Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1171

Rh bluff, and the cadets, under Lieutenant Parker's command, had actual practice in warfare. He also rendered valuable service in May, 1864, by holding Drewry's bluff against Butler's advance until reinforcements could be brought up. On the night of the evacuation of Richmond he detailed a small squad of midshipmen to destroy the Patrick Henry, and with the remainder left Richmond in charge of the train conveying the treasure of the Confederate government. He escorted the treasure by rail and by wagon to Augusta, Ga., sometimes being dangerously close to parties from Sherman's army, and then returning to Abbeville, S. C., turned over the money intact to the secretary of the treasury accompanying President Davis. The cadet corps was then disbanded, an action for which Mr. Davis expressed his great regret to Captain Parker, and he returned to Norfolk. In December, 1865, he entered the service of the Pacific mail steamship company, and was captain of a steamer running between San Francisco and Panama until 1873, when he resigned. He served as president of the Maryland agricultural college from 1875 to 1882, and in 1886 was appointed minister of the United States to Corea. He was the author of "Naval Light Artillery," a text-book presented to the United States government, and still in use at Annapolis; "Elements of Seamanship," "Harbor Routine and Evolutions," "Naval Tactics," "Sailing Directions, etc.," "Recollections of a Naval Officer," and "Familiar Talks on Astronomy." Captain Parker died early in 1897.

Major William W. Parker, M. D., during the war of the Confederacy noted as the commander of Parker's battery, and since then no less distinguished in professional and private life, was born in Caroline county in 1834. At the age of fourteen his home was made at Richmond, where he received his academic education, and was graduated professionally at the medical college of Virginia in 1848. He embarked in the practice at Richmond, and continued it until the outbreak of the war, except during a period, 1854-55, passed in the hospitals of Europe. He organized the Virginia Life Guards, at Richmond, a company which was assigned as Company B to the Fifteenth Virginia infantry regiment. He went out with this command as a private, being mustered in May 23, 1861, and participated in the battle of Big Bethel, where his company fired the first volley. In December, 1861, he resigned and returning to Richmond organized a battery of light artillery of one hundred and forty men in March, 1862, which was mustered in March 14th, with himself as captain, and was henceforth known as Parker's battery. Near the close of the war he was promoted major, but in the confusion of the period never received his commission. With his artillery command he participated in the battles of Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Cambrett Station, Tenn., Dean's Station, Tenn., and Chancellorsville. At Gettysburg he fired the first shot at 4:15 a. m., of the first day, firing in all 1,142 rounds that day, and on the last day, after the army retired, he fired the last 300 rounds. At Spottsylvania he rendered gallant and effective service, and subsequently participated at Cold Harbor and Hewlett House. With his command he participated in the retreat and surrendered fourteen guns at Appomattox. After the close of hostilities he resumed his practice at Richmond, which is still