Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/895

Rh the September campaign against the Federal forces at Charleston. Private Debord fought with this army, and during 1864 was with his battalion in the brigade of Gen. George H. Steuart in the campaign from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor, after which he went with Early to the Shenandoah valley, drove the Federals across the Potomac and marched through Maryland, fighting at Monocacy and skirmishing before the Federal forts surrounding the capital of the United States. Then returning to the valley he participated in the campaign against Sheridan until, in the battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864, he was captured by the enemy. He was held as a prisoner of war at Point Lookout until the following March, when the resources of the Confederacy were exhausted and there was no longer opportunity for effective service. He escaped injury during his service, with the exception of a slight wound received at Dry Creek, Monroe county, W. Va. Since the close of hostilities he has been engaged in wagon manufacturing at Marion. He was married in 1859 to Katherine Hopkins, by whom he has five children living: Daniel Wesley, Polly Ann, John William. James M., and George A. Subsequent to the death of his first wife he was married in 1894 to Levinah Shupe.

Major Julius Adolphus De Lagnel, the hero of Rich Mountain, commissioned brigadier-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States, was born in New Jersey and was appointed from Virginia to the United States army on March 8, 1847, as second lieutenant of the Second infantry. In January, 1849, he was promoted first lieutenant. Resigning his commission upon the formation of the Confederacy, he tendered his services to the new government and was commissioned captain, corps of artillery, C. S. A. Going into western Virginia with General Garnett, he became his chief of artillery and was stationed at Rich Mountain with the command of General Pegram. When the latter officer perceived that McClellan intended to flank his position by taking possession of the crest of Rich Mountain, he sent De Lagnel with several companies of infantry and one piece of artillery, to defend the mountain to the last extremity. Here he withstood the attack of a largely superior force under Rosecrans, making a desperate fight until his men were forced back by the heavy fire of musketry and artillery. With indomitable courage he fought his gun alone until the enemy were upon him and he fell severely wounded. In the confusion he managed to hide himself in a mountain thicket until the Federal troops were withdrawn and then obtained shelter with a sympathetic mountaineer. Here he was cared for until his recovery, when he attempted, disguised as a herder, to make his way through the Federal lines. He was successful until he had reached the last picket post, when an inquisitive soldier noticed that his boots were of a kind unusual among the natives, and being pulled off, they revealed his name. The latter was well known, as there had been much speculation regarding his mysterious disappearance from the battlefield, and he was promptly sent as a prisoner to Federal headquarters. Upon his return to the service he was promoted major of the Twentieth battalion, Virginia artillery, and was offered the commission of brigadier-general, which he declined. He subsequently served upon the ordnance bureau at Richmond.