Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/913

Rh who was one of the leading ministers of the Virginia conference up to the time of his decease in 1891. The wife of the latter was Elizabeth A., daughter of Col. John Clark, of Prince George county, an officer in the war of 1812, and a man of considerable wealth. W. E. Edwards was graduated at Randolph-Macon college in 1862, and soon afterward entered the Virginia conference and accepted an assignment to a nominal charge with the intention of serving as a chaplain in the Confederate army. Receiving a commission in this capacity, he was assigned in June, 1863, to the military post at Drewry's bluff, that important station on the James river between Richmond and Petersburg, which, on so many occasions during the war, proved an immovable rock in the way of the advancing Federals. Here he served with the troops during the remainder of the period of Confederate occupation of Richmond, and, after the close of the struggle, he gave his parole at Burkeville and returned to his church work as soon as the unsettled condition of the country permitted. Since then he has had charge of a number of prominent charges, being assigned in succession to Portsmouth, Manchester, Charlotte, Farmville, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Lynchburg, the Centenary church, Richmond, Monumental church, Portsmouth, Danville, and the Washington street church, Petersburg, the scene of his labors at the time of this writing. His life has been one of great intellectual activity and, beside his strictly ministerial functions, he has contributed liberally to the religious press, has written and published a popular work entitled "Story of College Life," and has rendered valuable services for education as a trustee of the Randolph-Macon system of colleges. From Randolph-Macon college, in 1882, he received the well-deserved degree of doctor of divinity. Mr. Edwards is a member of the army of Northern Virginia society, and of the A. P. Hill camp, United Confederate Veterans. During the war he married Anna, daughter of Dr. William Carter. She died in 1874, leaving two children, Ida M. and Sherwood. By his second marriage, in 1876, to Anna, daughter of Joseph G. Watts, Mr. Edwards has six children: William E., John E., Annie Louise, C. Almon, Pauline and Joseph G.

Andrew Roy Ellerson, a resident of Hanover county, with important business interests at Richmond, Va., was born October 12, 1844, in Chesterfield county. His residence in Hanover county began at the age of seven years, and he was there reared and educated until the State called out her military strength, when he enlisted as a boy of seventeen for the bloody struggle which was to follow. He became a private in March, 1861, of the Hanover Troop, which was mustered in as Company G of the Fourth Virginia cavalry, and served with that gallant command through the subsequent battles and skirmishes until January, 1865, when, on account of disability, he was detailed to the medical department. On this duty he was in Richmond until the evacuation was ordered, when he went to Danville on duty, and was there paroled after the surrender at Appomattox. The more important engagements in which he shared were Rapidan Station, Williamsburg, the Seven Days' battles (in which he was guide for Generals Lee and Longstreet), Bridgewater, Port Republic, Winchester (with Early), Aldie, Kelly's Ford, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Chancellorsvilla, Fredericksburg (where, at the first battle, he performed the