Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-18
chivalrous spirit had carried him far

cnlvalrouS spirit had carried him far
| In advance of his comrades.
Captain kilby was with the company
at Warrenton Springs, Second Manas-
sas. Harper's Ferry and Sharpsburg,
and on the I'd OF October 1862, was APP
pointed a Surgeon in the army and as
signed to the Third Georgia Regiment,
Lieut.. Crocker then became Captain.
On the 18th OF August Corp. John c.
Niemeyer and Private John Vernillion.
OF Company *, were elected Second and
Third Lieutenants in Company l. and
upon the promotion OF Lieutenant
Crocker to Captain they were advanced
to Second and Third Lieutenants re-
spectively.
captain Crocker was n steady soldier,
something on the order of the Roman
sentinel at Herculaneum. who stood at
MS post while the burning ashes were
falling all around him and finally en-
tombed him. He was a Norfolk county
farmer at the beginning of the war.
without any experience in military tao
tics, but as brave lion and as steady as
n stonewall. His men loved him like a
father and were fond OF getting off
practical jokes at his expense. On one
occasion. in the midst OF a battle. one
of his men, knowing his total unac
quaintance with military matters and
to see what he would say, exclaimed
Captain. have blown the tube out of
my gun Well blow it back again."
other of his men sang out. Captain.
they are cross-nring at u.s." well,
cross-fire back at them came back his
reply.
AT the battle of Gettysburg the COM
pany was in the charge of Pickett's Di-
vision and paid a heavy toll for the
gallantry 1t displayed and the fame it
won on that occasion. 1t carried thir-
ty-eight men in the charge. OF whom
three were killed, thirteen wounded and
eleven captured. Some OF those cap
| tured were wounded also. Lieut.. Me
meyer and Privates Mills. Brinkley and
Jesse Norfleet were killed.
Capt. Crocker was captured and Lieut..
Nermillion was wounded and captured
| Color Sergeant Joshua Grimes was Sc
vereiy wounded while carrying the flag.
but recovered, and on the nth of Au-
gust. 1864. was appointed Ensign of the
regiment. with the rank OF Third Lieu
tenant. He was again wounded at
Drury's Bluff May l6, 1864. this making
| the third time the bullets from the
enemy made n Judgment in his body.
Frank Nj. Arthur, who was captured
at Gettysburg, was elected Second
Lieutenant in prison, and was subse-
! quently exchanged and commanded the
company until the battle of Five Forks
on the LIST of April. 1865, when he again
fell into the hands OF the enemy.
During the interval between the bat
tie OF Gettysburg and the following
Spring the company was without any
commissioned officer and Orderly Ser
geant McKenney Lewis was in COM
mand, but in the Spring of 1864 Lieut..
w. T. X. Bell, of Accomac county, was
sent from Camp Lee 10 take charge OF
it, and remained until the return OF
Lieut. Arthur from prison.
Captain Crocker and Lieutenant Yer
million were not exchanged, but were
kept in prison until the close of the
"a 1toit nf l,a
Confederate officers who were sent to
Morris Island in Charleston harbor by
the United States authorities placed
under the fire OF the Confederate bat
| teries. The reason they assigned for
this proceeding was that there were
some Federal officers confined in the
city of Charleston who were exposed TO
the fire OF their guns which were aimed
at that city.
Just before the battle of Gettysburg
Private Mills Brnllcy had one of those
mysterious presentments or Fremont
tions OF approaching death. While the
regiment was passing up Cemetery
Hill, in the charge of Pickctt's d.
vision. he turned to Lieutenant Me
myer, who. with Lieutenant Vermilllon.
was at his; post In rear of the line, and
told him he felt n if he were going to
be killed, and asked permission TO leave
the ranks. Lieutenant Niemeyer re-
luStu luc IctlutSl ana oEQtrcu nun To
take his place in line. Lieutenant Yer
million joined in his request. He re-
minded Lieutenant Nicnoyer that
| Brinkley had always proved himself a
brave and good soldier. but Lieutenant
| Nicmeyer again refused. and Brnkley
resumed his position In the ranks. lie
had hardly taken twenty steps further
in advance. when piece or shell struck
him in the forehead. killing him in,
| stantly. In a very few minutes after
! wards Lieutenant Nicmcyer was killed
himself.
The following members of the com
pany participated in the charge of
Picketts Division at Gettysburg.
Several. who received slight wounds.
did not report to the hospital, and are
not recorded as having been wounded
Captain j. o. Croker. captured:
First Lieutenant John c. Niemcyer.
killed: Second Lieutenant John Yer
million. wounded and captured; Ser
| geant Mckenzie Lewis. wounded
| ed.
Misunderstanding. Frank NJ. cap
tured; Barnes, Beison. wounded: Bid
! good. w. D., captured: Brinkley. Mills
killed: Brinkley, Granville, captured
Brinkley. Daniel; Carney. Richard
wounded; Capps. Josiah. wounded and
captured: Conner, John D.. Gwynn,
beol Se W.. wounded. tlarrell. Reuben,
captured; Herring. r. H.; Humphlett,
j. T., wounded; Jones, Nathan. wound
ed and captured; Jordan John. wound
ed; Iasster. Richard; Norncet. Jesse,
killed; Parker. VIM. j.: Richardson
George Clay; Raby. Thomas, captured
Riddick, Amos. captured: Stringer
John e.; Skeeter. VIM. j., Small Benz.
wounded; Stallings. j. Van; Taylor
| BENZ. captured: Taylor. Williamson B.
| Nann, w m. H. wounded. Wilkins
Henry: Walton. Henry, wounded; VIII
| kinS. GpnrrN