Eppa Hunton Eppa Hunton II ( September 22 , 1822October 11 , 1908 ) was a U . S . Representative and Senator from Virginia and a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War . Early years . Hunton was born near Warrenton , Virginia on September 22 , 1822 , to Eppa Sr . and Elizabeth Mary ( Brent ) Hunton ( married June 22 , 1811 , in Fauquier County ) , who had twelve children in all . After graduating from the New Baltimore Academy , he taught school for three years , then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1843 , commencing practice in Brentsville , Virginia . He became prominent as a colonel , and later brigadier general , in the Virginia militia and as a Commonwealth attorney for Prince William County ( 1849 – 1861 ) . Family life . In 1848 , Hunton was married to Lucy Caroline Weir ( February 20 , 1825 – September 4 , 1899 ) , daughter of Robert and Clara Boothe Weir . They had two children : Their second child , Eppa Hunton III , went on to co - found the notable Richmond law firm Hunton & Williams in 1901 . In 1977 , the firm established the " Eppa Hunton IV Memorial Book Award " at the University of Virginia ' s School of Law , in honor of Hunton ' s grandson , who lived from July 31 , 1904 to November 23 , 1976 . According to the University , the award is " presented annually to a third - year student who has demonstrated unusual aptitude in litigation courses and shown a keen awareness and understanding of the lawyer ' s ethical and professional responsibility . " Civil War . In February 1861 , Hunton was a delegate to the Virginia Secession Convention , and advocated secession . With the outbreak of the American Civil War , he was commissioned a colonel of the 8th Virginia Infantry of the Confederate Army , participating in the First Battle of Bull Run in July . In October his regiment was part of Nathan G . Evans ' brigade near Leesburg , Virginia , where he led his command against a Union force at Ball ' s Bluff , driving it into the Potomac River . Afterward , Hunton held brigade command in Lt . Gen . James Longstreet ' s corps , Maj . Gen . George Pickett ' s division , and the Department of Richmond , being promoted to brigadier general in August 1863 , after the Battle of Gettysburg . During Pickett ' s Charge , Hunton was wounded in the leg . After service in the defenses of Richmond , he rejoined Pickett ' s division and fought at Cold Harbor and in the Richmond and Petersburg siege lines . In March 1865 his command fought a delaying action at Five Forks and again the following month at Battle of Sayler ' s Creek , where he was captured on April 6 , 1865 . He was paroled at Fort Warren , Massachusetts , on July 24 . Post - war politics . After the war Hunton resumed his former law practice and became involved in politics . He was elected as a Democrat from Virginia to the 43rd and the three succeeding Congresses ( March 4 , 1873 – March 4 , 1881 ) . During his years as a Representative , Hunton was chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions ( 44th Congress ) , and of the Committee on the District of Columbia ( 46th Congress ) . He was appointed to the 15 - member Electoral Commission created by an act of Congress in 1877 to decide the contests in various States in the presidential election of 1876 . Hunton was not a candidate for renomination in 1880 , instead resuming the practice of law . He was appointed and subsequently elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John S . Barbour , and served from May 28 , 1892 , to March 4 , 1895 . Hunton served as chairman of the U . S . Senate Committee to Establish a University of the United States from 1893 - 1895 . On or about April 1 , 1894 , Hunton became indirectly involved in voting bribery attempts . Charles W . Buttz , a lobbyist and claim agent originally from North Dakota , but living in Washington , D . C . at the time , went to Hunton ' s house in Warrenton , Virginia , during the Senator ' s absence . Buttz told Hunton ' s son , Eppa III , that he would pay him a contingent fee of $ 25 , 000 if he would , by presenting arguments as to the pending tariff bill , induce his father to vote against it . Excerpts from the Senate investigating committee on this issue follow : This offer was declined at once and peremptorily by Eppa Hunton [ III ] , as set forth in his testimony , and the whole matter was communicated by him to his father . Senator Hunton availed himself of the first opportunity to disclose the matter to certain of his friends in the senate , as appears in the testimony , and was in no other way connected with the transaction . Buttz also attempted to bribe South Dakota Senator James Henderson Kyle to vote against the same bill . Hunton and Kyle were eventually exonerated from all blame . Afterward , Hunton again resumed his law practice in Warrenton , Virginia . On October 11 , 1908 , Hunton died in Richmond , Virginia and was buried in the city ' s Hollywood Cemetery . References . Books and newspapers . 1 . " The Trenton Times " , Trenton , New Jersey , May 26 , 1894 . ( )