Civil War Christmas, 1862

From the diary of William Ellis Jones, II, of Crenshaw’s Battery, Pegram’s Battalion, Hill’s “Light Division”, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

Thursday, December 25, 1862
Christmas Morn broke very threatening, but cleared off beautifully and warm. The boys started at seven o’clock to go on picket, after which the camp was dull and lonesome. During the morning we were called up and paid off until the 31^st of October; $119.10, for clothes and wages. After dark the boys of ours and other batteries enjoyed themselves by having a battle with lighted port-fires, which presented a handsome pyrotechnic display.

Friday, December 26, 1862
Christmas has come and gone, and I sincerely hope I will never spend another in the army.

William, my great-great-great-grandfather, would endure two more Christmases in the Confederate Army. He was wounded at Spotsylvania in 1864, but miraculously survived the War, despite seeing hot action in some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, including Gaines Mill, in May/June of 1862, Second Battle of Mananas in August of 1862, the Battle of Sharpsburg, September, 1862, the Battle of the “Crater”, in Petersburg, July, 1864, Vicksburg, Second Battle of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and finally was present at the Fall of Richmond, in April, 1865.

Another Reader Challenge – Wanted: Reunion Photos of Crenshaw’s Battery, Pegram’s Artillery, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia

This is the only photo I know of, of William Ellis Jones, II, outside his home in Richmond, Virginia, a townhouse he dubbed “Shrubbery Hill”. Do you have another, better image. Please share?

I have exactly one photograph of my great-great-grandfather, William Ellis Jones, II, and that photograph is not good. I am seeking any existing photos of the many civil war veteran’s reunion images captured between 1880 and 1910, featuring members of Ellet’s Company, Crenshaw’s Battery, Pegram’s Battalion, A.P. Hill’s Regiment, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia (gosh that’s a mouthful of southern Confederate pomp and organization!)

At the moment I am about to take up Draft #2 of the “Book”, and after many months of letting the thing lie quietly, I realize I still have many gaps to fill in the story of William Ellis Jones, II, my great-great grandfather. Among the many lacking “things” is a reasonably accurate physical description – an image – of the man who exists in history and now exists in my head, but who is lacking a countenance equal to his spirit. I would really love to find a good photograph of William Ellis Jones, II, of Richmond, who served the whole of the War in Ellet’s Company, Pegram’s Battery.