Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/102

fight at Five Forks, and on the retreat from Richmond. At Appomattox he commanded the cavalry on the Confederate right, and, driving the enemy, moved toward Lynchburg. After the surrender of Gen. Lee, he endeavored to rally the scattered Confederate bands to make a junction with Gen. Johnston, but failing, disbanded his men late m April. He retired to his home at Lynchburg and lately has been residing' at Union-town, Alabama. He has taken much interest in getting the governor and legislature to adopt a correct conception of the Virginia state seal.

Page, Richard L., was born in Clarke county, Virginia, in 1807, son of William Byrd Page and Ann (Lee) Page, his wife. He became a midshipman in the United States navy in 1824, and cruised with Commodore Porter. In 1825 he was ordered to the Brandywine, to convey Lafayette to France. He later was on duty on the Constitution, the Constellation, and other famous vessels. In 1834 he was commissioned lieutenant, and after cruising in various ships until 1837, was given two years' leave of absence to visit Europe. Returning, he performed ship and shore duty until 1845, when he was made executive officer and for two years lieutenant commanding Commodore Shubrick's flagship. Independence. After duty at the Norfolk navy yard, in 1852-54 he was in command of the brig Perry, and on returning, became executive officer at the Norfolk navy yard. When Virginia seceded; he resigned, and was made aide on the staff of Gov. Letcher, and superintended the fortifying of the James and Nansemond rivers. On June 10, 1861, he was commissioned commander. C. S. N., was ordnance officer at Norfolk, and as a volunteer fired the eleven-inch gun at Sewell's Point. Promoted to captain, he sat up at Charlotte, North Carolina, the machinery removed from the Norfolk navy yard, and operated it for two years, meantime commanding the naval forces at Savannah for a time. On March 1, 1864, he was commissioned brigadier-general, and commanded the outer works in Mobile Bay, opposing Farragut's fleet, and making a heroic defense of Fort Morgan until the building took fire, necessitating capitulation. Gen. Page was held as a prisoner of war until September, 1865, after which time he resided in Norfolk, where he was for several years superintendent of the public schools.

Paxton, Elisha Franklin, born in Rockbridge county, in 1828, son of Elisha Paxton, who served in the war of 1812, and grandson of William Paxton, who commanded a Rockbridge company at the siege of Yorktown, in 1781. He graduated from Washington (Virginia) College, from Yale College, and in law from the University of Virginia, and practiced his profession at Lexington. He was an original secessionist. In April, 1861, as first lieutenant, he accompanied his company to Harper's Ferry, and it was a part of the Fourth Virginia Regiment at Manassas. In October, 1861, he was made major of the Twenty-seventh Infantry. In the following spring he was attached to Gen. Jackson's staff, and shortly afterward was made adjutant-general and chief-of-staff. In September, 1872. he was promoted to brigadier-general, and given command of the "Stonewall" brigade, which he commanded at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Near Germanna Junction, on