Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/952

888 Virginia, with graduation by the latter institution in 1858. He practiced medicine in Middlesex county and Bertie county, N. C., until the spring of 1861. He then enlisted as a private in Company C of the Fifth Virginia regiment of infantry, and was soon afterward detailed as assistant surgeon. In this capacity he served throughout the war, mainly in the hospital at Richmond. His was a service essential to the army. There were none too many skilled and faithful surgeons and those who labored in this field are entitled to grateful remembrance and a due share of the honors that fall to duty well done. In the years that have since elapsed Surgeon Gatewood has devoted himself entirely to his profession, until 1886 in Middlesex county and since then at West Point, where, during the palmy days of that seaport, he had a remarkably large practice, and is yet a successful and prosperous physician. He is the local surgeon for the Southern railroad, and quarantine officer at West Point, and has memberships in the State medical society, the American medical association, and the association of Southern railway surgeons. He was married in 1860 to Martha J. Bowden, who died in October, 1875, and in 1879 he married Mary McCandlish, daughter of Col. Robert McCandlish, of Williamsburg, Va.

Lieutenant L. A. Gay, of Company D, Third Virginia regiment of infantry, now clerk of the circuit court of Southampton county, was born in Isle of Wight county, Va., in 1840. His father, William E. Gay, a native of that county, was an influential citizen and active in politics, at one time holding the office of county commissioner of revenue. He died in 1865. Lieutenant Gay was educated in the schools of his vicinity and at Buckhorn academy, leaving school in April, 1861, to serve in the cause of the Confederacy. He enlisted as third sergeant in Company D, Third Virginia regiment of infantry, was soon promoted orderly-sergeant, then third lieutenant in June, 1862, and finally first lieutenant, in which rank he commanded his company during a large part of the war. Early in the spring of 1862 he left Rock's wharf on the James river, where his company had been stationed during 1861, and, reaching Yorktown, was assigned to Longstreet's division, with which he participated in the battles at Dam No. 2, Williamsburg, Seven Pines and the Seven Days' battles, his regiment suffering particularly heavy losses at Frayser's Farm. He was with his regiment in its conspicuous service on the field of Second Manassas, after which he was disabled by illness until after the Maryland campaign. He was in the battle of Fredericksburg, and then participated in the North Carolina and Suffolk campaigns of Longstreet's corps. At the battle of Gettysburg he took part in the famous assault of Pickett's division on the third day, and, after the return of the army to Virginia, was assigned with his command to duty in the defenses of Richmond. After being at Richmond a short time he was detached with his company and sent to Danville, Va., for provost duty, guarding prisoners, for about fourteen months. He was frequently engaged in battle, receiving severe wounds in the engagement near Dinwiddie Court House. On account of these injuries he was lying in the hospital at Danville at the time of the surrender. Then, being paroled, he returned to his home in Southampton county and, as soon as his health permitted, engaged in farming, his occupation since that time until appointed to his present official position. He has also held for four years the office