Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/880

820 war of the Confederacy was attached to the Confederate States navy, rendering faithful and efficient service to the cause to which he was thoroughly devoted. His son, E. H. Cunningham, commander of the Pickett-Buchanan camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, of Norfolk, was born at Richmond, Va., March 23, 1863. He was reared in his father's line of duty, and after some years spent in study in the schools of Norfolk he entered the service of the Virginia State pilots' association at the age of sixteen. During the subsequent period he has been constantly devoted to that calling, his field of service being the piloting of vessels from the high sea into any of the Virginia ports. He holds the position of secretary of the association, and is also interested in several other enterprises, being a member of the board of directors of the Southern Land company at Pinner's Point, vice-president of the Arcade Land company at Ocean View power house, and owner of the Norfolk base ball club. He is active and alert as a business man, and will undoubtedly have a successful career. He has contributed greatly to the success of Pickett-Buchanan camp of Sons of Confederate Veterans. He also maintains memberships in the Brotherhood of Steamboat Pilots, and in the orders of Masons, Odd Fellows, Red Men, Knights of the Ancient Essenic order and the Elks. In 1887 he was married to Miss Mary E. Clark, daughter of William H. Clark, of Norfolk.

Captain Frank W. Cunningham, a prominent citizen of Richmond, Va., who served as a boy in the Confederate army, is the son of Capt. Thomas Cunningham, who was born at Hampton, Va., about 1812, and died in 1890. The latter was a Virginia pilot before the war and was the owner of a considerable number of boats, all of which, at the beginning of the conflict, he brought up the river to Richmond and turned over to the State. He was appointed to the rank of captain of engineers, and throughout the war was engaged in supplying the troops with provisions. Frank W. Cunningham was born at Hampton, January 14, 1849, and resided at that place until he had reached the age of twelve years, when his home was made at Richmond, by his father's entering the Confederate service. In August, 1863, in his fifteenth year, he became a private in Company G of the First regiment of Virginia reserves. After eight or ten months' service in this command he was transferred to the engineer department on the James river, under command of Gen. W. H. Stevens, and in this line of duty continued until the close of hostilities. He was upon the steamer that carried the last load of prisoners to Graveyard landing, on April 2, 1865. During his service he participated in some active military operations, including the repulse of Dahlgren's raid on Richmond, and in several skirmishes on the James river. He was paroled at Richmond, and soon afterward became engaged in the James river improvement work. In 1870 he began a distinguished career in the State military service as a private in the Lee Guards. He held the rank of ensign when the company was disbanded in 1876, and he then became orderly sergeant of Company G, of the First regiment, with promotion soon following to second lieutenant, and in the following year to first lieutenant of Company D. In 1881 he was promoted captain and ordnance officer on the staff of the colonel, and a year later was elected captain of Company B, the