Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-04-01

river. stationing two on one road anC
two on the other. In the night the
Federal cavalry charged our videttt
post-they were cavalry and fel
back where our infantry was posted
and we did up the Yanks pretty good
Capt. Belts had one man killed. Ourcom
panies recrossed the river and as I was
on guard at the bridge l set fire tc
the same. We pitched our camp off
from the river and was known
as Battles Gate. While there we had q
reelection of officers, and this ended
our first year. Octavus George was
elected captain; John F. Moody, first
lieutenant;W. II. Cole, second lieutenant.
From there we went to Massaponox
Church, from there to Moss Neck.
While doing picket duty on the river
we used to sharp shoot at each other and
while we lost no one, a member of
our company, w. w. T. Clark, known
by every one as DR.. Clark, was wounded
but not very seriously. After this we
moved our camp to Meadow Bridge, on
the Chickahominy river, and on 31st of
May Gen. Johnston had fight at Seven
Pines, down the river from our camp,
but we did not participate in that.
On the 26th day of June we crossed the
river at Meadow Bridge and drove the
pickets in and pushed on to Mechanics
vile and were under heavy artillery
fire. After crossing the bridge, 1 was
detailed and sent to the front as sharp
shooter, and we drove the enemy back
to their intrenchments. While Capt.
Pegram was shelling the enemy our
regiment was supporting him, as we
did good many times after that. We
had two men wounded that evening,
j. w. Anderson and John Rogers, the
latter never coming back to the COM
pany any more. There were some Ten
nessee troops close to us and partially
hid by a thicket. Our Col. mistook them
for the Yanks, and said. There they
are, give it to them, boys" and with
that order portion of the regiment
that heard it poured volley into them
but hit no one. One of the officers came
over and asked for the commanding
officer and the firing ceased. Capt.
Pegram lostvery heavily but he stood bis
ground and had the last shot, for that
was one thing ne was very apt to do.
The next day we marched to Gaines Mill,
or Cold Harbor, and after forming a
line of battle Gen. Anderson came up to
Gen. Fields and said, ''if you will support
me l will charge them," but by the time
wegot out of the woods Gen. AS. brigade
was driven back and as there were no
| orders, Gen. Field held his ground.
will state here our brigade consisted
Of the 4Oth Va. 47th Va. 55th Wa. and
Goth Va. After the seven days fight was
over the Goth Va. was transferred from
US to some other command and the 22nd
Va. battalion was sent to us. We lost
about half of the company that crossed
the bridge, which was 80 men, six were
killed and the rest wounded. We lost
both ofour Moody died Of a
wound and Cole was disabled for field
service-and when the fight was over,
Capt. Georges health was so bad he had
to resign, and we were left without
any commissioned officer. From there
to Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas,
Harpers Ferry, Sharpsburg. or Antitam,
and back to Fredericksburg our division
was commanded by Gen. A. P. Hill.
was composed of six brigades and
was called A. P. Hills light divi-
sion. There were two North Carolina
brigades commanded by Gen. o. P.
Branch and Gen. VIM. ID. Pender, one
South Carolina brigade commanded by
Gen. Maxey Gregg, one Georgia brigade
commanded by Gen. Thomas, one Ten
nessee brigade commanded by Gen.
Archy and commissioned as Virginia
brigade commanded by Gen. C. w.
Field. He was wounded at Manassas
and never came back. Col. Brocken-
bough commanded the brigade while
in Maryland, at Harpers Ferry. Sharps-
burg, and crossed the river back to
Virginia, we camping near Bunker Hill
for while, between Martinsburg and
Winchester. Wemoved our camp from
there to near Berryville where we re-
mained until the 26th day of November,
when We took up our march and never
made any halt except at night until we
reached Fredericksburg, which was only
a few days before the fight, on
the 18th of December. Gen. Branch
was killed at the Sharpsburg fight and
Col. James Lane was promoted and took
charge of his brigade. After the fight
at Fredericksburg. at Camp Gregg we
elected captain and one lieutenant.
w. F. Dunaway, who is now D. D.,
was elected capita, in and Robt. H. Chill
ton, brother of r. w. Chiffon who
lives at Kilmarnock, lieutenant. Gen.
Gregg was killed at Fredericksburg and
a Gen. MCGOWAN commanded after that.
This ended the second year of the war.
In 1868 Gen. Henry Heth took charge
of Us and went in the battle of Chan
cellorsville with us as brigadier and on
account of Gen. Jackson's death Gen.
A. P. Hill was promoted to lieutenant
general, and Gen. Pender and Gen.
Heth were promoted to major generals.
Gen. Pender was put in command OF
four of the brigades that constituted A.
P. Hills light division. His old brigade
was commanded by Generals Scales,
Lane. MCGOWAN and Thomas. Gen.
Heth had his old brigade commanded by
Col. Brockenbrough, Gems. Archy CTen.
nessee), Petigrew, Cook and Davis
The three last brigsdes were sent