The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-20

LEM MUTTON, VA, september ID
Following is the commemorative order
puhliEhcd by the Superintendent, Of the
/ Virginia Military Institute on Colonel
William 7 POague. lntc treasurer Of
the institute.
Headquarters Virginia
Military Institute.
September s. 1914.
General orders No l.
T.. with profound sorrow the super
.ntcndcnt has the sad duty Of anuounc-
Ing 10 officers. CADETS ana employees the
death Of Colonel VI. +. poague. for we'll
nigh ;nWE years. the treasurer OF the
Virginia Military Institute.
The end came peacefully about $50
THIS mo~niug at HIS home tn Lexington.
1fter an Illness OF several weeks, up TO
which time he had continued TO dis
charge the Guties of his office
+ Col i'uaruc's connection with the
institute dates from December. 1853.
when ho was elected treasurer OF tho
school. without any solicitation on his
pprS OF high purpose. % honest mind.
% unuauN intclligcncc and strong
common sense. col. PcHgue brought TO
. the discharge Of tho manifold duties
uf this Office great industry. patience
aud care. as well as fait!;fuluess and
efficiency. -" viii bc grcrtly missed
az ON %. tho most Important officials
~ tho institute
William Thomas PoaEue OF scotch
lIisr descent Was born near falling
spring church. Rockbridge COUNTY,
Virginia. ON December "a. iS55. the
eldest of seven children born TO John
Barclay and Elizabeth STUART CpaXtcn)
puueuc. lie lived the free open air
life OF country boy. working on his
fathers farm ana attending the old
npl5 schools o. the uc:ahbcrhOod. H..
wont 20 the BrnwnsburS High school
Cor two years, then entered Washing
ton College. where he spent fOur years.
.. ts,~r - .a.1 Z. = Iarrr .n
at the end OF his courae. I'm 1857.
After q wear devoted TO travel, he
taught school for session, near At
lanta, and then, after a course in Judge
Brorkcubroughs Law school in Lex
iugtou. Va, settled IN 81. Jog eph. Mo-
in March, 1850, 20 practice his prOfcs-
sion.
colonel Poaeue was a Wing. and op-
posed to secession. but when tho NUT
lettings Of the civil strif. became more
and nor. pronounced after Lincoln's
election. ne felt that, come what ii
might. his place ana sphere OF action
rhuuld hc among his own people in the
tEouolous times that were threatening.
III, therefore returned 10 Virginia in
December. $50. and awaited the out
break which " icuaFdcd as inevitable
~ the meantime. he entered upon the
practice OF his profession with James
" Aiassie, a leading member OF the
Lexington bar but after Virginia had
seceded In April 1851. he rightly
thought that his state needed his ser
vices to a creator extent than his pro-
icssicn He therefore. took part in
tho formation or an artillery company.
which becam" celebrated on many a
hard-fought deld. ANA will 60 down In
history as the Rockhridge Artillery.
iie refused tho use Of his name at tho
election Of officers until the position
al junior second lieutenant came to
he Hi!cd. when he allowed his friends
20 have their way and make him the
lowest commissioned officer Of the com
pany
The limit set 10 this sketch would he
too far ;ransgr"sscd in giving even "a
superficial account Of the .distinguishe ed
career anG conapicuoGs services OF Col
one! Poague during the four years OF
war between the States. His name
w@s synonym for bravery. discipline
and endurance. Poaguc's Battery.
Poague's Battalion. were in the thick
~ every tight and delivering hard
blows from start 10 finish He was n
master In maintaining discipline among
ms men hy his own strict adherence to
duty. hy his courage and forti;ude in
all places and at all times by his i'm
Partially. which knew neither officer
nor private III exactine the full meas
urc Of requirement from each alike: by
hls strict sense Of justice and Kindness
TO all! He was model soldier.
II Is noteworthy fact that Colonel
P"aguc was in every battle by jackson.
IN independent command. and by Lee
tier he was made conlmander-!n-ch chief
OF the Army Of Northern Virginia He
received many a hard knock. but. as
he himself has said he was never
puncturcd. several horses We're shot
under him, ana at Gettysburg he IS
capped death by Tie closest margin. for
scarcely had he dismounted to look af-
Ter one OF his pieces. when a shot tore
IFS way. through saddle and overcoat
roll and Killed the horse he had been
on moment before
In April. >G2. Colonel Poaeue was
elected captain. and comma nded the
ockbrdgc Artillery in Jackson's VAL
ley campaign. in all the battles com
bats and skirmishes OF tina, lannon's
leader. IN that justly celebrated and
marvellous display of military genius
IN February. 1868, without personal in.
nuence. without push or pull Of any
!-ind. he was made major and trans
icrred TO the Third Corps. under Gen
cral ~ f. Hin
Aiicr Chancellorsrillc. he was given
me command III u new battalion. and in
February, 1861. he was promoted m
Observation-Disclosures and had I'VE ho -
leFIes under mis- command after Sep
tombcr. 1851.
colonel Poasue was par; and parcel
I" Lee army all during The closing
months OF the great tragedy He was
engaged ut Petersburg the 2d OF AprIl
1850 and on the final RETREAT to Appo,
mattoN. Mclntcsh's and Poague's Bat
lannon's were selected at Amelia Court :
house as a par. II the reorganjzed
troops from about Petersburg ana we're
attached to Gordon and Lonrstrect
respectively. who commanded tho fight
ing columns interposed between the
enemy on the retreat. In the confu.
sion Of the last night, consequent upon
movements cf the enemy. Poaeue's
Battalion found itself at an early dawn
: with Gordons troops and took part
with them In the last charge that was
made The morning of the surrender.
April .. 1868
After the war Colonel Poague found
that n seden;dry occupation was not
favorable 10 the upbuldins Of his
health. which had been greatly i'm
paired by the strenuous years he had
given 10 his state. He had to abandon
law and school teaching. which ~.
tried for two years and spent his III.
on tho farm of his mother until he
was elected treasurer of the institute
in 1881 He served his county in the
state Legislature for the terms 1871
73-7S
An elder in the Presbyterian Church