James Cunningham had two brothers in the Confederate Army, James L., wounded and captured at Gettysburg, and Charles A. was killed at the Battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864.
Note: Two brothers named James? The article did not give a last name for James L., so perhaps it was a step or a half brother?
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Captain James N. CUNNINGHAM was born in Berkeley County, West Virginia. He joined the Confederate Army April 19, 1861, and was a Corporal in John B. Hoge’s Cavalry, a company organized of
Berkeley County men. That company became Company B, 1st Virginia Cavalry, Stewart’s Brigade. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1862. While taking 317 Federal prisoners to camp, Lieutenant Cunningham and his men
were met near Beaver’s Dam Station by Sheridan’s command, overpowered, and all the federal prisoners were released. He and most of his men escaped capture. The following day at the Battle of Yellow Caverns, Captain Hammond
of Company B was killed and Lieutenant Cunningham was promoted to Captain and continued in that position until the end of the war, participating in many engagements, including first Battle of Manassas, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg,
Sharpsburg, Tom’s Brook, Fredericksburg, Spottsylvania, Wilderness, Beaver’s Dam, Brandy Station, Yellow Tavern, Woodstock, and Front Royal.
Submitted by Marilyn Gouge and extracted from History of Berkeley County, West Virginia, 1928