Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-16
ALL ABOUT "THE
JACKSON GRAYS"
Gallant Company "a" Sixth
Virginia Regiment.
BRAVE JAMES l. JACKSON
BRAVE JAMES J. JACKSON
IL Surrendered Fifteen Iushcts nj
Appomaitox April 9th. 1853 NOT
Ono OF commissioned Officers Es.
capped Shots of mcmy-A War Rec.
ord For Gnilantry Unsurpassed-
ForiJ-thrce Men of Command LOST

The following is a history of COM
pany of Confederate soldiers whose
deeds of Valor will live as long as time
shall be. The information is obtained
from Mr.. Porter's history of Norfolk
county. The company Was known as
the jackson Grays." Company Ii, Sin
ty-hrst Virginia Regiment.
This company was recruited in St.
Brides Parish of Norfolk county, in
the section now known as Pleasant
Grove Magisterial District, and was or
ganized at Pleasant Grove Baptist
Church. near Portsmouth, July 1861.
The company left Pleasant Grove ON
the 10th of july and reached the Court
House ut Portsmouth on the 18th. and
was mustered into service there. 1t was
differed then as follows: Captain, w.
II. stewart: First Lieutenant. VIM. =.
Wallace: Second Lieutenant john Il
West: Third Lieutenant. Geo. T. Hold
ses First sergeant. Camllas y. Nash;
Second Sergeant. VIM. y. West: Third
Sergeant. VIM. y. Dudley: Fourth Ser
scant Henry 5. Etheredge; First Cor
poral Peieg Pritchard: Second Corporal
Geo. ID. Old; Third Corporal. Thos. Ii.
sykes; Fourth Corporal, Laban Mans
field.
The company was named after Mr.
Jas. +. Jackson. the proprietor OF the
Marshall House. in Alexandria. vino
was killed in shat city on the 2ith Of
May for defending; the flag he had
hcistod over his hotel. That day a
large force OF Federals numbering
eight or nine thousand men. was push
ed across the Potomac river early in
the morning ana occupied the town.
Seeing the Confederate flag flying at
the top Of the STAFF OF The hotel Col.
Ellsworth. of Chicago commanding a
regiment Of Fire Zcuaves Of New York
city. went up 10 the top of the build
ing with several men from his regiment
and took it down. As he was descend
ing from the elevation, Mr.. Jackson,
who had been aroused by the noise,
came out from his bed room with n
double barrelled gun and upon asking
the cause of the connection, Col. Ellis
worth pointed to the flag in his possess
Mr.. Jackson replied. And you are
mine" and Immediately fired. killing
him instantly. Col Elsworth's COM
panions returned the fire, shooting Mr.,
Jackson and afterwards running n bay
Onet IN him.
After remaining n the Court House
FOR few days the company was order
ed TO the batteries al the naval hospit-
al and remained on duty there. testing
the heavy ritled cannon which Were
being remodelod in the GospOrt navy
yard. until December, when, al its own
request, it was sent to Scwall's Point
and put in charge OF a masked battery
of siX heavy riiled guns of six-inch cal
ibre. This was the most advanced bat
terry among the defences of the har-
Dor of Norfolk ana Portsmouth. and
was within range Of the Federal guns
At the RID Raps or Fort Calhoun.
When the Confederate iron clad Nir-
ginil. better known, however, as the
Merrimac. went down to Hampton
Roads and had her battles with the
United states fleet on the Sth and 9Th
Of March, 1852, this battery took part
with two rifle siX-nch guns. in the en-
gagement. as the naval vessels passing
To and fro from Fortress Monroe. pass
et within range OF its guns. TWO men
belonging 10 the company were wound
"a in this engagement. They were
Lieutenant VIM. {. wallace VINO was
slightly hurt. and Private a. Il. Coop
or, whose skull was fractured. and
whose wound was so serious that he
was incapacitated from further SER
vice ana was discharged. Ihcy were
wounded by smell from sawyer gun
at the Rip Itaps. one of the rliled
guns burst one OF It's hands from 100
rapid firing and becoming over-heated,
ON the morning of May 10. 1867, the
company abandoned the battery by or
der of Gen. HuSer ANA formed the rear
guard or the troops as they lei PACK
upon Norfolk, crossed the ferry to
Portsmouth and was the last command
which lief; that city by ran. being NOV
ed ont on Hat cars late in the after
noon. only one company renamed al
ter the departure OF the Jackson Grays.
namely, The portsmouth Riiic company,
and that marched out of the city to
suffolk. Upon the arrival OF the COM
pany AT Petersburg II was assigned to
duty with the sixty first Virginia Reg
imcnt as Company A. AT that time
the regiment was under the command
Of Lieutenant Colonel VIM. Fred Me
meyer, and in few days the company,
With company c. the Blanchard Grays,
of Norfolk county. was detached from
the regiment. and with two gun bat