Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/106

 Southern Historical No-/,/// Papers.

desperate resistance, from several positions, but he still confronts us.

" '(Signed) BRAXTON BRAGG.'

' ' Of course, this advanced position at Rossville was not one for occupation, and during the night of the 2ist, Thomas moved his army to Chattanooga the objective of Rosencranz's most remark- able campaign.

" What is here said is intended to apply solely to the question of accuracy in General Forrest's dispatch, and not to the question between General Longstreet and General Bragg, to which it is scarcely applicable. The dispatch of General Forrest, which relates to that controversy, is one of a later date."

SKETCH OF COMPANY I, 6ist VIRGINIA INFAN- TRY, MAHONE'S BRIGADE, C. S. A.

[Furnished for publication by the son of Major Charles R. McAl- pine, Mr. Newton Me Alpine, Portsmouth, Va. ED.]

The Rebel Grays were organized June 16, 1861, at the Glebe School-house, Norfolk county, Virginia. Number of men, 63.

In August the company was, as Company G, assigned to the 4ist Regiment of Virginia Infantry, under the command of Colonel John R. Chambliss, stationed at Ferry Point (now Berkeley). In Sep- tember, 1861, it was ordered with the regiment to Sewell's Point.

In April, 1862, the army was reorganized, and at that and other times there was assigned to this company 39 members, increasing the number to 102. Volunteers, 76; conscripts, 22, and substitutes, 4. From Norfolk county, 68; Portsmouth city, 23; Norfolk city, 2; Suffolk, 3; unknown, 3; Petersburg, i; Greensville county, i, and Gates county, N. C., i. Total number of deserters, 35. Deserted at the evacuation of Norfolk in May, 1862, 25; died in hospital, 3; discharged, 3; transferred, i; dropped at reorganization, i; left in hospital, 2; who offered substitutes, 4 40; which left for the field in May, 1862, an effective force of 62 men.

On April 29, 1862, the company was detached from the 4ist Regi- ment of Virginia Infantry, and ordered to report to Lieutenant- Colonel Archer, at Boykin's, near Smithfield, and guard the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad. There it remained until May 27, 1862.