The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-06
MEN Of VIRGINIA
At BALLS BLUFF
Conclusion Of Major Hunters
Story As to Work Of the
Virginians.
EIGHTH VIRGINIA INFANTRY
The Numbers Engaged on Both
Sides in the Famous Lees
II burg Fight,
EIGHTH VIRGINIA INFANTRY

1T II burg Fight.
The Eighth Virginia Infantry has a
brilliant record, and Its roster bears
the names Of soldiers equal to any "thnt
ever followed the eagles to conquest.
AS Judge Keith said, in presenting the
portrait OF is first colonel to Lee camp:
"Did not Hrmton lead 1t at Manassas
aud at Balls Bluff, and win for 1t ana
for himself impcrishable glory on those
famous fields. not only as brave SOL
der, but as a ready, capable and re-
sourccful officer? Was he not with them
at Cold EIarbor and upon q hundreu
other fields of less renown, but Whlcn
were attended By fcats OF arms ana gal
liant deeds more than enough to adorn the
annals OF our modern wars? was nc
not at the charge at Gettysburg? was
human courage and fortitude. ever PIT
10 a Steiner test? Did human virtue ever
more nobly respond to the call OF duty!
I'd. For gallant conduct on that
fatal day, Colonel IIunton, who had been
sorely wounded was made q brlgadler
general.
Its field officers, at different PERIODS,
were Eppa Hunton. COL: Charles ~
Tebbs, Lieutenant Colonel; Edmund berk,
lev Mai, Lieutenant Colonel; Norbonrne
Berkeley, Mai, lieutenant, colonel; VII
liam A.. Berkeley, Ma1ora James Thrift.
major. It's captains were: Edmund
Berkley, OF Prince W:lliam; Richard
Henry Carter and r. Taylor Scott, OK
Hauquier; James Thrift, OF Fairfax; ana
Henry IIeaton. Alex: Grayson, William
y. Berkley. NJ Wample, Hampton ana
Simpson OF Loudoun.
The other company officers and pri-
rates Will have u proud place IN tho
Virginia Roster, now being compiled Tor
publication.
Only about three hundred OF the Fed
erals surrendered to Colonel Featherston'
but many others were huodled along
the river bank and In the WOODS. hoping
70 etcnpe later in the night Exhausted
after thirteen hours of marching and
fighting, the Misslssppians and VIZ
Einians retired to the vicinity OF Fort
II Evans for rest and ratons, except a de-
tail OF seventeen men of the Elghth
Virginia, under Lieutenant Charles
Berkeley with whom White was ordered
by Colonel Hunton to remain. 70 picker
he battle ground. 1t was a solemn vigil,
relieved only by a bonntiful supper,
which the keenly solicitors and patriotic
ladies OF Ieesburg continued to get to
Them. Whether It was the inspiration
and refreshmcnt supplied by the vigannds,,
or tho thought OF the bright eyes ana
fair hands Of the ladies who sent them,
we are not tOlu, }Dul,ItIIc sA6sSS'tS" 7" 80
made that they go to the river bank'
for although the battle had rolled to the
very edge OF the bluff none of our men
had yet been quite there. Reaching the
bank, they could hear. few hundred
yards away. the frantic cries for help
from despnring drowning Federals, ana
the sound OF an occasional boat coming
4 from Harrison's Island, to their rescue
Their first impulse-prompted by the
4 savage spirit of the days hard fight
4 was to open fire and drive or the res
cuers, but that "touch Of nature which
makes the whole world kim and abides
in knightly breasts, even anil scenes
of blood and carnage. restrained their
hands.
Let this be remembered. because the
newspapers throughout the North, at tho
time of the battle, and Northern school
histories, since, have sought to create
the impression that the conduct of tho
Confederates, after the defeat and rout
of the Federals at Balls Bluff, was not
J In accord with the usagcs of ciVillzed
7 warfare; and only few weeks ago. the
transcript, wrote to his paper of the
I tradgedy, where tho Northern men
greatly outnumbered, We're driven like
sheen over bluffs $50 feet high In q
struggling mass down upon the shore or
Into the waters of the Potomac
n How strange 1t Is. AT TINS late uuy-
torty-hve years after tho battle-and IN
b view OF the indisptabe proof furnished
by the official record, that Bakers force
Has more than double that OF Iluntons
and that not until late In the day, after
the 18th and 18th Mississippi regiments
came upon the field, was there an ap-
proximate equality OF membership
such careless and glarlng mistakes should
be published, The contemporary eXag-
geratlons are pnrdonable--for the Con-
federates had a marvellous way Of mag
nifylng and multiplying themselves IN
battle, and there We're also Fallstaffs IN
those days, In whose affrghted vision
hundreds of "men in buckramp appeared
whose names We're not on the rolls: but
now-whon sectional passions have sub
sided and the truth Is SO easily Access
4 sible--there Is no excuse for such mis-
statements.
A VOLUNTEER EXPEDITION.
Asking pardon for this brief digres-
sion, we return to the picket by the
(, river, where Lieut. berkeley and White
were holding a council 1t was agreed
that White should go forward alone to
I reconnoitre. while berkeley held his men
ready for any emergency Moving cau-
tously along the banks-lt being so dark
that he could not be recognized White
\ approached the landing where tho Fed
erals ESTIMATED at over 10000 were
waiting for deliyerance. Returning with
this report, It was proposed to try and
gapture them, but a gnllant fellow, after
yards killed at Gettysburg said the
~ heme was too utterly rash for con-
sideratien. and 1t was decided that White
Ihould Tide to Hunton's headquarters, ex-
! .. rtA, - u ~ H.