Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/468

Rh who was wounded. In the latter part of September, 1864, he was put in command of the district of Northern Alabama, under Lieutenant-General Taylor. During the Atlanta campaign he fought a heavy Federal raiding party at Moulton, and in Hood's Tennessee campaign did great service to that general by keeping open his communications. In 1865 he offered a stout, though vain, resistance to Wilson's column, and was engaged under Forrest in the gallant attempt to defend Selma against the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. After the return of peace, General Roddey resided much of his time in New York city, engaged in the business of a commission merchant. He went to Europe in 1897, and died in London, England, in August of that year.

Major-General Robert Emmet Rodes was born at Lynchburg, Va., on the 29th of March, 1829. His father was Gen. David Rodes, a prominent citizen of Lynchburg, and his mother was a Miss Yancey, of a family distinguished in the annals of five States—Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama, Robert Rodes spent his boyhood in his native city. On July 4, 1848, he was graduated at the Virginia military institute, at Lexington, well named the West Point of the South, the alma mater of so many distinguished men. Until 1854 he acted as assistant engineer of the Southside railroad, then going to Marshall, Tenn., and engaging in railroad construction. His next employment, as assistant, and later, chief engineer of the Alabama & Chattanooga railroad, brought him to Tuscaloosa, where he made his home, becoming a citizen of Alabama. At the very opening of the great war he led a company to Fort Morgan, which became a part of the Fifth Alabama infantry, which regiment was organized and he elected its colonel on May 5, 1861. The regiment was ordered to Virginia and was present at the battle of First Manassas, in a brigade commanded by R. S. Ewell, afterward lieutenant-general,