University of Virginia Library

Monticello Guard.

FOR the following information
regarding the Monticello
Guard we are indebted to
Capt. H. H. Wingfield of the
Bank of Albemarle. The Monticello
Guard, designated as Company "D,"
70th Regiment Virginia Volunteers
was formerly known as Co. A, Nineteenth
Virginia Regiment, Pickett's
Division, in the Confederate service.
This company succeeded the Charlottesville
Blues, which was a reorganization
of the Jefferson Guard, organized
in 1832. On May 5, 1857, P.
A. Woods was elected captain and
since that date the Company has been
known by its present name. Capt.
Woods was succeeded by Capt. Geo.
Morris, and he in turn by W. Barton
Mallory, under whose command the
Company participated in the unveiling
ceremonies of the Washington
monument in Richmond Feb.22, 1858.
In 1859, when John Brown, "the
emancipator," had been condemned
to death for leading the Harper's
Ferry raid, the Monticello Guard was
ordered to Charleston and was there
until after his execution. Capt.
Wertenbaker had charge of that part
of the cordon of sentries around the
town immediately in front of the

gallows. The western sentry under
Wertenbaker's command was stationed
very near the gate through which
Brown passed on his way to the gallows.
Brown, who was sitting on his
coffin, bowed to the officers as he
passed. His hands were tied behind
him. He was an old grey man with
high forehead and strong determined
mouth. His features were intellectual
and not unpleasant to look upon.
His lips appeared to move in prayer.
On April 16, 1861 about 5 o'clock Captain
Mallory received a telegram from
Governor Letcher stating that the
State convention had passed the ordinance
of secession, which would not
be promulgated until the 17th, but
ordering him to proceed with his
Company together with the Albemarle
Rifles, Capt. R. T. W. Duke
commanding, and such other men as
he could collect to Harpers Ferry. In
four hours from the receipt of this
order, these two companies with about
150 students from the University of
Virginia (commanded by Captains
Hutter and Tosh) had started and
were among the first troops to reach
that place. Here these four companies
were organized under Major Geo.
W. Carr an Albemarle citizen who had
served in the regular army. This
battalion was called the Charlottesville
and University Battalion and
Lieutenant Wertenbaker of the Monticello
Guard was detailed for the duty
of adjutant. The men of this battalion
saw service at the battles of Manassas,
Williamsburg, Seven Pines,
Gaines Mills, First Cold Harbor, Malvern
Hill, Frazers Farm, Second Manassas,
Boonsboro, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg,
Gettysburg, Brook Church
Second Cold Harbor, Hatchers Run,
Sailors Creek. The members of the
Monticello Guard in the Civil War
were Capt. Wm. B. Mallory, First
Lieut, C. C. Wertenbaker, 2nd Lt., I.
N. C. Stookton, 2nd Lieut. D. C. Culin,
1st. Sgt. H. F. Dade, 2nd. Sgt. R. W.
Bailey, 3d. Sgt. W. B. LeTellier, 4th.
Sgt. T. D. Wingfield, 5th. Sgt. A. H.
Hoffman, Q. M. Dr. Rice G. Bailey, 1st.
Corpl. C. H. Wingfield, 2nd. Corpl.
James Perley, 3d. Corpl. Geo. A. Gulley,
4th Corpl. Chas. Lightbaker; Privates
A. Allen, G. W. Bailey J. R. Buck,
John W. O. Bacon, D. W. Bacon, W.

[ILLUSTRATION]

ARMORY OF THE MONTICELLO GUARD.

A. Brown, Jos. D. Brown, Jno. H.
Bowman, Jos. R. Birckhead J.
Batchellor, J. W. H. Collier, H. H.
Collier, Wm. Culin, Geo. W. Culin,
Jno. W. Cloar, W. J. Cloar, Jas. L.
Cloar, W. D. Clark, Jno. J. Christian,
Henry Degan, Jno. B. Dodd, R. L.
Dobbins, Jno. D. Durrett, W. R. Foster,
Wm. B. Franks, H. P. Frease,
J. M. Goolesby, Jos. Gibson, Louis

[ILLUSTRATION]

Monticello Guard, Aid to Civil Authority, Richmond Street Car Strike, June-July, 1903.

C. Goodwin, C. H. Harman, Andw.
Hudson, J. W. Houchens, Thos. M.
Houchens, J. W. Hill, Geo. T. Johnson,
Wm. A. Johnson, L. S. Jones,
Jas. R. Jones, Wm. T. Jones, Wm. F.
Kidd, Chas. Kenny, Sam A. Kelley,
A. G. Liady, H. L. Lorsh, Jno. W. Lee,
Jos. ElMallory, Geo. I. Mallory Jno. W.
McMullen, Geo. A. McMullen R. L.
McMullen, Geo. M. Moran, Jno. McKenna,
Wirt W. Maury, T. J. Mooney
Pat. O'Toole, Polk Points, Wm. E. Perley,
Jno. N. Pearce, Marion L. Pearce,
Wm. C. Payne, Jos. D. Points, Jas.
M. Quicke, Tho. D. Randolph, Jacob
Rumbaugh, Jos. W. Slayton, N. R.
Seargeant, Patrick Shannon, Gid S.
Snead, Louis C. Troeter, W. H.
Vaughan, C. W. Vandegrift, R. C.
Vandegrift, T. G. Wertenbaker, R. F.
Wingfield, T. F. Wingfield, M. W.
Wingfield, A. C. Wingfield, R. L.
Wingfield, Geo. W. Wilkins, W. W.
Webb, W. C. Webb, W. N. Wood, T.
J. Williams. Added May, 1863: A. J.
Brooks, T. F. Wingfield, Thos. Haw,
Dan. Leaky, C. H. Harrison, G. N.
Harlow, W. A. Herron, Wm. Dudley,
Jas. Dudley, Jno. M. Dennis. Added
Oct. 1863: J. M. Harlow, J. A. Herron,
Jas. H. Jones, C. W. Roads. Added
Apr. 1864: Wm. Click,—Baldwin
— Wirt. Added at Reorganization:
A. J. Brown, Jas. F. Birckhead, N. F.
Birckhead, N. F. Copeland, Lorenso
Lane, J. E. Humphreys, T. E. Lane,
J. W. Thomas, J. A. Bowen.

Soon after the return of the survivors
the Guard met at the Farish House and
organized as a society for the purpose
of keeping the company intact.
After the State was re-admitted to the
Union, new members were voted into
the company. Thus the Monticello
Guard is the oldest continuous military
organization in the State. After the
passage of the military bill the society
was reorganized as the Monticello
Guard, with the old war Captain,
Culin in command but who, shortly
afterwards was succeeded by
Capt. Wertenbaker who held the position
until he was promoted to the Colonelcy
of the Third Regiment. He
was succeeded by Capt. Micajah
Woods who commanded the company
at the Yorktown centennial. He, in
turn, was succeeded by Capts. Poindexter,
Drane, James Lindsay Gordon
(who was never commissioned) Thomas
Spottswood Keller, and Herbert Hay
Wingfield. On Apr. 21st, 1898, in response
to the call of the United States
government for troops for the war with
Spain, this company volunteered for the
service and was ordered to Richmond
arriving there on May 12 1898. On May
17 the Co. was mustered into the service
of the U. S. retaining its designation of
`Co. D' 3d Regiment Va. Vol. Infy.,
and was assigned to the left of the
regiment. The regiment was removed
from Richmond to Camp Alger
and remained there until ordered back
to Richmond to be mustered out which
took effect Nov. 8, 1898. Upon the
muster-out, all military organizations
in the State were disbanded by order
of Governor Tyler; but as soon as permission
was given this Co. was reorganized
in the State service and
Thomas Pendleton Peyton was elected
Captain, John S. White, First Lieutenant;
and Jno. A. Maddox, Second
Lieutenant. Mr. Maddox is now First
Lieutenant and T. C. Conlon, Second
Lieutenant. Captain Peyton is a most
efficient officer and is recognized by
all as one of our leading and most
progressive citizens. In recent years
the company has been called out to
strikes in Bluefields, Richmond and
Roanoke and to a lynching in Lynchburg.

To govern men you must either excel
them in their accomplishments or despise
them.

[ILLUSTRATION]

Col. Charles C. Wertenbaker,

Formerly Adjutant 19th Virginia Infantry,
C. S. A., to whom we give
credit for the interesting narratives
"Johnny Yeargan," "Historic Taverns,"
Virginia Fiddlers," "Masonic
History," and "Old Charlottesville,"
published under the nom de plume
of "Senex."