Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/740

684 the Wilderness to Cold Harbor, and in nearly every battle around Petersburg from June 20, 1864, until the evacuation. When the Federal troops occupied the gap in the Confederate works made by the terrific mine explosion of July 30th, he led his Virginia brigade, only 800 strong, against about 5,000 of the enemy, with such gallantry and success that he was promoted to brigadier-general, to date from the battle of the Crater. During his military career he participated in over twenty battles and skirmishes, was wounded three times, and two horses were shot under him. He finally led his brigade on the march to Appomattox, and was surrendered with the army.

Brigadier-General G. C. Wharton was elected major of the Forty-fifth regiment, Virginia infantry, in July, 1861, this being one of the regiments organized by General Floyd in southwest Virginia. A month later he became colonel of the Fifty-first regiment, which he led through the Western Virginia campaign of General Floyd during the summer and fall of 1861. Accompanying Floyd to Kentucky early in 1862, he was assigned at Fort Donelson to the command of a brigade composed of his own and the Fifty-sixth Virginia regiment. In his report of the battle, General Pillow particularly commended the gallantry of Colonel Wharton and his brigade, who, after being under fire or fighting in the ditches four days, advanced and drove the enemy from their front on February 15th. On the next day, surrender having been decided upon, a considerable part of Floyd's command was brought away in safety, and Wharton rendered valuable service in preserving the government stores at Nashville. Subsequently returning to southwest Virginia, he defeated a Federal regiment at Princeton, May 17, 1862, and in September participated in Loring's occupation of the Kanawha valley, as commander of the Third brigade of the army of Western Virginia. Subsequently he was in command at the Narrows of New river, with his own and Echols' brigade, until February, 1863, when he was stationed in the neighborhood of Abingdon. When Gen. Sam Jones was ordered in July to send troops to Lee's army, Wharton was detached, and Jones sent word to Lee, "He is an admirable officer, has commanded a brigade for eighteen months.