Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/781

Rh Monis, president of the cortes of Portugal; Adele, who married James Chaleron, a sugar merchant of New Orleans; and Elise, wife of E. d'Anfossi. Joseph A. Bilisoly, born at Portsmouth, December 4, 1799, died December 15, 1880, was prominent as a merchant from 1820 to 1863. He married Eliza Ann, daughter of Francis Benson, a custom house officer whose father came to America from Ireland in 1783. Her mother was Sophia, daughter of Epaphroditus Butt, of Great Bridge, Va., who was a soldier in the battle of Great Bridge, in the Revolutionary war. Representatives of all these families which have been mentioned did patriotic service in the Confederate army. In the Old Dominion Guard, which went into service April 20, 1861, there were Dr. Virginius B. Bilisoly; First Lieut. L. Augustus Bilisoly, who was wounded both at Seven Pines and Second Manassas; A. L. Bilisoly, promoted first lieutenant, P. A. C. S.; and Joseph L. Bilisoly. Joseph L. Bilisoly, son of Joseph A. Bilisoly, was educated in the Virginia collegiate institute, and at the secession of the State was a partner in the mercantile business of his father. He went into the service with the Old Dominion Guard, later Company K, Ninth Virginia infantry, and after serving at Pinner's Point and witnessing the famous naval battles in Hampton Roads, joined Armistead's brigade of Anderson's division in the Peninsular campaign of 1862. He took part in the battle of Seven Pines, and the Seven Days' fighting, and then marching northward, fought at Warrenton Springs and Second Manassas. During the Maryland campaign, after crossing the Potomac at White's ford, he assisted in destroying the Monocacy bridge, took part in the capture of Harper's Ferry and was in the heat of the fight at Sharpsburg. Subsequently he shared the record of Pickett's division at Fredericksburg and in the Suffolk campaign, and reaching the field of Gettysburg on the third day of the battle, participated in the memorable assault upon the Federal line on Cemetery hill, from which few of his regiment returned. All of the officers of his command having been killed or disabled, it became Mr. Bilisoly's duty to make out the report of casualties. When the regiment returned to Culpeper Court House, he was appointed sergeant-major of the regiment, and in February, 1864, he was detailed as hospital steward at Pickett's division headquarters. In this capacity he served during the remainder of the war, making out the last report of the division. Returning to Portsmouth after the surrender he was for some time connected with the retail and wholesale drug trade, and then in the railway service until 1883, when he became employed in the Bank of Portsmouth. He was rapidly promoted and since 1889 has held the position of cashier, contributing in no slight degree to the popularity and prosperity of the institution. He is also president of the Portsmouth land and improvement company, vice-president of the Citizens' light, heat and power company, and connected with other enterprises. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. In 1862 he was married to Mary Elizabeth, daughter of the late Joseph Bourke, a prominent business man of Portsmouth, whose father, Joseph Bourke (originally Bourge), was a native of San Domingo of French descent. Mr. Bilisoly has five children: Walter L., Frank, Lorena, Adele, and Louvel Antonio. Lisle Augustus Bilisoly, M. D., an officer distinguished in the early service of the Old Dominion Guard of Portsmouth, was born