GEN. WYATT M. ELLIOTT
Was born in Campbell county, Virginia, on February 25, 1823, the
son of Thomas Elliott, who was born in Campbell county, and died at
age of 80 years, and Elizabeth (Bondurant) Elliott, died at age of
about 32 years. In Appomattox county, Virginia, September 7, 1847,
he married Marcia P. Moseley, who was born in Campbell county, and
who died on the 22d of August, 1885 She was the daughter of Thomas
and Jane (Bondurant) Moseley, both now deceased. The children of
this union were six, of whom three are living: Horace B., Ella V.
and William Arthur. The deceased children were named: Emma, Wyatt
M. and Ida.
When Gen. Elliott was eight years of age, he removed to Buckingham
county, Virginia, and there pursued his education under the kind
auspices and patronage of his maternal uncle, Thomas M. Bondurant.
At the age of sixteen years, he went to the Virginia Military Institute
at Lexington, where he entered as cadet, at the organization of
the institute, on the 11th of November, 1839, and was captain of the
first company. He graduated in July, 1842, returned to Buckingham
county, and taught school two years, as the State law then
required. During that time he read law under Col. W. P. Bock for six
months. In 1846 he removed to Richmond, and became associated in
the publication of the Richmond Whig, and continued that relation
until 1866. Meantime the subject of this sketch was chosen captain of
the "Richmond Grays," which he commanded from 1847 till the close
of the first year of the late war. While commanding the Richmond
Grays he was ordered with his company to attend as guard at the execution
of John Brown, and was present in that capacity at Harper's
Ferry on this momentous occasion. During the period of the war, he
maintained his nominal relation to the Richmond
Whig, but after the
first year of the war resigned his commission as captain of the Grays,
and obtained permission from the Confederate Government to recruit
and organize a battalion of six companies, which he did. He was commissioned
to command the same as lieutenant-colonel, the command
known as the 15th Virginia Battalion of Infantry. He continued
with this command in the field, attached to Gen. Ewell's troops, until
captured at Sailors Creek April 6, 1865. He was carried a prisoner of
war to Johnson's Island, in Lake Erie. On the way to Johnson's
Island he happened to be confined in the Old Capitol Prison at Washington
City on the night that President Lincoln was assassinated, and
narrowly escaped with his fellow prisoners from being mobbed on
account of the excitement then prevailing in the city. He was held at
Johnson's Island until liberated by President Johnson, about July 1,
1865.
General Elliott then returned to Richmond, resumed the publication
of the Whig, and continued the same until December, 1866, when he
removed with his family to Appomattox county. There he pursued the
occupation of a farmer for a period of years. In 1871-2 and 1872-3, he
represented Appomattox county in the House of Delegates, and in 1875
was chosen State Senator, from district composed of counties of Appomattox,
Buckingham and Fluvanna, and continued to represent his
people as Senator for eight consecutive years. In 1884 he was
appointed clerk of the United States circuit and district courts at
Lynchburg, which position he still holds.
