Virginia Civil War Biographies Page

Julius Adolphus De Lagnel, the hero of Rich Mountain, commissioned brigadier-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States, was born in New Jersey, and was appointed from Virginia to the United States army on March 8, 1847, as second lieutenant of the Second infantry. In January, 1849, he was promoted first lieutenant. Resigning his commission upon the formation of the Confederacy, he tendered his services to the new government, and was commissioned captain, corps of artillery, C. S. A. Going into western Virginia with General Garnett, he became his chief of artillery, and was stationed at Rich mountain, with the command of General Pegram. When the latter officer perceived that McClellan intended to flank his position by taking possession of the crest of Rich mountain, he sent DeLagnel with several companies of infantry and one piece of artillery to defend the mountain to the last extremity. Here he withstood the attack of a largely superior force under Rosecrans, making a desperate fight until his men were forced back by the heavy fire of musketry and artillery. With indomitable courage he fought his gun alone until the enemy were upon him, and he fell severely wounded. In the confusion he managed to hide himself in a mountain thicket until the Federal troops were withdrawn, when he obtained shelter with a sympathetic mountaineer. Here he was cared for until his recovered, when he attempted, disguised as a herder, to make his way through the Federal lines. He was successful until he had reached the last picket post, when an inquisitive soldier noticed that his boots were of a kind unusual among the natives, and being pulled off, they revealed his name. The latter was well known, as there had been much speculation regarding his mysterious disappearance from the battlefield, and he was promptly sent as a prisoner to Federal headquarters. Upon his return to the service, he was promoted major, twentieth battalion Virginia artillery, and was offered the commission of brigadier-general, which he declined. He subsequently served in the ordnance bureau at Richmond.

Confederate Military History, Vol, III, pp. 691-692.

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