220 Sonthmi Historical Society Papers.
enthusiast in his love for his beloved southland, and one of the dearest friends the writer ever had.' Requiescat in pace.
BUSIIROD RUST. Company I, Twelfth Virginia Calvary.
GENERAL FUNKHOUSER S LETTER.
MAURERTOWN, VA V July 6, 1906. Major William F. Graves:
Dear Sir, -I noticed the article in the Richmond Times-Dis- patch of July 4, 1906, in which there is mentioned the name of Ashby, a cavalryman who was killed near Appomattox Court- house and buried there, etc., and I write to inform you that he belonged to the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, and is the reason you cannot find his name in the roster of the Second Virginia Cav- alry. William Ashby was a native of Warren county, Va., which was my native county also, and he joined my infantry, Com- pany D, of the Forty-ninth Infantry (Virginia), "Extra Billy" Smith's Regiment, but went to the cavalry before we left our county seat, Front Royal, Va., in June, 1861, and I always heard that he was killed in the last cavalry charge at Appomat- tox Courthouse, April 9, 1865.
I was Captain J. B. Updike's first lieutenant, and succeeded him in command of the company after I2th May, 1864, at Spot- sylvania, when the Captain was wounded, and was never fit for duty afterwards. You may know him. He lives at Clover Dale, Botetourt county, Va., and was a brave and kind officer, and a jolly good fellow. We were reared in same county, six miles apart, and were militia officers before the war, and well acquainted, and went to work and made up a company, which became distinguished in the First Manassas battle by being in the charge with the Stonewall Brigade that took Ricketts' Bat- tery on the Henry House hill, which ended the fight in the Confederates' favor. And then, too, we were thrown into the balance at Spotsylvania Courthouse, May 12, 1864, after John- son's division was captured, when all seemed to be lost, and it was our duty to try to retake the works. Then it was Gen- eral R. E. Lee rode up and offered to lead us, the Forty-ninth
