Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-08-19
Personnel of the Conservative Nominees.
GENERAL JAMES L. KEMPER.

James Lawson Kemner was born in Madi-
son county. Va, in 1924, his ancestors settling
in Virginia in 17O0 Early exhibiting evidences
Of the talents which have since distinguished
him, he was sent tn Washington College (now
Washington-Lee University.l at Lexington,
where he took the degree of Master of Arts
Subsequently he studied law in the Office of
Hon. George w. Summers. Charleston, Ka-
nawha county, now West Virginia. He had
scarcely entered upon the practice Of his pro-
fession when he was commissioned captain in
the volunteer army by President James K.
Polk 10 1S47 and joined the Army of Occupa-
ton in Mexico just fer the battle of Bueua
Vista, consequently seeing active service In that
war.
Returning from Mexico, he resumed the
practice Of his profession with great ability and
success and such was the public recognition of
his capaci'y and patriotism that the people of
Madison elected him in 1853 to represent them
in the House Of Delegates, where he took a
prominent place among the eminent men of
that day, and where his constituents continued
him by successive elections until the beginning
of the late war. In the Legislature he was
chairman of the Committee of Military Affairs,
and while member of the House was elected
a Brigadier General of Militia.
On the death of Speaker O. NJ. Crutch6eld.
he was unanimously elected to that position,
which he filled with dignity and ability for only
one session, when, the war of 1861 commencing,
he accepted the appointment Of Colonel of the
Seventh Regiment of Virginia Infantry from
G. vernon Letcher. Previous to the war he
was also for some time president OF the
Board Of Visitors of the Virginia Military In
stitute.
His commission as colonel of the Seventh
regiment was dated the 2od of May, 1861, and
he assumed command at Manassas, the regi-
ment then being $50 strong. With the Sew
enth regiment he was engaged in the battle of
Bull Run. July Is, 1861, where his regiment
temporarily formed part of a brigade command
ed by the then Colonel Jubal A. Early, and
aided in striking the final blow on the extreme
left of the Federal line which Immediately pre-
ceded and caused the retreat and rout of the
Federal army on that day.
Three days after the battle of Manassas the
Seventh regiment was Incorporated in the
brigade then commanded by General Long
street, but which was subsequently placed un
der General A. P. Hill, with whom Kemper
with his regiment was in the hottest Of the fight
at Williamsburg, May 5th, 1862, engaging the
enemy for nine successive hours, and capturing
several pieces of artillery and 400 prisoners.
Immediately after this battle he was promo
ted to the command Of the old brigade which
had been successfully commanded by Long
street, Ewel and A. P. Hill, and with it he
participated in the first days fight at Seven
Pines, May 81, 1862, and in the seven days
fighting around Richmond in the same year
At the second battle of Manassas, Brig. Gen.
Kemper temporarily commanded a division
composed of several Of the brigades afterwards
constituting Pickett's division. In that battle
he was opposed to the extreme left OF the ene-
my; but acting on his own judgment and taking
the responsibility, he changed front so as to
strike the enemy's flank, and soon after it was
done received messsg ge from Gen. X. r. Lee
commanding precisely the movement he had
already successfully accomplished with tremen-
dous loss to the Federals. He and his brigade
did honorable service at South Mountain and
Sharpsburg, and soon after the return OF the
Army Of Northern Virginia from the first Ma.
ryland campaign his brigade was Incorporated
in Pickett's division.
At the battle of Frederick sburg, in December,
1862 Gen Kemper with bis brigade was tenn
porariIy detached from the division and joined
the troops at Maryes Heights, on the after
noon of that day, under hot fire. He and the
brigade were again detached early in 1868, and
sent to North Carolina. where he commanded
the forces at Kingston, opposed to the FEEDER
ais under Gen. Foster, who then held Newbern
He reioined Picketts division in front OF Suf-
folk, Va, participating in the operations at
that point, and marched with the division into
PENNSYLVANIA, his troops taking their full share
in the terrible fight of Gettysburg. There Gen.
Kemper was desperately wounded, 1t was long
thought mortally, while gallantly leading his
men to the charge. He was carried OFT the field,
without hope of recovery, and was afterwards
taken prisoner. He was held prisoner In the
Federal hospitals for three months, when, upon
the written certificates of several Federal sur
geons that he must soon die he was exchanged
| for Brig. Gen. Graham, y. s. A., slightly
| wounded and captured at Gettysburg.
| After his exchage and return to Virginia,
| General Kemper was for long time too dlsa-
| bled to perform duty in the field. He attempt
| ed. nevertheless, to return to his brigade, but
the effort demonstrated his total inability to do
SO. Unable to perform field service, he was as
signed to the command of the local forces in
and around Richmond the reserve forces o
Virginia. and the Bureau Of Conscription, and
while in this position he sent 9 600 men into
the Confederate army from Virginia. lnJune
1864 he received his commission as Major
| General in the Confederate army.
| Upon his enforced retirement from the field
General Kemper addressed the following. he
roic letter to his late command, in which b.
who writes and those addressed are done equa
honor:
RICHMOND, May 2, 1864.
To the Officers and Men of Kemper's Brigade
For months it has been my expectation an