Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-22
and vet, again, the yesterday is 's


this flag was furled, that the fell sergeant
Is strict in bis arrest and that every yes'
terday' but flights the way TO dusty
death
Then Captain McCabe proceeded to
speak of MeGraw, John Morris, Ham.
Ctamberlayne, Gregg, W. G.. Cren'
shaw, Greenlee Davidson, George .C1yce,
Ned Marye. William Allen, Ellis hunford.
Zepb. Magruder. Brander, the Elletts, ana
Others of the heroic battalion. or Pegram
he said
81 iirst met him in the autumn OF 1860.
when we were lads in the University oi
Virginia. lie was then nineteen years old;
reserved almost 10 shyness, grave yet grh-
cious in his manner. In which there was
little of primness and much Oi the charm
OF an olt-fashioned politeness.
"Well do | remember the eager discus
sions we boys then held touching the great
events which Fate seemed hurrying. Pc
gram. naturally shy aud silent. said but lit
tie, but when the storm burst, like Mae
duH. : his voice was in bis sword
Z" He was one Of the first 10 leave college
on Lincoln's proclamation calling for 10000
troops, and reported at once for duty with
his old company (the famous Company ~,
which had been ordered to Aqua Greek.
short tine. Sent as drill-master TO eNer-
else the artillerymen OF Lindsay Walker IN
the infantry tactics, he was elected lteuten-
ant Of the Purcell Battery. II was as com
fnander OF this battery that he was destined
in great measure TO achieve his hard-won
ismC-a battery which was with him from
The first battle Of Manassas through every
general action In Virginia to the trenches
Of ttersburg-w which was ALWAYS skilfully
handled in the presence OF the enemy,
vet lost during lis four years Of service
more than 2OO men killed and wounded.
Lindsay Walker. afterwards brigldier-
general and chief Of artillery OF the Third
cOrus, was, as | have said. captain OF the
battery when Pcgram joined. lie was not
slow To discover what thorough soldier he
possessed in his young subaltern, and long
afterwards generously said that Pcgram
spared him all trouble. and that cOmmlnd-
ing q light battery. one II the most trouble
some things in the world. became q pleasure
with such an executive officer. In July,
| 1861, tie battery was engaged at Bull Run,
Walker received his majority carly in 1862.
and Pegfam became captain on the 're0r-
ganiZation.'
But II was not until the great struggle in
front of Richmond in June. 1862. that the
battery came into marked prominence. At
Mechancsyilc il held the post OF honor,
and paid the price which the post Of honor
| ever eXacts. Here first to the army the
Young captain gave proof Of that stubborn
| courage and literal obedience 20 orders
| which all men thereafter looked for in him.
| Exposed 10 a biting fire Of infantry. to the
conycrg,nt fire Of five siX-gun batteries,
/ long after night came down the thunder Of
| hl, guns told that he was tenaciously hold
! ing his GROUND. But there was surprise,
mingled with admiration. when II became
| known 10 the army on the next day that of
! his ,ix guns four had been disabled before
nicbtfall: that one Of his officers had been
killed and two badly wounded, and that ot
| the ninety dasbng cannonecrs WHO had
! ON Yesterday gallopCd into action more
than hily 10y Killed and wounded on the
| fcld.
.,Uurinc the night he thoroughly equipped
| the two guns which bad not been disabled,
and at daylight rode 10 General llill'S field
Headquarters and applied 10 hold the adj
vance. The request was granted, and
everywhere during the seven davs that
uluchy section and its young captain found
| place where the combat ragged hottest.
Richmond. in herioy Of triumph aioy
| chq,icncd by the sorrow which victory
ever brings-waS not uRmindful OF her
| youthful hero. The town rang with his
| IraiSe,-prli,cs closest 10 soldiers
| heart from The lips Of wounded men
wLo had seen HIM In the dust and sweat 81
! battle, and who spoke q him H. only
brave men can speak of each other. His
name was introduced into tine play bv one
| u The actors at the Theatre, and elected
! tie most tumutuous applause. The
a. hot lt.a "a. s 4 IA
! fought at such close quarters because
! he was too ncar-Sigted 10 see a
| dozen yards, and would never open fire
until he saw the enemy. At this bronzed
veterans in he pit, with bandared head.
and arms in sings, rose and cheered
Justify.
But Pcgrqm rcm9inCdt the while modest
/ Is IN hi, camp. riding into the city but rarely
to see his immediate family, blushIng iil!l-
! ouslv " hen any one spoke to him of the
| attention his gallantry excited
CAPTAIN McC1bc in becoming words culo-
/ gfLed the deeds II each company 81 the bN-
/ iaion-thc Crcnshaw Battery. the Lctcher
/ Battery. the Fredericksburg Battery, The
/ Pee Dee Battery, and the Purcell Bat
! tcry. At last he came 10 speak Of IN" battle
/ 81 Five Forks. ana of how Pegram received
/ his dcath-wound said he
ale was sitting on hi- white horse on
| the front line Oi battle. cheering and en-
| coulueiug hi> mer.
"ina moment, as # seemed, be had re-
/ ceiycd hi, mortal wound and knew 1t.
/ Bu, lr knew nothing Of the bitter defeat.
/ when victory no LONGER perched on rms
! battle-nag Of hi> old battalion, he had re-
| cciVrd his last promotion at the hands OF
! the Great Captain.
/ "He met a soldiers death and had hut a
| soldiers burial. Wrapped carefully IN a
| coarse blanket, be Wa laid 70 rest on the
| bosom Of his mother state. Virginia.
Brief Il was his life. he had been Tor
six wears devoted member Of the Episco-
| pal Church: and comrade read at his
! grave her grand and solemn ritual for the
! dead.
"IIe now sleeps at HOLLYWOOD beside
! his knlghtly brother, on 4 spot ,lOpng 10
| the evor.murmuTiug James and overlook
| ing this beautiful city, in whose defence
| both of them 50 often went forth 20 battle.
| counting their live. a worthless thing.
! Thus passed away this Incompatible
| Young man at the early age Of twenty
| ihlcc. IL was his lot TO be tried in great
| events. and his fortune 70 be equal TO
| the trial. In his bOyhOOd he had nourt>h-
| I'd noble ambihOns. in his young m1nhood
! be had won 4 fame greater than hi modest
nature ever dreamed. and at last there wa-
accorded him on field OF battle the death
counted sweet and honorable
"In the contemplation OF stainless
| lie thus rounded by heroic sleep,
,elfish sorrow dlreS not raise It's
wall. What mortal among men. though
| he come b fourscOre, can hope
| 10 win more than in life TO IL
| u-trate the virtues which noble souls
reckon the highest, and in death TO
leave behind him name which shall 90
down upon the lips Of comrades ever eager
TO speak his biography: So OF the Others.
l. Il a small thing so to have lived and so to
| hsye died that the mere mention OF their
! names still stirs the pulses play, and that
We, their surviving comrades, pondering in
| our hearts their mistaken resolution in
the face OF crGel odds. IN -ir serene con-
stancy in adversely. rise up even TO thus
day from the contemplation Of all their
stern and gentle virtues strengthened Tor
'the hOmelier fray Of daily life:
"Surely il is meet that as occasion
serves the survivors Of this historic corps
should gather together 10 renew old ties Of
comradeship. TO do honor 10 the memory
Of the dead, 10 discuss the great events In
which they shared. This last shall they do
az become, brave men; with no bitterness,
no bOotless railing against the malice OF
Fortune. but tempcrlteiy and with chaN-
tened pride. yielding generous recognition
| OF the SoIdierly virtues u their Old adyer-