Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1055

Rh. During the past decade he has been a resident of Henrico county, where he has also been a prominent and influential citizen, and as a public speaker has taken an active part in political affairs. In August, 1896, he was nominated by his party as their candidate for representative in Congress for the Third district, and was elected after an exciting campaign. He was re-elected in 1898. The wife of Captain Lamb is a daughter of the late Rev. Anderson Wade, of Charles City county, who was the rector of Westover and Napsieo parishes for twenty-five years.

Colonel William Lamb, of Norfolk, the "hero of Fort Fisher," was born at that city, September 7, 1835. In youth he was under the instruction of General Mahone at the Rappahannock military academy, in mathematics and tactics, and in 1855 he was graduated in law at William and Mary college, delivering the valedictory address. In the following January he became editor of the Daily Southern Argus, of Norfolk, an influential democratic journal, and began an active career in politics as alternate delegate to the national convention which nominated Mr. Buchanan and as assistant elector. He was a candidate for mayor in the same year and, though defeated, caused the election of councils which introduced the modern public school system. In 1860 he was the only presidential elector successful on the Breckinridge ticket, but, on account of his illness the electors at their meeting cast the State's full vote for Bell and Everett. In 1858 he became captain of the Woodis Riflemen, one of the crack companies of Norfolk, which served at Harper's Ferry in 1859, and was first on duty in 1861 on March 7th, guarding the streets of Norfolk that night. He was called out with his company, April 18th, and was soon afterward sent to Ocean View, part of the company serving under Captain Lamb in the defense of Sewell's Point in May, when his conduct was highly complimented by Captain Colquitt. He was authorized to organize a battalion, of which his company should be part, and he raised two companies accordingly in Princess Anne and Norfolk counties, but his organizations were assigned to the Sixth regiment. Colonel Lamb thereupon resigned and accepted from the governor of North Carolina a commission as colonel of State troops. He was first assigned to the staff of Gen. Joseph R. Anderson and, when the Thirty-sixth North Carolina regiment of Second artillery was organized he became its commander. On July 4, 1862, he assumed command of Fort Fisher, then an inconsiderable earthwork, which he developed into a large and powerful fort, the key to the Cape Fear river defenses and Wilmington, the great importing depot of the South. Here he was in command for two years and a half, maintaining a gateway between the Confederate States and the outside world, until all other channels had been closed. In December, 1864, he and his North Carolinians in garrison were assailed by the most powerful fleet ever assembled in the western world. A ship containing two hundred and fifty tons of powder was exploded near the fort, December 23, and, during the next two days Porter's fleet kept up a terrific bombardment, notwithstanding all which, the gallant defenders repulsed the attack of the land forces under Butler. On January 12, 1865, another attack was begun in which the six hundred guns afloat were aided by Terry's division of eight or ten thousand infantry. Lamb had less than