Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1240

1162 he was defeated by Hon. M. G. Urmer by a majority of only fifty, indicating in some degree the confidence reposed in him by his community. In 1893 he was appointed chief department clerk of the internal revenue, district of Maryland, under the Cleveland administration, and stationed at Baltimore, and is now engaged in the general practice of law at that city. In 1884 Mr. Shafer married Miss Sara Andrew of La Porte, Ind., a daughter of Dr. George L. Andrew, inspector of the armies of the Potomac and the Cumberland for the United States sanitary commission from 1861 to 1865.

Jacob Shaner, of Lynchburg, a veteran of the Fifteenth Virginia infantry regiment, is a native of Germany, born in 1839. Coming to America in 1844 and first locating at Baltimore, he removed thence to Lynchburg in 1850, and to Richmond in 1857. At the latter city he became a member of a militia company with which he participated in the occupation of Harper's Ferry during the disturbance of 1859. Subsequently he continued his militia service with this command, which in April, 1861, became Company H of the Fifteenth Virginia infantry. With this command he took part in the action at Big Bethel early in 1861, where the Confederate troops were distinguished for steadiness and fighting qualities, and continued on duty in that region until about eighteen months after his enlistment, when he was detailed for duty at Richmond. He remained in the latter service about a year, and then rejoined his command just before the battle of Sharpsburg, where he served with his regiment in Semmes' brigade of McLaws' division, and joined in a successful charge upon Burnside's troops, driving a greatly superior force of the enemy from a strong position. In this fight the regiment lost fifty-eight per cent in killed and wounded, probably the most severe regimental loss in the army. Private Shaner continued with this gallant command through the subsequent campaigns, fighting at Second Cold Harbor and Drewry's Bluff, and until January, 1865, when he was disabled by illness from further participation in the war. After the close of hostilities he engaged in business at Lynchburg, and was thus occupied, with much success, until 1895, when he retired. He is an influential and much respected citizen, but has modestly declined all office, even that of a seat in the city council to which he was unanimously elected on the tickets of both parties. He was married in November, 1866, to Mary E. Moebus, and they have nine children living.

John Howard Sharp, treasurer of the Seaboard Air Line railroad company, residing at Norfolk, was born at that city, December 3, 1837. His father, William Willoughby Sharp, an able and distinguished lawyer, was for many years prior to the war president of the Exchange bank of Virginia, located at Norfolk. The latter was the son of Col. William Sharp, a soldier of the war of 1812. The mother of Mr. Sharp was Mary Ann Schoolfield, daughter of Dr. Joseph Schoolfield, a former surgeon of the United States navy. Mr. Sharp was reared at Norfolk and educated at the Virginia military institute. For two years prior to the war he was a private in Company F, of Norfolk, which was organized in 1859 from the best citizenship of the city, and when it entered the active service of the State on April 19, 1861, was the largest infantry company of Norfolk. It was attached to the Sixth Virginia regiment as Company G and its first duty was the seizure of the immense stores of powder at Fort Norfolk. The company was then ordered to