Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1193

Rh breaking out of the war between the States. Owing to a gunshot wound in the right hand, received prior to the war, he was not accepted as a regular in the Confederate army. He did scout duty, however, most of the year 1863, and then was returned home to practice his profession. He was the son of John Phillips, a farmer, and a descendant of an old Virginia family of Welsh descent. His wife was Carrie C. Ricks, of Southampton county. Dr. J. E. Phillips, son of the foregoing, was educated at the State agricultural college, and was graduated at the college of physicians and surgeons, at Baltimore, in 1880. He was a professional partner of his father until the latter's death, but since 1889 has been very successfully engaged in the practice at Suffolk and in the surrounding territory. His present wife, to whom he was married in 1894, is Eliza Prentiss, daughter of Capt. C. H. Causey, of Nansemond county.

Major Charles Pickett, of Norfolk, Va., is one of the heroes of Pickett's brigade and division who will be remembered with admiration and affection as long as any survivors remain of those gallant commands. He was born June 1, 1840, at Richmond, Va., son of Col. Robert Pickett, also a native of that city, and owner of a very large estate, the historic Turkey island plantation, which was laid waste by Gen. B. F. Butler. His grandfather, George Pickett, who was born in Fauquier county, and removed to Richmond about the time of the Revolutionary war, held the important trust of purchasing agent for the colonies during that struggle, and afterward amassed a large fortune as a merchant. His mother was Mary, daughter of Robert Johnston, of Scotch descent, a hardware merchant of Richmond. Major Pickett's career before the war was mainly as a student in the city schools and at the university of Virginia, where he remained from 1857 to 1859. At the latter date he entered mercantile life at Richmond, in which he had not far advanced when it became his duty to respond to the call of Virginia for defense of her territory. Enlisting early in 1862 as a private in Company F of the First regiment, organized at Richmond, he went with his command to Fredericksburg and subsequently was stationed for several months at Gloucester Point. He then resigned in order to re-enlist in the command of his brother, George E. Pickett, who had been commissioned a brigadier-general in January, 1862. Upon his staff he was appointed an aide-de-camp in February, and in June adjutant-general and chief of staff, a position he continued to hold after the advancement of General Pickett to the command of a division. As assistant adjutant-general of the Third brigade of Longstreet's division he was engaged throughout the Peninsular campaign, in the fighting at Yorktown, Williamsburg, and the Seven Days' battles up to and including the fifth day, when he was engaged at Frayser's Farm, on June 30th. His experience on this day is well told in the official report of Col. John B. Strange, then in command of the brigade, as follows: "I would also bring to your notice the name of Capt. Charles Pickett, assistant adjutant-general, who acted with the most conspicuous gallantry, carrying a flag by my side at the head of the brigade on foot (having lost his horse), and urging forward, all the time forward, until shot down seriously wounded, and then begging those who went to bear him off the field to leave him and