Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-29
Gallant Act Of q Member Of The Old
First Virginia.
HOW HE CAPTURED A FLAG.
Facts That Ought 10 Be Made
Public.
SAVED HIS LIEuTENANT's LIFE.
Afustcr-Rolls of the Celebrated Bath
Sauadron-Thc Charge OF the
Cadets ut New Markct-A Glorious
Sigbt-AnccdOtcs.
BEsTLAND. ESSEX COUNTY. VA.

BE-S LAM. LSSfsA 1OON L, NA'
TO the Editor OF the Dispatch:
have read the article In the Sunday
Dispatch written by my old comrade
c. T. Lochr. The piece is well written
and the battle Is well described. but ]
do not think he has done justice to a
member Of the old First Regiment, whose
actions on that occasion entitle him 10
be named. l therefore take the liberty
OF calling comrade Loehrs attention 10
several incidents. which were the camp
talk" for many day after that ba'ue'
and think he will agree with me pe-
fore / finish that the comrade whom 1
will name In this communication Is justly
entitled to special notice. When we were
brought into action on the 9th day OF
May, 1862, II was under the most uhIa-
vorable auspices imaginable, for as we
moved into the woods we were met by
the Nineteenth Mississippi breaking bac"
through our ranks. We had 10 stop VIC
torious enemy, driving our troops before
them. and check them up. also. After 10
ing this we had to drive them BACK
through piece OF "felled timber" where
II was impossible 20 concentrate our men,
We found out there was battery IN
our front, but Fort Magruder' kept the
Yankees from turning their arms on US
CAPTURED THE BATTERY.
One Of our men, during the hottest part
Of that fight, climbed upon q RELIED
or lodged tree, and located that battery
lie made his way TO Colonel NAhaiis'
and told him to order n charge. IS we
f,, n Yankee
terv. Colonel Williams did so, and ms
informant was the first man to get TO
that battery. Io captured the colof-peaI-
er took that large flag (which Comfaoe
1,oehr speaks of being captured by INC
First ReglmenD, and jumped on top 81
4 captured caisson and waved 1t at our
artil.erymen who were in Fort Magruuer'
20 stop them from firing on us.
our regiment did not capture that fiag
but the man who did that gallant piece
OF work was my old friend and comrade'
George Moanley. now of Tappahannock
We did not have men enough TO take
the battery off the field, so our colone!
reported the fact 10 General a. 7. Hill,
our brigade general, and he ordered a
detail TO be made from Colonel Nlthers
regiment (Twenty-eighth Virginia,
think to carry it of. This they did.
CALLED HIS WITNESSES.
Some time after that we saw from
letter in q Richmond paper that Colonel
Witherss men claimed the honor OF
having captured that battery. Colonel
Palmer called George Meanley to his tent
and asked him what he thought of that
article Meaniey said 1t was not true,
and added: Hold on Colonel. until l
call my witnesses" and in five minutes
he had half OF the regiment to prove
lie was the first man 20 get 10 that bat
terry and capture its col1rs. Comrade
I.oehr ought TO know these facts and
give his comrades name. Why colonel
Palmer must know these facts. Lleuten-
ant Keiningham knows them also. for
George Mean!ey saved his life within
ten minutes after the battery was car
Tied off Lieutenant Nottingham while
we were falling back. ito reform our
lines" went up TO two Yankees and at
tempted TO stop them from carrying or
sner wounded captain. one of them
seized his gun. cooked it, and aimed it at
the Lieutenant. Keiningham fell down.
e. avoid the ball. and quick as lightning
George Meanley jumped before keinins-
ham ana put his musket against the
Yankees head and made him drop his
gun. II he had not done so Lieutenant
Keininsham would have been killed.
So George Mcanley not only captured
that large nag, but he located that Dat
terry and saved his lieutenants life IN
that fight. / think H. is no more than
Justice 10 my old friend and comrade.
George i. Meanley. that he should have
all the hono-s which he is so richly en-
titled 10. and being resident of old
Essex myself want to see his name
among the living heroes Of that terrible
struggle THOMAS II. DURHAM,
Sergeant Company G, First Regiment
Virginia Volunteers. KempeT's Brigade,
Plcketts Division.