Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/639

Rh served with credit On August 22, 1864, he was given charge of the district of Southwestern Virginia, and on March 29, 1865, was ordered to the command of the western department of Virginia, relieving General Breckinridge. On April 2d he began a march to unite with Lee, and reached Christiansburg on the 10th, where he received a telegram announcing the surrender at Appomattox. It was a terrible blow to his little army of 6,000 or 7,000 men, and caused indescribable consternation. At a council of war it was determined to march to unite with Johnston's army, and Echols set out at the head of Vaughn's and Duke's brigades on the 11th. Subsequently he accompanied President Davis to Augusta, Ga., and was for a short time in command at that place. After the close of hostilities he re-entered the law practice at Staunton, also exerted a beneficent influence in public affairs as a member of the committee of nine, in restoring Virginia to its proper relations with the general government, and as a member of the Virginia legislature. He was one of the early members of Stonewall Jackson camp, Confederate veterans, at Staunton, and was always faithful to the soldiers of the Confederacy. He was very successful both in law and in business, displaying great executive ability; became president of the Staunton National Valley bank, and receiver and general manager of the Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern railroad. The duties of the latter office required his residence in Kentucky during the last ten years of his life. He was twice married, first to a sister of Senator Allen T. Caperton, of West Virginia, and after her death to Mrs. Mary Cochrane Reid, of New York. He died at the residence of his son, State Senator Edward Echols, at Staunton, May 24, 1896.

 Brigadier-General John B. Floyd, of Virginia, was born at Blacksburg, Pulaski county, June 1, 1801. He was the son of Hon. John Floyd, a Democratic statesman of the old school, who served in Congress for several terms, was governor of the State, and in 1852 was a candidate for the presidency of the United States. Young Floyd was educated at the college of South Carolina, with graduation in 1826, after which he studied law and was admitted to practice. Turning to the West for a field of effort, he removed to Arkansas, but three years 