USA > Virginia > City of Portsmouth > City of Portsmouth > A record of events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19th, 1861, to May 10th, 1862, with a history of the soldiers and sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth, who served in the Confederate States army or navy > Part 17
USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > A record of events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19th, 1861, to May 10th, 1862, with a history of the soldiers and sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth, who served in the Confederate States army or navy > Part 17
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Captain, Charles R. McAlpine
First Lieutenant, Frank W. Armistead ; 2d Lieutenant, John Hobday ; 3d Lieutenant, C. W. Murdaugh.
The company was ordered to Seawell's Point and was attached to the 41st Virginia Regiment as Company G. It was on duty there until the 29th of April, 1862, when it was detached from the 41st Regiment and ordered to report to Lieutenant-Colonel Archer at Fort Boykin, near Smithfield. On the 27th of May it was or- dered to report to the major commanding Battery No. 3, in the fortifications around Richmond, and on the 10th of July was ordered on provost duty in Richmond city, but was continued on that service only four days, when, July 14th, it was assigned by order of the secretary of war, to the regiment of Colonel Samuel M. Wilson, afterwards the 61st Virginia. On the 20th of July orders were received from Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. F. Niemeyer, com- manding the regiment, to report to him on Dunn's Hill, near Petersburg, and on the 21st Captain McAlpine reported with his company. The battles around Richmond in June, 1862, took place while the company was in the batteries there, but it was not ordered in any of them. Upon reaching Dunn's Hill the com- pany was given the letter I, as it was the ninth company which had been assigned to the regiment. The tenth company was as- signed later. The strength of the company then was about fifty- nine men.
At the reorganization of the company in June, 1862, all of the old officers except Lieutenant Armistead were re-elected. Lieu- tenant Armistead severed his connection with the company and enlisted in one of the Nansemond companies in the 13th Virginia Cavalry. Lieutenants Hobday and Murdaugh became respect- ively first and second lieutenants, and on the 29th of July, at a special election held by order of the Department Commander, General French, Frank M. Marchant was elected 3d lieutenant.
Captain McAlpine was promoted to the position of Major of the Regiment May 12th, 1864, and on the same day Lieutenant John Hobday was appointed captain. Lieutenants Murdaugh and Marchant were each advanced one grade. Lieutenant Murdaugh was seriously wounded in the hip at the battle of Chancellorsville
164
BILISOLY BLUES, CO. I, SIXTY-FIRST VA. REGT. 165
or more properly speaking, Salem Church, on the afternoon of May 3d, 1863. General Lee had shaken General Hooker from his entrenched position near Chancellorsville, and was about to sweep down upon him with his whole army, when he received news that General Sedgwick, having crossed the Rappahannock river at Fredericksburg and captured Marye Heights, was advane- ing in his rear.
General Lee detached a number of brigades, among them Ma- hone's, to check Sedgwick's further advance, and the two forees met at Salem Church. Company I was deployed as skirmishers, and while engaging the enemy in front, was fired into from be- hind by Semmes' Georgia Brigade. Thus caught between two fires, one from the enemy and the other from friends, the position of the company was by no means an agreeable one. It was here that Lieutenant Murdaugh was wounded. He was complimented in General Order No. 283 from General Lee's headquarters, for gallantry on that occasion. The battle was a complete victory for the Confederates and only the darkness saved Sedgwick from destruction. He made his escape during the night across the river.
Captain Hobday was killed October the 27th, 1864, at the battle of Burgess' Mill, and Lieutenant Murdaugh was promoted to captain. Lieutenant Marchant became 1st lieutenant, and these two continued the officers of the company until the close of the war.
The company was quartered on Dunn's Hill, doing provost duty in the city of Petersburg from July 21st to August 29th, 1862, when the regiment moved to the Rapidan river, and was en- gaged in guarding the fords of that river against the scouting parties of the enemy. Major McAlpine left behind at his death, some notes and memoranda relating to his company, and among others, mentions private Albert Powell, who was conspicuous for gallantry at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House May 12th, 1864, and W. F. Butt, who was mortally wounded there. He speaks of Private Butt as " a good man and reliable soldier." In that battle Mahone's Brigade charged and captured three lines of field works.
Speaking of Captain John Hobday at the battle of Wilcox Farm, near Petersburg, he says : "The conspicuous gallantry of Captain John Hobday on the 22d of June, 1864, will ever be re- membered. It was through his sagacity that the enemy were flanked and defeated. With his small command of twenty-one men, he passed down the enemy's lines, a distance of two hundred yards, and demanded their surrender." Private Charles W. Col- lins is thus mentioned by him : " It was through the courage and gallantry of Charles W. Collins that Major Charles R. McAlpine's life was saved on this occasion. He shot and killed a Federal
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NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
officer who had a pistol levelled at Major McAlpine's breast, at a distance of not more than six feet, and was about to fire at him." Private Collins was reported to brigade headquarters for special mention for distinguished gallantry at the battle of Shady Grove May 8th, 1864, a continuation of the battle of the Wilderness, and was killed in the battle of August 19th, 1864, on the Petersburg and Weldon railroad, sometimes called the battle of Davis' Farm. He was a very gallant boy, was not more than fifteen or sixteen years old when he joined the company in Portsmouth in 1861,. and was the son of Mr. William B. Collins, who lived at the south- east corner of Court and Glasgow streets. He was never known to shirk duty or to shrink from danger. He was always in the front when fighting was going on and passed unscathed through twenty-three battles before he received his death wound. Cap- tain Hobday too, was as gallant a man as ever lived.
The company was in twenty-five heavy battles, seven smaller engagements, and numerous skirmishes, and lost by death sixteen men, one out of every four, while scarcely a man escaped without a wonnd. In an order issued from the headquarters of the regi- ment in December, 1863, Colonel Groner said : "Company I, though composed of material difficult to control, is under the best discipline of any company in the regiment."
Captain Murdaugh recovered from the wound he received at Chancellorsville and rejoined the company in the lines around Petersburg, but at the time of the retreat from Petersburg he was attending an extra session of the Legislature, of which he had been elected a member, and which had been called to try to pro- vide means to meet the emergency which was then too apparent in the affairs of the South and the State, and could not get back to his command in time for the surrender at Appomattox.
Below will be found the roster of the company, made up from the best information at hand. The list of names is correct, and em- braces all who went into service with the company at the evacua- tion of Portsmouth by the Confederates :
Captain Charles R. McAlpine, promoted Major, wounded.
First Lieutenant F. W. Armistead, dropped at reorganization, May, 1862, joined 13th Virginia Cavalry.
Second Lieutenant John Hobday, Jr., promoted Captain May 12th, 1864, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater, and killed October 27th, 1864, at Bur- gess' Mill.
Third Lieutenant C. W. Murdaugh, promoted Captain October 27th, 1864, wounded May 3d, 1863, at Salem Church (Chancellorsville).
First Sergeant John M. Sherwood, surrendered at Appomattox.
Second Sergeant Edward C. Shepherd, disabled, detailed for hospital duty. Third Sergeant David W. Thornton, detailed to work in government shops. Corporal George Oglevi, discharged October, 1861, disability.
Corporal Calvin L. Peek, promoted Sergeant, captured October 27th, 1864, and not exchanged.
Corporal Charles Evans, wounded May 3d, 1863-Chancellorsville, captured August 19th, 1864, and not exchanged.
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BILISOLY BLUES, CO. I, SIXTY-FIRST YA, REGT.
Musician Joseph J. Smith, drummer.
PRIVATES.
Beaton, Joseph, surrendered at Appomattox.
Bateman, Jonathan.
Barcroft, George W., left in hospital in Norfolk sick, May 10th, 1862, and never heard from.
Butt, William T., mortally wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania Court House, and died May 24th in Camp Winder Hospital, Richmond.
Berkley, Lycurgus, furnished substitute May 6th, 1862, substitute deserted May 10th.
Cooper, Arthur, died in hospital.
Casey, Elvin K., lost an arm May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Casey, James A.
Cherry, Elias W., captured July 4th, 1863, Gettysburg, and died in prison.
Collins, Chas. W., killed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Collins, Thomas, promoted Corporal.
Curtis, Revel W., killed July 3d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Dollett, Wm. W.
Duke, Robert.
Duke, Parker, wounded July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Eure, Hillary.
Eure, Henry.
Eure, Augustus, over age, furnished substitute October 23d, 1861.
Ferrill, John, died June, 1862, Battery No. 10. Richmond.
Fowler, A. J.
Godwin, Laban T., promoted Sergeant, captured August 19th, 1864, and not exchanged.
Hyslop, Denwood, captured August 19th, 1864, not exchanged.
Halloway, Joseph.
Hewlett, Joseph F., captured July 4th, 1863, not exchanged. Heckrotte, Oliver.
Herbert, Joseph T., transferred to 15th Virginia Cavalry.
Horton, Daniel W., sent to hospital September 26th, 1862, and supposed to have died.
Jones, Walter J., promoted Lieutenant in 41st Virginia Regiment, and killed May 6, 1864, Wilderness.
Jackson, Wm. A., furnished substitute April 24th, 1862.
King, Joseph.
King, George, captured August 19th, 1864, and not exchanged.
King, Edward.
Kilgore, M. P., promoted Sergeant October 11th, 1862, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Mason, W'm., killed Cumberland Church, April 7th, 1865. Miller, John C.
Manning, S. D., died in hospital September, 1862, Petersburg.
Marchant, F. M., promoted 3d Lieutenaut July 29th, 1862, promoted 1st Lieutenant October 27th, 1864.
Meares, James E., discharged for disability from wounds.
Mears, Thomas F., captured May 29th, 1864, not exchanged.
Nottingham, B. F., died in field hospital, October, 1863, Brandy Station. Porter, Thomas.
Powell, Albert, name published for distinguished gallantry at Spotsylvania C. H., May 12th, 1864.
Peel, Thomas, captured August 19th, 1864, not exchanged.
Peek, Ammon, captured October 27th, 1864, not exchanged.
Ribble, Joseph, furnished substitute May 6th, 1862, substitute deserted May 10th.
Rodman, Pierce, discharged September, 1861, disability.
Sibley, Wm., captured July, 1863, in Pensylvania and never heard from,
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NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
St. George, Wm. E., captured July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg, not exchanged. Smith, W. J .. died in Richmond May 20th, 1863.
Tompkins, Joseph.
Toppin, Smith, promoted Sergeant, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
White, John D., wounded July 30th, 1864, at the Crater, and discharged December 23d, 1864, disabled.
White, Richard, wounded seriously July 30th, 1864, at the Crater, dis- charged January 9th, 1865, disabled.
Ward, Julius, killed July 2d, 1863, Gettysburg.
Whitson, William, discharged September, 1861, disability.
Wise, Stephen, died in hospital, 1863.
Youre, Stephen.
Killed and died-20.
CHAPTER XXIII.
COMPANY K, SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
This company was organized in 1861 in that portion of Nor- folk county known as Ferry Point, now Berkley, and was gotten up through the efforts of Captain Herbert. It contained in its ranks a number of old men and young boys, but these were soon sifted out as not being within the military age and were dis- charged. The officers of the company under whom it was mus- tered into the Confederate service were :
Captain, Maximillian Herbert.
First Lieutenant, Joseph T. Herbert; 2d Lieutenant, Revel I. Taylor; 3d Lieutenant, Maximillian Herbert, Jr.
First Sergeant; Frank M. Marchant.
The company was attached to a mixed battalion of four compa- nies, some of whom were from Virginia and some from North Carolina, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John T. P. C. Cohoon, and known as Cohoon's battalion. The command does not appear to have been a very efficient one, however, for on the 14th of July, 1862, it was ordered to report at Camp Lee, near Richmond, for the purpose of being disbanded. The com- mander at Camp Lee was directed to discharge such men in the battalion as were above or below the legal military age and to re- tain the others. The men in Captain Herbert's company were, at their own request, assigned in a body to Captain Chas. R. McAl- pine's Company, Company I, 61st Virginia Regiment. The four commissioned officers were retired and forty-seven men were turned over to Captain McAlpine, all of whom were subject to military duty.
Captain Herbert was not satisfied with the order disbanding his company, and having obtained from Captain George A. Mar- tin, of the St. Bride's Artillery, of Norfolk county, whose com- pany exceeded the regulation number, a promise to turn over to him enough men to recruit his command up to the standard re- quired for a company, he sought an interview with the Secretary of War and obtained on order revoking the former order concern- ing Cohoon's battalion, so far as it affected his company, and di- recting Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer to turn the men over to him again. Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer hesitated in obeying the order, represented to the Secretary of War that he thought the men would be more efficient under Captain McAlpine, and recom- mended that they be permitted to remain with him. His recom- mendation was disapproved, however, and Captain Herbert got his men again. They were re-assigned to him on the 28th of Au- 12
169
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170
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
gust, 1862, and, having gotten about a dozen recruits from Cap- tain Martin, the company was, that day, assigned to the 61st Regiment as Company K, thus completing the regiment. While the men were in Company I, two of them were discharged for physical disability, and one, Sergeant Frank M. Marchant, was elected 3d Lieutenant of Company I, so that only forty-four men were re-assigned to Captain Herbert, and of these, Albert Powell and Jonathan Bateman were subsequently transferred to Com- pany I. Captain Herbert died in Petersburg the 30th of Septem- ber, 1862. The three Lieutenants were each advanced one grade, and Sergeant John S. Cason was elected 3d Lieutenant. Captain Joseph T. Herbert resigned on the 13th of August, 1864, and the company remained under command of 1st Lieutenant Taylor until the battle of Burgess' Mill, October 27th, 1864, when he was captured. Lieutenants Max Herbert, Jr., and Cason were on the picket line in front of Bermuda Hundreds when the army fell back from Petersburg about the 1st of April, 1865, and fell into the hands of the enemy, and First Sergeant James Adams became commander of the company on the retreat. Adams was an ex- cellent soldier and richly deserved a commission, which, however, he never received.
The company followed the fortunes of the regiment, partici- pated in all of its battles, contributed its share of the regular toll of dead and wounded which was paid for victory, and at the sur- render of the remnant of the army at Appomattox, had two pri- vates left for duty, First Sergeant Adams was captured on the retreat the day before the surrender. He had been without any- thing to eat for two or three days, and managing to come across a little food, he and one of his men stopped to cook it, thinking they were far enough in advance of the enemy to do so with safety ; but in the midst of the operation they were surprised by a body of pursuing cavalry and gathered in. The company was a small one and its losses were proportionately heavy. One man out of every three who left their homes on the 10th of May, 1862, at the evacuation of Norfolk and Portsmouth, paid with their lives the penalty of their devotion to their State.
The following roll is believed to be complete and embraces all who were killed or died in hospital, or were so badly wounded as to require them to report to a hospital. Some who received slight wounds which did not incapacitate them from duty, are not re- corded as having been wounded. The roll embraces the men who were transferred to the company by Captain Martin, as well as Captain Herbert's original members.
Captain Max A. Herbert, died in hospital, September 30th, 1862, Peters- burg.
First Lieutenant Joseph T. Herbert, promoted Captain September 30th, 1862, wounded May 3d, 1863, at Chancellorsville, resigned August 13th, 1864.
171
COMPANY K, SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENTT.
Secoud Lieutenant Revel I. Taylor, promoted First Lieutenant, captured October 27th, 1864. Burgess' Mill.
Third Lieutenant Max A. Herbert, Jr., promoted 2d Lieutenant.
First Sergeant John S. Cason, promoted 3d Lieutenant.
Second Sergeant, Littleton D. Reed, captured September 23d, 1863, never rejoined the company.
Third Sergeant Geo. W. Tatem, discharged August 30th, 1862, disability.
Fourth Sergeant James Adams, promoted 1st Sergeant, captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Corporal Thomas H. Edwards.
Corporal James Bradley, died in hospital, 1863, Richmond.
PRIVATES.
Absolem, Leonard, died in hospital, 1864, Richmond.
Burfoot, Jesse, captured April 5th, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Burton, George, sick in hospital, Lynchburg, at the surrender at Appomat- tox.
Bateman, Martin, wounded August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm, reported for duty August 31st and captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
Bradley, Charles M., discharged for disability June 10th, 1863.
Bailey, Chas. L., captured April, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Bean, Frederick, wounded and captured July 3d, 1863, and never rejoined the company.
Dillon, Lee W., captured September 22d, 1863, and never rejoined the com- pany.
Franklin, Peter J., died in hospital March 20th, 1863.
Fields, Johu, died in hospital June 14th, 1862, Petersburg.
Forbes, Simeon, died in hospital 1864, Richmond.
Flannagan, Andrew, captured April, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg. Hozier, David T., died in hospital June 11th, 1862, Petersburg.
Griggs, Chas. W., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Garress, Isaiah, captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Hozier, Jas. K. P., promoted Corporal, captured on retreat from Peters- burg.
Hitchcock, Malachi, wounded July 30th, 1864.
Hunter, John B., died in hospital April 10th, 1863, U. S. Ford.
Halstead, Wm. R., discharged 1864.
Harrison, Thomas, captured April 19th, 1863, and never rejoined the com- pany.
Halstead, Chris., promoted Sergeant, wounded June 22d, 1864, at Wilcox Farm, and captured.
Jackson, Abner, died in hospital June 20th, 1862, Petersburg.
Jennings, Edward, died in hospital 1864, Richmond.
Lewton, Wm., killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
Morris, Wm. H., killed August 19th, 1864, Davis' Farm.
Melson. Levi.
Mitchel, John.
Roberts, Wingfield, wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H., cap- tured April, 1865, on retreat from Petersburg.
Sawyer, John I., wounded May 8th, 1864, Shady Grove, captured October 27th, 1864.
Stafford, Richard, surrendered at Appomattox.
Sykes, Jos. J., died in hospital 1864.
Stephens, Jos. L., discharged June 22d, 1863.
Sorey, Evan, wounded June 15th, 1864, Turkey Ridge, surrendered at Ap- pomattox.
Staylor, Thos., wounded May 2d, 1863, Chancellorsville, captured on retreat from Petersburg.
West, Delaware, died in hospital, Richmond, 1862-3.
Wilson, John, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill.
172
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Wilson, Willis, captured October 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill. Wilson, Benj. R.
Williams, William, captured July 5th, 1863, and never rejoined the com- pany. Williams, Jordan, died in hospital June 23d, 1864, Richmond.
Wickings, Jas. J., died in hospital April 10th, 1863, U. S. Ford. Killed and died-17.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT-MAHONE'S, WEISIGER'S BRIGADES-ANDERSON'S, MAHONE'S DIVISIONS.
The companies composing this regiment were organized and mustered into the Confederate service early in the war, as will be seen from the short sketches of each of them which precede this chapter, and were on duty in different localities in the vicinity of Portsmouth and Norfolk. In the winter of 1861-2, Colonel Samuel M. Wilson obtained authority from Governor Letcher to raise a regiment of heavy artillery for service in the fortifications around the harbor, and at his request, several companies applied to be assigned to it, and others were assigned without having made application, so that, when Portsmouth was evacuated, May 10th, 1862, the regiment lacked only two companies of having a full complement. Company I was afterwards assigned to it, July 14th, 1862, and Company K, August 28th, thus making ten com- panies. These were :
Company A, Jackson Grays, of Norfolk county, Captain Wm. H. Stewart.
Company B, Wilson Guards, of Norfolk county, Captain John W. M. Hopkins.
Company C, Blanchard Grays, of Norfolk county, Captain Jno. G. Wallace.
Company D, Jackson Light Infantry, of Portsmouth, Captain V. O. Cassell.
Company E, Border Rifles, of Norfolk county, Captain Jetson Jett.
-- , of Isle of Wight county, Captain Company F, -
Holland.
Company G, -, of Greenville county, Captain R. E. Moseley. .
Company H, Virginia Rangers, of Portsmouth and Norfolk county, Captain John H. Wright.
Company I, Bilisoly Blues, of Portsmouth, Captain Chas. R. Mc Alpine.
Company K, -, of Norfolk county, Captain Max. Herbert.
Company F was partly from Southampton county, and Com- pany G contained a few men from Sussex county and also some from Northampton county, North Carolina, near the Greenville line, and among these latter was Captain Moseley. Companies B and C had a number of North Carolinians also, from Currituck county, near the Norfolk county line.
173
174
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
The officers of the first eight companies held a meeting in Jar- rett's Hotel, in Petersburg, about the middle of May, 1862, and elected field officers. They were :
Colonel, Samuel M. Wilson.
Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. F. Niemeyer.
Major, Wm. H. Stewart.
Owing to the evacuation of Portsmouth .and Norfolk by the Confederates, there was no longer need for the services of the regiment as heavy artillery, and it was changed into an infantry regiment and numbered the 61st. Colonel Wilson failed to join the regiment after it was organized and the command devolved on Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer. It remained on Dunn's Hill, near Petersburg, doing provost duty in that city and picket duty on the Appomattox river as far down as Bermuda Hundreds and City Point, until August 28th, when it was ordered to Richmond and went into camp on the Brook turnpike. It remained there a very short time and early in September it was ordered to the Rapidan to guard the fords of that river, while the army of Gen- eral Lee was in Maryland. Companies E and F were sent to Staunton to do provost duty and did not rejoin the regiment until after the battle of Fredericksburg. The other companies were distributed at Warrenton, Culpepper, Rappahannock and other places.
Wm. S. Wright, who was then serving as a private in the Old Dominion Guard, of Portsmouth, Company K, 9th Virginia Reg- iment, was, in the summer of 1862, appointed, Adjutant of the 61st, and shortly afterwards, while the regiment was at Warren- ton, Colonel Virginius D. Groner, of Norfolk city, was elected colonel and took command.
On the 17th of September, Major Stewart, with three compa- nies of the regiment and a squadron of cavalry belonging to the 15th Virginia Cavalry Regiment, was at Bristoe Station on the Orange and Alexandria railroad, where he had been ordered for the purpose of getting up several locomotives, which had been thrown from the track there, during the operations previous to the battle of Second Manassas. That day General Birney, who commanded the Federal forces near Fairfax Court House, sent an officer with a flag of truce, ostensibly to obtain permission to bury or remove their dead, who had been killed in the battles of August 29th and 30th, but really to ascertain how much of a force was there. General Birney made report to the authorities at Washington that his "flag of truce met a party of Confederates at Bristoe Station, under command of Major Wm. H. Stewart, who stated that it would take three days to communicate with his general and declined to receive the flag." He further reported that " the force there was small and might be surprised and cap- tured if he had authority to send a cavalry force against them."
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THE SIXTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
The necessary authority was given him and he made the attempt, but Major Stewart had succeeded by that time in getting the lo- comotives on the track, and, steam having been gotten up, the whole train moved off to the Rapidan, carrying the three compa- nies of the 61st Regiment with it.
In the fall of 1862 a Federal spy, acting under orders from General Seigel, went to Staunton, and in his report, dated No- vember 13th, says : "Staunton, with its mannfactories of boots, shoes and clothing for the enemy, its extensive hospital prepara- tions for thousands of sick, the general supply depot, the place of safe keeping of all the captured Harper's Ferry plunder, is de- fended by one company of the 61st Virginia Infantry, twenty- four field pieces, and a mixture of cavalry and artillery, though small in numbers." This was Company F. Company E was doing provost duty on the Valley turnpike.
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