The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-02-17
HISTORY OF THE BOSSIER VOLUNTEERS
AND NINTH LOUISIANA REGIMENT.
BY CAPT. r. j. HANCOCK.
Second Pepper.

When the BOssler Volunteers were re"
turning to the army in Virginia they had
not passed Huntsville, Ala, twenty min
utes when the Yankees made dash into
the town and captured Maj. Kavanagh
and his Jackson Parish company. l do
not know the fate of these men. They
never rejoined the regiment, and the Ninth
louisiana Regiment was the ninth in order
of regiments and had only mine companies
after the fighting began.
On the 18th day of April, 1862, the Bos-
sier Volunteers were re-organized. John
j. Hodges was reelected captain, r. j.
Hancock first lieutenant, Elias Skannal
second lieutenant and John H. Nattin third
lieutenant.
Leroy A. Stafford was elected colonel of
the regiment, William R. Peck lieutenant
colonel and Henry Williams major. DR..
J. C. Egan, of the Bienville Blues (now of
Shreveport was appointed surgeon; DR..
Witherspoon of Minden, assistant surgeon;
W. j. Hughes of Rocky Mount (now of
Shreveport quarter master, and David F.
Boyd commissary. Capt. Hughes served
as quarter-master until the end of the war.
At the Battle of Front Royal, in 1862, the
brigade quarter-master was killed and
Capt. Boyd took his place and acted both
as quarter master of the brigade and COM
missary of the regiment. He was q man
of indomitable energy and perseverance,
and he was always a friend of the Bossier
Volunteers. After the Valley Campaign
was over and Taylor was promoted major
general and assigned to duty in the Trans
Mississippi Department he asked that Maj.
Boyd be allowed to go with him, which
request was granted.
After reorganization the regiment was
assigned to Taylor's Brigade, Ewell's Dr.
vison, and was ordered to the Valley of
Virginia, under Stonewall jackson, at Har-
risburg. To write further history of the
Bossier Volunteers would be to write his
tory of the Valley campaign of 1862 and
the history of the Army of Northern Vir-
GINA, which has already been done by
dOicf pens CIldtI tulHe.
[ will not close this account, however,
without making mention of Col. John j.
Hodges. Raised in the lap of ease and
luxury, with every want gratified, when
the Confederate War began he threw his
whole heart into the cause of the South.
Leaving Bossier Parish as orderly sergeant
of the Bossier Volunteers he returned as
colonel of the Ninth Louisiana Regiment
He was a fleshy, heavy-built man, and
suffered great deal on long march on a
hot day. On one occasion friend came
upon him slowly hobbling along and tried
to get him to getin an ambulance. "No,"
said he, "there are not ambulances enough
for all the army to ride, and will not set
bad example," He was brave, but he
was luck. He was not in the Second Bat
tie of Manassas, but he was at Sharpsburg,
Md. I don't think he was ever wounded
but once, and that was in the wrist at
Monocacy, Md. He was my comrade and
companion. We messed together until the
Battle of Gettysburg, when he was pro-
NOTED major and given horse to ride.
He may have had his faults-we all have
them-but the Army of Northern Virginia
never produced better line or field officer,
and now he is long since dead, would like
to place wreath over his grave.
The Ninth Louisiana was either present
and ready for action or engaged in the
following battles and engagement: First
engagement McGaheysville, Rockingham
County; second, Battle of Front Royal, in
1862; third, engagement at Middletown;
fourth, Battle of Winchester, May Is, 1852;
9th. engagement at Strausburg, after Gen.
Jackson had made his long and hard march
from Charleston (now West Virginia) and
came between Fremont on the West or
Capon Road and Shields at Front ROYAL
on the East. Shields was an Irishman-a
veteran of the Mexican War, and lost an
arm in that cause. jackson moved out
and offered Fremont battle, but the
pathfinder" found another road. Shields
moved up the Luray Valley, but Gen.
Turner Ashby retarded his movements
with an occasional skirmish and then re-
treating and burning bridges ahead of
Shields. Ashby had cavalry only, while
either Shields or Fremont had as MANY if
not more infantry and artillery than Jack
son. But there was the beautiful Massa-
mutton Mountain between Shields and FIRE.
mont. jackson played with Fremont until
he decoyed him to Harrisburg, Va, thence
to Cross KEYS. which is Dunkarfl Church