The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-24
MR.. YEAGER'S SKETCH.
Covering Some Information as to Twenty Fifth and
Ihlrty-First Virginia Infantry Regiments and
Including Other Information of Value

,
| Fredericksburg
| The spring Of 1863 found US at Fred
er1cHsburg. both the Thrty-hrst and
twenty NTH, nearly all OF both regi-
ments being West Virginia men de-
tached on the 18th OF April, 1863, and
| assigned to General John D. Imboden,
then encamped at Shenandoah Noun
tain or between that and Staunton, Va.
After Joining Imboden we marched rap
| idly across the mountain attacking and
routing the enemy at Beverly, Ran
dolph County. then we marched via
buchanan, Weston. Bull Run, SUIT
ton. etc. TO Frankford. in Greenbrier
| County. having several slight skirm-
ishes. and without rest were marched
TO Buffalo Gap. ten miles from Staun-
ton. Va, and took cars for FrederIcks :
burg, Va. where we arrived on the
l2th of May, having been absent just
one month. That night at midnight
we commenced the march TO Winches-
ter. Va. including the Gettysburg cam
paign.
BY this time General Ewen was
commanding the corps. our beloved
Jackson having lost his life while
we were absent on the Northwest Vir-
ginia campaign. Early commanded
our division. and General William
Smith. Extra Billy" afterward Gov
ernor. commanded our brigade. At this
point note that Early's Division was
composed OF his old brigade, now Cen
eral Smiths TayloTs Louisiana
Brigade now General Hayes: Law
tons Georgia Brigade. now General
Gordon's; and Hoke's North Carolina
Brigade. We were actively engaged,
and lost men in each OF the three days
battles at Gettysburg We Were the
advance division. and had gone as far
as York. Pa. from which point we
marched on the first day OF the Gettys-
burg battle. arriving on the field and
supporting Gordon IN his charge made
about ! p. VI. When the enemy
were routed with so much slaughter
and I can't help but say, that had our
brilliant success been followed up
promptly, as Jackson would have done
had he been there, Gettysburg would
have been a great victory Tor our
armies
Altar returning from Gettysburg
campaign. our regiment was In all the
campaigns after that 10 the close Of
the war-Mine Run, Wilderness. spot
sylvania Courthouse, South Anna, Pc
tersburg, Hatchers Run, where our
lamented PegrGm. who was then our
commander. fell (Fort Stedman March
25. 1869. closing at Appomattox
where our company stacked arms with
but four men left. Many had been
killed q have not here the number) +,
many wounded. many in prison or
hospital
feel that am writing more than
should in this letter. and diverging
from the subject wanted. hut history
should give proper credit to the
/ Thirty-nrst and twenty NTH Virginia
Regiments who were the first In the
field from what is now West Virginia,
Ly,-- and - were associated with
all the great achievements OF
the !llustrous Jackson and Lee. And
to our gallant colonel. John S. Hon
man. whose bravery was never ques-
toned by one OF his regiment 1 knew
him we'll. He was very brave. but
cautious OF the lives OF his men. He
was somewhat nearsighted. and some
times would insist on his men holding
their fire. fearing or believing We
might fire on our own men, He was
not military man, but was much Of
the time in command of the brigade,
and when wounded at Hatcher's Run
was commanding tho Fourth Brigade.
Never can I forget that at the battle
OF Spotsylvania Courthouse. on May
IL. 1864 he, in command Of our br-
gade, then Pegrams (who had been
wounded at the Wilderness on the
5th). led our brigade when the gallant
Gordon led the two brigades in
charge to regain the Bloody Angle,
after it had been captured by the
enemy.
I believe Colonel Evans, OF the Geor-
Sia Brigade, had the immediate COM
mand OF Gordon's Brigade, while Cor
don himself started IN the charge with
our brigade 1t was at this critical
5uncture that General Lee rode for
ward and with hat off, placed himself
in front of the charging column. Gen
eral Gordon called out General Lee,
to the rear! General Lee, to the rear"
This cry was taken up by our whole
brigade, and one of our men of the
Forty ninth Virginia took his horse
by the bride and turned him back
Just as General Gordon gave the COM
mand forward, charge" At that time,
and in fact, even after 1862. our brigade
was composed of the Thirty first Vir-
ginia. the Thirteenth Virginia, the
Forty ninth Virginia, the Fifty-sec-
ohd Virginia and the Fifty eighth Vir-
Einia TO these regiments and General
Gordon's Brigade I think the country
was indebted for saving the day. Never
was better charge made. The con-
hict became a hand to hand one at
the breastworks, and many were
killed with the bayonet. We lost
heavily. l was wounded and left on
me Heid Io' TWO months (held hoSpi-
taD, and know that all the timber was
literally shot down or killed from the
effect OF musketry. Many of the dead
were never buried We lost seven
teen men In our company. But must
not dwell longer on this company and
regiment. The Huntersville Company
was designated as Company Q, OF the
Twenty-ffth, and fought with the
Thirty.first in all the engagements of
tho war;
The cavalry company to which re-
ferred at the beginning OF my letter
was composed OF about seventy-fve
men, commanded by Captain Andrew
Mcneil, who took the company to
Laurel Hill, but the State could not at
that time horse them, and fearing they
might be put In Infantry, they dis
banded, much against the wish of many
of tho men, number of whom Joined
the Bath Cavalry. Captain Danger
field. I think about twenty man