was united, and having
passed the point at which the enemy was reported to have been
seen, without seeing anything of them, it returned to camp. In
this unfortunate affair twenty-eight men were killed or wounded
in the two detachments. It was in this affair that Dr. Wise, now
a practicing dentist in Norfolk, lost his leg, and James N. BeU,
afterwards Sergeant Major of the regiment, lost a portion of his
hand. Some of the men in the first battalion recognized their
comrades in the second before the firing began, and it was through
them that it was brought to a stop just about the time that Major
Taylor's voice was recognized when he gave the order to fix bay
onets. The 41st Eegiment, failing to find the enemy, hkewise returned
to camp, but without having had any mishaps. Nothing of in
terest occurred in camp until the 25th of Jiine. . There was, in
19

282 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
the meantime, an occasional skirmish with the enemy, but the 6th
Eegiment did not take part in any of them. They were confined
principaUy to Wright's and Armistead's Brigades, but the action
of the 25th seems to have been considered by General McClellan
as of some importance. This was the first battle with the enemy
in which the 6th Eegiment was engaged, and was known as the
battle of Oak Grove. It was an initiatory move on the part of
General McClellan to advance his left wing nearer towards Eich
mond. The attack was made upon Huger's DiAosion, and fell
principally upon the brigades of Generals Wright and Mahone,
though a portion of Eansom's Brigade was engaged quite
heavily, and a portion of Armistead's Brigade slightly. All four
brigades suffered some loss. The enemy was successfully repelled
along the whole line of attack. On the 30th the 6th Eegiment
was exposed to a very heavy artillery fire and had three men kUled
and two wounded. In the action of the 25th the enemy was
handsomely repulsed in front of Wright's Brigade, but one of the
regiments, (HiU's) of Eansom's Brigade, had been forced to give
way. Its place was occupied by the 12th Virginia and the 1st
Battalion of the 6tli, while the 49tli and 41st Virginia Eegiments
and the 2d Battalion of the 6th attacked the enemy on his flank
and rear, causing a .precipitate retreat.
At Malvern HUl, fought on the 1st of July, 1862, the 6th Eeg
iment Avas very heavily engaged, and lost ten men killed, thirty-
three wounded and eight missing.
After Malvern Hill, General Lee pushed on towards Manassas
after Pope, and came up with him upon the old battle ground of
the year before. The (ith Eegiment was in the midst of the mag
nificent charge which was made by Mahone's Brigade upon the
enemy on the 30th of August, and contributed its sliare towards
achieving that brilliant victory, one of the most important in its
results of any during the entire war. Then followed the invasion
of Maryland, the investment of Harper's Ferry and the battle of
Sharpsburg. Mahone's Brigade, as a part of Anderson's Dirision,
was under Jackson's command at Hai-per's Ferry and to it was
assigned the duty of holding Crampton Gap, to keep the enemy
in check untU the consummation of Jackson's plans, and the sur
render of that town. An account of tiiis engagement wUl be
found elsewhere in this work. [See Chapter XIIL] On the llth
of September Frankfin's Corps of 17,000 men attacked Mahone's
Brigade of four regiments, numbering 800 men, and was held in
check for four hours. The brigade did noble work there and paid
a heavy penalty for it in the loss of one-half of its numbers, but
its gaUant stand gave time for Jackson to capture Harper's Ferry.
Among the kiUed in this engagement was the venerable Dr. Thos.
Newton, of Norfolk, who, though long past tiie mUitary age, was
serving as a private in Company F, 6th Eegiment, the Seaboard

THE SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 283
Eifles of Princess Anne county. At Sharpsburg the brigade had
been reduced by its losses at Manassas and Crampton Gap, and its
fatiguing march after the fall of Harper's Ferry, to a mere skele
ton, scarcely as large as one of its companies at the beginning of
the war, but this remnant made a brave stand and assisted in re
pelling the last attack of the enemy upon the left and left center
of the Confederate lines. All four of the regiments in the brigade
were present with their colors, but as the numbers in the ranks
were small, their general and most of the field officers wounded,
they were consoUdated into one regiment, under Lieutenant-Col
onel Parham, of the 41st, the senior officer, and attached to Pry
or's Brigade. One set of colors was retained and the others were
sent to tiie rear with a detaU to take care of tliem. In this battle
a portion of the 6th Eegiment and a few Georgia troops, under
command of Lieutenant W. W. Chamberlaine, of Company G,
6th Virginia, got possession of a piece of artiUery which had been
abandoned by the battery to which it belonged for want of horses
to haul it, and served it with effect upon the enemy.
The battie of Sharpsburg was fought on the 17th of September
and McCleUan's repeated assaults were driven back along the
whole hue from right to left with terrible slaughter, and after
waiting all day on the 18th, for a renewal of the attack, which
never came. General Lee retired into Virginia to recuperate
his tired troops, and in November the 61st Virginia Eegiment was
added to Mahone's Brigade. The battie of Fredericksburg took
place on the 13th of iTecember, and the Confederates achieved
another brilliant victory. The 6th Eegiment was in line of battle
and exposed to a heavy artillery fire, but was not actively engaged.
The brigade was on the left of the line and the enemy made their
attacks upon the right and centre. A season of rest foUowed after
the battle of Fredericksburg until April, 1863, when General
Hooker began his movement across the Eapidan river, which cul
minated in his crushing defeat at Chancellorsville. A detail of
three officers and thirty-five men from Mahone's Brigade was at
work building a Ijridge at Germanna Ford on the 29tn, when they
were surprised by the enemy's advance in force, and nearly all
captured. Hooker then crossed at Germanna and Ely's Fords,
which are higher up the river than United States Ford, where
Mahone's Brigade was stationed, and advanced down the river to
wards Fredericksburg, his route taking him in the rear of Mahone
and that officer withdrew from United States Ford and formed
line of battle, with his own and Posey's Brigades, near Chancel
lorsrille, to check Hooker's advance until General Lee could be
apprised of the condition of affairs and take steps to meet it. In
the advance and battle of May 1st, Mahone's Brigade was in front
driving back the enemy opposed 1;o it, and taking up a position
which it held until the consummation of General Jackson s flank

284 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
movement against Hooker's right. On the night of the 2d Gen
eral Le.e was very anxious to ascertain the exact position of the
enemy's lines in his front, so that he could prepare an attack for
the next day in connection with Jackson's corps, and three com
panies of the 6th Eegiment, B, C and II, under command of Cap
tain W. Carter WiUiams, of Company B, were ordered to advance
for tliat purpose. The advance was gallantly made, the enemy's
rifle pits were carried by storm, prisoners belonging to four differ
ent regiments were captured, as were also the color-bearer and
colors of the 107th Ohio Eegiment. In this affair, though so
much was accomplished, the three companies suffered no loss ex
cept the capture of Cajatain Crawley, of Company C, who became
separated in the daflsness from his men, and mistaking his direc
tion, walked into the enemy's lines. On tiie 3d the regiment
moved with the brigade to Salem Church to check the advance
of Sedgwick, who was moving upon General Lee's rear from the
direction of Fredericksburg, and while taking up a porition on the
left of the fine, the 6th Eegiment was fired upon very unexpec
tedly by the enemy upon its fiank, but, with the coolness of vet
erans, it formed its line under fire without disorder, and then
drove back the attacking party. The regiment was under com
mand of Colonel Eogers, and in the fighting around Chancellorsville
it lost eight men killed, thirty-three wounded and six missing. .
The success at ChanceUorsville induced General Lee to invade
Pennsylvania, and the Gettysburg campaign foUowed. The 6th
Eegiment was present on the battle field on the 2d and 3d of
July, exposed to the enemy's fire, bnt most of the time support
ing other troops which were in front, and therefore not very ac
tively engaged, though it lost a number of men. It returned to
Virginia with the brigade, was actively engaged in the fall cam
paign of 1863, the important features of whicli were the engage
ments at Bristoe Station, October llth, and Mine Eun,' Decem
ber 2d, after which it went into Arinter quarters, and was undis
turbed by the enemy until 1864, when General Grant began his
overland campaign towards Eichmond. Gee Lee thrust himself
across Grant's front in the Wilderness and iforced him to turn
aside. Mahone's Brigade AA'^as on the extreme right of Longstreet's
Corps when he made his celebrated movement to turn Grant's
left, and had made a brilliant charge, sweeping the enemy before
it. _ The 6th Eegiment was on the left of the brigade, and next
to it came the 16th. The position of the brigade" was nearly at
right angles with the line of battle, and in advance of the line.
Longstreet with his own and Jenkins' staff at the head pf Jen
kins Brigade, was riding down the turnpike which passed in
front of the position held by Mahone's Brigade, and when oppo
site the left of Mahone's line was seen through the thick woods
and' smoke and mistaken for the enemy. Firing began and Long-

THE SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 285
street was wounded., thus putting a stop to the flank movement
which he was directing, and which had already yielded such im
portant results. Whetiier the shots which produced the disaster
came from the 6tii or 16th Eegiment will perhaps never be defi
nitely settied, but the clearest accounts of the affair locate it as
having occurred in front of the left of tiie brigade. This subject and
the battle of the Wilderness are discussed more particularly in
the history of the 6 1st Eegiment, chapter XXIV.
The 6th Eegiment fought through the whole of the campaign
of 1864, was at Shady Grove, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold
Harbor, North Anna Eiver, Hanover Court House, Cold Harbor,
Turkey Eidge and Second Frazier's Farm, crossed over the James
river and interposed between Grant's army and Petersburg, took
part in the brilliant victories at Wilcox's Farm, June 22d, Gurley
House, June 23d, and the Crater, July 30th. This last wUl rank
with the world's most famous battles and Jias been made the
theme of the artist's brush. The larger portion of the 6th Eegi
ment was on picket duty when the news- was received that the
enemy had broken through the fines, and there was not time to
call them in. Eighty-five men were in camp, and these fell in
Arith the rest of the brigade, and hurrying to where the breech
had been made, took part in the charge upon the enemy, and of
the eighty-five men with the regiment, thirteen were killed, fifty
wounded and twelve were missing. Ten escaped uninjured but
they inflicted a loss upon the enemy of ten for one. It was in
this battle that Lientenant-Colonel •Williamson lost his arm. En
sign Howard S. Wright was mortally wounded ; Captain Wright,
of Company H, and Lieutenant Spratt, of Company C, were
killed, and Captain Coke, of Company F, Captain Goode, of
Company K, Lieutenant Hopper, Company A, Lieutenant Cor
nick, of Company F, and Lieutehant Flournoy, of Company K,
were wounded.
After the Crater came the battles of Eeams' Station, Burgess'
Mill and Hatcher's Eun, and when the final crash came and the
army retreated from Petersburg, Mahone's Brigade preserved its
organization and courage to the last, and, on the retreat it fought
tAvo battles and repulsed the enemy in both. At Cumberland
Church, only two days before the surrender at Appomattox, Ma
hone's men and G. T. Anderson's Brigade of Georgians, captured
an entire brigade of Federal troops with their officers and colors.
Virginia has reason to be proud of Mahone's Brigade, with its five
regiments of Virginia soldiers, the 6th, 12th, 16tn, 41st and 61st.
One-third of them came from Norfolk county, including the two
cities, while Princess Anne, Nansemond, Southampton, Isle of
Wight, Sussex, Greenville, Chesterfield and Petersburg furnished
the rest. One company from Eichmond, the Grays, was in the
12th Eegiment.

286 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
The f oUoAring members of the 6th Eegiment were present with
the command at the surrender at Appomattox, April 9th, 1865 :
Colonel George T. Eogers.
Major Eobt. B. Taylor.
Adjutant Alex. Tunstall, Jr.
Surgeon T. P. Temple.
Assistant Surgeon J. T. Wilkins.
First Lieutenant and Ensign G. E. Ferebee.
Ordnance Sergeant Henry W. Hill.
Hospital Steward Jas. L. D. Butt.
company a.
1st Sergt. Wm. H. Whitehurst, Private Israel Ingram,
Corporal Jas. Costen, Ivy Lee,
Stokely Dyer, Jehu Shrively,
Private Wm. G. Arthur, Michael Snyder,
A. F. Beekner, Benj. F. Wyatt.

Thos. D. Frith,

company b.

Captain Wm. F. White, Private B. C. Davis,
¦ Sergeant John W. Moore, Wm. A. Ellison,
Private John, A. Bartlett, Wm. Warden.
E. E. Daughtrey, COMPANY c.
Sergeant Lemuel Pumphrey, Private John H. Shepherd,
Private Peter M. Gayle, Geo. W. Turner,
Ed. A. Johnston, John W. Wray.
Jos. Sigman, COMPANY D.
Captain John E. Ludlow, Private Thos. S. Adams,
Lieutenant E. H. Flournoy, Francis Morris,
Sergeant Wm. H. SArift, Geo. T. Wiles.
Eobt. Moreland, COMPANY E.
Captain Euclid Borland, Private Wm. Wynn,
Sergeant Henry Ashburn, Jas. HoUand,
Corporal John Smith, S. J. Nelms.
COMPANY F.
Lieutenant Jno. S. Cornick, Private John T. Dawes,
Sergeant John C. Gornto, Geo. E. James,'
Corporal W. T. Brock, Southey Mills,
Private John E. Absolem, Elias A. Parsons,
Jas. G. Braithwait, Wm. H. Seneca,
Wm. T. Brewer, Cary Williams,
H. W. Capps, Henry E. Whitehurst.

THE SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT. 287
COMPANY G.
Lieut. Duncan Eobertson, Jr., Private Eichard Hopkins,
Corporal Chandler W. Hill, Edward Kerr,
Eobt. A. Archer, E. H. Eobinson,
Forage Master G. K. Goodrich, Geo. M. Todd
Private Daniel A. Beach, J. J. Ward '
Thos. A. Hardy, Wm. N. White.
COMPANY H.
Captain Thos. A. Gatch, Private Jas. W. Phaup,
Corporal John Bonfanti, John E. Sampson,
Private E. D. Bryant, Wm. S. Stubbs,
Geo. E. Lewis, E. H. Willard,
, Benj. W. Martin, Jas. E. Warrington.
Eobt. O. Metts, COMPANY I.
Captain Jno. S. Whitworth, Private Thos. W. Browder,
Lieutenant E. J. Mann, E. H. Fuqua,
Sergeant W. D. Craig, Parker Hardgrave,
Corporal Eobt. T. Conway, Abner Seymour,
Thos. Wormack, Dev'x Montgomery,
Private J. D. BrockweU, Edward W. Perkinson,
Wm. E. BroAvder, Wm. M. WalthaU.
COMPANY K.
Captain Darid M. Goode, Private A. A. Ford,
Lieutenant T. A. WUliams, M. W, Ford,
Musician Chas. Fisher, Joshua Moseley,
Courier Jas.,B. Goode, E. T. Osborne,
Wm. H. Pinchbeck, C. E. Dancette,
Private Wm. H. Crutchfield, J. B. Wilkinson.
Total commissioned officers  ,  17
Non-commissioned staff  2
Enlisted men  90
. 109
It will be seen from a comparison of the above list with the
rolls of the Norfolk companies in the regiment, that there are
some names here which are not on the company rolls.- Those
names are men who joined the regiment after it left Norfolk, and
not being Norfolk men, were purposely omitted. Some of them
were conscripts and some volunteers.

CHAPTEE XXXIX.
THE NOEFOLK JUNIORS, COMPANY H, TWELFTH VIEGINIA EEGIMENT.
This company dates its organization back to the year 1802 and
was therefore the oldest volunteer organization in Norfolk before
the war. It took part in the war of 1812 between the United/
States and Great Britain, and was on duty in the vicinity of Nor-j
folk. It was on duty with the other Norfolk companies on the;
night of the 19th of April, 1861, when the powder in the maga-'
zinc at Fort Norfolk was seized and a guard from the company
was placed on the schooner James Buchanan with the powder,
and accompanied it to Eichmond. The officers of the company
at that time were :
Captain, F. F. Feiguson.
First Lieutenant, Alex. F. Santos ; 2d Lieutenant, Jno. Holmes ;
3d Lieutenant, Joel C. White.
First Sergeant, Henry C. Woodhouse ; Sergeant, Wm. P. Ash
ley ; Sergeant, Eobt. J. Barrett ; Sergeant, Chas. L. Beale.
First Corporal, John E. Eobins ; Corporal, John Baldry ; Cor
poral, Luther Walker ; Corporal, James Gray.
There were also ninety-five privates mustered into service, inak-
ing the total effective strength of the company one hundred and
seven. On the morning of the 21st of April, the day after the
United States authorities set fire to the Gosport Navy Yard, the
company was sent there, and with two fire engines, assisted
in subduing the flames, and on the 29th was ordered to Boush's
Bluff to assist in building a battery at that point. The company
was at Boush's Bluff on the 19th of May, when the MonticeUo
made her attack upon the battery at Seawell's Point, and a de
tachment under command of Lieutenant Holmes was sent down
to reinforce the garrison. The men fought with the deliberation
of veterans, and were highly complimented in the official report
of Captain Colquit, of the Columbus, Georgia, Light Guard, who
commanded the post. A full accoitot of this affair will be found
in chapter XXXI, ante.
Upon the organization of the 12tli Virginia Eeginient, the Ju
niors were assigned to it as Company H, but remained on detached
service at Boush's Bluff until the evacuation of Norfolk, on the
10th of May, 1862, when it joined the regiment in the entrenched
camp near Norfolk, and was carried by rail to Petersburg. The
Juniors carried from Norfolk, in its ranks, more men than any
other company from that city, and its losses were heavier than any
other. One- company, the Blues, was recruited after the evacua
tion and became a larger company than the Juniors, but the men
288

NORFOLK JUNIORS, CO. H, TWELFTH VA. REGT. 289
were not witii it at the evacuation. In April, 1862, there was a
re-election of officers and a reorganization of the company, and an
entire change was made in the roll of tiie commisrioned officers.
AU of the original officers were dropped and tiie following were
elected: Captain, Thomas F. Owens.
First Lieutenant, Henry C. Woodhouse ; 2d Lieutenant, Chas.
Dashiell ; 3d Lieutenant, Clias. L. Beale.
First Sergeant, Wm. H. Eamsey.
Captain Owens was wounded at the second battie of Manassas,
August SOtli, 1862, but recovered, rejoined the company and was
with it until the end. Lieutenant Woodhouse was captured at
Germanna Ford on the 29th of April, 1S63, was subsequently ex
changed, rejoined the company and received a wound at Shady
Grove, May Sth, 1S64, which "so disabled him that he was not able
to again be Arith the company. He was stUl in hospital when the
army surrendered at Appomattox. Lieutenant Dashiell was
wounded and captured at Crampton Gap, September llth, 1862,
was exchanged, rejoined the company, but was unfit for duty and
was discharged on the 5th of April, 1864. Lieutenant Beale was
wounded at the battle of the Crater, July 30th, 1864, but re
mained Arith the company and was killed on the 19th of August,
at the battle of Davis' Farm, on the Petersburg and Weldon rail
road. Orderly Sergeant Eamsey was wounded at the second bat
tle of Manassas and died from his wound in a hospital. After the
death of Lieutenant Beale, Sergeant John F. Sale was elected
lieutenant, and was mortally wounded at Hatcher's Eun, Febru
ary 6th, 1865, and died February 12tli. The company was very
unfortunate in its commissioned officers, for of the five whom it
had after the evacuation of Norfolk, two were killed and the three
others Avere wounded, two of these receiving wounds which inca
pacitated them from further service.
Before the evacuation of Norfolk a number of the members of
the company were transferred to other cominands, and their names
will appear with those organizations. Privates Charles Eeynolds
and Jesse .Knight got into a difficulty Avith some members of the
3d Alabama Eegiment, in Norfolk, on the 12th of July, 1861, and
were so badly wounded that they were discharged as unfit for
further mUitary duty, and Thaddeus S. Gray was detailed on spe
cial secret service for the govemment, and subsequently appointed
master's mate in the navy. Of the ninety-two men who left Nor
folk with the company, thirty found graves on the battle fields of
Virginia and never returned. The record of the company was
good all through the war. It participated in the following en
gagements, or was present in line of battle :
Seawell's Point, May 19-21, '62, Oak Grove, June 25th, 1862,
Seven Pines, June 1st, 1862, _ Malvern Hill, July 1st, 1862,

290 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Second Manassas, August 30th, North Anne Eiver, May 21-23,
1862, ¦ 1864,
Crampton Gap, September llth, Hanover C. H, May 28th and
1862, 29th, 1864,
Sharpsburg, September 17th, -Atiee Station, June 1st, 1864,
1862, Cold Harbor, June 2d and 3d,
Fredericksburg, December 13th, 1864,
1862, Turkey Eidge, June 4th to 13th,
Zoah's Church, AprU 30th, '63, 1864, •
McCarthy's Farm, May 1st, '63, Frazier's Farm, June 13th, '64,
ChanceUorsvUle, May 2d and WUcox's Farm, June 22d, '64,
3d, 1863, Gurley House, June 23d, 1864,
Salem Church, May 3d, 1863, Crater, July 30th, 1864,
Gettysburg, July 2d and 3d, Davis' Farm, August 19th, '64,
1863, Eeams' Station,August 25th,'64,
Bristoe Station, October llth. Burgess' MUl, October 27th,'64,
1863, Hicksford, December 9th, 1864,
Mine Eun, December 2d, 1863, Hatcher's ' Eun, February 6tli,
Wilderness, May 6th, 1864, 1865,
Shady Grove, May Sth, 1864, Amelia C. IL, April 5th, 1865,
Spotsylvania C. H., May 12th, Cumberland Church, April 7th,
1864, 1865, _
Appomattox Court House, April 9th, 1865.
The first battle of importance in which the company took part
was Seven Pines, June 1st, 1862, and from that time untU and
including the second battle of Manassas, fought August .the 30th,
it lost eleven men killed. In addition to the thirty members of
the company from Norfolk who lost their lives, two men who
joined when the regiment was around Petersburg, were killed.
They were William Spencer, from near Eichmond, and 
Christian. In addition to the battles enumerated above, in which the com
pany was engaged with the regiment, it had quite a serious affair
of its own on the 19tli and 20th of June, 1862. ' The' company
was sent by itself on a scout down the Charles City road, near
Eichmond, for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the
enemy, and Avliile on that duty had a spirited engagement with
the enemy, in which it had two men, Thos. L. Connor and John
Carlon, killed and a number wounded. General Mahone's report
of the battle of Malvern Hill compliments the 12th Virginia Eeg
iment very highly, and his report of the ChanceUorsville battle
says :
" The enemy's cavalry advance on the Ely's Ford road made its
appearance, and after a precipitate advance upon our pickets,
(capturing several) he subsequently came upon our rear guard, the
12th Virginia Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Field commanding —
was repulsed so effectually as to leave us free from any further

NORFOLK JUNIORS, CO. H, TWELFTH VA. REGT. 291
annoyance during our change of position," and further on he says
" the 12th Virginia, Lieutenant- Colonel Field commanding, for
its rigid and efficient resistance to the superior force of the enemy
while covering the formation of our line of battle on the turnpike
Friday, May 1st, deserves high commendation." On many other
occasions the conduct of the regiment Avas very highly compli
mented. At the battle of the Crater, July 30th, 1864, in which
Mahone's Brigade achieved one of the most brilliant victories of
the war, the 12th Eegiment carried about one hundred and fifty
men in the fight, of whom twelve were killed and twenty-six
wounded. Of these two of the killed and three wounded were in
Coinpany H.
The foUowing men left Norfolk, May 10th, 1862, with the com
pany :
Captain Thos. F. Owens, wounded August 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas, .sur
rendered at Appomattox.
First Lieutenant Henry C. Woodhouse, captured Aiiril 29th, 1863, exchang
ed, wounded May Sth, 1864, at Shady Grove.
Second Lieutenant Chas. Dashiell, wounded Sept. I4th, 1862, Crampton Gap,
discharged April 5th, 1864.
Third Lieutenant Chas. L. Beale, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater, killed
Aug. 19th, Davis' Farm.
First Sergeant Wm. H. Ramsey, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, 2dManasasand
died in hospital.
Second Sergeant Luther Walker, captured Sept. 14th, 1862, wounded May
2d, 1864,, Spotsylvania C. H.
Third Sergeant John R. Baldry, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, killed
July 30th, 1864, at Crater. ,
Fourth Sergeant John F. Sale, promoted Lieutenant Oct., 1864, wounded
Feb. 6th, 1865, at Hatcher's Eun, and died Feb. 12th.
First Corporal Geo. T. Keefe, wounded June 25th, 1862, detailed Courier
Aug. 2oth, 1863.
Second Corporal S. F. Jordan, promoted Sergeant, wounded Aug. 19th,
1864, Davis' Farm, surrendered at Appomattox.
Third Corporal John M. Dashiell, died in hospital, November 4th, 1862,
Winchester.
Fourth Coi-poral E. W. Shelton, wounded June 25th, 1862, and Aug. 19th,
1864, Davis' Farm.
Musician Wm. Gale, discharged Aug. 25th, 1864.
PBIVATES.
Atkinson, Junius A. .
Anderson, Chas., transfeiTed to Huger Battery May 1 st, .1862.
Bew, Geo. W., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas.
Bunge, F., wounded June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines, died June 25th in hospital,
.Richmond.
Buis, John H.
Braithwait, Thos., promoted Corporal, killed July 1st, 1862, at Malvern
Hill.
Bryan, Fred. P.
Brockett, Wm., appointed Engineer jn Navy May 1st, 1862.
Brownley, Wm. M., surrendered at Appomattox.
Bracey, Geo., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, captured Sept. llth, 1862, and
never rejoined the company.
Charlton, Jos., died in hospital, Dec. 14th, 1862, Lynchburg.
Cusick, Thos., killed June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines,

292 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Charlton, Cary, killed Sept. 14th, 1862, Crampton Gap.
Connor, Thos. L., killed June 19th, 1862, Charles City Eoad.
Carroll, H. W., wounded May Sth, 1864, Shady Grove.
Carlon, John, killed June 20th, 1862, Charles City Eoad.
Connor, James.
Carter, John B., captured Sept. 14th, 1862.
Dozier, Thos L.
Davis, Thos. H., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas, and died Oct. 31st
in Warrenton.
Davis, Wm. H., surrendered at Appomattox.
Diggs, James, discharged Jul.y 29th, 1862, over age.
Dobbs, Andrew J., surrendered at Appomattox.
Dashiel, F^S., discharged July 29th, 1862, over age.
Edmonds, Wm., wounded April 29th, 1863, Germanna Ford.
Fitzgerald, Win. H., wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, appointed Mas
ter in the NaA-y Oct. 7th, 1863.
Gray, Jas. E., killed June 1st, 1862, Seven Pines.
Griffin, A. J., wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Griffin, John, died in hospital, July 6th, 1862, Eichmond.
Harris, Wm., surrendered at Appomattox.
Hall, John P., transferred to Huger Battery May 1st, 1862.
James, Wm. E., wounded Aug. 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm, died Aug. 25th.
Johnson, J. Cave, transferred from Company D, May 1st, 1862, surrendered
at Appomattox.
Kellum, W. P. M., wounded July 1st, 1862, Aug. 30th, 1862, and disabled
and discharged.
Lovett, Edward J., wounded and captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess'
Mill. .
Lewis, Thos. J.
Lewis, Wm. killed Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas.
Longworth, James, captured .Tune 22, 1864, Wilcox Farm.
Lnfsey, Jas., surrendered at Appomattox.
Moore, John A.
Marks, E. A., died in hospital, June 27th, 1862, Eichmond.
Moreland, Jas., killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Moreland, Thos., died in hospital, Sept., 1864, Eichmond.
Mayer, Lewis, killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Murray, Jas. T., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, and Aug. 30th, 1862,
at 2d Manassas.
Mayer, Wm., discharged July 17th, 1862, disability.
McNamara, ilohn R., detailed 1863 to work tor Government.
Norfleet, Nathaniel, discharged for disability.
Norwood, John W., surrendered at Appomattox.
Nunnaly, E. J., wounded August 30th, 1862, killed July 2d, 1863, Gettys
burg.
Owens, Wm. T,. captured Sept. 14th, 1862, exchanged and detailed in Gen.
Anderson's Pioneer Corps.
Peed, W. A., captured Sept. 14th, 1862, detailed on ordnance duty March
3d, 1863.
Eandolph, N. B., captured Sept. 14th, 1862, exchanged and died in hospital
1863, in Fredericksburg.
Eandolph, E. G., captured. Sept. 14th, 1862, exchanged and surrendered at
Appomattox.
Eogers, John M., wounded July 2d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Eobinson, John E., promoted Sergeant, killed Aug. 30th, 1862, Manassas.
Eose, J. H., detailed as Teamster.
Shepherd, John S., discharged for disability.
Simons, Geo. W.
Stone, Wm., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, Manassas, died Sept. 16th.
Scribner, Jas. D., killed May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Shipp, Josiah P., transferred to Company G, 1862, wounded May 6th, 1864.

NORFOLK JUNIORS, CO. H, TWFJLFTH VA. REGT. 293
Simcop, Augustus, discharged Aug. 30th, 1862, over age.
Taylor, Wm. E., appointed Hospital Steward Nov. 6th, 1862.
Tompkins, E., killed Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas.
Vaden, W. L., wounded accidentally, 1S62.
AVhite, Caleb D., promoted Coi-poral, wounded May 6th, 1864, at the Wil-
dei-ness.
Wilhams, Thos. T., died in hospital, 1862, Eichmond.
Walker, Wm. H., wounded and captured Aug. 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
AVard, Mathias, captured Sept. 14th, 1862, wounded May 12th, 1864, cap
tured Oct. 27th, 1864.
Wilkinson, Samuel D., wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, Manasas.
Wilkins, Henry H., wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Woodhouse, W. S., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, and died August
15th.
Williamson, John T., captured Oct. 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
White, Wm. J., captured Oct. 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
White, J. J. P., captured Sept. 14th, 1862, surrendered at Appomattox.
White, Ed. J., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Whitehurst, Leven.
Killed and died— 30.
The company surrendered one commissioned officer and eigh
teen enlisted men at Appomattox Court House. The following
is the list :
Captain Thos. F. Owens, Private E S. House,
Sergeant S. F. Jordan, *Jas. Hough,
Private *W. J. Branch, J. C. Johnson,
Wm. M. Brownley, J. W. Lufsey,
Wm. H. Daris, • *J. W. Manning,
*A. A. Delbridge, J. W. Norwood,
*Jos. Delbridge, E. J. Eandolph,
*Eobt. Delbridge, *T. W. Eawlins,
A. J. Dobbs, J. J. P. White.
Wm. Harris,
*Joined the company after it left Norfolk.

CHAPTEE XL.
THE ATLANTIC ARTILLERY, EIGHTEENTH VIRGINIA BATTALION,
HEAVY ARTILLERY.
This company was organized and uniformed by Captain J.
Hardy Hendren, and mustered into service on the 9th of March,
1862, in Norfolk, with the following officers :
Captain, J. Hardy Hendren.
First Lieutenant, Wm. C. Marrow; 2d Lieutenant, W. Eoy
Eoberts ; 3d Lieutenant, John H. Sale, Jr.
First Sergeant, Beverly K. Taylor.
Lieutenant Marrow was promoted to Quartermaster in the
Army of Northern Virginia and Lieutenant Eoberts was assigned
as A. A. G. to the staff of General Pemberton, commanding the
batteries around Eichmond. First Sergeant Taylor was promoted
to Lieutenant.
When the company was mustered into service, it was ordered
to the entrenched camp near Norfolk, and was armed with
muskets. It remained there Until the 7th of May, when it was
ordered to Petersburg and attached to the 18th Virginia Battalion
Heavy Artillery. After a stay of three or four days the company
was sent to Eichmond, and assisted in building earthworks and
mounting heavy guns. It remained in the batteries around that
city until the close of the war, with an occasional expedition to
head oft' raiding parties of the enemy's cavalry. It was sent to
Gordonsville with General Fitzhugh Lee's Cavalry against Stone-
man's raid ; Avas in the trenches in front of -Eichmond when Kil
patrick came there with his troopers on the 1st of March, 1864,
and at the battle of Drury's Bluff, on the 16th of May, 1864, par
ticipated as light artillerists, having . charge of a battery of five
field pieces. In the fall of 1864, the company was sent down to
Chaffins' Farm, and remained there, facing the enemy in Fort
Harrison until the evacuation of Eichmond by the Confederates,
in April, 1865, when it fell back with the troops under General
Ewell, and took part in the battle of Saylor's Creek. It was ex
tremely fortunate, and, though always ready for service, escaped
the battles and dangers to which most of the other troops were
exposed. It lost only one man killed in battle, and four died in
hospital from sickness. The following were the casualties in the
company :
Charles Pinkham, killed at Saylor's Creek.
W. A. Griffin, died in hospital, Eichmond.
Armistead Haughton, died in hospital, Eichmond,
Nathaniel Wilkins, died in hospital, Eichmond,
James Young, died in hospital, Eichmond,
David Mathias, wounded at Saylor's Creek,
J. W. Buchanan, wounded at Saylor's Creek.
294

ATLANTIC ARTILLERY, EIGHTEENTH VA. BATTALION. 295

Below will be found a list of the men who left Norfolk with the
company :
Captain J. Hardy Hendren.
First Lieutenant Wm. C. Marrow.
Second Lieutenant W. Eoy Eoberts.
Third Lieutenant John H. Sale, Jr.
First Sergeant Beverly K. Taylor.
Second Sergeant Judson Llendren.
Third Sergeant Henry Thompson.
Fourth Sergeant David Mathias.
Fifth Sergeant Armistead Haughton.
Sixth Sergeant Thos. C. Joynes.
First Corporal Samuel Gordon.
Second Corporal John M. Wells.
Third Corporal Thos. E. White.
Fourth Corporal Wm. Leary.

Ashton, Wm.
Butt, Niemeyer.
Buford, Jabez.
Buchanan, J. W.
CaUis, Wm.
Dozier, Tully F.
Evans, Arthur.
Flannigan, Fletcher.
Griggs, Geo. D.
Griffin, W. A.
Harris, Abraham M.

PRIVATES.
Higgins, John H.
Kisk, Eichard. .
Krouse, John H.
Lambert, Henry.
LeDoyne, John H.
Mathias, Henry B.
Patterson, John H.
Pinkham, Chas.
Eichardson, Wm.
Scott, Eobert.
Sharpley, John J.

Thompson, David S.
Totten, Samuel.
Taylor, John G.
Timberlake, David.
Thayer, Stephen B.
Vellines, Jonn A.
WinsloAV, Joseph.
Whitehurst, Nathan.
Williams, James M.
Wilkins, Nathaniel.
Young, James.

CHAPTEE XLL
THE UNITED ARTILLERY, COMPANY A, NINETEENTH VIRGINIA BATTAL-

This company was composed of most excellent fighting material
and was commanded by as cool and determined a soldier as there
was in General Lee's Army, and, though always ready to respond
to the caU of duty, and though the men were exposed to danger
and death on numerous occasions, an over-ruling Providence
seemed to watch over them, and their casualties were insignificant.
One man was killed in battle, one kiUed by accident, and one died
in hospital from sickness. Five were wounded.
The company was organized in Norfolk several days before the
burning of the Navy Yard by the Federal forces in April, 1861,
but at the beginning of hostilities was not uniformed or armed.
It was called into service on the 19th of AprU, to take part in the
capture of the powder in Fort Norfolk. A detail was made to
capture the gunner, Mr. Oliver, to prevent him from signaling to
the Navy Yard, what was being done. The detail sent to capture
Mr. Oliver was under command of Lieutenant W. Carter WU
liams, and the rest of the company landed at the wharf at the fort,
in barges The officers of the company at that time were :
Captain, Thomas Kevill.
First Lieutenant, James E. Barry ; 2d Lieutenant, Wm. Carter
Williams ; 3d Lieutenant, Thaddeus E. Eisenbiess.
The company took its name from the old United Fire Com
pany, of which most of its men were members. A long habit of
contending with the flames had inured them to dangers. Upon
being mustered into service the company was stationed at Fort
Norfolk and was furnished with muskets, and also was placed in
charge of four light guns and driUed both as infantry and artil
lery. They also nad charge of a battery of heavy guns, so that,
during the year the company was at Fort Norfolk, the men be
came experts in all branches of the service except the cavalry.
In July, 1861, Lieutenant Williams was elected Captain of a
company from Princess Anne county, which was attached to the
6th Eegiment as Company B. Lieutenant Eisenbiess was pro
moted to 2d Lieutenant and Edward Lakin was elected 3d Lieu
tenant. Upon the organization of the 41st Virginia Eegiment of
infantry the United Artillery company was attached to it as Com
pany E.
When the iron-clad Virginia (Merrimac) was ready for service
it was found that she lacked thirty-one men of having a full crew,
and Captain Kevill was applied to for volunteers to make up the
296

UNITED ART., CO. A, NINETEENTH VA. BATTALION. 297
deficiency, but the men were not wiUing to serve under the com
mand of the iiaval ofiicers and decUned to volunteer unless one of
their OAvn officers Avas on board the ship to take charge of them.
This Avas reported to the Secretary of War and by him commu
nicated to the Secretary of tiie Navy, and tiie result was that the
services of the company Avere accepted, with Captain KevUl as
their commander. The Captain then called for thirty-one volun
teers, and the whole company stepped to the front. Selecting
thirty -one men whom he thought best quahfied,by physical strength,
to do the heavy work which was required of them, he reported to
the Comumndant of the Navy Yard on the 7th of March, 1S62,
and was assigned, with sixteen men, to one of the 9-iuch broad
side guns. During the engagement the fifteen other men were
distributed among guns which were short in their crews. During
the second day's engagement, the 9th of March, a piece of metal
was knocked off the muzzle of the gun, but the men continued to
load and fire it until the close of the battle. The next time the
ship went down to Hampton Eoads Captain Kevill was again
with his men, but on the third trip. May Sth, Lieutenant Lakin
had command of the detachment. Two men belonging to the
company, A. J. Dalton and John Capps, Avere wounded by mus
ket balls coming through the port holes in the first day's battle,
March Sth.
On the 10th of May, 1862, before sunrise, the company was
marched from Fort Norfolk to the entrenched camp and placed
in charge of a battery of heavy guns, and remained there until
early in the afternoon, when it was inarched to the Norfolk and
Petersburg railroad depot in Norfolk and took the cars for Pe-
tersbm-g. It remained eiglit or ten days on Dunn's Hill, near the
city, when it was sent to Eichmond and ordered to report to Col
onel Ehett, commanding defences of the city. While the United
Artillery were in Petersburg and General Lee was making ar
rangements to defend Drury's Bluff from the anticipated attack
of the Federal iron-clads, he wrote to General Huger, command
ing the Department of Petersburg, that the battery was a very
important one, that it should be well defended, and recommended
that the United Artillery company be sent there. He told Gen
eral Huger that he understood this was one of the best companies
in the service.
Upon reporting to Colonel Ehett the company was assigned to
two two-gun batteries or redouts, one on each side of the Virginia
Central railroad, and in two days buUt platforms for the guns,
mounted them and built a magazine. The guns were mounted
on heavy army carriages. The company remained in this battery
until after the battles- around Eichmond, when it was moved to
battery No. 8 and attached to a battalion commanded by Major
Atkinson. Shortly afterwards it was detached from Major At-
20

298 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
kinson's command, ordered to Drury's Bluff, and stiU attached to
the 19th Battalion of heavy artillery, reported to Captain S. S.
Lee. .Subsequently Major Frank "Smith, of Norfolk, became
commander of the" battalion and was kUled on the retreat from
Eichmond to Appomattox. His battalion was on both sides of a
road, and each mistaking tiie other for the enemy, began firing,
and in endeavoring to stop it Major Smith was killed. The com-
Sany remained in the battery at Drury's Bluff until the 16th of
lay, 1864, when as an infantry company it took part in the bat
tie "fought there that day. In 'June, 1864, when Butler's troops
were driven back to the lines of Bermuda Hundreds by Pickett's
Division the United ArtiUery Company was sent to the Howlett
House and took charge of a fortification known as Battery Dantz-
ler, after Colonel Dantzler, of the 22d South Carolina Eegiment,
and when Butler began digging the Dutch Gap Canal the com
pany was moved to Battery Wood, in front of Dutch Gap, where
it Avas constantly engaged shelling the enemy's working parties.
Here it took its place regularly with the other troops on the
lines, taking its turn at picket duty as an infantry com
pany, but stUl manning the heavy guns.
During the interval between the battle of Seven Pines and the
Seven Days' battles a detachment of the company, under com
mand of Lieutenant Barry, operated a heavy gun which was put
upon a railroad flat car, protected with iron, on the York Eiver
railroad, but it did not prove very effective, on account of the dif
ficulty in moving it along the track towards and from the enemy.
While at Drury^ Bluff the men frequently volunteered to take
part in naval expeditions which were gotten up by Captain John
Taylor Wood and other officers to cut out detached vessels of the
enemy. Lieutenant Barry's health broke dOwn in the winter of 1864-5,
and he became unable to do duty. Therefore, by the adrice of
the post surgeon, which was concurred in by Captain Kevill, he
tendered his resignation and was discharged from the company.
In September, 1864, Lieutenant Lakin. received an appointment
in the Navy, and Daniel Knowles was elected Lieutenant. Lieu
tenant Eisenbiess was killed in 1863 by an accident upon the
Eichmond and Petersburg railroad. Upon the evacuation of
Eichmond the United Artillery formed part of the 'forces under
General Ewell, and under the command of Captain Kevill par
ticipated in the battle of Saylor's Creek, where it had one man
killed and three wounded. Thus it happened, very singularly,
that the company met with casualties only in its first and last en
gagements with the enemy. The following is a list of its losses :
Lieutenant T. E. Eisenbiess, killed accidentally, 1863.
John Belote, died in hospital at Drury's Bluff.
Emanuel Lacoste, killed at Saylor's Creek, April 5th, 1865.

United art., co. a, nineteenth va. battalion. 299

John T, Bullock, wounded at Saylor's Creek,
Fred. S. Clarke, wounded at Saylor's Creek,
John Capps, wounded on the Virginia, March Sth, 1862.
A. J. Dalton, wounded on the Virginia, March Sth, 1862,
Hezekiah Wells, wounded at Saylor's Creek.
A. C. Gi-iswold, captured August 6t.h, 1864, at Howlett' 8.
George Smith, captured August 6th, 1864, at Howlett's.
Eugene Solomon, captured August 6th, 1864, at Howlett's.
A, J. Dalton recovered from his wound received on the Virginia (Merrimac)
and was transferred to a cavalry company in Morgan's Brigade, was
wounded and captured at Dublin in 1864, in the fight with Crook's and
Averill's cavalry.
Below Avill be found the roll of the company :
Captain Thos. Kevill.
First Lieutenant James E. Barry.
Second Lieutenant Thaddeus E. Eisenbiess.
Second Lieutenant W. Carter Williams.
Second Lieutenant Edward Lakin.
Second Lieutenant Daniel Knowles.
First Sergeant Adam Baum.
Second Sergeant Fayette F. Porter.
Third Sergeant W. F. Coston.
Fourth Sergeant Eichard Nelson.
Fifth Sergeant W. H. Cosby.
Sixth Sergeant W. H. Carr.
Ordnance Sergeant John T. Bullock.
First Corporal Alphonse M. BuUock.
Second Corporal John Carstaphan.
Third Corporal John Gillis.
Fourth Corporal Geo. J. AUen.
Musicians Eugene Solomon and Emanuel Lacoste.

Applewhite, A.
Albright, Chas. W.
BeU, Miles K.
Bums, W. A.
Belote, John.
Betts, W. M.
Bisby, Henry T.
Bowers, Geo.
Baker, Wm.
Bisbj^, W. J.
Bunting, John.
Black, John T.
Capps, John.
Croker, Eufus K.
Clarke, Alex.
Clarke, Fred. S.
Cameron, Chas.

PRIVATES.
Cook, Edward.
Colonna, W. B.
Chestnut, Nicholas.
Cain, Eichard C.
CorneU, J. E.
Duke, W. F.
Duncan, Jas.
Dalton, A. J.
Diggs, Wm. J.
Deane, John.
Dudley, Wm. F.
Fisher, Chas.
Fowler, John.
Flynn, John.
Griswold, A. C.
Glennan, Wm.
Georgan, Michael.

Hitchings, Ed. T.
Hundley, Jas.
Hoggs, Geo. W.
Hogan, Eugene.
Jones, John W.
KeviU, John P.
Knight, Geo.
Land, Geo. W.
Lovely, Geo.
Lawrence, David.
Murray, John T.
McCarty, Neal.
Manning, A. J.
Mars, John.
Murray, Geo.
Maioj^e, Jack.
Morris, John.

300

NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.

Miller, Eedman.
Parker, Geo.
Pitt, W. P.
Eobinson, F. J.
Eichardson B. A.
Ehea, Geo.'W.

EoUins, Wm.
Eeid, Chas.
Scultatus, Geo.
Solon, Thos.
Smith, Geo.
Smith, John D.

Stokes, Jas.
Snider, John.
Sharp, Chas.
Scott, Wyatt W.
Thompson, Geo.
Wells, Hezekiah.

The official muster roll shows the foUowing members of the
United ArtUlery Company who were surrendered and paroled at
Appomattox Court House :
Captain Thos. Kevill.
Second Lieutenant Adam Baum.
First Sergeant John T. Bullock.
Sergeant Alphonso BuUock.
Sergeant Wm. F. Coston.
Sergeant John Gillis.
Corporal George J. Allen.
Corporal M. Georgan.

PRIVATES.

Win. Colonna.
Win. Dudley.
J. H. Deane.
Jas. Duncan.
John Fowler.
Chas. Fisher.
John Flynn.
Geo, Land.
At the surrender

Wm. Mbrgan.
Eedman Miller.
John Morris.
John P. KeviU.
Wm. P. Pitt.
Geo. T. Parker.
F. J. Eobinson.
Chas. Eeid.
the company was classed as unattached.

Geo. Scultatus.
Jas. Stokes.
John Stare.
Geo Thompson.
John Thomas.
E. O. Vaughan. '
Jas. B. Yarborough.

CHAPTEE XLII.
young's HARBOR GUARD, THIRTEENTH VA. ARTILLERY BATTALION.
This company was raised in the latter part of AprU, 1861, by Cap
tain John J. Young, as a heavy artillery company, and was re
cruited principally in Norfolk, a few of the men being from Nor
folk county and Portsmouth. Captain Young uniformed the
company at his own expense, and also contributed, out of his pri
vate funds,towards the erection of an earthwork at Boush's Bluff,
to which point the company was ordered immediately upon its
organization, for the purpose of throwing up fortifications. The
work was armed with 32-pounder ship guns from the navy yard,
and Captain Young- fired the first shot at the enemy Avhich Avas
fired in this vicinity. On the 18th of May, 1861, the steam tug
Kahukee landed a force of workmen at Seawell's Point for the
Surpose of building fortifications there, and was chased back to
Torfolk by the steamer MonticeUo, which fired a shot at her. As
soon as the MonticeUo came within range of Captain Young's
guns he sent a thirty-two pound shot at her, which had the effect
of stopping her course, and she turned about and steamed towards
Hampton Eoads.
Complaint having been made to General Huger that Union
sympathizers in the vicinity of Norfolk were in the habit of com
municating with the enemy at Fortress Monroe, Captain Young's
Company, being composed of seafaring men, was changed into a
company of Harbor Guards, whose duty it was to patrol the lower
harbor at night, and for that purpose was furnished Avith four
large launches, each armed Avitn a boat howitzer, and also a num
ber of. small boats. The men were armed with muskets also. The
officers of the company were :
Captain, John. J. Young.
First Lieutenant, John E. Winder ; 2d Lieutenant, Henry Eob
erts ; 3d Lieutenant, John Lewis.
The company entered upon their ncAv duties in July, 1861, and
their work Avas performed very satisfactorily, and what had pre
viously been a source of information to the enemy was very effec
tually stopped. An occasional " intelligent contraband " succeeded
in making his escape to the Federal lines, but those escapades be
came very rare and very risky.
The company remained at Boush's Bluff until the 10th of May,
1862, when Norfolk was evacuated by the Confederate forces.
Early that morning, the tug J B. White, which was under orders
of Captain Young, and employed in his department, landed some
stores at Boush's Bluff for the company, and instead of returning
301

302 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
to Norfolk, steamed past the Seawell's Point batteries and kept
on to Fortress Monroe. The captain and owner of the tug was a
Northern man, and the Confederate authorities very unwisely re
tained him in charge of it. The information which he conveyed
to the enemy hastened the movements of the Confederates. That
afternoon at 2 o'clock, the men in Captain Young's Company em
barked in their barges and rowed past Craney Island to Pig Point
and up the Nansemond river to Suffolk, where they destroyed
their boats, placed their howitzers on the cars and carried them to
Eichmond. The Virginia (Merrimac) was lying near Craney Is
land, and her presence there deterred the Federal vessels from
making any effort to interfere with the boats while they were
being rowed up Hampton Eoads towards Pig Point.
Upon arriving at Eichmond the company was sent to Chaffin's
Bluff, on James river, and attached to the 13th "V irginia Artillery
Battalion, under Major W. H. Gibbs, and remained there until
the summer of 1863, when it was sent to Harper's Ferry, and met
the army returning from Pennsylvania. It returned to Eichmond
as guards for the prisoners captured in Pennsylvania, and was
again stationed in the fortifications near Fort Harrison, on Chaf
fin's farm. When Butler advanced from Bermuda Hundreds in
1864, the company was moved over to the south side of James
river with its four howitzers, and took part in the battle of the
16th of May. It then returned to Chaffin's farm, and was there
on the 29th of September, 1864, when the enemy captured Fort
Harrison, which was garrisoned by only one company. This com
pany, Avith a small handful of troops, made a very gallant stand
against Butler's Corps, and held the rest of the lines until rein
forcements arrived.
When the company was in the fortifications around Eichmond,
its name underwent a change, and it became known as Young's
Howitzers. It did service also at Dutch Gap for a short while,
and upon the evacuation of Eichmond, was attached to the troops
under General Custis Lee, and took part in the battle of Saylor's
Creek, just before the surrender at Appomattox.
Captain Young's health failed in 1863, and he was granted a
sick leave. Lieutenant Eoberts resigned August 25th, 1863, and
was appointed a Lieutenant in the Navy, and Lieutenant Lewis
resigned June 29th, 1864. Sergeant John C.Murray Avas elected
Lieutenant July 4th, 1864, and in 1865, Walter Young was pro
moted to First Sergeant.
The following were the casualties of the company. Those re
ported prior to February 2Sth, 1865, are from the official reports
of the commanding officer, thoSe since that date have been sup
plied from the recollections of the survivors, but may be relied
upon as correct ;

YOUNG'S HARBOR GUARD, THIRTEENTH VA. ART. BAT. 303

Corporal P'zekiel Ta.vlor, died in hospital Sept. 12th, 1862, Richmond.
Corporal Andrew Edmonds, died in hospital April 1st, 1864, Eichmond.
Private John Crockett, accidentally shot himself and died Oct. 6th, 1862.
Private Wm. E. Etheredge, died in hospital Nov. 25th, 1862, Richmond.
Private James Gilbert, died in hospital April 5th, 1864, Richmond.
Sergeant John F. Richardson, supposed killed at Saylor's Creek, April, 1865.
Private Ed. E. Holt, died in hospital March 17th, 1863, Richmond.
Sergeant Walter Young, wounded at-Saylor's Creek.
Corporal John Sadler, wounded Saylor's Creek.
Private Thos. Avdlott, wounded Sept. 29th, 1864.
Private John Griffin, wounded Sept. 29th, 1864.
Private Jas. Hamilton, wounded Saylor's Creek.
Private John Reid, wounded Sa,vlor'8 Creek.
Private Benj. Ward, wounded Saylor's Creek.
Killed and died— 7.
The following is the roll of the company for May 31st, 1862 :
Captain, John J. Young.
First Lieutenant, John E. Winder.
Second Lieutenant, Henry Eoberts.
Third Lieutenant, John Lewis.
First Sergeant, W. H. Pagaud.
Second Sergeant, John F. Eichardson. ,
Third Sergeant, John C. Murray.
Fourth Sergeant, Wm. Trower.
Corporals, Ezekiel Taylor, Andrew Edmonds, Geo. Sadler,
Augustus Godfrey.

PRIVATES.

Abdell, Jos.
AUen, Wm. A.
Aydlott, Thos.
Baker, Geo. W.
Benson, Geo.
Conoway, Ed. J.
Colonna, Geo. M
Colonna, Wm.
Corbett, Thos.H.
Curtis, Edward

Crockett, Jno.
Davis, Jno.
Everett, Lemuel.
Etheredge, Wm. E.
Gilbert, Jas.
Griffin, Jno.
Hamilton, Jas.
Hansel, Warren.
Holt, Ed. E.

Kirsh, John H.
Martin, Jno.
Morrison, Jos.
Murphy, Thos.
Eobbins, Asher.
Eeid, Jno.
Ward, Benj.
White, Wm.
Wynn, Wm.
Young, Walter.

Hyller, Thos.
Detachments from the company took part in several naval boat
expeditions. Private Wm. A. Allen Avas transferred to a hght
artillery company and lost a leg in battle.
Only six men in the Harbor Guard were left at Appomattox.
Those were :
T. L. Blanton, W. W. Mathews,
J. Dorsett, J- T. PoUard,
T. E. Gary, W. White.
At that date the company was not attached to any regiment or
battahon. All of the names above except Wm. White were as-
sio-ned to the company after it left Norfolk.

CHAPTEE XLIIL
THE SIGNAL CORPS.
This company was organized by Major James F.' Milligan in
Norfolk in March, 1862. It was composed originally of men de
tailed for the service from other commands, but not being able to
supply the requisite number from that source, and the members
being liable at any moment to be ordered back to the companies
in which they were enlisted, it was detei-mined to organize the
Signal Corps as an independent command, to enlist men regu
larly in it, and to transfer to it permanently those who had been
detailed to it. As the service required men of considerable intel
ligence, its members were selected with care. There were men in
the organization from every State from which troops were on duty
around Norfolk. The officers of the command were :
Major James F. Milligan, of Norfolk, Chief Signal Officer.
Captain — Nathaniel W. Small, of Norfolk.
First Lieutenant — Simon C. Wells, of Salem.
Second Lieutenant — Douglass C. Cannon, of Norfolk.
Third Lieutenant — Joseph B. Woodley, of Portsmouth.
First Sergeant — Francis E. Benson, of Portsmouth.
Second Sergeant — C. W. Young, of Portsmouth.
Third Sergeant — Eichard A. Mapp, of Norfolk.
Fourth Sergeant — A. G. Milhado, of Norfolk.
Fifth Sergeant — Andrew J. Planner, of New Orleans.
First Corporal — John Emmerson, of Portsmouth.
Second Corporal — ^John C. Saunders, Jr., of Norfolk.
Third Corporal — Edward Eooney, of New Orleans.
Fourth Corporal — F. M. Hyman, of Norfolk.
At the evacuation of Norfolk one hundred and twenty-seven
men were on the muster roll, and of these forty-one were from
Portsmouth. Their names will be found in the lists of the va
rious companies Avhich entered the Confederate service from that
city, and in chapter XXV. After leaving Norfolk the command
was moved to Petersburg and there perfected in the code of sig
nals, after which two chains of posts Avere established, Avith their
bases at Bermuda Hundreds and City Point. One extended up
the Appomattox river to Petersburg, and the other up the James
river to Drury's Bluff, where it connected with a telegraph sys
tem to Eichmond. Later a chain of posts Avas established doAvn
James river to the vicinity of Smitiitield, Avhere a considerable
force of the company was located under command of Lieutenant
Joseph E. Woodley. This detachment was mounted, and was
also provided with a couple of swift row boats, with Avhich they
304

THE SIGNAL CORPS.

305

frequently crossed over to the north side of James river at night,
inside the lines of the enemy, and gathered information of the
movements of troops and vessels. In fact, it was to this source
mainly that the Confederate Government relied for its informa
tion concerning movements of the Federal fleet in James river
and Hampton Eoads, and of troops near Fortress Monroe. Sev
eral of tlie meinbers of the corps were afterwards placed on
blockade runners, which frequented Wilmington and Charleston
for the purpose of signaling the forts, to prevent the vessels from
being fired on by mistake.
The following men enlisted in the corps in Norfolk, and,
though at this late day it is not practicable to separate them, it is
believed that all, or nearly all, of them were residents of that
city. All of thein liA-ed through the war:
Captain, N. W. Small.
Second Lieutenant, D. C. Cannon, transferred from Company
G, 6th Virginia Eegiment.
Second Sergeant, A. G. Milhado, transferred trotfi Company
G, 6th Virginia Eegiment.
Second Corporal; John C. Saunders, Jr.
Fourth Corporal F. M. Hyman, tranferred from Company G,
6th Virginia Eegiment. PRIVATES.

Adams, Wm. D.
Averett, Thos. H
Barnes, V. H.
Boush, Isaac F.
Beach, Wm. F.
Berwick, Wm.
Freer, Geo. H.

Forbes, Eobert A.
Gj-eenwood, Fred.
Hastings, Wm. T.
James, Wm. A.
James, Eowland F.
Lathrop, Wm. B.
Lyell, Geo. E.

Marable, Wm. H.
Norsworthy, Jos. C.
Eicks, James E.
Seabury, Wm. H.
Walldren, Thos.
White, Alpheus A.
WUes, Samuel.

Windsor, C. H.
Of these the foUowing were at the surrender at Appomattox :
Lieutenant D. C. Cannon, Private Geo. H. Freer.
Sergeant F. M. Hyman. Private Fred. Greenwood.

CHAPTEE XLIV.
FIELD AND STAFF, &C., NORFOLK.
Norfolk was represented in the Confederate Army by the fol
lowing field and staff officers :
Brigadier General Richard L. Page, Page's Alabama Brigade.
Colonel Thos. J. Corprew, 6th Virginia Infantry.
Colonel V. D. Groner, 61st Virginia Infantry,
Colonel Wm. Lamb, 36t,h North Carolina Infantry.
Colonel Edward E. Portlock, Jr., 21st Arkansas Infantry.
Colonel A. W. Starke, commanding artillery.
Colonel Francis Mallory, 55th Virginia Infantry, killed at Chancellorsville,
Lieutenant Colonel .John S. Saunders, Battahon of Artillery.
Lieutenant-Colonel Walter H. Taylor, Adjutant General on staff of General
Robert B. Lee.
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry W. Williamson, 6th Virginia Infantry.
Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Sinclair Cunningham, 10th Alabama Infantry.
Ma.jor Edmond Bradford, Inspector General and Mustering Officer Huger's
Division,
Major James F. Milligan, commanding Independent Signal Corps and
Scouts.
Major Francis Smith, Heavy Artillery Battalion, killed April, 1865, on the
retreat from Richmond.
Major TWn. E. Taylor, Norfolk Infantry Battalion and General Gwynn's
staff.
Major Eobt. B. Taylor, 6th Virginia Infantry.
Major John Saunders Taylor, Provisional Army C, S., killed atSharpsburg.
Major Richard C. Taylor, Artillery BattaH6n.
Major Robertson Taylor, Adjutant General on General Mahone's staff.
Major Chas. B. Duffield, Adjutant General on General Wise's staff.
Captain W. W. Chamberlaine, staff of General Walker, Chief of Ordnance 3d
Corps A. N. Va. '^
Captain John D. Myrick, A. A. G. Loring's staff.
Adjutant W. A. S. Taylor, 6l8t Virginia Infantry.
Adjutant Alexander Tunstall, 6th Virginia Infantry.
Adjutant W. T. Walke, 39th Virginia Cavalry Battalion.
Captain Robert G. Portlock, A. A. General Fagan's Cavalry Brigade.
Captain Eichard Walke, Ordnance Officer, General Mahone's staff.
Lieutenant Isaac Walke, Ordnance Officer, Fitzhugh Lee's Cavalry Division,
• killed at Woodstock August, 1864,
Brigadier General Eichard L, Page, was born in Norfolk and
entered the United States Navy as a Midshipman on the 1st of
March, 1824, and passed through the intervening grades to that
of commander, which position he occupied at tiie beginning of
the war, having been promoted on the 14th of September, 1855.
His last duties in the United States Navy were as commander of
the sloop of war Germantown, on the East India Station. Upon
the secession of Virginia he resigned his commission in the United
States Navy and was appointed in the Virginia Navy, and subse
quently transferred to the Confederate Navy. lie was on duty
at the Gosport Navy Yard the first year of the Avar, and after the
306

FIELD AND STAFF, NORFOLK. 307
evacuation of Norfolk, was assigned to tiie command of the naval
depot at Charlotte, N. C. From Chariotte he was transferred to
MobUe, and on tiie 7tii of March, 1864, was appointed Brigadier
General in the Confederate army, and assigned to the command
of Fort Morgan, at the outer defences of MobUe Bay. His bri
gade was composed of the 21st Alabama Infantry. 1st Battalion
Alabama Heavy Artillery, 1st Battalion Tennessee Heavy Artil
lery, five cornpanies of the 7th Alabama Cavalry and a portion of
the 1st Eegiment Alabama regulars. He was in command of
Fort Morgan on the 5th of August, 1864, when the Federal fleet,
under Admiral Farragut, ran by it, and succeeded in sinking one
monitor, the Tecumseli, with a torpedo, and a wooden gun boat,
the Phillippi, with his batteries. (3n the 9tli bf August the Fed
erals landed a force of infantry and began a regular investment of
Fort Morgan, and after a very gaUant defence, in which his guns
were all dismounted and his abUity to resist any longer had ceased,
he surrendered the fort on the 23d. His garrison amounted to
about four hundred men, and they very.bravely seconded his ef
forts to hold the fort, which was really untenable after the fleet
had succeeded in passing it.
Colonel Thos. J. Corprew was in the volunteer service of the
State before the war as captain of one of the Norfolk companies,
and at the beginning of the war was appointed \>j Governor
Letcher, Lieutenaiit-Colonel of the 6th Virginia Eegiment. Upon
the promotion of Colonel Wm. Mahone to the command of the
bi-igade, he became Colonel of the regiment. He was not re
elected at the reorganization of the regiment in May, 1862.
Colonel V. D. Groner, from early youth, evinced a fondness
for a military life, and was an officer in one of the volunteer com
panies of Norfolk before the war. At the beginning of hostilities
he received an appointment in the Adjutant General's office in
the Confederate States War Department, but desiring to take a
more active part in the struggle which was going on, accepted the
position of Lieutenant-Colonel of the 4tli North Carolina Cavalry
in the summer of 1862, and was actively engaged with the enemy
in the Blackwater Eiver section. His command drove back several
gunboat expeditions, and had a successful engagement with Spiers'
Cavalry, driving them back and capturing a number of prisoners.
In October, 1862, he was elected Colonel of the 61st Virginia
Eegiment, by the officers of the regiment. He was severely
wounded at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House, May 12th,
1864, and did not rejoin the regiment until August, and, while
still on crutches, commanded it at the battle of Davis' Farm,
August 19th. His wound, however, compelled him to again retire
and he was not able to rejoin his command until just before the
retreat from Petersburg. He commanded the regiment at the
battles of Amelia Court House and Cumberland Church and sur-

308 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
rendered at Appomattox. He was in command of the regiment
in the foUowing batties also : Fredericksburg, ChanceUorsvUle,
(May 1st, 2d and 3d) Salem Church, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station,
WUderness, Spotsylvania C. II., Davis' Farm, and numerous other
smaller engagements.
Colonel Wm. Lamb was quite prominent in politics, though
young in years,* before the breaking out of the war, and entered
into mat struggle at its beginning, as Captain of the Woodis Eifle
men. He took part in the engagements at SeaweU's Point, May
19th and 21st, 1861, between the shore battery and the United
States steamer MonticeUo, and his conduct was very highly com
plimented by Captain Colquit, commanding the post, paving re
ceived authority from the Secretary of War to raise an indepen
dent battalion, of which the Woodis Eiflemen was to be one of
the companies, he went to work in Princess Anne and Norfolk
counties and raised two companies, but the Secretary assigned the
Woodis Eiflemen to the 6th Eegiment as Company C, and his
Princess Anne Company to the same regiment as Company B.
Not relishing this treatment. Captain Lamb resigned, and was ap
pointed by the Governor of North Carolina to the position of
Colonel of State troops, and was assigned to duty on the staff of
General Joseph E. Anderson, commanding in that State. When
the 32d North Carolina Eegiment was organized Colonel Lamb
was elected its colonel, with headquarters at Fort Fisher, at the
entrance to Wilmington harbor. His command extended for
twenty miles north from Fort Fisher, and was really that of a
Brigadier General. When Fort Fisher was captured, January
15th, 1865, Colonel Lamb was severely wonnded and fell into the
hands of the enemy. He Avas appointed a Colonel in the C. S.
Provisional Army, and his promotion to Brigadier General had
been approved by General Lee before the end came, while Colo
nel Lamb was in prison.
Colonel Alexander W. Starke Avas an officer in the Marine
Corps, U. S. Navy, at the beginning of the late Avar, and Avas at
tached to the sloop of war St. Marys, on the East India Station.
The ship returned to the United States in March, 1862, landing
at San Irancisco, whereupon he resigned his commission, came
through the lines withoift being captured, received an appoint
ment as Captain in the Confederate army and Avas assigned to
ordnance duty. He Avas subsequently promoted to Major, Lieu
tenant-Colonel and Colonel of volunteers, and assigned to the
command of a battalion of artillery. His command varied from
five to eleven companies, and did general service. He was
shghtly wounded at Fort Harrison on the 29th of Septembei-,
1864. At the time of the evacuation of Eichmond, April 1st,
1865, his command was stationed on the Nine MUe Eoad near
Seven Pines. He fell back with General Ewell's Division, was
in the battle of Saylor's Creek, fell back towards Appomattox,

FIELD AND STAFF, NORFOLK. 309
and surrendered with the remnant of the army on the 9th of
April. -^
Colonel Francis Mallory was a Captain in the United States
army at the breaking out of the Avar, and received a riinilar ap
pointment in the Confederate regular army. Upon the organiza-
*^T r^} ^^^^^ Virginia Eegiment he was assigned to it as Colo-
?T-ir 7^- • .^¦°^^"^^''"* "^^^ attached to Iletii's Brigade of A. P.
Hill s Division. Colonel Mallory <^ervod gallantly with his regi
ment in every engagemcTit in which it participated until he met
his death, on the 2d of May, 1863, at ChanceUorsville. His regi
ment Avas a part of Jackson's corps, Avith which he made his cele
brated movement to turn Hooker's right, and Colonel MaUory feU
in the moment of victory, while leading his regiment in the
charge. ¦Colonel Edward E. Portlock, Jr., was born in Norfolk, re
ceived a military education at the Norfolk Military Academy, and
at the breaking out of the war received an appointment in the
War Department in Eichmond, was appointed Lieutenant in the
regular army, and at the request of General Eoane was assigned
to his staff in the trans-Misrissippi Department, was elected Lieu
tenant-Colonel and then Colonel of the 24th Arkansas Eegiment,
Avas captured at the fall of Arkansas Post, but exchanged and
recommended for promotion to Brigadier General: His com
mission as such had been made out when Eichmond feU, but did
not reach him. He AA-as in a number of engagements, frequently
commanding his brigade, but escaped without a wound.
Lieutenant- Colonel John S. Saunders was a Lieutenant in
the United States army at the beginning of the war, resigned and
enlisted in the Confederate army, and was promoted to Major of
ArtiUery. He was appointed to command a battalion composed of
Grimes' Battery of Portsmouth, Huger's Battery of Norfolk, and
Moorman's Battery of Lynchburg. The battalion was disbanded
shortly after the battle of Sharpsburg. Captain Grimes was
killed, his men were divided between the two other companies,
and Moorman's Battery was changed to horse artillery and trans
ferred to Fitzhugh Lee's Cavalry Division. Major Saunders was
assigned to ordnance duty in Eichmond and i^romoted to Lienten
ant-Colonel. Lieutenant-Colonel Walter H. Taylor was one of the best
known officers in the army of Northern Virginia. At the begin
ning of the war he was a Lieutenant in " Company F," of Nor
folk, but before the company was regularly mustered into service
received an appointment as Lieutenant in the Provisional Army
of the Confederate States and was assigned to duty Avith General
Eobert E. Lee. He continued with General Lee as his Adjutant
General until the close of the war, was prompt and efficient in the
discharge of his duties, and enjoyed the confidence of the Com
mander-in-Chief, After tiie war Colonel Taylor published an ad-

310 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5,
mirable work, entitled " Four Years with General Lee," in which
he gave to the world for the first time, from official sources, the
great difference in the numbers of the Northern and Southern ar
mies in the various battles in Vii-ginia.
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry^ W. Williamson was elected Cap
tain of Company F at the beginning of the war and was stationed
with it on Craney Island until May, 1862. H ewas re-elected Cap
tain at the reorganization of the company in April, 1862, and the
following montli, when the election was held for field officers of
the 6tli Virginia Eegiment, to which' his company was attached,
Captain Williamson was elected Lieutenant-Colonel, and held that
position until the close of the war. He was Avith the regiment in
nearly all of the battles in which it was engaged, and at the battle
of the Crater, fought on the 30th of July, 1864, lost an arm.
Major Jambs F. Milligan was a First Lieutenant in the United
States Eevenue Service before the war, resigned on the 17th of
April, 1861, and received an appointment in the Virginia navy.
He was assigned to the command of the steamer Empire, which
was subsequently changed into a gunboat, given a new name and
sent to the Nortn Carolina Sounds. Subsequently Captain Milli
gan was transferred to the ari:^y, and in March, 1862, under or-
orders from the Secretary of War, organized the "Independent
Signal Corps and Scouts," and originated a Code of signals. In
1863 the company was enlarged into a battalion of two companies
and Captain Milligan became Major. His corps was very useful
to the War Department in gathering information of the move
ments of the enemy and transmitting it rapidly to Eichmond.
They picketed James river from Drury's Bluff to BurweU's Bay
until Grant crossed over to Petersburg, and made frequent incur
sions into the enemy's lines in the neighborhood of Newport News
and Old Point in search of information.
Lieutenant-Colonel A, S. Cunningham was a Lieutenant iu
the regular army, was appointed to a similar fiost in the Confed
erate army and assigned to ordnance duty. He was promoted to
Lieutenant-Colonel of Volunteers, and during the Seven Days'
battles around Eichmond was assigned temporarily to the com
mand of the loth Alabama Eegiment, receiving a "severe wound
while in the discharge of this duty. Upon recovering from his
wounds he returned to his duties as an officer of ordnance, and
later in the war commanded the 40th Virginia Eegiment tempo
rarily. Major Francis Smith was Commander of the 19th Battalion
Virginia Heavy Artillery, stationed at Drury's Bluff, and upon
the retreat from Eichmond fell back with Ewell's Division. Dur
ing the night of AprU 5th his battahon became separated into two
parts, and each mistaking the other for the enemy, began firing.
Major Smith endeavored to put a stop to it, but received a wound.
from which he died.

FIELD AND STAFF, NORFOLK. 311
Cap'iain Eobert G. Portlock enlisted in Coinpany F at the
beginning of the war and was on duty with it at Craney Island
when he weis promoted to Sergeant Major of tiie 9th Virginia
Eegiment." After the evacuation of Norfolk he became Captain
of the President's Guard and did provost duty in Eichmond.
Subsequently he was tranferred to the trans-Mississippi Depart
ment and appointed to a position on the staff of General Fagan,
coinmanding cavalry. He was wounded at the battle of Poison
Spring and his promotion to Major was approved at the War De
partment, though the Avar ended before he received his commis
sion. He surrendered with the army in Arkansas after the fall
of the Confederacy.
Major Wm. E. Taa'lor, though not so commissioned in the Con
federate army, deserves mention in this connection. Previous to
the war the different volunteer companies of Norfolk composed a
battalion, of which Major Taylor was commander, and when hos
tilities began and the battalion was enlarged into a regiment he
naturally expected to be made its Colonel, but Governor Letcher
appointed Colonel Mahone to command it and offered Major Tay
lor the position of Lieutenant-Colonel. This, however, he declined
and withdrew from the regiment. He served for a while on the
staff of General Gwynn, commanding the defences of Norfolk,
and in that capacity hoisted the State flag of the Columbus Light
Guard of Georgia over the battery at Seawell's Point on the 19th
of May, 1861, when the MonticeUo made her attack upon it.
Though Avell advanced in years and having two groAvn sons in the
army (one of them Major E. B. Taylor, of the 6th Eegiment), he
was not willing to remain an idle spectator of events, but enlisted
as a private in the Seaboard Eifles of Princess Anne county. Com
pany F, 6th Virginia Eegiment, and carried his musket until 1863,
when his health and strength broke down and he was discharged
on account pf old age and physical disability. His discharge was
obtained for him by friends without his knowledge.
Major Eobert B. Taylor was a son of Major Wm. E. Taylor.
He entered the service at the beginning of tlie war as 1st Lieu
tenant of Company A, 6th Virginia Eegiment, and on the 22d of
August Avas elected Captain of the Woodis Eiflemen, Company C.
At the reorganization of the regiment, in May, 1862, he was
elected Major, which position he held until the surrender at Ap
pomattox. ' The regiment was a part of Mahone's Brigade, and
participated in about thirty-seven engagements, in most of which
Major Taylor was present and yet fortunately escaped without a
wound. Major John Saunders Taylor was an officer in the United
States navy when the war began, but resigned upon the secession
of Virginia and entered the Confederate army as a Captain. He
was present as an advisory ordnance officer at the battle of Eoan
oke Island, and as commander of the heavy artillery in Fort Hu-

312 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6
ger distinguished himself in its defence. He was captured with
the garrison. He was^ subsequentiy exchanged, promoted to Ma
jor commanding a battalion of light artillery, and killed at Sharps
burg September 17tb, 1862.
Major Eichard C. Taylor entered the service at the begin-
inng of the war as Captain of the Independent Grays, Company
H, '6th Virginia Eegiment, and Avas ordered to Craney Island
with his company, but was shortly afterwards promoted to Major
of Artillery and ordered to the entrenched camp near Norfolk to
command the battalion of artUlery which was on duty there.
He Avas there until the evacuation of Norfolk, in May, 1862,
when, after serving a short while on General Mahone's staff, he
was ordered to Chaffin's Bluff. On the 29th of September, 1864,
General Butler appeared before Fort Harrison, near Chaffin's
Bluff, whicli was at the time without a garrison. Major Taylor
hastened there with one company and directed others to follow,
but before reinforcements could arrive the attack had been made
and the fort carried by assault. Major Taylor made a gallant
fight with the one company and inflicted a heavy loss upon his
assailants, but his numbers were too small for an effectual resist
ance. He was severely wounded and fell into the hands of the
enemy. THE MEDICAL CORPS.
Dr. .lohn C. Baylor, Surgeon Camp Winder Hospital.
Dr. Eichard D. Bagnall, .Assistant Surgeon 3d Georgia Eegiment.
Dr. James D. Gait, Surgeon Pig Point Battery and afterwards with 18th
Virginia Infantry.
Dr. W. J. Moore, Surgeon in Charge hospitals at Liberty and Eichmond.
Dr. Herbert M. Nash, Surgeon 9tli Virginia, Surgeon 61st Virginia, and
Chief Surgeon Artillery, 3d Corps.
Dr. Wm. Selden, Surgeon hospitals at Richmond and Liberty.
Dr. Eobert Southgate, Inspector of Hospitals and Medical Examiner-Gen
eral Medical Staff.
Dr. T. B. Ward, Surgeon Mahone's Brigade, 6th Va. Regiment.
Dr. James H. SouthaU, Surgeon Archer's Brigade.
Dr. F. A. Walke, Surgeon 46th Virginia Eeginient.
QUARTERMASTERS AND COMMISSARIES.
A. B. Cooke, Major and Q. M. Southwest and trans.Mississippi Depart
ments.
O. H. P. Corprew, Captain and A. Q. M. Mahone's Brigade.
George Chamberlaine, Captain and A. C. S. 9th Virginia Infantry.
J. Wiley Grandy, Major and Q. M. Army Northern Virginia.
James Barron Hope, Captain and A. Q. M. Lawton's Brigade.
J. Barry King, Captain and A. Q. M. Lightfoot's Battahon Artillery.
Joseph Walters, Major and A. Q. M.
John W. Moore, Captain and A. Q. M.
W. C. Marrow, Major and A. Q. M. Arm.y Northern Virginia.
Tazewell Thompson, Major and Commissary.
George C. Eeid, Captain and A. Q. M. Colonel Griffin's Georgia Eegiment
(62d.)
James Y. Leigh, Captain and A. Q. M.
A. Meade Smith, Major and Commissary Rosser's Cavalry Brigade.

CHAPTEE XLV.

IN THE NAVY  NORFOLK.

Norfolk city was represented in the navy by the foUowing of
ficers, whose residences were in the city at the beginning of the
, They are arranged alphabetica.lly and not by grade:

war

Samuel Barron,
Jas. L. Henderson,
Chas. H. Kennedy,
Benj. P. Loyall,

Sam'l Barron, Jr.,
Otey Bradford,
Chas. Borum,
A. M. DeBree,
Thos. L. Dornin,
J. Pembrook Jones,
Geo. Blacknall,
Jas. Cornick,
Eichard Jeffry,
John DeBree,
Eichard Evans,
John E. Gibbs,
Lemuel Langley,
H. S. Cook,
F. B. Dornin,
C. K. Mallory,
P. H. McCarrick,

CAPTAINS.
John E. Tucker,
COMMANDERS.
Chas. F. Mcintosh,
Eobt. B. Pegram,
Arthur Sinclair.
Wm. A. Webb.
LIEUTENANTS.
Chas. K. King,
Patrick McCarrick,
Chas. B. Oliver,
Wm. H. Parker,
Henry Eoberts,

Wm. C. Whittie.

C. F. M. Spottswood,
Geo. T. Sinclair,
E. D. Thorborn,

Wm. Sharp,
Thos. L. Skinner,
John Wilkinson,
Wm. H. Ward,
Wm. C. Whittie, Jr.,

Arthur Sinclair, Jr., W. L. Winder.

SURGEONS.
F. L. Gait,
Lewis D. Minor,
W. F. McClenahan,

W. B. Sinclair,
Jno. DeBree, Jr. (asst.)
E. J. Freeman, (asst.)

PAYMASTERS.
Eich'd Taylor (asst.), L. B. Eeardon (asst.)
MASTERS.
Jas. W. McCarrick, Wm. B. Whitehead,
Wyndham E. Mayo, Henry WUkinson,
Levris Parrish,
MIDSHIPMEN.
Virginius Newton,
Jas. W. Pegram,
L. M. Eootes,
Palmer Saunders,
W. B. Sinclair.

Geo. T. Sinclair,
W. IL Sinclair,-
Joshua C. Wright,
W. W. Wilkinson,

CHIEF ENGINEERS.
Wm. P. WiUiamson, Virginius Freeman,
Engr.-in-Chief, Thos. A. Jackson,
21 313

H. A. Eamsey,
Henry X. Wright.

314 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5
ASSISTANT ENGINEERS.
Jas. Carlon, James F. Green, Chas. W. Jordan,
J. T. Doland, E. G. HaU, John E. Jordan,
J. M. Freeman, Jr., Wm. F. Harding, John C. Johnson,
W. J. Freeman, M. P. Jordan, John T. Tucker.
GUNNERS.
Benj. A. Barrom, B.F.Hughes, Stephen Schisano.
Crawford Gormley, E. E. Johnson,
BOATSWAINS.
W. T. Smith, Peter Taff.
masters' MATES.
A. G. Corran, Arthur Freeman, Wm. McBlair,
Eobt. Freeman, Wm. H. Fitzgerald, Chas. E. McBlair,
T. S. Gray, W. W. Skinner.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Marine Corps — First Lieutenant T. P. Gwinn.
Acting Naval Constructor— Wm. A. Graves.
Sailmaker — Samuel V. Turner.
Total— 98. KiUed and died— 5.
Captain Samuel Barron was appointed Midshipman in the
United States Navy by special act of Congress on the 1st of Jan
uary, 1812, at the age of four years, and made his first cruise to
the Mediterranean at the age of eight years, the youngest naval
officer afloat. He was commissioned a Captain on the 14tn of
September, 1855, and at the secession of Virginia resigned and
was appointed in the Virginia navy. He was subsequently com
missioned in the Confederate navy, and had command of Fort
Hatteras in August, 1861, when it was captured by the Federals.
Subsequently he was sent abroad on duty for the Confederate
Government. Captain John E. Tucker made quite a name for himself as
commander of the steamer Patrick Henry in the battles of the
Sth and 9th of March, 1862, in Hampton Eoads. He entered the
United States navy on the 1st of June, 1826, was promoted Com
mander September llth, 1855, and at that grade entered the Con
federate navy. He was promoted to Captain in the Confederate
navy for gallant and meritorious services. History has not done
credit to the officers and men on the wooden vessels in that fa
mous engagement in Hampton Eoads. The novelty of the iron
clad Virginia has served to attract attention to her and away
from her equally as gallant and much more exposed companions.
Captain Tucker subsequently commanded the Charleston squad
ron and contributed materially towards keeping the Federal squad
ron out of that harbor.

IN THE NAVT— NORFOLK. 315
Captain Wm. C. Whittle was born in 1805, and entered the
United States navy May 10th, 1820. He was piomoted to Com
mander August 4th, 1850, and held that rank at the beginning of
the war. He entered the Virginia navy and was subsequently
transferred to the Confederate navy. His first duty with the Con
federacy was in command of the defences of York river, where
he superintended the erection of a battery at Gloucester Point. He
relieved Captain HoUins in command of the naval station at New
Orleans, and was fiUing that position in April, 1862, when the
city fell into the hands of the enemy.
Commande.r Benjamin P. Loyall entered the United States
navy March 5th, 1849, and was appointed Lieutenant on the 28th
of January, 1856. His last duty in the United States navy was
on the sloop-of-war Constellation on the African station. He re
turned home, resigned and entered the Confederate service on
the 26th of November, 1861, and was assigned to duty at Eoanoke
Island with the rank of Captain in the army. He was present
and participated in the battle there, and was very favorably men
tioned by Colonel Shaw in his official report, an"d also in the offi
cial report of Major G. H. HUl, who commanded Fort Bartow.
Lieutenant Loyall fell into the hands of the enemy upon the sur
render of the island, but was subsequently exchanged. He served
the Confederacy in various capacities in the line of his profes
sion, and was second in command of the boat expedition under
Captain John Taylor Wood, which captured the United States
steamer Underwriter at Newberne, N. 0., at 2 o'clock a. m. on
the 1st of February, 1864. The Underwriter was manned with
one 6-inch rifle gun, one 8-inch, one 12-pounder rifle, and one 12-
pounder hovritzer. Lieutenant Loyall commanded the second di
vision of boats and was the first to board the vessel. She was
captured after a desperate defence on the part of her crew. Lieu
tenant Loyall was promoted to the grade of Commander for gal
lantry on this occasion and was assigned to the command of the
iron-clad gunboat Neuse, on the upper waters of the Neuse river.
It was in the attack upon the Underwriter that Midshipman Pal
mer Saunders of Norfolk was killed by a blow on the head from
a cutlass. Midshipman H. S. Cook of Norfolk also took part in
this engagement and displayed marked courage. After the cap
ture of the vessel she was set on fire by the Confederates and de
stroyed. Commander Charles F. McIntosh was born on the 24th of
October, 1813, entered the United States service November 1st,
1828, and was promoted to Commander March 2d, 1857. At the
beginning of the war he was commanding the Naval Eendezvous
at Norfolk, and immediately tendered his resignation and entered
the Virginia navy. He was ordered to the I^val Hospital Point
and superintended the erection of the batteries there. He re-

316 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
mained there, as commander of the post, with the rank of Lieu
tenant-Colonel in the army, until April, 1862, when he was or
dered to New Orleans and assigned to the command of the unfin
ished iron-clad Louisiana. While at the Hospital battery Com
mander Mcintosh was very popular with the officers and men of
the garrison, his genial disposition, kind heart and thorough fa
miliarity with the working of heavy guns were qualifications
which at once won their esteem, and they regretted his departure
to another field of duty. The Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Mal
lory, has been censured for the delay in the completion of the
Louisiana, and also of the iron-clad Mississippi, but as a Congres
sional investigating committee exonerated him from blame, that
report will be accepted by the general historians as conclusive, but
there is no reason to question tTiat, though Mr. Mallory displayed
great energy, he also displayed a lack of judgment. This was
fully illustrated in the testimony of Eiigineer-in-Chief William P.
Williamson before the committee, page 235. ' He says the contract
to make the main shaft of the Mississippi was made with the
Tredegar Iron Works in Eichmond, and it required two months
for that establishment to make preparations to commence work,
while at the Gosport Navy Yard there were ample facilities for
it without any additional preparations. The shafts of the steamer
Glen Cove were used for the purpose. Thus, in this particular,
two months of valuable time was lost and the vessel was not ready
when the Federal fieet made the attack. On the 24th of April,
1862, Admiral Farragut ran past Forts Jackson and St. Philip.
The Louisiana, with her machinery unfinished, was moored to the
bank of the river above Fort St. Philip. She was covered Arith
railroad iron and mounted sixteen gu^s. She was under com
mand of Commander Mcintosh, and was also the flagship of Com
modore Mitchell, cominan ding the squadron. Farragut ran past
her also, and a large Federal vessel becoming temporarily unman
ageable on account of the disarrangement of a portion of her ma
chinery, was carried by the current alongside of the Louisiana.
Captain Mcintosh, apprehending an attack by boarders, rushed
upon the upper deck, foUowed by a portion of his crew, to repel
the anticipated attack, and it was while there that he received his
death wound. He hngered untU tiie 28th, when he died, and on
that day, by order of Commodore Mitchell, the Louisiana was set
on fire and abandoned. It looks now as if both of those vessels
would have been finished and Farragut's fleet defeated had the
efforts of the Navy Department been concentrated upon them in
stead of being distributed where they were not so necessary.
Had this been done Captain Mcintosh might have Hved to have
rendered additional service to the Southern cause. In the early
part of the Avar Secretary Mallory's eff'orts were directed mainly
towards having built in Europe one or more sea-^going iron-clads

IN THE NA VT-NORFOLK. 317
to keep the Federals away from the Southern coast, but he found
himself unable to do so, and in a report to Congress, dated No
vember 20th, 1861, he said he « has found it impracticable to pur
chase abroad such vessels as we require, and the Department has
commenced the construction of iron-clad vessels in our own coun
try, and has stimulated the supplies of coal and iron for this pur
pose. Here is where Mr. Mallory made his mistake. When he
finally decided to build the iron-clads at home he found himself
Avithout engines for them and without iron to cover them, and
the Southern ports were blockaded. Had he taken advice which
wfis_ given him eariy in the war to import armor iron and steam
engines before the Southern ports were closed, the resuUs would
have been very different, and many men whose lives were lost in
endeavoring to defend untenable positions might not have been
sacrificed. Commander Eobert B. Pegram entered the United States
navy February 2d, 1829, and was appointed a Lieutenant Sep
tember 8, 1841. His last service in the United States navy was
at the Gosport Navy Yard. At the beginning of the war he re
signed and was ordered by Governor Letcher on the ISth of
April, 1861, to take command of the naval station at Norfolk and
organize a naval force. He was reheved on the 22d by Commo
dore^ Forrest and ordered to superintend the building of a battery
at Pig Point, at the mouth of the Nansemond river, and was in
command of that post on the 5th of June, when the Harriet Lane
made an attack upon it. He was afterwards assigned to the com
mand of the NashvUle, with which he ran the blockade and
crossed over to Europe. This vessel was originally intended to
carry Messrs. Mason and Shdell to Europe, but "it was subse
quently decided that they should take another route. He re
turned from Europe on the NashviUe, and was a member of the
naval court to investigate the charges against Commodore Tatnall
of having destroyed the Virginia unnecessarily. In 1864 he was
in command of the iron-clad Virginia, one of the vessels in the
James river squadron at Eichmond, armed with two 6 and two 8-
inch rifle guns and plated with six inches of armor on her sides
and eight inches on her ends, but was never given an opportunity
to engage the enemy.
Commander W. A. Webb resigned from the United States navy
as a Lieutenant and entered the Confederate service. His first
duties Arith the Confederacy were at Fernandina, Florida, where
he superintended the erection of a number of batteries. JEIe was
subsequently assigned to the command of the gunboat Teazer, in
James river, and commanded her in the naval engagement in
Hampton Eoads on the Sth and 9th of March, 1862. On the
19th of February, 1863, he was ordered by Secretary Mallory to
take charge of a boat expedition to board the monitors off Charles-

318 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
ton harbor and capture them or sink them by torpedoes, but
nothing came of it, and later he was ordered to command the
iron-clad ram Atlanta, at Savannah. On the 17th of June, 1863,
he proceeded to Warsaw Sound to attack. the monitors Weehaw-
ken and Mohawk, but the Atlanta got immovably aground and
was surrendered to the enemy. The Federals sent her to Phila
delphia, repaired damages, and the following February sent her
to Fortress Monroe to operate against the Confederates in Vir
ginia. The eighteen Lieutenants whom Norfolk contributed to the
Confederate navy rendered efficient service. *
Ijeutenant Thomas L. Dornin Avas wounded in Battery Bu
chanan, near Fort Fisher, during the attack on that work, in Jan
uary, 1865. He was a Lieutenant on the Chicamauga, but volun
teered to defend the fort and worked like a private soldier, spong
ing one of the two 7-inch rifle Brooke guns until it burst. He
then transferred his sponge to the other and served until that
burst also. He was severely wounded by a piece of shell from
the Federal fieet.
"Lieutenant J. Pembrook Jones served early in the war at Sa
vannah in command of the armed tug Eesolute, and was after
wards promoted to command the iron-clad Georgia. In May,
1864, he was captain of the, iron-clad gunboat Ealeigh, at Wil
mington, and on the 6th of that month steamed outside the Cape
Fear river and scattered the fleet of blockadel-s, but on returning
unfortunately ran aground on the bar and the back of the vessel
was broken. She proved a total loss.
Lieutenant Charles B. Oliver served as a warrant officer on
the Virginia, and was promoted for gallant and meritorious ser
vices on that and other occasions.
Lieutenant W. H. Parker was promoted to Commander for
gallant services. He was in the battle of Eoanoke Island in com
mand of the gunboat Beaufort, and also in the fight in Hainpton
Eoads, March Sth and 9th, 1862, in command of the same vessel.
His services in the navy were varied and valuable, and in 1864
he commanded the iron-clad steamer Eichmond, at Eichmond.
Since the war he published a book, " Eecollections of a Naval
Officer," which has been regarded as high authority upon the sub
jects of which it treats. It embrac6s his own personal observa
tions. Lieutenant Henry' EoBER-rs was a Lieutenant in Captain John
J. Young's harbor guard, and was appointed a Lieutenant in the
navy in 1864.
Lieutenant Wm. Sharp was a Lieutenant in the United States
navy and was stationed at the Gosport Navy Yard at the break
ing out of the war and entered the Virginia navy. He was on
duty at the Naval Hospital batteries and also on Craney Island

, IN THE NAVT-NORFOLK. 319
in April andMay, 1861. In July, 1861, he was ordered to North
Carolina as aid to Commodore Barron, and was severely wounded
at the faU of Fort Hatteras, April 29th, and feU into the hands of
the enemy. He was exchanged later in 1862, and ordered to the
Patrick Henry. He was on Eer during the ensragements of March
Sth and 9th, 1862, in Hampton Eoads, ancf was shortly after
wards assigned to the command of the gunboat Beaufort, and
was also on her on the llth of June, when the Virginia and
other Confederate vessels made their second visit to Hampton
Eoads. In 1864 he was on duty in North Carolina supervising
the buUding of the gunboat Neuse, and when the war closed had
charge of the naval ordnance stores at Charleston.
Lieutenant John Wilkinson Avas promoted to Comniander for
meritorious services. His first duty in the Confederate service
was rendered in Ajiril, 1861, when he supervised the erection of
a battery at _ Fort Powhatan, on James river. In May he was
sent to Aquia Creek on simUar duty. He commanded the steamer
Jackson at New Orleans in 1862, and was Executive Officer of
the Louisiana when Captain Mcintosh was kUled, after which he
commanded the vessel. He was captured upon the fall of New
Orleans, and after being exchanged was sent to Europe to pur
chase a vessel. He commanded the expedition to release Confed
erate prisoners on Johnson's Island. He commanded several
blockade runners, among them the E. E. Lee. He also com
manded the cruisers Chicamauga and Tennessee. With this last
vessel he ran out of Wilmington on the 24th of December,
1864, whUe the Federal fleet was bombarding Fort Fisher, and
was at sea when the war ended.
Lieutenant W. H. Ward was a Lieutenant in the United
States navy. He entered the service February 17th, 1849, and
was appointed Lieutenant September 9th, 1856. His services in
the Confederate navy were valuable to the Government. He
commanded the boat expedition which removed the troops from
Morris' Island, Charleston harbor, in 1864, was second m com
mand of the cruiser Tallahassee when, under Captain John Tay
lor Wood, she made her successful cruise against the Federal com
merce, and afterwards was in command of the same vessel under
the name of the Olustee, made a successful cruise on her and re
turned safely to Wilmington. He afterwards commanded the
Chicamauga at Wilmington and took part in the defence of Fort
Fisher, in Januair, 1S65. From there he was ordered to Eich
mond, was with the naval brigade on the retreat from Eichmond,
and took part in the battle of Saylor's Creek. He was second in
command of a boat expedition which left Drury's Bluff February
10th, 1865, to destroy, with "torpedoes, the Federal iron-clads at
City Point, and which failed on account of the treachery of one
of the officers of the expedition. The circumstances of this affair

320 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
are somewhat peculiar, and are detailed in an article by Master
W. F. Shippey, of the C. S. Navy, in Vol. XII, page 416, of the
Southern Historical Society Papers. It seems that after the fail
ure of Commodore Mitchell's squadron at Eichmond . to engage
and destroy the Federal iron-clads at City Point a boat expedition
¦left Drury's Bluff to accomplish that object by means of torpe
does. The expedition numberec^ one hundred and one officers
and men, and wais under command of Lieutenant C. W. Eead of
the navy, with Lieutenant W. H. Ward second in command. The
expedition had' several boats, mounted on wheels and drawn by
mules. It was also supplied with long booms with arrangements
at the ends for fastening torpedoes. The plan was to move at a
distance around the left of Grant's army, then in front of Peters
burg, and reach James river in Surry county or Prince George
and remain- concealed on the shore until an opportunity might
present itself of capturing one or more tugs passing up or down
the river, then to fit the torpedo booms on them, ascend the river
to City Point and sink the Federal iron-clads anchored there.
The expedition left Drury's Bluff on the 10th of February, 1865,
and Lieutenant Lewis was sent ahead as a scout to reconnoiter.
He was to rejoin the party at a ford of the Blackwater river and
pilot them from there to the James river. Lewis is said to have
been a Northern man, arid was at Norfolk at the beginning of
the war. He enlisted in the Confederate army and served faith
fully with his company until June 29th, 1864, when he was ap
pointed a Lieutenant in the volunteer navy and enjoyed the con
fidence of his brother officers. Everything went well with the
expedition for the first three days. Grant's army was successfully
turned without discovery, and on the afternoon of the third day,
when near the ford of the Blackwater the party sought temporary
shelter from a severe storm of rain and sleet. While engaged in
drying their clothing a young Confederate soldier made his ap
pearance and informed t^em that he had just escaped from the
Federal lines, where he had been as a prisoner of war, that Lewis
had deserted to the enemy and betrayed the expedition, and was
then at the Blackwater ford with a regiment of infantry, lying in
ambush, waiting for their approach, and that just before he suc
ceeded in making his escape he overheard Lewis and the Federal
commander talking the matter over. Lieutenant Eead halted his
command where it was and went forward alone to examine the
river and rejoined his men the next day, having ascertained the
correctness of the report of the young soldier. The party suc
ceeded in getting back to Drury's Bluff with whole skins but dis
appointed hopes. Several bodies of Federal cavalry were scour
ing the country in search of them," but Lieutenant Eead suc
ceeded in eluding them.
Lieutenant Wm. C. Whittle, Jr., was an officer in the U. S,

IN THE NAVT-NORFOLK. 321
Navy and entered the Confederate Navy as Lieutenant, June llth,
1861. He was one of the Lieutenants on the iron-clad Louisiana
under Captain Mcintosh, at New Orleans, was 2d Lieutenant on
the cruiser NashviUe, when she saUed for WUmington under Cap
tain E. B. Pegram, and was 1st Lieutenant of the cruiser Shenan
doah, under Captain Waddell, which destroyed an amount of
Federal commerce second only to that destroyed by the Ala
bama. Lieutenant Patrick McCarrick was captain of the steamer
Northampton, plying between Norfolk and the Eastern Shore of
yirginia,_ when the war began, and brought to Norfolk the first
information that the Pawnee was coming up the harbor to rein
force the Navy Yard. He volunteered m the navy of the State
of North Carolina, and was appointed 1st Lieutenant and after
wards commander of the steamboat J. E. Coffee, which was con
verted into a gunboat, and named the Winslow. While in com
mand of this vessel he made frequent trips outside of Hatteras In
let, and captured a number of prizes, among them « several West
India schooners loaded with molassas and fruit. He lost his ves
sel by running on a sunken wreck in Ocracoke Inlet, November
4th, 1861, just after gallantly rescuing the officers and crew of the
French corvette Prony, which was ashore on the beach near that
place. This was a brave rescue, and was successfully made after
the United States fieet had left the Frenchmen to their fate.
Captain McCarrick was the recipient of a very cordial letter of
thanks from the French Vice-Consul at Norfolk. In June, 1861,
he was transferred to the Confederate Navy as master, and on the
18th of March, 1862, was promoted to Lieutenant. After the loss
of the Winslow he was assigned to the command of the gunboat
Seabird, Commodore Lyneh's flag-ship, in the North Carolina
sounds. He was in the naval engagements at Eoanoke Island,
and Elizabeth City, and fought his vessel until she went to the
bottom. He was captured at Elizabeth City, but was exchanged,
and went out with Captain John Wilkinson from Wilmington as
first officer of a blockade runner, and was also with him in the
expedition to release the Confederate prisoners on Johnson's Is
land, which failed to accomplish anything through the thought
lessness of one of the Confederate agents, by whose inadvertence
the affair became known.
Surgeon George Blacknall resigned from the United States
Navy at the beginning of the war, and was assigned to the charge
of the Naval liuispital at Portsmouth, where he died on the 21st
of January, 1862.
Master James W. McCarrick was appointed a Master's Mate
in the Navy, subsequently promoted to Master, and was recom
mended for promotion to a Lieutenancy, but the close of the war
prevented it. He was on the gunboat Seabird in the battles of

322 NORFOLK COUNTTi 1861-5.
Eoanoke Island and Elizabeth City in February, 1862, and was
captured at the latter place. A few days subsequently he was re
leased on parole and returned to Norfolk. Quite an amusing in
cident occurred in connection vrith his exchange. Most of the
officers captured at Elizabeth City had been exchanged, but Mr.
McCarrick still remained on parole, for the reason that the Con
federates had not captured an officer of his grade. Master's Mate,
to exchange for him, and when the Virginia (Merrimac) went
down to I-fampton Eoads on the Sth of March to fight_ the Fed
eral fieet, she was accompanied by the gunboats Ealeigh 'and Beau
fort. Attached to the Beaufort was Midshipman Chas. K. Mal
lory, of Norfolk, and as. she was about to move off Mr. McCarrick
called to him : " Charley, bring a Yankee Master's Mate back
with you so that I can be exchanged for him." When the Con
gress struck her colors. Midshipman MaUory was one. of the first
to jump on board of her, and seeing a man with the uniform of a
Master's Mate on, took him prisoner and transferred him to the
Beaufort. The next day, upon their return to the Navy Yard,
Mr. McCarrick was on one of the lower wharves in Norfolk to see
them pass by, and being noticed by Midshipman Mallory, and
being within hailing distance, that young tar called to him and
informed him that he had brought back a Master's Mate for him,
and it so happened that Mr. McCarrick was exchanged for that
very man. He afterwards served on the Tuscaloosa, and was
Master on the Tennessee, Admiral Buchanan's fiag-ship, at Mo
bUe. Master Wyndam E. Mayo entered the Confederate service as
a Midshipman, on the Sth of July, 1861. He was at the Naval
Academy at Annapolis at the beginning of the war, having en
tered there on the 21st of September, 1860. He was promoted to
Master and took part in the defence. of Battery Buchanan in Jan
uary, 1865, as one of the crew of the Chicamauga.
Midshipman Chas. K. Mallory was attached to the Beaufort
in the battles in Hampton Eoads, March Sth and 9th, 1862, and
was said to have been the first Confederate to board tlie Congress.
He lost his life on board the gunboat Chattahoochee in Florida,
on the 1st of June, 1863, when she exploded her boiler.
Midshipman P. H. McCarrick was a son of Lieutenant Patrick
McCarrick. He was attached to the gunboats Ealeigh and Teazer
and died from sickness.
Midshipman Palmer Saunders enlisted in Company G, 6th
Virginia Eegiment, (old Company F,) and was subsequently ap
pointed a midshipman in the navy. He lost his life in the cap
ture of the Federal gunboat Underwriter at Newberne, on the 1st
of February, 1864, from a cut over the head with a cutlass.
Chief Engineer Wm. P. Williamson entered the United States
service October 20th, 1842, and was made a chief engineer March

IN THE NAVT-NORFOLK. 323
15th, 1845. At the beginning of the war he was the senior en
gineer in the navy, and was appointed Engineer in Chief in the
Confederate Navy, a position corresponding to that of Chief
of the Bureau of Steam Engineering in the United States Navy.
Chief Engigeer H. A. Eamsey was Chief- Engineer on the
Virginia when she had the engagements in Hampton Eoads, and
was attached to her in that capacity until her destruction by order
of Commodore Tatnall.
Master's Mate Arthur Freeman was a member of a company
of youths in Norfolk, Avho did provost duty in the city the first
year of the war, and upon the evacuation of Norfolk, the com
pany haA'ing disbanded, he went to North Carolina and became
Orderly Sergeant of a Company of Junior Eeserves, and was on
duty at Goldsboro. He was subsequently appointed a Master's
Mate in the navy, was stationed at Savannah, and was with the
boarding party which captured the United States gunboat Water
Witch in Ossabaw Sound, on the 3d of June, 1864.
Chief Engineer Virginius Freeman resigned from the U. S.
Navy and joined the Confederate Navy, was Chief Engineer of
the steamer McCrea at New Orleans, and afterwards superinten
ded the preparation of the machinery of the Mississippi and Louis
iana in that city. He was Chief Engineer of the Palmetto State
when Captain Ingraham attacked the blockading fleet off Charles
ton, and was attached to the expedition to release the Confederate
prisoners at Point Lookout, which failed because information of
it was conveyed to the enemy.

CHAPTEE XLVI.
IN OTHER commands.
There were a large number of Norfolk men attached to com
mands which were organized in other localities, and on account of
the long lapse of time since the close of "the war many of them
cannot be recalled to memory, but the author, after diligent
search, has been able to rescue the following from oblivion. He
feels, however, that there is an unavoidable omission of many
names which should be found here :
Burgess, T. J., Sergeant Co. A, 7th Georg-ia Cavalry.
Beall, Edward, private Otey Battei-y of Lynchburg.
Brown, George, private Fayette Artillery, Richmond.
Baker, John C, Lieutenant North Carolina Junior Eeserves.
Broughton, Thos. B., hospital steward.
Bullock, W. H., private Company F, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Bluford, Geo. W.; private Co. D, 1st Virginia Ileserves.
Camm, Eobt. J., private New Orleans Cadets, killed at Shiloh, April, 1862.
Corprew, John B., private Co. F, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Fletcher, Hannibal, private Company I, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Fatherly, Matthew W., Lieutenant Sth North Carolina Eeg-iment.
Foster,'W. E., Major and Ordnance Officer Custis Lee's Brigade, local de
fence troops.
Grandy, P. H., Major 1st North Carolina Regiment, killed at Gaines' Mill.
Grandy, A. H., IJeut.gCo. B., Sth North Carohna Regiment.
Glennan, M., commissary sergeant of post at Fort Fisher.
Ghiselin, Jas. W., private, killed at Shiloh, April, 1862.
Harris, Hunter, private Daring's Cavalry.
Henderson, Thos. W., courier headquarters Army Northern Virginia.
Johnston, Chas. H., courier Gen. Pemberton's headquarters. .'
Johnston, Geo. W., Co. I, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Johnston, James V., private Co. F, 15th Virginia Cavalry..
Leigh, Eoscoe, private Co. I, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Martin, Geo. G., private Co. A, 3d Virginia Eeserves.
Mayer, John F., sergeant Co. A, 3d Virginia Reserves.
Marsden, F. C, private Richmond Howitzers.
McKenney, Jas. M., pj-ivate Eichmond Howitzers.
Moore, Walter S., ensign 61st Virginia Eegiment.
Newton, Thos., private Co. F, 6th Virginia Eegiment, killed Sept.l4th, 1862,
at Crampton Gap.
Parks, Marshall, commissioner for North Carolina and special service.
Pearce, Prank, private 13th Virginia Cavalry.
Eeed, "^m. C, private Co. F, 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Rosson, John A., private Co. A, Mosby's Rangers.
Eickhow, Wm. H., purser's steward C. S.Navy.
Eogers, W. F., Captain Eevenue Marine, detailed with the navy.
Smith, Peter, private North Carolina Eegiment.
Selden, Wm., Captain of Engineers C. S. Army, killed at Eoanoke Island,
Feb. Sth, 1862.
Sharp, John H., private Otey Battery, Lynchburg.
Saunders, Hunter, private Eichmond Howitzers.
Santos, Alex., private Eichmond Howitzers.
Todd, Westwood A., private Co. E, 12th Virginia Regiment, promoted ord
nance officer Weiseger's Brigade, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at Second
Mannssas. 324

IN OTHER COMMANDS. 325
Turner, Robt. G., seaman C. S. Navy.
Tucker, John S., Captain, lost an arm at Corinth.
Taylor, Washington, Adjutant Scott's Battalion, local defence troops, Rich
mond.
Thomas, J. W., Jr., Lieutenant Artillery Corps C. S. A.
Walke, W.T., private Co. I, 15th Vir,ginia Cavalry, promoted Adjutant
39th Virginia Cavalry Battalion.
Webber, John S., sergeant Co. A, 38th Battalion Virginia Artillery.
Wyatt. John, sergeant North Carolina Eegiment.
Williamson, John G., sergeant Co. A, 3d Virginia Reserves, surrendered at
Appomattox.
Williams, Wm. Carter, Captain Co. B, 6th Virginia, killed at Chancellors
ville.
Worrell, Ed. W., sergeant Co. C, 6th North Carolina Cavalry.
Killed and died — 5.
DETACHED ROLLS AT APPOMATTOX.
The following men belonging to detached commands are recor
ded as having been paroled at Appomattox.
FROM NORFOLK COUNTY.
B. A. Armistead, Sergeant Company I, 13th Virginia Cavalry.
Lloyd Bunting, private Coinpany C, 13th Virginia Cavalry.
John T. Griffin, captain and assistant civil engineer.
Geo. N. Halstead, Assistant Surgeon C. S. Navy.
Geo. W. Wallace, private Signal Corps.
Wm. H. Halstead, private Signal Corps.
FROM NORFOLK CITY.
Lieutenant Jos. T. Allyn, attached to ordnance.
Assistant Surgeon Eichard D. Bagnall, 3d Georgia Eegiment.
Lieutenant F. E. Goodridge, ordnance dut.v, Pickett's Division.
Captain and A. Q. M., O. H. P. Corprew, Mahone's Division.
Surgeon F. L. Gait, C. S. Navy.
Chaplain Robt. Gatewood, Starke's Artillery Battalion.
Lieutenant Cha.?. K. King, C. S. Navy.
Quartermaster Wm. C. Marrow.
Lieutenant B. A. Marsden, Co. D, 1st Va. Battalion.
Surgeon Herbert M. Nash, Artillery, 3d Corps.
Private W. Hunter Saunders, Richmond Howitzers, General Long's head
quarters.
Lieutenant-Colonel John S. Saunders, attached to ordnance.
Lientenant-Colonel A. W. Starke, commanding artillery battalion.
Courier John H. Sharp, headquarters artillery, Ist corps General E. P. A1-.
exander.
Master's Mate Wm. Smith, C. S. Navy.
Surgeon J. H. SouthaU, 55th Virginia Regiment.
Lieutenant-Colonel Walter H. Taylor, Adjutant General, staff of General R.
E. Lee. FROM PORTSMOUTH.
Tudor F. Brooks, Commissary Department, Mahone's Brigade.
W. T. Fentress, Lieutenant Light Artillery, on detached service.
Frank T. Foster, private Signal Corps.
Nat. C. Gayle, Carpenter C. S. Navy.
Leroy C. Godwin, private Signal Corps.
Wm. R. Hanrahan, Sergeant Signal Corps.
Samuel Hoffler, Ordnance Sergeant, Mahone's Brigade.
Wm. L. Hatton, private Signal Corps.
J. M. Hudgins, Captain and A. C. S.

326 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Wm. H. Hughes, Lieutenant Lee Battery.
John A. Lovitt, Gunner C. S. Navy.
Eichard B. Levy, private Signal Corps.
E. Newton Mahoney, private Richmond Howitzers.
Wm. R. Minter, private Naval Brigade.
F. M. Moore, private Signal Corps.
Jos. T. Owens, Captain Co. D, 26th Va. Eegiment.
E. H. Parker, Assistant Surgeon 32d N. C. Eegiment.
O. J. Peters, private Signal Corps.
Jas, Parrish, Surgeon Beale's Cavalry Brigade.
Thos. Scott, private Signal Corps.
T. J. Savage, private Signal Corps.
O. V. Smith, 4th Corporal, 3d Company, Richmoud Howitzers.
G. S. Vermillion, private Signal Corps.
Luther Williams, private Naval Brigade and Company K, Oth Virginia Reg
iment.
T. H. Wingfield, Medical Inspector Arm.v of Northern Virginia.
Jas. H. White, private ?5ignal Corps.
E. M. Watts, Surgeon Simms' Brigade.
C. M. Young, Sergeant Signal Corps.
The following anecdote of General Eobert E. Lee, which has
perhaps not been in print before, shows how that great leader
could preserve his cheerfulness even amid the confusion of disas
ter and defeat. It was the morning after the retreat began from
Petersburg. Miss Jennie Eiddick, of Nansemond county, Vir
ginia, accompanied by Captain J. T. Griffin, of Norfolk county,
and Eev. W. B. Wellons, a chaplain in the army, were in a cov
ered wagon searching for Miss Eiddick's brother, who had been
wounded a short time before and sent to a hospital. He was Cap
tain of Company C, 13th Virginia Cavalry, and it was her inten
tion, if successful in finding him, to take him with her in the
wagon to prevent him from falling into the hands of the enemy.
Presently Generals Lee and Longstreet, accompanied by their re
spective staffs, rode up, and, being an acquaintance. General Lee
spoke to Miss Eiddick. She- asted him the shortest route to
North Carolina, and he told her that his intention was to try to
get across the river and follow the line of the railroad, and* ad
vised her to pursue the same route, then, happening to look into
the wagon and noticing Captain Griffin and liev. Mr. Wellons,
and remembering that North Carolina was the Gretna Green for
. runaway couples from Virginia, a sly twinkle came into his eye
as he remarked : " You needn't go there ; here are the preacher
and the young man convenient, and you can get married right
here," and caUing to a member of his staff, he said : " Come here.
Major, we are about to have a marriage." The marriage, how
ever, did not come off. Miss Eiddick presented General Lee with
a handsome boquet, but he requested her to keep it for him. Mo
mentous events were foUowing each other very rapidly then, and
he never had an opportunity to call for the flowers.

CHAPTEE XLVII.
THE FIRST IRON CLAD  THE " VIRGINIA " (mERRIMAC.)
No subject of general interest connected with the late war has
been more discussed than the Confederate iron-clad Virginia, for
merly the United States frigate Merrimac, and no two descrip
tions of her are said to agree. The author was in a position to know
many facts connected with the origin of the vessel as an iron-clad,
and, in addition to his OAvn knowledge, has had access to the original
drawings and specifications in the possession of her projector, and
is therefore in a position to write advisedly, and, as the vessel was
the result of the inventive genius of Portsmouth and Norfolk
marine architects and the mechanical skUl of Portsmouth and
Norfolk workmen, it is appropriate that her full history and de
scription, together vrith the circumstances which led to her build
ing as an iron-clad, should be recorded in this work and fully es
tablished in the interest of history.
In 1846 the United States Government decided to build, at
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, an iron steam sloop of war, the Alle
ghany, for the purpose of testing, on a large scale, a plan of sub
merged propellers, invented by Lieutenant W. W. Hunter, of the
navy, and Mr. John L. Porter, of Portsmouth, was ordered there,
as Acting Constructor in the navy, to superintend her building,
and, while engaged upon this work, Mr. Porter conceived the
idea of an iron-clad A'^essel which would be able to go to sea and
still be shot-proof. His plan contemplated an iron vessel, to draw
nineteen feet of water, and all of the vessel above the water line
and to a depth of four feet below it, was to be of a sufficient thick
ness of metal to render her shot-proof. His idea was that, with
the ordnance in use at that time, three inches would be sufficiently
thick for the armor if jUaced on an incline.
Mr. Porter made copies of his plan and forwarded them to the
Navy Department at Washington, with the view of having the
Government adopt them, but the times were not far enough ad
vanced for iron-clads, and the Navy Department took no further
notice of them than to acknowledge their receipt, but Mr. Porter
transferred them to his book of naval designs, which he retained
and still has in his possession. The sides were inclined at an an
gle of 45 degrees, and the vessel was to have had a width, over all,
of forty feet. The knuckle of the ship was to be two feet below
the water line, and her gun deck three feet above that line. The
gun deck extended the entire length of the ship, three feet above
the water line, and the shield, in which her battery was located,
was built in the middle of the ship. The ends beyond the shield
337

328 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
were constructed upon the same incline (as to their sides) as the
shield, and the deck forward and aft of the shield, was protected
with armor plate. The appearance of the vessel upon the water
would have been similar to that of the Ericsson iron-clads of 1862,
except that, instead of the sides of the vessel being perpendicular,
they would have been inclined at an angle of 45 degrees, and in
stead of the upright turret amidship, there would have been the
shield with inclined sides. The ports were to have been closed
Math wrought iron port shutters, and the resisting surface was to
have been entirely of iron. Mr. Porter showed his plans to Lieu
tenant Hunter, who suggested as an improvement, an iron protec
tive deck, to be built below the gun deck, to prevent a plunging
shot from going through her bottom, should it penetrate the shield.
This was added, by Mr. Porter, to the drawings, before he for
warded them to Washington, arid appears also in the drawings in
his sketch book. It may be seen in the above plan, figure 1.
This was ten years before England and France began thinking on
the subject of iron-clads, and as far as Mr. Porter was concerned,
was the result of his own ideas, without assistance from any one.
The drawing in his sketch book is arranged with Lieutenant Hun
ter's propellers attached. Below will be found a cross section of
his vessel, taken amidship :

Figure 1 — Scale, 1-inch 15 feet.
But, as has already been said, the Navy Department in 1846,
was not impressed with the idea of an iron-clad vessel, and Mr.
Porter retained his own copy of his plans, waiting an opportunity
to put them into practical operation. That opportunity arrived
at the breaking out of the war between the North and South, but
the limited means of construction at the command of the South,
compelled him to modify somewhat his original idea, and for want
of rolling miUs capable of roUing out broad iron plates, he -^vas
compelled to use narrow plates and fasten them on a backing of
wood.

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 329
Mr. Porter Avas a constructor in the United States Navy at the
beginning of the war, and up to that time, had superintended for
the Government the building of the Alleghany, Powhatan, Con
stellation, Colorado, Seminole, Pensacola and other vessels. He
Avas stationed at the Gosport Navy Yard in AprU, 1861, and wit
nessed its destructiQu by the Federal authorities, resigned his com
mission in the United States Navy, tendered his services to Gov
ernor Letcher, and was retained on duty at the Navy Yard. Be
lieving that war was inevitable, and knowing that the South was
not able to cope with the. United States upon the water, his mind
reverted to the iron-clad which he had conceived'in Pittsburg in
1846, and he went to work, so modifying it, as tp bring it within
the power of the Southern Confederacy to build, and, at the same
time, to adapt it to the defence of the harbors of the South. The
result Avas a vessel, the hull of which could be built in a few
months. He prepared his plans and specifications, made drawings
of the A^essel and had a mode! made at the Navy Yard. Virginia
had not then transferred her army and effects to the Southern
Confederacy. Below will be found a cross section of Mr. Porter's
model of 1861.

\\tatcT J^/nt..

Figure 2 — Scale, 1 inch 15 feet,

At that time Commodore Marshall Parks, President of the Al
bemarle and Chesapeake Canal Company, had been appointed by
the State of North Carolina, to act in conjunction with Comman
der Muse (formerly of the United States Navy), as commissioner
to purchase and fit out vessels for the North Carolina Navy, to
protect the waters of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, and, visiting
the Gosport Navy Yard upon business connected with his office,
was shown this model by Mr. Porter, and was so impressed with
it that he went to Ealeigh and informed the Governor and mem
bers of the Legislature of the pMn, and suggested that some small
iron-clads be built for the defense of the North Caaolina sounds.
He was directed to prepare a " Bill " to authorize the Governor
to have some vessels built on the plan, and it was passed immedi
ately. The State of North Carolina, soon after this, decided to
join the Confederacy, and Commodore Parks was directed to go
22

330 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-S.
to Eichmond and turn over all the steamers he had purchased and
fitted out, to the Confederate States Navy Departmeut, and there
fore the iron-clads were not built. Virginia also joined the South
ern Confederacy, and Mr. Porter received an appointment as Con
structor in the Confederate States Navy.
The shield, which was on his Pittsburg model of 1846, is re
tained, but, whUe that vessel was designed for sea service as well
as for harbor defense, his new model was designed for harbor de
fense mainly, and would not have been a good sea boat in rough
weather. The original drawings are in the possession of the
author. The vessel was to have been one hundred and fiftj) feet
long on deck and one hundred and forty-four feet on the keel ;
was forty feet beam at the knuckle and thirty-three feet across the
bottom amidships. She was to have been built sharp at the bow
and with flat bottom. Her draft of water was eleven feet, and
she Avas fitted with a nine foot propeller. Her knuckle was nine
feet perpendicular from the bottom of her keel and her water hue
was two feet above her knuckle, so that the eaves of the vessel
were submerged two feet below the water fine. The shield cov
ered the entire length of the vessel, was arranged at an angle of
forty degrees, and was made circular at each end. The shield
was to have had a thickness of wood and iron, of two and a-half
feet, and the ends of the iron, or in other words, the eaves or
knuckle of the ship, were to be two feet below the water line, just
as he had planned in his Pittsburg ship. The armament was to
consist of six 11-inch smooth bore guns, four broadside and one at
each end. The end guns were to be pivot guns and have a range
out of three port holes, and the broadside guns were on pivots also,
and could fire out of each side. While the bo w of the vessel was to
be sharp, there was sufficient flare in her nine feet of depth from
keel to knuckle, to take in. the circular end of the shield. Mr.
Porter's Pittsburg model was built with sides inclined at an angle
of forty-five degrees, but the angle of inclination of this vessel
was forty degrees. Mr. Porter made this change because the ord
nance in use in 1861 was heavier than that of 1846, and the lower
the angle of resistance the greater the abUity to resist. With a
good engine she would have made seven or eight mUes an hour.
Mr. Mallory, Secretary of the Confederate States Navy, called
the attention of the House Committee on Naval Affairs to the
subject of iron-clads before the seat of government was removed
from Montgomery to Eichmond. England and France were then
experimenting on the subject, aM Mr. MaUory thought it would
be desirable for the Southern Confederacy to own one or more of
a sea-going character, but an effort to purchase two such vessels
in Europe failed, and nothing of a practical character was done.
On the 22d of June, 1861, Naval Constructor Porter received or
ders to report to the Navy Department at Eichmond. The or-

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 331
ders did not state the object for which he was to report, but he
took advantage of the occasion to carry his model to Eichmond
for the purpose of submitting it to the Secretary. This was the
model he had previously shown to Commodore Parks, and which
has just been described. He went to Eichmond June 23d (Sun
day), called at the Secretary's office the next day, and showed him
his model. The Secretary immediately ordered a board consist
ing of Mr. Porter, Chief Engineer WiUiamson and Lieutenant -
Brooke to consider it. Messrs. Williamson and Brooke were at
that time in Eichmond.
Thus far, in this account, the author has been writing of what
passed within his own personal knowledge, but was not at the
meeting of the board, and as to what took place there must rely
upon the statements of the members of the board, for only those
three gentlemen were present and no one but them could speak
advisedly of its proceedings. The^ board met on the 25th of
June, the day after Secretary Mallory ordered it to assemble, and
Mr. Porter's model, which had been in the Secretary's office since
the preceding morning, was submitted to it, and, according to the
statements of Messrs. Williamson and Porter, there was nothing
before the board or considered by it except that model. The
board decided to recommend the building of a vessel after that
plan, and, preparatory to making their report, began discussing
the length of time it would take to complete her. Mr. William
son remarked, " It will take at least twelve months to build her
engines unless we can utilize some of the machinery in the Mer
rimac." Mr. Porter asked, "Why can't you use it all? I can
adapt this model to the Merrimac and utilize her machinery in
her." Mr. Williamson replied, " I can." It was therefore de
cided at once to recommend that the Merrimac be converted into
an iron-clad. Neither of the members of the board seems to have
had any idea of making an iron-clad of that vessel previous to
their assembling. Messrs. Williamson and Porter say the -board
was ordered to meet to consider Mr. Porter's model, and this
statement is borne out by Mr. Brooke's testimony before the Con
gressional investigating committee in February, 1863. Mr.
Brooke says: " The Secretary directed Constructor Porter, Chief
Engineer Williamson and myself to meet him in my office here,
and this model was examined by us all and the form of the shield
adopted." Up to that time Mr. Porter was the only member of the board
who knew the condition of the Merrimac or how much of hef
was left. Mr. Brooke had not seen her since the destruction of
the Gosport Navy Yard, when she was burned' to the water's
edge. She had been raised by the Baker Wrecking Company on
the 30th of May, and Mr. Porter, as Constructor at the Navy
Yard, had her put in the dry-dock and made a thorough examina-

332 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-6.
tion of her. Mr. Williamson's duties were not such as to famil
iarize him with the condition of the vessel, so there is every rea
son to believe their version is correct, and that it was Mr. Porter
who suggested that his shield be placed on the Merrimac. Mr.
Brooke says Mr. Williamson first made the suggestion.
But, having come to the conclusion to adapt Mr. Porter's model
to the Merrimac, the board prepared the following report, which
they submitted to Secretary Mallory for his approval :
Navy Department,
Eichmond, Va., June 25th, 1861.
Sir — In obedience to your order we have carefully examined
and considered the various plans and propositions for constructing
a shoot proof steam battery, and respectfully report that, in our
opinion, the steam frigate Merrimac, which is in such condition
from the effects of fire as to be useless for any other purpose
without incurring a heavy expense in her rebuilding, can be made
an efficient vessel of that character, mounting ten heavy guns ;
two pivot guns, and eight broadside guns of her original battery,
and for the further consideration, that ,we cannot procure a suita
ble engine and boilers for any other vessel Avithout building them,
which would occupy too much time, is would appear that this is
our only chance to get a suitable vessel in a short time. The bot
tom of the hull, boilers and heavy and costly parts of the engine,
being but little injured, reduce the cost of construction to about
one-third the amount which would be required to construct such
a vessel anew. We cannot, without further examination, make
an accurate estimate of the cost of the projected work, but think
it will be about one hundred and ten thousand dollars, the most
of which will be for labor, the materials being nearly all on hand
in the yard, except the iron plating to cover the shield. The plan
to be adopted in the arrangement of her shield for glancing shots,
mounting guns, arranging the hull and plating, to be in accord
ance with the plans submitted for the approval of the depart
ment. [Signed] Wm. P. Williamson,
Chief Engineer.
John M. Brooke,
Lieutena/nt.
John L. Porter,
Namal Constructor.
When it is considered that Mr. Brooke had not se&n the Merri
mac nor the Navy Yard since the beginning of hostilities, that the
Naval Constructor was the only member of the board who knew
that what was left of the vessel would carry a shield large enough
to cover ten -guns, or how much it would cost to make the .altera-

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 333
tions in her hull, and that Chief Engineer WiUiamson was an ex
pert 'upon the cost of machinery, it would be reasonable to sup
pose that the constructor and engineer prepared the report, and
that the other member of the board signed it through confidence
in their judgment. In fact Secretary Mallory took this view of
it at the time. On the 18th of July, 1861, he submitted a report
to the Confederate Congress, in which he said : " The cost of
this work is estimated by the constructor and engineer in charge
at ^172,523, and as time is of the first consequence in this enter
prise, I have not hesitated to commence the work, and to ask
Congress for the necessary apjaropriation." Mr. Mallory totally
ignored " the board," and took into consideration only the views
of the constructor and engineer. He seems, at that time, not to
have considered Mr. Brooke at all, not even in connection with
the cost of her ordnance.
The report of the board speaks of having considered the vari
ous plans and propositions for constructing an iron-clad, &c.
Messrs. Williamson and Porter say this had reference to whether
they would recommend the building of a new vessel after Mr.
Porter's model or apply his plan to the Merrimac. " The plans to
be adopted in the arrangement of her shield for glancing shots,
mounting guns, arranging the hull and plating," were not submit
ted simultaneously with tlie report, as it was necessary for Mr.
Porter to return to the Gosport Navy Yard and make an accurate
measurement of the vessel, so that he could calculate her displace
ment and prepare the plans. Engineer Williamson also went to
the Navy Yard -to superintend the preparation of the machinery,
and Mr. Brooke remained in Eichmond- Mr. Porter measured
the vessel without assistance from any one, except a laborer to
hold the end of the tape line.
Having completed his measurements, and calculated for every
thing which was to go in her, he found that he would have suffi
cient displacement and about fifty tons to spare, upon a depth of
twenty-one feet, of which nineteen feet would be of her original
hull and the remaining two feet would be the distance he proposed
submerging the eaves of her shield, but when he drew a line at
the height of nineteen feet from the bottom of her keel, he found
it cut one foot into her propeller, and this would have decreased
the size of her propeller and diminished her speed, besides con
suming time in additional work. He therefore raised the line one
foot at the stern and cut her down on a straight line running from
a height of nineteen feet forward to twenty feet aft, so that, when
completed, she drew twenty-one feet forward and twenty-two feet
aft. This additional displacenient increased her buoyancy about
two hundred tons and had to be overcome by pig iron, or kent-
lege, which was placed on her deck ends and in her spirit room
to bring her eaves to the proper depth below the water line.

334 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
Mr. Porter drew the plans for converting her into an iron-clad,
and put on her the identical shield which was on his model, and
also on his Pittsburg iron-clad of 1846, with the exception that he
lengthened it out to nearly one hundred and eighty feet, so as to
cover all of her deck where there was sufficient width for the
shield, and, as he had a width of fifty-one feet on the Merrimac,
he lowered the angle of inclination of her shield to thirty-five de
grees. The great width of the ship enabled him to do this and
still have room under the shield to work, the guns. This width
also made it necessary to have separate guns for each side. Find
ing too, that he had displacement enough to support a heavier
armor, he recommended that she be plated with four inches of
iron instead of three inches, as originally intended. This recom
mendation was approved by Secretary MaUory^ and was carried
out in her construction. The arrangment of her shield, inside and
out, was identical with the plan proposed in the vessel the model
of which he carried to Eichmond, and which the board was called
to consider. The original drawings of both vessels are in the pos
session of the author, and they are identical, except that one was
arranged for six guns and the other for ten. The port holes were
about four feet high, with straight sides and circular at the top
and bottom. She had no boat davits. Her boats rested in chocks
on her sides and were hauled out of the water.
Mr. Porter completed his drawings on the 10th of July, with
out having consulted any one, took them to Eichmond the next
morning, and submitted them to Secretary Mallory, who immedi
ately approved them, without re-convening the board or calling in
the advice or opinion of anyone, and wrote with his own hand,
the following order, which he handed to Mr. Porter for delivery
to Commodore Forrest, commanding the Gosport Navy Yard :
Navy Department,
Eichmond, Va., July llth, 1861.
I'^lag Officer F. Forrest:
Sir — You will proceed with all practicable dispatch to make
the changes in the Merrimac, and to build, equip and fit her in all
respects, according to the designs and plans of the Const/ructor
and Engvneer, Messrs. Porter and Williamsoii. As time is of
the utmost importance in this matter, you will see that the work
progresses without delay to completion.
S. E. Mallory,
Secretary Confederate States JVavy.
Did Mr. Mallory, at the time he issued that order to begin work
on the vessel, have any doubts as to whose plans he had approved
and was ordering to be carried out? Mr. Porter returned imme
diately to the Gosport Navy Yard, appointed Mr. James Meads

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 335
Master Ship carpenter,and commenced work on the vessel in the
dry-dock. The burned part was cut away, and a deck buUt from
one end to the other. Inside the shield the deck was covered
with plank, on beams, but outside the shield, at both ends, it was
buUt of solid timber, and covered over with iron one-inch thick.
Figure 3 represents the shape of a cross section amidship.

Figure 3 — Scale 1 inch 15 feet.
The ship had only two decks, gun and berth decks, and her
boilers and engine remained in their original positions. She was
fitted Arith four inch, hammered iron, port shutters on her four
quarter ports, but had no shutters to her other ports". They were
made in two pieces and closed like a pair of shears. She made
her first fight, however, before they were put on her. Her rud
der chains were let into the outside after deck flush under the
iron, and passed up through the shield in pipes until they came
above the water line and were then conducted on rollers to the
steering wheel. The ship was 262 feet and 9 inches long from
her stem to the after side of the stern post, and from tlie stem to
the forward part of the shield was 29 feet, 6 inches. From the
tiller to the after part of the shield was 55 feet, and the length of
the shield wqs 1 78 feet, 3 inches. The neat length on the gun
deck, tinder the shield, was 167 feet, 7 inches. The rafters of the
shield were of yellow pine fourteen inches thick, and were bolted
together and were placed at an incfination of thirty -five degrees.
Outside of this, a course of four-inch pine planks was fastened,
fore and aft, and outside of this there was a course of four-inch
oak plank placed, up and down. All three of these courses of
timber were caulked. Upon the outside of the oak planks was
placed a course of rolled iron bars, eight inches wide and two
inches thick, running fore and aft, and upon this was another
course of similar iron, running up and down, the whole securely

336 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.

>

&

bolted, through and through, and held with nuts on the inside.
The length of the sides was twenty-four feet, and the perpendicu
lar thickness was twenty-two inches of wood and four inches of
iron, but horizontally, it was about four feet. The deck, or top
of the shield, was fourteen feet wide and was protected by an iron
grating made of two inch square iron with meshes two inches
square. The pitch of the gun deck was seven feet. There were
three hatchways in the top grating, with pivot shutters. In the
original drawings of the ship it was contemplated to build a pilot
house at the forward part of the shield, to be covered like the
shield, but Mr. Porter subsequently had two cast iron conical
shaped pilot houses made and put one at each end. These were
cast hollow in the middle and about twelve inches thick, with four
loop holes for observations. They were not used by Commodore
Buchanan during the engagement in Hampton Eoads. He stood
in one of the hatchways above referred to and communicated his
orders to the wheelsman from that position. As the work pro
gressed. Secretary Mallory became very urgent for its speedy
conclusion, and on the 19th of August, a little more thana montn
after it was begun, he wrote the following order :
Confederate States Navy Department,
Eichmond, August 19th, 1861.
Flag Officer F. Forrest, Comvfiamding Namy Yard, Gosport :
Sir.— The great importance of the service expected of the Mer
rimac, and the urgent necessity of her speedy completion, in
duces me to call upon you to push forward the work with the ut
most dispatch. Chief Engineer Williamson and Constructor
Porter, severally in charge of the two branches of this great
Avork, and/br which tliey will he held personally responsible., will
]-eceive therefore every possible facility at the expense and delay
of every other work on hand if necessary.
S. E. Mallory,
Secretary Confederate States Navy.
In order to protect her rudder and propellor from being run
into, Mr. Porter built a heavy, solid deck, or fan tail, extending
over them, and it would have been necessary to have broken
through this before either of them could have been reached by a
coUiding vessel. He had a cast iron prow, or beak, made, which
weighed about 1,500 pounds. This he fastened on her stem
and bolted through it, but the ship struck the Cumberland
a glancing blow and it was broken off. When the beak was put
on her Mr. Porter was apprehensive that, as the ship was not
built originaUy with a view to making a ram of her, it -would not
be safe to do so, but Captain Buchanan decided to take the risk,
and sunk the Cumberland Arithout materially injuring his own

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.)

337

vessel. As a safeguard to protect the huU, a course of iron one
inch thick was fastened all around her, three feet down from the
knuckle. Her armament consisted of two 7-inch rifle guns, on
pivot, one at each. end, with a range out of three port holes, and
eight smooth bore '9-inch Dahlgren guns of her ' original battery.
The 7-inch rifle guns were made at the Tredegar Iron Works in
Eichmond under the supervision of Lieutenant Brooke. The ar
mor plate was rolled there also. The gun carriages were made
in the Navy Yard. In the engagements on the Sth and 9th of
March two of her broadside guns were injured by having pieces
knocked out at their muzzles, and they were replaced by two 6-
inch rifle guns made at the Tredegar Works. Some of the offi
cers of the vessel have informed the author that they were, of the
opinion that the two 6-inch rifle guns were on board during her
first engagement, but others, and members of the crew, with
whom he has' conversed coincide with his account. Naval Con
structor Porter's notes say the recommendation of the board was
carried out, as to her battery, and that the eight broadside guns
Avere 9-inch Dahlgrens. The reports of the commanders of the
Federal vessels engaged in the battle of March Sth, 1862, mention
the 7-inch rifle and 9-inch smooth bore guns, but make no men
tion of any ^6-inch rifles. Captain Van Brunt of the Minnesota
speaks of the mainmast of that vessel having been struck by a
6-inch rifle sheU from the battery at Seawell's Point.
The work on the Merrimac was hastened with all possible dis
patch, and the workmen employed on her evinced a very patriotic
spirit. She was a novel kind of a vessel, and they felt a pride in
her as the iuA^ention of a Portsmouth man, and a desire to see
how she would perform the duty expected of her, and, in order
to expedite the work, the blacksmiths, machinists and bolt drivers
signed a voluntary proposition to work until 8 o'clock every night
without extra pay. The foUoAving names were signed to the
paper :
Jas. A. Farmer, M. S.,Samuel Hodges,

John Askew,
Wm. T. Butt,
Thos. Bloxom,
Anthony Butt,
Thos. Bourke,
Elias Bridges,
E. H. Brown,
Wm. Gray,
Thos. Guy,
Smith Guy,
Anderson Gwinn,
Hillery Hopkins,
Wm. Hoffler,

Wiley HoAvard,
Jos. Pickets,
II. Eeynolds,
Southey Eew,
Wm. Eeynolds,
John B. Eooke,
John Ehea,
Thos. L. Eooke,
Harvey Barnes,
Frederick Bowen,
Geo. G. Bear,
John Cain,
Michael Connor,

John Curran,
Geo. Collier,
Sam'l. Davenport,
John Davis,
Alex. Davis,
Joshua Dailey,
Thos. Dunn,
Lewis Ewell,
Lawson Etheredge,
Miles Foreman,
Thos. Franklin,
Jas. Fleming,
Wilson Guy,
John Green,

338

NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.

Lawrence Herbert, James Moran,
Henry Hopkins, Patrick Parks,

H. Tatem,
Walter Thornton,
John West,
Jas. Wakefield,
E. Woodward,
David Wilkins,
Jas. Wilbern,
Walter Wilkins,
Jas. Watson, Jr.,
Jos. West,
John Wilder,
Edward Walker.

Opie Jordan, Jas. Pattison,
Wm. Jones, Wm. Perry,
Thos. Kirby, ' Thos. PoweU,
Jesse Kay, Wm. Pebworth,
^Jas. Larkin, Chas. Snead,
Lemuel Leary, Patrick Shanasy,
Wm. Leary, Wm. Shepherd,
Hugh Minter, John Stokes,
Jas. Mitchell, Chas. Sturtevant,
John Moody, Wm. Shipp,
Julius Moran, Calder Sherwood,
Various were the comments by visitors and others at the NaA'-y
Yard while the ship was in process of construction, and the pre
vailing opinion seemed to be that she was top heavy and would
turn bottom up, and many spoke of Mr. Porter as a visionary.
He says that, among the officers stationed at the yard or ordered
to the ship, only one. Captain Fairfax, gave him any encourage
ment, and when she was completed, and he reported to Captain
S. S. Lee, executive officer of the yard, that he would turn the
water into the dock the next day and float her. Captain Lee
asked him, seriously : " Mr. Porter, do you really think she will
float ? " and the next morning, when the water was actuallyturned
into the dock, the officers present, who were ordered to her, stood
upon the edge of the dock to see whether or not she was going to
sink. Mr. Porter says Lieutenant Catesby Jones, who was or
dered to her as executive officer a short time before she was com
pleted, was among those who expressed a want of faith in her
ability to float.
After her engagements on the Sth and 9th of March, 1862, she
returned to the Navy Yard and Mr. Porter put her in the dry-
dock and made a thorough examination of her, There were
about a hundred indentations in her armor where she was struck,
and of these about twenty were from the guns of the Monitor.
These could be told from the others by their larger size. Six of
the outer plates were cracked and were replaced by new ones.
None of the plates in the under course were broken, nor were any
of her timbers injured. No repairs were necessary to be done to
them. The broken plates were occasioned by shots from the
Monitor. There were numerous shot holes through her sinoke
stack, which, however, was not carried away. Her iron beak, or
prow, was broken off. This was originally made wedge shaped,
projected about two feet from the ship, and was slanting on top.
A new beak was made to replace this. It was made of. steel and
wrought iron, extended back about thirteen feet from the stem,
and: was securely bolted. The two damaged broadside guns Avere

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 339
replaced by two 6-inch rifle guns, steel pointed solid shot were
made for her guns, and her sides, for three feet below her knuckle,
were covered with an additional course of two-inch iron plates
placed up and down, and the top end clasped over the knuckle,
to prevent the starting of the ends of the side Armor on the shield
from the effects of shot. This additional Aveight was neutralized
by removing a portion of the pig iron which had been placed on
her originally, so that her depth of water remained the same as
when she made her trip to Hampton Eoads on the Sth of March.
Various statements have been published, both from Confeder
ate and Federal sources, as to the injury done the vessel in her
engagements in Hampton Eoads, but the above embraces all the
injury she actuaUy sustained. There was an almost imperceptible
leak in her bow where her prow was broken in ramming the Cum
berland, but it really amounted to nothing. Captain S. S. Lee,
in his testimony before the Congressional committee appointed to
investigate the Navy Department, page 231, says : " She was not
severely damaged at all. She was not materially injured." The
repairs were made by Constructor Porter under Captain Lee's su
pervision, and Mr. Porter's notes say that none of her wooden
backing was broken, that none of her second course of iron was
broken or- removed, that none of her first course of iron was
knocked off, and only six. of those plates were broken.
A most inaccurate account of the Virginia was written by
Lieutenant Catesby Jones and published in the Southern Plistori-
cal Society Papers, Nos. 2-3, Vol. XI, pp. 65-76. It is unfortu
nate that so many errors should go forth to the world as history.
Among other mistakes, he says :
First.^' Her rudder and propellor were unprotected." The
facts are that the fan tail of solid timber which was built out over
them made them safer than any other portion of the vessel, out
side her shield, and a blow which would have cut through to her
propellor would have crushed in the side of the ship.
Second. — He says " there were many vexatious delays attend
ing the fitting of the ship. Many of them -arose from the- want of
skiUed labor," &c. The mechanics of Portsmouth and Norfolk
Avill hardly accept that as correct.
Third. — He says he, " by special order, selected her battery."
How could he have done this when her rifle guns were made at
the Tredegar Works in Eichmond under the supervision of Lieu
tenant Brooke, and her broadside guns were at the Navy Yard?
Her battery had been selected by the board which recommended
her conversion into an iron-clad, and was specified in their report
of June 25th, 1861, which was approved by Secretary Mallory.
Fourth. — He says " The lower part of her shield forward was
immersed only a few inches instead of two feet, as was intended."
It was two feet under water, covered with kentlege, which was
also under water.

340 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
Fifth. — He says " had the fire of the Minnesota, Cumberland
and Congress been concentrated on the water line we would have
been seriously hurt." The vessel was as . strong at the water line
as she was anywhere else. Her shield ran down into the water a
distance of three feet and a half below the water line.
Sixth.— He says " the loss of our prow and anchor, and con
sumption of coal, water, &c., had lightened us so that the lower
part of the forward end of the shield was awash." Had he been
correct in this the how of the ship would have been out of the
water, and to have lightened her to that extent would have .re
quired the removal of two hundred and seventy-five tons of ma
terial from her in the twenty-four hours she was in Hampton
Eoads. Every inch, in depth, of displacement on her shield was
equal to twenty-three tons, and every inch of her hull, below her
shield, was equivalent to thirty tons.
Captain John Taylor Wood, who served gallantly on her as a
Lieutenant and afterwards made an enviable record for himself
by his deeds of daring in the Confederate Navy, was the author
of an equally inaccurate description of the ship. It was published
in the Century Magazine of March. 1885. '
He seems to have accepted Lieutenant Jones' account as to the
vulnerability of the vessel at the water line, and the " unpro
tected" condition of her rudder and propellor, adopts his mistake
as to her drawing 23 feet of water, falls into an error about her
pilot house, gives her one more deck than she had, carried away
her smokestack in the action of March 9th, and says : " When the
ship was in fighting trim both ends Avere awash." Had this been
so her draft would have been only nineteen feet forward and
twenty aft, and her eaves would have been even with the water.
In reality, however, her ends and eaves were two feet below the
water line.
The positions occupied by those two gentlemen, and their well
known characters, add weight to their publications, hence it is
unfortunate, for the correctness of history, that their articles were
not given more careful study before publication.
But the Virginia proved a success, and though, whUe her suc
cess or f aUure was a matter of doubt, no name was connected with
her authorship except Messrs. Porter and WiUiamson ; though
the Secretary in his order to Commodore Forrest, directed him to
convert into an iron-clad after the plans of Messrs. Porter and
WiUiamson, though in anotiier order to Commodore Forrest he
proposed to hold those two gentlemen personally responsible for
the success bf their plans, though in an official report to Congress
he referred to them alone in connection with the estimated cost
of the vessel, though up to tiiat time no name but theirs had been
mentioned in official orders from the Navy Departmens, in the
public press or in private conversation, yet," when she had demon-

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 341
strated her ability to float and to resist the shots of the enemy, a
new claimant appeared for the credit of having projected her.
The claim was made in an anonymous communication, signed
" Justice," which appeared in the columns of the Eichmond En
quirer and Eichmond Whig of about the 25th of March, 1862,
claiming for Lieutenant Brooke that credit. It was subsequently
ascertained that the communications was sent to those papers by
an employee in Mr. Brooke's office in the Navy Department.
On the 29tliof March Mr. Porter wrote a reply, which he sub
mitted to Chief Engineer Williamson for his approval, and then
forwarded to the Eichmond Examiner, in which paper it was pub
lished. He said in concluding his letter :
" Of the great and skillful calulations of the displacement and
Aveights of timber and iron involved in the planning and construc
tion of this great piece of naival architecture, and of her present
Aveight, with everything on board, no other man than myself has,
or ever had any knowledge. If he has, let him show, 'it, for while
public opinion said she never would float, no one save mysejf
knew to the contrary, or what she was capable of bearing. After
the Merrimac was in progress some time, Lieutenant Brooke was
constantly pi-oposing altei-ations in her to the Secretary of the
Navy, and as constantly and firmly opposed by myself, which the
Secretary knows.' To Engineer WiUiamson, who had the exclu-
sve control of the machinery, great credit is due for having so
improved the propeller and engines as to improve the speed of
the ship three knots per hour. I never thought for a moment
that, after the many difficulties I had to encounter in making these
new and intricate arrangements for the working of this novel kind
of ship, that any one would try to rob me of my just merits, for,
if there was any other man than myself who had any responsi
bility about her success or failure, I never knew it (except so far
as the working of her machinery was concerned, for which Chief
Engineer WiUianison was alone responsible.)
John L. Porter,
C. S. JV. Constructor. .
This letter was submitted to Chief Engineer Williamson and
approved by him before it was sent to the Examiner for publica
tion, and Lieutenant Brooke failed to make any reply to it or to
accept the challenge contained in it, to prove his authorship.
There seems to be some doubt as to what Mr. Brooke really
claims in connection with the vessel, but his testimony. before the
Congressional Investigating Committee, admitting that the board
adopted Mr, Porter's shield and stating that Mr. WiUiamson pro
posed putting the shield on the Merrimac, would indicate that he
had abandoned all claim as the projector of that portion of the
vessel and confined himself to the submerged projecting ends fea-

342 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
ture, and, though the author has personal knowledge of the fact
that the plan of the shield of Mr. John L. Porter's iron-clad of
1846, and that of his model of 1861, which he carried to Eich
mond, and the shield of the Merrimac were identical, and were
submerged two feet at their eaves, and that he conceived the idea
and developed it in the dravrings and specifications of a vessel.
(which draArings are to this day in his possession), fifteen years
before he ever saw Lieutenant Brooke, and, that he was at the
Gosport Navy Yard Avlien he made the drawings applying that
shield to the Merrimac, while Lieutenant Brooke was in Eich
mond ; that, in the conception and development of the plan, he
was not aided by any ideas which may have been entertained by
that gentleman, still as a historian, he has no inclination to sup
press anything which Lieutenant Brooke has been able to advance
in support of his claim. The main stay of support which he has,
is a report made by Secretary Mallory to the Confederate Con
gress. That report was dated March 29th, 1862, but was not made
fublic until April 4th, when it appeared in the Eichmond press.
n that report Mr. Mallory says :
" On the 10th of June, 1861, Lieutenant Brooke was directed
to aid the department in designing an iron-clad war vessel, and
framing the necessary specifications, and, in a few days, submitted
to the department rough drawings of a casemated vessel with sub
merged ends and inclined plated sides, the ends of the vessel and
the eaves, to be submerged two feet, and a hght bulwark, or false
bow was designed to divide the water and prevent it from bank
ing up on the forward part of the shield with the vessel in motion,
and also to serve as a tank to regulate the ship's draft. His de
sign was approved by the department, and a practical mechanic
was brought from Norfolk to aid in preparing the drawings and
specifications. " This mechanic aided in the statement of details of timber, etc.,
but was unable to make the drawings, and the department then
ordered Chief Engineer Williamson and Constructor Porter from
the Navy Yard at Norfolk, to Eichmond, about the 23d of June,
for consultation on the same subject generally and to aid in the
work. " Constructor Porter brought and submitted the model of a fiat
bottomed, light draft propeller, casemated battery, with inclined
iron covered sides and ends, which he deposited in the depart
ment. Mr. Porter and Lieutenant Brooke have adopted for their
casemate a thickness of wood and iron, and an angle of inclination
nearly identical.
" Mr. Williamson and Mr. Porter approved of the plan of hav
ing submerged ends to obtain the requisite fiotation and invulner
ability, and the department adopted the design, and a clean draw-
ing_ was prepared by Mr. Porter of Lieutenant Brooke's plan,
which that officer then filed with the department.

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 343
" The steam frigate Merrimac was burned and sunk, and her
engines greatly damaged by the enemy, and the department di
rected Mr. Williamson, Lieutenant Brooke and Mr. Porter to con
sider and report upon the best mode of making her useful. The
result of their investigation was their recommendation of the sub
merged ends and the inclined casemates for this vessel, which was
adopted by the department."
The following is the report upon the Merrimac. [See ante.]
"Immediately upon the adoption of the plan, Mr. Porter was di
rected to proceed with the constructor's duties. Mr. Williamson
Avas charged with the engineer's department, and to Mr. Brooke
was assigned the duties of attending to and preparing the iron and
forwarding it from the Tredegar Works,, the experiments neces
sary to test the plates and to determine their thickness, and devis
ing heavy rifled ordnance for the ship, with the details pertaining
to ordnance.
"These gentlemen labored zealously and effectively in their sev
eral departments. Mr. Porter cut the ship dowii, s,ubmerged her
ends, performed all the duties of constructor, and originated all of
the interior arrangements by which space was economized and he
has. exhibited energy, ability and ingenuity. Mr. Williamson
thoroughly overhauled her engines, supplied deficiencies, and re
paired defects, and improved greatly ' the motive power of the
vessel. " Mr. Brooke attended daily to the iron, constructed targets, as
certained by actual tests, the resistance offered by inclined planes
of iron to heavy ordnance, and determined interesting and impor
tant facts in connection therewith, and which were of great im
portance in the construction of the ship ; devised and prepared
the models and draArings of the ship's heavy ordnance, being guns
of a class never before made, and of extraordinary power and
strength. " The novel plan of submerging the ends of the ship and the
eaves of the casemate, however, is the peculiar and distinctive fea
ture of the Virginia. It was never before adopted. * * * *
We were Arithout accurate data and were compelled to determine
the inclination of the plates and their thickness and form by ac
tual experiment. The department has freely consulted the three
exceUent officers referred to throughout the labors on the Vir-,
ginia, and they have aU exhibited signal ability, energy^ and zeal."
This report "of Secretary Mallory was made from his recollec
tions of what took place nearly a year before. How he obtained
his information of what took place in the meeting of the board of
June 25th, 1861, does not appear, nor does it coincide with the
recollections of Mr. Williamson and Mr. Porter, or with the re
port made by the board, or the orders of the Secretary himself to
proceed with the. work. Memory is not always reliable after a
lapse of time.

344 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
.First.— After speaking of Mr. Brooke's efforts to design an iron
clad and his faUure to accomplish anything, even after a practical
mechanic had been sent from the Navy Yard to assist him, he
says : " The department ordered Chief Engineer Williamson and
Constructor Porter from the Navy Yard at Norfolk, to Eich
mond, about the 23d of June, (1861), for consultation on the same
subject generally and to aid in the work."
It is unfortunate that that order was not found. Messrs.
Porter and Williamson denied that they were summoned to con
fer about any plans of Lieutenant Brooke, and the order could
have determined the matter if it was among the Navy Depart
ment records. It was not produced; The 23d of June, 1861,
was Sunday, and the Department was not "open for business" on
that day.
Second. — The Secretary says: "Constructor Porter brought
and submitted the model of a liat-bottomed, light draft, propeller,
casemated battery, with inclined iron-covered sides and ends,
which he deposited in the Department. Mr. Porter and , Lieu
tenant Brooke have adopted for their casemate a thickness- of
Avood and iron, and an angle of inclination almost identical."
Hence, from the Secretary's recollection of Mr. Brooke's rough
drawings they were similar to Mr. Porter's model, then in his
office, as to the shield of the vessel. Mr. Porter's model was tan
gible and practical, Mr. Brooke's " rough drawings " were ideal
and imaginative. Can any one draw from this a conclusion that
the board directed that the Merrimac be changed into an iron
clad after the rough drawings of Mr. Brooke and not the matured
model of Mr. Porter.
Third. — The Secretary says : " Mr. Porter originated all of the
interior arrangements, by which space has been economized, and
has exhibited energy, ability and ingenuity."
It seems, therefore, even from the recollections of Secretary
Mallory, that Mr. Porter not only carried to Eichmond with him
a model of a vessel with the Merrimac's shield on it, but lie origi
nated all of the interior arrangements of the vessel
Fourth. — The Secretary says : " Mr. Porter cut the ship down,
submerged her ends," &c.
Her ends were submerged by the Federal authorities who burned
her. There was no submerging of her ends as contemplated in
Mr. Brooke's idea of Avater-tight tanks to regulate her draft. She
was built upon a straight line from stem to stern.
Fifth. — He says the Department directed Mr. WiUiamson,
Lieutenant Brooke and Mr. Porter to report upon the best mode
of making the Merrimac useful. The result of their investiga
tions was the recommendation of the submerged ends and the in
clined casemates for this vessel, which was adopted by the De
partment."

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 345
Their report, which is published in full in this chapter, contains
nothing of that character. It speaks for itself and contradicts the
Secretary. When the question of the consideration of the Merri-
luac was submitted to the board does not appear, and aU three of
the members of the board have stated that the convei-sion of the
Merrimac into an iron-clad was purely accidental, and the result
of circumstances, not of original design.
Sixth. — The Secretary says: "We were compelled to deter :.
mine the inclination of the plates by actual experiment."
The Secretary's memory is greatly at fault here, too. The an
gle of inclination of the plates was marked in Mr. Porter's
drawing's when he submitted them to the Secretary at the time
the order was given to begin the work, and was not altered. Those
drawings are now in the possession of the author, and are an un
questionable proof that the angle, of inclination was designed by-
Mr. Porter, from his own judgment, when he prepared the draw
ings of the vessel, and not as the result of any experiments made
by Lieutenant Brooke subsequent to that date. The shield wtls
built upon an angle of 35 degrees, just as is delineated in the
original drawings which were submitted to Secretary Mallory July
llth, 1861.
¦Seventh. — The Secretary says : " Mr. Brooke's plan was adopted'
by the Department." Well, suppose the Department did adopt
Mr. Brooke's plan, which, up to that time, consisted only of some
rough drawings, that plan was not considered by Mr. Williamson
and Mr. Porter, and was not in the mind of the Secretary him
self when he ordered the work to be commenced on the Merri
mac, for he wrote an autograph order to Commodore Forrest di
recting liiin to proceed with all practicable dispatch to make the
changes in the Merrimac, and to build, equip and fit her in all
respects according to the designs and plans of the Constructor
and Engineer, Messrs. Porter and William,son.
These discrepancies between Secretary Mallory's report and cer
tain facts which have been so well established as to become
axiomatic, are referred to simply to show the unreliability of an offi
cial report which is based upon memory,without regarding cotempo
raneous documents.
Lieutenant Brooke has borne testimony in behalf of Construc
tor Porter. At the session of Congress of 1862-3 a joint commit
tee of the Senate and House of Eepresentatives was appointed to
investigate Mr. Mallory's management of the Navy Department,
and on the 26th of February, 1863, Lieutenant Brooke testified
before the committee.. See their published report, page 410. He
said :
" The Constructor brought with him a model. I should have
said the name of the Constructor was J. L. Porter. This model
is one of the models now in the Secretary's room. It cbnsisted
23

346 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
of a shield and hull," &c. * * * "The Secretary directed
the Constructor, Chief Engineer Williamson and myself to meef
him at my office here. , We met there and this model was exam
ined by us all, and the form of the shield was approved. It was
considered a good shield, and for ordiuOTy purposes a good boat
for harbor defence." * * * " Mr. WiUiamson proposed to
put the shield on the Merrimac, Mr. Porter and myself thought
the draft was too great, but Avere nevertheless of the opinion that
it was the best thing that could be done with our means." Mr.
Brooke further says, after telling of the adoption of Mr. Porter's
shield, "the Secretary then called the attention of Mr. Porter
and Mr. Williamson to the drawing giving a general idea of the
vessel I proposed."
Therefore, from Lieutenant Brooke's own testimony, the shield
of the Merrimac was Mr. Porter's shield, and it was at Mr. Wil
liamson's suggestion that it was put on that vessel, and further
more, the shield was adopted before his plans were submitted to
the board. How, then, could the vessel have been converted into
an iron-clad after Mr. Brooke's plans? Was there anything about
her pertaining to an iron-clad except her shield ? Was there any
thing about her except her shield which could be. dignified into
the name of a, plan ? . ' . '
The article previously referred to, written b}- Lieutenant Cates
by Jones, has been referred to by friends of Lieutenant Brooke
as a proof of his claim. Lieutenant Jones said :
"The Merrimac was raised and on June 23d following the
Hon. S. E. Mallory, Confederate Secretary of the Navy, ordered
that she should be converted into an iron-clad on the plan pro
posed by Lieutenant John M. Brooke, C. S. N."
Following the same views expressed by Lieutenant Jones, Cap
tain John laylor Wood wrote to the Century Magazine:
"During tiie summer of 1861 Lieutenant George [John] M.
Brooke proposed to Secretary Mallor}- to raise and rebuild this
ship as an iron-clad. His plans were approved and orders were
given to carry them out."
Those two gentlemen give Lieutenant Brooke more credit than
he claims. He testified under oath before the Congressional
committee that the proposition to make an iron-clad of the Mer
rimac first came from Chief Engineer Williamson, and that he
himself opposed it. Nor were any orders ever issued by Secretary
Mallory to make an iron-clad of her after Mr. Brooke's plans.
The order to make her an iron-clad distinctly specified " the plans
of the Constructor and Engineer, Messrs. Porter and William
son," and an order issued six weeks later proposed to hold those
two officers " personally responsible " for their success. The order
was issued July llth, 1861, and not (on Sunday) June 23d, 1861.
Lieutenant Jones seems to have had no authority for his version.

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Mr John L.Porter's Model. Jun r, 1861

348 NORFOLK COUNTT. 1861-6.
nor could he produce any such order as he refers to, and Captain
Wood seems to have baSed his article upon Lieutenant Jones.
But such is history 1
As soon as the report of Secretary Mallory A\-as made public
Constructor Porter, witii tiie sanction of Chief _ Engineer Wil
liamson, replied to it as foUows through the Eichmond Exam
iner : Navy Yard, GosPOR'r, April Sth, 1861.
To the Editor of the Examiner :
Sir. — I find in the Examiner of the 4th instant a report of the
Secretary of the Navy to Congress, giving a detailed' statement of
the origin of the iron-clad Virginia. I feei sorry to have to re
ply to this report, inasmuch as it is published -over the signature
of the Secretary, * * but justice to myself requires that 1 should
reply to it.
The report commences by stating that "on the 1 Oth of June
Lieutenant Brooke was directed to aid the Deparment in design
ing an iron-clad war vessel and fiaming the necessary specifica
tions, and in a few dayii submitted to the Department rough
drawings of a casemated vessel with submerged ends and inclined
plated sides, the ends of the vessel and the eaves te be submerged
two feet." I do not doubt the statements of the Secretary, but
no such plans were submitted to the board, and, from the fact
that the master carpenter had returned to this yard without com
pleting any plans, and myself being sent for immediately, and
from me further fact that the Secretary presented us no plans
from this source, I stated in my last communication that Lieuten
ant Brobke failed to produce anything, after a A^•eek's trial, and I
am still of that opinion, so far as anything tangible is concerned.
The report states that " the practical mechanic who was brought
up from Norfolk was unable to make the drawings for Lieutenant
Brooke, and that the Department then ordered Chief Engineer
Williamson and Constructor Porter fr(nn the Navy Yard at Nor
folk to Eichmond about the 23d of June, for consultation on the
same subject generaUy and to aid in the work."
I do not understand this part of the report exactly, but if it is
intended to convey the idea that we were to e.vainine any plan of
Lieutenant Brooke I never so understood it, neither did Ave act in
accordance with any sucli idea, as our report will show.
The report next refers to my model, which I carried up with
me, the shield and plan of which is carried out on the Virginia,
but the report seems to have lost sight of the fact that the eaves
and ends of my model were submerged two feet, precisely like the
Virginia. The ship was cut down on a straight line fore and aft,
to suit this arrangement, and the shield extended over her just as
far as the space inside would admit and leave room to work the

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 349
guns. A rough breakwater was built on it to throw off the water
forward. The report states that 1 " made a clean drawing of Lieutenant
Brooke's plan, which that officer then filed with the Department."
The only drawing that I ever made of the Virginia was made at
my office in this Navy Yard, and which -I presented to the De-
partiuent on tiie llth of July, just sixteen days after the board
adjourned. This drawing and plan I considered my OAvn, and not
Lieutenant Brooke's. As soon as I presented this plan the Secre
tary wrote the following order while o\'erything was fresh in his
mind concerning this Avliole matter :
Navy Department,
Eichmond, July llth, 1861.
Flag Officer F. Forrest :
Sir. — You Avill proceed with all practicable dispatch to make
the changes in the Merrimac, and to build, equip and fit her in
all respects according to the designs and plans of the Constructor
(ukI Engineer, Messrs. Porter and Williamson. As time is of
the utmost importance in the matter, you will see that the work
progresses without delay to completion.
S. E. Mallory,
Secretary Confederate States Na/oy.
What, I would ask, could be more explicit than this letter, or
what words could have established my claim stronger, if I had
dictated them?
The concluding part of this report says : " The novel plan of
submerging the ends bf the ship and the eaves of the casemate,
however, is the peculiar and distinctive feature of the Virginia."
This may all be true', but it is just Avhal my model calls for, and
if Lieutenant Brooke presented " rough drawings" to the Depart
ment carrying,out the same views it may be called a singular co
incidence, and here I would remark that my model was not cal
culated to have much speed, but was intended for harbor defence
onl)', and was of light draft, the eaves extending over the entire
length of the model and submerged al! around two feet, end and
rides, and the line on which I cut the ship down was just in- ac
cordance with this, but if Lieutenant Brooke's ideas, whicli were
submitted to the Secretary in his rough drawings, had been car
ried out, to cut her ends down low enough to buil-d tanks on to
regulate the draft of the vessel, she would have b^en rriueh lower
than my plan required, for all the water which now covers" her
ends would not alter her draft three inches if confined in tanks.
All of the calculations of the weights and displacements, and the
line to cut the ship down, were determined by myself, as well as
her whole arrangements.

350 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
That Lieutenant Brooke may have been of great assistance to
the department in trying the necessary experiments in determin
ing the thickness of the armor, getting up her battery and attend
ing to the shipping of the iron, &c., I do not doubt, but to claim
for him the credit of designing the ship is a matter of too much
interest to me to give up. Engineer Williamson discharged his
duties with great success. The engines pef ormed beyond his most
sanguine expectations, and these, with the improvements in her
propeller, increased her speed three miles per hour. * * The
Secretary of the Navy has not only been my friend in this Gov
ernment, but was a true and serviceable one under the U. S. Gov
ernment, and has rendered me many acts of 'kindness for which I
have always esteemed him, but the present unpleasant controversy
involves a matter, of so much importance to me that I shall be ex
cused for defending my claim, not only as the constructor, but the
originator of the plan of the Virginia.
John L. Porter,
Confederate States Naval Constructor.'"
There seems to have been a difference of recollection as to what
became of Lieutenant Brooke's rough drawings. lie says Sec
retary Mallory laid them before the board. Messrs. Williamson
and Porter s^ they were not before the board, or considered by
it, and Mr. M!allory is silent on the subject. He says the board
adopted Mr. Brooke's plan of submerged ends, but does not say
how he obtained the information, nor does he claim to have been
present at the conference.
Messrs. Williamson and Porter say the plans of Mr. Porter
were adopted, and that it was-decided to build a new vessel after
his model and Mr. Porter first made the proposition to adapt them
to the Merrimac, after finding out the impracticability of getting
an engine for a new boat. Mr. Brooke says Mr. Porter's shield
was a,dopted and Mr. Williamson first proposed to Apply it to the
Merrimac. Chief Engineer WiUiamson gave to Mr. Porter a letter certify
ing to the fact that the Merrimac was converted into an iron-clad
after his plans and not after plans of Mr. Brooke. That letter
was burned up in Mr. Porter's office in Eichmond, but there are
witnesses living at this writing who have read it. There are wit
nesses too, living who were on intimate terms with Chief Engi
neer WUliamson, and to whom he expressed himself freely on the
subject of the Merrimac, and to those he always said Mr. Porter
was her projector. Mr. WiUiamson's death prevented Mr. Porter
from getting a duplicate of his letter, but its contents and his
views upon the subject can be substantiated by hving witnesses.
The foUowing letters wiU bear out what has been said on this
subject. The first was sent to the author by Captain Wm. E.
Singleton :

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UIRGINIA (MERRIMAC)

352 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-6.
Washington, D. C, June 15th, 1891.
Dear Sir — * "' In 1857, Avhen I was constructing enghi-
eer in charge of the Pensacola Navy Yard, Mr. John L. Porter
was the naval constructor and Lieutenant John Newton, (since
then General and Chief Engineer) was in charge of Forts Pickens,
McCrea and Barrancas. As we were, all three, from Norfolk and
Portsmouth, Virginia, and, in early days, school boys together, we
frequently met at the Navy Yard. On one occasion in my office,
the conversation turned upon defences of harbors, &c. Mr. Por
ter explained to us by diagrams, his method of constructing a ves
sel, which he said originated with him at the time he was con
structing the naval ship at Pittsbni-g, in 1846. ¦* * I can re
member the sketches made at the Pensacola Yard in 1857. The
Merrimac was altered to suit the broad idea so far as she could be
in her then condition. I believe subsequently the Eichmond was
constructed from the beginning, as was his original idea.
Hoping that Mr. Porter will get the credit" to Avhich I always
insisted that he was justly entitled, 1 am.
Very respectfully yours,
Wm. E. Singleton,
Zate Constructing Engineer U. S. Navy.
Chief Engineer Schroeder, in the following letter, bears testi
mony to the existence and character of Mr. Porter's iron-clad, de
signed in Pittsburg in 1846, and also to the views of Chief En
gineer Williamson as to the projector of the Virginia:
Norfolk, Va., January Sth, 1892.
Dear Sir — During the late war my duties took me frequently
to the Bureau of Steam Engineeringin Eichmond, a-nd 1 often
heard, while there. Major Wm. P. Williamson, the Engineer in
Chief, say that the design of the Merrimac's shield was that of
Mr. John L. Porter, who was the Chief Constructor of the C. S.
Navy. Major Wilhamson was a member of the board which re-
commended making an iron-clad of the Merrimac. I distinctly
remember sketches and plans, similar in design to the siiield of the
Merrimac, which Mr. Porter had made in Pittsburg years prior to
the war. Yours truly, Chas. Schroeder.
Tliese two letters, together with the plans of the vessel hi Con
structor Porter's sketch book of naval designs, establish very
-clearly the fact that in 1846, fifteen years before Mr. Porter ever
:saw Lieutenant Brooke, he designed an iron-clad vessel in Pitts
burg, the shield of which was of the same design as the-sliield he
put on the Merrimac. This was ten years. before England and
France began experimenting on the subject of iron-clads, hence
there is no good reason to question that the first iron-clad vessel

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 353
ever designed, was the Avork of a native and citizen of Ports
mouth. That Chief Engineer Williamson, over his own signature, has
certified that Constructor John L. Porter Avas the projector of the
vessel, will be seen from the following letter :
Norfolk, Va., January 9tli, 1892.
Sir — During the late war I Avas chief clerk in the office of
Chief Constructor John L. Porter, Confederate States Navy, cor
ner of Main and Eleventh sti-eets, Eichmond. The office of Chief
Engineer Wm. P. Williamson, of the Bureau of Steam Engineer
ing, was in an adjoining room, and scarcely a day passed without
his coming in Mr. Porter's office forconsnltation. We frequently
talked on the subject of the Merrimac, and he told me repeatedly
that she was made into an iron-clad after the plans of Mr. John L.
Porter, and that there was no ground whatever for the claim
which Lieutenant Brooke had set up to being her projector. I
also remember having read a letter to that effect which Mr. Wil
liamson gave to Mr. Porter, and which was, in all probability,
¦burned with the other papers in Mr. Porter's office, at the evaci^-
ation of Eichmond by the Confederates in April, 1865. Mr.
Porter was, at that time, absent from Eichmond, having gone to
North Carolina OT- business for the Navy Department, and the
building in which his office was located, was burned in the general
conflagration. Very respectfully,
Jno. W. Borum.
Commodore Marshall Parks, an intimate friend of Chief En
gineer Williamson, had many opportunities to learn from him the
history of the Merrimac, and has furnished the author with the
following testimonial, both as to the character of the model Con
structor Porter took with him to Eichmond and as to Chief En
gineer Williamson's statement of what took place at the meeting
of the board on the 25th of June, 1861.
Norfolk, Va., January Oth, 1892.
Dear Sir — In reply to your communication I will state that
Avhen I was appointed by the Governor and Council of North
Carolina as commissioner w-itii Commander Muse (who had re
signed from the United States Navy) to establish her navy, I had
to visit tiie Gosport Navy "i'ard frequently to obtain supplies for the
gunboats we had purchased and were fitting out at Norfolk. I Avell
recollect on one of those visits Naval Constructor John L. Porter
exhibited to me a model of an iron-clad which was identically the
same plan which was afterwards applied to the Merrimac.
He subsequently carried it to Eichmond, and orders were given
to carry out his plan. I Avent to Ealeigh and informed the Gov
ernor and members of the Legislature of the plan, and suggested
that some small iron-clads be built for the defense of the. North
CaroUna sounds. I recoUect that the plan so impressed me and

354 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
them, that I was directed to write a " Bill " to authorize the Gov
ernor to have some vessels built on the plan, and it was passed
immediately. The State of North Carolina soon after this decided to join the
Confederacy, and I was directed to go to Eichmond and turn over
all the steamers we had purchased and fitted out to the Confeder
ate States Navy Department. I have had a life-long acquaint
ance with Major W. P. Williamson, who was the senior engineer
of the United States Navy, and during andsince the war he always
expressed himself to rne that the Merrimac was converted into .an
iron-clad after the plans of Mr. John L. Porter, and that Lieuten
ant John M. Brooke had nothing to do with her except to super
intend the preparation of a portion of her guns.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
•Marshall Parks.
As all of Naval Constructor Porter's original drawings are
still in existence, subject to the inspection of any one who has any
desire to look at them, and, as they speak for themselves, and as
the foregoing letters are from gentlemen and officials who were
in positioiis to know the facts of which they write, there can be
but one conclusion drawn from them and that i6,j;liat the Merrimac
was converted into an iron-clad after the plans of Naval Construc
tor John L. Porter. The evidence may be summed up briefly.
Mr. Porter invented an iron-clad in 1846, the plan of which,
submerged the eaves too feet below the water line. In May,
1861, he had a model made at the Gosport Navy Yard, changing
somewhat the shape of the hull of his Pittsburg boat, but retain
ing the features of her shield and submerged eaves. She was
submerged all around, eaves and ends.
In June, 1861, Lieutenant Brooke was in consultation with
Secretary Mallory on the subject of iron-clads and Mr. Joseph
Pierce, Master Ship Carpenter of the Gosport Navy Yard, and
afterwards a Naval Constructor in the Confederate Navy, was
sent to Eichmond to help him develop his idea, but nothing was
developed and no vessel was designed, no specifications drafted.
On the 23d of June Mr. Porter went to Eichmond and took
his model with him, and on the 25th, by order of Secretary Mal
lory, Messrs. Williamson, Brooke and Porter met in Mr. Brooke's
office in the Navy Department and that model was laid before
them. The form of the shield was adopted (even Mr. Brooke ad
mits this) and, according to Mr. Brooke's recollection, Mr. Wil-
liamton suggessed that it be adapted to tiie Merrimac, but Messrs.
Williamson and Porter say the proposition first came from Mr.
Porter. Mr. Williamson could not have made the suggestion
for he did not know that the Merrimac could carry the shield, but
be that as it may, the shield which was on Mr. Porter's model was,
according to the statements of all three members of the board, di-

THE "VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 355
rected to be adapted to the Merrimac,i because there were no fa
cilities to build a new engine for a new boat, and Mr. Porter re
turned to the Navy Yard in Portsmouth to measure the remains
of that vessel, and prepare the plans. He made the plans unas
sisted by anyone, originated all of the interior arrangements, de
cided how long her shield would be,' fixed the angle of inclination
at 35 degrees, and cut her down so that the ends 9f her iron plat
ing, or eaves, would be two feet under water, just as was contem
plated in Ws Pittsburg vessel of 1846, and in the model which he
carried with him to Eichmond.
Lieutenant Bi-ooke's idea of submerging the ends of an iron
clad, according to Secretary MaUory's report, contemplated the
building of Avater tight tanks on them to regulate her draft of
water, and Mr. Porter shows that, had she been cut down in con
formity with Mr. Brooke's idea she would have been cut down
much lower than was actuaUy the case, for all of the water which
was over her ends would not have affected her draft three inches
if confined in tanks. Therefore she could not have been cut
down to suit Mr. Brooke's idea.
Messrs. Porter and Williamson were very explicit as to the
part Mr. Brooke performed, namely, that his connection with the
.plan of the ship consisted in superintending a portion of her bat
tery; and it will be remembered there were only three members
of the board, and no one but those three gentlemen were compe
tent to speak of what took place at their meeting.
But Mr. Porter completed the plans for the hull, took them to
Eichmond and submitted them to Secretary MaUory on the llth
of July, 1861, just sixteen days after the meeting- of the board.
Lieutenant Brooke's rough drawings, such as they were, and the
plan proposed therein, Avliatever it was, must have been fresh in
the Secretary's mind. If they made any impression upon him
there had not been time for it to have been eradicated, especially as
he and Mr. Brooke had been talking the matter over between
themselves from the 10th to the 25th of June, but whUe every
thing was fresh in his mind, if it had been Mr. Brooke's plan
- which he approved, Avould he have written his order to Commo
dore Forrest "to make the changes in the Merrimac, and to build,
equip and fit her in all respects, according to the designs and
plans of the Constructor amd Engineer, Messrs, Porter and Wil
liamson ? "
There is no mention in this order of Lieutenant Brooke or his
plans, nor was there in Mr. MaUory's report to Congress of July
ISth, 1861, nor in his order to Commodore Forrest of Aug. 19th,
declaring his purpose of holding Messrs. Porter and Williamson
personally responsible for the success of their plans. Charity to.
Mr. Mallory would say his report of March 29th, 1862, was the
result of a defective memory.
Had it been practicable Mr. Porter would not have submerged

356 NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
the ends of the Merrimac at all, but would have raised them out
bf the Avater like the ends of his Pittsburg model, and like he did
the iron-clads which were subsequently built for the Confederate
navy, but too much of her had been burned off for that, and, on
account of the manner of the construction of the hulk, it would
have been impossible to have built up and protected her ends
above the water without the expenditure of a great deal of time
and money, even if there had been enough of her left for that
purpose, hence he was compelled to arrange her after the plans
of his model, Avhich was submerged all around, eaves and ends,
the model he took to Eichmond, and vsrhich, according to Messrs.
Williamson and himself, he was directed to apply to the Merri
mac. The Merrimac was not selected as the result of any plan,
but simply because she had an engine in her which could be
utilized where it was, and the Confederates lacked the facilities
for building a new engine for a new boat. The burned portion
of her was cut away and the weight of her armor, armament, &c.,
submerged the remainder so that only her shield was out of
water. It is not probable that Constructor Porter would have
built a new vessel with her ends extending out under water be
yond her shield. He converted the Merrimac into an iron-clad
after that style through necessity, and not from choice. They
Avere the weak points of the ship, the crew had no place for re
creation and were kept in the casemate, the ends were liable to
spring aleak, and being hidden from sight, confused the pilot in
steering, besides retarding the vessel. The shield was extended
as far forward and aft as the sharjjness of her ends would permit.
It was a well known fact that pig iron was put on the Virginia
to sink her deeper in the water, and various writers have endeav
ored to account for this. Lieutenant Brooke, in his testimony be
fore the Congressional investigating committee, which has gone
forth to the world as history, says: "After tiie vessel was launched
Mr. Porter stated to me that he had accidentally omitted in his
calculations some weights which Avere on board the ship, in con
sequence of which she did not draw as much water when launched
as he anticipated." Mr. Brooke evidently made a mistake here.
Mr. Porter eould hardly have told him that, for if he had omitted
in his calculations any of the weights in the ship she would have
drawn vuire instead of le.^.-i Avater than he calculated. The facts
are, Mr. Porter had to give her more draft than Avas necessary to
prevent cutting into her propeller, which Avas already in the ship,
and this was the displacement Mliich had to be overcome by tiie
pig iron. Mr. Porter could hardly have told Mr. Brooke tiiat
tiie ship was launched. She was built in tiie dry-dock, and when
finished the water was turned in and she was simply floated off'
the blocks. She was not launched.
The cuts which are published of the Virginia, and also of the
vessel contemplated in Mr. Porter's model which he carried witii

THE " VIRGINIA" (MERRIMAC.) 357
him to Eichmond and submitted to the board, are very positive
evidence tiiat they_ were identical in plan, and Mr.. Brooke ad
mitted in his testimony before the Congressional nivestigating
committee that this shield was adojited by the board before his
oAvn niugh drawings were submitted to it. The converting of the
vessel into an iron clad conristed in putting the shot proof' shield
on her. That is all of an iron-clad nature there Avas about her,
all there Avas of a plan. AU of tiie rest of her was the result of
accident, and not design, and if any one is entitied to the credit
of submerging her ends beyond her shield, it was Commodore
Paulding of tiie United States Navy, Avho ordered the Gosport
Navy Yard to be burned, in consequence-of wkicli the Merrimac
was burned to the water's edge. The deck plan of the Virginia
shows for itself, that the shield was extended fore and aft as far as
the conformation of the ship would permit, and was there stopped
from necessity. When Constructor Porter drew the plang by
Avhich she Avas converted into an iron-clad he foUowed precisely
the plan which he had mapped out in his model, submerged her
eaves and ends two feet all around, and would have extended her
shield her entire length had she not been too sharp at the bow
and stern, and therefore he stopped it where the vessel became
too narrow to admit its being built any further. He did not de
sire any assistance from Mr. Brooke's undeveloped idea or unma
tured plans. The plans upon which he converted the Merrimac
into an iron-clad were his own, and were fully matured, deline
ated and calculated before he ever saw Mr. Brooke. No better
proof can be adduced of this than the original drawings of the
three boats, which are still in existence.
Subsequent to the publication of the report of Secretary Mal
lory Lieutenant Brooke applied to the Confederate Patent Office
and obtained a patent for "an iron-clad with submerged ends,
projecting beyond her shield," and it has been claimed for him
that this is an evidence that he was the author of the plans upon
which the Virginia Avas built into an iron-clad. There might be
some gi-onnds for this claim if the matter had been contested and
judicially decided when the patent was granted, but Naval Con
structor Porter had no knowledge that the patent was being ap
plied for, and therefore no opposition Avas made to it, and it was
issued as a matter of course. After it Avas granted it was not
worth contesting. No naval architect would construct a vessel in
that manner from choice. The Virginia grew out of the necessi
ties of the Confederacy and the want of facilities to build a new
engine for a new vessel. No iron-elads were subsequently built
Arith submerged projecting ends. Mr. Porter did not then fore
see that this patent would, in future years, be appealed to as
evidence to deprive him of the credit of his invention. The
claim set forth in the patent seerns to be solely for submerged
ends, and not for the iron-plated shield.

CHAPTEE XLVIII.
the battle of HAMPTON ROADS.
When the water was turned into the dry-dock and the Merri
mac was Hoated, her name was changed by order of the Secretary
of the Navy to "The Virginia," and tliough not really completed.
Captain Buchanan, who had been assigned to her as her comman
der, decided to proceed with her to attack the Federal vessels in
Hampton Eoads, and on the Sth of March, 1862, a little before
noon, she steamed slowly away from the Navy Yard. Both
banks of the river were lined with spectators, and the troops sta
tioned at the various batteries around the harbor cheered her as
she passed. She appeared on the water like a sunken house with
nothing but the roof above the tide. Her officers were :
Captain, Franklin Buchanan, of Maryland.
Lieutenants, Catesby ApE. Jones, of Virginia ; Chas. C. Simms,
of Virginia ; Eobert l). Minor, of Virginia ; Hunter Davidson, of
Virginia ; John Taylor Wood, of Louisiana ; J. E. Eggleston, of
Mississippi, and Walter E. Butt, of Virginia. -^
Midshipmen, E. C. Foote, of -Tennessee ; H. II. Marniaduke, of
Missouri; II. B. Littlepage, of Virginia; W. J. Craig, of Ken
tucky ; J. C. Lon'g, of Tennessee, and L. M. Eoots, of Virginia.
Paymaster, James Seniple, of Virginia.
Surgeon, D. B. Phillips, and assistant. A. S. Garnett, both of
Virginia. Captaiii of Marines, E. T. Thorn, of Alabama.
Enginees — Chief, II. Ashton Eamsay, of Arirginia ; assistants,
John W. Tynan, of Virginia ; Loudon Campbell, of Virginia ;
Benjamin Herring, of North Carolina; E. V. White, of Georgia;
E. A. Jack, of Virginia, and Eobert Wright, of Virginia.
Boatswain, Charles II. Hasker ; Gunner, Charles B. Oliver ;
Carpenter, Ilugli Lindsay; Clerk, Arthur Sinclair, Jr.; V^olunteer
Aide, Douglas F. Forrest; Commandant United Artillery, Cap
tain Thomas Kevill, all of Virginia.
Pilots, Wm. Parrish, Wm. Clarke, Hezekiah . WUliams and
George Wright, all of tiie Virginia Pilots' Association.
Her crew was made up of about three hundred men, some of
whom were seamen, but the larger portion were landsmen, who
volunteered from the army, but for such service as was expected
on the Virginia, landsmen were as good as seamen. No record
has been kept of the names of the crew. Some of the men were
obtained from General Magruder's army on the Peninsula, some
were from Norfolk county and Portsmouth, and thirty-one men
from the United ArtiUery Company of Norfolk, under Captain
358

THE BA TTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS 3 59
Kevill, volunteered to make up her complement. Sixteen of tiiat
number manned the forward gun on the starboard ride and the
rest were distributed among the other guns' crews.
In order to guard against any accident to her machinery, her
engines were worked very slowly until she reached Hampton
Eoads. Chief Engineer Eamsey is reported as having said " he
had little confidence in it," but it worked very well during the
engagement. After pasring Seawell's Point the pilot took the
soutii channel for Newport News, where the frigate Congress and
.sloop-of-war Cumberland were lying at anchor. While the Vir
ginia was heading for Newport News the United States steam
frigate Minnesota started from Old Point by the north channel
to the assistance of her consorts, and was soon followed by the
steam frigate Eoanoke and the sailing frigate St. Lawrence. The
Minnesota grounded about a mile and a half from Newport News,
and the Eoanoke and St. Lawrence, seeing the result of the bat
tie with the Congress and Cumberland, retired to Fortress Mon
roe, not, however, before the latter had received a 7-inch shell
from the Virginia.
While the Minnesota was moving up from Fortress Monroe she
passed within range of the rifle guns in the Confederate batteries
at SeaweU's Point, manned by the Jackson Grays, Captain Wm.
II. Stewart, of Norfolk county. Company A, 61st Virginia Eegi
ment, and they opened fire upon her. She returned the fire, but
Avithout eft'ect. Several shots from the battery struck the ship,
and one of them lodged in her mainmast. The officers of the
Minnesota took this for a shell from a six-inch Armstrong gun.
The Virginia was accompanied by the gunboats Ealeigh, Lieu
tenant J. W. Alexander, mounting one rifle 32-pounder gun, and
Beaufort, Lieutenant Win. II. Parker, mounting one rifle 32-
pounder and one 24-pounder. The lookouts on the Congress and
Cumberland sighted the Virginia as soon as she passed Cra
ney Island and both ships prepared for action. Moving
slowly -towards the enemy. Captain Buchanan gave the order to
fire the bow gun at the Cumberland when about a thousand yards
from her. The gun was a seven-inch rifle, and it was so well
aimed that the shell passed through the Cumberland, raking her
fore and aft and doing fearful execution. Thecaptain of the gun
was named Cahill. He was from New Orleans, and volunteered
from one of the Louisiana regiments at Yorktown to serve on the
Virginia. Mr. Eichard Curtis, formerly of Portsmouth, but now
of Norfolk, was also at this gun. He entered the Confederate
service in one of the Hampton companies which was attached to
General Magruder's command, and, like Cahill, volunteered to
serve on the Virginia. The course the Virginia pursued brought
her abreast of the Congress before reaching the Cumberland, but
passing the former -vessel with a broadside, Captain Buchanan

360 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
. stood for the Cumberland and passed word down to his crew to
stand fast, that he Avas going to ram her. True to his purpose, he
struck her on the starboard' side, knocking in her a large hole,
from which she filled and sank in about fifteen minutes. The
Congress and Cumberland both opened their guns npon 4110 Vir
ginia, but the shots glanced liarmlessl.y from her shield. As the
Cumberland careened over from the blow of the Virginia the
men on the Virginia saw her bulwarks lined with sailors and ma
rines armed with cutlasses and muskets to repel an attack of
boarders, her commander thinking that was the purpose of the
Virginia in coining su near without firing npon her. Almost im
mediately after the impact the bow gun of the Virginia was fired
a second time into the Cumberland, and the sponger, in his en
thusiasm, leaped into the port hole to sponge out the gun. As he
did so he was killed by a musket ball from the Cumberland, which
entered his forehead. His name was Dunbar, and he, too, was
from New Orleans. Passing beyond the Cumberland, which soon
went down bow foremost, with her colors flying and guns firing,
the Virginia kept on until she found room to turn around, when
she returned to engage the Congress. This vessel was run ashore
by her commander to escape the ramming power of the Virginia,
but was soon disabled, her decks strewn with dead and wounded
and the vessel on fire in three or four places. After about an
hour's firing she hoisted a Avhite flag in token of surrender. The
Beaufort and Ealeigh steamed alongside of her and took posses
sion. Two of her officers, Lieutenants Smith and Pendergrast,
went on board the Beaufort and surrendered their swords, after
which the.y asked permission to return to the Congress to assist in
removing the wounded to the Beaufort, as the Congress was on
fire. The permission was granted, but they availed of it to make
their escape to the shore and never returned to the Beaufort The
enemy kept up a constant fire of muskefry and artillery from the
shore to prevent the Confederates from taking possession of the
vessel, and a number of men on the Ealeigh and Beaufort were
killed and wounded, among them some of the Federal" prisoners
from the Congress. Lieutenant Minor, of the Virginia, while
rowing to the Congress in the Virginia'slaunch Avas also wounded.
This determined Captain Buchanan to destroy her.' He accord
ingly set her on fire with hot shot from the Virginia. She burned
until about midnight, when, the fire having reached her powder
magazine, she was blown up. During the engagement Captain
Buchanan stood in one of the hatchways in the top of the Vir
ginia's shield, and, from that position, directed the movements of
the vessel, but desiring to return the fire from the shore, he called
for a musket, and getting above the shield, so that he could take
better aim, he exposed nearly his whole body, and his thigh bone
was broken by a musket ball from the shore. The wound disa-

TEE BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS 361
bled him, and the command of tiic vessel devolved upon Lieuten-
ant Jones. Captain Buchanan's leg was subsequently amputated.
Lieutenant Jones noAv directed his attention to the Minnesota,
which Avas stUl aground, and separated from tiie Virginia by tiie
"middle grouiul," or shoal. Before the Congress snrrondci-cd the
Conledcrato vessels had been reinforced by tiio James river
squadron, composed of tiie Patrick Ilenry, twelve guns, under
Ca]-)tain John E. Tucker, the Thomas Jefferson, two guns, under
Lieutenant J. il. Barney, and the. Teazer, two guns, under Lieu
tenant W. C. Webb. These vessels ran past the shore batteries
at Newport Xcws witiiout suffering any material injury, except
that the Patrick Henry reeci\-od a shot through her boiler, which
disabled her ten ipoi-ai-ily. The escaping steam scalded four men
to death. The Tluiuias Jefferson towecl her out of action, and,
after a delay of about t\\-o hours repairing damages, she returned
and played a prominent part in tiie battle. These vessels being
of fighter draft than the Virginia, succeeded in getting much
nearer to the Minnesota tiian tiie iron-clad could. Ihe Minnesota
was very badly cut up, and Captain Van Brunt, her commander,
says it was more from tiie fire of the gunboats tiian from the Vir
ginia. The engagement was kept up until darkness prevented a
proper aim, when the Confederate vessels retired to SeaweU's
Point, with the intention of renewing the battle m the morning.
During the night efforts Avere made to get the Minnesota afloat,
but they were nnsucce.ssful, and in the morning she was l,ying al
most exactly Avhere she grounded the day before. About 7 a. m. ~
on the 9th the Confederate flotilla again advanced against her for
the 23urpose of completing her destmction. A new antagonist,
hoAA^ever, appeared upon the scene and offered battle. This was
a Federal iron-clad Avhich had arrived durhig the night, and
proved to be the Ilricsson Tilonitor. It consisted of a hull, sharp
at both ends, standing about eighteen Inches out of the water, and
amidships on the deck was a round turret of iron, nine inches
thick, in which were two eleven-inch Dahlgren guns. When the
Monitor first made her appearance from behind the Minnesota
she looked like a raft to the people on the Virginia, and Lieuten
ant Daridson remarked, " The Minnesota's crew are leaving her
on a raft," but the raft started towards the Virginia and showed
fight. The detaUs of this combat are very interesting in marking
a new era in naval warfare. For the first time in the history of
the world two iron-clads were contending for the mastery. They
were made upon different plans — that of the Virginia, with in
clined sides, was the better plan of the two, and has since been
adopted by the United States Government in the construction of
its later war vessels, but the greater mechanical facilities at the
disposal of the United States enabled that Government to build
the better war vessel upon an inferior plan. The Virginia's great
24

362 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
length, deep draft (.if water and inferior machinery Avere disad-
A^antages as coiiqiared witii her antagonist's greater speed, lighter
draft and ability t(i turn in a shorter space. The armor of the
Monitor Avas five inches tiiieker than that of the Virginia, and
was made in large plates witiiout 'the «'ooden backing, but, being
perpendicular, had to resist tiie shots of the Virginia by main
strength, while the incfincd sides of the Virginia caused the
shots of the Monitor to glance off Avithout imparting their fuU
momentum. When the iron-elads became engaged llie Confederate wooden
ves.sels retired from the contest to a^\'ait the result of the battle.
For several hours, part of which the two ships were almost touch
ing each other, they continued pouring broadside after broadside
into each other Avit'liont any ajiparcnt effect. The Monitor fir-ed
both sofid shot and shell, Avliile tiie A'irginia had nothing but
shell. These Avere not heavy enough to penetrate the Monitor's
armor, while the heavy projectiles from that vessel glanced harm
lessly from the Virginia's inclined sides. Both seemed to be in
vulnerable. At one time during the action the Virginia got
aground, and the Monitor took up a favorable position for attack,
but she soon floated again and attempted to run down the Moni
tor ; the latter, however, partially avoided the blow, which glanced
from -her side. It has been claimed by Confederate authority
that, but for a mistake made at this time on the part of the Vir
ginia, she would liaA'e forced the Monitor under water. It is said
that while her boAv was pressing against the. Monitor's side that
vessel was being badly car-eencd, and that a few more forward
turns of the A'^irginia's propeller would ha\e forced her under the
water, bnt the AHrginia's engines Avero reversed and the two ves
sels separated. Finally a shell from the Virginia struck the' pilot
house of the Monitor and disabled her commander. Lieutenant
John L. Worden, who had taken up his position there. The
Monitor then withdrew from the fight and steamed aAvay towards
Fortress Monroe. The Virginia again turned toAvards the Min
nesota as if to complete her destruction, and Captain Van Brunt
Avas considering the propriety of setting her on fire to prevent her
falling into the hands of the Confederates when, very much to
his surprise, as well as to his delight, the Virginia changed her
course and steamed for SeaweU's Point, whence she continued on
..to the Navy Yard. No satisfactory reason has been given why
the Virginia left the Eoads without first destroying the Minne
sota. The Monitor had AvithdraAvn from the fight and the Min
nesota lay there a helpless prey, unable to move. The reported
leak on the Virginia's boAv, caused b}- the breaking off of her beak
^\'hen she rammed the Cumberland, Avas an insignificant affair at
best, and had been stopped by Mr. Hasker, the boatswain. The
machinery of the vessel was working very well, the tide did not

THE BA TTLE OF HA MPTON It OA US. 363
necessitate her return, for sho remained in tlie Eoads until dark
the day before, and there was no necessity for her immediate re
turn to the Navy Yard. The only incon\enience which resulted
from the action Avas the j'lerforation of her smokestack Avith nu
merous shot holes, but the withdraAval of the Monitor left the
A'irglnia in a position to have had those stopped njj temporarUy,
and with -little loss of time. As it Avas, her returning to the Navy
Yard Avitiiont first destroying the Minnes(5ta has enabled the
Northern historians to lay claim to a victory for the Monitor.
Ca2:>tain \"an Brunt, commander of the ]\linncsota, in his official
report of the action, says the Monitor was the first to withdraw.
He says :
" The Merrimac, finding that she could make nothing of the
Monito)-, turned her attention once more to me, and liow, on her
second approach, I opened upon her with all my broadside guns
and ten-inch pivot gun, a broadside Avhich would have blown out-
of the water any timber-buift ship in the Avorld. She returned
my fire Avitli her rifled bow gun with a shell which passed through
the chief engineer's state room, through the engineers' mess room
amidships, and burst in the boatsAvain's room, tearing four rooms
into one, in its passage exploding tAvo charges of powder, which
set the ship on fire, bnt it Avas promptly extinguished by a party
headed by iny First Lieutenant. Her' second went through the
boiler of the tugboat Dragon, exploding it and causing some con
sternation on board my ship for the moment until the matter was
explained. This time I had concentrated upon h&r an incessant
fire from my gun deck, spar deck and forecastle pivot guns, and
AA'iis informed by my marine officer, who was stationed on the
poop, tiiat at least fifty solid shot sti-uck her on her slanting side
Avithout producing any apparent effect. By the time she had
fired her third shell the little Monitor had come doAvn upon her,
placing herself between ns, and compeUed her to change her po
sition, in doing which she grounded, and I again poured into her ¦
all tiie guns which could be brought to bear npon her. As soon
as she got off she stood down the' bay, tiie littie battery charing
her with all speed, when suddenly the Merrimac turned around
and ran full speed into her antagonist. * * * The Eebels
concentrated their whole battery upon the tower and pilot house
of the Monitor, and soon after the latter stood down for Fortress
Monroe, and Ave thought it probable she had exhausted her sup-
Sly of ammunition or sustained some injury. Soon after the
Eerrimac and the two other steamers headed for my ship, and I
then felt to the fuUest extent my condition. I Avas hard and im
movably aground, and they could take position under my stern
and rake me. * * * After consulting my officers, I ordered
every preparation to be made to destroy the ship after all hope
was gone to save her. On ascending my poop deck I ascertained

364 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
that the enemy's vessels had changed their course and were head
ing for Craney Island."
Thus it is apparent that, had the Virginia remained ten minutes
longer in Hampton Eoads, the Minnesota would have been de
stroyed by her own crew.
The Virginia returned to the Navy Yard and was docked. _ A
new and stronger prow was put on her, and a course of- t\^'0-inch
iron, extending four feet down from the knuckle, was placed all
around her, wrought iron shutters were fitlied to her four quarter
ports and solid shot were cast for her gr.ns. The holes in her
smokestack Avere patched and a half a dozen pieces "of armor plaf e
A^-ere removed and replaced by new ones. These alterations con
sumed nearly a month's time, and it was the Sth of April before
she came out of the dry-dock. Commodore Tatnall had in the
meantime, succeeded Captain Buchanan as her commander, and
on the llth of April, accompanied by the Patrick Henry, Thomas
Jefferson, Ealeigh, Beaufort, Teazer and a wooden tug or tender
from the Navy Yard, he steamed down to Hampton Eoads pre
pared to engage and capture the Monitor. Each of the small
steamers was manned with a boarding party. There were three
divisions on each boat, and it was expected that some of them
would be sunk b.y the Monitor before reaching her, but if any
one boat succeeded in boarding her the enterprise promised to be
successful. One division was directed to cover the pilot house
with tarpaulins to prevent the wheelsman from seeing ; another
was to drive iron wedges between the turret and deck to prevent
it from revolving, and the third was to ignite combustibles, such
as turpentine, &c., and throw them down the funnel into the tur
ret, and then cover the turret over with tarpaulins to smother the
crcAV. The Virginia found the Monitor under the guns of For
tress Monroe, and Commodore Tatnall, apprehending torpedoes
and shoal water^ approached her as close as he thought advisable
and then lay to, challenging her to come out and fight. The chal
lenge was not accepted, and, noticing two brigs and a schooner
anchored off Hampton bar, Commodore Tatnall ordered the
Thomas Jefferson to capture them. The capture was effected
Arithout any resistance, and, hoisting tiieir flags with the Union
down, to tempt the Monitor to come to their rescue, the Jefferson
took them in tow and carried them to Craney Island, whence they
were taken to the Navy Yard. The brigs were the Marcus, of
Stockton, New Jersey, and the Sabout, of Providence, Ehode
Island, and were loaded with hay for the United States army.
The schooner was the Catherine T. Dix, of Accomac county, Vir
ginia, and was in baUast. Finding the Monitor would not fight,
tiie Virginia returned to SeaweU's Point and anchored. This af
fair was witnessed by a couple of English and French men-of-war
which were anchored in the Eoads, and which, expecting a fight,
moved up towards Newport News, to give the combatants room.

THE BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS 365
It is more than probable that, had 'the Monitor come out to fight
the Virginia, she would have been captured.
She had anotiier opportunity to fight tiie Virginia on tiie Sth
'^l ^^^ but again declined. On tiiat day, a littie before noon,
the Federal fleet, consisting of tiie Monitor, Naugatuck, Minne
sota, Dacotah, Semiijole and San Jacinto, moved over to Sea
weU's Point and began bombarding the Confederate batteries.
The Virginia was at the Navy Yard, and steamed down to the
assistance of the batteries. As she turned Lambert's Point she
came within right of the Federal fleet about six or seven miles
lower down the river, and tiie entire fleet retired to Fortress Mon
roe. Commodore Tatnall pursued untU he reached the vicinit)'
of the Eip Eaps, Avlien he returned to SeaweU's Point.
On the first of May the order came to evacuate Norfolk and
Portsmouth, and tiie proper disporition to be made of the Vir-
finia became a question of considerable moment. Commodore
'atnall requested Naval Constructor Porter to ha^-e a set of
wooden port-bucklers made for her, to keep the water from com
ing in her port holes. He said he linew a port in Georgia where
there was sufficient depth of water for her, and he intended tak
ing her there. The bucklers were make, but were never taken
out of the carpenter shop at the Navy Yard. The fear of torpe
does at Fortress Monroe and the fact that the Virginia was not a
safe sea boat in stormy weather, when the waves would be liable
to wash over her, induced Commodore Tattnall to change his mind
about taking her to Georgia, and he commenced lightening her,
for the purpose of carrying her up James river. The pilots in
formed him that they could carry eighteen feet over the principal
bar in the river, and he desired to lighten her to seventeen feet.
Paymaster Semple inquired of Naval Constructor Porter if the
vessel would have stability on a draft of seventeen feet, but did
not volunteer any information as to the object of his inquiry. Mr.
Porter replied that she would. To have lightened her to that
draft, however, would have necessitated the removal of almost
everything in her, even to a part of her machinery. But the
Commodore began on the morning of the lOtli to throw overboard
everything moveable, and, having brought her hull out of water,
and not having succeeded in reducing her depth sufficiently to
have carried her over the bar, and having no means of again set^
tling her in the water, he determined to set her on fire and de
stroy her. Accordingly the match was applied and about day
break on the morning of the 1 1th she was blown up, the fire hav
ing reached her magazine. Thus perished by the hands of her
own commander this famous vessel, which the most powerful en
gines of war in the possession of her enemies were unable to in-
iure. How much more glorious Avould have been her end, and
how much higher her name would have stood in history, had her
commander, instead of setting her on fire, ran past Fortress Mon-

366 NORFOLK COUNTT, 1861-5.
roe and destroyed or dispersed McCleUan's fleet of wardships and
transports which Avere lying outside the fOrt and in York river.
The guns of Fortress Monroe were as powerless to injure her as
were tiiose of the Monitor, Minnesota, Cumberland and Congress.
The enemy gained everytiiing and lost nothing by her destruc
tion, and her late antagonists,' who were kept at bay by the terror
of her name, steamed boldly up to the twin cities which she had
so thoroughly guarded. Her crcAV marched to Suffolk and took
])art in the defence of ' Drury's Bluff later that month.
Whether or not Commodore Tatnall Avas justifiable .in destroy
ing the Virginia will remain a matter of discussion. A naval .
court of inquiry exonerated him from all blame, bnt his defence
of himself was marred by an attempt to blacken the good name
of the Virginia pilots and to fasten npon them the hnputation of
being deficient in personal courage.
The Federal Government had a wholesome fear of the Virginia
and offered rewards and promotion to any one Avho would destroy
her. The Navy Department ordered the Potomac river to" be
blocked Avitli vessels loaded with stone, to prevent her coming to
Washington. These preparations were kept up for several weeks,
until it Avas ascertained that her dra,ft of water was too great to
enable her to ascend the river. General Wool was authorized by
a dispatch from Washington, dated March 9th, at 1 p. m. (after
the Monitor liad retired from the fight), to evacuate Newport
News, bnt to hold Fortress Monroe at all hazards. President
Lincoln issued orders that the Monitor be not too much exposed ;
he was afraid to risk the consequences of another battle with the
A^irginia, and on the llth day of March, five days after the bat
tle between the two iron-elads, Quartermaster General M. C.
Meigs of the United States army, wrote to Captain Dahlgren, ^
coinmanding the AVashington Navy Yard, as foiloAvs :
" A^our telegram relative to barges received. I have ordered
eight more sent down. I have seen nothing yet to satisfy me
that in the next engagement the Monitor ^vill not be sunk."
These barges \\'erc to block up the l^'otomac river, and General
Meigs Avas correct. .Had the Monitor come out to fight on the
llth of AprU, when the N'irginia Avas prepared for her, she would
have been sunk or captured. General Wool, commanding the
department at Fortress Monroe, in a letter of the llth of March
to Secretary of War Stanton, expressed the fear that the Monitor
would be overcome in the next engagement and that Newport
News would have to be abandoned, and on the 15tli, the Secre
tary, having no faith in the abifity of the Monitor to Successfully
contend against the Virginia, proposed to make a contract Avith
Mr. C. A^anderbilt to destroy her, but Avhat the utmost exertions
of the United States Government Avere poAverless to do w&s done
by her own commander, and the first and most famous of iron
clads passed out of existence.

JVEahoneyville Distilling Conipany,
ALEXANDRIA, VA.,
Main Office, Nos. u and 13 High Street. ¦ PORTSMOUTH, U.

DISTILLEES Or

Arlington Pure Rye and Cameron Springs Whiskey
AND RYE MALT GIN.

ALSO

J. St E. 7VYMHONEY.
EKCTIFIEES AND AVHOLKSALE DEALEES IN
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PKOMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO ALL ORDERS.
Dealer in Piivnitiii-e, Carpets, Dr.v-Goods, Notions, Clothing, Trunks, Stoves,
Boots, Shoes, Glass, Crockery and Tinware. ,
Cor. High & Washington Streets, Portsmouth, Va.

Carrying the line of goods that I do, enables me to beat all competition.
/ The Cheapest Goods in this Section. Goods sold on installments.
.INO. N. HAET. WM. F. HAE'r.
JNO. N. HART & BRO.,
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Adjoining Godwin's Factory. PortsmOUth, Va.

DEALER IN IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC
Canned Goods & Groceries
508 CRAWFORD STREET,
PORTSMOUTH, --_  VIRGINIA.

JOS. R. WEAVEFR.
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Ql\^ii\iQal5, ^at^i\t iV\^6LiQir\^, ^^rflin\^ry
Fancy and Toilet Articles,
518 SOUTH STREET, - - - - PORTSMOUTH, VA.
Prescriptions Carefully Compounded.
NIEMEYER & CO.,
115 & 117 HIGH ST., PORTSMOUTH, VA.
CoalLinie,Cs!!is!itaiilEuilfaIlll^tsrial

AND COMMISSION MERCHANTS.

CITY STOVE HOUSE.
ALEXRDER & P0WELL,
 DEALEKS IN 
Cooking & Heating Stoves
Ranges, &c., Tinware iid House Furnishing: Goods,
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517 an(J 519 Ceawfoed St., - - - - Poetsmouth, Ya.
j^"Esta,blishecl 1865.

 DEALEE IN 
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OWKK3 ]BROS«5
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WILLIAM H. STEWART,
ATTOFRNEV AT L.A\A/,
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For the Court of Hustings for the City of Portsmouth and for
the Circuit Court of tiie County of JSTorfolb.
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W. B. JCDHIMSCDrsl,
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Office, ----- 502 County Street.
Residence, - - - 700 County Street.
P0RTS8V10UTH, - - - VIRGINIA.

The Bank of Portsmouth,
PORTSMOUTH, VA.
CDF=?C3ANIZE:D REB. QTH, ISOT.
The Oldest Bank in Portsmouth or Norfolk.
Capital paid in, §100,000; surphis and undivided profits, $31,500.
LEGH R. WATTS, President; J. L. BILISOLY, Cashier.
DIEECTOES.
Legh p. Watts, President, General Counsel Seaboard Air Line.
O. Y. Smith, Yice Pres't.-, Traffic Manager Seaboard Air Line.
John j\L Robinson, President Seaboard Air Line, Old Do
minion Steamship Co., Bay Line, etc., etc.
John II. Hume, of R. G. Hume & Bro.
W. Y..II. Williams, Secretary and Treas. of Portsnioutli Ins. Co.
E. N. Wilcox, of Hume & Bro,
Thomas Scott, Furniture Dealer.
Edwaed Mahoney, Retired Capitalist.
Geo. L. Neville, Contractor.
COKEESrONDENTS.
Chicago, Continental National Bank; Boston, National Revere Bank; New-
York, Importers and Traders National Bank; Richmond, State Bank of
Virginia; Baltimore, Meroliants' National Bank; Washington, National
Metropolitan Bank; Philadelpfiia, First National Bank, Independence Na
tional Bank, Corn Exchange National Bank.
Our connections North, East, West and in Virginia and Noi-th Carolina
enable us to offer the best facilities for coUections, which we make at reason
able rates.
John T. Gbii-fin, President. I J. H. Toombe, Cashier.
C^ITY DEf=0©l"rARY.
iV\^r(;]\ai\t5 ai\^ f'arnx^rs feai\k
PORTSMOUTH, VA.
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menced business December 1st, 1885.
Capital Stock, $51,500 ; Surplus and undivided profits, $35,000.
Transacts a general banking business. Accounts of farmers,
merchants and others solicited.
wTv. H. Williams, Secretary. I O- V. Smith, President.
i^ort5ii\olitt\ Ii\5Urai\Q^ Co.,
INCORPORATED 1852.:
The Only Home and the Oldest Fire Insurance Of
fice in Eastern Virginia.
Represents the Liverpool and London and Globe, Imperial, of
London ; Mutual Life, of New York ; Travelers, of Hartford.
The Leading Life and Accident Companies of the World.
Union Agency for sale of Railroad and Steamboat Tickets.
Office: Company's Building, 217 llig-h SI., - - - - Portsmouth, Va.

R. G. HU7VIE &L BRO.,
224 LIictH Street, Poetsmouth.
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SCHOOL SUPPLIES, OF ALL KINDS.
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ware, White Pine, Walnut, Ash and
^ Oak Lurnber, Hot-hed Sash, &c.
CoE. Queen and Watee Sts., - - PORTSMOUTH, VA.
JOHN C. EMMERSON,
WHOLESALE AND EETAIL DEALEE IN
LtJMBER, SHIHGLES and LATHS,
White Pine and Poplar a Specialty.
IS-STEAMBOATS SUPPLIED WITH WATER.-©!
MAIN OFFICE, S. W. COE. LONDON <t WATER STEEETS,
PORTSMOUTH, _ _ _ _ _ VIRGINIA.

THCDIVIAS SC^OXX.
317 HIGH STREET, PORTSMOUTH, VA.
'Tlie Oldest l^urniture F^ou^e
IN EASTERN VIRGINIA.
Beautiful Lines "of Furniture, Carpets, Mattings, Oilcloths,
Rugs, Mattresses, &c., always in stock.
Will be pleased to wait on liis friends.

J. S. CRAWFORD,
Furniture, Carpets, &c..
Desks, Pictnres, Oil Cloth and Matting, Feathers, Springs,
Mattresses and Pillows, Lace Curtains, Portiers and Wall Paper.
Country Orders Solicited. E"orthern Prices Duplicated.
Largest Furniture and Carpet House in the City.
Crawford Building, 221, 223 Higli Street,
PORTSMOUTH, VA.
G. M. REYNOLDS & CO.,
Insurance, Real Estate & Rental Agents,
AUCTIONEERS.
335 and 3.37 High Steeet, - - PORTSMOUTH, VA.

ESTABl_ISHEO IN 1SSI.

llsL, J. BRENT,
(^^i\^ral Qoi\tra(;tor ai\^ ^liil^L^r,
1309 and 1311 GREEN STREET.

Improved Facilities for Conducting the Business in all its Branches.
Estimates furnished on application.
All work promptly attended to.

H. B. WILKINS,
 ) DEALER IIM ( 
-^COKL- St IrlOOO.^
1213 Washington St., Portsnnouth, Va.
Has always on hand a full stock of First Class Pine and Hard
Wood, also the Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal.
Delivered to any part of city or county.

YALE UNIVERSITY

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