Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 27.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Rockbridge's roll of honor. [from the Rockbridge county news, July, 1897.]

Rockbridge first Dragoons, Company C, first Virginia cavalry.

This company was organized at Fancy Hill, May 12, 1859. I.. C. Davidson was elected captain. It was composed of men from every section of the county, and the flower of the young manhood of Rockbridge. It had stated meetings monthly for drill, and became perfect in the simple cavalry tactics of that time. In the fall of 1859, Captain L. C. Davidson was made colonel of the 8th regiment of Virginia militia, which necessitated his resignation as commander of the Dragoons, and the company was reorganized by the election of Mathew X. White as captain; John S. Cummings, first lieutenant; C. F. Jordan, second lieutenant; James E. Poague, third liuetenant. Lieutenant Poague resigned in 1860 to attend the medical school of the University of Virginia, and C. R. Burks was elected to fill the vacancy. Thus officered, the company was mustered into service at Harper's Ferry. They left Lexington, April 18, 1861. Captain White resigned in 1861, and Lieutenant Jordan was elected captain, and was the commanding officer to the close of the war. [378]

Upon entering the service the company was assigned to the 1st Virginia cavalry, and became company C. This regiment was commanded by Colonel Fitzhugh Lee (afterwards General), and was the pride of the cavalry arm of the service in the Army of Northern Virginia, and in every conflict with the enemy sustained their enviable reputation as hard fighters.

The following is a list of the dead and living who at any time during the war served in the company.

Officers.

Lieutenants—John S. Cummings, C. R. Burks, Charles J. Cameron, L. C. Davidson, and John W. Moore.

Sergeants—James P. Goul, W. D. McCorkle, John W. Moore,

Samuel C. Mackey, James M. Lackey, William B. Poindexter, and S. F. Patterson.

Corporals—Charles Q. Michie, D. H. Ford, R. K. Estill, N. H. Lackey, James Compton, Isaac Bare, John M. Dunlap, and Robert Barton.

Privates.

Killed—John M. Dunlap, at Gettysburg; William H. Adair, at Gettysburg; Ezekiel Gilbert, at Cannon's farm, near Richmond; James W. Ruff, at Columbia Furnace in 1863; James S. Figgat, near Mt. Jackson in 1864; A. S. Trevey, at Yellow Tavern in 1864; Thomas McGovern, in 1864; Peachy Taliaferro, at Haw's Shop in 1864; William Barger, at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865; John P. Bowlin, at Gettysburg.

Died during the War—James Gold, in 1861; John Armentrout, in 1862; Philander Mackey; Nash Turpin, in hospital at Richmond in 1862; Samuel Goul and John Goul, near Louisa Courthouse in 1862; Zebulon Rader, in 1862; John Hill, in 1862; William James Wash, at Charlottesville in 1862.