Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-11
ALL ABOUT THE
NATIONAL GRAYS
Company "H' Third Regi-
ment Virginia Troops.
A GALLANT BAND OF MEN
Portsmouth Agnin to tho Front win
AS Nobia {" Company OF Heroes ms
Ever Faced the Fire OF nm Enemy,
ar Fought For tho Principics
Deeply Believed to BE Right.

No city In America can boast of the
military record which the city of Ports
mouth is so justly proud of, and in ad-
dltlon to the service rendenered by the
dl1erent portsmouth commands, publish
ed in these columns. the following his
tory of the National Grays, Company
II, Third Virginia Regiment, from
Porter's History of Norfolk County,"
is referred to with much pleasure and
pride.
This company was organized in
Portsmouth in May, 1856, and at once
a friendly rivalry sprang up between
1t and the Old Dominion Guard, as 10
which company should attain the larg-
est number of members and the great
est proficiency in drilling. Captain p.
III. Daugherty was the first captain OF
the company, and was succeeded by
Captain John l.. Deans, who continued
In command until the reOrganiza ton in
1862, when he was not reelected. The
company was handsomely uniformed in
gray. and its solderly appearance on
parade was marked.
AT the time of the John Brown war,
in 1859. the Grays volunteered their SER
vice. and were sent to Harpcrs Ferry,
taking with them on the trip five COM
miSsioned officers, ten on-commission-
ed officers. forty-three privates, two
non commissioned staff, commissary
and ordnance sergeants and two musi-
clans, total of siXty-two men. They
were on duty at Charlestown from No
Vember 9th until December goth, and
returned home after John Brown was
hanged.
when Governor Letcher issued his
orders on the goth of April. 1861. for
the troops in this city to take up arms,
the National GrayS were ready to
serve their State as they were in 1859,
and the company turned out with full
ranks under the following officers
Captain-John e. Deans.
First Lieutenant-James Dongan.
Second Lieutenant-NVm. ]. White
hurst.
Third Lieutenant-George w. Mitch
ell.
Fourth Lieutenant-William F.White
There was no authority in military
law for the position of fourth lieuten-
ant. but as the company numbered
about one hundred members before the
war and wanted an officer to command
the fourth section, Lieutenant White
was given that honorary title, but, with
the beginning of actual war, the flcti-
tious had TO give way TO the real, and
the honorary position of fourth lieu
tenant passed out of existence. Lieu
tenant White joined Company l., Sixty
THE company was ordered to the
quently promoted to captain of one of
the companies in the Sixty-first Vir-
GINA Regiment.
received to joinff the regiment the
Gosport navy-yard on the 2lst of April
1861. and remained there doing guard
duty until August, when orders were
received to joint the regiment. the
Third Virginia. at Burwell's Bay in Isle
of Wight county. The Third Regiment
left the Naval Hospital b. ttcries on the
9TH of June. but the Grays. Company
ii. were continued in the yard. While
thus engaged on guard duty around the
battle of Manassas, on the 18th of July
and fancying that the war would end
before they would have an opportunity
to do any fighting. the Grays asked to
be ordered TO their regiment. The first
application was denied. but their second
was most successful, and General Neu-
ger ordered them to report to Colonel
Pryor. They left the navy-yard and
marched to the ferry wharf under an
escort of the Third Georgia Regiment;
crossed to Norfolk and took the Norfolk
and Petersburg cars for Zuni. from
which station they marched to Camp
Cook, near Burwells Bay, and from
there they moved to Camp Pendleton,
near Smithfield.
Deatli-faat4e- appearance in
the ranks of the company while at
Camp Pendleton. Julian Peed. one of
the youngest members OF the company
died there in the hospital in 1861. and
Corporal Robert a. Sherwood in 1862.
there until the middle of March. when
upon the landing OF General McClel-
lans army at Fortress Monroe March
II, 1862, the Third regiment was car
ried across James river in canal barges
to reinforce General Magruder, who
was holding the Confederate lines from
Yorktown to Warwick river. While
getting on the barges Capt. Deans fell
overheard from the wharf He was
1rpSSa1 N nd tob
ed down by his sword and-pistol. and
had a narrow escape from drowning.
The regiment remained on the north
side of the river for only one day when
1t was taken back to Camp Cooke: but
was ferried over again to General Ma
gruder's assistance on the day follow
ing. This proves that the Confederat t.
counselS at the time were attended
with much doubt and uncertainty
However upon the second trip, the reg
iment was stationed on the north side
and was attached to General Coston's
Brigade of Longstreet's Division
The company was on duty at Dam
No. ., when General Mcclellan made
his first attempt to advance upon Cen
eral Magruder's lines. and assisted in
repulsng his attempt to cross the
stream; and upon the strength Of thi:
repulse General Mcclellan halted his
troops and proceeded to dslodge Gen
eral Magruder by regular approaches
and Il series of earthworks. The regi.
mcnt was ordered into battle ut vii.
liamsburg April ., 1862, late in the ar.
ternoon, and held it's position until the
battle ended. and General Johnston ha(
made all his arrangements to fall bach
towards Richmond. when it was order.
ed to retire.
While the Grays were in the lines a
Yorktown an incident happened which
in the lapse Of time that has inter.
vened since then. becomes laughnhlC
and proves how unreasonable mon ear
become when clothed with authority
over other men \Nhila tho r9riu,anI