Corporal William Simmons and Private Stephen Simmons, both of Co. C (Dooly Volunteers), 45th Georgia Infantry Regiment. The brothers were present for duty with their regiment during its three Peninsular Campaign engagements at Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill and Frayser's Farm in late June 1862. William, at age 27 the older of the two, probably won his corporal's stripes during one of these actions. Both were also in the ranks on the oppressively hot afternoon of 9 August 1862, together with 150 other men of the 45th Georgia who had not succumbed to the heat while slogging to the battlefield north of Slaughter's (Cedar) Mountain. Arriving at the "double-quick" on the right of Early's brigade on the southern portion of the field of battle, they swung into action immediately by lining up behind a fence on rising ground overlooking a field of tall corn. There, they proceeded to maul the Yankees struggling up through the corn: men of the 102nd New York and the 109th Pennsylvania. After firing all of their ammunition into the blue-coated ranks, they searched the bodies of the dead for more. But the 45th Georgia also took incoming fire: the regiment lost 8 men killed and 40 wounded on that sweltering late August afternoon. One of those killed outright was Private Stephen Simmons, aged about 21 years. Stephen's remains were buried on the field of battle near the Crittenden House, in a mass grave together with his fallen comrades. William suffered a gunshot wound and was transported 50 miles to the General Hospital in Charlottesville. After lingering six months, William passed away on 16 February 1863. His remains are located in the Confederate cemetery on the campus of the University of Virginia. The 45th Georgia was engaged along the far ridgeline in this period photograph.