Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1371

Rh enemy. Subsequently he was held as a prisoner of war six weeks at Washington, and three and a half months at Fort Delaware. He was then paroled, but never being exchanged, was not able to render any further active service to the Confederate cause. At the time of the surrender of Johnston's army he was at Greensboro, and he thence returned to Richmond, where he made his home ever afterward. Being compelled by stress of circumstances to abandon his cherished career in the legal profession, he at once embarked in mercantile business, and presently became one of the most prominent merchants of the city, at the same time being active in public affairs for the best interest of the municipality and the commonwealth. In 1888 he retired from business life, and since then his activities have been all in public affairs. He was known as General Peyton through his connection with the State military organization, being appointed in 1870 by Gov. G. C. Walker as ranking major-general of the State militia. He also held the rank of general in the United Confederate Veterans' association, as a member of the staff of General Gordon. His membership was in R. E. Lee camp. No. 1, of Richmond. As chairman of the local committee of arrangements for the Confederate Veterans' reunion at Richmond in 1896, he contributed largely to the success of that important assembly. He was also one of the organizers of the Jefferson Davis monument association. On several memorable occasions he demonstrated remarkable ability as an eloquent and forceful public speaker. General Wise was married several years after the war to Laura, daughter of Gen. R. L. Chilton. On March 29, 1897, though General Wise had not yet reached the age of sixty years, his life of generous activity and chivalrous honor was cut short by death.

William N. Wise, of Leesburg, who came out of the war in his twenty-first year as a veteran of the celebrated Black Horse cavalry, was born in Alexandria, Va., August 6, 1844. In his youth, during the years of peace immediately preceding the great struggle, he was sent to the Hallowell school at Stanmore, Md., and was a student there at the outbreak of the war. In 1863 he left school, unable longer to resist his longing to share in the dangers and exciting experiences of his brethren of the Old Dominion, and waded across the Potomac to the soil of his native State to avoid the difficulty of passing the Federal lines. On May 20, 1863, he enlisted in the Confederate service as a private in Company H of the Fourth Virginia cavalry, popularly known as the Black Horse troop, and in this command served throughout the remainder of the war. Among the many engagements in which he took an honorable part were two affairs at Brandy Station, Aldie, Shepherdstown, Stevensburg, the Wilderness, Yellow Tavern, Trevilian's, White House, Hawe's Shop, the engagements on Wilson's raid, Winchester, Front Royal, Waynesboro, Bridgewater, Tom's Brook, Cedar Creek, the Moorefield raid, Five Forks, Farmville, High Bridge, and Appomattox Court House. Before the surrender the brigade cut its way through the Federal lines and moved to Lynchburg, where the command was disbanded. After his return to Loudoun county he was appointed clerk of the circuit court, and after four and a half years of this service he was appointed commissioner in chancery, a position he still occupies. Mr Wise is an active member of Clinton-Hatcher camp,