University of Virginia Library

COL. KIRKWOOD OTEY

Was born in Lynchburg, October 19, 1829; was graduated at the Virginia
Military Institute in July, 1849; enlisted in the same year in the
Virginia Volunteer Militia, serving until April 23, 1861, when he was
mustered into service at Richmond as First Lieutenant of Company G,
11th regiment, C. S. A. He served through the war, rising to the
command of the regiment, and was twice severely wounded: first, in
the last day's fighting at Gettysburg, in the famous charge of Pickett's
Division; again at Drurys Bluff, May 16, 1864, the latter wound permanently
disabling him from active service in the field. After the close
of the war he assisted in the reorganization of the Lynchburg Home
Guards, the company with which he entered service in the war becoming
Company E, 3d Virginia Regiment. With this he has ever since been
connected, and is now captain, constituting altogether, except two
brief intervals, an almost uninterrupted military service of forty-three
years. He is present commander of Camp Samuel Garland, Confederate
Veterans, of Lynchburg. Col. Otey is serving as auditor of the city
of Lynchburg at the present time. He married, February 19, 1862, Lucy
Dabney Norvell, daughter of Fayette H. and Mary C. (Roane) Norvell,
born at Trenton, Tennessee, January 14, 1845. They have three children
living: John M., born February 5, 1866; Norvell, born November
17, 1872; Kirkwood, jr., born March 3, 1884. Their first-born was a
daughter, Mina Gaston, born February 23, 1863, died August 12, 1879.

The paternal grandfather of Col. Otey was Major Isaac Otey, of

Bedford county, Virginia, who ably represented that tier of counties of
which Bedford is one, in the Senate of Virginia for thirty years. The
family of Col. Otey was of essentially military stock, adding well-earned
laurels for the name in the late war. Of seven brothers and the only
brother-in-law in the family, all entered the Confederate States Army at
its first call for troops, and served through the war, or were killed or
died in the service. An extract from a Lynchburg paper published in
the Spring of 1861, the article entitled "A Military Family," shows this
and is worthy of perpetuation here. It reads:

The family of the late Capt. John M. Otey of Lynchburg are all in
active service, as follows: Dexter Otey, first lieutenant of a cavalry
company, Lynchburg; Van. R. Otey, member of the same company;
John Stewart Walker (son-in-law), captain of the Virginia Life
Guards, at Yorktown; Kirk Otey, captain of a Lynchburg company at
Manassas Junction; Hays Otey, first lieutenant in provisional army at
Norfolk; Gaston Otey, first lieutenant in provisional army at Yorktown;
John M. Otey, second lieutenant in provisional army under Col.
Cocke at Manassas; Peter J. Otey, second lieutenant provisional army
at Sewells Point, fired the first gun in response to the salutations of
Lincoln's vessels. All of these gentlemen, we believe, have the advantage
of a military education, one served in Mexico, and four were at
Harpers Ferry and Charlestown. We may mention the fact that twenty
years ago, Captain John M. Otey, father of the seven above named,
and father-in-law of the other, at a time of profound peace, and when
there was an absence of all military spirit, expressed the opinion
that the boy who made himself the best soldier would be likely to find
the most ready and useful employment before he had passed the maturity
of manhood. He confirmed it by graduating five of them at the
Virginia Military Institute, and tho' deprived by death of the pleasure
and gratification 'twould have given him, his widow lived to see every
one of them in the active military service of her beloved Southern
country, not even detailing one of them to remain at home as her
"Safe-Guard."

The further service in the field of Col. Kirkwood Otey has just been
given; that of Major Peter J. Otey is in the sketch following this. Of the
others the record is: Dexter, lieutenant in the Wise troop, died in 1863;
Van. R., lieutenant Company B, 2d Virginia Cavalry, rendered unfit
for field service by sickness contracted in army, made provost marshal
at Lynchburg, and died in 1864; Gaston, captain of the Otey
Battery, wounded and died in Lynchburg in 1863; W. H. (Hays), adjutant
of the 56th Virginia regiment, subsequently captain of ordnance;
Col. John M., on staff duty, assigned to Gen. Beauregard's staff at
Manassas in 1861, served with him until after battle of Shiloh, subsequently

with Gens. Bragg and Joseph E. Johnston in their western
campaigns, returned to Gen. Beauregard at Charleston, and surrendered
at Greensboro, N. C., in 1865, and paroled by Gen. Sherman. Major John
Stewart Walker (Col. Otey's brother-in-law) raised and chiefly out of
his private means armed and equipped, the Virginia Life Guards of
Richmond, was promoted major of the 15th Virginia Infantry, and
was in command of his regiment when killed in battle of Malvern Hill.
The devoted mother of this family, Mrs. Lucy W. Otey, rendered service
not less to be commemorated. She established, organized, and managed
the Ladies' Confederate Hospital at Lynchburg (which was independent
of the Confederate States Medical Department there), reporting
direct to the Surgeon General's office, Richmond, Virginia. It was well
known throughout the Confederacy through those who had been
inmates thereof, and was in great measure maintained by those officers
and soldiers who had experienced the kind attention, care and nursing
of the officers and ladies of the hospital.

John M. Otey, father of Col. Kirkwood Otey, was born Dec. 2,
1792, in Bedford County, Virginia, and died in Lynchburg, Feb. 3,
1859. He removed to Lynchburg at an early age, and was successively
the Book-keeper, Teller and Cashier of the Bank of Virginia at that
place, holding the latter position at his death. Was for 21 years a
member of the City Council and for 18 years its president. His wife,
Mrs. Lucy Wilhelmina Otey, daughter of Capt. William Norvell, was
born Feb. 28, 1801, and died in May, 1866, in Richmond, Virginia.