Arthur Lee Wynne, student 1857-1861

Arthur Lee Wynne joined the Richmond Howitzers, the 1st Co. Howitzers VA Light Artillery Battery, in June 1862 as a private. He was hospitalized and then furloghed in 1863 due to illness. He was transferred to the Veterans Reserve Corps. in the summer of 1864, dying of disease on December 2, 1864.

Tazewell Hargrove, class of 1848

Hargrove, a lawyer in Granville County, NC, was a delegate in North Carolina's secession convention. He enlisted on March 10, 1862 in Company A of the 44th NC Infantry and was immediately made captain. He was promoted to major shortly afterward, on May 3, 1862, and was a lieutenant colonel by June 26, 1863, when he was wounded and captured at a skirmish in Virginia at the Battle of the South Anna Bridge. He spent the rest of the war in prison, first at Fort Delaware, DE; then at Johnson's Island, OH; then at Point Lookout, MD; back to Fort Delaware; on to Hilton Head, SC; then to Fort Pulaski, GA; back to Hilton Head; and finally back to Fort Delaware, where he refused to take the oath of allegiance until late July, 1865, when he was finally released.

Oscar Wiley, Medical Department class of 1851

Oscar Wiley graduated from the Medical Department of Randolph-Macon College in 1851 and Pennsylvania's Jefferson Medical College in 1852.

Randolph-Macon's medical school was located in Prince Edward Court House, several miles from the Boydton campus. He enlisted in Pulaski County, VA, as a private in the 2nd Cavalry, Company I. On September 3, 1862, Dr. Wiley was commissioned into Co. F of the 54th Virginia Infantry, with a promotion to the Medical Staff. He practiced medicine until his death in 1904.

David Robinson Duncan, class of 1855

David R. Duncan was born at Randolph-Macon College, where his father served as a professor.After graduation, he moved to South Carolina where he studied law while teaching high school for one year. He then practiced law until enlisting in August 1861 as first lieutenant in Company C of the 13th South Carolina Infantry. He was made captain, then was promoted to Major in the spring of 1864. After the war he served in the S.C. Legislature and Senate, practiced law, and was a prominent businessman.

Thomas Taylor Boswell, class of 1845

Thomas Taylor Boswell, Randolph-Macon class of 1845, enlisted as the captain of Company A of the 56th Virginia Infantry in July 1861. He would have seen action throughout Lee’s campaigns in Virginia, as well as Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. He is most notable for his defense of the Staunton River Bridge on June 25, 1864. The January 1920 issue of Confederate Veteran mentioned his efforts.

“It was Maj. Thomas Taylor Bowell, who with scarcely twelve hundred men … defended and held Staunton River Bridge against a Federal raiding force of more some ten thousand picked cavalry. Over this bridge the food for General Lee’s army had to pass, and when late in the day word was flashed to Richmond that the Federal force was retreating, there came back to order promoting Major Boswell to the rank of colonel ere the smoke of battle had blended with the darkness of the night.”

Colonel Boswell survived the war and died in 1887.

Contributed by Matthew Guillen '14

Robert W. Bailey, student 1858 - 1861

Robert W. Bailey attended Randolph-Macon College from 1858 to 1861 and enlisted as a private in Company H of the 44th Virginia Infantry when he was 21. On May 1, 1862 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and saw action during the Seven Days campaign. He was wounded at Chancellorsville and again on the second day of the fighting at Gettysburg. He would die as a result of his wounds on the same day. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.

Benjamin Lee Arnold, class of 1862

Benjamin Lee Arnold, Randolph-Macon class of 1862, enlisted as captain on November 18, 1862 at Drewry's Bluff overlooking the James River south of Richmond, Virginia. Serving in the 14th Virginia Infantry, Arnold survived Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, along with his classmate, Benjamin James Hawthorne who attended Randolph-Macon College from 1858 to 1861. The two survived the War and went west to Oregon in 1874. There, Arnold served as President of Corvallis College, what is today Oregon State University.

-Contributed by Matthew Guillen '14

Thomas Wiley Branch, class of 1859

He enlisted in the 12th VA Infantry, Co. C on April 19, 1861 as a corporal, and was promoted to 2nd lieutenant on May 20, 1862. He was taken prisoner on May 2, 1863 at Chancellorsville and imprisoned at Old Capitol Prison, Washington, D.C. on May 15, 1863. Branch was discharged January 15, 1864. After the war, he was a Life Insurance Agent in Asheville, NC.

John W. Jones, class of 1859 (A.B.) and 1894 (A.M.)

He enlisted in the 56th VA Infantry, Co. B (the “Mecklenburg Spartans”) on July 29, 1861 in Richmond.  He was wounded at Frazier’s Farm, VA on June 30, 1862.  Jones was promoted to Captain on January 9, 1863, and participated in Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg on July 3. 1863. By the time of the surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Jones was commander of what was left of his regiment.

He moved to Arkansas where he taught in a female college and served in the state legislature. In 1885, Jones moved to Idaho where he became a newspaper editor, establishing the Blackfoot News in 1887. He received his A.M. degree from R-MC in 1894. It 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 rigorous independent study for at least three years, demonstrating proficiency to the faculty. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel by the Idaho governor in 1898 and served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. He died November 21, 1901 and is buried in Blackfoot, ID in Grove City Cemetery.

William S. Davis, class of 1859

In May 1861, he left classes at the University of VA and enlisted in the 12th NC Infantry, 2nd Co. C (the “Warren Rifles”). He was elected 1st Lieutenant in 1861, promoted to Captain in 1862, and promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1863.  He was wounded at The Battle of Belle Grove (Cedar Creek), VA, on October 19, 1864 and his arm was amputated. Davis resigned due to disability on February 10, 1865.