was occupied until the outbreak of the war. He had gained a knowledge of military tactics as a student for four years in the Portsmouth military academy, and was one of the organizers of the Old Dominion Guard, on June 26, 1856, in which he held the rank of lieutenant before the war. With his comrades he entered the active service of the State on April 19, 1861, and in June the company became Company K of the Ninth Virginia regiment of infantry. Until the evacuation of Norfolk the company was stationed at Pinner's Point, where in April, 1862, the company was re-enlisted for the war and Allen, who had been promoted corporal and sergeant, was elected second lieutenant. He was soon promoted first lieutenant, and after the death of Captain Vermillion at Malvern Hill he became captain, and commanded his company until Gettysburg. He participated in all the battles of his regiment except Drewry's Bluff, and shared the brave and distinguished service of Armistead's brigade. At Gettysburg, on the third day of the battle he led the nineteen men of his company in the charge of Pickett's division against Cemetery hill, in which all but one were killed, wounded or captured. Captain Allen, who reached the stone wall, was among the captured, and during the remainder of the war, almost two years, he suffered the deprivations and misery of the Northern prison camps. Finally paroled in July, 1865, he returned to Portsmouth and resumed his previous occupation, in which he has since been quite prosperous as a contractor and builder. He has served one term as city collector, and is a valued member of Stonewall camp, Confederate veterans. On September 1, 1853, he was married to Sarah Burton, who died in June, 1854. In October, 1857, he was married to Sarah Brown. His home is blessed with three children.
Obadiah M. Allen, of Martinsville, Henry county, a gallant and faithful soldier of Pickett's division, army of Northern Virginia, was born in the county where he now resides, June 6, 1840. He enlisted for the service of the Confederate States as a member of Company H, Twenty-fourth Virginia infantry, which at the start was commanded by Col. Jubal A. Early, later distinguished in high command. His first battle was at Blackburn's ford, July 18th, where the Twenty-fourth with Kemper's Seventh and Hays' Louisiana regiment, were under the brigade command of Colonel Early. In the battle of First Manassas, which soon followed, the Twenty-fourth was sent to the assistance of Longstreet by Colonel Early, and shared the duties of Longstreet's brigade in the attack at Blackburn's ford and the pursuit of the defeated enemy. Private Allen remained with his regiment near Manassas during the rest of the year 1861, and through the winter, and then accompanied it to Richmond and Williamsburg. At the latter place the regiment was particularly distinguished in the fight of May 5th against the advance of McClellan's army. Moving through the woods to meet the enemy before Fort Magruder, the gallant command emerged in the face of a New York battery supported by a brigade under General Hancock. Without pausing or wavering they charged under heavy fire, without support at first, driving back the battery and infantry before them. The Fifth North Carolina came to their aid, and the two regiments joined in an attack and did not give way, despite the fearful odds against them, until ordered to retire
