Brigadier-General William Nelson Pendleton, of Virginia, like Bishop Polk, of the Western army, entered the service of the Confederacy from the service of the church. He was born at Lexington, Va., December 23, 1808, and was appointed to the United States military academy in i826, where he formed a close friendship with R. E. Lee and Jeff erson Davis. He was graduated in 1830 and began 'service in the garrison at Augusta, Ga., with the rank of second lieutenant of artillery. Subsequently he served one year as assistant professor of mathematics at West Point, and with the artillery at Fort Hamilton, until 1833, when he resigned and became professor of mathematics in Bristol college, Pa., later becoming connected with the faculty of Delaware college. In 1837 he became a clergyman in the Episcopal church, in which he continued with distinction during the remainder of his life, receiving the degree of doctor of divinity. During the period of 1861-65, however, his talents were given to the defense of Virginia and the Confederacy. He entered the service as captain of a Lexington company, and in a few weeks was commissioned captain, corps of artillery, C. S. A. He served in command of the Rockbridge artillery until a short time before the battle of First Manassas, when he was promoted colonel and made chief of artillery of the army under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Arriving on the field of Manassas with Johnston's command, he promptly brought his artillery into action in support of the Confederate left, where the battle was raging the hottest, and rendered effective service. It is told that he paused before his first order to fire to say with solemn reverence, "Lord, have mercy on their souls. " From this time he continued in command of the artillery under Johnston, with promotion to the rank of brigadier-general, and after Lee took charge of the army of Northern Virginia, he served under him in the same capacity until the close of the war. Before the Pennsylvania campaign he had given the artillery an excellent organization, and under his direction it rendered telling service in the great artillery duels at Gettysburg. Through the remainder of the struggle he did his duty with devotion, and in the final retreat from Petersburg brought-.off his guns, making gallant stands against the enemy at Rice's Station and Farmville. During the night of April 8th, part of his command, under General Walker, was captured. On the 9th the artillery took part in a spirited attack upon the enemy, but hostilities were soon arrested, and he, with General Longstreet and General Gordon, represented the Confederate army in arranging the details of the surrender. Meanwhile, General Pendleton had continued to hold his ministerial charge at Lexington, and while on military duty had exercised his spiritual privileges. After the war he resumed his post at Lexington, where General Lee was a vestry-man of his parish. He represented Virginia in the general convention of his church, both before and after the war, and received the degree of doctor of divinity in 1868. His only son, Col. "Sandie" Pendleton, was a member of Stonewall Jackson's staff, and fell mortally wounded at the battle of Winchester, in September, 1864. General Pendleton passed away January 15, 1883.
Confederate Military History, Vol. III, pp. 649-650.
