Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1908-04-24
VIM, [. GRAHAM
DEAD, AGE 86
An Old Virginia Gentleman, Cit
izen and Soldier Passes to
His Reward.
Communicated


citizen of this county, died at his
home on Saturday, the 18th inst, at
the advanced age of more than 81
years, he having been born on the
Sth day of October, 1920, at Cbath-
am Hill, Smyth County, Virginia
He was son Of Major Samuel Gra-
ham, 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 Wytheville, recently died at
the great age OF 9S years. The wife
of Colonel Graham, who preceded
him in death several years, was
Louisa Bowen Thompson, the daugh-
ter of Archibald Thompson, Esq.,, a
most estimable 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; DR.. Archibald
L. Grahm, of Russell county; John
B. Graham, William II. Graham,
Mrs. G. p. Greever and Mrs. John II.
Gillespie. Colonel Graham was a
modest, unpretentious gentleman;
manly-the very soul of honor, a de-
lightful and cheerful companion;
man of great physical strength,
skilled horseman and of great cour-
age, making him the typical cavalier
which he proved to be in the war
between the States, for he was born
sol dier. Colonel Graham early show
ed his predilection for the life of
soldier having organized company
of volunteers, of which he was made
Captain, for the purpose of joining
the American Army in the war with
Mexico, but To his great disappoint-
ment the war terminated before he
could join the army.
He was made Lieutenant Colonel
of the 10th Virginia Regiment of
Cavalry Volunteers in the Confeder-
ate army ut its organization in 1862,
and served as such in the campaigns
in the Valley of Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania 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 enemy at
Moorefeld, Hardy county, West Vir-
ginia, in August, 1864, taken to pris-
on at Camp Chase, Ohio, where he
suffered the torments of the damned
until the close of the war in April,
1865.
Colonel Graham, while cautious
soldier, did not scruple TO take the
independent iniative with his COM
mand, when an opportunity was
presented. He was the acknowledged
chieftain of the hastily assembled
Confederate forces who met the Fed
eral General Averill at a mountain
pass, near Wytheville, drove the
raiders back and saved the town of
WytheVille and its beautiful sur
rounding country from devastation.
He was with General John McCaus-
land, who resisted the march of Gen
.eral Hunter to Lynchburg as to make
it possible to save that city. He and
Colonel Henry S. Bowen, who COM
manded the 22nd Virginia Cavalry,
planned and made with their regi-
ments the independent 2attack upon
the retreating columns of General
Hunter at Hanging Rock, near Sa-
lem, Virginia, inflicting heavy loss
on the enemy, throwing the invad-
ing army in confusion, capturing sew
eral pieces of artillery and destroying
much ordinance.
Colonel Graham had a good right
TO be a soldier. He is the last surviv-
ing grand son of Colonel John Mont.
ogmery, who was a comrade of George
Rogers Clark, in Colonial service,
and was also in the service of the
American Army of the Revolution.
His father, Major Samuel Graham,
(who was born on the Atlantic dur
ing the voyage of his parents to thi,
country, was a volunteer in the wa
of 1S12-14, between this country anC
England, and was promoted Majo
while garrisoned at Portsmouth, Vir
ginia.
1t seems pathetic that a great sol
dier and good man like Colone
Graham should die, and ere long n,
more mention will be made of him
but this need not trouble his eterna
sleep. He can risk his chances TO
Immortality, which is a safe one
along with the gallant youths, Col
onels William Brown, and Edwin
Harman, and with his comrades
Colonels Bowen and Robert Smith
and host of others, who now, Iik
him, lie enwrapped in the immorta
gray, beneath the shade of the trees
and beyond the Great Divide.