Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1054

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.

since 1888, has been pastor of the Second Presbyterian church of Norfolk. He is a trustee of the Assembly's home and school at Fredericksburg, director of the Union theological seminary; was trustee of Davidson college 1876-1888; stated clerk of the North Carolina synod 1878-1886; clerk of the presbytery of Abingdon 1869-1873 and of the presbytery of Norfolk 1893-1898. With loyalty to his former comrades he maintains a membership in Pickett-Buchanan camp U. C. V. In the field of general literature he has been a frequent contributor to periodicals, in prose and verse, has composed a number of pieces of sacred music, and has delivered several lectures on literary and philosophical subjects. Dr. Lacy was married October 10, 1888, to Mary C. Shepherd, of Gulf, N. C., daughter of a Confederate soldier who died in service.

Captain John Lamb, of Richmond, was born June 12, 1840, in Sussex county, where his father, Lycurgus A. Lamb, a man of broad culture, was at that time engaged in teaching. The family returned to their home in Charles county five years later, and there the father died in 1835, leaving the children dependent upon their mother, a woman of high intellectual attainments, who had assisted her husband in his school work, and continued the educational work after his death. She was Ann Elizabeth Christian, daughter of Rev. James H. Christian, and was descended from a prominent family which includes among its ancestors Capt. Joseph Christian, a soldier of the revolution who greatly distinguished himself in the assault on Stony Point, under Gen. Anthony Wayne, in 1776. An orphan at an early age, young Lamb abandoned his academical studies and worked manfully for the support of the family, devoting his nights to the study of the science of civil engineering. This work was terminated in 1861 by the call of the State for troops, when he went to the front, in May, in the Charles City Troop, which had been organized in 1858, and of which he had been a member since 1859. The command was mustered in as Company D of the Third Virginia cavalry, with Mr. Lamb as first sergeant. Within the following year he was promoted second lieutenant and captain, serving in the latter rank throughout the remainder of the struggle. His service was distinguished by gallantry and a devotion to duty which is one of the most conspicuous points of his character. The list of engagements in which he participated includes the names of Big Bethel, the Seven Days' battles, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, General Stuart's raid through Maryland and Pennsylvania, with numerous skirmishes, in one of which he was wounded in the head, the last day's fight at Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, where he received another gunshot wound in the head; Hawe's Shop, where he was seriously wounded in the thigh: Yellow Tavern, Mechanicsville, Cedar Creek, Sailor's Creek, and Appomattox. During an action at Harper's Ferry in 1863 he was captured, but was exchanged a week later. After laying down his arms at Appomattox Captain Lamb returned to his home in Charles City county, and became engaged as a farmer. But his distinguished military services and the ability he at once displayed in civil life, soon led to his being called to serve in an official capacity. He was first elected sheriff of the county, and subsequently treasurer and surveyor. He also acted for some time as chairman of the Democratic central com-