USA > Virginia > Albemarle County > Albemarle County > Memorial history of the John Bowie Strange Camp, United Confederate Veterans, including some account of others who served in the Confederate Armies from Albemarle County > Part 12
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just a short time before his own. By his first wife he had two children-John S. White, of the firm of White & Long, now postmaster of Charlottesville, and Louise, wife of Colonel Hun- ter Pendleton of the Virginia Military Institute. Of his second marriage three children survive-Henrietta, wife of Dr. Wil- liam Bryan of the United States Marine Corps, Joan, wife of Professor George L. Bardin, of the Virginia Military Institute, and Elizabeth, wife of Dr. Charles W. Beauchamp of Char- lottesville.
Judge White was intensely practical and intensely sympa- thetic. As a judge, he wasted no time with the refinements and technicalities of the law, but brushing these aside, looked straight ahead for the right of the cause. He was patient and forbearing with the older lawyers, and kind and sympathetic with the younger, but allowed nothing to stand in the way of plain simple justice to the litigants in his court.
H. QUINT S. WILLIAMS.
H. Quint S. Williams was a member of Company K, Second Virginia Cavalry, and served with distinction throughout the war. He was wounded at Yellow Tavern, Front Royal, and at High Bridge. His brother, J. Edward Williams, served in the same company, and was badly wounded at Fisher's Hill. They were men of sterling character and highly esteemed by the com- munity in which they lived.
BENJAMIN BOWLES WILLS. BY HIS NIECE, C. ELL WILLS.
Benjamin Bowles Wills was born at "Woodlawn," Fluvanna County, Virginia, August 23rd, 1832, and died December 11th, 1915. His parents were Miles Cary Wills and Rebecca Mit- chell Bowles Wills.
When a young man he went to Mississippi and became a / Southern planter of ante-bellum days, but came back to his na- tive state at the first call to arms. After the war he served as
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colporteur for the Baptist Association of Virginia for many years, and later purchased a farm near Charlottesville where his declining years were spent. During these last years he was especially active in Christian work at the Woolen Mills Union Chapel, and the stone erected at his grave by the Chapel bears silent testimony to the love and esteem of his fellow workers.
"Ben," as he was affectionately called by his friends, served during the entire four years of the war. He went in with Car- rington's Battery, and when that officer was captured at Spottsyl- vania Court House, Captain Garber succeeded him. Mr. Charles Sinclair and Mr. Malcolm McIntire, much younger than he, were especially loved by "Ben," and it was against his judg- ment and advice that Mr. McIntire went with a foraging expe- dition, fell into the hands of the enemy, and was not heard of for a year.
FREDERICK MILES WILLS.
BY C. ELL WILLS.
Frederick Miles Wills, son of Miles Cary Wills and Rebecca Mitchell Bowles Wills, was born at "Woodlawn" near Wil- mington, Fluvanna County, Virginia, August 14th, 1833. On February 13th, 1861, at "The Barracks," he was married to Sallie Harriett Burnley, daughter of Dr. William Rice Burn- ley and Cornelia Dabney Davis Burnley, both of Albemarle.
In 1849 he came to Charlottesville and entered the drug busi- ness, in which he continued for over sixty years, until his death November 8, 1912, but he found time to be in every sense a loyal citizen a devoted friend, a public servant, and a true and fearless Christian gentleman of the highest type.
As a druggist, he was exempt from military service. Never- theless he was in the army for possibly two years, serving as First Sergeant of the Albemarle Light Horse, Second Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Captain Eugene Davis, the regiment and brigade being under the commands of Colonel Munford and General Wickham, respectively. In this short period the names of his comrades became indelibly engraved on his memory, and
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a few hours before his death the watchers heard names, strange to them, called as rapidly and clearly as if with the roll before him in the eventful days of the war.
. C. H. WINGFIELD.
C. H. Wingfield was the son of Anderson Wingfield. He enlisted in Company A, Nineteenth Virginia Infantry, as a ser- geant, and continued in the service until the close of the war. He was a fine soldier. He was engaged in the mercantile busi- ness after the war in Charlottesville, where he died.
LLEWELLYN WOOD BY MISS NAN D. WOOD.
Llewellyn Wood was born near Earlysville, Virginia, Septem- ber 25th, 1843. When sixteen years of age he went to Char- lottesville, where he was employed in the hardware store of Lobbin & Company.
He volunteered in the Confederate army February 8th, 1862. going to Richmond with the Heavy Artillery, which was later converted into the Fifth Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel Reuben Boston. Shortly after this he was made First Sergeant of Company I, which office he held until the end of the war. He was twice taken prisoner, first at Yellow Tavern, and again at Aldee. As to his bravery and faithfulness as a Confederate soldier, it was never questioned.
In 1876 he engaged in business on his own account and contin- ued it until 1902, when he was made secretary of the Charlottes- ville & Albemarle Railway Company, which position he held until his death.
Soon after his arrival in Charlottesville he associated him- self with the Baptist Church, and was for many years a deacon of that church. He delighted in working in mission chapels, first teaching for several years in the Woolen Mills Chapel, then taking up the same work at Rose Hill Chapel. He continued this work until the time of his death.
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He was greatly interested in all matters pertaining to the Confederacy and was for many years Adjutant of the John Bowie Strange Camp.
He died at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia, January 6th, 1912.
JOHN F. YANCEY.
John F. Yancey was the son of Alexander Yancey, and lived near Hillsboro, in Albemarle County. He enlisted in Company K, Nineteenth Virginia Infantry, and served during the four years of the war, participating in the battles of Second Ma- nassas, Cold Harbor, and other engagements. His occupation was farming. He was a fine citizen and a worthy man.
Sketches of the Living.
COLONELS.
COLONEL C. S. PEYTON.
BY C. B. LINNEY.
Colonel C. S. Peyton was born and reared in Albemarle County, Virginia, and entered the Confederate army in 1861 as Captain of Company E, Nineteenth Virginia Infantry. He lost an arm at the Second Battle of Manassas, and although se- verely wounded in Pickett's charge at Gettysburg, took com- mand of Garnett's Brigade, being the only field officer left in the brigade. Being incapacitated for further field service, he was detailed as enrolling officer, and did fine service at Lynchburg, Staunton and Charlottesville. He was a brave and fearless sol- dier and highly esteemed for his many social qualities and for his good citizenship.
MAJORS.
MAJOR CHANNING MOORE BOLTON.
Channing Moore Bolton was born in Richmond, Virginia, the 24th day of January, 1843. His parents were Dr. James Bol- ton and Anna Maria (Harrison) Bolton.
He entered the University of Virginia in 1860, but in the spring of 1861 joined the University Company, Captain Tosh commanding. Before the close of the session he left and re- ported to Colonel Charles Talcott, Chief of Engineers for State of Virginia, and was assigned by him to the charge of the de- fenses of Richmond. Shortly afterwards he was made Lieuten- ant of Engineers and placed in charge of several important pieces of work for the army. Later he was assigned to the staff of Ma- jor General Pender and was with him when the latter received
CHANNING M. BOLTON Lieut. Army of Northern Virginia Civil and Military Engineer Past Commander John Bowie Strange Camp, C. V.
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his mortal wound at Gettysburg. After Gettysburg he was on the staff of General Chadmas Wilcox when he took command of the division. He was in all the battles in which that division participated until the spring of 1864, when he was ordered to re- port to the First Regiment of Engineer Troops.
This regiment acted as infantry in opposing General Grant's movement against Petersburg in 1864. In January, 1865, he was ordered to North Carolina on special service and remained there until the surrender.
MAJOR WILLIAM PEAKE.
William Peake enlisted in the Confederate army on the 21st day of April, 1861, in Company D, First Virginia Infantry. He was transferred to Company G, Fourth Virginia Cavalry, and detailed to Fitzhugh Lee's headquarters the day afterwards. He served with Lee until wounded near Winchester. Recover- ing from his wound, he returned to his company and continued ·with it until thirty days before the surrender, when he was sent home to procure a horse. The horse provided, he reached his command the day of the surrender. With six others of his com- pany he left to join General Johnson's army, but was ordered back from Danville to gather up recruits from those who had not surrendered.
He was at the battles of Bull Run, First Manassas, and prac- tically all the engagements in which the cavalry participated, ex- , cept the Maryland campaign.
CAPTAINS.
CAPTAIN L. S. MARYE.
Captain Lawrence S. Marye was captain of a Company of Light Artillery (The Hampden Artillery) and was, during the first year of the war, in Fayette and Kanawha Counties (now West Virginia), his company being attached to the command of Major General Loring. .
His company was not engaged in any serious battle during
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this campaign, though there was a slight affair, amounting to but little more than a skirmish, at Fayette Court House.
In the second year of the war he was appointed captain in the Ordnance Department, and assigned first to the division of General Jubal A. Early and afterwards to the division of Gen- eral Edward Johnson, and was in most of the battles fought be- tween the Army of Northern Virginia and the Federal armies during the war.
CAPTAIN HENRY CLAY MICHIE.
Henry Clay Michie was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, on the 9th day of January, 1842. He entered the military serv- ice of the state of Virginia, April 17th, 1861, in the Southern Guard, a company of students of the University of Virginia. After serving about two weeks at Harper's Ferry, this company was ordered back to the University and disbanded. He imme- diately entered the Confederate service and served to the end of the war as private, second sergeant, first sergeant, first lieu- tenant and captain. He was not absent from his regiment. the Fifty-sixth Virginia Volunteer Infantry, from October, 1862, to March, 1865, two and one-half years, unless in a hospital or Federal prison. He was wounded in the battle of Gaines's Mill, June 27th, 1862, and again at Second Manassas, August 30th, 1862. He was slightly wounded and taken prisoner in the charge of Pickett's division at the battle of Gettysburg, July 3rd, 1863. Since the close of the war he has been Commander of John Bowie Strange Camp, Confederate Veterans, Brigadier General of the Third Virginia Brigade, United Confederate Veterans, and is now (1919) Brigadier General of the Fourth Virginia Brigade, United Confederate Veterans.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM W. MINOR.
The subject of this sketch was the son of William W. Minor of Gale Hill and Mary Waters Terrel, his wife. He was born February 2nd, 1840, and was educated at Ridgeway School and
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H. CLAY MICHIE CAPT. Co. H, 56TH VA. INF., C. S. A. BRIG. GEN. 4TH VA. BRIGADE, N. C. V. Past Commander John Bowie Strange Camp
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the University of Virginia, leaving the latter institution April 17th, 1861, as a private in the Southern Guard, one of the infan- try companies organized and trained in the fall of 1860. They first saw service at Harper's Ferry, but in a short time were dis- banded by Governor Letcher, some returning to the University of Virginia to complete their course, but most of them re-enter- ing the Confederate service at once. Among the latter was the subject of this sketch, who, with John B. Magruder and Wil- liam L. Randolph, recruited a company of infantry in Albe- marle, Fluvanna and Greene Counties, of which he was elected First Lieutenant. He served as such with his company, known as Company H, Fifty-seventh Virginia Regiment, Armistead's Brigade, Pickett's Division, till after the Seven Days Battle near Richmond, when he received a commission as captain in a com- mand then being raised in Southwest Virginia and East Tenn- essee. He was made ordnance officer in the Department of West Virginia and served in this capacity under General Sam Jones, General Breckenridge and General Echols, at different points in this department from 1862 till the end of the war in 1865. In April, 1864, he was married to Mary Elizabeth Howe, daughter of Wm. H. and Mary M. Howe, of Wythe County, Virginia, with whom he lived forty-six years, till her death. He has spent his life as a farmer and fruit grower, and as an active member and elder of the Bethel Presbyterian Church, in whose interest he is still a diligent worker.
LIEUTENANTS.
MILTON WYLIE HUMPHREYS.
At the age of sixteen Milton Wylie Humphreys volunteered in the Liberty Hall Volunteers. This was in the spring of 1861, at Washington College, Lexington, Virginia. That company be- ing temporarily disbanded, he enlisted in the Monroe Artillery, better known as Bryan's Battery, 13th Battalion, Virginia Light Artillery. He served in West Virginia until 1864. He was in several engagements in May and June of that year, in the Lynchburg campaign. In July. 1864, the Valley cam-
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paign began under General Early, and Humphreys took part in every engagement in which his battalion or battery partici- pated, except during thirty days spent on detail arresting de- serters.
His command was detached at the time Richmond fell, and joined General Echols at Dublin. When the news of Appo- mattox was received, he was, with all the men under Echols, furloughed for two months, this being the form under which that force was really disbanded.
He was first a corporal, then sergeant, and in 1864, acting lieutenant. Whatever position he held, he always pointed guns in battle. He devoted much study to the art of hitting, and gave. instruction on gunnery to non-commissioned officers. On several occasions he employed indirect fire. He also pointed out the effect of the earth's rotation on the motion of pro- · jectiles. An account of his devices for finding ranges, correct- ing errors, etc., was published in the Journal of the United States Artillery, Vol II, No. 4.
Editor's Note :- Since the war Professor Humphreys has held chairs in various universities in the South, including the chair of Greek at the University of Virginia. In practically every field of knowledge his information seems to be accurate in its detail and encyclopedic in its scope.
DR. W. E. NORRIS.
W. E. Norris is a native of Lancaster County. Virginia, but was residing in Baltimore, Maryland, when war was declared. He was a member of the Maryland Guard, and enlisted in the summer of 1861 with a Maryland company, commanded by Captain J. Lile Clark of Baltimore, at that time on duty at Suffolk, Virginia. The company had not then been assigned to any regiment, but was later made Company B of the Twen- ty-first Virginia Infantry, and hurriedly sent to the western part of Virginia to reinforce General Garnett, who met dis- aster before assistance could reach him.
The regiment having been brigaded with other Virginia and
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Tennessee regiments, was marched to Valley Mountain to en- ter upon a campaign which, though marked by no little priva- tion and suffering, caused largely by most unfavorable weather conditions, resulted in no event of military importance.
Operations in that quarter were abandoned and the brigade ordered to report to General T. J. Jackson at Winchester, where it arrived just in time to take part in the memorable Romney Campaign, leaving Winchester the first day of Jan- uary, 1862.
After the army returned to the Valley, followed the. battles of Kernstown, McDowell and Front Royal, in which the bri- gade was engaged.
The day following the last named battle, Company B was mustered out of service, its term of enlistment having expired. W. E. Norris was then elected Lieutenant of Company D, Forty-sixth Virginia Infantry, Wise's Brigade. This regiment had been captured at Roanoke Island, paroled on the field, re- cently exchanged and re-organized with George Norris of Charlottesville, Virginia, as Captain of Company D, the for- mer captain, Richard Crank, having declined to reenter the service. The brigade was, for the time being, held in reserve at Chaffin's farm near Richmond, but was later sent to aid in the defense of Charleston, South Carolina, where it remained until General Grant began his famous flank movement across James River to invest Petersburg. Here it was engaged in several battles before the final establishment of the lines of de- fense so long held. It remained in this theatre of activities, meeting such attacks as were made on its front, including the Battle of the Crater, until a few days before the retreat, when it was moved to the right, where it took part in the battles of Hatcher's Run and Five Forks.
On the retreat it was engaged in the battle of Sailor's Creek and a number of other affairs which were probably not of suf- · cient importance to be called battles. Finally it came to Ap- pomattox and surrendered.
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CHAPLAINS.
DR. GEORGE LAURENS PETRIE.
· George Laurens Petrie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina, February 25th, 1840. He was educated in classical preparatory schools, and at Davidson College, Oglethorpe University and Columbia Theological Seminary. He enlisted in the Confed- erate service as a missionary under the direction of the Pres- byterian Church, doing a work similar to that done by the Y. M. C. A. in the recent war. He was soon invited by the Twen- ty-second Regiment of Alabama Volunteers to become its chaplain. Accepting this call, he was regularly commissioned chaplain of that regiment. There being no Y. M. C. A., Red Cross, nor trained nurse organizations in that day, a chaplain not only preached as he had opportunity, and ministered to the religious wants of the men, but sought to make himself useful in a great variety of ways. There was much religious interest in the army, and the chaplain was well received and found a ready response to his endeavors. Many of the offi- cers of all grades gave cordial help to the religious work. Chaplain Petrie was ordained to the ministry on a call from his regiment, being previously only a licentiate. He served un- der General Joseph E. Johnston, then under General J. B. Hood, and again under General Johnston. He was in the bat- tles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Ben- tonville and Kinston; also in the campaign that culminated in the battle of Sumter, South Carolina, a battle fought after the surrender, tidings of which had not been received at Sumter at that time.
After the war he taught a classical school in Montgomery, Alabama, two years, and was Professor of Latin at Oakland College, Mississippi, two years. He then became pastor suc- cessively of the Presbyterian Church in Greenville, Alabama, Petersburg and Charlottesville, Virginia. At the organization of John Bowie Strange Camp, he was elected Chaplain of the Camp, an office which, by annual elections, he has held with- out intermission for thirty years.
GEORGE L. PETRIE, D. D. CHAPLAIN, C. S. A. Pastor Presbyterian Church 1878-1919 Charlottesville, Va.
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SURGEONS.
DR. GEORGE TUCKER HARRISON.
George Tucker Harrison, M.A., M.D., F.A.C.S., was born at the University of Virginia, July 23rd, 1835. He is the son of the late Professor Gessner Harrison, LL.D., who was Pro- fessor of Latin, Greek and Hebrew in the University of Vir- ginià until the school was divided and he became Professor of Latin, which position he held when the war cloud burst upon the Southern Confederacy. Dr. Harrison, the subject of this sketch, went to Richmond in June, 1861, with letters of intro- duction from his father to Governor Letcher, Honorable James A. Seddon and William H. Macfarland. Governor Letcher gave him a note to Surgeon Giteson, at that time, Chief Sur- geon for the State of Virginia. Surgeon Giteson at once ap- pointed him Assistant Surgeon, and ordered him to report to General Beauregard at Manassas. By General Beauregard he was referred to the Medical Director, who appointed him as Assistant Surgeon to the Twenty-fourth Virginia Regiment, commanded at that time by General Jubal A. Early, then only Colonel. After the battle of Manassas Colonel Early was pro- moted to the rank of brigadier general. The successor of Gen- eral Early was William R. Terry, afterwards brigadier general.
Colonel Terry was succeeded by Richard L. Maury as Colonel. Maury served to the end of the war. The surgeon of the Twenty-fourth Virginia Infantry was Dr. Neblett. In the summer of 1862, Dr. Neblett resigned on account of ill health ; whereupon, Assistant Surgeon Harrison was promoted to the rank of surgeon, and held that position until the end of the war, being absent only when he was on detached duty in 1864. The Twenty-fourth Infantry was composed principally of men from Southwest Virginia, who, as a rule, lived in the country and not in towns or villages. Consequently, when measles broke out it spread rapidly through the regiment. As a result, typhoid fever ensued, and it was very difficult to pro- vide proper places for the care and treatment of the patients. It was impossible to procure tents, so it became necessary to utilize two farm houses with their barns and other outbuild-
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ings. One of the farms had been occupied by Germans, who had abandoned it. The better way of treating the typhoid cases proved to be by distributing them among the neighboring small farmhouses. Practically all the cases sent to these small houses recovered.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND PRIVATES.
J. K. BABER.
J. K. Baber entered the Confederate Army as a member of Company A, Twenty-second Virginia Infantry, and served three years. He was captured at the battle of Winchester and sent a prisoner of war to Point Lookout, Maryland. He was not released until the close of hostilities. He resides near Greenwood, and is engaged in farming.
J. R. BATTAILLE.
J. R. Battaille, a native of Orange County, Virginia, enlisted in the Confederate Army, April 17th, 1861, as a member of Company C, Gordonsville Grays, known as the "Bloody Thirteenth," and served during the war until March 27th, 1865, when in the midnight assault and capture of Fort Sted- man by one hundred and twenty men of his regiment, he lost an eye and was in the hospital when Lee surrendered at Appo- mattox. To have been of the number of that immortal "120" is glory enough for one soldier. He lives to bear his honors.
WILLIAM LEWIS BEASLEY.
William Lewis Beasley, son of the late James Bennett Beas- ley, was born and raised in Greene County, Virginia. He vol- unteered for service April 17th, 1864, being only seventeen years of age. He enlisted in Company C, Fourth Virginia Cav- alry, and saw service at Cold Harbor, Five Forks, Chapin Farm and in many other battles. He was with General Lee at the surrender at Appomattox, April 9th. 1865.
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BARTLETT BOLLING Co. D, 43RD VA. CAVALRY, C. S. A. Commander John Bowie Strange Camp
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LOUIS W. BELLAMY.
Louis W. Bellamy, son of Arthur Bellamy, resided near the University of Virginia at the beginning of the war and en- listed in Company B, Nineteenth Infantry, in 1862, and con- tinued in the service until March 9th, 1863, when by a railroad accident he lost his left leg and was incapacitated for further service. He resides near Keswick.
JOHN L. BLAKE.
John L. Blake, son of the late George S. Blake of Albemarle County, enlisted in the Civil War, March 1st, 1864, at Char- lottesville, as a member of Company B, Second Virginia Bat- talion of Infantry. He served with said company until about March 1st, 1865, and participated in several of the battles fought around Richmond. He was then transferred to the Second Richmond Howitzers, Colonel Cutshaw's Battalion.
BARTLETT BOLLING.
Bartlett Bolling was born in Petersburg, Virginia, February 6th, 1845. He entered the Confederate service in 1863, enlist- ing in the Forty-third Battalion of Cavalry, Company D, Mosby's Rangers. He was wounded, made prisoner and held at Harper's Ferry, Wheeling, Camp Chase, and Fort Delaware. After six months' imprisonment, he was exchanged and re- turned to his command. He participated in many battles, among them being Mt. Carmel, Charleston, Berryville, Ham- ilton, and numerous raids, the activities of his command con- tinuing unabated until Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
In Alexandria, Virginia, May 4th, 1881, he was united in marriage with. Meta Lomax Stuart, daughter of Colonel Charles E. Stuart, attorney-at-law, and Roberta Lomax. Dur- ing the same year he made his home in Albemarle County.
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