MAHONE’S BRIGADE - A GOOD IDEA - SHOEMAKING, ETC.
Richmond Sentinel
April 23, 1864
Pg. 2
LOC call number: Newspaper 10114
[For the Sentinel]
Camp 12th Virginia Inf’ry,
April, 1864
Brig. General Wm. Mahone, who is ever mindful of the safety, comfort, and efficiency of his brigade, has recently organized a battalion of sharpshooters for his brigade, composed of five companies, (one from each regiment.) the whole commanded by Lieut. Col. E. M. Field, of the 12th Virginia infantry. These companies are formed of men detailed from their regiments, for being good shots, and who embrace all the qualities of a good soldier.
The following are the names of the companies, the regiments to which the belong, and hte officer who command them: Company C, 12th Virginia infantry, Capt. James E. Tyler and Lieut. John E. Laughton, (both formerly members of the Richmond Grays;) company E, 41st Virginia infantry, Lieuts. W. H. Hunter and F. H. Benton; company D, 61st Virginia infantry, Lts. M. M. Green and John T. West; company A, 16th Virginia infantry, Captain W. W. Broadbent and Lieut. W. S. Chapman; company B, 6th Virginia infantry, Capt. C. W. Wilson and Lieut. Cormick.
The battalion has been organized, and are drilled every day in target practice and such other instructions as are necessary to make it efficient. As a great man of the members of the 12th Vriginia are known in Richmond, we append a list of some of them and companies to which they belong: Company A, privates B. F. Eckles, B. Payne and John W. Hawthorne; company B, H. E. Chase, L. B. Ruffin and S. E. Brown; company C, Sergeant R. J. Epps, privates J. J. Pugh, Jos. Robinson and Andrew Jackson; company G, (Richmond Grays,) William H. Forde, Jacob B. Old and Albert H. Robins; company E, James E. Nash, Rich’d H. May and James A. Farley; company H, E. J. White, H. C. Carroll and S. Woodhouser.
We could give you a much longer list but our communication would be too long, and would lose that important object for which we have written, viz: the importance of having a battalion of sharpshooters in every brigade in the army. If brigade commanders would take this most desirable thing at heart, they would find a large difference in the list of dead Yankees in their front. In this connection we would state that this is not the only instance in which Gen. Mahone has shown a praiseworthy enterprise. A shoe shop was constructed early in the winter and has supplies his command with over 2,500 pairs of shoes, which manifestation of his interest in their behalf will ever be remembered by his command.
If the publication of this will be the means of causing similar organizations throughout the army, the writer’s object will be gained.
S. S.
April 23, 1864
Pg. 2
LOC call number: Newspaper 10114
[For the Sentinel]
Camp 12th Virginia Inf’ry,
April, 1864
Brig. General Wm. Mahone, who is ever mindful of the safety, comfort, and efficiency of his brigade, has recently organized a battalion of sharpshooters for his brigade, composed of five companies, (one from each regiment.) the whole commanded by Lieut. Col. E. M. Field, of the 12th Virginia infantry. These companies are formed of men detailed from their regiments, for being good shots, and who embrace all the qualities of a good soldier.
The following are the names of the companies, the regiments to which the belong, and hte officer who command them: Company C, 12th Virginia infantry, Capt. James E. Tyler and Lieut. John E. Laughton, (both formerly members of the Richmond Grays;) company E, 41st Virginia infantry, Lieuts. W. H. Hunter and F. H. Benton; company D, 61st Virginia infantry, Lts. M. M. Green and John T. West; company A, 16th Virginia infantry, Captain W. W. Broadbent and Lieut. W. S. Chapman; company B, 6th Virginia infantry, Capt. C. W. Wilson and Lieut. Cormick.
The battalion has been organized, and are drilled every day in target practice and such other instructions as are necessary to make it efficient. As a great man of the members of the 12th Vriginia are known in Richmond, we append a list of some of them and companies to which they belong: Company A, privates B. F. Eckles, B. Payne and John W. Hawthorne; company B, H. E. Chase, L. B. Ruffin and S. E. Brown; company C, Sergeant R. J. Epps, privates J. J. Pugh, Jos. Robinson and Andrew Jackson; company G, (Richmond Grays,) William H. Forde, Jacob B. Old and Albert H. Robins; company E, James E. Nash, Rich’d H. May and James A. Farley; company H, E. J. White, H. C. Carroll and S. Woodhouser.
We could give you a much longer list but our communication would be too long, and would lose that important object for which we have written, viz: the importance of having a battalion of sharpshooters in every brigade in the army. If brigade commanders would take this most desirable thing at heart, they would find a large difference in the list of dead Yankees in their front. In this connection we would state that this is not the only instance in which Gen. Mahone has shown a praiseworthy enterprise. A shoe shop was constructed early in the winter and has supplies his command with over 2,500 pairs of shoes, which manifestation of his interest in their behalf will ever be remembered by his command.
If the publication of this will be the means of causing similar organizations throughout the army, the writer’s object will be gained.
S. S.
