The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-14
fFor the Dispasch.1
Rcgsntors or the Tenth Virginia. Resf-
mcnf and Brief History AZ the

| Dcnt, n large number assembled at the 1 ell
low Massanutten Springs, situated about
twelve miles below Harrisonburg, Oh the
4th Instant. IN consequence of the con-
tinued rains. which had prevailed for several
days previous, the attendance was not ms
large as was anticipated. A large crowd OF
visitors and spectators. including not less
than three hundred Of the fair daughters OF
| the Valley, were present on the OCCASION, and
many cordial greeting and fcrvent grasp
Of the hand were iuterchanged by old COM
rat,es. many of whom had not met since the
surrender.
Colonel Mar,z, who is now the efficient
deputy clerk of our Circuit Cortland who
is now no less distinguished for bis modesty
and diftidcnce than he was in former days for
his courteous and soldierly bearing as the
regimental commander, aud his daShing and
| heroic courage on the field Of battle-cx-
planned the object Of the call 10 an address,
replete with beauty of diction and fervor
OF eloquence, that inspired an enthusiasm in
the assembled crowd that gave vent in rap
surous applause and long and loud huzzas.
DIR. S. Fl. Motlttt, our talented State sena-
tor. and who was the first surgeon OF the
Tenth Virginia, was next called out, and
responded in one OF his happiest efforts, re-.
counting many "reminiscences and paying
| handsome tributes to the gallant dead Of the
regiment.
Colonel c. T. O'Ferrall. the judge of our
County Court, and Captain John Paul, our
distinguished Common~ealth's attorney,
both Of whom We're gallant officers of the
cavalry service, being present as Invited
guests, were called out, and responded in
speeches such as they clone could make,
which stirred the hearts of all present to the
deepest depths by adding fuel to the Fl lme
already kindled aud dffused by Colonel
Martz and DR.. Motl'ett.
After sufficient order had been restored for
the transaction OF business, Robert Raglan,
Esq, was elected secretary and some resolu.
lions adopted looking to annual rtdnons
hereafter; of which you no doubt have been,
or soon will be, officially informed.
The members, accompanied by number
OF invited guests, then repaired to the ies'ai
board, which groaned under the weight OF
its bounteous supply, to which ample justice
wls done by all, and around which there
| was "ieast Of reason and flow of SOUL"
| During the years 1859 go quite military
spirit peryaded and was aroused through the
county Of Rockngham-in great measure
produced by the location Of 5. Is. gibbons,
Esq, 4 distinguished graduate OF the Nlrgl'
MIA Military Institute, who located 10 Harrl-
| Sonburg about that time and engaged III the
mercantile business. A volunteer company
was soon formed, Of which he was made cap
tain. There not being room enough ID DIS
COMPANY for all who wished to join, another
company was soon formed under the cap
taiucy of Judge james kenney. This spirit,
thus aroused, soon began 70 peryade the
county, which resulted in the iorma-
ton of four other companies 10 difler-
eut sections of the county-TlZ., one
in the vicinity of Mount Clinton,
with George Chrisman captain: one at NC
Gainesville with William =. Iancey cap
tain: one at Conrad'- Sore with George w.
Miller captain ;; and one at Bridge water with
John Brown captain. These companies, com
po,ed of the best material Of the county,
were all well drilled and uniformed IN their
several localities and during the winter OF
lSGO-'6l as soon as some OF the southern
States had seeded and the cloud OF war
thus began to appear above the southern
horizon, these several companies united and
were organized as the Fourth Regiment OF
Virginia Volunteers, under the following
field otficers-v,z, ). b. Gibbons, colonel;
f.. r. III. Warren, lieutcnant-colonel; and
George W. Miller major.
When the toc.in Of war was sounded by
Lincoln's proclamation calling on the
several States for $4,000 men, Colonel
Gibbons, without waiting for orders,
as soon as be saw this proclamation
issued orders for the several companies at
once to rendezvous at HarriSonburg, equip
pee! and prepared for any emergency; when
order was promulgated on the 10th OF April.
The regiment marched from Harrisonburg
on the 18th and reached Harper's Ferry on
the 18Th Ia hundred miles distan), where
we found the war actually begun on virgil
MIA SOIL. and military "contuslon worse con
founded
About the 1st Of May Stonewall Jackson
took command at Harper'S Ferry, ana at
orce began the work Of organizing the nu-
mcrous conpluieS which had assembled there
from various sections Of the State into reS'-
ments, and in this organization, from soue
cause lot pow remembered, the Fourth, Col
opel Gibbons, became the Tenth Virginia.
Four other companies in addition to the slX
aforementioned were assigned to it-Vlz,
COMPANY A, Captain Slower, from Slras-
burg: Company &, Captain SWAMP, from Ed
iuburg; Company Il, Captain Williams, from
Woodstock and Company X. Captain
Young, from Luray. The regiment, thus
enlarged, was reoticered with its original
field officers with the exception OF MAYOR
Miller, who was supplauted by Major 5. L.
Walker. the editor OF the Valley Democrat,
MAJOR Miller being compelled to rellre from
military service in consequence OF bad healto.
| The regiment was assigned to Kirby Smiths
brigade. which did such efficient service 10
reuulsing the right t1ink-moyement OF the
enemy at the first Manassas bSnt, ana lhere'
by SAVING the day. The zenith was soon
after placed in Elzy's brigade, aud there
remained until the spring OF 1857
when Jackson opened the campaign
at Kearnstowp), and all of the COM
panies of the regiment being from the
Valley, at their urgent solicitation, Colonel
Gibbons sought aud obtained transfer TO
the Third brigade General William Is. Iaila.
ferro's), which was in Jackson's division, and
there remained till the close of the war. Soon
after this transfer, the several companies OF
the regiment re0tganizrd by electing new
officers, most OF the old company officers I'D
the Tenth being reelected. In this company
rc0rganiz alton, Company G, conmanded by
CAPTAIN Swami, was disbanded, ana most II
not all of the men united with CON-
panies A and Ii, OF Shenandoah county,
and the place Of Company Z was sup
piled by new company from ROCK
ingham, commanded by Captain 4. e.
Mauck. The following are the battles 10
which the Tenth was engaged curing inc
war: Manassas No. l, Mcdowell, Front
ROYAL, Winchester No. /, Port Republic,
Gaines. Mill, Coal Harbor. Malvern Hill,
Cedar Mountain, Manassas No. 2, Chantlliy,
Fredericksburg. Charlottesville two days.,
Winchester No. 2, Gettysburg, Nine Run,
wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, seVe-
raj engagements thence to Richmond, Mono