Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/860

802 in the events of that period, when history was rapidly making, and when the movement began to organize companies of militia for defense against possible danger, as a result of the excitement attending the attempted insurrection under the leadership of John Brown, young Chastain became a member, at the age of seventeen, of John Grammar's infantry company of forty-two men. When Virginia decided to cast her lot with her sister States of the South, this company was the first to go into the field from that county, and was assigned to Major Montague's battalion, and subsequently to the command of Gen. John B. Magruder. Eighteen months later Mr. Chastain retired from the ranks and went to Lexington and began a course of study in the Virginia military institute, which he continued for a year and a half. He then enlisted in the Third Richmond Howitzers, and served in that command during the remainder of the war, being present at the surrender at Appomattox. During the period of his service he participated in a number of engagements, among which may be noted as the most important, the engagement at Big Bethel, June 10, 1861, it being the first battle which took place between the North and South, in which the Confederate forces were commanded by Colonel, afterward general, J. B. Magruder. Here the brave action of the Confederates in the face of large odds added greatly to the confidence of the young soldiers. At New Market he served in the successful battle with Sigel in the valley, under General Breckinridge, in the ranks of the gallant cadets. He fought in the bloody engagements in the Wilderness and down to Spottsylvania, was in the engagement at New Market heights on the north side of the James river, when Fort Harrison was captured, and finally participated in the battle of Sailor's Creek. After all was over he returned to his old home with nothing but a horse he had bought of a comrade. This he was able to sell for $150 and with the proceeds he made his way in September, 1865, to Baltimore, to enter business life. He entered the employment of Hamilton, Easter & Co., and five years later became connected with William Devries & Co., with whom he remained three years. Then after eighteen months' experience in the dry goods commission business for himself, he was solicited to engage with Wyman, Byrd & Co. with whom he was associated until Mr. Wyman's death in 1883, when he embarked in the real estate business, which he still carries on with marked success.

William Dallas Chesterman, a well-known journalist of Richmond, was born in Hanover county, Va., July 10, 1845. He was receiving his education at Richmond when the war broke out, and on February 16, 1862, abandoned the occupations of youth to become a soldier in the service of the Confederate States. He enlisted as a private in the Richmond Light Infantry Blues and subsequently participated in many campaigns and battles, doing the duty of a gallant soldier at Yorktown, the battles before Richmond, the campaign of General Wise's brigade in South Carolina, the defense of Petersburg and elsewhere, until permanently disabled for active duty by a wound received in the trenches of Petersburg June 17, 1864. During the following winter, however, he was sufficiently recovered to serve at Richmond in the bureau for the exchange of prisoners, where he remained until paroled in April, 1865. After this event he continued to reside at Richmond and