Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/914

854 dangerous feat of stopping a spent cannon ball with his hands); the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House and Yellow Tavern, where he was wounded by a piece of shell. After this gallant service as a trooper in the army of Northern Virginia, he returned to his home in Hanover county and remained occupied with local interests until 1880, when he engaged in dealing in fertilizers at Richmond, a business in which he is still engaged, and which has grown to extensive proportions under his management. He still cherishes the memories of the days of soldiering, and is a comrade of Newton camp of Confederate Veterans and a member of the Hanover Troop association.

Captain Thomas Ellett, a prominent citizen of Richmond, secretary of the Virginia mechanics' institute of that city, achieved a notable record in both the infantry and artillery commands of the army of Northern Virginia. He was born at Richmond, in 1832, and passed his youth and early manhood in that city, previous to the beginning of the war of the Confederacy. In April, 1861, among the first to volunteer for the defense of the State from aggression, he enlisted as a private in Company F of the First Virginia regiment of infantry. With this command he served until March 7, 1862, attaining the rank of third sergeant, and was then transferred to the artillery service, as orderly-sergeant of the Crenshaw battery, light artillery. A few weeks later he was elected junior second lieutenant of that command, and, in November, 1863, was promoted captain of the battery, his commission dating back to April, 1863. In this rank he served with remarkable efficiency until the close of the war. A brief list of the engagements in which he took part is sufficient to indicate, though inadequately, the long and arduous service which he rendered. After being engaged at Aquia creek and on the Chickahominy, he was deprived for a time of the privilege of field service by severe sickness, from June 22 until July 20, 1862. Recovering, he rejoined the army on the plains of Manassas, and fought at Cedar Run, August 9th, Warrenton Springs, August 24th, Manassas Junction on the 27th and the second battle of Manassas, August 28th and 29th. Then, joining in the Maryland campaign, he was engaged at Harper's Ferry, September 15th, and at Sharpsburg on the 17th. In the battle of Fredericksburg, the next winter, he served gallantly. His oldest brother, James Ellett, in command of the Crenshaw battery, was killed on this field, December 13, 1862. During the battle of Chancellorsville, in 1863, he was detailed on duty at Richmond, and was not able to add that engagement to his experience, but, soon joining his battery, he participated in the hard fighting at Gettysburg during the entire three days, and on the third day received a slight wound in the shoulder. His subsequent engagements were Bristoe Station, October 14, 1863; Rixeyville, November 9th; Mine Run, December 18th; Spottsylvania, May 10th, 11th and 18, 1864; Jericho Ford, May 23d; Turkey Ridge, June 9th; Battery No. 40, on the Petersburg lines, July 22d; Archer's Farm, August 12th, 13th, 18th and 19th; Davis House, before Petersburg, August 21st; and Jones' House before Petersburg, September 30th. He was then disabled by illness until November 1, 1864, after which he fought at Jarrett's Depot, December 10th; Crow House, February 6, l865; Hatcher's Run, February 7th; Petersburg, March 25th; and