en-year-old son Harry, refugeeing. They were
joined, near the Natural Bridge, by Mr. Thomas Wilson, a white-haired
old man; and the three determined to give battle to Hunter's army. From
a hastily constructed shelter of rails and stones they opened, with
shotguns and pistols, on his advance guard, but, of course, were
quickly overpowered. Mr. Wilson was left for dead on the ground, and the
McDonalds captured. The father was taken to a Northern prison, but Harry
made his escape by night in the mountains, and in turn captured a
Federal soldier, whom I saw him turn over to the provost on his return
to Lexington. General Early pursued Hunter no farther than Botetourt
County, and thence passed through Lexington on his disastrous campaign
toward Washington.

CHAPTER XXVI

PERSONAL MENTION OF OFFICERS AND MEN--ROCKBRIDGE ARTILLERY--SECOND
ROCKBRIDGE ARTILLERY

As has already been mentioned, the captain under whom the battery was
mustered into service was the Rev. Wm. N. Pendleton, rector of the
Episcopal Church in Lexington, Virginia, who, after the first battle of
Manassas, became chief of artillery of the Army of Northern Virginia.
His only son, Alexander S. Pendleton, graduated at Washington College at
the age of 18. He entered the army from the University of Virginia at
the beginning of the war as lieutenant on General Jackson's staff, and
rose through the various grades of promotion to the rank of
lieutenant-colonel. After General Jackson's death he continued to fill
the position of adjutant to the succeeding commanders of the corps until
he fell in battle near Winchester, in 1864. He was one of the bravest
and most efficient staff officers in the Army of Northern Virginia.

The captains of the battery under whom I served were three uncommonly
brave and capable officers.

The first, William McLaughlin, after making an enviable record with the
company, distinguished himself as commander of a battalion of artillery
in General Early's company in 1864.

The second, Captain W. T. Poague, whose reputation for efficiency and
courage won for him the command of a battalion of artillery in A. P.
Hill's corps, was amply equipped with both intelligence and valor to
have handled an army division with credit to himself and advantage to
the service.

The third, Archibald Graham, who was appointed a sergeant upon the
organization of the company, then elected a lieutenant, and for the last
two years of the war captain, ha