Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1276

1196 1874 he was married to Miss Rachel Liles, of Alexandria, and they have six children.

William S. Summers, of Sterling, a patriotic Virginian who served faithfully in the ranks of the Eighth infantry, under Col. Eppa Hunton, was born in Fairfax county, October 29, 1837. While a child he removed with his parents to Loudoun county, where he was reared and educated. Early in the spring of 1861, with thorough devotion to his State, he enlisted as a private in Company D of the Eighth regiment of infantry, with which command he served until the close of the war. He was introduced to the grim realities of war on the battlefield of Manassas in July, 1861, and subsequently took part in the battles of Ball's Bluff, Williamsburg and Seven Pines, and other important engagements. In the year 1863 he was slightly wounded in the arm, and fell into the hands of the enemy, after which he was taken to Fort McHenry and subsequently to Fort Delaware, being confined in all about ten weeks. Then, being exchanged he rejoined his command in the fall of 1863 and participated in its subsequent engagements. After the surrender of the army he returned to his home and gave his attention for a year or so to agricultural pursuits, after which he found employment in the sale of Pollard's "Lost Cause." Later he was appointed to the offices of deputy sheriff and deputy treasurer, offices he has ever since filled to the satisfaction of the people of his county. Both as a soldier of the Confederacy and as an official of his county he has displayed those qualities of fidelity and honor that most highly adorn true manhood. Private Summers maintains his touch with the surviving comrades of the army by membership in the Clinton Hatcher camp of Confederate Veterans at Leesburg. On February 17, 1876, he was married to Miss Nannie L. Wood, of Loudoun county, and they have nine children.

Lieutenant Thomas W. Sydnor, of Richmond, Va., a veteran of the gallant Hanover Troop of cavalry, was born in Hanover county, March 11, 1837. He was reared, and continued to reside there until called into the military service of the State as a member of the Hanover Troop. This cavalry company was organized in 1858 by W. C. Wickham, of Hanover county, and was mustered into the service with Wickham as captain, the rank he held until promoted colonel of the Fourth Virginia cavalry, of which the troop constituted Company G. The regiment was in the brigade commanded by Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, and subsequently by Wickham himself. Company G lost about one hundred and twenty men in killed and wounded during the war. Private Sydnor was mustered into the service with this historic command at Ashland, May 9, 1861, and he remained with the company until the close of the war, participating in nearly all its engagements, among them the battles of Manassas, Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford, Raccoon Ford, Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Front Royal, Winchester, Trevilian's, Yellow Tavern, Hawe's Shop, Wayston, Boonsboro, Gettysburg and Appomattox, besides a great number of the minor actions which fell to the lot of an adventurous body of troopers. Through this service he was among the bravest of the brave and held the rank of first lieutenant at the close. He was severely wounded at Front Royal by a pistol shot, at Williamsburg received a saber cut, and at Trevilian's was hit by a carbine ball. After the war the survivors of the Hanover