The Progress., 1892-12-17

the presence OF a gathering OF the mothers
wives, daughters, sisters and friends of the
living and of the dead members of Pc
grams artillery battalion (COnfederate).
The gift of the relic to the Survivors as
sociation was made by Mrs. Pegram, the
mother of Col William johnson Pegram
who fell under that flag. The speech ot
presentation on behalf of the donor was
from the lips of the old battalion adjutant
Capt w. Gordon McCabe, n boon comradt
of Col Pegram at college and in camp
His words eulogizing the band of gray
coats who carried the banner from Bull
Run to Appomattox, as was natural
counted two for the dead warriors to every
one for the lucky living ones, and, as was
natural again, the chief among the dead in
the minds of the speaker and hearers was
the boy colonel, Willie Pegram, who han
died single piece of artillery at First Bull
Run, and was killed at Five Forks while
commanding a battalion of six light bat
teries, position corresponding in rank tc
that of brigadier general of infantry.
Capt. McCabe and Col. Pegram left
school together to become soldiers; they
served together in every battle of the Army
of Northern Virginia, and when the boyish
chieftain fell in the last ditch mortally
wounded his friend stood by to soothe
his last moments and give him a rough
soldier burial on the field swarming with
victorious enemies. A story from lips SC
qualified is seldom rehearsed outside of fic-
tion. Seldom in real life is there such a
story to tell.
Pegram was the son of a soldier, Gen
J. w. Pegram, and was a lad attending
the University of Virginia duringt the
heated political campaign that preceded
the war-1S60. While his boyish mates
talked war talk he was silent But when
the storm burst" said his eulogist, "his
voice was in his sword" He went to the
front in the first batch of college boys as
private in crack military company com
posed of the ''gilded youth" of Richmond
In the camp at Aqua creek he was ap.
pointed drillmaster for the foot soldiers in
Walkers legion and was elected lieuten-
ant of the legion artillery-the Purcell
battery. In the First Bull Run the battery
shelled the hill at the Henry House at the
time of the Union defeat there, and then
was galloped to Lewis ford, across Bull
Run, to cut off fugitives. An artillery
duel took place across the stream between
Pegram's guns and those of Capt. Car
isles regular battery.
Soon after the battle the company was
reorganized for the Confederate service,
with Pegram as captain. His first indie
pendent fight with the battery was on
June 26, 1862, in front of Richmond, an af
fair known as Mechanicsville, and Beaver
Dam Creek. The Union infantry and bat
teries were on a wooded hill on the east
bank of the creek, and the Confederates
advanced across open ground beyond, ex-
posed to bullets and shell for a mile. Pc
gram ran his guns upon crest in an angle
where the creek bends, and in short order
drew the fire Of five Union batteries-thirty
guns. His nearest opponents were Capts
DE Hart and Smead's companies-Fifth
United States artillery. He fought over
i've hours, or until darkness came on, and
his battery then consisted of serviceable
guns. officer and 80 men. Four guns had
been disabled and 60 officers and men killed
and wounded.
During the night the young captain
pulled his remnant together and reported
10 his division chief. Gen. A. p. Hill,
Tor assignment to place in the attack on
the Union lines at Gaines Mills next day
The "SeFen Days Battles followed. At
Malvern Hill, after all the batteries aiding
Gen. Magruder's column in the famous
charge had been knocked to pieces, Pc
gram's.two cannon were called in to help
cover brigade attack. The men at one
piece were'speedily disabled, and the other
piece, with Pegram acting as cannoneer,
continued the fight against terrible odds
until the assault was stopped by orders
from Gen. Lee
The fame Of the boy captain spread
Through the camps and to Richmond One
might at the tbeater a player, hitting off
The times. said that the reason why Capt
Willie Pegram's guns always fought a.
close quarters was that the young leader |
was nearsighted and wouldn't let bis mer |
fare until he could see the game. The sol