Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/181

 n-nlif, Si, -ni, if /)r'/ 177

[From the Richmond, Va., Dispatch, June 6, 1897.]

ROCKBRIDGE SECOND DRAGOONS.

A Short History of the Company Its Roll.

Mr. J. Scott Moore contributes the following to the Rockbridge county News:

The Rockbridge Second Dragoons was organized in the lower end of Rockbridge, principally in the vicinity of Brownsburg, and was mustered into service April 21, 1861. The officers at that time were John R. McNutt, captain; Robert McChesney, first lieutenant; John A. Gibson, second lieutenant; Dr. Z. J. Walker, third lieutenant. They were ordered to West Virginia (then Virginia), where Lieu- tenant McChesney was killed, probably the first man killed on Vir- ginia soil. His tragic death occurred near St. George, Tucker county. Lieutenants Gibson and Walker were promoted to be first and second lieutenants by vacancy, and John Y. Anderson was made third lieutenant.

At the reorganization in 1862, after first year's service, John A. Gibson was made captain; James A. Strain, first lieutenant; James Archibald Lyle, second lieutenant, and James Lindsay, third lieu- tenant. The company was then doing service in Major William L. Jackson's battalion, composed of the following companies: Church- ville Cavalry, from Augusta county; Charlotte Cavalry, from Char- lotte county, and Rockbridge Second Dragoons, from Rockbridge county.

The I4th Virginia Cavalry was organized in 1862, and these three companies were assigned to it, the Dragoons becoming Company H. Captain John A. Gibson was made Lieutenant-Colonel, and promo- tions were made in the Dragoons as follows: James A. Strain, Cap- tain; James Lindsay, First Lieutenant; William M. Sterrett, Second Lieutenant; Z. J. Culton, Third Lieutenant, who died in Salem while the regiment was in winter quarters near that town the winter of 1 862-' 63. A. B. Mackey was elected to fill Lieutenant Culton' s place. Lieutenant Mackey was killed near Moorefield, Hardy county, on the retreat from the burning of Chambersburg in 1864. William N. Wilson was elected to supply the vacancy caused by his death. At the surrender the company was officered as follows: Cap-