Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/52

 32

VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

educated in \'irginia schools, grew to man- hood on the home plantation and early be- came prominent in local affairs, holding the office of magistrate when barely qualified in point of years. He became one of the pros- perous planters of Bedford county and busied himself with private and county affairs until his state called for her loyal sons at the outbreak of hostilities between the states. He entered the Confederate army in April. 1861, as first lieutenant of Company A, Second Regiment Virginia Cavalry, and at once went to the front. In August. 1861. for "meritorious service" he was commissioned captain, serving in that rank until May. 1862. Upon the reorganiza- tion of the Army of Northern Virginia he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, on the last-named date, and attached to General Turner Ashby's brigade, "Stonewall" Jack- son's division. He served with distinction as lieutenant-colonel of the Second Virginia Cavalry until, disabled by wounds in the action, at Aldie in July, 1863, he was forced to retire for a season. One month later he returned to duty, being assigned to the com- mand of the military post at Bedford City (then known as Liberty), where he con- tinued in command until the surrender of the Army of Northern \"irginia at A])po- mattox Court House. He then started to join the army of General Johnston in the south, reached Augusta, Georgia, there re- porting to General Frye. Realizing at last that further resistance was useless he gave up his sword, was paroled and returned to his home in Virginia.

The list of battles in which he was en- gaged reveals a record of which the bravest of soldiers might well be proud. He par- ticipated in the early actions of Vienna, Manassas and Flint Hill ; then with Jack- son in the Valley, fought at Front Royal. Newton, Winchester, Hall Town, Rude's Hill, Strasburg. Cross Keys and Port Re- public ; took part in the seven days of bloody struggle before Richmond ; fought at Cedar Mountain. P)ristoe Station. Groveton. and Second Manassas, at Occoquan, Fredericks- burg. Chancellorsvillc. \\'hite Oak Swamp. Brandy Station, Aldie, Winchester (1864) and Lynchburg (1864). He was slightly wounded in an affair at Little Washington, in the Valley campaign ; and at both Occo- quan and Aldie was severely wounded.

During the second battle of Manassas,

Colonel Watts led the advance of his regi- ment (Second Virginia Cavalry) in the charge at the Lewis House, which is con- ceded by all writers on the Confederate cavalry to have been the most brilliant charge of the war. Here this regiment met a full brigade of Federal cavalry and charged them with such impetuosity that the Con- federates cut their way through the first line of the enemy into the very heart of the Fed- eral brigade. Here a desperate hand to hand fight took place before the enemy was re- pulsed and driven from the field. In this fight Colonel A\^atts received eight sabre wounds.

In May. 1862. when General Jackson was driving General Banks from the Valley of A^irginia. Colonel Watts with fift\*'-three men charged an infantry regiment of Federals while passing through Newton. Fredericks county, scattering them and bringing out one hundred and twenty-five prisoners and several wagons, almost in the face of the main body of the enemy. Pie led his regi- ment on that famous raid of General "Jeb" Stuart's into Chambersburg in 1862, bring- ing back six hundred head of horses as trophies. In December, 1862, near Occo- quan. with one squadron, all that could be used of the regiment, he charged a full regiment of Federal cavalry, Pennsylvania troops, driving it more than two miles, com- pletely routing it. killing and wounding thirty men. besides capturing many of their horses. In physique, tall, erect, lithe and well proportioned ; in temperament, uni- formly courteous, whether obeying author- ity or exercising it ; in action, swift and dex- terous, always brave, never rash — he was the ideal soldier.

The war over, his spirit nothing daunted, he at once set about repairing his financial losses. His lands devastated, his labor freed, he decided to enter commercial life, and in 1865 made his home in Lynchburg, uniting with his brother. Richard T. Watts, and his brother-in-law. George M. Jones, in forming the copartnership Jones. Watts & Com- panv. with three stores in Lynchburg and l)ranches in Danville, liedford City. Salem and Roanoke, and for nearly a quarter of a century theirs was the leading hardware house in the western half of the state. In 1887 they sold to Bell, Barker & Jennings and retired from the hardware business, but continued their association, making invest-