Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1031

Rh reared and educated at Richmond, was employed at Norfolk, and had become a member of the Independent Grays, a well-drilled company which was mustered into the service April 19, 1861. He served with his company at Craney island during the Confederate occupation of Norfolk, and witnessed the famous naval battles of the Virginia in March, 1862. Subsequently, with his company he joined the Sixth regiment (as Company H), whose first colonel, William Mahone, was now commander of the brigade to which the Sixth regiment was attached throughout the war. He was with his regiment in the fight against the Federal fleet at Drewry's bluff, thence the command moved to Chaffin's bluff, and going into the battle of Malvern Hill, lost heavily in the desperate assault upon the enemy's works. His health was badly broken by the arduous Peninsular campaign, and he was detailed on special duty and afterward honorably discharged. But subsequently recovering he re-enlisted, becoming a member of a Richmond company, with which he served in the fighting against Dahlgren's raiders in 1864, and fought in the trenches before Petersburg until the evacuation, taking part in the fierce battle of the Crater and other engagements. During the retreat to Appomattox he was captured by the enemy and sent to Manchester, where he was employed in attending the sick and wounded prisoners. On being paroled he returned to Norfolk and Portsmouth, and presently made his home at the latter city, where he has for many years been engaged in business with notable success. He is highly regarded by the people of his city and holds high rank among his professional associates, having been honored by the presidency of the Virginia State board of embalming, and the same office in the State association of funeral directors. In 1866 Mr. Johnson was married to Mary E., daughter of Robert A. J. Thompson, and she having died in 1888, he married in 1890 her surviving sister, Anna R. Thompson.

William Otis Johnson, of Lynchburg, a veteran of the Second corps of the army of Northern Virginia, was born in Nelson county, Va., October 18, 1841. He entered the service June 7, 1861, with the New Market volunteers, which was assigned to Shafer's battalion up to the battle of First Manassas, and subsequently was Company C and later Company H of the Forty-ninth Virginia regiment of infantry. Private Johnson was promoted corporal at Bull Run, and at the close of his service was first sergeant of his company. His regiment was commanded in the first battle of Manassas by Col. (formerly Gov.) William Smith, in Cocke's brigade. Subsequently it served under the command of Early and Ewell on most of the great battlefields of the army. Among the engagements in which Mr. Johnson participated were First Manassas, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, the Seven Days' battles, Second Manassas, Bristoe Station, Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the defeat of Milroy at Winchester, the skirmish near Harrisburg, Pa., and the battle of Gettysburg. At Sharpsburg he was slightly wounded in the eye by a spent ball, but his most serious injuries were received while participating in the hard fighting at Culp's Hill on the morning of the third day at Gettysburg. There he was shot in both hands and the breast, and while in this condition fell into the hands of the enemy, at the foot of South mountain, the second day after the battle. He was sent to the Federal hospital at Frederick City, and