Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/853

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.
795

fortunately, after four weeks' confinement, he was exchanged in August, 1862. On returning to the army he sought service in the infantry and became orderly sergeant of the Twenty-fifth Virginia. He remained with that command until the fall of 1863, when he joined the Richmond Fayette artillery as a private. With this famous old organization he participated in the fights with Sheridan's raiders around Richmond, in the attack on New Bern, N. C., the engagement at Chapin's Farm or New Market Heights, and in the defense of Richmond and Petersburg, He marched with his battery in the final campaign and participated in the fight at Sailor's Creek, where he was again captured. On this occasion he was taken to Manchester, Va., and thence to Libby prison, but was released a few days later upon taking the oath, the war being over. He remained in Richmond after his release and engaged in the carpenter's trade until the winter of 1867-68, when he removed to Washington, where he has since remained, and by honorable methods and devotion to duty, built up a large business as a contractor and builder. Mr. Carver is a member of the Washington Confederate association.

James A. Casey, of Berkley, Va., a private of the Sixty-first Virginia infantry, Mahone's brigade, was born in Nansemond county, in 1841, the son of Eldon Casey, a farmer of that county. Early in 1861 he enlisted in Company G of the Forty-first Virginia infantry, and during his first year's service was stationed at Sewell's Point, where he witnessed the naval battles in Hampton Roads, which revolutionized that sort of warfare all over the world. A few days before the evacuation he was ordered with his command to Smithfield, whence he moved to Petersburg and Richmond and went into the Peninsular campaign. Meanwhile he had been transferred to the "Bilisoly Blues." or Company I of the Sixty-first Virginia infantry, subsequently distinguished under Col. Virginius D. Groner and Lieut.-Col. William F. Niemeyer. With this command he participated in the battles of Seven Pines, the Seven Days' fighting before Richmond, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, where the regiment was very actively engaged, and the three days' battle at Gettysburg. After the latter campaign he was at Petersburg and in camp at Farmville until the opening of the campaign of 1864, when, with Anderson's division he took part in the bloody fighting at the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House. At the Wilderness his brother, Elwin K. Casey, lost an arm. He subsequently fought on the Charles City road, at Cold Harbor, on the Petersburg lines, participated in the Confederate charge at the battle of the Crater, was in the battle of August 19th and continual skirmishing until in the fight at Boydton plank road, October 27, 1864, he was captured by the enemy. He was held as a prisoner at Point Lookout for five months, being released in time to reach Richmond April 1, 1865, and participate in the retreat and the surrender at Appomattox, on that occasion being stationed so that he was an eye-witness of much of the negotiations. Since the war he has been occupied as a steamboat engineer, as such being licensed in 1869. In the same year he was married to Miss Nannie F. Woodhouse, daughter of Sawyer Woodhouse.

Colonel Richard H. Catlett. formerly a distinguished member of the bar of western Virginia, during the Confederate war rendered valuable service upon the staff of Governor Letcher and subsequently in similar association with Generals Echols and Kemper. He is