Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1201

Rh skirmish at Winchester, and thence made a raid to Romney. His command became Company D of the Thirteenth Virginia infantry, then under the gallant leadership of Col. A. P. Hill, afterward famous as a division and corps commander. He marched with Johnston's army to the battlefield of Manassas, but his part of the forces arrived in time only to see the rout of the Federals. Subsequently he was in camp at Fairfax Station and later at Centreville. While at the latter point five companies of the Thirteenth joined General Stuart in the capture of Mason's, Munson's and Upton's hills, in sight of Washington, and held them several weeks. In the spring of 1862 his regiment under Col. J. A. Walker served in Elzey's brigade of Ewell's division, under Jackson in the valley, and was particularly distinguished at Cross Keys. This service, and the subsequent action of his regiment under Early, Ewell and Stonewall Jackson, were shared throughout by Mr. Porter, who was promoted lieutenant in April, 1862. During the Maryland campaign he was absent from his command on account of a severe attack of typhoid pneumonia, but returning to his company he fought at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, being within fifty yards of Gen. Stonewall Jackson when he was wounded. He was subsequently sent to Richmond in charge of prisoners. At the opening of the fight in the Wilderness, May 5, 1864, he shared the gallant work of Ewell's corps as a member of Pegram's brigade, repulsing the repeated charges of Warren's corps. That night he served on picket duty among the dead and wounded in front of his command, and on the next day while participating in the repulse of the frequent heavy assaults of the enemy by his brigade, he received a severe wound in the hip, which disabled him until the fall of 1864, when he found his command at Winchester. In the battle at that place between the commands of Early and Sheridan, all of his company save three men were killed or captured. He was among those who fell into the hands of the enemy, and he was subsequently held as a prisoner at Fort Delaware until June, 1865.

Henry B. Poss, of Alexandria, a worthy veteran of Kemper's battery, was born at Alexandria, June 26, 1841. He was reared and educated in his native city, and before reaching his twentieth birthday became a soldier in the Confederate army. At the organization of Kemper's battalion in February, 1861, he enlisted as a private in that organization, and with it was mustered into the service on April 17, 1861, beginning a career as a soldier that continued throughout the war, and was extended by reason of confinement in a Federal prison camp for many weary weeks beyond the date of the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia. Notable among the engagements in which he participated were the battles of Manassas of July 21, 1861, Savage Station and Sailor's Creek. At the latter disastrous encounter he fell into the hands of the enemy, and was subsequently confined at Newport News until the following June. He then was paroled and permitted to return to his home at Alexandria, where he resumed the occupation of carpenter and builder, and soon afterward, in November, 1865, entered the employment of the Southern railroad. He still occupies a responsible position with this company, and is influential in the community and socially popular. He is a member of R. E. Lee camp,