CAPTAIN MICAJAH WOODS.
Thirty-Six Years Prosecuting Attorney.
It is an accepted fact by those who are
cognizant of the standard of ability of
lawyers, that the bench and bar of
Charlottesville has but few peers and
no superiors in any city of similar
size in the country. Among the most
prominent of the many very able attorneys-at-law
of our city and State is
Captain Micajah Woods, whose offices
are located in the old and historic
county courthouse. He is recognized
throughout Virginia for his ability
and eloquence. He is an advocate
who is thoroughly read in every branch
of the law, and an earnest and conscientious
student of its continued
changes and amendments. He is an
indomitable worker in the fields of
high thought and action. Captain
Woods has gained his present high
place at the bar by sheer force of merit
and that sterling integrity of character
that has made him so widely known
and esteemed as a jurist and citizen.
Many of the most difficult and important
cases known to jurisprudence in
this section of the State have been handled
by Captain Woods. Among these
may especially be mentioned the celebrated
case of the State against the
Hon. J. Samuel McCue, ex-mayor of
Charlottesville, for the murder of his
wife, in which he was associated with
[ILLUSTRATION]
the Commonwealth's Attorney in the
prosecution. Captain Woods' argument
in this case was most eloquent
and convincing and to him great
credit for the verdict is undoubtedly
due. In the prosecution of this deplorable
case Captain Woods showed rare
tact and discretion sparing the unfortunate
man and what remained of his
family all unnecessary ordeals; he only
undertook the prosecution of the case
for the people when enraged public
sentiment had demanded a lynching
if further delay occurred. Twenty-five
hundred dollars was offered him for the
work, which covered six weeks, but he
refused to accept any compensation
whatever. Captain Woods was born
at "Holkham," Albemarle County,
May 17, 1844. His early education
was received at Lewisburg Academy,
the Military School at Charlottesville,
and at the Bloomfield Academy. In
1861 he entered the University of Virginia,
and like many other students
of the South joined the Confederate
Army. He first served, when barely
17 years of age, as a volunteer aid on the
staff of Gen'l. Jno. B. Floyd, in the
West Va. Campaign of 1861; then in
1862, from May until October, he was
a private in the Albemarle Light
Horse, participating in the battles of
Port Republic, seven days in front of
Richmond, Stuart's Raid in rear of
Pope's Army, Second Manassas, Leesburg,
Crampton's Gap and Sharpsburg.
Then he was made 1st Lieut. of Cavalry,
in the Va. State Line under
Gen'l. Floyd, and served as Adjutant
Gen'l. of Clarkson's Brigade until
that organization was disbanded in
April, 1863, when he was elected and
commissioned as First Lieut. of Jackson's
Battery of Horse Artillery, Army
of Northern Virginia, in which capacity
he served until the close of the war,
participating in many engagements,
his Battery being in actions in front
of Harrisburg, Pa., Gettysburg, Boonsboro,
Md., Droop Mountain, Greenbrier
Bridge, New Market, Tottapotami,
Second Cold Harbor, Lynchburg, Leetown,
North Mountain Depot, Frederick,
in front of Georgetown, D. C.,
Ashby's Gap, Martinsburg, Cumberland,
Moorefield, Fisher's Hill and
Liberty Mills. He was twice slightly
wounded, once at Gettysburg and
again at Second Cold Harbor. At the
close of the war he entered the University
of Va., where he studied in the academic
department and then studied
law, being graduated in 1868, with the
degree of Bachelor of Law. He immediately
began the practice of his profession
in Charlottesville, and in 1870
was elected Commonwealth Attorney,
which position he has filled for thirty-six
years without opposition. In 1872
Captain Woods was made a member
of the Board of Visitors of the University
of Virginia, being the youngest
visitor ever appointed to that institution.
He has been Chairman
of the Democratic County Committee
for many years, and as an
elector represented the Seventh Congressional
District of Virginia, and was
also a member of the Presidential Electoral
Board in 1888, which cast the vote
of Virginia for Grover Cleveland for
President. In 1881 he was elected
Captain of the Monticello Guard, and
was with this famous old company at
the Yorktown celebration, which took
place in October of that year. When
the Red Land Club, composed of many
of the leading gentlemen of Charlottesville
and Albemarle, was organized in
February, 1905, Capt. Woods was unanimously
chosen its first president, and
at the annual meeting in February,
1906, he was reelected for another term.
