Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1026

960 for many years, his grandfather having served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His father, Tyree B. Jackson, also a native of Brunswick county, born in 1805, passed his life as a merchant in Petersburg, with farming interests in his native county. On this country place his five sons, of whom Adjutant Jackson was the youngest, were reared, receiving their education in the local schools. As the crisis approached in 1861 the father viewed with much solicitude the prospect of an armed conflict that must almost necessarily involve in danger his family of boys, but when he received the news of the call of President Lincoln for 75,000 men, evidently for the invasion of Virginia, all other emotions were submerged in stern and patriotic resolution. Going at once to his farm home he called his sons about him, and said, "Boys, you have to go to war." The five obeyed the summons, but only two returned in 1865. On April 19, 1861, Adjutant Jackson entered the service as a private in the volunteer organization called the Dinwiddie Grays, beginning a career in the ranks that is highly typical of the soldiery of the Virginia troops, and winning promotion by meritorious conduct to the rank of first lieutenant. During the first year he served on the James river, where the swamps, proved as deadly a foe as the enemy in field of battle. In 1862, fighting in defense of Richmond, he participated in the Seven Days' battles until the action at Frayser's farm, when he was so seriously wounded as to be confined in hospital for six weeks. Recovering in time to fight at the battle of Second Manassas, he was again wounded, and one of his brothers was killed. Another brother having already lost his life at Gaines' Mill, the tragedy of war was fully impressed upon the heroic family, but they were in nowise daunted. Lieutenant Jackson was in the field again at Fredericksburg, in December, 1862, and in 1863 he participated in the Pennsylvania campaign and the battle of Gettysburg, being one of the heroes of the intrepid charge of Pickett's division on July 3d. In this engagement he was twice wounded, and unable to retire, fell into the hands of the Federals. Then followed over seventeen dreary months of imprisonment, partly at the hospital on David's island, but mainly at Johnson's island in Lake Erie. When he was released the war was over, and with maimed body and broken health he returned to Virginia to enter upon the duties of manhood. After a year spent upon a farm in Dinwiddie county, for recuperation, he went to Petersburg. Then becoming connected with the railway service, he removed next year to Norfolk, where he has since resided, and with the exception of less than six years' management of an agricultural implement business, has been connected with the Norfolk & Western railway. In this service he has been promoted to the rank of chief clerk of the agents' department, a position of much importance and responsibility, requiring the assistance of forty-two sub-clerks for the transaction of the business. He is a man of many friends, and desirable social and fraternal connections. Since the formation of Pickett-Buchanan camp in 1883 he has served as its adjutant. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and in Masonry is a Knight Templar.

Richard Thomas Jacobs, a distinguished veteran of the Tenth Virginia infantry regiment, was born in Madison county, Va., October 29, 1843. His father, William P. Jacobs, son of Nathan