Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-22
THE OLD CAMP LEE.
IT'S FIRST CoMmASDAxT WRITES
AN INTERESTING SKETCH.
STORY OF THE CAMPS FORMATION.
7, was First Used ms a Camp OF In
.,ruction for Infantry ms Wen ns
CavaIry-An Artillery anG Com
script Camp, Finally.

colonel John G. Shields, the COM
mandant at old Camp Lee. furnishes the
Dispatoh with most valuable article.
Giving the history Of the camp from its
Establishment in the earliest days Of the
confcderacy. until the close OF the war.
colonel Shields was the editor OF the
Cieamond Nhig for number OF years.
and among older newspaper men in Vir-
c.nia his name is very familiar lie was
the founder Of the Lynchburg virginian
which was for many years one OF
She widely influential papers Of the State.
lie stood I'm the front rank of Virginia
journalists I'm his day, and some Of his
contributions 70 the historical data OF
early Virginia, especially the Valley, are
very valuable.
colonel Shields has for several years
neen retired from journalism, living with
Dis family at his beautiful home I'm Rock
bridge county. where he leads an ideal
existence among his books, fruit-trees.
and flowers.
Colonel ShicIds's sketch.
The hermitage FAIRGROUNDS were
chosen FIRST for an infantry camp OF in
s.ruc..on as well as for cavalry. This
WAS in April. 1S61. The Hanover Troop
ana the H,nTico Troop were. perhaps
the first regular commands TO enter the
grounds. The late General w. c. Wick
ham was captain OF the Hanover Cav
sI~y. and Colonel Davis. OF Henrico, was
iha captain OF the cavalry from that
county
About the same date the Chesterfield
Cavalry Captain William Is. Ball; the
Y0whdtan. Captain Phil. st. George
Cooke and the Richmond Captain J.
Grau0n Cabell. and others were early
go the rendezvous. Among the first in
frtry commands were the First (Rich-
m0nH Regiment. Colonel p r. Moore.
and then followed company after com
Vany and many regiments were soon
organized.
THE CORPS OF CADETS.
The corps OF cadets Of the Virginia
Military Institute were soon in place
under command OF Colonel william Gil
ham. cOmmandant of the corps and pro-
fessOr OF tactics. The corps was de-
who had been for awhile commander OF
the post. was made colonel of the
Twenty-frst Regiment, and went to the
field.
II cannot call to mind any person who
can probably furnish information at this
late day more accurately. perhaps. than
Major r. G. PeytoB, who was assigned
% the Fifteenth Regiment of Infantry
Being IN the HoWitzers, / was first with
my command at Richmond College, then
az Chimborazo, and moved with my
battery as captain of the First Howltzers
To Manassas early in May Perhaps
Co.
where l leave OF TO December, 1861, when
] took charge)
During the fall months of 1861 n very
large authority was issued for the for
nation of artillery companies in Nir-
ginia as wei as in other States Of tho
At the conclusion OF the
first year. for which many companies
and regiments Of Virginia had entered
the service. some which had served
SIS infantry had authority to change to
artillery.
in November, 1861. there were about
.wenty-hve companies recruited for ar
nlery then in different camps around
Richmond. Zach company reported to
the department headquarters. known as
henrico. which embraced Richmond and
several miles around the city. General
J. H. Winder, an old army officer, was
In command, with headquarters in the
Valentine building. corner Broad and
Ninth streets. Hon. l.. w. Page was his
assistant adjutant- general. The late
Seneral Charles J. Dmmock, ordnance
officer for Virginia, and commandant of
he State Guard and the armory, gave
General Winder valuable aid in the COM
nencement OF the preparation of the vari-
ous companies adverted 10, but regular
station or camp, and bringing all the
80. fr.r .-f..
rained officers in charge was essential.
GENESIS OF CAMP LEE PROPER.
Hon judah p. benjamin was then Act
ng Secretary of War. The late General !
gorge w Randolph, who had been
major OF the Howitzer Battalion, was
hen in command of brigade at Suffolk. |
lie. with General Dimmock. We're trained !
nd finely equipped artillery officers. Mr.. |
ienjamin, at the suggestion OF General |
ylnder. consulted with Generals Dim |
mock and Randolph as 70 the best |
curse TO pursue with the artillery COM |
anies then here, and about the thirty |
% forty more 10 come in from several |
Their States. The result was that an
rider was issued for the formation Of an
rullery headquarters and that Captain |
ohm G. Shields, then serving at Lees
urg with his battery. the First Howit-
ers. should be promoted and assigned
o the command of the camp Of artillery |
AT that time there were still some in
lntry reporting at Camp Lee for regi-
rental organization, notably the Fifty
.Xth Regiment, which was the last 10
1mplete its formation at that place.
in the mean time Colonel Shields es-
lbhshed his artillery camp at fine
rring on the farm of the late John n.
Aields. Of Richmond, where he com
Fenced his work. Troops had been at
TAT location previously, and it was
nown as Camp Jackson" Knowing
bat the artillery camp would soon be
hanged 10 Camp Lee. where were stores
nd staff officers. a temporary organiza-
on sufiiced at Camp Jackson.
ON taking command at Camp Lee De- |
mber 1851 Colonel Shields found DR..
eminger surgeon, Major John c. May
ard Quartermaster. Captain d. c. Meade
'mmissary. Lieutenant West, Of Georgia,
iiutant. and Rev Or. NJ. ID. Hoge chap
In.
Companies reported very rapidly for
and equipment till about July.
", the CONSUMPTION law having taken
he place Of replenishing the army by
e assignment OF those liable TO SER
&c under that law.
SOME OF THE BATTERIES
In all, there were seyeuty-fve batteries :
aimed and equipped and sent TO the field
ON Camp Lee during the time which :
apsed between November. 1861 and June
" Among them may be mentioned
me which can be called 90 mind, com
anoed By Captains Marmaduke John :
a John l.. Eubank, n. A. Smrdiyant.
.ptain j. Taylor Martin. and two other I