Lynchburg/Virginia Military Institute alumni
who died during the War Between the States 1861-1865

Researched & Written by James E. Burton V

James Breckinridge – Born on September 1, 1837 in Botetourt County, Virginia. Graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1858 and then studied law at the University of Virginia. He enlisted in Company “C”, 2 nd Virginia Cavalry of his home county. Breckinridge assumed the position of orderly sergeant and was promoted to lieutenant when the first spot opened up. He was elected captain of the company in 1862. Captain Breckinridge was killed on March 17, 1863 while defending Kelly's Ford.

Peachy Gilmer Breckinridge – Born on September 15, 1835 in Botetourt County and was the brother of James Breckinridge. Was not a secessionist but fought for the Confederacy for his native Virginia. After serving in his brothers company for years Peachy was appointed captain of Company “B” of this 2 nd Virginia Calvary on May 24, 1864. On that same day Peachy was killed at the attack on Kennon's Landing.

Thomas B. Davis – Born in 1843 and was a native of Lynchburg. Davis left VMI in 1864 in order to enlist and in March of 1864 he joined Company “D” of the 2 nd Virginia Calvarly. He received a wound to the chest on October 8, 1864 in a skirmish near Fisher's Hill. The next day he was captured while riding an ambulance train. Davis was taken to Winchester where he died on October 20 while in prison. A year after his death his father finally recovered Thomas' remains and buried him in a family cemetery outside of Lynchburg.

Eusebius Fowlkes – Born on July 17, 1835 in Nottoway County, Virginia but grew up in Montgomery County. After graduating from VMI and UVA he practiced medicine in Montgomery County until he decided to go out west to explore. When he was in Arkansas he heard of the succession of Virginia and headed home at once. He returned in June or July of 1861 and raised a company of his own which he called the “Preston Guard”. They reported to Lynchburg and were assigned to the 11th Virginia Regiment. Fowlkes was the captain of his company when he died at the battle of Seven Pines on May 31, 1862.

Carter Henry Harrison – Born on July 9, 1831 in Cumberland County, Virginia. He was a major in the 11th Virginia Infantry. Harrison was killed at the Battle of Bull Run on July 18, 1861. Upon graduating from VMI he attending William & Mary for a year of law school. After which he moved to Richmond in 1852 to pursue business ventures. Two years of the city life convinced him that he was meant to live in a rural area so in 1854 he bought a farm and moved to Cumberland County where he stayed until the war broke out.

J.K. Langhorne – Born on March 1, 1845 in Christiansburg, Montgomery County, Virginia but moved to Roanoke County when he was still an infant. After spending a year at VMI he left the Institute to enlist in the army. He joined the 2 nd Virginia Calvary as a private in 1863 and had only served for two months before he was killed in a skirmish near Brandy Station on July 9.

James C. Leftwich – Born on March 10, 1839 in Franklin County , Virginia . He attended VMI until ordered to report to Richmond to be a drill-master and then was sent to Lynchburg to train the soldiers there. Leftwich then joined the 2 nd Virginia Cavalry as a private. He was captured by the enemy at the battle of Kelly's Ford on March 17, 1863 and when his unit counterattacked the enemy shot him in his left side to prevent him from being rescued. The ball lodged in his spine and ten days later he died in Bedford, Virginia.

R. M. McKinney – Born on February 12, 1835 in Lynchburg, Virginia. After graduating from VMI he returned to Lynchburg and opened a male school until March 1860 when he received an offer to be a professor of French at the North Carolina Military Institute. When the war broke out McKinney became a colonel of the 15 th North Carolina Infantry. On April 16, 1862 Colonel McKinney was killed while leading a charge near Warwick River. His body was sent back to Lynchburg.

J. Lawrence Meem – A native of Lynchburg, Virginia born on April 2, 1836. He graduated from VMI in 1856 and in 1858 Lawrence decided to travel the world. For an entire year he traveled through England and France finally ending up in Brazil where he stayed until returning home. When the war broke up he entered the Home Guard as an orderly sergeant. Lawrence was killed at the battle of Seven Pines on May 31, 1862, it was impossible to retrieve his body during the day so during the night his friends quietly recovered his body and buried him in an unmarked grave that they dug with their bayonets.

George Gaston Otey – Born in Lynchburg, VA on May 25, 1834. After attending VMI for a short term his resigned and became a merchant. In 1861 George joined the 1 st Infantry and became Captain of the “Otey” Battery. On May 24, 1862 he was wounded at the Lewisburg, VA, he never fully recovered from his wounds and died on October 21, 1862.

George S. Price – Born in Fincastle, VA in 1841 and enrolled at VMI in 1859. Price served as a drill-master when the corps of cadets was ordered to Richmond in April of 1861. In 1862 he resigned from VMI and enlisted in C Company of the 2 nd Virginia Cavalry. Price served as a private until his death in 1863 when he was killed during a charge at Hartswood Church in Stafford County.

Robert E. Rodes – Born in Lynchburg, Virginia on March 29, 1829. After graduating from VMI in 1848 the institute offered him an assistant professorship in civil engineering. Robert held this position for two years after which he left to start a career in engineering. After working for various road building companies he returned to VMI as the Professor of Applied Mechanics. Rodes immediately took up arms at the outbreak of the war and rose to the rank of Major General in the Army of Northern Virginia. On August 19, 1965 General Rodes took his division to Winchester, VA to defend against Sheridan's advancement on Winchester. Just as General Rodes men started to push back Sheridan's force he was struck in the head by a musket ball and died instantly.

William M. Waller - Born in Amherst County in 1829. Upon graduating from VMI in 1852 Waller became a farmer until the start of the war when he volunteered to be a member of Company E of the 2 nd Virginia Cavalry and served as the company's orderly sergeant for a year. He was then elected the first lieutenant of the company when it was reorganized. On June 9, 1862 Lt. Waller was sent to command the cavalry that would cover Colonel T. T. Mumford's rear-guard as they withdrew to join General Jackson near Port Republic. In the confusion on an enemy attack Waller found himself on a river bank being fired upon by his own troops and the enemy. He tried to escape by going into the river but fell off his horse and drowned.