From: Confederate Military History Extended Edition.  Edited by Gen. 
Clement A. Evans of Georgia.  Wilmington, NC. Broadfoot Publishing 
Company, 1987; pages 234-235.

*CAPTAIN ROBERT McELDOWNEY*

Captain Robert MeEldowney, of New Martinsville, W. Va., as a member 
of the famous Stonewall brigade of the army of Northern Virginia, had 
a long and distinguished career in the Confederate war. He was born 
at Martinsville in 1837, and was educated at the Moundsville academy 
and Marietta college, leaving the latter institution in the midst of 
his course to enlist in the Virginia troops. He became a member of 
the Shriver Grays, organized in the Panhandle district, and 
subsequently assigned as Company G to the Twenty-seventh Virginia 
infantry regiment, and the brigade of Gen. T. J. Jackson. Three or 
four months after his enlistment Private McEldowney was promoted 
orderly-sergeant; in March, 1862, he was made first lieutenant, any 
in less than a year became captain of his company, the rank in which 
he served during the remainder of the war, though in the latter two 
years of his service he was frequently in command of his regiment. 
After first joining the command of General Jackson in the Shenandoah 
valley he participated in the Bath-Romney expedition in January, 
1862, and in the following spring shared the fatigues and hard 
fighting of the famous Valley campaign, taking part in the opening 
engagement at Kernstown, and the following battles of McDowell, Front 
Royal, Winchester and Port Republic. Then, transferred to the scene 
of war before Richmond, he was in the actions at Gaines' Mill, White 
Oak swamp and Malvern Hill, against McClellan. Subsequently in the 
northward movement of Jackson's corps, he fought at Cedar mountain, 
and in the battle of Second Manassas received a severe wound in the 
right foot, which, though it did not prevent him from taking part in 
the action at Chantilly, caused his subsequent disability until 
September 17, 1862, when he rejoined his company in time to 
participate in the battle of Sharpsburg, Md. He fought with Jackson's 
corps at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville,and then under Ewell, 
participated in the defeat of Milroy at Winchester and the campaign 
in Pennsylvania. On the third day of the battle of Gettysburg a rifle 
ball struck the rim of a buckskin purse in his pocket, inflicting a 
contused wound, which disabled him for several weeks. He took part in 
the battle of Mine Run, in the fall of 1863, and in the following May 
went into the campaign against Grant, receiving a wound in the right 
arm on the first day at the Wilderness, but continuing in the field, 
and fighting subsequently at Spottsylvania Court House and Bethesda 
church.  After the army reached Cold Harbor, he went with the remnant 
of his division, under command of General Terry, to the valley of 
Virginia, took part in the repulse of the Federals from Lynchburg, 
and joined in Early's expedition against Washington, fighting at the 
Monocacy and skirmishing under the guns of the United States capital 
defenses.  Returning from this arduous work he was compelled to take 
a sick furlough of two weeks, but was with his men again in the 
battle of Winchester, September 19th, and the fights at Fisher's Hill 
and Cedar Creek. Again with the main army on the Petersburg lines he 
took part in the battle of Hatcher's Run, February, 1865, and was one 
of the heroic men who made the sally against Fort Steadman on March 
25th. While inside the Federal works and crossing the second traverse 
he received a wound in the left leg which prevented further active 
service during the few days which the war continued.  In this fight 
he commanded his regiment, which was reduced to 58 men. He remained 
at Stuart hospital, Richmond, until the month of June, when he was 
paroled, and returned via Washington to his home. Going to 
Philadelphia he found employment in a wholesale house for three, 
years, and after this, at Wheeling, he served three years as ticket 
agent of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Meantime he prepared himself 
for the practice of law, and since making his home at New 
Martinsville again in 1871, he has continued in that profession; 
also, since 1879, conducting the Democrat newspaper, at that town.  
In 1874-75 he represented Wetzel county in the State legislature. 
Captain McEldowney was married in 1884 to Anna L. Smith, of 
Pittsburg, and they have one child, Geraldine.

(Linda Fluharty)