Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-07
ALL ABOUT THE
BILISOLY BLUES
Gallant Company I of 61st.
Virginia Regiment.
TWENTY-FIVE BATTLES
a History Of a Company or infantry
From Portsmouth which is Treas.
urcd by Her People win ~ rona>
ness characteristic orThcm-Morc
Gallant Mon No Country Ever
Knew

L.,
first Virginia Regiment Infantry, and a
brief history of the command is given
| below:
The company was organized in Ports
mouth June 10th. 1861, and contained in
its membership quite number of men
from the vicinity of Bowers Hill. Nor
iolk county. The following are the
olicers under whom it was mustered
into service:
Captain. Charles r. NIcAlpine: First
Lieutenant. Frank w. Armstead; Sec
ond Lieutenant, John Holiday; Third
Lieutenant. G. w. Murdaugh
The company was ordered to Sewelrs
Point and attached to the Forty first
virginia Regiment as Company G.. 1t
was on duty there until the goth day
of April, 1862, when ii was detached
from the Forty-irst and ordered to re-
port to Lieutenant Colonel Archer at
Fort Boykin, near Smithtield. On the
2th day OF May it was ordered to re-
port to the major commanding Battery
no. z in the fortification around Rich
inond. and on the 10th day of July was
ordered to provost duty in Richmond
city. but was continued in that service
only four days. July 14;h it was as
signed by order of the Secretary of War
70 the regiment of Colonel Samuel l..
llS0n--nfterWardS- the SiXty-first Nir-
ginia Regiment. On the 18th of July
orders were received from Lieutenant
Colonel VIM. L. Neimeyer, commanding
the regiment, to report to him on
Dunn's Hill. near Petersburg, and on
the 21st Captain McAlpine reported
with the company. The battle around
Richmond In June. 1862. took place
Whlle the company was in the batteries
there but it was not ordered into anv
of them. Upon reaching Dunn's Hill
the company was given the letter I. as
IL was the ninth company that had been
assigned to the regiment. The tenth
company was assigned later. The
strength OF the company then was
about ffty-nine men. At the reorgani
Iauon or the company, in June. 1862.
all of the old officers except Lieutenant
Armistead. were reelected. He sever
ed his connection with the company
and enlisted In one of the Nansemond
companies, in the Thirteenth Virginia
ShVairy. Lieutenants Holiday and
Murdaugh became. respectively. first
ana second lieutenants and on the o9th
OF july at a special election held by
the ORDER or the department comman-
der General French. Frank NIarchant
was elected third lieutenant.
capt. McAlpine was promoted to the
position OF Major of the regiment Nav
II. 1864, and on the same day Lieuten,
ant John HOLIDAY was appointed Cap
tam. Lieutenants Murdaugh and Mar
chant were advanced one grade Lieu
tenant Marchant was seriously wound
cd In the hip at the battle of Chancel-
iorsviile, or, more properly speaking.
Salem Church, on the afternoon OF
May 3. 1868
General Lee had shaken General
Hooker from his entertainments near
charlottesville. and was about to
sweep down upon him with his whole
army, when he received news that Gen
eral Sedgenick had crossed the Ram
at
captured Mayre Heights, and was adj
Nancing in his rear.
General Lee detached n number Of
nrlgades-among them Mahone's-to
check Sedgewick's further advance ana
the two forces met a Salem Church.
..oh'pany was deployed as skirmish.
ers. ana while engaging the enemy In
'front.'. was fired into from behind by
SemmeS Georgia Brigade Thu.
caught between two fires one from the
enemy and the other from friends m.
position of the company was by no
means an agreeable one. 1t was here
tnat Lieutenant Murdaugh was wound
ed. He was complmented in Genera,
order NO. 2S3. from General Lees head
quarters. for gallantry on that occo
sion. The battle was a complete vic
tory for the Confederates. and only m.
darkness saved Sedgewck from de-
struction. He made his e,scape durinc
Captain Holiday was killed Octohar
2th 1864. at the battle of Burgess Mil
and Lieutenant Murdaugh was>promot'
ted to Captain. Lieutenant Marchant
became first lieutenant and then two
continued as officers of the comnanv
until the close of the war.
The company was Qiartcred IN
Dunn's Hill, doing provost duty in the
city OF Petersburg from July olst ia
august 10Th. 1862. when the regiment
moved to the Rapidan river and was
engaged in guarding the fords of that
river against the scouting parties Of the
enemy. Major McAlpine left behind M
his death some notes and memoranda
relating to his company. and among
others. mentions Private Albert Powell
who was conspicuous for Gallantry at
the battle of Spottsylvania Court-house
May IL. 1864. and w. +. Butt, who was
| MORALLY wounded there. He speaks of
Private Butt as "a good man and re-
| liable soldier"
In that battle Mahone's brigade
charged and captured three lines of
| field works. Speaking of Captain John
| Holiday at the battle of Wilcox Farm
| near Petersburg he says: The CON
| spicuous gailantry of Captain John
| Holiday on the 22nd of June. 1864. will
ever be remembered. II was through
| his saEacity that the enemy were ilank-
ed and defeated. With his small COM
mand of twenty-one men he passed
| down the enemy's lines, distance of
| two hundred yards and demanded their
| surrender" Private Chas. w. Collins
| is thus mentioned by him: 1T was
| through the courage and gallantry of
| Charles w. Collins that Major Charles
| r.. McAlpire's life was saved on this
| occasion. He shot and killed Federal
| officer who had pistol leveled AT Ma
| Tor McAlpine's breast at distance of
not more than six feet. and was abou;
ara ~ Ii I'm,