Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/820

762 average ages were about eighteen years. This group of youthful patriots were mustered in as Company D of the Forty-third Virginia battalion of cavalry, and attached to the command of Colonel Mosby. With that gallant commander young Brooke served to the end of the war, forming also a personal friendship with his commander which aided him in future life. After participating in the frequent dashing forays of Mosby's men which followed, he surrendered and was paroled at Winchester in May, 1865. After this event he found himself without means and his education yet incomplete, and with the idea of providing for further study he formed a partnership with H. T. Douglas, of Warrenton, Va., in the manufacture of agricultural implements. This continued until 1869 when he took his savings and became a student in the university of Virginia. At the end of two years he completed a full course in civil engineering and was graduated with honors in 1871. He was offered the chair of mathematics and applied philosophy by the university of West Tennessee, but desiring a more active career, he entered the engineering corps of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, then in course of construction. He was thus engaged for three years, meanwhile superintending the construction of Church Hill tunnel, about a mile in length under the city of Richmond. Subsequently visiting the city of Washington, he met his old friend. Colonel Mosby, who gave him an introduction to President Grant, at the White House, from whom, through the kind offices of Mosby, he received an appointment in the office of the supervising architect, which he held during the remainder of Grant's administration. In 1879, Colonel Mosby having been appointed consul at Hong Kong, China, Mr. Brooke went to that place as vice and deputy consul, and remained there until the fall of 1881. On returning to Virginia he was engaged with the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad company upon the construction of the Newport News & Richmond branch, after the completion of which his attention was called to a competitive examination to be held at Norfolk for the selection of a city engineer. He became the successful competitor, and has ever since held this position by biennial election, greatly to the satisfaction of the community. In this position he has been instrumental in many great improvements, such as the excellent sewerage system and the water works, and with much justice has been generally regarded as an ideal city engineer, working without fear or favor with the benefit of the community as the one end in view. Although closely devoted to this profession he maintains pleasant social relations, among which he particularly prizes his membership in the Pickett-Buchanan camp of United Confederate Veterans. He was married November 10, 1886, to Mary, daughter of Hon. John Goode, member of Congress from Virginia and late solicitor general of the United States. They have four children.

Captain William Broun, of recent years a resident of Washington, D. C., is a native of Virginia, born in Northumberland county, December 20, 1842. His ancestral connections are with old and patriotic families of Virginia, his mother's father, a Johnson, having served in the war of the Revolution, and his paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Lee, being a descendant of Charles Lee, youngest son of Col. Richard Lee. Captain Broun was reared at his home in Virginia and educated at the university of Virginia. At