The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-23
MAJ. JOS. w. LATIMER.
Memorial Prepared by Mrs. K. S. Paul for the
Harrisonburg Association

AZ the great Civil War reccdes into
the past and the men who took part
in 1t grow fewer with each passing
year: az the momentous events of tho
present and the unfolding promise of
tho future absorb moro and more the
interest of the people of to-day. 1t be-
comes important that we who are the
link between the South's era OF hui
initiation and adversely and her dawn
ing commercial prospect should guard
and cherish tho memory of the men.
tho rank and flle of those armies who
gave her her military glory and won
for her a world wide and age-long re-
nown which no achievements of in
dustry or commerce. however great,
can ever eclipse.
Not with any feeling of bitterness
or sectionalism-thc time for that Is
long past-and after the lapse of hfty
years our united country can acknowl-
edge the bravery of both sides.
1t Is with some sucn idea that !
have prepared the following imperfect
sketch from the records and memo
rails Of the Virginia Military Insti-
tute. from correspondence with citi-
~
from the "reminiscences OF some of the
older residents of our town.
In our Woodbine Cemetery arc the
graves of moro than 225 Confederate
soldiers. Maryland. Virginia. North
Carolina. South Carolina, Georgia. Ten
nessee. Alabama, Louisiana and Mis-
souri, are all represented in this tragic
roll OF fame. Although the people of
Rockingham have cared for these
graves for more than forty-tive years.
we know very little OF the life his
tories OF those sleepcrs on the hill
side; In the rows of headstones los arc
unmarked. which means Unknown"
and five bear only initials or most OF
them we know only that they wore the
gray, that they gave their lives for
the cause they believed to be right,
and that they died far from home and
kindred.
There Is one among these many
graves that holds deep interest for
US by reason of the brief and brilliant
career of the lad who lies below. The
tiny stone at the head bears the fol-
lowing inscriptions:
THE Boy Major.
JOS. w. Latimer.
Major of Artillery.
EweTls Corps
Wounded at Gettysburg
and died at Harrisonburg. Virginia,
aged 10 years"
Joseph White Latimer was born near
Brentsville. Prince William County. in
October. 1S43. His father was Samuel
IL Latimer. Of Maryland OF English
extraction and descended from the
same family as Bishop Latimer. the
martyr OF the days OF Bloody Mary"
his mother was Charlotte Barron, Of
Virginia. After their marriage they
settled in Prince William County.
where Mr.. Latimer owned a fine farm
and q number OF slaves. Joseph was
the youngest of q family of eight
children. consisting Of five sons and
three daughters. His father died be-
fore the beginning OF the war OF his
childhood we know but little except
that 1t was that of the Virginia coun-
try boy OF that period, the child OF
well-to-do and intelligent parents,
growing up in home OF comfort and
abundance. He attended school in
Brentsvillo and was known as a bright,
light-hearted boy. popular with his
school-fellows and an excellent stu
dent. He possessed withal the average
boys love OF mischief and OF playing
tricks on his classmates and q gem
tieman who. as quite a small boy, al
tended the same school when Joseph
was one OF the big boys. remembers
hearing him severely reprimandcd by
the teacher for handing HIS desl1mate
a slate pencil which he had slyly heat
ed on the stove. A lady who attended
the Same school told mo that when on
one occasion her little sister was called
up by the teacher to be punished. Joe
Latimer stepped forward before the
frightened little culprit and asked that
he might be punished instead.
In 1859, ut the age OF sixteen, he
entered the Virginia Military Institute
and donned the trim gray uniform OF
that famous school. In 1861, on the
breaking out of the war, when he
was just entering as a first classman.
he volunteered his services to the
State and was assigned to duty at the
camp OF instruction at Richmond to
drill the newly organized artillery bat
teries. fIe was then but eighteen years
old, slender and of such an extremely
youthful appearance that the officers
ana men of the artillery at first re-
sented being placed under the tuition
OF q schoolboy. But his soldierly bear
Ing. his thorough understanding of
his work. his good humor and kind
disposition soon won their respect and
affection Notwithstanding his inflexible
discipline. The older mon of the bat
tories spoke of him as "our little boy"
In September, 1851, he was elected
second lieutenant of the Courtney Ar
tiller" attached to General E5welrs Di-
vision, and during that fall and winter
iaDored necessarily to perfect their tao
tics. In the following spring, 1862,
!. at Standardsville. in Greene County, the
company was reorganized and he was
elected first lieutenant. In all the bat
ties and skirmishes Of the Valley cam
paign. MsDoweIl, Front Royal Win.
chester, Cross Keys and Port RepublIc.
which followed in quick SUCCESSION. he
showed Increasing efficiency. GOODNESS
and intrepidity. After the battle of
Cross Keys. whore his battery, with
General Trimbles Brigade, was engaged
continuously for five hours the gen
eral published an order praising the
conduct of the company and breveted
the young lieutenant Captain of Ar
tillery" and soon after he was regu-
iarly commissioned by thu Confederate
War Department. In April. 1883 he
was promoted the tho? rank of major
and assigned to duty with Andrews
Battalion an dlater had chief COM
mand OF that fine body OF mon. His
bravery, his efficiency and his consid-
etate attention to thoir welfare gained
their admiration and affection and they