Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-15
THE DISMAL
SWAMP RANGERS"
Company "a" Third Virgin
ia Regiment.
WERE BRIGADE SKIRMIsHtR:
s hey woro Nv Noble Band of ucroo.
ns Ever Faced t,c Fire or nm Enc.
my The Couraseou. Request Of
M"urico Lvcrman, Who wanted
TO Firo Ono Moro shot.

was organized in 1856 at Deep Creek,
In Norfolk county, on the edge of the
Dismal Swamp, a few miles back of
Portsmouth. Deep Creek was a small
village and the neighborhood thinly
populated. the people. therefore, de-
served commentator for their zeal and
spirit in organizing and maintaining
such large and efficient company. At
the breaking out of the war in 1861 the
officers OF the company were: Captain,
James c. Choat; First Lieutenant. John
X. White; Second Lieutenant, John f.
Stewart; First Sergeant. Thos. NJ.
Hodges. The company was attached to
the Third Virginia Volunteer Regiment.
IL anticipation of trouble in Ports
mouth with the Federal authorities III
possession OF the Gosport navy yard.
ard apprehending that orders would be
issued by the Governor calling the reg
iment to arms, Captain Choat mustered
his company on the 18th of April and
marched with them to town. This was
the day before the navy yard was
burned. The next day the Governors
orders came and found the Dismal
Swamp Rangers already under arms.
The company was with the Ports
mouth companies that night, and the
next morning was sent to the naval
hospital and assisted in building the
batteries there.
In the shifting OF the original com
panies composing the Third Regiment
the Rangers were retained on it and
became Company a. Shortly after be-
ing mustered into service Sergeant
Thos. NJ. Hodges was elected Third
Lieutenant. Captain Choat resigned in
the fall of 1861. Lieutenant White be-
came captain. The other Lieutenants
were promoted one grade, and Sergeant
Littleton II. White was elected Third
Lieutenant and these officers continued
on duty until the reorganization of the
company in April. when several changes
were made; Captain White was ap-
pointed Commissary of the regiment
and was later in the war sent to the
Biackwater river as commissary in
charge of the purchase of provisions.
Lieutenant Steward was appointed adj
outant of the regiment and the follow
ing officers were elected: Captain.
Thos. NJ. Hodges; First Lieutenant
Martin; Second Lieutenant, VIM. James
Williams; Third Lieutenant, Littleton
II. White.
The company left the hospital battery
on the 9TH of June. 1861, with the regi-
ment and went to Burwells Bay, where
1t remained until the middle of March.
1862. when 1t was ferried over the
James river to reinforce General Ma
Sruder on the lines at Yorktown 1t
took part in a slSirmish at Dam No. ..
ana assisted in repulsng McClellan's
attempt to cross: was in battle at Will
iiamsburg and fell back with the army
towards Richmond. 1t took part In the
battle of Seven Pines, May and June
l. and all the battles of the Seven Days
lighting except Malvern Hill. where il
was held in reserve.
me company suffered very severely
AT f'ra2ier's Farm, July 80. 1t carried
Us men into the battle and five of them.
including Lieutennnts Martin and Will
liams were killed and seventeen others
were wounded. of whom five subse-
quently died from their wounds.
Shortly after the Seven DAYS battles
Lieutenant L. H. White was retired on
account of physical disability, and John
IL. EDWARDS was elected First Lieuten-
ant; L.. w. Gary, second lieutenant. and
osceola White. third lieutenant The
company went through the campaign Of
lSoZ' beginning with the Second Ma
nassasC taking in-Harper's Ferry and
Sharpsburg. and participated In the
crushing defeat of Burnsides army at
fredericksburg. December Is. AT the
battle of Gettysburg Company A was
deployed as skirmishers and under
command OF Capt. Hodges. led the
charge of Kemper's Brigade of Pick
ett's Division up Cemetery Hill. Cant
Hodges and Lieutenant White were
wounded. and Lieutenant Gary was
captured. They recovered from their
wounds and rejoined the COMPANY
Lieutenant Osceola White was killed
at the battle of Dinwiddie Court House
on the 31st of March, 1865 (the dav be-
lore the battle of Five Forks. in which
n portion Of Picketts Division defeat
ed Sheridan's Cavalry. Captain Hodges
had command of the Third Regiment a I
the battle of Five Forks, and surrend-
cred 1t at Appomattox
1t Is n singular fact that, though the
company was in the line of skirmish
ers at Gettysburg and received the fire
or the entrenched Federals before the
main line of battle. none of its mon
were killed. A number were wounded
The company had three orderly SER
geants during the war-Thos NJ
Hodges. who was promoted to lieuten-
ant and afterwards to captain; Nathan
hodges. who was captured at Gettvs-
burg and died in prison at Point Look
out, and Patrick Henry Miller. who
was captured at Gettysburg and ex-
changed. He was appointed orderly
sergeant upon his return and filled thu,
position until the close of the war. He
was wounded at the battle of Dinwid-
die Court House March 81. 1865. and
conveyed to the hospital at Farmville
where he fell again into the hands of
the enemy upon the retreat of the
army to AppomattoX. Maurice Liver
man. OF Company A, was mortal'y
wounded at the battle Of Fraz!er's
Farm June 30. 1862, and turning TO some
of his comrades. he said Boys. ]
cant live much longer, so hold me- up
so that 1 can fire one more sho; and
kill one more Yankee before I de 10
get even with them for my own death. {"
His comrades complied with his re-
guest.
IN TIE GETTYSBURG CHARGE.
The following members OF the COM
pan% were In charge OF Pickett's Di-
vision M Gettysburg. The company
was detailed ms skirmishers for the
Third Regiment: Captain Thos. NJ
Hodges. wounded: Second Lieutenant.
l.. W. Gary. captured; Third Lieuten-