The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-24
Orchard. ". Va, October 81, 1898.
General Robert White:

General Robert White:
Dear General and Comrade:
1 have just received letter from
Colonel Gatewood inclosing your letter
to him OF the 10th instant. and ask
ing me to reply to your letter.
Nearly a year ago. I. as commander
OF Morett-Poage Camp. United Con-
iederate Veterans, at Marlinton Poca-
hontas County. ". Va. received a CIR
GUAR letter on Same subject, but ] was
not at home when 1T arrived, and the
limited time allowed in which to get
information to General Evans prevent
ca any reply from me. I am now away
from home. md cannot do justice, In
any sketch l may give you. TO all
the Confederate boys who left Poca-
hontas County in defense OF their dear
old Virginia in 1861. But will lot
down such Information on the subject
as occurs to my mind, without data
TO refer to.
Our county. as you know. was the
scene OF many conflicts. Being between
tho contending armies, We had many
akifTnishes and deadly conflicts that arc
not recorded IN history, besides sew
cral important battles, some of which
Will notice later on In this letter.
In April, 1861. two infantry COM
panies and one cavalry company were
~ Sa''4Scu l'OCdnOHthS county. ono
or the infantry companies organized
at Huntersvbl!c. was composed OF nearly
100 men, and commanded at the be-
ginning by Captain d. A. Stovcr, later
by Captain j. ". Matthews: was or
dered TO Ph!lipp!. and shared the fate
or other organizations or, rather dis
organized bodies assembled at philippi:
later Il was part Of Rigons Battalion,
and later Ryan and Hansbrough's Bat
talions were organized into the
Twenty-ffth Virginia Infantry, com
manded respectively by Colonel Smith,
of Pendleton. and Hickenbottor OF Up
shur. more gallant and worthy
soldier than Colonel Hickenbottom
never drew sword. He was killed al
Spotsylvania Courthouse. May 10. 1861,
while gallantly leading brigade in
action.
The Twenty-htth Regiment be-
ionsed to the First Division of Jack
sons Corps from June 1852. to close
OF the war. which division was so
nearly annihilated at the Wilderness
in 1864. The other infantry company
10 which l had the honor to be a
member. was organized AT Green Bank
IN April. 1861 and numbered loo men
It's first captain was ]. c. Arbogast.
afterwards major Thirty-frst Virginia
Infantry: Lieutenants G.. w. Siltle and
Frank Green later Lieutenants Sidney
ana CndItcB 1SuCkUldn ana EHSAa Nell
hng. The latter became captain OF the
company IN 1853. and John r. War
wick Was the only lieutenant from
that date till the close of the war.
This company was FASTENED West
on the Stanton and Petersburg
Turnpike. and later stationed at Laurel
Hill under the iamented General Gar
nett The company was made part OF
tho Thirty-first Virginia Infantry, and
deSionatAd 40 Connanv Cnlopal
William L. Jackson, OF Parkersburg
(afterwardS general was its com
Inender in 1851 In the spring OF 1852
John S Hoffman. of Clarksburg, was
elected colonel. Colonel Alfred Jack
son, OF Weston. was lieutenant colonel
Chenewith, of Randolph County, was
elected major. Major Chenewith was
killed at the battle OF Port Republic,
in which engagement tho regiment
lost over half its number engaged.
Colonel Jackson was killed. 1 believe,
at the battle OF Cedar Mountain, in
1862.
Captain Anbogaat, Company @. was
promoted to major. but afterward re-
signed. when Captain F. S. Kerr Nc
Cutch!n. Company D, of Gill
mer County. promoted and
became the lieutenant colonel OF
the regiment. and Captain Coop
er. OF Harrison County. major OF
the regiment. This regiment perhaps
saw more hard service and was en-
gagged In more or as many battles than
any other regiment Of the Army OF
Northern Virginia. commencing with
the skirm!sh ut Garriol1s Ford on re-
treat from Laurel Hill; next the battle
of Greenbrier River. In Pocahontas
County, in July OF 1861; next the bat
tie of Allegheny, also in Pocahon,as
County fought on the 18th of Deem
~
christened It the Bloody Thirty first
At that time the brigade was composed
of the Twelfth Georgia, Colonel John
son: Twenty-fifth Virginia, Colonel
Hansbrough: Forty-fourth virginia,
Colonel Scott; Fifty-second Virginia,
Colonel BALDWIN,; Andcrson's Battery,
Miller's Battery and Churchville's Cav
airy. commanded by Captain Stertt. Of
Augusta County. Va. The Twelfth
ments In the army. and the Twenty
nth virginia, West Virginia. were the
right and left arms OF the Thirty first
Virginia In all the struggles OF the
war although later tho Twelfth Geor-
gia was assigned to Sales's Brigade,
Rhodess Division. same corps. and the
Twenty-ffth was assigned to John
ston's Division, same corps, and the
Thirty-frs was assigned to Early's
Brigade of Ewoll's Corps or Third d.
vision, Second Corps Jacksons): tho
Thirty-frst Virginia Regiment was ac-
lively engaged. and lost heavily in
the battle of Mcdowell. May 8, 1862;
the skirmish at Franklin. May II or
~, 1862; the battle of Winchester, May,
1852; at Cross Keys June 8, 1852: Port
Republic, June Q, 1852. At this last
battle we came near being ami
iflated.. our company losing eighteen
out Of thtrty-six men engaged in ff-
teen minutes, and but for tho timely
charge made by Taylor's Louisiana
Brigade (afterward Hays, tho whole
regiment must have persisted.
The next battle In which the regiment
took part was Mechanicsville. Juno
1862; Cold Harbor, Chicahominy cam
patgn, to Malvern Hill, then back to
Cedar Point, Second Manassas. sharps-