Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/897

Rh election to the office of commissioner of revenue of Norfolk. Taking this office at the age of twenty-six, he was the youngest man who had ever held this position, or in fact any of the municipal offices. He was re-elected in 1892 and again in 1896, and his service has justified the trust reposed in him by the community. He occupies a high position in social and business circles, is a member of the Business Men's association and the Merrimac club, and is a staff officer of the Fourth Virginia regiment. His fraternal connections are with the Odd Fellows, the Masonic order, Knights of Pythias, the Elks, Royal Arcanum, Red Men, Heptasophs, National Union and Modern Woodmen. He was married November 14, 1888, to Janie, daughter of Capt Henry Whyte, of the Norfolk & Western railroad.

Captain James Woodson Dickerson, of Lynchburg, commander, during the latter part of the war, of the Lynchburg artillery, or Latham's battery, was born at Richmond, Va., in 1837. Removing with his family to Lynchburg, in 1850, he entered the Confederate service in April, 1861, as a corporal of the artillery company under Capt. H. G. Latham. Three months later he was made fourth sergeant, and in the spring of 1S62 he was elected first lieutenant. His promotion to captain occurred in November, 1864, and he was in command of the company from that date until the surrender at Appomattox. His military career, which is highly deserving of honorable place among the records of the gallant artillery officers of the army of Northern Virginia, embraces faithful service in a large part of the famous campaigns and battles in which the army participated. Among the engagements in which he served with his guns were First Manassas, Williamsburg and Seven Pines, after which he was disabled for some time by a severe wound received in the latter battle, his right leg being broken by a musket ball, which he still carries. After his recovery he participated in the battles of Fredericksburg and the second and third days at Gettysburg, and was engaged against the enemy while crossing the Potomac on the retreat from Maryland. He was subsequently stationed at Petersburg from September until December, 1863, took part in a reconnoissance toward Suffolk, Norfolk and other points, and, early in 1864 participated in the campaign in North Carolina, fighting at Plymouth, Little Washington and New Bern. Then recalled to the defense of Richmond be fought against Butler's army at Drewry's Bluff and against Grant at Cold Harbor, and again, before Petersburg, was in the fight against Grant on June 15 and 16, 1864. After that date, until the evacuation, he participated in the defense of the Howlett line, during nearly all the time fighting day and night. On the retreat which followed he was actively engaged in holding the Federal army in check, and, participating in the battle of Sailor's Creek, received a flesh wound in the head from a rifle ball. His battery did effective work at Sailor's Creek and, escaping the general disaster, was again in action at Appomattox Station on the Saturday evening before the surrender. Near Oakville the gallant men were compelled to spike and leave their guns. Thence Captain Dickerson went to Lynchburg, by way of Harris' Perry, and had made his way into North Carolina before hearing of the surrender of the armies of both Lee and Johnston. He spent