Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/628

582 Neck, he made a forced march to intercept Dahlgren and his raiders, and a detachment of his regiment under First Lieut. James Pollard, Company H, successfully ambushed the Federals, and aided by other detachments captured about 175 men and killed Dahlgren. The papers found upon Dahlgren's person, revealing a design to burn Richmond and kill President Davis and cabinet, were forwarded by Colonel Beale, through Fitz Lee, to the government. A correspondence with the Federal authorities followed, in which they disavowed all knowledge of such a design. He participated in command of his regiment in the campaign from the Rapidan to the James, was distinguished in the fighting at Stony creek, and toward Reams' Station, in July, capturing two Federal standards; and in August, upon the death of General Chambliss, was given command of the brigade. February 6, 1865, he was promoted brigadier-general, and in this rank he served during the remainder of the struggle. 

Brigadier-General John Randolph Chambliss was born at Hicksford, Greenville county, Va., January 23, 1833; was graduated at the United States military academy in 1853, and being promoted to brevet second lieutenant, mounted riflemen, served at the cavalry school at Carlisle, Pa., until the following spring, when he resigned. He then returned to his home at Hicksford, where his father was a wealthy planter, and was engaged in agriculture until the spring of 1861. Meanwhile his military education was called into service by the State, and he held the position of aide-de-camp to the governor, with the rank of major, 1856-61; also commanded as colonel a regiment of Virginia militia, 1858-61, and was brigade inspector for the State two years. His father was a delegate to the convention of 1861, and he himself manifested hearty allegiance to Virginia throughout that momentous period. He was commissioned colonel of the Thirteenth Virginia cavalry regiment in July, 1861, and until the fall of 1862 was under the orders of Gen. D. H. Hill, in the department south of the James river. During the Maryland campaign he was put in command of the forces on the Rappahannock, between Warrenton and Fredericksburg, with his own regiment, the Second North Carolina cavalry, and the Sixty-first Virginia infantry. He performed his duties with such vigilance 