Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1155

Rh physician of Danville. He is a member of Cabell-Graves camp, Confederate Veterans. In 1873 he was married to Sallie Adams, of Pittsylvania county, and they have seven children.

William A. O'Brien, of Lynchburg, now conspicuous in the business and financial affairs of his city, had a gallant career in the Confederate army as a member of the Latham battery. He was born at Lynchburg in 1842, and on April 23, 1861, left his home as a member of the Lynchburg artillery, under Capt. H. G. Latham, to participate in the Confederate war. His service continued until the close of hostilities and was marked by fidelity and intrepid performance of duty. He participated in the first battle of Manassas with his battery, which was distinguished in the fighting against the flank movement of the Federals, and after taking part in the battle of Williamsburg, in the spring of 1862, was disabled by illness until just after the battle of Sharpsburg. He served with the battery at Fredericksburg, then commanded by Captain (afterward General) Dearing, and subsequently was on duty with the First corps of the army in the department of North Carolina and Southeast Virginia, taking part in the actions at Plymouth, Little Washington and New Bern. During the fight at Plymouth, N. C., he and a comrade, Bryant Kelly, were distinguished for volunteering to cut away an embrasure in the face of a heavy fire from the enemy, a deed performed with coolness and intrepidity, and fortunately without injury to themselves. Private O'Brien took part in the fighting at Bermuda Hundred and Cold Harbor, in 1864, and at the latter battle received a wound in the right hand which disabled him for further service with his battery. He was on detail with the quartermaster's department at Lynchburg for a time, and subsequently acted as independent scout in that vicinity, under General Colston, until the close of the war. Then returning to civil life, he soon became interested in business enterprises, in which he had notable success, and is now one of the most influential men of the city. He is connected with the Lynchburg cotton mill company as a member of the executive committee, is vice-president of the First National bank; was chairman of the finance committee of the Commercial bank, now merged in the former; and is a director of the Industrial society of Lynchburg.

James O'Connor, of West Point, Va., a veteran of Longstreet's old brigade, army of Northern Virginia, was born in Ireland, April 8, 1839, the son of John and Margaret (Vandelieu) O'Connor. Coming to America with his parents in 1851, they settled at Richmond, where the parents passed the remainder of their lives. During the war the father was frequently on duty with the home guard at the Confederate capital. In April, 1861, James O'Connor enlisted as a private in Company C of the First Virginia regiment of infantry, Col. P. T. Moore commanding. This regiment was assigned to the Fourth brigade. Gen. James Longstreet commanding, of Beauregard's army at Manassas Junction, and Private O'Connor participated in the battle of Blackburn's Ford and shared the duties of his brigade during the succeeding battle of Manassas, July 21st. With this brigade, subsequently known by the name of its later commander. General Kemper, he served until near the close of the war, his prominent battles being Williamsburg the Seven Days' battles, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg,