Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-04-01
RElNISCENSE
OF THE WAR.
BY REV. C. l.. DEGGS.

The company of which was amember
was organized as an Artillery Company,
with the following officers: b. H.
Robinson, captain; DR.. Granville Har-
vey, first lieutenant; DR.. A. Edwards,
second lieutenant; Octavus George,
third lieutenant. The organization took
place some time in April, 1861, and
before we were mustered in the service
of the Confederacy we were called upon
to 60 on the Wicomico river to assist
Capt. E. Stakes to hold the Smith Point
Lightboat that had been run in Mill
Greek, tributary of the Wicomico, by
member of Capt. Stakes company,
several days before; but we reached
them too late for they were some dis
tance out of the creek, and nearly out
Of the river.
Our ammunition consisted of one solid
shot and what scrap iron we could get
at the blacksmith shop. This was put up
in little bags that the ladies' had made
for US. We returned home with no
casualties.
A short time after this we were
called together and went in camp at
White Marsh camp ground, and were
mustered into service on the 10th day of
June. 1861. AS there was no can
non to be had, Capt. Robinson was pre-
vailed to take what old fiintlock
muskets, necessary to arm his COM
pany. but said it would only be
temporary. which we will see proved
otherwise. We were assigned to the
doth Va Regiment and ours was Com
pany ID the first year of the war, and
after the reorganization was Company /.
We left home in wagons and went as
far as Oldhams Crossroads the first day
and from thence to Union wharf, where
we took the steamboat, went
up the river to the Hop Yards and from
there to King George C. H. and spent
the night. The next day we marched
to Matthias Point and took our place in
the regiment which we kept, and / think
we did credit to the same. Gen. Ruggles
was in command of all the troops at
that point and Col. John M. Brocken-
boughswss intcommand of our regiment,
which was the Doth Va, consisting
Of ten companies-one from West
moreland county, commanded by Capt.
Cox; three from Richmond county.
commanded by Captains Sydnor, Pitts
and Crawley; four from Northumber-
land county, commanded by Captains
Stakes. Litchfield, Belts and Coles; two
from Lancaster. Capts. Henderson and
Robinson. There were other troops
there. i think apart of the 47th Va.
After few days we went up the Po-
tomac river and the most of the
regiment stopped on the north side
OF creek called Potomac, our
company remaining on the southside for
several weeks. then joined our regi-
ment on Maulterby Point. Here Lieut..
Edwards health failed and he resign
ed and went home and we elected
John F. Moody to fill the vacancy. Gen.
Ruggles was called to some other point
and Gen. Holmes had command at that
time. The 30th Va. was with us. / recol-
iect Gen. Holmes had an inspection of
the two regiments and he first called
upon the Col. commanding the 3Oth Va.
TO drill his regiment and then called
upon our Col. and we beat the SOth so
badly that they said we had been
practising for it, but that was not the
case, for we had been taught to go
through all of our evolutions while on
the march, and the 30th had not. They
commenced all Of theirs from a halt.
We had no engagement while there,
but sometimes the enemy gave US a
shelling from their gun boats. We
built winter quarters between the Point
and Acqui Greek and just before
Xmas we were ordered to Heathsville,
where we remained until the seventh
day Of March, 1852. About the middle
Of February we were called upon to
re-enlist, as we were only in for one year.
and we were offered S0-day furlough
as an inducement, but it was not more
than half out before we were ordered
to report for duty soon. The 7th of
March we left Heathsville and took
the steamer at Union Wharf. Here the
regiment numbered 800. We were then
called ''Brockenbough Rams" for he had
gotten piece OF white woolen goods man
ufactured in Fredericksburg by Kelley,
Tackett & Ford from which suits were
made. The suits cost us ten dollars
apiece, and had been made while we
were on Maulterby Point.
We reached Fredericksburg and went
out on q road known as the Telegraph.
The 9th Va. was there in camp
but Gen. Holmes had been sent else
where. Gen. Fields was in charge
with his headquarters in Fredericksburg.
We broke camp in q few days, the 47th
going to Yorktown, ] think, and we
went over the river in Stafford, and
while there we had three men assigned
to our company, one by the name OF
Yerby, the other Rogers and the other
White. While Yerby never came to
the company. yet the man he persuaded
TO take his place proved to be one of the
best, for he was known home after the
war a. my lad" We heard the enemy
were advancing and we marched as ia,
~ Stafford Courthouse but heard nc
more from them 90 went back to
camp. In q few days we moved our
camp over;the river.on Marye's Heights,
] and while there we got dispatch one