Friday, October 12, 2012

Walker Frederick Jones, student 1839-1840

Jones received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1848 and practiced medicine in Gloucester County, VA. He enlisted as a private in Co. C of the 21st Regiment Virginia Militia on October 19, 1861. Due to the medical needs of his county, he was given leave by the board of officers as a practicing physician.

Dr. Jones practiced medicine in Gloucester County, VA for the rest of his life and died on April 17, 1901. He is buried in Gloucester County, VA in Bellamy United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Richard Ferguson, Class of 1858 (A.B.) and 1894 (A.M.)

Ferguson, a farmer in Nottoway County, enlisted as a private in the Nottoway Grays, Co.G of the 18th VA Infantry. He was promoted to lieutenant on December 8, 1861. He is listed as commanding the company in March 1862. Due to illness, he was dropped from the company on April 26, 1862, but continued to join his company even though he had not reenlisted.. He was wounded on June 30, 1862 during the Battle of Frayser's Farm (also known as the Battle of Glendale), part of the Seven Days Battles near Richmond, VA. He was promoted to adjutant on June 30, 1862 and to sergeant major on September 13, 1862.
 Ferguson was taken prisoner on July 3, 1863 following Pickett's Charge in the Battle of Gettysburg. He was imprisoned first at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, MD on July 7, and then on July 9 was sent on the prison camp at Fort Delaware, DE. He was transferred on July 18, 1863 to the prison camp at Johnson's Island, OH, where he remained until he was sent to City Point at Hopewell, VA for exchange on February 24, 1865.

Ferguson farmed and taught in a school he opened for three years after the war. He became a minister in the VA Conference in 1869, having intended a career in the ministry prior to war but was prohibited from pursuing it due to illness. He received his A.M. degree from R-MC in 1894, the same year his son, Richard Ferguson Jr. also received an A.M. The father's degree is indicated as having been received "under the old law existing when his A.B. was taken." This meant that the recipient had graduated with honors and pursued a program of rigorous independent study for at least three years, demonstrating proficiency to the faculty. Ferguson retired from the ministry in 1918. He died January 1, 1930 in Tampa, FL and is buried in Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, VA. Ferguson had written a wartime memoir in July 1928 that he requested be published posthumously in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where it appeared on May 25, 1930 as "Reminiscences of a Virginia Minister." In his memoir he tells the story of his captivity, including his failed escape from Johnson's Island.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

George Henry Nicholas, student 1861-1862

Nicholas attended VMI for 4 weeks after Randolph-Macon closed in early 1862 for the duration of the war. He enlisted in Co. C of the 25th Battalion VA Infantry on August 15, 1862. On February 9, 1863, he was promoted to corporal and he was promoted to sergeant on April, 11, 1863. He was hospitalized in Scottsville, VA in March 1863 for an undisclosed reason, and was hospitalized at Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond, VA in September 1863 with "debility."

Nicholas returned to the Scottsville area of Buckingham County, VA after the war and farmed until his death on January 31, 1922.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

William Wallace Duncan, preparatory department student until 1854

Duncan, son of Professor David Duncan who served at R-MC 1835-1854, was born at Randolph-Macon College and was educated in the preparatory department there prior to his father's appointment as professor at Wofford College. Duncan entered Wofford as a freshman in 1854 and graduated in 1958. He was ordained as a Methodist minister in the Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1859 and was assigned to Alexandria at the beginning of the war.  In 1863-1864, he served as chaplain, first to the 20th SC Infantry from February 1863 until his transfer in the fall of 1864 to the 13th SC Infantry, his brother David Robinson Duncan's regiment. He was hospitalized in Richmond in July 1864 with diarrhea and in September 1864 with "general debilitas following acute tonsilitis [sic]."

After the war, he continued as a minister in Virginia. He transferred to the South Carolina Conference in 1875, where from 1875-1885, he was a professor at Wofford College. In 1886, he was elected Bishop and served until his death March 2, 1908. He is buried in Spartanburg, SC in Oakwood Cemetery.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Reuben Jonathan Palmer, Class of 1851

Palmer moved to Montgomery, Texas in 1856 and practiced law. He was an ardent secessionist, and served in the state Secession Convention, signing the Texas Ordinance of Secession. He served in the Ninth Texas Legislature during the war, which met from 1861-1863.

After the war, he continued to practice law and was  a partner in a mercantile business, which he sold shortly before his death on March 20, 1868. Palmer is buried in the Old Methodist Churchyard in Montgomery County, TX.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Richard Holmes Powell, Class of 1843 (A.B.) and 1851 (A.M.)

Powell was a prominent planter in Union Springs, Alabama at the beginning of the war, having also served as mayor of the town and having helped establish a bank. He was commissoned as captain of Co. D of the 3rd AL Infantry, the Southern Rifles, on April 26, 1861. He was wounded on May 19, 1863 and was promoted to major on August 20, 1863.  Powell was wounded in the right leg on May 17, 1864 and hospitalized in Richmond, VA.  Although his records don't indicate where he was wounded, the 3rd Alabama was involved in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House at that time so it is nearly certain this was the battle in which he was wounded. It was initially believed that he would recover fully, but the wound did not heal for several months and after numerous medical furlough extensions, he was released for light duty. He was captured May 3, 1865 at Union Springs, AL where he was serving as a major in the Invalid Corps, having been retired from service February 2, 1865. He was paroled May 6, 1865 at Montgomery, AL.

After the war, Powell practiced law and became editor of the Union Springs Herald (Union Springs, AL) newspaper, for which he wrote a series of articles on the history of the 3rd Alabama Infantry  in 1866-1867. He also served a term in the state legislature from 1882-1883. He died October 17, 1884 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Union Springs, AL.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

William Abram Darden, Jr., student 1852-1853

Darden left his studies at R-MC due to vision problems and became a farmer in Greene County, NC. He briefly joined the Greene County Rifles, Co. A of the 3rd NC Infantry but left when he was elected to North Carolina's Secession Convention. Darden then was commissioned as second lieutenant in Co. F of the 61st NC Infantry on April 4, 1862. He was promoted to captain on April 26, 1864. He was hospitalized in August 1864 with an undisclosed illness. Darden was taken prisoner at Fort Harrison, VA on September 30, 1864 and taken to Bermuda Hundred on October1. He was sent to Old Capitol Prison on October 6, 1864 and to the prison camp at Fort Delaware, DE on October 21, arriving on October 23, 1864.  A letter to a friend dated January 11, 1865 indicates that his health was poor and his rheumatism bothered him, and he complained of the cold. Darden remained imprisoned at Fort Delaware until he took the Oath of Allegiance on June 10, 1865.

After the war, Darden returned to farming in Greene County, NC. He served a term in the NC legislature and became active in Farmers' Alliance. He died on June 2, 1890 and is buried in Greene County, NC in an unnamed family cemetery near Tabernacle Methodist Church at Speights Bridge.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Charles William Uriah Young, Jr., student 1851-1852

Young, a farmer in Dinwiddie County, VA, enlisted in the 10th VA Heavy Infantry Battalion on an unknown date. He died at home of Camp Fever in 1862. He is buried at Darvills, Dinwiddie County, on the family farm. The farm now lies within the boundaries of the Five Forks Battlefield unit of the Petersburg National Battlefield.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Samuel Garland, Jr., student 1845-1846

Garland attended the Virginia Military Institute after leaving R-MC, graduating from VMI in 1849. He  graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in law in 1851.  Garland was a lawyer in Lynchburg, VA at the beginning of the war. In 1859, he organized the Lynchburg Home Guards, which became Co. G of the 11th VA Infantry in April, 1861. He was commissioned captain on April 23, 1861. On May 8, 1861, he was promoted to colonel and on May 23, 1862 he was promoted to brigadier general. Garland received his first wound at the Battle of Williamsburg, but remained in the battle. His horse was killed at the Battle of Seven Pines, VA on May 31, 1862. Garland was mortally wounded with a shot through the chest on September 14, 1862 in Wise's Field near Fox's Gap, MD during the Battle of South Mountain.He is buried in Lynchburg, VA in Presbyterian Cemetery.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Valentine Winfree, student 1835-1836

Winfree was a tobacconist in Richmond, VA at the beginning of the war. He served as a private on Co. I of the 1st Regiment VA State Infantry Reserves.

Winfree remained in Richmond, VA and became an auctioneer. He died December 10, 1886.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Charles Jones Winston, student 1857-1858

Winston, a farmer in Campbell County, VA in 1860, enlisted with his brother William Henry Harrison Winston as a private in Co. G of the 11th VA Infantry on May 26, 1861. He was absent due to illness from October 15 to November 15, 1861.  Winston was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg on June 3, 1863 as was his brother William, but Charles was not taken prisoner. He was wounded again on April 1, 1865 at the Battle of Five Forks in Dinwiddie County, VA.

Winston returned to farming in Campbell County, VA. He died March 16, 1889 and is buried in the Winston-Clark Family Cemetery in Altavista, Campbell County, VA.

Monday, October 1, 2012

William Henry Harrison Winston, student 1859-1860

Winston, a farmer in Campbell County, VA in 1860 and brother of Charles J. Winston, enlisted as a private in Co. G of the 11th VA Infantry on May 26, 1861. He was wounded during the Seven Days Battles near Richmond, VA sometime between May 26, and June 1, 1862. Although the records do not indicate the exact date, which battle, or the extent of his wound, his 1926 pension application indicates he was wounded in the shoulder. He was taken prisoner of war at the battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863 and sent to the prison camp at Fort McHenry, MD and then on to Fort Delaware, DE on July 6, 1863.  He is quoted in a family letter as having been wounded during Pickett's Charge and left for four hours on the battlefield before his capture. On October 26, 1863, he was transferred to the prison camp at Point Lookout, MD, where he remained until he was exchanged on February 13, 1865. Whether or not he rejoined his regiment is unclear, but a family letter indicates he took part in "the last battle at Petersburg," and on his 1926 pension application, he states that "after the surrender at Appomattox I made my way to Greensboro, N.C. On my arrival Gen. Johnson [Johnston] surrendered and I left the service."

After the war, he farmed in Amherst County, VA through at least 1910. By 1920, he was retired and living in Southampton County, VA. He died March 14, 1934 and is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery in Lynchburg, VA. His obituary in the Franklin, VA Tidewater News states that he was:
Always present at the dinners given here by Agnes Lee Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, on June 3 of each year, he never failed to proclaim himself an "Unreconstructed Rebel," and say that he was "ready to fight again."