Willis J. Dance

Willis Dance served as a Confederate artillerist in the American Civil War.

Pre-War

Willis Jefferson Dance was born in Virginia on June 21, 1821. In 1860, Dance lived in Eggleston's District in Powhatan County, Virginia, using the Post Office at Powhatan Court House. Age 38, he was married to Margaret C. Dance, age 37. Dance had real estate valued at $3,500 and personal property valued a $10,000. He was an attorney and a slave owner.

Civil War

After the outbreak of war, Willis Dance was commissioned captain of the Powhatan Light Artillery on July 16, 1861. He commanded his battery in the Army of Northern Virginia. His battery served in the First Virginia Light Artillery under J. Thompson Brown at the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Fredericksburg in BG William N. Pendleton’s artillery reserve. At Fredericksburg, Dance’s battery sent guns to help Major John Pelham protect the far right of Stonewall Jackson’s corps.[1]

Brown’s command served in the artillery reserve of Jackson’s corps, under Col Stapleton Crutchfield at the Battle of Chancellorsville. With the promotion of Col Brown to command of the artillery reserve of Richard S. Ewell’s II Corps, Dance became acting commander of his artillery battalion in the Gettysburg Campaign. Guns from his battalion were engaged on Seminary Ridge on July 2 and 3, 1863 during the Battle of Gettysburg. These batteries were engaged against federal batteries on Cemetery Hill.[2]

Dance returned to battery command after Gettysburg. He was in BG Armistead L. Long’s artillery command in Ewell’s corps. The battalion was led by Ltc Robert A. Hardaway. Dance commanded his battery in the Overland Campaign and Early in the Siege of Petersburg. Capt Dance was wounded at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in September of 1864 shortly after the fall of Fort Harrison.

Capt Dance was promoted to the rank of major while convalescing on March 1, 1865.

Post War

Willis Dance died on February 13, 1887. Some of letters from his sister can be found in the Virginia Eppes (Dance) Campbell, Papers, 1858–1865, of the [[Virginia Historical Society.[ http://www.vahistorical.org/cwg/c.htm]

Sources

Sommers, Richard J., Richmond Redeemed: The Siege at Petersburg, Doubleday, 1981, ISBN 0-385-15626-X.
Wise, Jennings C., The Long Arm of Lee: the History of the Artillery of the Army of Northern Virginia, New York, Oxford University Press, 1959.