The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-27
THE pIsPAToH RIoHMoNp VA sUNpAY ApRI 2z 1913

Rev. William Thomas for coolly and
bravely administered spiritual oou-
fort to a badly wounded comrade be-
tween the lines under rre during one
or these rassages OF arms, received
well merlted praise from his command
Ing officer and was appointed chaplain
OF the regiment. The attempt at
starving out Burnside and his army
having failed. the additional unfortu-
nate disaster OF Missionary Ridge COM
PEELED q retreat towards Greenville,
Tenn. While in this neishborhood. on
cold wintry day. the commander of
the legion rode up to the quarters OF
lowing conversation took place:
Hello. Gary, where are you eoing?"
" am ordered to Richmond. cap
tain. and / want some money and
clothes to go with. do not know
what 1t is for. hut I am satisfied II
Is for my benefit
buck as BriRadier.
The money and clothes were fur
nished by the quartermastsr. and Col
onel Gary. we'll provided. sped to the
capital. In a few days he returned and
as commander of the brigade issued
orders for each regiment to report
to headquarters the number Of men
able 70 provide themselves with horses
Strange to say, every man OF the
legion reported ability to procure a
steed. Nothing was thought OF this
unusual order to- infantry, the brigade
believing II to be matter OF moon.
shine until ii was aroused on n Ger.
tain morning In early spring ny the
glad and exulting whoops and yells
OF the men OF the legion as they broke
camp and marched out of the lines.
1t was then known that they were
ordered home to mount themselves
turned and with light step the march
was easily made TO Greenvllle. S. c..
where the regiment was disbanded TO
meet in Columbia. each man with a
horse within thirty days.
At the appointed time the regiment
in new role assembled on the banks
OF the Congarce, recruited and new
~ equipped "a grand review termi-
mated an enjoyable camp OF a week
the order A detachment went with
the horses by the dirt road" while
the regiment journeyed by rail. En-
route, the latter cpnung emit disem
barked al Amelia Courthouse, Va. to
renulse Federal cavalry raid, but
the enemy, having beat a retreat. in
day or two the journey was con-
tinued. Passing train of prisoners
bound South an linguistic Yankee in
qured of us, what troops are your
The Hampton Legion" was the re-
ply.
Well said ne. 81 hope the last one
of YOU will land in hi. I've been
captured three times by that Id
Hampton Legion
Richmond reached. the. legion
campcd in the suburbs until the ar
rival OF the horses, and then began life
as cavairymen. or as the comrades
of Jenkins Brigade said of us, "hav-
ing served with honor as web feet
VIC were about TO disgrace splendid
record at buttermillt rangers"
These names were applied during
the war respectively to the infantry
and the cavalry on account OF the
facility OF the former for making
forced marches in wet and stormy
weather. and OF the foraging propen-
stiles OF the latter for everything edi-
BILE i'll general but buttermllk in par
t!cular. The parallel movements OF
Lee and Grant after the Battle of the
Wilderness towards the James River
soon brought the legion in proximity
10 the enemy, and at Riddles shop il
stubbcrnly fought Grant in one OF his
dashcs towards Richmond. until rein
forced and relieved by Lees infantry,
VINO drove the enemy back, Furnishing
him severely. After this endeavor
to break through the Confederate lines
upon the devoted city, Grant settled
| his swarms Of blue-coated soldiers
around II In semicircle OF forty
miles, reaching from the nelghborhood
OF Malvern Hill on the north to Peters
burg on the south, and began the
ultimately successful starving and
wearing out process OF his siege.
Picket Duty on the james.
The legion meanwhile had been or
dered 10 do picket duty near the James
River some fifteen or twenty miles be-
low Richmond, at localities known as
Deep Bottom, Drill Shop and Double
Gates. Here the time was cpent idly
and without eXciumdnt. eXceSt now
and then receiving a good Smelling
from the enemys gunboats when it
ventured too near the river In reaping
the grain in the rich bottoms which
the farmers had been compelled to
abandon on the approach of Grant.
Both cavalry and infantry would reap
at night and carry the grain away to
some mill and provide themselves with
extra rations OF -four. 4 venturesome
ranger during the day would invari-
ably provoke a bombardment. 4 dar-
ing cavalryman, angered at his being
driven from the fields, secreted himself
near the cage OF the river at daylight,
and with his carbne "bushwhacked''
Uncle SANS lookout on the topmast of
the Sunboat. Thereupon the whole
country around was complimented with
bombardment, which did no damage
beyond intimldating raw recruits
For a month or two this picket duty
on the James was kept up, when
the regiment was stirred into activity
by an attacking force from the enemy.
The cavalry held then in check until
the arrival of the infantry from the
right, moving parallel from the south
side with the advancing Federals. on
this occasion, being relieved by Nc
Gowans Brigade, a ragged rebel wanx-
ed to kno" what regiment lay in front
of them. When informed. he said:
Boys. the Hampton Legion will
stick. thought it was some cussed
cavalry"
During this advance 4 Federal cav
airy officer. while recommending, rode
up 10 the post of John Lyons, OF Com
pany b. Hiding behind tree. john
ME waited until the officer approached
near enough. when. rushing upon him
at charge bayonet," he ordered his
surrender in classical brogue. The
capture was made and Lyons became
the possessor of the officers splendid
hnr