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Camp near Yorktown, 1st Va. Bee's April 26, 1862.
At a called meeting of D Company, held April 26, 1862, Lieut. G. F. Norton was called to the Chair, and Lieut. Reeves appointed Secretary, when the following preamble and resolutions were unadopted, with reference to the death of Corporal E. M. Ferneyhough, who was wounded in the trenches on the 21st and died on the 23d instant:
Whereas, it has pleased Almighty God, in his wise dispensation, to take from us our beloved comrade and brother in arms, Corporal E. M. Ferneyhough: He it, therefore,
Resolved, That while we how in submissions to His all-wise decrees, we deeply lament the blow which has deprived us of our brave comrade, who had endeared himself to us all by his uniform kindness and amiability as a friend, and who, by his strict and prompt attention to all duties devolving-upon him as a soldier, had won the esteem of all with whom he was connected.
Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with his family and friends in their sad bereavement.
Resolved, That a copy of the above resolutions be forwarded to the family of the deceased, and that they be published in the daily papers.
G. F. Norton, Chairman
E. P. Reeve, Secretary. ap 30--1t
City papers please copy.
The Richmond Daily Dispatch: April 30, 1862.
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Election of officers.
--In pursuance of that clause of the Conscription Bill requiring the reorganization of companies and battalions, the following officers have been elected for the war in the First Virginia Regiment:
Company D--Captain, George F. Norton, First Lieutenant, E. P. Reeve; Senior Second Lieutenant, William Kenningham; Junior Second Lieutenant, Adol. Blair.
The Richmond Daily Dispatch: may 1, 1862.
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Missing.
Company D--4 Officers, 31 Men in action.
1st Lieut. E. P. Reeve, severely wounded in right shoulder
Richmond Dispatch. Friday morning...may 9, 1862. From the Peninsula.
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We append a list of the killed and wounded of the First Virginia regiment in the battle of Saturday, August 30th, at Manassas, as far as ascertained:
Company D.--Wounded; Lieut E. P Reeve, left side; Orderly Sergt W. A Morris; Privates George L. Meanly, J. T Porter, thigh, and A. G. Stegar, Jaw.
The The Richmond Daily Dispatch: September 5, 1862.
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--Among the losses in the First Virginia Regiment, of Richmond, at Gettysburg, were Colonel Williams, killed, and Lieut. Reeve, wounded. The regiment is now under the command of a Lieutenant, every ranking officer having been killed or wounded.
The Richmond Daily Dispatch: July 11, 1863.
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Subscription of Friday's eight.--the first Virginia regiment at Gettysburg.
Much interest is fell by the public in the fate of the 1st Virginia regiment, which was organized in this city, and a large number of families here are interested in the fate of its members. The first report from it after the battle at Gettysburg was the old story of "cut all to pieces" and we deeply regret to announce that in the case of this gallant regiment the report is too true. The regiment numbering about 200 men, the remnant of the fine body that left this city in April, 1861 is attached to Kemper's brigade, in Pickett's division of Long street's corps. It had been near Chambersburg doing picket duty, but had been relieved, and on. Thursday, the 1st inst., marched 22 miles to Gettysburg, and went into bivouac near the town. Gettysburg was the right of the enemy's centre, and was, of course, the left of our centre. The battle field as viewed from our line may be described thus: From Gettysburg there stretches away towards the right a high mountain, on which there is a place defended by a stone fence. This was the enemy's position. On the right of this was another mountain meeting it at right angles, and protruding out towards our lines. This mountain was also fortified and occupied by the enemy, so that if our troops had occupied and held the main position of the Federals they would have been exposed to a murderous enfinding fire from the flanking mountain. The ground in front of the enemy's work was of a rolling formation requiring our troops first to descend a slope and then ascend to the attack. All this was to be done under fire. Our artillery was massed in front of the mountain, and behind it our infantry was placed.
About 3 o'clock Friday morning the 1st Va. was ordered to fall in, and with the division marched to the right of our centre, nearly opposite the flanking mountain, and was placed about to yards behind our artillery. The can opened from our side about 1 o'clock, and after two hour's shelling, which was so inaccurate on the part of the enemy that only five men in the 1st were killed by it, the infantry was ordered to advance. This order was given at 3 o'clock P. M., and the advance was commenced, the infantry marching at common time across the field, and not firing a musket until within a yards of the enemy's works. As Kemper's brigade moved up it swung around to the left and was exposed to the front fire and flanking fire of the Federals, which was very fatal. This swinging around unmasked a part of the enemy's force, five regiments being pushed out from their left to the attack. Directly this force was unmasked our artillery opened on it with terrible precision. An officer who was within a few yards of the works informs the that our shells were thrown with wonderful accuracy into the very middle of the enemy's column killing sometimes as many as 20 or 30 at a shot. This force was advancing in column of battalions, and in at tempting to change their position, by marching by the right, was thrown into such confusion by the scathing fire of our artillery that the slaughter was still more terrible. They never rallied, and their five regimental flags were scattered all about in the crowd. This demonstration on the offensive being dispersed our infantry continued their advance upon the works, when within about 75 yards they opened the and charged on the force defending the stone fence. As they mounted the fence two or three hundred of the Yankees defending it threw down their arms and ran towards our men, giving themselves up as prisoners. Many of them ran entirely through Kemper's brigade to the rear. A good many of them were killed in running forward to surrender, our men not understanding the meaning of the ma The Confederates captured the works' but so few of them passed through the deadly fire that not enough got inside to hold them against the large force of Yankees that advanced to retake them.
Seven Confederate flags were planted on the stone fence, but there not being enough men to support them were captured by the advancing Yankee force, and nearly all of our severely wounded were left in the hands of the enemy.
The 1st Virginia carried in 175 men, about twenty five having been detailed for ambulance and other duty. They brought out between thirty or forty, many even of them being wounded. There is but one officer in the regiment who was not killed or wounded, and that was Lieut. Ballon, who now commands it. Col. L B. Williams went into action on horseback, and was instantly killed. He fell forward on being shot, and did not speak afterwards. His horse was hit three times. Col. W.'s body is in the hands of the enemy. Among the officers we have ascertained the following losses. Company G, Lieut. Morris, comd'g, Capt. Langley was sick but went into the fight and was wounded; Lieuts. Woody and Morris, all wounded; company B, color company Capt. Davis, wounded and missing; Lieut. Paine, wounded, company C, Capt. Halliman and Lieut. Dooley, both wounded and missing; company D, Capt. Norton, Lieuts. Reeve, Keiningham, and Blair, all wounded; company H, Capt. Watkins, Lieuts. Cuball and Martin, all wounded; company I, Lieuts. Ballon and Caho, the latter wounded. Wm. Mitchell, son of John Mitchell, in command of the color guard of the regiment, is wounded and missing. Lieut. Blair, of company D, commanded the skirmishers. We have been unable to get a list of the privates killed and wounded.
Many of our wounded were brought back into our lines by the Yankees, who ... by the Federals to pursue them. The falling back of Lee was orderly, and there was no straggling by men who were unhurt.
The Daily Dispatch. Monday morning...July 13, 1863. The battle of Gettysburg.