The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia

by S. J. Quinn

Another military company was organized in the town in 1861, known as the Gordon Rifles, with Captain Robert H. Alexander as its commander. These three companies, at the outbreak of the war, were placed in the Thirtieth Virginia regiment of infantry, that did such noble service during the Civil war. The Washington Guards, which became Company A, was commanded by Capt. Joseph W. Sener. He was succeeded by Capt. George H. Peyton and Captain John K. Anderson. The Fredericksburg Grays became Company B and was commanded by Capt. Robert S. Chew, and, on his promotion to Colonel, by Capt. H. S. Doggett. Capt. Doggett was on detached duty the most of his official term as captain and the company was commanded by Lieutenant James S. Knox in his absence, who was promoted to captain, but his commission never reached him. The Gordon Rifles became Company C and was commanded by Captain Robert H. Alexander and afterwards by Captain C. Wistar Wallace.

After the war the Fredericksburg Grays was reorganized, with Samuel S. Brooke, now of Roanoke, as captain. He was succeeded in command by Captain Maurice B. Rowe, and he by the following commanders in the order named: Captain Terence McCracken, Captain Robert B. Berrey, Captain George A. Walker and Captain Frank H. Revere.

When war was declared between the United States and Spain, and volunteers were called for by the government, the Washington Guards, which had been reorganized by Captain Maurice B. Rowe, promptly responded and was mustered into the United States service as Company K of the Third Virginia regiment of infantry. It went into camp at Richmond, Virginia, and was soon transferred to Camp Alger, named in honor of the then Secretary of War, near Washington city. Before these troops were ordered to the scene of action peace was declared and they were ordered back to Richmond and mustered out of service, having been in the service of the United States seven months. The company then returned to Fredericksburg.

The Guards numbered one hundred and twelve men on the rolls, was a splendid body of patriotic young men and reflected credit upon the town. Soon after being discharged from the United States army the company was reorganized, reëntered the service of the State and now numbers sixty-two men, under the command of Captain Thomas M. Larkin. They have often been called upon to discharge important and delicate service, and have responded with alacrity.

In 1883 a colored volunteer company was organized in town, called the Garfield Light Infantry Blues. It was organized by Benjamin Scott, of Richmond, who was its first captain. Captain Scott soon returned to his home in Richmond and was succeeded in command by Captain Lucien G. Gilmer. This organization continued in existence several years, but was finally disbanded, having fallen below the minimum number required by law.

THE CONFEDERATE CEMETERY.

Soon after the citizens of Fredericksburg returned to their desolated homes at the close of the Civil war, and had gotten their dwellings in a condition to be occupied, the thoughts of the patriotic ladies were at once turned to the Confederate soldiers who had fallen and were buried in Fredericksburg and on the several adjacent battle-fields. They were anxious that the remains of these brave men should be gathered up and interred in some place where their dust would be preserved and the names of the known saved from oblivion.

As a result of a consultation, and a call published in the newspapers of Fredericksburg, the ladies of the town met in the basement of the Presbyterian church on the 10th day of May, 1865, one month after the surrender of Gen. Lee, and organized the Ladies’ Memorial Association of Fredericksburg, elected officers, appointed a board of directors, an executive committee and an advisory board. This was the first ladies’ memorial association chartered in the South and among the first to decorate the soldiers’ graves with flowers.

The best methods for accomplishing the patriotic work of the association were discussed and adopted at this early date. The plan was to raise as much money in town and in Virginia as possible and then issue an appeal to be sent all through the Southern States for funds, because every Southern State was represented on the battle-fields in and around the town by their heroic dead. These appeals were sent out as soon as they could be gotten ready and had the desired effect. Funds soon began to flow into the treasury and a suitable site was selected, west of and adjoining the city cemetery, which was purchased, and the work of gathering up the dead commenced. The number gotten from the different battlefields and buried in the ground purchased by the association numbered about fifteen hundred. The circular sent out had, in addition to the organization of the association and the list of officers in full, an appeal, which was as follows:

“To all true hearted women and men, who would rescue from oblivion the memory of the brave, who died in defence of home and country, we present this appeal: The stern pressure of military necessity made it impossible, properly, to care for the remains of the gallant dead who fell on the bloody fields of Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Courthouse and in scores of skirmishes which, in a war less terrible, would have been reckoned as battles.