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Ordnance Department.
The first and only ordnance officer of this brigade was
Captain James A. Bryan, of
Newberne, N. C., an educated gentleman and an efficient officer.
He entered the service in 1861, with the rank of
Second Lieutenant, Company G, Tenth regiment artillery, N. C. S. T., and was assigned to ordnance duty at
Raleigh.
He afterwards served at
Newberne in the same capacity under
Colonel John D. Whitford; was then appointed
Second Lieutenant Artillery C. S. A., and served as ordnance officer, at the same place, on the staffs of
Generals Gatlin,
Holmes,
D. H. Hill, and
Branch.
After the fall of
Newberne he became ordnance officer of this brigade, and served in that capacity and aid-de-camp on
General Branch's staff from
Mechanicsville to
Sharpsburg.
Soon after the battles around
Richmond he was promoted to
First Lieutenant on the recommendation of
General Branch.
On my recommendation he was made
Captain of Artillery.
In his report of the battles around
Richmond,
General Branch says: “My ordnance officer,
Lieutenant James A. Bryan, though instructed to remain with his train in the rear, placed it in charge of an assistant and continued with me on the field throughout the expedition.”
In his report of the
battle of Cedar Run, he says: “
Lieutenant Bryan, of my staff, was with me, and conducted himself gallantly.”
Captain Bryan also wished to go into action with me, but I would not allow him to do so.
