Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/110

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

86


\4RGIXIA BIOGRAPHY


ceived at the battle of Winchester, Rosser skirmished successfully on October 8; was defeated at Tom's Brook by Sheridan the following day, and on October 17, attacked Custer in the rear of his picket line. At Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, he led the attack on the Federal right ; was met by a superior force, and with difficulty held his own, but during the retreat of Early's army his command retired in good order, and was left at Fisher's Hill to act as a rear-guard. He held this position until the following day and then fell back to Stony Creek. He captured the stronghold at New Creek with eight pieces of artillery, two thousand pris- oners, large quantities of military stores, horses, and commissary supplies, Septem- ber, 1864, and did great damage to the B. & O. R. R., burning the round house and shops at Piedmont. In February, 1865, he crossed the Great North Mountain in a severe snow storm (still on crutches and suffering from wounds received at Trevil- lian station), captured Beverly with its gar- rison of nine hundred men, large stores and many cattle, and brought them all back to Staunton, losing only one ofhcer (Col. Cook), and five men. He commanded a division in the Appomattox campaign ; re- fused to surrender, and charged through the Union lines with two divisions of cavalry. He escaped and attempted to reorganize the Army of Virgmia, but was captured at Hanover Court House, Virginia. May 2, 1865. After the war he studied law, and in 1870 became interested in railroading, being chief engineer of the eastern division of the Northern Pacific Railroad, 1871-81, and chief engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. 1881-83. I" 1885 he retired to an estate in Virginia, where he was living,


June ID, 1898, when he was conmiissioued brigadier-general of volunteers by President ^IcKinley. He served at Chickamauga Park and Knoxville, commanding the Four- teenth Alinnesota, Second Ohio, and First Pennsylvania regiments of volunteer infan- try, and was engaged in drilling troops and equipping them for battle when the war ended. He was honorably mustered out, November 31, 1898, and returned to his home in Charlottesville, V'irginia. He was married May 28, 1863, to Elizabeth Barbara, daughter of William Overton and Sarah Ann (Gregory) Winston, of Hanover county, \'irginia.

Ruggles, Daniel, a native of Massachu- setts, gave his services to Virginia at the beginning of the civil war. He was born January 31, 1810, and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1833. He served with the Fifth United States Infantry in the northwest and in Florida. He took part in the Alexican war, and was brevetted major for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco, and lieutenant-colonel for Chapultepec. He was in the Utah expedi- tion, and in 1861 resigned. In April he was commissioned colonel, and put in command al Fredericksburg. In August he was made brigadier-general and served at Pensacola and New Orleans. At Shiloh and at Cor- ir,th he commanded a division in Bragg's corps. In June he was sent to the Missis- sippi, and commanded Breckenridge's left wing in the battle of Baton Rouge. Later he commanded at Port Hudson, and at Co- lumbus. His age unfitting him for field service, he was made commissary-general of prisoners of war. After the war he lived in Fredericksburg, where he died, in 1897.