Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1179

Rh 1862, without a shot striking his ship. Welcomed at home again, he was assigned to the James River squadron, superintending the preparation of the ironclad Richmond and taking her to Drewry's bluff, and then taking command of the second Virginia, a larger ironclad. In 1864 he was sent to England to purchase and equip vessels for the Virginia volunteer navy, and had put in commission the Hawk, which sailed as far as Bermuda, when the war came to an end. Captain Pegram was in Nova Scotia from July until November, 1865, when he returned to Virginia, and was soon afterward appointed superintendent of the Petersburg & Weldon railroad. In 1873 he became the general agent of the Life insurance company of Virginia, with headquarters at Norfolk. James West Pegram, son of the foregoing, also served with distinction in the Confederate navy. He was born in Sussex county in 1843, and being taken by his parents, in infancy, to Norfolk, was reared at that city and educated in the collegiate institute and the Norfolk academy. He had just passed his examination for admission to the United States naval academy when Virginia took her stand with the Confederate States. Tendering his services to the governor he was appointed midshipman in the Virginia navy, and assigned to the command of General Taliaferro at Norfolk, where his father, Captain Pegram, was co-operating in command of the naval operations. When the navy yard fell into the Confederate hands he reported to Captain Fairfax, in charge of ordnance at that place, and was employed for several months in transporting ordnance to points where it was needed. After the evacuation of Norfolk he shared as a volunteer in the gallant repulse of the Federal squadron at Drewry's Bluff, and afterward fought at the battle of Seven Pines, receiving a wound in the arm as a testimonial of active service. After this he was ordered to the command of Commodore Hollins at New Orleans, by whom he was assigned to the gunboat Mobile, then being fitted out at Berwick bay. Before this boat was in service he was transferred to Charleston, S. C., and assigned by Commodore Ingram to the Nashville, commanded by his father, in which he served until the return to Beaufort. He was then assigned to the ram Louisiana at New Orleans, but before he could reach there the city was evacuated and he returned to Richmond and experienced a short service on the new Virginia, in the James river. Then making the voyage to Liverpool he was assigned by Commodore Maury to the Rappahannock. His cruise in this vessel was abruptly terminated by its detention at Calais, France, after which he returned to the Confederate States, landing at Wilmington, and was afterward engaged in running the blockade from Wilmington to Halifax, until Butler's attack on Fort Fisher, when he participated in the defense of that stronghold and was slightly wounded by the explosion of an Armstrong gun. During the succeeding attack by Generals Schofield and Terry, he rendered gallant service and was seriously wounded in the shoulder and head. On his recovery from these injuries, which disabled him for a considerable period, he served for several months in the gunboat Roanoke on the James river, until the boat was sunk after an action with a Federal battery at Graveyard Reach. He subsequently went to Greensboro, N. C., and participated in the surrender of General Johnston's army. This thrilling and adventurous chapter of his life being finished with the