Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1076

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.

practice, he was appointed quarantine commissioner of the State of Tennessee during the epidemic of that year. In 1889 he accepted the position of assistant chief surgeon of the Plant system of railroads, having charge of the Plant system hospital, which position he held until his removal to Norfolk, Va., in 1896. He is a member of the Norfolk medical society, of the State professional societies of Virginia and Florida, and is president of the Seaboard medical association of Virginia and North Carolina. He was married in December, 1891, to Miss Lucy Kemper, daughter of James L. Kemper, ex-governor of Virginia.

Captain William B. Lynch, a well-known journalist of Leesburg, and a veteran of Pickett's division, was born in Frederick county, Md., December 23, 1827. He was reared in his native State, and in 1850 removed to Virginia and made his home at Leesburg, where, in the following year, he took charge of "The Washingtonian" newspaper. This journal he conducted successfully until the beginning of the war of the Confederacy. He then abandoned his business and enlisted in the Virginia forces with the rank of lieutenant. In this rank he served until the reorganization of the army in the spring of 1862, when he was promoted captain of his company, the rank in which he served during the remainder of the war. As a member of Corse's brigade of Pickett's division of the army of Northern Virginia, he participated, with very few exceptions, in all the engagements of that command, whose record embraced much arduous service, and gallant action on many famous fields. While on the skirmish line, when Lee was following Grant's army on to James river, he received a gunshot wound in the shoulder. After the end of the war he returned to his home at Leesburg and resumed the publication of "The Washingtonian," which he has conducted throughout all the subsequent period, exerting through this paper a potent and beneficial influence, and aiding greatly in the development of the city and county. During the period of the war he also represented his county in the State legislature. He is a member of Clinton-Hatcher camp, and is a true comrade of all Confederate veterans.

Captain William F. Lynch, of Virginia, a gallant officer of the Confederate States navy, was born in Virginia in 1801 and entered the United States service as a midshipman, January 26, 1819. He was promoted lieutenant in May, 1828, and subsequently originated the famous United States expedition to the Dead Sea and River Jordan. He sailed on this enterprise, with the naval store-ship Supply, in the latter part of 1847, and, after visiting Constantinople to obtain the necessary passports, made an overland journey on camels to the valley of Jordan, during the year 1848. A thorough exploration of the famous region was made and the depression of the Dead Sea below the Mediterranean was determined with accuracy. The narrative of the expedition, published by Lieutenant Lynch, became very popular and is regarded as a standard work. On his return he was promoted commander. He prepared for an expedition of exploration into Africa, which was abandoned. In 1856 he was promoted captain, a commission he resigned in April, 1861, to enter the service of Virginia. He was first assigned to duty on the Potomac river and coast defenses, in May he erected the battery at Aquia creek, and in June, 1861,