The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-09

pero Confederate officer. contains two
gross errors. which, however much /
dislike appearing in print, feel II 10
be my duty. as ;he Official historic
grapher Of the Virginia Military In
stitutc, TO correct, and which | nov
proceed to do il il there stated that
Colonel Edgar was educated at the
University Of Virginia. after the war.
and was thereafter taught at tho Nir-
Iin!a Military Institute.
| ain not willing that ono of the
most distinguished and most loyal sons
OF the Virginia Military institute
should DO thus claimed by another in
stitution. The facts are these: In Jan
uary. 1853. after having received tho
beat academic training available,
George Mathews Edgar, OF distinguish
cd Virginia ancestry, was ulatriculntcd
al the Virginia Military Institute from
Monroe County. Va, and was graduated
in July. 1856. standing sixth In a class
OF thirty-three OF this class. two
died before the war. and the remaining
members were all gallant Confederate
oficers-fve being colonies. four lieu
tenant-colonels four majors, thirteen
captains. and five licutcuants Ten OF
this class We're Killed In battle.
After teaching Il year in his native
town. Edgar accepted an assistant pro-
fessorship In his alma mater. rendered
him tho second time. and assisted Ma
Tor William Gillian, IL, D.. the emil
nent professor OF chemistry and geo
iogy at the institute. lin tho first labo-
ratory instruction in chemistry ever
given In a college IN the South (Col-
oncl Edgars own Words.
In 1853 he was elected professor Of
natural philosophy ana astronomy IN
the North Carolina Military Institute
OF which Major afterwards Licuten-
ant-GcneraD j. H. Hill was superir-
tendcnt He resigned this position in
h.. fsst 80 =
natural sciences in The Florida State
seminary. where he was tho following
February when Florida seeded from
'he Union. April =, 1S6i. ne voIun-
teered as n private in the Leon Rifles"
and went to Fort Barancas. where
General BraNton Bragg was organic
ing AN army and erecting seacoast bat
tories Tor tho reduction Of Fort Pick
eng. Here lie served AS sergeant
major ana driilmnstcr Of the First
Florida regiment until after Virginia
seeded. when, Impellod 10y strong
desire To enter the service OF his native
state. he obtained a discharge and re-
turned 10 his mountain home, assisted
IN raising a company, OF which he was
chosen first lieutenant ana was soon
participating in the kanawha Valley
campaign. under Observation-Disclosures!
Henry y. Wise. his company having
bcen Incorporated in the Fifty-nlnth
Virginia Infantry Regiment. Wise Lee
EIoh. rms service. trying from the be-
ginning by reason OF the nadcouacv of
ihc force and equipment at General
"ise's command was rendered still
more so when the general was forced
10 abandon the Valley and cooperate
with Brieadicr-Gcneral John t. Flovd
la resisting tho cncmy's advance
through tho rugged mountain region
"A resistance only rendered effective
when General Robert " Lee came TO
hnts val ..F
confronted General Rosccrans on Big
Sewen Mountain--a service entailinE
'ar greater mortality from sickness
man from shot and she'll in the few
engagements that took place between
me contcndinE forces. though the com
pats at Barhoursvillc and Scary, ana
nose on larger scale n CarnifaX
Ferry and Cotton Hill, and the various
SkrnishcS that took place. were no
mean introduction to the art OF war
aud with the drilling; and discipline Of
Inc camp and march. found valuable
preparation OF both officers and men 10
ihce the dangers and endure the Dri-
Nations OF tile arduous campaign that
ionoWed with courage and fortitude
lieutenant Edgar was promoted to
z captaincy early in the CAMPAIGN. and
serEcd until Frustrated with typhoid
ever near its close. Detached from
nc Wise Legion during the winter fol-
made the basis of a battalion Of i've
Companies. Of which he was elected
major IN the spring and on the addi-
non OF other companies. lieutenant
colonel.
lie commanded this battalion. tho
iwenty-SiXth Virginia Infantry. popu-
lariy known as ''Edgar's Battalion"
Tor three years, participating in num-
crous engagements in Western Nir-
gina, the Shenandoah Valley and be-
fore Richmond. chief among which
were tho battle of Lewisburg, whore
no was shot through the side and LEFT
on the Held: the affair at Ilandlcy's
Cor Tutwiler's) lin, and n half
lnilcs' west Of Lcwisbl where. with
2o0 men, he aInbuscadeC Jrce Of Fed
cral cavalry OF three times that num-
Der. whose declared purpose was to
burn the town, inflicting heavy loss.
IN recognition or which service the
ladies' Of Lcwisburg presented him
with beautiful sworn; the battle of
Dry Creek, where he held the most
exposed post of tho line for n day and
Il half against the repeated charges
OF tho enemys cavalry and infantry,
receiving for himself and men the
thanks of the commanding officer, Col
oncl George S. Patton CV NJ ID, on
me field; the baltic OF New Market,
"Acrc II" led his battalion through the
dl"oric"cd ranks OF the regiment i'm It's
front and thence IN q charge through
'hot and smell To the cnemy's second line
w advance OF all other troops, capturing
'hree guns and gaining vantage ground
which largely contributed to the vic
'ory: tho battle of Totopotomoy Creek. |
Were Breekinridge's Division 20
which his battalion belonged, with
STOOD terrific bombardmcnt for a day
and night from more than q hundred
serge guns, supported by corps OF
infantry; tho battle OF Second Cold
Harbor, where in scarcely more than
Atteen minutes. his battalion Of 400
men was temporarily overcome after
u desperate bayonet fight with two di-
visions OF hancocll's Corps, OF twenty |
ZINES Its number. suffering loss Of
Two hundred and nineteen (219) men
IN killed, wounded and prisoners,
among them tho ndJutant and color
noaTer. who hcroically sacrificed their
ives dafonding the colors with sword
aan color-lance. respectively, n prize |
which tho enemy only secured. later af-