The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-26
colonel YilIlum Leander Graham.

Colonel William L. Graham. gal
liant Confederate soldier and a citizen
OF this county, died at his home, on
Saturday. the 18th Instant at the ad-
vsnced age of more than eighty-seVen
years he having been born the sth OF
October, 1890. at Chatham Hill, smyth
county. Va. He was the son Of Major
Samuel Graham and Rachel. his Wife,,
nee Montgomery. He was the last sur
vivor OF thirteen brothers and sisters,
seven of whom lived over eighty years,
one of them. Mrs. Amanda Cox, of
Wytheyille. recently dying at the great
age of ninety-eight years The wife
or Colonel-Graham. who preceded him
in death several years. was Louisa
Bowen Thompson, the daughter = OF
Archibald Thompson, Esq. e most esti-
mable gentleman of the old school. who
lived and died in Thompson Valley.
Colonel Graham Is survived by all of,
his six children-Samuel NJ. Graham.
the present clerk of Tazewell county;
DIR. Archibald T. Graham, OF Russell
county: John B. Graham. William r.
Graham Mrs. C. P. Greeyer and Mrs.
John F. Gillespie. Colonel Graham was
a modest. unpretentious gentleman,
manly. the very soul of honor, de-
|lightful and cheerful companion. a man
OF great physical strength. "a skilled
div VI 5hShs 5SSNta . 1880
ing him the typical cavalier, which he
proved 10 be in the War between the
States. for he was a born soldier. Coll
onel Graham early showed his predilec-
ton for THO life of soldier. having
organized a company of volunteers. of
which he was made captain, for the
purpose of Joining the American Army
III the War with Mexico, but. to his
great disappointment, the war termin-
e<o,, 1, = t<.I,, I,A
He was made lieutenant -colonel of
the 18th Virginia Regiment OF caval-
ry Volunteers In the Confederate
Army at Its organization IN 1852, and
served as such In the campaigns In the
Valley Of Virginia, Pennsylvania and
Maryland, holding his rank until the
close of the war. He was painfully
wounded at Bunker Hill, in-the Valley
of Virginia. in 1868. and again close
to Fort Stevens. near Washington city,
in 1864, and was captured by the en-
envy at Moore1eld, Hardy county, West
Virginia, in August, 1854 taken to
prison at Camp Chase. Ohio. where he
suffered the torments- Of the damned
until the close Of the war in April,
lS65.-5 .
Colonel Graham. while cautious
soldier, did not scruple to take the
independent initiative with his cons
mand when an opportunity was pre-
scented.
He was the acknowledged chiettatn
of the hastily assembled Confederate
forces who met the Federal General
Averill at a mountain pass near Wythe-
VILE. drove the raiders back, and saved
tthc town of Wytheville andeits beau
|tiful surrounding country from devas-
tution. He was with General John Nc
Causland, who SO resisted the march
OF General Hunter to Lynchburg as TO
make it possible to save that city. Ho
and Colonel Henry s.<Bowen. who COM
handed the Twenty-second Virginia
Cavalry. planned and made with their
regiments the independent attack upon
the 3ratrenting columnssof General Hum
ter at Hanging Rock. near Salem, Va,
|intlicting q heavy loss On the enemy,
throwing the invading army In confu-
sion, capturing several pieces Of arr
tlllery. and destroying much ordnance.
Colonel Graham had a good right6to
beBa soldier. lie isst the last surviving
grandson OF Colonel II ohnl Montgomery,
who vase connrcde of G eorge Iso gers
CLARK IN Colonial erylce. and was also
| In the service OF the American Army