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Captain Robert Gaines Haile
Capt. Robt Gaines Haile Jr The son of Captain Robert Gaines Haile Sr of the war of 1812, and Elizabeth [Beeckner?]Haile was born at Beavers Hill Essex County on April 1st 1832. Here he spent his early life. In 1856 he married Mary [?] Burke to this Union three were born three children Lucy Emma, Susie Burke and Bettie Buckour. In the early days of the war between the states Captain Haile volunteered & joined the company of Essex volunteers gotten up by Thomas Burke a V.M.I. student. Capt Haile served with Company F of the 55th Regiment. He received a mortal wound in the Battle of June the 30th 1862 at Gaines Mill near Richmond & spent a night of anguish on that bloody field from which he was borne to a Hospital in the city - but thro the intervention of friends was removed to the private home of Mr. [Barnal?] where after [?] attention of friends & kindred & [?] physicians failed to heal him - he breathed his last on the 26th of July 1862. His remains were conveyed to Beavers Hill (the place of his birth & [?] years)for interment. Where among weeping relatives & friends the services were per- formed. Captain Haile only thirty years of age fell another martyr to the cause of the South. Another added to the long list of Heroes who trod the same glorious - but bloody path. He was a useful man, highly esteemed & loved in his county - he was a gentleman, a patriot and above all a Christian. He left to mourn his death a wive & three young children, and aged Father, mother & brothers & sisters. "He shall not grow old as we that are left grow old - age shall not weary them - nor the years condemn. In the going down of the sun & in the morning, we shall remember them" the following is a copy of his unfinished Diary written during the Seven days battle around Richmond
June the 2nd 1862 Day before yesterday we were visited by a severe thunderstorm commencing about 5 oclock in the evening & continuing until a late hour in the night. The large quantity of water that fell has caused the Chickahominy to overflow. Yesterday I could hear the reports of cannon and small arms very distinctly. It seemed to be a considerable distance below the meadow bridges. It is reported that a larger force of the enemy are on their side of the river & that the bridges they crossed on are washed away, thereby cutting them off from reinforcements. They were attacked by our forces yesterday. The news was that we had repulsed them three times & taken three of their batteries. This morning the fight has commenced again, I've just gotten back from a Hill from which there is a very fine view of the surrounding country. While there I could hear a perpetual roar of small arms & cannon & could see very distinctly a baloon on the opposite side of the river, sent out by the yankees to find out our position. I could see a man very plainly in the basket. Our Brigade is stationed here to guard the Central Railroad bridge which crosses the Chickahominy. At this place about 1 o'clock today we received orders to strike tents & get ready to leave. After packing every thing up & the men put on their knapsacks, another order was received ordering us to unpack our tents and raise our tents again. The men declared they would not unpack them again before night, for fear of having to strike them again. I walked to Gen. Field's headquarters just now in front of Mrs. [G?} place. I found Andrew [Whitacker?] there, he was staying there as courier for the Gen. We took a seat under the shade on the road, had been there but a short time before Gen Anderson's brigade came marching by, judging from appearances they seemed a most excited one. The men looked as if they could do good fighting. The weather today is sultry & hot & the men seemed to suffer very much from it. It took fully an hour for the Brigade to pass. It almost made my head giddy, the constant tramp of the men as they passed by.
