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 THE JAMES VERNER SCAIFE 
 
 COLLECTION 
 
 CIVIL WAR LITERATURE 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 JAMES VERNER SCAIFE 
 
 CLASS OF 1889 
 
 1919 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026470991 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 KERSHAW'S BRIGADE, 
 
 WITH 
 
 COMPLETE ROLL OF COMPANIES, 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, 
 
 INCIDENTS, ANECDOTES, ETC. 
 
 BY 
 
 D. AUGUSTUS DICKERT. 
 
 INTRODUCTION BY 
 
 ASSOCIATE JUSTICE Y. J. POPE. 
 
 NEWBERRY, S. C. 
 
 Elbert H. Aull Company. 
 
 1899. 
 
A.^'E^idi, 
 
 Kntered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1899, 
 
 By ElyBKRT H. AULI^ CO., 
 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress, 
 
 At Washington, D. C. 
 
To the soldiers of tl^e old pirst Brigade (I^ershaw's), 
 of the pirst Division of the pirst Corps of the flrmy of 
 I>lorthern Virginia, this work is affectionately dedicated, 
 r?ot as a testimor;)ial of their worth, nor as a memorial of 
 tl^eir services, for tl^is is begor;id humai? pen ; but as a 
 sligl^t tribute to their trials, their er;)durance, their logaltg, 
 and their courage during the four gears in wl^ich tlpe 
 author had the hor;)or to call them, 
 
 COMt^flDE. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 More than thirty-four years have passed away since the soldiers who 
 composed the Second South Carolina Regiment of Infantry, the Third 
 South Carolina Regiment of Infantry, the Eighth South Carolina Regi- 
 ment of Infantry, the Fifteenth South Carolina Regiment of Infantry, 
 the Twentieth South Carolina Regiment of Infantry, and the Third 
 South Carolina Battalion of Infantry, which commands made up 
 Kershaw's Brigade, laid down their arms; and yet, until a short time ago, 
 no hand has been raised to perpetuate its history. This is singular, 
 when it is remembered how largely the soldiers of this historic brigade 
 contributed to win for the State of South Carolina the glory rightfully 
 hers, by reason of the splendid heroism of her sons in the war between 
 the States, from the year 1861 to that of 1865. If another generation 
 had been allowed to pass, it is greatly feared that the power to supply 
 the historian with the information requisite to this work would have 
 passed away forever. 
 
 The work which assumes to perpetuate the history of Kershaw's 
 Brigade should not be a skeleton, consisting of an enumeration of the 
 battles, skirmishes, and marches which were participated in —with the 
 names of the commanding officers. What is needed is not a skeleton, 
 but a body with all its members, so to speak. It should be stated who 
 they were, the purposes which animated these men in becoming soldiers, 
 how they lived in camp and on the march, how they fought, how they 
 died and where, with incidents of bravery in battle, and of fun in camp. 
 No laurels must be taken from the brow of brave comrades in other com- 
 mands; but the rights of the soldiers of Kershaw's Brigade must be 
 jealously upheld — everyone of these rights. To do this work, will 
 require that the writer of this history shall have been identified with this 
 command during its existence — he must have been a soldier. Again, he 
 must be a man who acts up to his convictions; no toady nor any apolo- 
 gist is desired. If he was a Confederate soldier from principle, say so, 
 and apologize to no one for the fact. If he loved his State and the 
 Southland and wished their independence, say so, and "forget not the 
 field where they perished." Lastly, he ought to have the ability to tell 
 the story well. 
 
 The friends of Captain D. Augustus Dickert, who commanded Com- 
 pany H of the Third South Carolina Regiment of Infantry, are confident 
 that he possesses all the quality essential to this work. He was a splen- 
 did soldier — brave in battle, clear-headed always, and of that equilibrium 
 of temperament that during camp life, amid the toil of the march, and in 
 battle the necessity for discipline was recognized and enforced with 
 justice and impartiality. He was and is a patriot. His pen is graceful. 
 
yet strong. When he yielded to the importunities of his comrades that 
 he would write this history, there was only one condition that he in- 
 sisted upon, and that was that this should be solely a work of love. 
 Captain Dickert has devoted years to the gathering together of the mate- 
 rials for this history. Hence, the readers are now prepared to expect a 
 success. Maybe it will be said this is the finest history of the war! 
 
 Y. J. POPB. 
 Newberry, S. C, August 7, 1899. 
 
AUTHOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT. 
 
 Comrades: Years ago I was asked by the members of a local camp 
 (James D. Nance Camp, United Confederate Veterans, Newberry, S. C.,) 
 of Veterans to write a history of Kershaw's "Old First Brigade in the 
 Civil War," in order that the part taken by you in that memorable 
 struggle might be transmitted to posterity through the instrumentality 
 of a proud and loving participant in all the events that went to make up 
 the life of an organization second to none, that has ever stood face to 
 face with an invading foe upon the face of earth. 
 
 This request was not based upon a supposition of superior educational 
 qualifications on my part, for the parties who made it know that my 
 school days ended -at twelve, and that the time usually devoted to instruc- 
 tion of youth was spent by many of us, from '6i to '65, on the northern 
 side of Richmond. Consequently, to the love that I treasure in my 
 heart for the "Old First" is due whatever of distinction attaches to the 
 position of recorder of actions which prove the worth and heroism of 
 each constituent part of the brigade. In accepting this trust I shall 
 repress all desire for rhetorical display. I will not even attempt to do 
 that justice,' which is beyond the power of mortals; but shall simply try 
 to be your faithful chronicler or recorder of facts as they appeared to 
 me and others, who have so kindly assisted me in the compilation of 
 these records, and shall confine myself to the effort to attain my highest 
 ambition — absolute correctness. It is true that inaccuracies may have 
 crept in; but these will be found to be mostly among proper names — due 
 in a great measure to the illegibility of the manuscripts furnished me by 
 correspondents. Again, apparent errors will be explained, when it is 
 recalled to your minds that no two men see the same circumstance from 
 the same standpoint. Honest differences will appear, no matter how 
 trivial the facts are upon which they are based. 
 
 I have endeavored to be fair and just, and in so doing have laid aside 
 a soldier's pardonable pride in his own regiment, and have accorded 
 "honor to whom honor was due." Despite all that maybe alleged to 
 the contrary, ours was not a "War of the Roses," of brother against 
 brother, struggling for supremacy; but partook more of the nature of the 
 inhuman contest in the Netherlands, waged by the unscrupulous and 
 crafty Duke of Alva at the instance Philip (the Good!), or rather like 
 that in which the rich and fruitful Province of the Palatine was sub- 
 jected to fire and rapine under the mailed hand of that monster of 
 iniquity — Turenne. 
 
 How well the men of Kershaw's Brigade acted their part, how proudly 
 they faced the foe, how grandly they fought, how nobly they died, I 
 shall attempt not to depict; and yet— 
 
Could heart and brain and hand and pen 
 But bring to earth and life again 
 
 The scenes of old, 
 Then all the world might know and see; 
 Your deeds on scrolls of fame would be 
 
 Inscribed in gold 
 
 I am indebted to many of the old comrades for their assistance, most 
 notably Judge Y. J. Pope, of the Third South Carolina; Colonel Wm. 
 Wallace, of the Second; Captain l,. A. Waller, for the Seventh; Captains 
 Malloy, Harllee, and Mclutyre, of the Eighth; Captain D. J. Griffith and 
 Private Charles Blair, of the Fifteenth; Colonel Rice and Captain Jen- 
 nings, of the Third Battalion, and many others of the Twentieth. But 
 should this volume prove of interest to any of the "Old Brigade," and 
 should there be any virtue in it, remember it belongs to Y. J. Pope. 
 Thrice have I laid down my pen, after meeting with so- many rebuffs; 
 but as often taken it up after the earnest solicitation of the former 
 Adjutant of the Third, who it was that urged me on to its completion. 
 
 To the publisher, E H. Aull, too much praise cannot be given. He 
 has undertaken the publication of this work on his individual convic- 
 tions of its merit, and with his sole conviction that the old comrades 
 would sustain the efforts of the author. Furthermore, he has under- 
 taken it on his, own responsibility, without one dollar in sight — a recom- 
 pence for time, material, and labor being one of the remotest possi- 
 bilities. 
 
 D. AUGUSTUS DICKERT. 
 
 Newberry, S. C, August 15, 1899. 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 SECESSION. 
 Its Causes and Results. 
 
 The secession bell rang out in vSouth Carolina on tbe 20th of 
 December, i860, not to summon the men to arms, nor to 
 prepare the State for war. There was no conquest that the 
 State wished to make, no foe on her border, no enemy to 
 punish. L,ike th(e liberty bell of the revolution that electrified 
 the colonies from North to South, the bell of secession 
 put the people of the State in a frenzy from the mountains to 
 the sea. It announced to the world that South Carolina would 
 be free — that her people had thrown off the yoke of the Union 
 that bound the States together in an unholy alliance. For 
 years the North had been making encroachments upon the 
 South; the general government grasping, with a greedy hand, 
 those rights and prerogatives, which belonged to the States 
 alone, with a recklessness only equalled by Great Britain 
 towards the colonies; began absorbing all of the rights guaran- 
 teed to the State by the fconstitution, and tending towards a 
 strong and centralized government. They had made assaults 
 upon our institutions, torn away the barriers that protected 
 our sovereignty. So reckless and daring had become these 
 assaults, that on more than one occasion the States of the 
 South threatened dissolution of the Union. But with such 
 master minds as .Clay, Webster, and Calhoun in the councils 
 of the nation, the calamity was averted for the time. The 
 North had broken compact after compact, promises after 
 promises, until South Carolina determined to act upon those 
 rights she had retained for herself in the formation of the 
 Union, and which the general government guaranteed to all, 
 and withdrew when that Union no longer served the purposes 
 for which it was formed. 
 
 Slavery, it has been said, was the cause of the war. Inci- 
 dentally it may have been, but the real cause was far removed 
 from the institution of slavery. That institution existed at 
 
10 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the formation of the Union, or compact. It had existed for 
 several hundred years, and in every State; the federation was 
 fully cognizant of the fact when the agreement of the Union 
 was reached. They promised not to disturb it, and allow 
 each State to control it as it seemed best. Slavery was grad- 
 ually but surely dying out. Along the border States it 
 scarcely existed at all, and the mighty hand of an All-wise 
 Ruler could be plainly seen in the gradual emancipation of all 
 the slaves on the continent. It had begun in the New 
 England States then. In the Carribbean Sea and South 
 America emancipation had been gradually closing in upon the 
 small compass of the Southern States, and that by peaceful 
 measures, and of its own volition; so much so that it would 
 have eventually died out, could not be denied by any who 
 would look that far into the future, and judge that future by 
 the past. The South looked with alarm and horror at a 
 wholesale emancipation, when they viewed its havoc and 
 destruction in Hayti and St. Domingo, where once existed 
 beautiful homes and luxuriant fields, happy families and 
 general progress; all this wealth, happiness, and prosperity 
 had been swept away from those islands as by a deadly blight. 
 Ruin, squalor, and beggary now stalks through those once 
 fair lauds. 
 
 A party sprang up at the North inimical to the South; at first 
 onl3' a speck upon the horizon, a single sail in a vast ocean; but 
 it grew and spread like contagion. They were first called agi- 
 tators, and consisted of a few fanatics, both women and men, 
 whose avowed object was emancipation — to do by human 
 hands that which an All-wise Providence wa.s surely doing in 
 His own wise way. At first the South did not look with any 
 misgivings upon the fanatics. But when Governors of North- 
 ern States, leading statesmen in the councils of the nation, 
 announced this as their creed and guide, then the South began 
 to consider seriously the subject of secession. Seven Gover- 
 nors and their legislatures at the North had declared, by acts 
 regularly passed and ratified, their determination "not to 
 allow the laws of the land to be administered or carried out in 
 their States." They made preparation to nullify the laws of 
 Congress and the constitution. That party, which was first 
 called "Agitators," but now took the name of "Republicans" 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 11 
 
 — called at the South the "black Republicans" — had grown to 
 such proportions that they put in the field candidates for 
 President and Vice-President of the United States. Numbers 
 increased with each succeeding campaign. In the campaign 
 of i860 they put Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin 
 forward as their standard bearers, and whose avowed purpose 
 was the "the liberation of the slaves, regardless of the con- 
 sequences." This party had spies all over the Southern 
 States, and these emisaries incited insurrection, taught the 
 slaves "that by rising at night and murdering their old 
 masters and their families, they would be doing God's will;" 
 that "it was a duty they owed to their children;" this "butch- 
 ery of the sleeping and innocent whites was the road to free- 
 dom." In Virginia they sent down armed bands of whites, 
 roused the negroes at night, placed guns, pikes, and arms of 
 every kind in the hands of the poor, deluded creatures, and in 
 that one night they butchered, in cold blood, the families of 
 some of the best men in the State. These cold blooded butch- 
 eries would have done credit to the most cruel and blood 
 thirsty of the primeval savages of the forest. These deeds 
 were heralded all over the North as "acts of God, done by the 
 hands of men." The leader of this diabolical plan and his 
 compeers were sainted by their followers and admirers, and 
 praises sung over him all over the North, as if over the death 
 of saints. By a stupendous blunder the people of the South, 
 and the friends of the Union generally , allowed this party to 
 elect Ivincoln and Hamlin. The South now had no alterna- 
 tive. Now she must either remain in a Union, where our 
 institutions were to be dragged down; where the laws were to 
 be obeyed in one section, but not in another; where existed 
 open resistance to laws in one State and quiet obedience in 
 another; where servile insurrections were being threatened 
 continuously; where the slaves were aided and abetted by 
 whites at the North in the butcheries of their families; or 
 seiede a7id fight. These were the alternatives on the one part, 
 or a severance from the Union and its consequences on the 
 other. From the very formation of the government, two con- 
 structions were put upon this constitution — the South not 
 viewing this compact with that fiery zeal, or fanatical adula- 
 tion, as they did at the North. The South looked upon it 
 
12 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 more as a confederation of States for mutual protection in 
 times of danger, and a general advancement of those interests 
 where the whole were concerned. Then, again, the vast 
 accumulation of wealth in the Southern States, caused by the 
 the overshadowing of all other commodities of commerce — 
 cotton— created a jealousy at the North that nothing but the 
 prostration of the South, the shattering of her commerce, 
 the destruction of her homes, and the freedom of her slaves, 
 could answer. The wealth of the South had become a 
 proverb, The "Wealthy Southern Planter" had become an 
 eyesore to the North, and to humble her haughty pride, as the 
 North saw it, was to free her slaves. As one of the first 
 statesmen of the South has truly said, "The seeds of the Civil 
 War were sown fifty years before they were born who fought 
 her battles." 
 
 A convention was called to meet in Columbia, in December, 
 i860, to frame a new constitution, and to take such steps as 
 were best suited to meet the new order of things that would 
 be brought about by this fanatical partj^ soon to be at the 
 head of the government. Feeling ran high — people were 
 excited — everywhere the voice of the people was for secession. 
 The women of the South, who would naturally be the first 
 sufferers if the programrne of the "Agitators" were carried 
 out, were loud in their cries for separation. Some few people 
 were in favor of the South moving in a body, and a feeble 
 opposition ticket for the delegates to the convention was put in 
 the field. These were called "Co-operationists," i. e., in favor 
 of secession, but to await a union with the other Southern 
 States. These were dubbed by the most fiery zealots of seces- 
 sion, "Submissionists" in derision. The negroes, too, scented 
 freedom from afar. The old cooks, mammas, house servants, 
 and negro eavesdroppers gathered enough of "freedom of 
 slaves," "war," "secession," to cause the negroes to think 
 that a great measure was on loot somewhere, that had a direct 
 bearing on their long looked for Messiah — "Freedom." Vigi- 
 lance committees sprung up all over the South, to watch par- 
 ties of Northern sentiment, or sympathy, and exercise a more 
 guarded scrutiny over the acts of the negroes. Companies 
 were organized in towns and cities, who styled themselves 
 "Minute Men," and rosettes, or the letters "M. M.," adorned 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 13 
 
 the lapels of the coats worn by those ia favor of secession. 
 The convention met in Columbia, but for some local cause it 
 was removed to Charleston. After careful deliberation, a new 
 constitution was framed and the ordinance of secession was 
 passed without a dissenting voice, on the 20th of December, 
 i860, setting forth the State's grievances and acting upon her 
 rights, declaring South Carolina's connection with the Union 
 at an end. It has been truly said, that this body of men who 
 passed the ordinance of secession was one of the most deliber- 
 ate, representative, and talented that had ever assembled in 
 the vState of South Carolina. When the news flashed over the 
 wires the people were in a frenzy of delight and excitement — 
 bells tolled, cannons boomed, great parades took place, and 
 orators from street corners and hotel balconies harrangued the 
 people. The ladies wore palmetto upon their hats or dresses, 
 and showed by every way possible their earnestness in the 
 great drama that was soon to be enacted upon the stage 
 events. Drums beat, men marched through the streets, ban- 
 ners waved and dipped, ladies from the windows and from the 
 housetops waved handkerchiefs or flags to the enthusiastic 
 throng moving below. The bells from historic old St. 
 Michael's, in Charleston, were never so musical to the ears of 
 the people as when they pealed out the chimes that told of 
 secession. The war was on. 
 
 Still with all this enthusiasm, the sober-headed, patriotic 
 element of the South regretted the necessity of this dissolu- 
 tion. They, too, loved the Union their ancestors had helped 
 to make — they loved the name, the glory, and the prestige won 
 by their forefathers upon the bloody field of the revolution. 
 While they did not view this Union as indispensable to their 
 existence, they loved and reverenced the flag of their 
 country. As a people, they loved the North; as a nation, 
 they gloried. in her past and future possibilities. The dust of 
 their ancestors mingled in imperishable fame with those of the 
 North. In the peaceful "Godsacre" or on the fields of 
 carnage they were ever willing to ,'ihare with them their great- 
 ness, and equally enjoyed those of their own, but denied to 
 them the rights to infringe upon the South 's possessions or 
 rights of statehood. We all loved the Union, but we loved it 
 as it was formed and made a compact by the blood of our 
 
14 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 ancestors. Not as contorted and misconstrued by dema- 
 gogueism and fanaticism. We almost deified the flag of the 
 Union, under whose folds it was made immortal by the 
 Huguenots, the Roundheads, the Cavaliers, and men of every 
 faith and conviction in the crowning days of the revolution. 
 The deeds of her great men, the history of the past, were an 
 equal heritage of all^we felt bound together by natural bonds 
 equal to the ties of blood or kindred. We loved her towering 
 mountains, her rolling prairies, her fertile fields, her enchant- 
 ing scenery, her institutions, her literature and arts, all; all 
 were equally the South's as well as the North's. Not for one 
 moment would the South pluck a rose from the flowery wreath 
 of our goddess of liberty and place itiipou the brow of our 
 Southland alone. The Mississippi, rising among the hills and 
 lakes of the far North, flowing through the fertile valleys of 
 the South, was to all our "Mother Nile." The great Rocky 
 Mountains and Sierra Nevada chained our Western border 
 together from Oregon to the Rio Grande. The Cumberland, 
 the Allegheny, and the Blue Ridge, lifting their heads up from 
 among the verdant fields of Vermont, stretching southward, 
 until from their southern summit at "l/ookout" could be 
 viewed the borderland of the gulf. In the sceneries of these 
 mountains, their legends and traditions, they were to all the 
 people of the Union what Olympus was to the ancients. 
 Where the Olympus was the haunts, the wooing places of the 
 gods of the ancient Greeks, the Apalachian was the reveling 
 grounds for the muses of song and story of the North and 
 South alike. And while the glories of the virtues of Greece 
 and Rome, the birthplace of republicanism and liberty, may 
 have slept for centuries, or died out entirely, that spirit of 
 national liberty and personal freedom was transplanted to the 
 shores of the New World, and nowhere was the spirit of 
 freedem more cherished and fostered than in the bright and 
 sunny lands of the South. The flickering torch of freedom, 
 borne by those sturdy sons of the old world to the new, nowhere 
 took such strong and rapid growth as did that planted by the 
 Huguenots on the soil of South Carolina. Is it any wonder, 
 then, that a people with such high ideals, such lofty spirits, 
 such love of freedom, would tamely submit to a Union where 
 such ideals and spirits were so lightly considered as by those 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. 15 
 
 who were now in charge of the governiiient — where onr women 
 and children were to be at the mercies of a brutal race, with all 
 of their passions aroused for rapine and bloodshed; where we 
 would be continually threatened or subjected to a racial 
 war, one of supremacy; where promises were made to 
 be broken, pledges given to be ignored; where laws made for 
 all were to be binding only on those who chose to obey? Such 
 were some of the conditions that confronted South Carolina 
 and her sister States at this time, and forced them into meas- 
 ures that brought about the most stupendous civil war in 
 modern or ancient times. 
 
 To sum up: It was not love for the Union, but jealousy of 
 the South's wealth. It was not a spirit of humanity towards 
 the slaves, but a hatred of the South, her chivalry, her honor, 
 and her integrity. A quality wanting in the one is always 
 hated in that of the other. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 ENROLMENT OF TROOPS. 
 
 Troops Gathered at Charleston — First Service 
 as a Volunteer. 
 
 The Legislature, immediately after the passage of the ordi- 
 nance of secession, authorized the Governor to organize ten 
 regiments of infantry for State service. Some of these regi- 
 ments were enlisted for twelve months, while Gregg's, the First, 
 was for six, or, as it was understood at the time, its main duties 
 were the taking of Sumter. The first regiments so formed 
 were: First, Gregg's; Second, Kershaw's; Third, Williams'; 
 Fourth, Sloan's; Fifth, Jenkins'; Sixth, Rion's; Seventh, 
 Bacon's: Eighth, Cash's; Ninth, Blanding's; besides a regi- 
 ment of regulars and some artillery and cavalry companies. 
 There existed a nominal militia in the State, and numbered by 
 battalions and regiments. These met every three months by 
 companies and made some feeble attempts at drilling, or "mus- 
 tering," as it was called. To the militia was intrusted the 
 
16 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 care of internal police of the State. Each company was 
 divided into squads, with a captain, whose duties were to do 
 the policing of the neighborhood, called "patrolling." They 
 would patrol the country during Sundays, and occasionally at 
 nights, to prevent illegal assemblies of negroes, and also to 
 prevent them from being at large without permission of their 
 masters. But this system had dwindled down to a farce, and 
 was only engaged in by some of the youngsters, more in a spirit 
 of fun and frolic than to keep order in the neighborhood. 
 The real duties of the militia of the State consisted of an 
 annual battalion and regimental parade, called ' 'battalion 
 muster" and "general muster." This occasioned a lively 
 turnout of the people, both ladies and gentlemen, not con- 
 nected with the troops, to witness the display of officers' 
 uniforms, and bright caparisoned steeds, the stately tread of 
 the "muster men," listen to the rattle of the drums and inspir- 
 ing strains of the fifes, and horns of the rural bands. 
 
 From each battalion a company was formed for State ser- 
 vice. These companies elected their captains and field 
 officers, the general officers being appointed by the Governor. 
 Immediately after the call of the Governor for troops, a 
 great military spirit swept the country, volunteer companies 
 sprang up like magic all over the land, each anxious to enter 
 the service of the State and share the honor of going to war. 
 Up to this time, few thought there would be a conflict. 
 Major Anderson, U. S. A., then on garrison duty at Fort 
 Moultrie, heard of the secession of the State, and (whether by 
 orders or his own volition, is not known and immaterial,) 
 left Fort Moultrie, after spiking the guns and destroying 
 the carriages; took possession of Fort Sumter. The State 
 government looked with some apprehension upon this ques- 
 tionable act of Maj. Anderson's. Fort Sumter stood upon 
 grounds of the State, ceded to the United States for purposes 
 of defence. South Carolina now claimed the property, and 
 made demands upon Maj. Anderson and the government at 
 Washington for its restoration. This was refused. 
 
 Ten companies, under Col. Maxcy Gregg, were called to 
 Charleston for the purpose of retaking this fort by force of 
 arms, if peaceful methods failed. These companies were 
 raised mostly in towns and cities by officers who had been 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 17 
 
 commissioned by the Governor. College professors formed 
 companies of their classes, and hurried off to Charleston. Com- 
 panies of town and city volunteers offered their .services to the 
 Governor — all for six months, or until the fall of Sumter. 
 
 On the gth of January, 1861, the State was thrown into a 
 greater paroxism of excitement by the "Star of the West," a 
 Northern vessel, being fired on in the bay of Charleston by 
 State troops. This steamer, laden with supplies. for Sumter, 
 had entered the channel with the evident intention of rein- 
 forcing Anderson, when the Citadel guards, under Captain 
 Stevens, fired several shots across her bow, then she turned 
 about and sped away to the sea. In the meantime the old 
 battalions of militia had been called out at their respective 
 "muster grounds," patriotic speeches made, and a call or 
 volunteers made, Companies were easily formed and officers 
 elected. Usually in selecting the material for officers, prefer- 
 ence was given to soldiers of the Mexican war, graduates of 
 the military schools and the old militia of officers. These 
 companies met weekly, and were put through a course of 
 instructions in the old Macomb's tactics. In this way the ten 
 regiments were formed, but not called together until the coili- 
 mencement of the bombardment of Sumter, with the exception 
 of those troops enlisted for six months, now under Gregg at 
 Charleston, and a few volunteer companies of cavalry and 
 artillery. 
 
 The writer was preparing to enter school in a neighboring 
 county when the first wave of patriotism struck him. Captain 
 Walker's Company, from Newberry, of which I was a mem- 
 ber, had been ordered to Charleston with Gregg, and was 
 stationed at Morris' Island before I could get off. Two of my 
 brothers and myself had joined the compatiy made up from 
 the Thirty-ninth Battalion of State militia, and which after- 
 wards formed a part of the Third S. C. Volunteers (Colonel 
 Williams). But at that time, to a young mind like mine, the 
 war looked too remote for me to wait for this company to go, 
 so when on my way to school I boarded a train filled with 
 enthusiasts, some tardy soldiers on their way to join their 
 companies, and others to see, and if need be, "take old Ander- 
 son out of his den." Nothing on the train could be heard 
 but war, war — "taking of Sumter," "Old Anderson," and 
 2 
 
18 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 "Star of the West." Everyone was in a high glee— palmetto 
 cockades, brass buttons, uniforms, and gaudy epaulettes were 
 seen in every direction. This was more than a youthful 
 vision could withstand, so I directed, ray steps towards the seat 
 of war instead of school. By this time the city of Charleston 
 may be said to have been in a state of siege — none could leave 
 the islands or lands without a permit from the Governor or 
 the Adjutant and Inspect (ir General. The headquarters of 
 Governor Pickens and staff were in the rooms of the Charles- 
 ton Hotel, and to that place I immediately hied and presented 
 myself before those "August dignitaries," and asked permis- 
 sion to join my company on Morris' Island, but was refused. 
 First, on account of not having a permit of leave of absence 
 from my captain; secondly, on account of my youth (I then 
 being on the rise of 15); and thirdly, having no permission 
 from my parents. What a contrast with later years, when 
 boys of that age were pressed into service. The city of Char- 
 leston was ablaze with excitement, flags waved from the house 
 tops, the heavy tread of the embryo soldiers could be heard in 
 the streets, the corridors of hotels, and in all the public places. 
 The beautiful park on the water front, called the "Battery," 
 was thronged with people of every age and sex, straining 
 their eyes or looking through glasses out at Sumter, whose 
 bristling front was surmounted with cannon, her flags waving 
 defiance. Small boats and steamers dotted the waters of the 
 bay. Ordnance and ammunition were being hurried to the 
 islands. The one continual talk was "Anderson," "Fort 
 Sumter," and "war." While there was no spirit of bravado, 
 or of courting of war, there was no disposition to shirk it. A 
 strict guard wa.s kept at all the wharves, or boat landings, to 
 prevent any espionage on our movements or works. It will be 
 well to say here, that no moment from the day of secession to 
 the day the first gun was fired at Sumter, had been allowed to 
 pass without overtures being made to the government at 
 Washington for a peaceful solution of the momentous ques- 
 tion. Every effort that tact or diplomacy could invent was 
 resorted to, to have an amicable adjustment. Commissioners 
 had been sent to Washington, asking, urging, and almost 
 begging to be allowed to leave the Union, now odious to 
 the people of the State, without bloodshed. Commissioners 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 19 
 
 of the North came to Gharleston to treat for peace, but they 
 demanded peace without any concessions, peace with submis- 
 sion, peace with all the chances of a servile war. Some few 
 leaders at the North were willing to allow us the right, while 
 none denied it. The leading journal at the North said: "L,et 
 the erring sisters depart in peace." But all of our overtures 
 were rejected by the administration at Washington, and a 
 policy of evasion , or dilly-dallying, was kept up by those in 
 authority at the North. All the while active preparations 
 were going on to coerce the State by force of arms. During 
 this time other States seceded and joined South Carolina, and 
 formed the "Confederate States of America," with Jefferson 
 Davis as President, with the capital at Montgomery, Ala. 
 
 Being determined to reach my company, I boarded a 
 steamer, bound for Morris' Island, intending, if possible, to 
 avoid the guard. In this I was foiled. But after making 
 several futile attempts, I fell in with an officer of the First 
 South Carolina Regiment, who promised to pilot me over. 
 On reaching the lauding, at Cummings Point, I was to follow 
 his lead, as he had a passport, but in going down the gang 
 plank we were met by soldiers with crossed bayonets, deraaud- 
 ing "passports." The officer, true to his word, passed me 
 over, but then my trouble began. When I reached the shore 
 I lost my sponsor, and began to make inquiries for my com- 
 pany. When it was discovered that there was a stranger in 
 the camp without a passport, a corporal of the guards was- 
 called, I was placed under arrest, sent to the guardhouse, and 
 remained in durance vile until Captain Walker came to 
 release me. When I joined my company I found a few of my 
 old school-mates, the others were strangers. Everything that 
 met my eyes reminded me of war. Sentinels patrolled the 
 beach; drums beat; soldiers marching and countermarching; 
 great cannons being drawn along the beach, hundreds of men 
 pulling them by long ropes, or drawn by mule teams. Across 
 the bay we could see on Sullivan's Island men and soldiers 
 building a.nd digging out foundations for forts. Morris' 
 Island was lined from the lower point to the light house, with 
 batteries of heavy guns. To the youthful eye of a South- 
 erner, whose mind had been fierd by Southern sentiment and 
 literature of the day, by reading the stories of heroes and sol- 
 
20 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 diers in our old "Southern Reader," of the thrilling romances 
 of Marion and his men, by William Gilmore Simms, this 
 sight of war was enough to dazzle and startle to an enthusiasm 
 that scarcely knew any bounds. The South were "hero wor- 
 shipers." The stories of Washington and Putnam, of Valley 
 Forge, of Trenton, of Bunker Hill, and Lexington never 
 grew old, while men, women, and children never tired of 
 reading of the storming of Mexico, the siege of Vera Cruz, 
 the daring of the Southern troops at Moliiio del Rey. 
 
 My first duty as a soldier, I will never forget. I went with 
 a detail to Steven's Iron Battery ■ to build embrasures for the 
 forts there. This was done by filling cotton bags the size of 
 50-pound flour sacks with sand, placing them one upon the 
 top of the other at the opening where the mouths of cannons 
 projected, to prevent the loose earth from falling down and 
 filling in the openings. The sand was first put upon common 
 wheel-barrows and rolled up single planks in a zig-zag way to 
 the top of the fort, then placed in the sacks and laid in posi- 
 tion. My turn came to use a barrow, while a comrade used 
 the shovel for filling up. I had never worked a wheel-barrow 
 in my life, and like most of my companions, had, done but 
 little work of any kind. But up I went the narrow zig-zag 
 gangway, with a heavy loaded barrow of loose sand. I made 
 the finst plank all right, and the second, but when I under- 
 took to reach the third plank on the angles, and about fifteen 
 feet from the ground, my barrow rolled off, and down came 
 sand, barrow, and myself to the ground below. I could have 
 cried with shame and mortification, for my misfortune created 
 much merriment for the good natured workers. But it morti- 
 fied me to death to think I was not man enough to fill a sol- 
 dier's place. My good coworker and brother soldier exchanged 
 the shovel for the barrow with me, and then began the first 
 day's work I had ever done of that kind. Hour after hour 
 passed, and I used the shovel with a will. It looked as if night 
 would never come. At times I thought I would have to sink 
 to the earth from pure exhaustion, but my pride and youthful 
 patriotism, animated by the acts of others, urged me on. 
 Great blisters formed and bursted in my hand, beads of perspi- 
 ration dripped from my brow, and towards night the blood 
 began to show at the root of my fingers. Cut I was not by 
 
HISTORY OF KRRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 21 
 
 myself; there were many others as tender as myself. Young 
 men with wealthy parents, school and college boys, clerks and 
 men of leisure, some who had never done a lick of manual 
 labor in their lives, and would not have used a spade or shovel 
 for any consideration, would have scoffed at the idea of doing 
 the laborious work of men, were now toiling away with the 
 farmer boys, the overseers' sons, the mechanics-^ all with a 
 will — and, filled with enthusiasm that nothing short of the 
 most disinterested patriotism could have endured. There were 
 men in companies raised in Columbia, Charleston, and other 
 towns, who were as ignorant and as much strangers to 
 manual labor as though they had been infants, toiling away 
 with pick and shovel with as much glee as if they had been 
 reared upon the farm or had been laborers in a mine. 
 
 Over about midway in the harbor stood grim old Sumter, 
 from whose parapets giant guns frowned down upon us; while 
 around the battlements the sentinels walked to and fro upon 
 their beats. All this preparation and labor were to reduce 
 the fort or prevent a reinforcement. Supplies had been cut 
 off, only so much allowed as was needed for the garrison's 
 daily consumption. With drill every two hours, guard duty, 
 and working details, the soldiers had little time for rest or 
 reflection. Bands of music enlivened the men while on drill, 
 and cheered them while at work by martial and inspiring 
 strains of "Lorena," "The Prairie Flower," "Dixie," and 
 other Southern airs. Pickets walked the beach, every thirty 
 paces, night and day; none were allowed to pass without a 
 countersign or a permit. During the day small fishing 
 smacks, their white sails bobbing up and down over the waves, 
 dotted the bay; some going out over the bar at night with 
 rockets and signals to watch for strangers coming from the 
 seaward. Days and nights passed without cessation of active 
 operations — all waiting anxiously the orders from Mont- 
 gomery to reduce the fort. 
 
 General G. T. Beauregard, a citizen of Louisiana, resident 
 of New Orleans, a veteran of the Mexican War, and a recent 
 officer in the United States Engineering Corps, was appointed 
 Brigadier General and placed in command of all the forces 
 around Charleston. A great many troops from other States, 
 which had also seceded and joined the Confederacy, had come 
 
22 HISTORY OF KERSHAw'S BRIGADE. 
 
 to South Carolina to aid in the capture of Sumter. General 
 Beauregard was a great favorite with all the people, and the 
 greatest confidence felt in his skill and abilitj' by the sol- 
 diers. The State oflScers and troops obeyed him cheerfully, 
 and had implicit faith in his military skill. As he was des- 
 tined to play an important part in the great role of war that 
 was soon to follow, I will give here a short sketch of his life. 
 General G. T. Beauregard was born near. the city of New 
 Orleans, May i8th, 1818. His first ancestors were from 
 Wales, but engaging in an insurrection, they were forced to 
 flee from their country, and sought an asylum in France. In 
 the last of the thirteenth century one of them became attached 
 to the Court of Phillip the IV, surnamed the "Fair." He 
 then married Mademorselle de Lafayette, maid of honor to the 
 sister of Philip. When Edward, King of England, married 
 the sister of Philip, he followed with his wife the fortunes of 
 the English King, and became a member at the Court of St. 
 James. He was afterwards assigned to a British post on the 
 continent. And again this family of the early Beauregards, 
 then called Toutant-Beauregard, became citizens of Fraijce. 
 Jacques Beauregard came to Louisiana from France with a 
 colony sent out by Louis XIV. The grandson of this Jacques 
 is the present Gustav Toutant Beauregard. At the early age 
 of eleven years he was taken to New York and placed under a 
 private tutor, an exile from France, and who had fled the 
 Empire on the downfall of Napoleon. At sixteenhe entered West 
 Point as a cadet, and graduated July ist, 1838, being second 
 in a class of forty-five. He entered the service of the United 
 States as Second Lieutenant of Engineers. He served with 
 distinction through the Mexican War, under Major General 
 Scott, in the engineer corps. For gallant and meritorious 
 conduct he was twice promoted — first to. the Captaincy and 
 then to the position of Major. For a short time he was Super- 
 intendent of the West Point Military Academy, but owing to 
 the stirring events just preceding the late war, he resigned on 
 the first of March, 1861. He entered the service of the Con- 
 federate States; was appointed Brigadier General and assigned 
 to the post of Charleston. Soon after the fall of Sumter he 
 was made full General, and assigned to a command on the 
 Potomac, and with J. E. Johnston fought the memorable battle 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 23 
 
 of Bull Run. He was second in command at Shiloh with 
 A. S. Johnston, then the "Department of South Carolina, 
 Georgia, and Florida." With J. E. Johnston he commanded 
 the last remnant of a once grand army that surrendered at 
 Greensboro, N. C. He returned to his old home in New 
 Orleans at the close of the war, to find it ruined, his fortune 
 wrecked, his wife dead, and his country at the feet of a merci- 
 less foe. He took no further part in military or political 
 affairs, and passed away gently and peacefully at a ripe old 
 age, loved and admired by his many friends, and respected by 
 his enemies. Such, in brief, was the life of the man who came 
 to control the destinies of South Carolina at this most critical 
 moment of her history. 
 
 On March 6th he placed Morris' Island under the immediate 
 command of Brigadier General James Simonds, while the 
 batteries were under the command of Lieutenant Colonel 
 W. G. DeSaussure. Sullivan's Island was under the command 
 of General R. G. M. Dunovant, and the batteries of this island 
 were under Lieutenant Colonel Ripley. Captain Calhoun 
 commanded at Fort Moultrie, and Captain Thomas at Fort 
 Johnston. A floating battery had been constructed by Captain 
 Hamilton, and moved out to the western extremity of Sulli- 
 van's Island. This was under command of its inventor and 
 builder. It consisted of very heavy timbers; its .oof overlaid 
 with railroad iron in a slanting position, through which trap 
 doors had been cut for the cannon to project. The Stevens' 
 Battery, as it was called, was constructed on the same princi- 
 ple; was built at Cummings' Point, on Morris' Island, and 
 commanded by Captain Stevens, of the Citadel Academy. It 
 was feared at this time that the concussion caused by the 
 heavy shells and solid shots striking the iron would cause 
 death to those underneath, or so stun them as to render them 
 unfit for further service; but both these batteries did excellent 
 service in the coming bombardment. Batteries along the 
 water fronts of the islands were manned by the volunteer com- 
 panies of Colonel Gregg's Regiment, and other regiments that 
 had artillery companies attached. 
 
 On the 8th of April a mes.sage was received at Montgomery 
 to the effect that a fleet w as then en route to reinforce Sumter, 
 "peaceably if they could, but forcibly if necessary." 
 
24 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 General Beauregard was instructed to demand the immedi- 
 ate evacuation of the fort; Anderson failing to comply with 
 this demand, he was to proceed to reduce it. The demand was 
 made upon Major Anderson, and was refused. General Beau- 
 regard had everything ia readiness, only waiting the result of 
 the negotiations for the surrender or evacuation, to give the 
 command to fire. The night of the nth was one of great 
 excitement. It was known for a certainty that on to-morrow 
 the long looked for battle was to take place. Diplomacy had 
 done its work, now powder and ball must do what diplomacy 
 had failed to accomplish. All working details had been 
 called in, tools put aside, the heating furnaces fired, shells and 
 red-hot solid shot piled in close proximity to the cannon and 
 mortars. All the troops were under arms during the night, 
 and a double picket line stretched along the beach, and while 
 all seemed to be life and animation, a death-like stillness per- 
 vaded the air. There was some apprehension lest the fleet 
 might come in during the night, land an army on Morris' 
 Island in small boats, and take the forts b)' surprise. Men 
 watched with breathless interest the hands on the dials as 
 they slowly moved around to the hour of four, the time set to 
 open the fire. At that hour guiiners stood with lanyards in 
 their hands. Men peered through the darkness in the direc- 
 tion of Sumter, as looking for some invisible object. At half 
 past four Captain James, from Fort Johnston , pulled his lan- 
 yard; the great mortar belched forth, a bright flash, and the 
 shell went curving over in a kind of semi-circle, the lit fuse 
 trailing behind, showing a glimmering light, like the wings of 
 a fire fly, bursting over the silent old Sumter. This was the 
 signal gun that unchained the great bull-dogs of war around 
 the whole circle of forts. Scarcely had the sound of the first 
 gun died away, ere the dull report from Fort Moultrie came 
 rumbling over the waters, like an echo, and another shell ex- 
 ploded over the deserted parade ground of the doomed fort. 
 Scarcely had the fragments of this shell been .scattered before 
 General Stevens jerked the lanyard at the railroad battery, 
 and over the water gracefully sped the lighted Shell, its glim- 
 mering fuse lighting its course as it, too, sped on in its mission 
 of destruction. Along the water fronts, and from all the 
 forts, now a perfect sheet of flame flashed out, a deafening 
 
HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 25 
 
 roar, a rumbling deadening sound, and the war was on. The 
 men as a whole were alive to their work; shot after shot was 
 fired. Now a red-hot solid shot, now a .shell, goes capering 
 through the air like a shower of meteors on a frolic. The 
 city was aroused. Men, women, and children rush to the 
 housetops, or crowd each other along the water front of the 
 battery. 
 
 But Sumter remained silent, grim, defiant. All there 
 seemed to be in peaceful, quiet slumber, while the solid shot 
 battered against her walls, or the shells burst over their heads 
 and in the court yard below. Round after round is fired. 
 The gunners began to weary of their attempt to arouse the 
 sleeping foe. Is the lion so far back in his lair as not to feel the 
 prods of his tormentors? or is his apathy or contempt too 
 great to be aroused from his slumber by such feeble blows? 
 The grey streaks of morning came coursing from the east, and 
 still the lion is not angry, or is loath to take up the struggle 
 before he has had his morning meal. At seven o'clock, how- 
 ever, if there had been any real anxiety to rouse his temper, it 
 was appeased. The stars and stripes ran up the flag staff, and 
 from out the walls of the grim old stronghold burst a wreath 
 of smoke — then a report, and a shot comes whizzing through 
 the air, strikes the iron battery, and ricochets over in the sand 
 banks. He then pays his respects to Moultrie. From the 
 casements and barbette guns issue a flame and .smoke, while 
 the air is filled with flying shot. The battle is general and 
 grand. Men spring upon ramparts and shout defiance at 
 Sumter, to "be ans\zvered by the crashing of shot against the 
 walls of their bomb-proof forts. All day long the battle 
 rages without intermission or material advantages to either 
 side. As night approached, the fire slackened in all direction, 
 and at dark Sumter ceased to return our fire at all. By a pre- 
 concerted arrangement, the fire from our batteries and forts 
 kept up at fifteen-minute intervals only. The next morning 
 the firing began with the same vigor and determination as the 
 day before. Sumter, too, was not slow in showing her metal 
 and paid particular attention to Moultrie. Early in the forenoon 
 the smoke. began to rise from within the walls of Sumter; "the 
 fort was on fire. ' ' Shots now rain upon the walls of the burn- 
 ing fort with greater fury than ever. The flag was seen to 
 
26 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 waver, then slowly bend over the staff and fall. A shout of 
 triumph rent the air from the thousands of spectators on the 
 islands and the mainland. Flags and handkerchiefs waved 
 from the hands of excited throngs in the city, as tokens of 
 approval of eager watchfers. Soldiers mount the ramparts and 
 shout in exultation, throwing their caps in the air. Away to 
 the seaward the whitened sails of the Federal fleet were seen 
 moving up towards the bar. Anxiety and expectation are 
 now on tip-toe. Will the fleet attempt the succor of their 
 struggling comrades? Will they dare to run the gauntlet of 
 the heavy dahlgreen guns that line the channel sides? From 
 the burning fort the garri.son was fighting for their existence. 
 Through the fiery element and hail of shot and shell they see 
 the near approach of the long expected relief. Will the fleet 
 accept the guage of battle? No. The ships falter and stop. 
 They cast anchor and remain a passive spectator to the excit- 
 ing scenes going on, without offering aid to their friends or 
 battle to their 'enemies. 
 
 General Beauregard, with that chivalrous spirit that charac- 
 terized all true Southerners, when he saw the dense curling 
 smoke and the flames that now began to leap and lick the top- 
 most walls of the fort, sent three of his aids to Major Ander- 
 son, offering aid and assistance in case of distress. But the 
 brave commander, too proud to receive aid from a generous 
 foe when his friends are at hand yet too cowardly to come to 
 the rescue, politely refused the offer. But soon thereafter the 
 white flag was waving from the parapets of Fort Sumter. 
 Anderson had surrendered; the battle was over; a victory won 
 by the gallant troops of the South, and one of the most mirac- 
 ulous instances of a bloodless victory, was the first battle 
 fought and won. Thousands of shots given and taken, and 
 no one hurt on either side. 
 
 A remarkable instance of Southern magnanimity was that of 
 W. T. Wigfall, a volunteer aide to General Beauregard. Ashe 
 stood watching the progress of the battle from Cummings' 
 Point and saw the great volume of black smoke curling and 
 twisting in the air — the storm of shot and shell plunging into 
 the doomed walls of the fort, and the white flag flying from its 
 burning parapets — his generous, noble, and sympathetic heart 
 was fired to a pitch that brooked no consideration, "a brave 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 27 
 
 foe in distress" is to him a friend in need. Before orders 
 could be given to cease firing, or permission granted by the 
 commanding general, he leaped into a small boat, and with a 
 single companion rowed away to the burning fortress, shells 
 shrieking over his head, the waves rocking his frail little craft 
 like a shell in a vast ocean, out the undaunted spirit of the 
 great man overcame all obstacles and danger, and reached the 
 fort in safety. Here a hasty consultation was had. Anderson 
 agreed to capitulate and Wigfall hastened to so inform General 
 Beauregard. 
 
 It was agreed that Major Anderson should leave the fort — 
 not as a prisoner of war, but as a brave foe, who had done all 
 in human power to sustain the dignity of his country and the 
 honor of his flag. He was allowed to salute his flag, by firing 
 a number of guns, and with his ofiicers and troops and all per- 
 sonal belongings placed upon a transport, was carried out to 
 the fleet. 
 
 The only melancholy event of the memorable bombardment 
 was the sudden death of one of the soldiers of the garrison, 
 caused by the premature explosion of a shell while firing the 
 salute to the flag. 
 
 The prominence given to Wigfall's exertion, and erratic con- 
 duct at the time, and his meritorious career during the exis- 
 tence of the Confederacy, prompt me ,to give a short sketch 
 of this meteoric character. He was born in Edgefield County 
 along in the first quarter of the century of good old South 
 Carolina stock, and educated in the common schools and in 
 South Carolina College. His large means, inherited from a 
 long line of wealthy ancestors, afforded him opportunities to 
 enjoy life at his pleasure. He was full of that fiery zeal for 
 honor, hot headed and impulsive. His hasty and stubborn 
 nature caused him many enemies; yet his charitable disposi- 
 tion and generous impulses gave him many friends. He could 
 brook no differences; he was intolerant, proud of his many 
 qualities, gifted, and brave to- rashness. In early life he had 
 differences with Whitfield Brooks, the father of Preston S. 
 Brooks, Congressman from South Carolina, but at that time a 
 student of South Carolina College. While the son was in col- 
 lege, Wigfall challenged the elder Brooks to a duel. Brooks, 
 from his age and infirmities; refused. According to the rules 
 
28 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of the code duello, Wigfall posted Brooks at Edgefield Court 
 House, and guarded the fatal notice during the da}' with a 
 loaded pistol. A relative of Brooks, a feeble, retiring, and un- 
 assuming young man, braved the vengeance of Wigfall, and 
 tore the degrading challenge from the court house door in spite 
 of the warning and threats of the Knight of the Code. A pis- 
 tol shot rang out, and the young champion of Brooks fell dead 
 at his feet. Preston Brooks, hearing of the indignity placed 
 upon his father, the death of his kinsman and defender of his 
 family honor, now entered the list, and challenged the slayer 
 of his father's protector. Wigfall acceoted the challenge with 
 eagerness, for now the hot Southern blood was thoroughly 
 aroused, and party feelings had sprung up and ran high. The 
 gauge of battle was to be settled at Sand Bar Ferry, on the 
 Savannah River near Augusta, Ga. , the noted duelling ground 
 of the high tempered sons of Georgia and the Carolinas. It 
 was fought with dueling pistols of the old school, and at the 
 first fire Brooks was severely wounded. Wigfall had kiadled 
 a feeling against himself in the State that his sensitive nature 
 could not endure. He left for the rising and new born State 
 of Texas. Years rolled by, and the next meeting of those 
 fiery antagonists was at the Capital of the United States — 
 Brooks in Congress, and Wigfall in the Senate. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Reorganization of the Troops— Volunteers for 
 
 Confederate Service—Call from Virginia. 
 
 Troops Leave the State. 
 
 INCIDENTS ON THE WAY. 
 
 There was much discussion at the time as to who really fired 
 the first gun at Sumter. Great importance was attached to 
 the episode, and as there were different opinions, and it was 
 never satisfactorily settled, it is not expected that any new 
 light can be thrown on it at this late day. It was first said to 
 have been General Edmond Rufiin, a venerable octogenarian 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 29 
 
 from Virginia, who at the secession of South Carolina came 
 to this State and offered his services as a volunteer. He had 
 atpne time been a citizen of South Carolina, connected with a 
 geblogical survej', and had written several works on the re- 
 sources and possibilities of the State, which created quite an 
 interest at that day and time. He was one of the noblest types 
 of elderly men it has ever been my fortune to look upon. He 
 could not be called venerable, but picturesque. His hair hung 
 in long silvery locks, tied in a queue in the fashions of the past 
 centuries. His height was very near six feet, slender and 
 straight as an Indian brave, and his piercing black e5^es seemed 
 to flash fire and impressed one as being able to look into your 
 very soul. He joined the "Palmetto Guards," donned the 
 uniform of that company, and his pictures were sold all over 
 the entire South, taken, as they were, in the habiliments of a 
 soldier. These showed him in an easy pose, his rifle between 
 his knees, coat adorned with palmetto buttons closely buttoned 
 up to his chin, his hair combed straight from his brow and tied 
 np with a bow of ribbon that streamed down his back, his cap 
 placed upon his knee.bearing the monogram "P. G. ," the em- 
 blem of his company, worked in with palmetto. 
 
 The other aspirant for the honor of firing the first gun was 
 Captain George S. James, afterwards the Colonel of James' 
 Battalion, or "'Third Battalion," as it was known in Kershaw's 
 Brigade. It has been said that this honor was granted him, 
 at his special request, by Captain Stephen D. I,ee, on General 
 Beauregard's staff (afterwards a I,ieutenant General of the 
 Confederate Army). Captain James' claim appears to be 
 more valid than that of General Rufiin from the fact that it is 
 positively known that James' company was on duty at Fort John- 
 ston, on James' Island, while the Palmetto Guards, of which 
 General Ruffin was a member, was at the railroad battery on 
 Morris Island. However, this should not be taken as conclu- 
 sive, as at that time discipline was, to a certain extent, not 
 strictly enforced, and many independent volunteers belonged 
 to the army ovef whom there was very little, if any control. 
 So General Rufiin may have been at Fort Johnston while his 
 company was at Cummings Point. However, little interest is 
 attached to this incident after the lapse of so many years. 
 
 Perhaps never in the history of a State was there such a 
 
30 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 frenzy of excitement — not even in the days of Indian insurrec- 
 tions or the raids of the bloody Tarleton — as when the news 
 flashed over the country that Sumter was being bombarded, 
 and a call was made for all the volunteers to assemble in 
 Charleston. There were not the facilities in those days as now 
 for the spreading of news, there being but few telegraph lines 
 in the State. Notwithstanding this, every method possible 
 was put into practice for gathering in the troops. There were 
 no assemblages of troops outside of Charleston. Men were fol- 
 lowing their daily vocations. Extra trains- were put in mo- 
 tion; couriers dashed with rapid speed across the country. 
 Private means, as well as public, were resorted to to arouse the 
 men and bring them to the front. Officers warned the pri- 
 vate, and he in turn rode with all the speed his horse, loosed 
 /rom the plow, could command, to arouse his comrades. It 
 was on Saturday when word was first sent out, but it was late 
 the next day (Sunday) before men in the remote rural dis- 
 tricts received the stirring notice. Men left their plows stand- 
 ing in the field, not to return under four years, and many of 
 them never. Carpenters came down from the unfinished roof, 
 or left their bench with work half finished. The student who 
 had left his school on the Friday before never recited his Mon- 
 day's lesson. The country doctor left his patients to the care 
 of the good housewife. Many people had gone to church and 
 in places the bells were still tolling, calling the worshippers 
 together to listen to the good and faithful teachings of the 
 Bible, but the sermon was never delivered or listened to. 
 Hasty preparations were made everywhere. The ^loyal wives 
 soon had the husband's clothes in the homemade knapsack; 
 the mother buckled on the girdle of her son, while the gray 
 haired father was burning with impatience, only sorrowing 
 that he, too, could not go. Never before in the history of the 
 world, not even in Carthage or Sparta, was there ever such a 
 spontaneous outburst of patriotic feeling; never such a cheerful 
 and willing answer to the call of a mother country. Not a re- 
 gret, not a tear; no murmuring or reproaches — not one single 
 complaint. Never did the faithful Scott give with better grace 
 his sons for the defense of his beloved chief, "Eric," than did 
 the fathers and mothers of South Carolina give their sons for 
 the defen.se of the beloved Southland. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. 31 
 
 The soldiers gathered at the railroad stations, and as the 
 trains that had been sent to the farthest limits of the State 
 came along, the troops boarded them and hurried along to 
 Charleston, then the seat of war. General M. 1,. Bonham 
 had been appointed Major General of State troops and called 
 his brigades together. Colonel Gregg was already in Charles- 
 ton with the First Regiment. Col. Joseph B. Kershaw with the 
 Second, Colonel James H. Williams with the Third, Colonel 
 Thomas Bacon with the Seventh, and Colonel E. B. C. Cash 
 with the Kighth, formed their regiments by gathering the dif- 
 ferent companies along at the various railroad stations. The 
 Second, Seventh, and Eighth came on to Charleston, reaching 
 there while the bombardment was still in progress, but not 
 early enough to take active part in the battle. Colonel Wil- 
 liams with the Third, for want of transportation, was stopped 
 in Columbia, and took up quarters in the Fair Grounds. The 
 other regiments went into camp in the suburbs of Charleston 
 and on the islands. After the surrender of Sumter the troops 
 on the islands and mainland returned to their old quarters to 
 talk upon the incidents of the battle, write home of the memor- 
 able events and to rejoice generall}'. Almost as many rumors 
 were now afloat as there were men in the army. It was the 
 generally conceded opinion of all that the war was at an end. 
 A great many of the Southern leaders boa.sted of "drinking all 
 the blood that would be shed in the war." The whole truth 
 of the entire matter was, both sections underrated each other. 
 The South, proud and haughty, looked with disdain upon the 
 courage of the North; considered the people cowardly, and 
 not being familiar with firearms would be poor soldiers; that 
 the rai'k and file of the North, being of a foreign, or a mixture 
 of foreign blood, w'ould not remain loyal to the Union, as the 
 leaders thought, and would not fight. While the North looked 
 upon the South as a set of aristocratic blusterers, their afflu- 
 ence and wealth having made them effeminate; a nation of 
 w'eaklings, who could not stand the fatigues and hardships of 
 a campaign. Neither understood the other, overrating them- 
 selves and underrating the strength of their antagonists. 
 When Lincoln first called for 50,000 troops and several mil- 
 lions of dollars for equipment and conduct of the war, the 
 South would ask in derision, "Where would he get them?" 
 
32 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 When the South would talk of resistance, the North would ask, 
 "Where are her soldiers?" "The rich planters' sons cannot 
 fight." "The poor man will not do battle for the negroes of 
 the rich." "The South has no arms, no money, no credit." 
 So each mistook the strength, motives, spirits, and sentiments 
 that actuated the other. A great change came over the feel- 
 ings of the North after the fall of Sumter. They considered 
 that their flag had been insulted, their country dishonored. 
 Where there had been differences before at the North, there 
 was harmony now. The conservative press of that section 
 was now defiant and called for war; party differences were 
 healed and the Democratic party of the North that had always 
 affiliated in national affairs with the South, was now bitter 
 against their erring sisters, and cried loudly for "Union or 
 coercion." The common people of the North were taught to 
 believe that the Nation had been irretrievabl5' dishonored and 
 disgraced, that the disruption of the Union was a death knell 
 to Republican institutions and personal liberty. That the lib- 
 erty and independence that their ancestors had won by their 
 blood in the Revolution was now to be scattered to the four 
 winds of heaven by a few fanatical slave holders at the South. 
 But up to this time the question of slavery had not been 
 brought into controversy on either side. It was not discussed 
 and was only an after thought, a military necessity. 
 
 Virginia, three days after the fall of Sumter, joined her sis- 
 ter State. This act of the old Commonwealth was hailed in the 
 Gulf States with great rejoicing. Bells tolled and cannon 
 boomed and men hurrahed. Until now it was not certain 
 what stand would be taken by the Border States. They did 
 not wish to leave the Union ; neither would they be a party to 
 a war upon their seceding sisters. They promised to be neu- 
 tral. But President Lincoln soon dispelled all doubt and un- 
 certainty by his proclamation, calling upon all States then re- 
 maining in the Union to furnish their quota of troops. They 
 were then forced to take sides for or against and were not 
 long in reaching a conclusion. As soon as conventions could 
 b)e assembled, the States joined the Confederacy and began 
 levying troops to resist invasion. Tennessee followed Vir- 
 ginia, then Arkansas, the Old North State being the last of 
 the Atlantic and Gulf States to cross the Rubicon into the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 33 
 
 ' ' plains of Southern independence. ' ' The troops that had been 
 called for six months were now disbanded, and those who had 
 enlisted for twelve months for State service were called upon 
 to volunteer in the Confederate Army for the unexpired time. 
 They volunteered almost without a dissenting voice. Having 
 left their homes so hurriedly, they were granted a furlough of 
 a week or ten days to return to their families and put their 
 houses in order. They then returned and went into a camp of 
 instruction. 
 
 General Bonham had not gotten all ofhis regiments together 
 up to this time. The Second, Seventh, and Eighth were around 
 Charleston, while the Third was at Lightwood Knot Spring, 
 four miles from Columbia. This camp was called "Camp Wil- 
 liams," in honor of their Colonel. That in Columbia was called 
 "Camp Rufifin," in honor of General Ruffin. It was custom- 
 ary to give all the different camps a name during the first year's 
 service, generally in honor of .some favorite officer or states- 
 man. Colonel Gregg's regiment remained on Morris Island 
 until early in May, when it was sent to Norfolk, Va., to take 
 charge of the large amount of government property there, now 
 very valuable to the South. 
 
 At the reorganization of the First Regiment I came to Co- 
 lumbia and joined the company I had before enlisted in. I 
 ■had two older brothers there, and I was given a place as Sec- 
 ond Sergeant in the company. 
 
 At the secession of South Carolina, Colonel Williams was in 
 Arkansas, where he had large estates, but on being notified of 
 his election, he joined his regiment while at Lightwood Knot 
 Springs. He was met at the railroad by his troops with great 
 demonstrations of joy and pride. Stalwart men hoisted him 
 upon their shoulders and carried him through the camp, fol- 
 lowed by a throng of shouting and delighted soldiers. The 
 regiment had been commanded up to that time by Lieutenant 
 Colonel Foster, of Spartanburg, with James M. Baxter as 
 Major, D. R. Rutherford as Adjutant, Dr. D. E. Ewart Sur- 
 geon, John McGowan Quartermaster. 
 
 Cadets were sent from the Citadel as drill masters to all the 
 
 regiments, and for six hours daily the ears were greeted with 
 
 "hep-hep" to designate the "left'' foot "down" while on the 
 
 drill. It took great patience, determination, and toil to bring 
 
 3 
 
34 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the men under militarj' discipline. Fresh from the fields,, 
 shops, and schools they .had been accustomed to the freedom of 
 home life, and with all their patriotism, it took time to break 
 into the harness of military restraint and discipline these lovers of 
 personal freedom. Many amusing incidents occurred while 
 breaking these "wild colts," but all took it good humoredly, and 
 the best of feelings existed between officers and men. Some few, 
 however, were nettled by the restraint and forced obedience to 
 those whom they had heretofore beeu accustomed to look upon 
 as equals, but now suddenly made superiors. The great 
 majority entered upon the duties of camp life with rare good 
 will. All were waiting patiently the call to Virginia. Here I 
 will give a short description of the regiments and their officers 
 up to the time that all were brought together as a brigade. 
 After that time we will treat them as a whole. 
 
 The regiments were uniformed by private donations, each 
 neighborhood uniforming the company raised in its bounds. 
 The tents were large and old fashioned — about 8 x lo feet 
 square, with a separate fly on top — one of these b.ing allowed 
 to every six or seven men. They were pitched in rows, about 
 fifty feet apart, the front of one company facing the rear of 
 the other. About the first of June all the regiments, except 
 the Second, were ordered to Manassas, Va. The regiments 
 were formed by companies from battalions of the militia from 
 various counties, one company usually being formed from a 
 battalion. These companies were organized into regiments, 
 very much as at present, and like the old anti-bellum militia. 
 At times some ambitious citizen would undertake to raise a 
 volunteer company outside of those raised from battalions, 
 and generally these were called "crack companies." After- 
 wards a few undertook to raise companies in this manner, z. e. , 
 selecting the officers first, and then proceeding to select the 
 men, refusing such as would not make acceptable soldiers, 
 thus forming exclusive organizations. These were mostly 
 formed in towns and cities. At other times old volunteer 
 companies, as they were called, of the militia would enlist in a 
 body, with such recruits as were wanted to fill up the number. 
 In the old militia service almost all the towns and cities had 
 these companies as a kind of city organization, and they would 
 be handsomely uniformed, well equipped, and in many cases 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 35 
 
 were almost equal to regular soldiers. Columbia had at least 
 three of these companies in our brigade — the Governor's 
 Guards, Richland Rifles, and one more, I think, but on this 
 point am not positive. Charleston had two or more, the 
 Palmetto Guards and others; Greenville, the Butler Guards; 
 Newberry, the Quitman Rifles; while the other counties, 
 Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Williamsburg, Darlington, 
 Sumter, and almost all the counties represented in our brigade 
 had one of these city volunteer companies. When all the 
 companies called for had been organized, they were notified 
 to what regiment they had been assigned, or what companies 
 were to constitute a regiment, and were ordered to hold an 
 election for field officers. Each company would hold its elec- 
 tion, candidates in the meantime having offered their services 
 to fill the respective places of Colonel, I^ieutenant Colonel, 
 and Major. After the elections thus held, the returns would 
 be sent up to the Adjutant and Inspector General's oflice and 
 there tabulated, and the result declared. The candidates for 
 field officers were generally Mexican War Veterans, or some 
 popular citizen, whom the old men thought "would take care 
 of the boys." At first the qualification of a commander, be it 
 Colonel or Captain, mostly required was clemencj'. His rules 
 of discipline, bravery, or military ability were not so much 
 taken into consideration. 
 
 SECOND SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 Early in May or the last of April four companies of the 
 Second Regiment, under Colonel Kershaw, volunteered for 
 Confederate service, and were sent at once to Virginia. TheSe 
 companies were commandded by-;- 
 
 Captain John D. Kennedy, Kershaw County. 
 
 Captain W. H. Casson, Richland County. 
 
 Captain William Wallace, Richland County. 
 
 Captain John Richardson, Sumter County. 
 
 They were afterwards joined by companies uuder — 
 
 Captain Ferryman, of Abbeville County, (formerly of the 
 Seventh Regiment). 
 
 Captain Cuthbert, Charleston. 
 
 Captain Rhett, Charleston. 
 
 Captain Haile, Kershaw. 
 
36 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Captain McManus, I,ancaster. 
 
 Captain Hoke, Greenville. 
 
 These were among the first soldiers from the "Palmetto 
 ^tate" to go to Virginia, and the regiment when fullj- organ- 
 ized stood as follows: 
 
 J. B. Kershaw, Colonel, of Camden. 
 
 E. P. Jones, Lieutenant Colonel. 
 
 Ered Gaillard, Major. 
 
 A. D. Goodwin, Adjutant. 
 
 •Company A — W. H. Cas.son, Richland. 
 
 Company B — A. D. Hoke, Greenville. 
 
 Company C — William Wallace, Richland. 
 
 Company D — T. S. Richard.son. 
 
 Company E — ^Jolin D. Kennedy, Kershaw. 
 
 Company F — W. W. Perry man, Anderson. 
 
 Company G — I. Haile, Kershaw. 
 
 Company H— H. McManus, Lancaster. 
 
 Company I — G. B. Cuthbert, Charleston. 
 
 Company K— R. Rhett, Charleston. 
 
 Surgeon — Dr. F. Salmond, Kershaw. 
 
 Quartermaster — W. S. Wood, Columbia. 
 
 Commissary — J. J. Villepigue. 
 
 Chaplain— A. J. McGruder. 
 
 THIRD SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 The Third Regiment had originally twelve companies 
 enlisted for State service, but in transferring to Confederate 
 Army only ten were allowed by the army regulations. Two 
 companies were left out, viz.: Captain ]. C. S. Brown's, from 
 Newberry, and Captain Mat. Jones', from Laurens.' The 
 privates, however, enlisted in the other companies as a general 
 rule, for the companies were allowed a maximum number of 
 IOC. The Ei;.:hth and Third made no changes in their com- 
 panies or officers from their first enlistment in the State service 
 until their second enlistment in 1862, only as occasioned by 
 i-esignations or the casualties of war. The two regiments re- 
 mained as first organized, with few exceptions. 
 
 The Tliird stood, when ready for transportation to Virginia 
 the 7th of June, as follows: 
 
 James H. Williams, Colonel, Newberry. 
 
HISTORY OF KRKSHAw'S BRIGADE. 37 
 
 B. B. Foster, l,ieutenant Colonel, Spartanburg. 
 
 James M. Baxter, Major, Newberry. 
 
 W. D. Rutherford, Adjutant, Newberry. 
 
 Company A — B. Conway Garlington, Laurens. 
 
 Company B — S. Newton Davidson, Newberry. 
 
 Company C— R. C-jMaffett, Newberry. 
 
 Company D— T. B. Furgerson, Spartanburg and Union. 
 
 Company E — James D. Nance, Newberry. 
 
 Company F — T. Walker, Newberry and Laurens. 
 
 Company G— :^. P. Todd, Laurens. 
 
 Company H — D. Nunamaker, Lexington. 
 
 Company I — Smith L. Jones, Laurens. 
 
 Company K — Benj. Kennedy, Spartanburg. 
 
 Surgeon — Dr. D. E. Ewart, Newberry. 
 
 Quartermaster — ^John McGowan, Laurens. 
 
 Commissary — Sergeant J. N. Martin, Newberry. 
 
 Chaplain— Rev. May field. 
 
 SEVENTH SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 Colonel, Thomas G. Bacon. 
 
 The following companies were from Abbeville; 
 
 Company A, Captain W. W. Ferryman. 
 
 Company B, Captain G. M. Mattison. 
 
 Company C, Captain P. H. Bradley. 
 
 Company D, Captain S. J. Hester. 
 
 The following companies were from Edgefield: 
 
 Company E, Captain D. Dendy. 
 
 Company F, Captain John S. Hard. 
 
 Company G, Captain J. Hampden Brooks. 
 
 Company H, Captain Elbert Bland. 
 
 Company I, Captain W. E. Prescott. 
 
 Company K, Captain Bart Talbert. 
 
 Captain Ferryman with his company, the "Secession. 
 Guards," volunteered for the Confederate service before the 
 other companies, and left for Virginia on April 28th and joined 
 the Second South Carolina Regiment. Captain Bland took his 
 place with his company in the regiment as Company A. 
 
 The companies of the Seventh came together as a regiment 
 at the Schutzenplatz, near Charleston, on the i6th of April. 
 In about two weeks it was ordered to Edgefield District at a 
 
38 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 place called Montmorenci, in Aiken County. While here a 
 company came from Edgefield County, near Trenton, under 
 Captain Coleman, and joined the regiment. But this company 
 failed to enlist. 
 
 The Seventh Regiment elected as ofl&cers: Colonel, Thomas 
 G. Bacon, of Edgefield District; Lieutenant Colonel, Robert 
 A. Fair, of Abbeville; Major, Emmet Seibels, of Edgefield; 
 Adjutant, D. Wyatt Aiken, of Abbeville. All the staff offi- 
 cers were appointed by the Colonels until the transfer to the 
 Confederate service; then the medical department was made a 
 separate branch, and the Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons 
 were appointed by the Department. Colonel Bacon appointed 
 on his staff: B. F. Lovelass, Quartermaster; Fred Smith, Com- 
 missary; afterwards A. F. Townsend. 
 
 Surgeon Joseph W. Hearst resigned, and A. R. Drogie was 
 made Surgeon in his stead, with Dr. G. H. Waddell as Assist- 
 ant Surgeon. A. C. Stallworth, Sergeant Major, left for Vir- 
 ginia about the first of June and joined the Second a few days 
 afterwards. 
 
 EIGHTH SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 The Eighth Regiment was organized early in the year 1861, 
 but the companies were not called together until the 14th day 
 of April, arriving in Charleston in the afternoon of that day, 
 just after the fall of Fort Sumter. It was composed of ten 
 companies, as follows: Three from Chesterfield, two from 
 Marion, two from Marlborough, and three from Darlington, 
 with Colonel, E. B. C. Ca,sh; Lieutenant Colonel, John W. Hen- 
 egan; Major, Thomas E. Lucas; Adjutant, C. B. Weatherly. 
 
 Companies first taken to Virginia: 
 
 Company A — A. I. Hoole, Darlington. 
 
 Company B— M. I. Hough, Chesterfield. 
 
 Company C— Wm. H. Coit, Chrsterfield. 
 
 Company D — ^John S. Miller, Chesterfield. 
 
 Company E — W. E. Jay, Darlington. 
 
 Company F — W. H. Evans, Darlington. 
 
 Company G — ^John W. Harrington, Marlboro. 
 
 Company H — R. L. Singletary, Marion. 
 
 Company I — T. E. Stackhouse, Marion. 
 
 Company K — D. McD. McLeod, Marlboro. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 39 
 
 After remaining in Charleston until the 4th of May it was 
 moved to Florence. On the ist of June the regiment re-en- 
 listed for Confederate service. They were ordered to Rich- 
 mond and arrived there on June 4th, and left on the 15th to 
 join the Second then at Bull Run. On the 22nd of June they 
 went into camp at Gerraantown, near Fairfax Court House, 
 where all the regiments were soon joined together as Bonhams' 
 Brigade. 
 
 The first real exciting incident connected with the Third 
 South Carolina Regiment — the first panic and stampede — hap- 
 pened as the troops were returning from their ten days' fur- 
 lough to their camp of instruction, near Columbia, just after 
 their enlistment in the Confederate service. I record this 
 occurrence to show what little incidents, and those of such 
 little moment, are calculated to stampede an army, and to 
 what foolish lengths men will go when excited. The train 
 was rattling along at a good speed, something like ten or 
 fifteen miles an hour, just above Columbia; a long string of 
 box cars loaded with soldiers; the baggage of the troops scat- 
 tered promiscuously around in the cars; trunks, valises, carpet 
 bags, and boxes of all conceivable dimensions, holding the be- 
 longings of several neighborhoods of boys; spirits flowed with- 
 out and within; congenial friends in a congenial cause; con- 
 genial topics made a congenial whole. When just below Lit- 
 tleton, with long stretches of lowlands on one side and the 
 river on the other, the curling streaks of a little grey smoke 
 made its appearance from under one of the forward cars. At 
 first the merry good humor and enlivening effects of some 
 amusing jest, the occasional round of a friendly bottle, pre- 
 vented the men from noticing this danger signal of fire. 
 However, a little later on this continuing and increasing 
 volume of smoke caused an alarm to be given. Men ran to 
 the doors on either side, shouted and called, waved hats, 
 hands, and handkerchiefs, at the same time pointing at the 
 smoke below. There being no communication between the 
 cars, those in front and rear had to be guided by. the wild 
 gesticulations of those in the smoking car. The engineer did 
 not notice an j thing amiss, and sat placidly upon his high 
 seat, watching the fast receding rails as they flashed under 
 and out of sight beneath the ponderous driving-wheels of the 
 
40 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 engine. At last someone in the forward car, not accustomed 
 to, but familiar with the dangers of a railroad car by the wild 
 rumors given currency in his rural district ot railroad wrecks, 
 made a desperate leap from the car. This was followed by 
 another, now equally excited. Those in the front cars, 
 clutching to the sides of the doors, craned their necks as far as 
 possible outward, but could see nothing but leaping men. 
 They fearing a catastrophe of some kind, leaped ^Iso, while 
 those in the rear cars, as they saw along the sides of the rail- 
 road track men leaping, rolling, and tumbling on the ground, 
 took it for granted that a desperate calamity had happened to 
 a forward car. No time for questions, no time for meditation. 
 The soldier's only care was to watch for a soft place to make 
 his desperate leap, and in many cases there was little choice. 
 Men leaped wildly in the air, some with their heels up, others 
 falling on their heads and backs, some rolling over in a mad 
 scramble to clear themselves from the threatening danger. 
 The engineer not being aware of anything wrong with the 
 train, glided serenely along, unconscious of the pandemonium 
 in the rear. But when all had about left the train, and the 
 great driving-wheels began to spin around like mad, from the 
 lightening of the load, the master of the throttle looked to the 
 rear. There lay stretched prone upon the ground, or limping 
 on one foot, or rolling over in the dirt, some bareheaded and 
 coatless, boxes and trunks scattered as in an awful collision, 
 upwards of one thousand men along the railroad track. Many 
 of the men thinking, no doubt, the train hopelessly lost, or 
 serious danger imminent, threw their baggage out before mak- 
 ing the dangerous leap. At last the train was stopped and 
 brought back to the scene of desolation. It terminated like 
 the bombardment of Fort Sumter— "no one hurt," and all 
 occasioned by a hot-box that could have been cooled in a very 
 few minutes. Much swearing and good-humored jesting were 
 now engaged in. Such is the result of the want of presence of 
 mind. A wave of the hat at the proper moment as a signal to 
 the engineer to stop, and all would have been well. It was 
 told once of a young lady crossing a railroad track in front of 
 a fast approaching train, that her shoe got fastened in the frog 
 where the two rails join. She began to struggle, then to 
 scream, and then fainted. A crowd rushed up, some grasping 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 41 
 
 the lady's body attempted to pull her loose by force; others 
 shouted to the train to stop; some called for crow-bars to take 
 up the iron. At last one man pushed through the crowd, un- 
 tied the lady's shoe, and she was loose. Presence of mind, 
 and not force, did it. 
 
 Remaining in camp a few days, orders came to move, and 
 cars were gotten in readiness and baggage packed preparatory 
 to the trip to Virginia. To many, especially those reared in 
 the back districts, and who, before their brief army life, had 
 never been farther from their homes than their county seat, the 
 trip to the old "Mother of Presidents," the grand old common- 
 wealth, was quite a journey indeed. The old negroes, who had 
 been brought South during the early days of the century, called 
 the old State " Virginy' ' and mixing it with local dialect, in some 
 parts had got the name so changed that it was called "Fer- 
 giney." The circtis tioops and negro comedians, in their an- 
 nual trips through the Southern States, had songs already so 
 catchy to our people, on account of their pathos and melody, 
 of Old Virginia, that now it almost appeared as though we 
 were going to our old home. Virginia had been endeared to 
 us and closely connected with the people of South Carolina by 
 many links, not the least being its many sentimental songs of 
 that romantic laud, and the stories of her great men. 
 
 The baggage of the common soldier at this stage of the war 
 would have thrown an ordinary quartermaster of latter day ser- 
 vice into an epileptic fit, it was so ponderous in size and enormous 
 in quantities — a perfect household outfit. A few days before 
 this the soldier had received his first two months' pay, all in 
 new crisp bank notes, fresh from the State banks or banks of 
 depo.sit. It can be easily imagined that there were lively times 
 for the butcher, the baker and candlestick maker, with all this 
 money afloat. The Third South South Carolina was trans- 
 ported byway of Wilmington and Weldon, N. C. Had there 
 ever existed any doubts in the country as to the feelings of the 
 people of the South before this in regard to Secession, it was 
 entirely dispelled by the enthusiastic cheers and good will of 
 the people along the road. The conduct of the men and wo- 
 men through South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, 
 showed one long and continued ovation along the line of 
 travel, looking like a general holiday. As the cars sped along 
 
42 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 through the fields, the little hamlets and towns, people of 
 every kind, size, and complexion rushed to the railroad and 
 gave us welcome and Godspeed. Hats went into the air as we 
 passed, handkerchiefs fluttered, flags waved in the gentle sum- 
 mer breeze from almost every housetop. The ladies and old 
 men pressed to the .side of the cars when we halted, to shake 
 the hands of the brave soldier boys, and gave them blessings, 
 hope and encouragement. The ladies vied with the men in 
 doing homage to the soldiers of the Palmetto State. Tele- 
 grams had been sent on asking of our coming, the hour of our 
 passage through the little towns, and inviting us to stop and 
 enjoy their hospitality and partake of refreshments. In those 
 places where a stop was permitted, long tables were spread in 
 some neighboring grove or park, bending under the weight of 
 their bounties, laden down with everything tempting to the 
 soldier's appetite. The purest and best of the women mingled 
 freely with the troops, and by every device known to the fair 
 sex showed their sympathy and encouragement in the cause 
 we bad espoused. At Wilmington, N. C. , we crossed the 
 Cape Fear River on a little river steamer, the roads not being 
 connected with a bridge. At Petersburg and Richmond we 
 had to march through portions of those cities in going from 
 one depot to another, union sheds, not being in vogue at that 
 time, and on our entry into these cities the population turned 
 out en masse to welcome and extend to us their greeting. Every 
 private house stood open to the soldiers and the greatest good 
 will was everywhere manifested. 
 
 Much has been said in after years, since misfortune and ruin 
 overtook the South , since the sad reverses of the army and the 
 overthrow of our principles, about leaders plunging the nation 
 into a bloody and uncalled for war. This is all the height of 
 folly. No man or combination of men could have stayed or 
 avoided war. No human persuasion or earthly power could 
 have stayed the great wave of revolution that had struck the 
 land; and while, like a storm widening and gathering strength 
 and fury as it goes, to have attempted it would have been but 
 to court ruin and destruction. Few men living in that period 
 of our country's history would have had the boldness or hardi- 
 hood to counsel submission or inactivity. Differences there 
 may have been and were as to methods, but to Secession, none. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 43 
 
 The voices of the women of the land were alone enough to 
 have forced the measures upon the men in some shape or other. 
 Then, as to the leaders being "shirkers" when the actual con- 
 test came, the history of the times gives contradictions suf- 
 ficient without examples. Where the duties of the service 
 called, they willingly obeyed. All could not fill departments 
 or sit in the councils of the nation, but none shirked the re- 
 sponsibility the conditions called them to. Where fathers 
 filled easy places their sons were in the ranks, and many of 
 our leaders of Secession headed troops in the field. General 
 Bonham, our Brigadier, had just resigned his seat in the United 
 States Congress; so had L. M. Keitt, who fell at Cold Harbor at 
 the head of our brigade, while Colonel of the Twentieth Regi- 
 ment. James I^. Orr , one of the original Secessionists snd a mem- 
 ber of Congress, raised the first regiment of rifles. The son of 
 Governor Gist, the last Executive of South Carolnia just prev- 
 ious to Secession, fell while leading his regiment, the Fif- 
 teenth, of our brigade, in the assault at Fort Loudon, at Knox- 
 ville. Scarcely was there a member of the convention that 
 passed the Ordinance of Secession who had not a son or near 
 kinsman in the ranks of the army. They showed by their 
 deeds the truth and honesty of their convictions. They had 
 trusted the North until trusting had ceased to be a virtue. 
 They wished peace, but feared not war. All this idle talk, so 
 common since the war, of a "rich man's war and a poor man's 
 fight" is the merest twaddle and vilely untrue. 
 
 The men of the South had risked their all upon the cast, and 
 were willing to abide by the hazard of the die. All the great 
 men of South Carolina were for Secession, and they nobly en- 
 tered the field. The Hamptons, Butlers, Haskells, Draytons, 
 Bonhams, all readily grasped the sword or musket. The fire- 
 eaters, like Bob Toombs, of Georgia, and Wigfall, of Texas, 
 led brigades, and were as fiery upon the battlefield as they had 
 been upon the floor of the United States Senate. So with all 
 the leaders of Secession, without exception; they contributed 
 their lives, their services, and their wealth to the cause they 
 had advocated and loved so well. I make this departure here 
 to correct an opinion or belief, originated and propagated by 
 the envious few who did not rise to distinction in the war, or 
 who were too young to participate in its glories— those glories 
 
44 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE., 
 
 that were mutual and will ever surround the Confederate sol- 
 dier, regardless of rank. 
 
 After stopping a few days in Richmond, we were carried on 
 to Manassas and Bull Run, then to Fairfax, where we joined 
 the other regiments. The Third Regiment camped first at 
 Mitchell's Ford, remained at that point for a week or ten days, 
 and from thence moved to the outpost just beyond Fairfax 
 Court House. The Eighth and Second camped for a while at 
 Germantown, and soon the whole brigade was between Fair- 
 fax and Bull Run. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 Camp at Fairfax—Bonham's Staflf—Biography of 
 
 General Bonham— Retreat to Bull Run. 
 
 Battle of the 18th 
 
 General Bonham had gathered around him, as staff officers, 
 a galaxy of gentlemen as cultured, talented, and patriotic as 
 South Carolina could produce, and as gallant as ever followed 
 a general upon the battlefield; all of whom won promotion and 
 distinction as the war progressed in the different branches of 
 service. 
 
 Colonel Samuel Melton, one of the staff, writing in a pleas- 
 ant mood, thirty-five years afterwards, says; "That with uni- 
 versal acclamation it may be said, that the retinue gathered 
 around the General of the old First Brigade was a gorgeous 
 one. I am proud of it 'until yet.' " 
 
 This staff of General Bonham 's was the one allowed by the 
 State service, and the appointments were made under State 
 laws. However, all followed him into the Confederate ser- 
 vice, and, with a few exceptions, , remained until after the 
 battle of Manassas, serving without pay. The Confederate 
 Government was much more modest in its appointment of staff 
 officers, and only allowed a Brigadier General three or four 
 members as his personal staff. 
 
HISTORY OK Kershaw's brigade. 45 
 
 The following is a list of ofiBcerS who followed General Bon- 
 ham to Virginia, or joined him soon after his arrival: 
 
 W. C. Morayne, Assistant Adjutant General, with rank of 
 Colonel. 
 
 The following with rank of Ueutenant Colonel: 
 
 W. D. Simpson, Inspector General. 
 
 A. P. Aldrich, Quartermaster General. 
 
 R. B. Boylston, Commissary General. 
 
 J. N. Lipscomb, Paymaster General. 
 
 Aides, with rank of Major: S. W. Melton, B. F. Withers, 
 T. J. Davis, E. S. Hammond, S. Warren Nelson, Samuel 
 Tompkins, W. P. Butler, M. B. Lipscomb. 
 
 Colonel S. McGowan, Volunteer Aide. 
 
 Dr. Reeves, of Virginia, was Brigade Surgeon. 
 
 Colonels Morayne and Boylston remained only a few weeks. 
 Captain George W. Say, an officer of the Confederate staff, 
 succeeded Colonel Morayne, and remained a short while, when 
 he was promoted and sent elsewhere. Colonel Lipscomb 
 became the regular aide, with rank of First Lieutenant. 
 
 When Captain Say left, S. W. Melton was put in his place 
 as Assistant Adji:tant General, without appointment or with- 
 out pay, and discharged the duties of that ofiSce until August, 
 when he left on sick leave. When he returned he was ap- 
 pointed Major and Assistant Adjutant General, and assigned 
 to duty upon the staff of Major General G. W. Smith, com- 
 manding Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac. In 1863 
 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assigned to duty 
 in the war department. 
 
 William F. Nance, of Newberry, was appointed Captain and 
 Assistant Adjutant General, and in September, 1861, was 
 assigned to duty upon General Bonhani's staff, where he re- 
 mained until the General's resignation. In 1864 Nance was 
 on duty in Charleston, where he remained on staff duty until 
 the end. 
 
 S. McGowan and W. D. Simpson returned to South Caro- 
 lina after the battle of Manassas, and assisted in raising the 
 Fourteenth South Carolina Regiment of Volunteers, of which 
 the former was elected Lieutenant Colonel and the latter 
 Major. Colonel McGowan became Colonel of the regiment, 
 and afterwards Brigadier of one of the most famous brigades 
 
46 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 (McGowan's) in the Confederate Army. Colonel Simpson 
 served in the Confederate Congress after his retirement from 
 the arm}'. 
 
 All the others of the staff filled prominent positions, either 
 as commanding or staff officers, or serving in the departments 
 in Richmond. I have no data at hand to give sketches of 
 their individual services. 
 
 Fairfax Court House was the extreme limit at which the in- 
 fantry was posted on that side of the Blue Ridge. Cavalry 
 was still in advance, and under the leadership of the indefati- 
 gable Stuart scouting the whole front between the Confederate 
 and Federal armies. The Third South Carolina was encamped 
 about a mile north of the little old fashioned hamlet, the 
 county seat of the county of that name. In this section of 
 the State lived the ancestors of most of the illustrious families 
 of Virginia, Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and I,ee. 
 It is a rather picturesque country; not so beautiful and product- 
 ive, however, as the Shenandoah and L,uray Valleys. The 
 Seventh, Eighth, and Second Regiments were encamped sev- 
 eral miles distant, but all in the hearing of one another's drums. 
 Our main duties outside of our regular drills consisted in pick- 
 eting the highways and blockading all roads by felling the 
 timber across for more than a hundred yards on either side of 
 the roads. Large details armed with axes were sent out to 
 blockade the thoroughfares leading to Washington and points 
 across the Potomac. For miles out, in all directions, wher- 
 ever the road led through wooded lands, large trees, chest- 
 nut, hickory, oak, and pine, were cut pell mell, creating a per- 
 fect abattis acro.ss the road — so much so as to cause our troops 
 in their verdant ignorance to think it almost an impossibility 
 for such obstructions to be cleared away in many days; where- 
 as, as a fact, the pioneer corps of the Federal Army cleared it 
 away as fast as the army marched, not causing as much as one 
 hour's halt. Every morning at nine o'clock one company from 
 a regi>:;ent would go out about two miles in the direction of 
 Washington Falls church or Annandale to do picTiet duty, and 
 remain until nine o'clock next day, when it would be relieved 
 by another company. The "Black Horse Cavalry," an old 
 organization of Virginia, said to have remained intact since the 
 Revolution, did vidette duty still beyond the infantry. Their 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. 47 
 
 duties were to ride through the couutry in every direction, and 
 on every road and by-way to give warning of approaching 
 danger to the infantry. These were bold riders in those days, 
 some daring to ride even within view of the spires and domes 
 of Washington itself. On our outposts we could plainly hear 
 the sound of the drums of the Federalists in their preparation 
 for the "on to Richmond" move. General Bonham had also 
 some fearless scouts at this time. Even some of the boldest of 
 the women dared to cross the Potomac in search of informa- 
 tion for the Confederate Generals. It was here that the noted 
 Miss Bell Boyd made herself famous by her daring rides, her 
 many escapades and hairbreadth escapes, her bold acts of 
 cro.ssing the Potomac, sometimes disguised and at other times 
 ■ not, even entering the City of Washington itself. In this way 
 she gathered much valuable information for the Confederate 
 Generals, and kept them posted on the movements of the en- 
 emy. She was one of the best horsewomen of that day; a fine 
 specimen of womanhood, and as fearless and brave as a stout 
 hearted cavalier. She generally carried a brace of Colt's re- 
 volvers around her waist, and was daring enough to meet any 
 foe who was so bold as to cross her path. Bell Boyd was one 
 of the many noble Virginia women who staked and dared all 
 for the cause of the South. William Farley, of South Caro- 
 lina, another bold scout, was invaluable to General Stuart aud 
 General Bonham. ■ It was he that John Esten Cooke immortal- 
 ized in "Surry of Eagle's Nest" aud was killed at the battle of 
 Chancellorsville. He was a native of I^aurens County. 
 
 The duties of picketing were the first features of our army 
 life that looked really like war. The soldiers had become 
 accustomed to guard duty, but to be placed out on picket or 
 vidette posts alone, or in company with a comrade, to stand all 
 day and during the dead hours of the night, expecting some 
 lurking foe every moment to shoot you in the back, or from 
 behind some bush to shoot your head off, was quite another 
 matter. As a guard, we watched over our friends; as a picket, 
 we watched for our foe. For a long time, being no nearer the 
 enemy than the hearing of their drums, the soldiers had grown 
 -somewhat careless. But there was an uncanny feeling in 
 standing alone in the still hours of the night, in a strange 
 country, watching, waiting for an enemy to crawl up and shoot 
 
48 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 you unawares. This feeling was heightened, especially in my 
 company, by an amusing incident that happened while on 
 picket duty on the Annaudale road. Up to this time there 
 had been no prisoners captured on either side, and it was 
 uncertain as to what would be the fate of any who would fall 
 in the enemy's hands. As we were considered traitors and 
 rebels, the penalty for that crime was, as we all knew, death. 
 The Northern press bad kept up quite a howl, picturing the 
 long rows of traitors that would be hung side by side as soon 
 as they had captured the Confederate Arm}'. That there was 
 a good deal of "squeamish ness" felt at the idea of being cap- 
 tured, cannot be doubted. So videttes were stationed several 
 hundred yards down the road with a picket post of four men, 
 between the outside sentinels and the company, as reserve. 
 A large pine thicket was to our right, while on the left was an 
 old field with here and there a few wild cherry trees. The 
 cherries being ripe, some of the men had gone up in the trees 
 to treat themselves to this luscious little fruit. The other part 
 of the company lay indolently about, sheltering themselves as 
 best they could from the rays of the hot July sun, under the 
 trees. Some lay on the tops of fences, and in corners, while 
 not a few, with coats and vests off, enjoyed a heated game of 
 •"old sledge." All felt a perfect security, for with the pickets 
 in front, the cavalry scouring the country, and the almost im- 
 passable barricades of the roads, seemed to render it impossi- 
 ble for an enemy to approach unobserved. The guns leaned 
 •carelessly against the fence or lay on the ground, trappings, 
 ■etc., scattered promiscuously around. Not a dream of danger; 
 no thought of a foe. While the men were thus pleasantly 
 ■engaged, and the officers taking an afternoon nap, from out iu 
 the thicket on the right came "bang-bang," and a hail of bul- 
 lets came whizzing over our heads. What a scramble! What 
 an excitement! What terror depicted on the men's faces! 
 Had a .shower of meteors fallen in our midst, had a volcano burst 
 from the top of the Blue Ridge, or had a thunder bolt fell at 
 our feet out of the clear blue sky, the consternation could not 
 have been greater. Excitement, demoralization, and panic 
 ensued. Men tumbled off the fences, guns were reached for, 
 haversacks and canteens hastily grabbed, and, as usual in 
 such panics, no one could get hold of his own. Some started 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 49 
 
 up the road, some down. OflBcers thus summarily aroused 
 were equally demoralized. Some gave one order, some 
 another. "Pandemonium reigned supreme." Those in the 
 cherry trees came down, nor did the "cherry pickers" stand 
 on the order of their coming. The whole Yankee army was 
 thought to be over the hills. At last the officer commanding 
 got the men halted some little distance up the road; a sem- 
 blance of a line formed, men cocked their guns and peered 
 anxiously through the cracks of the rail fence, expecting to 
 see an enemy behind every tree. A great giant, a sergeant 
 from the mountain section, who stood six feet, three inches in 
 his stockings, and as brave as he was big, his face flushed 
 with excitement, his whole frame trembling with emotion, in 
 his shirt sleeves and bareheaded, rushed to the middle of the 
 road,- braced himself, as waiting for some desperate shock, and 
 stood like Horatio Cockles at the Bridge, waving his gun in 
 the air, calling out in defiant and stentorian voice, "Come on, 
 I'll fight all of you; I'll fight old Lincoln from here to the 
 sea." Such a laugh as was set up afterwards, at his expense! 
 The amusing part of it was the parties who fired the shots at 
 the time the stampeding was going on with us, were running 
 for dear life's sake across the fields, worse scared, if possible, 
 than we ourselves. They were three of a scouting party, who 
 had eluded our pickets, and seeingour good, easy, and indifferent 
 condition, took it into their heads to have a little amusement 
 at our expense. But the sound of their guns in the quiet sur- 
 rounding, no doubt excited the Yankees as much as it did the 
 Confederates. This was an adventure not long in reaching 
 home, for to be shot at by a real live Yankee was an event in 
 every one's life at the time not soon to be forgotten. But it 
 was so magnified, that by the time it reached home, had hot 
 the battle of Bull Run come in its heels so soon, this incident 
 Would no doubt have ever remained to . those who were en- 
 gaged in it as one of the battles of the war. The only casualty 
 was a hole shot through a hat. I write this little incident to 
 show the difference in raw and seasoned troops. One year 
 later such an incident would not have disturbed those men 
 any more than the buzzing of a bee. Picket dutv after this 
 incident was much more stringent. Two men were made to 
 stand on post all night, without relief, only such as they gave 
 4 
 
50 history' of KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 each other. Half of the company's reserve were kept awake 
 all night. Orders were given that the utmost silence should 
 prevail, the men were not even' to speak above a whisper, and 
 on the approach of anyone they were to be hailed with the 
 command, "Halt, who' comes' there?" If a satisfactory an- 
 swer was given, they were allowed to pass. If not, to remain 
 standing, and an officer of the giiard called. At night they 
 were to call "half" three times, arid if no answer, they were to 
 fire and retreat to the reserve. 
 
 One night, shortly after this, one of the companies from 
 Spartanburg had been sent out about three miles to the inter- 
 section of a country road leading off" to the left. Down this 
 country road, or lane, were two pickets. They concealed 
 themselves during the day in the fence corners, but at night 
 they crawled over into a piece of timber land, and crouched 
 down behind a large oak. The shooting incident of a few 
 days before made the two pickets feel somewhat tender at thus 
 being alone in the forest, when at any moment an enemy 
 might creep upon them sufficientl}' near as to shoot them in 
 the dark. Everything was as quiet as the grave. The stars, 
 peeping faintly out from behind the clouds, midnight came, 
 and each began to nod, wuen a twig breaks some distance in 
 front, then another, then the rustling of dry leaves. Their 
 hearts leap to their throats and beat like sledge hammers. 
 One whispers to the other, "Whist, some one is coming." 
 They strain- their ears to better catch the sound. Surely 
 enough they hear the leaves rustling as if some one is ap- 
 proaching. "'Click," "click," the two hammers of their 
 trusty rifles spring back, fingers upon the triggers, while 
 nearer the invisible comes. "Halt," rang out in the midnight 
 air; "'halt," once more, but still' the steady tread keeps ap- 
 proaching. "When the third "halt" was given it 'was accom- 
 panied by the crack of their rifles. A deafening report and 
 frightful squeal, as an old female porker went charging through 
 the underbrush like mad. " The crack of the rifles alarmed the 
 sleeping companions in reserve, who rushed to arms and 
 awaited the attack. But after much good humored badgering 
 of the two frightened sentinels, "peace reigned once more at 
 Warsaw" till the break of day. The company returned next 
 morning to camp, but the two sentinels who had fired on the 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 51 
 
 old innocent porker were glad enough to seek the quietude of 
 their quarters to escape the jests of their cdnlrades. 
 
 A simple system of breastworks was thrown up just beyond 
 our camp at Fairfax on a little eminence to the right of the 
 road. This we thought suificient to defeat quite an army, or 
 at least keep them at bay. General Botiham had his head- 
 quarters at Fairfax Court House, but rode out daily to exam- 
 ine the work done on the entrenchments, or inspect the picket? 
 and outposts. General Bonham was one of the finest looking 
 officers in the entire army. His tall, graceful figure, his com- 
 manding appearance, his noble bearing, and soldierly mein 
 were all qualities to excite the confidence and admiration of 
 his troops. He wore a broad-brimmed hat, with a waving 
 plume floating out behind, and sat his horse as knightly as 
 Charles the Bold, or Henry of Navarre. His soldiers 
 were proud of him, and loved to do him homage. He en- 
 deared himself to his officers, and while he was a good discipli- 
 narian as far as the volunteer service required, he did not treat 
 his officers with that air of superiority, nor exact that rigid 
 military courtesy that is required in the regular army. I will 
 here give a short sketch of his life for the benefit of his old 
 comrades in arms. 
 
 MILLEDGE LUKE BONHAM 
 
 Was born nea/ Red Bank in that part of Edgefield District 
 now included in Saluda County, South Carolina, on the 25th 
 day of December, 181 3. His father. Captain James Bonham, 
 who had coriie from Virginia to South Carolina about the close 
 of the last century, was the son of Major Absalom Bonham, 
 who was a native of Maryland, but who enlisted for the war 
 of the Revolution in a New Jersey regiment, and became a 
 Major of the line on the establishment of that State. After 
 the Revolution he moved to Virginia. Captain James Bonham 
 was himself at the siege of Yorktown as a lad of fifteen, in a 
 company whose captain was only twenty years old. He first 
 settled in thi.s State in the District of Colleton, and there mar- 
 ried. After the death of his wife, he moved to Edgefield Dis- 
 trict, and there married Sophie Smith, who was the mother of 
 the subject of this sketch. She was the daughter of Jacob 
 Sinith and his wife, Sallie Butler, who was a sister of that 
 
52 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Captain James Butler who was the forefather of the illustrious 
 family of that name in this State, and who with his young 
 son, also named James, was cruelly massacred along with 
 others at Cloud's Creek, in Edgefield District, by "Bloody 
 Bill" Cunningham. 
 
 Milledge L. Bonham received his early education in the 
 "old field" schools of the neighborhood, and his academic 
 training under instructors at Abbeville and Edgefield. He 
 entered the South Carolina College and graduated with second 
 honor in 1834. Soon thereafter the Seminole or Florida war 
 broke out, and he volunteered in the company from Edgefield, 
 •commanded by Captain James Jones, and was Orderly Ser- 
 geant of the company. During the progre.ss of the war in 
 J'lorida, he was appointed by General Bull, who commanded 
 the South Carolina Brigade, to be Brigade Major, a position 
 which corresponds with what is now known in military circles 
 as Adjutant General of Brigade. 
 
 Returning from the war, he resumed the study of law and 
 was admitted to the Bar and settled at Edgefield for the prac- 
 tice of his profession. In 1844 he was elected to the I/egisla- 
 ture. He always took an ardent interest in the militia, and 
 was first Brigadier General and afterwards Major General of 
 militia. When the war with Mexico was declared, he was 
 appointed I^ieutenant Colonel of the Twelfth United States 
 Infantry, one of the new regiments added to the army for that 
 war. With his regiment he went to Mexico and served with 
 distinction throughout the war, being promoted to Colonel of 
 the regiment, and having, by the way, for his Adjutant, I^ieu- 
 tenant Winfield Scott Hancock, afterwards a distinguished 
 Major General of the Federal Army in the late war. After 
 the ce.ssation of hostilities, Colonel Bonham was retained in 
 Mexico as Military Governor of one of the provinces for about 
 a year. Being then honorably discharged, he returned to 
 .Edgefield and resumed the practice of law. In 1848 he was 
 elected Solicitor of the Southern Circuit, composed of Edge-, 
 field, Bainwell, Orangeburg, Colleton, and Beaufort Districts. 
 The Bars of the various Districts composing this Circuit 
 counted among their members many of the ablest and, most 
 distinguished lawyers of the State, and hence it required the 
 possession and industrious use of talents of no mean order to 
 
HISTORY OF KRRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 53 
 
 sustain one's self as prosecuting officer against such an array 
 of ability. But General Bonham continued to hold the office 
 until 1856, when, upon the death of Hon. Preston S. Brooks, 
 he was elected to succeed that eminent gentleman in Congress, 
 and again in 1858 was elected for the full term. Those were 
 the stirring times preceding the bursting of the cloud of civil 
 war, and the debates in Congress were hot and spicy. In all 
 these he took his full part. When South Carolina seceded 
 from the Union, he promptly resigned his seat in Congress, 
 and was appointed by Governor Pickens Commander-in-Chief 
 of all the forces of South Carolina with the rank of Major Gen- 
 eral. In this capacity, and waiving all question of rank and 
 precedence, at the request of Governor Pickens, he served on 
 the coast on Morris' Island with General Beauregard, who had 
 been sent there by the Provisional. Government of the Confed- 
 eracy to take command of the operations around Charleston. 
 On the permanent organization of the Confederate Govern- 
 ment, General Bonham was appointed by President Davis a 
 Brigadier General in the Army of the Confederate States. 
 His brigade consisted of four South Carolina regiments, com- 
 manded respectively by Colonels Kershaw, Williams, Cash, 
 and Bacon, and General Bonham used to love to say that no 
 finer body of men were ever assembled together in one com- 
 mand. With this brigade he went to Virginia, and they were 
 the first troops other than Virginia troops that landed in Rich- 
 mond for its defense. With them he took part in the opera- 
 tions around Fairfax, Vienna, Centerville, and the first battle 
 of Manassas. 
 
 Afterwards, in consequence of a disagreement with the 
 Department of War, he resigned from the army. Soon there- 
 after he was elected to the Confederate Congress, in which 
 body he served until he was elected Governor of this State in 
 December, 1862. It was a trying time to fill that office, and 
 President Davis, in letters; bears witness to the fact that no 
 one of the Governors of the South gave him more efficient aid 
 and support than did Governor Bonham. At the expiration 
 of his term of office, in January, 1865, he was appointed to the 
 command of a brigade of cavalry, and at once set to work to 
 organize it, but the surrender of Johnston's army put an end 
 to the war. 
 
54 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Returning from the war broken in , fortune, as were all of 
 his people, he, remained for a year or more on his plantation 
 on Saluda River, in pdgefield County. He then moved to 
 Edgefield Court House, again to take up his practice, so often 
 interrupted by calls to arms. He was elected to the Legisla- 
 ture in 1866, just preceding Reconstruction, but with the com- 
 ing of that political era he, in common with all the white men 
 of the State, was debarred from further Darticipation in public 
 affairs. In the movement known as, the T^ax-payers Conven- 
 tion, which had for its object the relief cf the. people from 
 Republican oppression arid cprruptipu, he took part as one of 
 the delegates sent by this convention to Washington to lay be- 
 fore President Grant the condition of the people of the "Pros- 
 trate State." He took an active interest and part in the polit- 
 ical revolution of 1876 and warmly advocated what was known 
 as "the straightout policy" and the nomination of Wade 
 Hampton as Governor. 
 
 In 1878 Governor Simpson appointed him the first Railroad 
 Commissioner under the Act just passed, and subsequently 
 when the number of the Commissioners was increased to three, 
 he was elected Chairman of the Commission, in which position 
 he continued until his death, on the 27th day of August, 1890. 
 He died suddenly from the rupture of a blood vessel, while on 
 a visit to Haywood White Sulphur Springs, N. C. 
 
 General Bonham inarried on November 13th, 1845, Ann 
 Patience, a daughter of Nathan L. Griffia, Esq. , a prominent 
 lawyer of Edgefield. She survived him four years; and of 
 their union there are living eight children. 
 
 Attached to Bonham's Brigade was Kemper's. Battery of 
 light artillery, commanded by Captain Dell Kemper. This 
 company was from Alexandria, Va., just over the Potomac 
 from Washington. This organization was part of the old 
 State militia, known as volunteer companies, and had been in 
 existence as such for many years. It being in such close 
 proximity to Washington, the sentiment of the company was 
 divided, like all cpmpanies on the border. Some of the com- 
 Jjany. were in favor of joining the Union Army, while others 
 wished to go with the State. Much discussion took place at 
 this time among, the members as to which side they would 
 join, but Captain Kemper, with a great display of coolness and 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 55 
 
 courage, cut the Gprdian knpt.,by taking those with him of 
 Southern sentiment, like iaimself, and on one datk night he 
 pulled out from Alexandria with his cannon aiid horses and 
 made his way South to join the Southern Army. That was 
 the last time auj; of that gallant band' ever saw their native 
 city for more than four years, and many of the poor fellows 
 looked upon it that night for the last time. Between them 
 and the South Carolinians sprang up a warm attachment that 
 continued during the war. They remained with us as a part 
 of the brigade for nearly two years, or. until the artillery was 
 made a separate branch of the service. While in winter 
 quarters, when many troops were granted furloughs, those 
 men having no home to which they could visit like the others, 
 were invited by members of the brigade to visit their own 
 homes in Sou|;h Carolina and remain with their families the 
 lepgth of theiir leave of absence. Many availed themselves of 
 these kind invitations, and spent a pleasant month in the hos- 
 pitable homes of this State. The ladies of South Carolina, 
 appreciating their isolated condition aiid forced separation 
 from their homes, with no kind mother or sister with oppor- 
 tunities to cheer them with their delicate favors, made them 
 all a handsome uniform and outfit of underwear, and sent to 
 them as a Christmas gift. Nevei- during the long years of the 
 struggle did the hearts of South Carolinians fail to respond to 
 those of the brave Virginians, when they heard the sound of 
 Kemper's guns belching forth death and destruction to the 
 enemj', or when the battle was raging loud and furious. 
 
 , On the morning of the i6th of July, when all was still and 
 quiet in camp, a puff of blue smoke from a hill about three 
 miles off, followed by the roar of a cannon, the hissing noise 
 of a shell overhead, its loud report, was the first intimation 
 the troops had that the enemy had commenced the advance. 
 It is needless to say excitement and consternation over- 
 whelmed the camp. While all were expecting and anxiously 
 awaiting it, still the idea of being now in the face of a real 
 live enemy, on the eve of a great battle, where death and hor- 
 rors of war, such as all had heard of but never realized, came 
 upon them with no little feelings of dread and emotion. No 
 man living, nor any who ever lived, retaining' his natural fac- 
 ulties,- ever faced death in battle without some feeling of dread 
 
56 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 or superstitious awe. The soldiers knew, too, the eyes of the 
 world were upon them, that they were to make the history for 
 their generation. Tents were hurriedly struck, baggage rolled 
 and thrown into wagons, with which the excited teamsters 
 were not long in getting into the pike road. Drums beat the 
 assembly, troops formed in line and took position behind the 
 breastwork; while the artillery galloped up to the front and 
 unlimbered, ready for action. The enemy threw twenty- 
 pound shells repeatedly over the camp, that did no further 
 damage than add to the consternation of the already excited 
 teamsters, who seemed to think the safety of the army de- 
 pended on their getting out of the way. It was an exciting 
 scene to see four-horse teams galloping down the pike at 
 break-neck speed, urged forward by the frantic drivers. 
 
 It was the intention of McDowell, the Federal Chief, to sur- 
 prise the advance at Fairfax Court House and cut off their re- 
 treat. Already a column was being hurried along the Ger- 
 mantown road, that intersected the main road four miles in 
 our rear at the little hamlet of Germantown. But soon Gen- 
 eral Bonham had his forces, according to preconcerted ar- 
 rangements, following the retreating trains along the pike 
 towards Bull Run. Men overloaded with baggage, weighted 
 down with excitement, went at a double quick down the road, 
 panting and sweating in the noonday sun, while one of the 
 field officers in the rear accelerated the pace by a continual 
 shouting, "Hurry up, men, they are firing on our rear." This 
 command was repeated so often and persistently that it be- 
 came a by-word in our brigade, so much so, that when any- 
 thing was wanted to be done with speed the order was always 
 accompanied with, "Hurry up, men, they are firing on our 
 rear. ' ' The negro sei vants, evincing no disposition to be left 
 behind, rushed along with the wagon train like men beset. 
 While we were on the double-quick, some one noticed a small 
 Confederate flag floating lazily in the breeze from a tall pine 
 pole that some soldier had put up at his tent, but by the hur- 
 ried departure neglected to take down. Its owner could not 
 entertain the idea of leaving this piece of bunting as a trophy 
 for the enemy, so risking the chance of capture, he ran back, 
 cut the staff, and returned almost out of breath to his company 
 with the coveted flag. We were none too precipitate in our 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 57 
 
 movement, for as we were passing through Germantown we 
 could see the long rows of glistening bayonets of the enemy 
 crowning the hills to our right. We stopped in Centerville 
 until midnight, then resumed the march, reaching Bull Run 
 at Mitchell's Ford as the sun was just rising above the hilL 
 tops. 
 
 Colonel Kershaw and Colonel Cash were filing down the 
 east bank to the left, while Colonels Williams and Bacon occu- 
 pied some earthworks on the right. These had been erected 
 by former troops, who had encamped there before us. Gen- 
 eral Beauregard had divided his troops into six brigades, put- 
 ting regiments of the same State together, as far as possible, 
 Bonham's being First Brigade. Beauregard was determined 
 to make Bull Run his line of defense. This is a slow, slug- 
 gish stream, only fordable at certain points, its banks steep 
 and rather rocky with a rough plateau reaching back from 
 either side. The western being the more elevated, gave the 
 enemy the advantage in artillery practice. In fact, the banks 
 on the western side at some points came up to the stream in a 
 bluflf — especially so at Blackburn's Ford. In the rear and in 
 the direction of the railroad was the now famous Manassas 
 Plains. The Confederate line extended five miles, from Union 
 Mills Ford to Stone Bridge. At the latter place was General 
 Evans, of South Carolina, with two regiments and four pieces 
 of artillery. On the extreme right, Buell with his brigade 
 and a battery of twelve-pounders was posted at Union Mills. 
 Mcl<ean's Ford was guarded by D. R. Jones' brigade, with two 
 brass six-pounders. I^ongstreet with two six-pounders, and 
 Bonham with two batteries of artillery and a squadron of cav- 
 alry, guarded the fords at Blackburn's and Mitchell's respec- 
 tively. Early's Brigade acted as reserve on the right. In 
 rear of the other fords was Cooke's Brigade and one battery. 
 The entire force on the roll on July nth consisted of 27 pieces 
 of light artillery and 534 men; cavalry, 1425; foot artillery, 
 265; infantry, 16,150 — 18,401, comprising the grand total of 
 all arms of General Beauregard one week before the first bat- 
 tle. Now it must be understood that this includes the sick, 
 guards, and those on outpost duty. McDowell had 37,300 of 
 mostly seasoned troops. 
 
 The morning of the i8th opened bright and sunny. To our 
 
58 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 rear was all bustle and commotion, and it looked like a vast 
 camp of wagon trains. From the surrounding country all 
 wagons had been called in from the foraging expeditions laden 
 with provisions. Herds of cattle were corralled to secure the 
 troops fresh beef, while the little fires scattered over the vast 
 plains showed that the cooking details were not idle. General 
 Beauregard had his headquarters on the hill in our rear. 
 
 At eight o'clock on the i8th, McDowell pushed his leading 
 division forward at Blackburn's Ford, where two oldcomrades, 
 but now facing each other as foes, General Tyler and General 
 lyongstreet, were to measure strength and generalship. The 
 Washington Artillery, under Captain Richardson, of New 
 Orleans, a famous battery throughout; the war, which claims 
 the distinction, of firing the first gun at Bull Run and the last 
 at Appomattox, was with Longstreet to aid him with their 
 brass six-pounders. 
 
 • The enemy advanced over the plain and up to the very bluff 
 overlooking the stream, and a very short distance from where 
 lyongsteet's force lay, but the Washington Artillery had been 
 raking the field- all the while, from an eminence in the rear, 
 while the infantry now began to fire in earnest. The ele- 
 vated position gave the enemy great advantage, and at one 
 time General Longstreet had to call up his re.serves, -but the 
 advantageous assault was speedilj' repulsed as soon as the 
 Southern troopsbecame more calm and better accustomed to 
 the fire and tension of the battlefield. Several assaults were 
 made, one immediately after the other, but each tiine Southern 
 valor overcame Northern discipline. From our position at 
 Mitchell's Ford, we could bear the fierce, continual roll of the 
 infantry fire, mingled with the deafening thunder of the 
 cannon. Bonham was under a continual .shelling from long 
 range, by twenty pounders, some reaching as far in the rear 
 as the wagon yard. After the fourth repulse, and Longstreet 
 had his reserves well in hand, he felt himself strong enough 
 to take the initiative. Plunging through the marshes and 
 lagoons that bordered the stream, the troops crossed over and 
 up the bluff, but when on the heights they met another 
 advance of the enemy, who' were soon sent .scampering 
 from the field. Then was first heard the fanaous "Rebel 
 yell." The Confederates finding'themselves victorious in this 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 59 
 
 their first engagement, gave vent to thpir feelings by uttering 
 such a. j'ell as suited e^ch individual bpst, iorming for all time 
 the famous "Rebel Yell." lyongstreet withdrew his forces to 
 the east side, but g. cojitinual fusilade of artjllery was kept up 
 until night. Some of our soldiers visited the . battlefield that 
 night ar^d next day, and brought in many trophies and memen- 
 toes of the day's fight, such as blankets, oilcloths, canteens, 
 guns, etc. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 The Battle of Manassas — Rout of the Enemy. 
 Visit to the Battlefield. 
 
 Of the battle of the i8th, the enemy seemed to make little, 
 and called ijt a "demonstration" at which General Tyler ex- 
 ceeded his orders, and pushed his troops too far. However, 
 the Confederates were very well satisfied with the contest 
 where the first blood was drawn. .General Johnston, who at 
 this time was up in the Shenandoah Valley, near Winchester, 
 was asked by General Beauregard to come to his relief. He 
 was confronted himself by General Patterson, an able Federal 
 General, with a largely superior army. This General John- 
 ston had assurance to believe was, preparing to advance, and 
 his own danger great. Still by a strategem, he succeeded in 
 quietly withdrawing his. troops, and began the hazardous un- 
 dertaking of re:enforcing' Beauregard. Some of his troops he 
 placed upon the cars at Piedmont, and sped along o'er moun- 
 tains and glens with lightning speed, while the others on foot 
 came oyer and through the torturous mountain passes without 
 halt or rest, bending all their energies to meet Beauregard 
 upon the plains of Manassas. Couriers came on foaming 
 .steeds, their bloody sides showing the impress of the riders' 
 spurs, bringing the glad tidings to the Army of the Potomac 
 that succor was near. Beauregard was busy with the disposi- 
 tion of hjs troops, preparing to give battle, while the soldiers 
 worked with a will erecting some hasty breastworks. 
 
 At this point I will digress for the moment to relate an inci- 
 
60 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 dent of the Federal march, to show the brutal cowardice and 
 baseness of the Federals in making war upon the non-com- 
 batants — women and children — and also the unyielding spirit 
 and inflexible courage of our Southern people. Those dispo- 
 sitions were manifested on both sides throughout the whole 
 war. It is unnecessary to say that feeling ran high on the 
 border, as elsewhere, and everyone was anxious to display his 
 colors in order to show to the world how his feelings Jan. 
 Confederate flags waved from many housetops along the bor- 
 der, and on the morning the Federals crossed the Potomac 
 from Washington to Alexandria, many little pieces of bunting, 
 displaying stars and bars, floated from the houses in that old 
 sleeping city of Alexandria. Among that number was a 
 violent Secessionist named Jackson. Colonel Ellsworth, 
 commanding the New York Zouaves, the advance guard, 
 ordered all flags with Confederate devices to be torn down by 
 force. The soldiers thus engaged in the debasing acts of en- 
 tering private dwellings, insulting the inmates with the vilest 
 epithets, ruthlessly tore down the hated emblems of the South 
 everywhere. When they came to Jackson's house they met 
 the fiery defender of his home on the landing of the stairs, 
 rifle in hand, who with determined air informed the Federal 
 soldiers that whoever lowered his flag would meet instant 
 death. Staggered and dazed by such a determined spirit, they 
 lost no time in reporting the fact to Colonel Ellsworth. En- 
 raged beyond all control by this 'cool impudence, Ellsworth 
 rushed to Jackson's house, followed by a squad of soldiers. 
 On reaching the landing he, too, met Jackson with his eyes 
 flashing fire and determination, his whole frame trembling 
 with the emotion he felt, his rifle cocked and to his shoulder, 
 boldly declaring, ' ' Whoever tears down that flag, dies in his 
 tracks." Ellsworth and party thought this threat could not 
 be real, and only Southern braggadocio. Brushing past the 
 determined hero, Ellsworth snatched the hated flag from its 
 fastening, but at that instant he fell dead at the feet of his 
 adversary. The report of Jackson's rifle told too plainly that 
 he had kept his word. The soldiers who had followed and 
 witnessed the de^th of their commander, riddled the body of 
 the Southern martyr with bullets, and not satisfied with his 
 death, mutilated his body beyond recognition. Thus fell the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 61 
 
 first martyr to Southern principles. The South never showed 
 this disposition of hatred on any occasion, for in after years 
 while marching through Pennsylvania Union flags floated un- 
 molested from housetops, over towns, and cities. The soldiers 
 only laughed and ridiculed the stars and stripes. The South 
 feared no display of sentiment, neither did they insult women 
 and non-combatants. 
 
 A like occurrence happened in New Orleans a few years 
 later, where General Butler commanded, and gained the 
 unenviable sobriquet of "Beast" by his war upon the women 
 and those not engaged in the struggle, and by trampling upon 
 everj' right and liberty sacred to the people. He had i.'ssued 
 some degrading order, which the citizens were bound in pain 
 of death to obey. One brave man, Mumford, refused, pre- 
 ferring death to obeying this humiliating order. For this he 
 was torn from the embrace of his devoted family, and, in sight 
 of his wife and children, placed in a wagon, forced to ride 
 upon his own cofHn, and in the public square was hanged 
 like a feign. 
 
 General Johnston, with a portion of his troops, reached the 
 field on the 20th,, and his forces were placed in rear of those of 
 Beauregard as reserves. On the night of the 20th, both 
 opposing generals, by a strange coincidence, had formed plans 
 of the battle for the next day, and both plans were identical. 
 Beauregard determined to advance his right by echelon of 
 brigades, commencing with Ewell at Union Mills, then Jones 
 and I,ongstreet were to cross Bull Run, with Bonham as a 
 pivot, and attack McDowell in flank and rear. This was the 
 identical plan conceived and carried out by the enemy, but 
 with little success, as events afterwards showed. The only 
 diflerence was McDowell got his blow in first by pushing his 
 advance columns forward up the Warrenton Road on our left, 
 in the direction of the Stone Bridge. He attacked General 
 Evans, who had the Fourth South Carolina, and Wheat's 
 Battalion of Louisiana Tigers, on guard at this point, with 
 great energy and zeal. But under cover of a dense forest, he 
 moved his main body of troops still higher up the Run, crossed 
 at Sudley's Ford, and came down on Evans'- rear. Fighting 
 "Shanks Evans," as he was afterwards called, met this over- 
 whelming force with stubborn resistance and a reckless cour- 
 
62 HISTORY OF KEESHXw'S BRIGADE. 
 
 age. The enemy from the opposite side of the Run was send- 
 ing in a continued shower of shot and shell, which threatened 
 the annihilation of the two little six-pounders and the handful 
 of infantry that Evans had. But support soon reached him, 
 the Brigade of Bee's coming up; still he was pressed back 
 beyond a small stream in his rear. Bee, with his own and 
 Bartow's Brigade, with a batter}' of artillery, were all soon 
 engaged, but the whole column was forced back in the valley 
 below. Jackson came upon the crest of the hill in their rear 
 at this juncture, and on this column the demoralized troops 
 were ordered to rally. It was here Jackson gained the name 
 of "Stonewall," for Bee, to animate and reassure his own men, 
 pointed to Jackson and said: "Look at Jackson, he stands like 
 a stonewall." But the gallant South Carolinian who gave the 
 illustrious chieftain the famous name of "Stonewall" did not 
 live long enough to see the name applied, for in a short time he 
 fell, pierced through with a shot, which proved fatal. Hamp- 
 ton, with his Legion, came like a whirlwind upon the field, 
 and formed on the right, other batteries were brought into 
 play, still the enemy pressed forward. Stone Bridge being 
 uncovered, Tyler crossed his troops over, and joined those of 
 Hunter and Heintzelmau coming from Sudley's Ford. This 
 united the three divisions of the enemy, and they made a 
 vigorous and pressing assault upon the demoralized Confeder- 
 ates. The roar of the cannon became continuous, the earth 
 trembled from this storm of battle, sulphurous smoke obscures 
 the sky, the air vibrates with shrieking shot and shell,' men rush 
 madly to the charge. Our small six-pounders against their 
 twelve and twenty-pounders, manned by the best artillerists 
 at the North, was quite an uneven combat. Johnston and 
 Beauregard had now come upon the field and aided in giving 
 order and confidence to the troops now badly disorganized by 
 the fury of the charge. The battle raged in all its fierceness; 
 the infantry and artillery, by their roaring and t'hunder-l'ike 
 tone, gave one the impression of a continued, protracted 
 electrical storm, and to those at a distance it sounded like 
 "worlds at war." On the plateau between the Lewis House 
 and the Henry House the battle raged fast and furious with 
 all the varying fortunes of battle. ' Now victorious— now' 
 defeated — the enemy advances over hill', across pla:teaus,' to be 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. 63 
 
 met with stubborn resistance first, then driven flying from the 
 field. Around the Henry House the battle was desperate and 
 hand to hand. Here the Louisiana Battalion, under Major 
 Wheat, immortalized itself by the fury of its assault. Av^ain 
 and again was the house taken and lost, retaken arid lost again; 
 the men, seeking cover, rushed up around and into it, only to 
 be driven away by the .Htorm of shot and shell sent hurling 
 through it. Now our troops would be dislodged, but rallying 
 they rushed again to the assault and retook it. Twelve 
 o'clock came, and the battle was far from being decided. 
 Bartow fell, then Bee. The wounded and dead lay strewn 
 over the entire field from the Henry House to the bridge. 
 Away to the left is seen the glitter of advancing bayonets, 
 with flags waving, and the steady tread of long lines of sol- 
 diers marching through the open field. They are first thought 
 to be the enemy, seeking to turn our left. Officers and men 
 turned pale at the sight of the unexpected foe. Couriers were 
 sent to Longstreet and Bonham to prepare to cover the retreat, 
 for the day was now thought to be lost, and a retreat inevita- 
 ble. The troops proved to be friends. Elzeys and Kirby 
 Smith on the way from the Valley to Manassas, hearing the 
 firing of the guns, left the cars and hurried to the scene of 
 action. Cheer after cheer now rent the air, for relief was now 
 at hand. They were put In on the left, but soon General 
 Kirby Smith fell wounded, and had to be borne from the 
 field. Other reinforcements were on the way to relieve ttie 
 pre.ssure that was convincing to the generals commanding, even, 
 that the troops could not long endure. The Second and 
 Eighth South Carolina Regiments, under the command of 
 Colonels Kershaw and Cash, were taken from the line at 
 Mitchell's Ford and hurried forward. When all the forces 
 were gotten well in hand, a general forward movement was 
 made. Bun the enemy met it with a determined front. The 
 shrieking and bursting of shells shook the very earth, while 
 the constant roll of the infantry sounded like continual peals 
 of heavy thunder. Here ' and there an explosion, like a 
 volcanic eruption, told of a cais,sori being blown up by the 
 bursting of a shell.' The enemy graped the field right and 
 left, and had a decided advantage in the forenoon when their 
 long range twenty-pounders played havoc with our advancing 
 
64 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 and retreating columns, while our small four and six-pounders 
 could not reach their batteries. But in the after part of the 
 day, when the contending forces were nearer together, 
 Ricket's and GrifSn's Batteries, the most celebrated at that 
 time in the Northern Army, could not stand the precision and 
 impetuosity of Kemper's, the Washington, Stannard's, Pen- 
 dleton's, and Pelham's Batteries as they graped the field. 
 The Second and Eighth South Carolina coming up at a double 
 quick, joined Hampton's I^egion, with Early, Cox, and the 
 troops from the Valley just in time to be of eminent service at 
 a critical moment. The clear clarion voice of Kershaw gave 
 the command, "Forward!" and when repeated in the stento- 
 rian voice of Cash, the men knew what was expected of them, 
 answered the call, and leaped to the front with a will. The 
 enemy could no longer withstand the desperate onslaught of 
 the Confederate Volunteers, and McDowell now began to 
 interest himself with the doubtful problem of withdrawing his 
 troops at this critical juncture. With the rugged banks of 
 the deep, sluggish stream in his rear, and only a few places it 
 could be crossed, with a long sheet of flame blazing out from 
 the compact lines of the Confederates into the faces of his 
 men, his position was perilous in the extreme. His troops 
 must have been of like opinion, for the ranks began to waver, 
 then break away, and soon they found themselves in full 
 retreat. Kershaw, Cash, and Hampton pressed them hard 
 towards Stone Bridge. A retreat at first now became a panic, 
 then a rout. Men threw away their baggage, then their guns, 
 all in a mad rush to put the stream between themselves and 
 the dreaded "gray -backs." Cannon were abandoned, men 
 mounted the horses and fled in wild disorder, trampling under- 
 foot those who came between them and safety, while others 
 limbered up their pieces and went at headlong speed, only to 
 be upset or tangled in an unrecognizable mass on Stone 
 Bridge. The South Carolinians pressed them to the very 
 crossing, capturing prisoners and guns; among the latter was 
 the enemy's celebrated "Long Tom." All semblance of order 
 was now cast aside, each trying to leave his less fortunate 
 neighbor in the rear. Plunging headlong down the precipi- 
 tous banks of the Run, the terror-stricken soldiers pushed 
 over and out in the woods and the fields on the other side. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 65 
 
 The shells of our rifle and parrot guns accelerated their 
 speed, and added to their demoralization by hissing and 
 shrieking above their heads and bursting in the tree tops. 
 Orders were sent to Generals Bonham, I^ongstreet, and Jones, 
 who were holding the lower fords, to cross over and strike the 
 flying fugitives in the rear near Centerville. Colonels Wil; 
 liams and Bacon, with their regiments, led by General Bon- 
 ham, in person, crossed the stream at a double quick, and 
 began the pursuit of the stampeded troops. When we reached 
 the camps of the enemy, where they had bivouaced the night 
 before, the scene beggared description. On either side of the 
 road were piled as high as one could reach baggages of every 
 description, which the men had discarded before going into 
 action. Blankets rolled up, oilcloths, overcoats, tents, all of 
 the very best material, piled up by the hundreds and thou- 
 sands. Pots and camp kettles hnng over fires, and from within 
 came the savory smell of "ricla viands, with rare condiments," 
 being prepared to appease the keen appetite of the battle-worn 
 veterans after the day's victory. Great quarters of fresh beef 
 hung temptingly from the limbs of the trees, wagons filled 
 with arms and accoutrements, provisions, and army supplies, 
 with not a few well-laden with all the delicacies, tid-bits, and 
 rarest old wines that Washington could afford, to assuage the 
 thirst of officers and the men of note. Many of the high 
 dignitaries and officials from the Capitol had come out to 
 witness the fight from afar, and enjoy the exciting scene of 
 battle. They were now fleeing through the woods like men 
 demented, or crouched behind trees, perfectly paralyzed with 
 uncertainty and fright. One old citizen of the North, cap- 
 tured by the boys, gave much merriment by the antics he cut, 
 being frightened out of his wits with the thought of being 
 summarily dealt with by the .soldiers. Some would punch 
 him in the back with their bayonets, then another would give 
 him a thrust as he turned to ask quarters of the first tor- 
 mentor. The crisis was reached, however, when one of the 
 soldiers, in a spirit of mischief, called for a rope to hang him; 
 he thought himself lost, and through his tears he begged for 
 mercy, pleaded for compassion, and promised atonement. 
 General Bonham riding up at this juncture of the soldiers' 
 sport, and seeing the abject fear of the old Northern Aboli- 
 5 
 
66 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADB. 
 
 tiouist, took pity and showed his sympathj' by telling the 
 men to turn him loose, and not to interfere with non-combat- 
 ants. He was told to run now, and if he kept the gait he 
 started with through the woods, not many hours elapsed 
 before he placed the placid waters of the Potomac between him 
 and the blood-thirsty Rebels. Strict orders were given to 
 "stay in ranks," but the sight of so much valuable plunder, 
 and actual necessaries to the soldiers, was too much for the 
 poorly provided Confederates; and not a few plucked from the 
 pile a blanket, overcoat, canteen, or other article that his 
 wants dictated. A joke the boys had on a major was that 
 while riding along the line, waving his sword, giving orders 
 not to molest the baggage, and crying out, "Stay in ranks, 
 men, stay in ranks," then in an undertone he would call to 
 his servant, "'Get me another blanket, Harvy." The artil- 
 lery that had been ordered to take part in the infantry's 
 pursuit were just preparing to open fire upon the fleeing 
 enemy, when by soma unaccountable order, the pursuit was 
 ordered to bs abandoned. Had not this uncalled for order 
 come at this juncture, it is not hard to conceive the results. 
 The greater portion of the Federal Army would have been 
 captured, for with the exception of General Sykes' Brigade of 
 regulars and a battery of regular atillery, there was not an 
 organiz ition between our army and Washington City. All 
 night long the roads through Centerville, and the next day all 
 leading through Fairfax, Falls Church, and Anaudale were 
 one continual throng of fleeing fugitives. Guns and accoutre- 
 ments, camp equipage, and ordnance strewed the sides of the 
 road for miles; wagons, ambulances, cannon, and caissons had 
 been abandoned, and terror-stricken animals galloped unbri- 
 dled through the woods and fields. The great herds of cattle, 
 now free from their keepers, went bellowing through the 
 forest, seeking shelter in .some .secluded swamp. 
 
 At night, we were all very reluctantly ordered back to our 
 old camp to talk, rejoice, and dream of the wonderful victory. 
 Beauregard and Johnston had in this engagement of all arras 
 30,888, but 3,000 of Swell's and part of Bonham's Brigade 
 were not on the field on that day. The enemy had 50,000 
 and 117 cannon. Confederate loss in killed and wounded, 
 1,485. Federal loss in killed, wounded, and captured, 4,500. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 67 
 
 There being no enemy in our front and little danger of sur- 
 prise, the soldiers were allovped to roam at will over the battle- 
 field the next few days. Almost the entire army availed 
 themselves of this their first opportunity of visiting a real 
 battlefield and witnessing the real horrors and carnage of 
 which they had often read and seen pictures but had never 
 seen in reality. 
 
 Who is it that has ever looked upon a battlefield and could 
 forget the sickening scene, or obliterate from his mind the 
 memory of its dreaded sight? It was recorded of the great 
 Napoleon, by one of his most intimate friends and historians, 
 that after every great battle the first thing he did the next 
 day was to ride over the field, where lay the dead and wounded, 
 and when he would come to those points where the battle had 
 been desperate and the dead lay thickest, he would sit as in a 
 tiance, and with silence and meditation never witm-ssed on 
 other occasions, view the ghastly corpses as they lay strewn 
 over the field. The field of carnage had a fascinating power 
 over him he could not resist, and on which his eyes delighted 
 to feast. With a comrade I went to visit the field of Manas- 
 sas. Pa.ssing over the uneven and partly wooded country, we 
 witnessed all the effect of the enemy's rifled guns. Trees were 
 cut down, great holes dug in the ground where shells had 
 exploded, broken wagons, upset ambulances, wounded and 
 dead horses lining the whole way. The first real scene of car- 
 nage was on the plateau of the Lewis house. Here the Vir- 
 ginians lying behind the crest of the hill as the enemy 
 emerged from the woods on the other side, gave them such a 
 volley as to cause a momentary repulse, but only to renew 
 their attack with renewed vigor. The battle here was des- 
 perate. Major Wheat with his Louisianians fought around 
 the Henry house with a ferocity hardly equalled by any 
 troops during the war. Their peculiar uniform, large flowing 
 trousers with blue and white stripes coming only to the knees, 
 colored stockings, and a loose bodice, made quite a picturesque 
 appearance and a good target for the enemy. These lay 
 around the house and in front in almost arm's lengLU of each 
 other. This position had been taken and lost twice during 
 the day. Beyond the house and down the declivity on the 
 other side, the enemy's dead told how destructive and deadly 
 
68 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 had been the Confederate fire. On the other plateau where 
 Jackson had formed and where Bee and Bartow fell, the scene 
 was sickening. There lay friend and foe face to face in the 
 cold embrace of death. Only by the caps could one be distin- 
 guished from the other, for the ghouls ot the battlefield had 
 already been there to strip, rob, and plunder. Beyond the 
 ravine to the left is where Hampton and his Legion fought, as 
 well as the troops of Kirby Smith and Elzey, of Johnston's 
 army, who had come upon the scene just in time to turn the 
 tide of battle from defeat to victory. On the right of Hamp- 
 ton was the Eighth and Second South Carolina under Ker- 
 shaw. From the Lewis house to the Stone Bridge the dead 
 lay in every direction. The enemy in their precipitate flight 
 gave the Confederates ample opportunity to slay at will. The 
 effects of artillery here were dreadful. Rickett's Battery, the 
 best in the North, had pushed their guns far in advance of the 
 infantry, and swept the field with grape and canister. Here 
 was a caisson blown up by a shell from Kemper's Batter j'^, and 
 the havoc was frightful. Six beautiful horses, all well capari- 
 soned and still attached to the caisson, all stretched as they 
 had fallen, without so much as a struggle. The drivers lay 
 by the side of the horses, one poor fellow underneath and badly 
 mutilated. To one side and near by lay the officer in com- 
 mand and his horse, the noble animal lying as he had died in 
 the beautiful poise he must have bisen in when the fataL shot 
 struck him. His hind legs straightened as if in the act of 
 rearing, his forefeet in the air, one before the other, the whole 
 looking more like a dismantled statue than the result of a bat- 
 tlefield. Fragments of shells, broken guns, knapsacks, and 
 baggage were scattered over the plains. Details were busy 
 gathering up the wounded and burying the dead. But from 
 the looks of the field the task seemed difficult. In the little 
 clusters of bushes, behind trees, in gullies, and in every con- 
 ceivable place that seemed to offer shelter, lay the dead. What 
 a shudder thrills the whole frame when you stand and contem- 
 plate the gruesome faces of the battle's dead. In every pos- 
 ture and all positions, with every conceivable shade of counte- 
 nance, the glaring, glassy eyes meet you. Some lay as they 
 fell, stretched full length on the ground; others .show a des- 
 perate struggle for the last few remaining breaths. There lay 
 
HISTORY OF KRRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 69 
 
 the beardless youth with a pleasant smile yet lingering on his 
 face as though waiting for the maternal kiss; the cold stern 
 features of the middle aged as he lay grasping his trusty rifle, 
 some drawn up in a perfect knot of agony, others their faces 
 prone upon the earth, all dead, dead. Great pools of blood 
 here and there had saturated the earth, the victim perhaps 
 crawling to a nearby shelter or some little glen, hoping to gain 
 a mouthful of water to cool his parched lips, or perhaps some 
 friendly hand had carried him away to a hospital. Few of our 
 troops had been molested by the body snatchers of the battle- 
 field, but the enemy had almost invariably been stripped of 
 his outer clothing. On the incline of the far side of a little 
 hill spots were pointed out where the gallant South Carolin- 
 ian, Bee, had fallen, while rallying his men for the final as- 
 sault, and also the brave Georgian', Colonel Bartow, in a like 
 endeavor. 
 
 We came to the Henry house, on the opposite plateau from 
 the I/ewis house, the former at this time almost as noted as 
 the little log hut at Waterloo that stood half a century before 
 as a landmark to the fall of Napoleon. They were common, 
 old fashioned frame houses, occupied by some poor people on 
 this frightful day. The battle came with such suddeness and 
 unexpectancy, the unfortunate inmates could not get away, 
 and there throughout the bloody day these three Henry women 
 had endured all the dread, excitement, and dangers of a great 
 battle, and forced to remain between the opposing armies. 
 The house was perfectly riddled with miunie balls, while great 
 openings were torn in the side and roofs by the shells shatter- 
 ing through. There was no escape or place of safety. They 
 stretched themselves at full length upon the floor, calmly 
 awaiting death, while a perfect storm of shot and shell raged 
 without and within. As we went in the house two women 
 sat around the few mouldering embers that had answered the 
 purpose of cooking a hasty meal. It was a single room house, 
 with two beds, some cheap furniture, and a few cooking uten- 
 sils. These were torn into fragments. In one corner lay the 
 dead sister, who had been shot the day before, with a sheet 
 thrown over to shield her from the gaze of the curious. The 
 two sisters were eating a morsel unconcernedly, unconscious 
 of the surroundings, while the house was crowded during the 
 
70 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 day with sight seers and curious questioners. Ou the other 
 3ide of the room were some wounded soldiers, carried in to be 
 shielded from the rays of the Jul 5- sun, while all without laj' 
 in heaps the mangled dead. The exceeding tension of excite- 
 ment, fright, untold fear, that had been drawn around them 
 during the continuous struggle of the day before, had ren- 
 dered those women callous and indifferent to all surrounding 
 appearance; but their haggard faces told but too plainly their 
 mental anguish and bodily suffering of yesterday. The eyes 
 tire of the sickening scene, and the mind turns from this re- 
 volting field of blood, and we return heartstricken to our 
 camp. The poor crippled and deserted horses limp over the 
 field nibbling a little bunch of grass left green in places after 
 the day of mad galloping of horses. Everywhere we saw 
 friends hunting friends. Relief corps had come up 'from Rich- 
 mond and were working night and day relieving the suffering 
 and moving the wounded away. Cars were run at short inter- 
 vals from Manassas, carrying the disabled to Warrentown, 
 Orange Court House, Culpepper, and Richmond. President 
 Davis had come up just after the battle had gone in our favor, 
 and the soldiers were delighted to get a glimpse at our illus- 
 trious chieftain. It was needless to say Beauregard's star 
 was still in the ascendant. 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 Vienna — Flint Hill — Duel Sports — July to 
 October. 
 
 Much discussion has taken place since the rout at Manassas 
 as to reasons for not following up the victory so gloriously 
 won, and for not pushing on to Washington at once. It is 
 enough to say the two commanders at the time and on the 
 field saw difficulties and dangers suflScient in the way to rest 
 on their spoils. The President, who was in council with 
 them, after due consideration was convinced of the impracti- 
 cability of a forward movement. In the first place, no prepa- 
 ration had been made for such an event; that the spoils were 
 so out of proportion to their most sanguine expectations; that 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 71 
 
 the transportation for the troops had to be employed in its re- 
 moval; that no thought of a forward movement or invasion 
 had ever been contemplated; so there were no plans or speci- 
 fications at hand. Then again, the dead and wounded of both 
 armies had to be attended to, which crippled our medical de- 
 partment so as to render it powerless should another engage- 
 ment take place. And again, a large portion of our people 
 thought this total defeat of the enemy at the very outset of 
 the war would render the design of coercion by force of arms 
 impracticable. The South was conservative, and did not wish 
 to inflame the minds of the people of the Union by entering 
 their territory or destroying their capital. Knowing there 
 was a large party at the North opposed to the war, some of 
 our leaders had reason to think this shattering of their first 
 grand army would so strengthen their feelings and party that 
 the whole North would call for peace. They further hugged 
 that fatal delus'ion to their breast, a delusion that eventually 
 shattered the foundation of our government and betrayed the 
 confidence of the troops, "foreign intervention." They rea- 
 soned that a great victory by the South would cause our gov- 
 ernment to be recognized by the foreign powers and the South 
 given a footing as a distinct, separate, and independent nation 
 among all other great nations of the earth. That the South 
 would no longer be looked upon as an "Insurrectionary Fac- 
 tion," "Erring Sisters." or "Rebellious Children." Our 
 ports had been ordered closed by the North, and an imaginary 
 blockade, a nominal fleet, stood out in front of our harbors. 
 Our people thought the world's desire for the South's cotton 
 would so influence the commercial and laboring people of 
 Europe that the powers would force the North to declare her 
 blockade off. Such were some of the feelings and hopes of a 
 large body of our troops, as well as the citizens of the country 
 at large. But it all was a fallacy, a delusion, an ignis fatuus. 
 The North was aroused to double her former fury, her ener- 
 gies renewed and strengthened, tensions drawn, her ardor 
 largely increased, her feelings doubly embittered, and the 
 whole spirit of the North on fire. Now the cry was in ear- 
 nest, "On to Richmond," "Down with the rebellion," "Peace 
 and unity." The Northern press was in a perfect blaze, the 
 men wild with excitement, and every art and device was re- 
 
72 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 sorted to to arouse the people to arms. The stain of defeat 
 must now be wiped out; a stigma had been put upon the 
 nation, her flag disgraced, her people dishonored. I^arge 
 bounties were offered for volunteers, and the recruiting was 
 earnest and energetic. Lincoln called for 300,000 more troops, 
 and the same question was asked at the South, "Where will 
 he get them and how pay them?" 
 
 We were moved out near Centerville, and a few days after- 
 wards took up camp at Vienna, a small station on the Balti- 
 more and Ohio railroad. The day after our arrival all of the 
 troops, with the exception of the ordinary detail, were put to 
 work tearing up the railroad track. It being Sunday, loud 
 complaints were made against this desecration of the Lord's 
 Day, but we were told there was no difference in days in times 
 of war. The railroad was a good one and well built on a road- 
 bed of gravel and chips of granite, with solid heart pine or 
 chestnut ties, laid with "T" rails. The cross-ties were piled 
 in heaps, on these were laid the rails, and all set on fire; then 
 for miles and miles up and down the road the crackling flames, 
 the black smoke twining around the trees and curling upward, 
 shrouded the whole earth with a canopy of black and blue, 
 and told of the destruction that was going on. Here the troops 
 suffered as seldom during the war for provisions, especially 
 breadstuff. Loud murmurings were heard on all sides against 
 the commissary department, and the commissary complained 
 of the Quartermaster for not furnishing transportation. The 
 troops on one occasion here had to go three days and at hard 
 work without one mouthful of bread, except what little they 
 could buy or beg of the citizens o^ the thinly settled country. 
 Meat was plentiful, but no bread, and any one who has ever 
 felt the tortures of bread hunger may imagine the sufferings 
 of the men. For want of bread the meats became nauseating 
 and repulsive. The whole fault lay in having too many 
 bosses and red tape in the Department at Richmond. By 
 order of these officials, all commissary supplies, even gathered 
 in sight of the camps, had to be first sent to Richmond and 
 issued out only on requisitions to the head of the departments. 
 The railroad facilities were bad, irregular, and blocked, while 
 our wagons and teams were limited to one for each one hun- 
 dred men for all purposes. General Beauregard, now second 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 73 
 
 in command, and directly in command of the First Arm}' 
 Corps of the Army of the Potomac, of which our brigade 
 formed a part, wishing to concentrate his troops, ordered all 
 to Flint Hill, three miles west of Fairfax Court House. Gen- 
 eral Johnston, Commander-in-Chief, directed the movements 
 of the whole army, but more directly the Second Army Corps, 
 or the Army of the Shenandoah. The army up to this time 
 had not been put into divisions, commanded by Major Gen- 
 erals, nor corps, by Lieutenant Generals, but the two comman- 
 ders divided nominally the army into two corps, each com- 
 manded by a full General — Brigadier General Beauregard hav- 
 ing been raised to the rank of full General the day after his 
 signal victory at Manassas by President Davis. 
 
 In the Confederate Army the grades of the Generals were 
 different to those in the United States Army. A brigade con- 
 sisted of a number of regiments joined together as one body 
 and commanded by a Brigadier General, the lowest in rank. 
 Four, more or less, brigades constituted a division, commanded 
 by a Major General. Three or four divisions constituted a 
 corps, commanded by a lyieutenant General, aud a separate 
 army, as two or more corps, was commanded by a General, 
 the highest in rank. Their rank is the same, but the Seniors 
 are those whose commissions had been granted first, and take 
 precedence where two are together. So it is with all officers 
 in the army — age is not taken into consideration, but the date 
 of commission. Where a brigade, from any cause, temporarily 
 loses its commander, the Colonel with the oldest commission 
 takes the command; where a division loses its Major General, 
 the Senior Brigadier in that division immediately assumes 
 command; and the same way in the corps and the army. The 
 Major General takes command of the corps where its comman- 
 der is absent, and in case of absence, either temporary or per- 
 manent, of the Commander-in-Chief of an army, the ranking 
 Lieutenant General takes command until a full General re- 
 lieves him. In no case can an officer of inferior rank com- 
 mand one of superior rank. Rank gives command whether 
 ordered or not. In au};^ case of absence, whether in battle, 
 march, or camp, whenever an officer finds himself Senior in 
 his organization, he is commander and so held without further 
 orders. 
 
74 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The soldiers had rather a good time at Flint Hill, doing a 
 little drilling and occasional picket duty out in the direction of 
 Munson and Mason Hill. The Commanding General wished 
 to advance his pickets to Munson Hill, a few miles from 
 Washington, and to do this it was necessary to dislodge the 
 enemy, who had possession there. The Second Regiment, 
 under Colonel Kershaw, was sent out, and after a considerable 
 brush he succeeded in driving the enemy awa}'. After this 
 one regiment at a time was sent out to do picket duty. When 
 our South Carolina regiments would go out orders were given 
 to be quiet, and during our stay at Mason and Munson Hill 
 the utmost secrecy prevailed, but when Wheat's Louisiana 
 Battalion had to relieve a regiment we could hear the beating 
 of their drums, the loud shouts of the men on their way out, 
 and all would rush to the side of the road to see the "tigers" 
 pass. Down the road they would come, banners waving, the 
 swinging step of the men keeping time to the shrill notes- of 
 the fife and the rattle of the drums. Their large flowing pants, 
 their gaudy striped long hose, made quite an imposing spec- 
 tacle. This was a noted band of men for a time, but their 
 brave commander. Wheat, and almost all of his men, were 
 killed in the battles that followed around Richmond. Major 
 Wheat had been in the Turkish Army when that nation was 
 at war with Russia, and in several other foreign wars, as well 
 as the Mexican War. When his State seceded he returned to 
 Louisiana and raised a battalion of the hardest set of men in 
 New Orleans. The soldiers called them "wharf rats," "sai- 
 lors," "longshoremen," "cut throats," and "gutter smpe,s." 
 They knew no subordination and defied law and military disci- 
 pline. While in camp here several of them were shot at the 
 stake. Major Wheat had asked to be allowed to manage his 
 men as he saw best, and had a law unto himself. For some 
 mutiny and insubordination he had several of th^m shot. 
 Afterwards, when the soldiers heard a volley fired, the word 
 would go out, "Wheat is having another tiger shot.' 
 
 The fields were green with the great waving corn, just in 
 roasting ears, and it was a sight to see hundreds of men' in 
 these fields early in the morning plucking the fine ears for 
 breakfast. In most cases the owners had abandoned their 
 fields and homes, taking what was movable to other places in 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 75 
 
 Virginia. What was left the soldiers were at liberty to "slay 
 and eat." At first it was determined to protect the stock, but 
 the soldiers agreed that what the Southern soldiers left the 
 enemy would be sure to take. I remember the first theft I 
 was engaged in during the war. I say "first" advisedly. 
 Now soldiers have different views as to rights of property to 
 that of the average citizen. What he finds that will add to his 
 comfort or welfare, or his wants dictate, or a liability of the 
 property falling into the hands of the enemy, he takes with- 
 out compunction or disposition to rob — and more often he robs 
 in a spirit of mischief. A few fine hogs had been left to roam 
 at will through the fields by the refugee farmers, and orders 
 were given not to kill or molest them, to eat as much corn as 
 we wished, but to spare the hogs. When, the regiments were 
 sent on pickets, a detail was left in camp as guard, also to 
 watch around the fields to prevent trespass. While our regi- 
 ment was on its three days' picket, I was left as one of the 
 detail to guard the camp. Some one reported a fine hog in 
 the yard of a house some distance away. It was agreed to kill 
 it, divide it up, and have a rare treat for the weary pickets 
 when they returned. How to kill it without attracting the 
 attention of the other guards was a question of importance, 
 because the report of a rifle and the proverbial squeal of a hog 
 would be sure to bring down upon us the guard. One of the 
 men had a pistol, still we were afraid to trust this. A cellar door 
 stood temptingly open. We tried to drive the hog into it, but 
 with a hog's perverseness it refused to be driven, and after 
 rushing around the yard several times with no results, it was 
 decided to shoot it. The man claimed to be a good shot, and 
 declared that no hog would squeal after being shot by him, 
 but, as Burns says, ' 'The best laid plans of mice and men aft' 
 gang a glee." So with us. After shooting, the porker cut 
 desperate antics, and set up a frightful noise, but the unex- 
 pected always happens, and the hog took refuge in the cellar, 
 or rather the basement of the dwelling, to our great relief. 
 We were proceeding finely, skinning away, the only method 
 the soldiers had of cleaning a hog, when to our astonishment 
 and dismay, in walked the much dreaded guard. Now there 
 is something peculiar about the soldier's idea of duty, the 
 effects of military training, and the stern obedience to orders. 
 
76 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The first lesson he learns is obedience, and the longer in ser- 
 vice the more convinced he is of its necessity. While he may 
 break ranks, pass guards, rob roosts, or pilfer fruits and vege- 
 tables himself, yet put a gun in his hand, place him on duty, 
 order him to guard or protect men or property, and his integ- 
 rit}' in that respect is as unyielding, inflexible, and stern as if 
 his life depended upon his faithful performance. The Roman 
 soldiers' obedience to orders made them immortal, and their 
 nation the greatest on earth. But to resume the thread of my 
 story. When the guard came in we thought ourselves lost. 
 To be punished for hog stealing, and it published at home, 
 was more than our patriotism could stand. The guard ques- 
 tioned us about the killing, said it was against orders to fire a 
 gun within range of camp, and furthermore against orders to 
 molest private property. We tried to convince the guard that 
 it was contraband, that the owners had left it, and to crown 
 the argument, insisted that if we did not take the hog the 
 Yankees would. This was the argument always last resorted 
 to to ease conscience and evade the law. In this case, strange ■ 
 to say, it had its effect. After some parleying, it was agreed 
 • to share the booty equally between the guard and ourselves. 
 They helped us cut brush and cover it nicely, and after tattoo 
 all were to return and divide up. We did not know the 
 guards personally, but knew their command. And so we re- 
 turned to the camp to await the return of our pickets and 
 night. It was soon noised in camp that there was a fine fat 
 porker to be distributed after tattoo, and no little eagerness 
 and inquisitiveness were manifested, as all wished a piece. 
 Armed with a crocus-sack, we returned to the house; all was 
 dark and still. We whistled the signal, but no answer. It 
 was repeated, but still no reply. The guard had not come. 
 Sitting down on the door step, we began our long wait. 
 Moments passed into minutes, minutes into hours, until at last 
 we began to have some forebodings and misgivings. Had we 
 been betrayed? Would we be reported and our tents searched 
 next day? Hardly; a soldier could not be so treacherous. 
 We entered the cellar and began to fumble around without 
 results, a match was struck, and to our unspeakable dismay 
 not a v&stige of hog remained. Stuck against the side of the 
 wall was a piece of paper, on which was written: "No mercy 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 77 
 
 for the hog rogue." Such swearing, such stamping and beat- 
 ing the air with our fists, in imitation of the punishment that 
 would be given the treacherous rascals if present; the atmos- 
 phere was perfectly sulphurous with the venom spit out 
 against the foul party. Here was a true verification of the old 
 adage, "Set a rogue to catch a rogue." Dejected and crest- 
 fallen, we returned to camp, but dared not tell of our misfor- 
 tune, for fear of the jeers of our comrades. 
 
 Measles and jaundice began to scourge the camp; the green 
 corn, it was said, did the army more damage than the enemy 
 did in battle. Wagons and ambulances went out daily loaded 
 with the sick; the hospitals were being crowded in Richmond 
 and other cities; hotels, colleges, and churches were appropri- 
 ated for hospital service, and the good people of Virginia can 
 never be forgotten, nor amply rewarded for the self-sacrifices 
 and aid rendered to the sick soldiers. Private houses were 
 thrown open to the sick when their homes were far distant, or 
 where they could not reach it. The soldier was never too 
 dirty or ragged to be received into palatial homes; all found a 
 ready welcome and the best attention. 
 
 Generals Johnston and Beauregard had now concentrated all 
 their forces in supporting distance around Fairfax Court 
 House, and were preparing for a movement across the Potomac. 
 Bonham's Brigade was at Flint Hill, Cox's at Centerville, 
 Jones's at Germantown, Hampton and Early on the Occoquon, 
 the Louisiana Brigade at Bull Run, and L,ongstreet at Fairfax 
 Court House. The troops were all in easy distance, and a 
 gigantic plan of General Beauregard, with the doubtful approval 
 ot General Johnston and others, was for a formidable invasion 
 of the North. General Johnston evinced that same disposition 
 in military tactics that he followed during the war, "a purely 
 defensive war." In none of his campaigns did he exhibit any 
 desire to take advantage of the enemy by bold moves; his one 
 idea seemed to be "defensive," and in that he was a genius — 
 in retreat, his was a mastermind; in defense, ma-sterly. In the 
 end it may have proven the better policy to have remained on 
 the defensive. But the quick, impulsive temperament of Beau- 
 regard was ever on the alert for some bold stroke or sudden 
 attack upon the enemy's weaker points. His idea coincided 
 with Lougstreet's in this particular, that the North, Ken- 
 
78 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 tucky, Tennessee, or Maryland should be the theatre of war 
 and the battleground of the Confederacy. General Lee, 
 according to the ideas of one of his most trusted lieutenants, 
 was more in accordance with the views of General Johnston, 
 that is, "the South should fight a defensive war'' — and it was 
 only when in the immediate presence of the enemy, or when 
 he observed a weak point in his opponent, or a strategic move, 
 that he could not resist the temptation to strike a blow. In 
 several of his great battles it is reported of Lee that he intended 
 to await the attack of the enemy, but could not control his 
 impatience when the enemy began to press him; then all the 
 fire of his warlike nature came to the surface, and he sprang 
 upon his adversary with the ferocity of a wild beast. But Lee 
 in battle was not the Lee in camp. 
 
 The middle of summer the two commanding Generals 
 c:illed President Davis to Fairfax Court House to enter a con- 
 ference in regard to the projected invasion. The plans were 
 all carefully laid before him. First a demonstration was to 
 be made above Washington; then with the whole arm}' cross 
 below, strike Washington on the east, crush the enemy in 
 their camps, march through Maryland, hoist the standard of 
 revolt in that State, make a call for all Southern sympathizers 
 to flock to their banners, and to overawe the North by this 
 sudden onslaught. But President Davis turned a deaf ear to 
 all such overtures; pleaded the want of transportation and the 
 necessary equipment for invasion. It was the feeling of the 
 South even at this late day that much could yet be done by 
 diplomacy and mild measures; that a great body of the North 
 could be won over by fears of a prolonged war; and the South 
 Ciid not wish to exasperate the more conservative element by 
 any overt act. We all naturally looked for peace; we fully 
 expected the war would end during the fall and winter, and it 
 was not too much to say that many of our leaders hugged this 
 delusion to their breast. 
 
 While in camp here an incident occurred which showed that 
 the men had not yet fully recognized the importance of mili- 
 tary re.straint and discipline. It is well known that private 
 broils or feuds of any kind are strictly forbidden by army regu- 
 latidns. The French manner of settling disputes or vindicating 
 personal honor according to cede duello was not countenanced 
 
HISTORY OF KERS"4W'S BRIGADR. 79 
 
 by our military laws; still the hot blood and fiery temper of the 
 proud South Carolinians could brook no restraint at this time 
 when an affront was given or his honor assailed. Captain 
 Elbert Bland, of Edgefield, and Major Emett Seibles, both of 
 the Seventh Regiment, were engaged in a friendly game of 
 chess, a difference arose, then a dispute, hot words, and at last 
 insult given that could not be recalled nor allowed to pass 
 unnoticed. Challenge is offered and accepted, seconds 
 appointed, pistols ch6sen; distance, twenty paces; time' sunrise 
 next morning on a hillside near the outskirts of the camp. 
 Early next morning a lone ambulance is seen moving out of 
 camp, followed by two surgeons, then the principals with their 
 seconds at a respectful distance. On reaching the spot chosen 
 lots were cast for choice of stations. This fell to Captain 
 Bland. The distance was measured with mechanical exact- 
 ness, dueling pistols produced, each second loading that of his 
 principal. The regular dueling pistol is a costly affair and of 
 the very finest material. Long slim rifle barrel with hammer 
 underneath, the stock finely chiseled and elaborately orna- 
 mented with silver or gold; the whole about ten inches in 
 length and carrying a bullet of 22 calibre. The seconds took 
 their places at an equal distance from each other and midway 
 between the principals. Captain Bland takes his position at 
 the west end of the field, and Major Seibles the east. Both 
 stood confronting each other, not fierce nor glaring like two 
 men roused in passion, or that either wished the blood of the 
 other, but bold, calm, and defiant; an insult to be wiped out 
 and honor to be sustained. They turned, facing the rear, 
 hands down, with pistols in the right. The seconds call out 
 in calm, deliberate tones: "Gentlemen, are you ready?" 
 Then, "Ready, aim, fire!" "One, two, three, .stop." The 
 shooting must take place between the words "fire" and "stop," 
 or during the count of one, two, three. If the principal fires 
 before or after this com uand it is murder, and he is at once 
 shot down by the second of his opponent. Or if in any case 
 the principals fail to respond at the hour set, the second 
 promptly takes his place. But no danger of such possibilities 
 where two such men as Major Seibles and Captain Bland are 
 interested. There was a matter at issue dearer than country, 
 wife, or child. It was honor, Jand a true South Carolinian of 
 
80 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the old stock would make any sacrifice, give or take life, to 
 uphold his name unsullied or the honor of his family untar- 
 nished. As the word fire was given the opponents wheeled 
 and two pistol shots rang out on the stillness of the morning. 
 Captain Bland stands still erect, commanding and motionless 
 as a statue. Major Seibles remains steady for a moment, then 
 sways a little to the left, staggers and falls into the arms of 
 his second and surgeon. A hasty examination is made. 
 "Blood," calls out the second of Major Seibles. A nod of sat- 
 isfaction is given and acknowledged by both seconds. Captain 
 Bland retires on the arm of his friend, while the Major, now 
 bleeding profusely from a wound in the chest, is lifted in the 
 ambulance and carried to his tent. It was many months be- 
 fore Major Seibles was sufiBciently recovered from his wound 
 to return to duty. The matter was kept quiet and no action 
 taken. Major Seibles died the following year, while the gal- 
 lant Bland was killed at Chickamauga while leading as Colonel 
 the Seventh Regiment in battle. 
 
 While at Flint Hill, another stirring scene took place of 
 quite a different nature. In front of the Third Regiment was 
 a beautiful stretch of road, and this was selected as a course 
 for a. race to be run between the horse of Captain Mitchell of 
 the Ivouisiana Tigers and that of the Colonel of a Virginia 
 regiment of cavalry. The troops now so long inactive, noth- 
 ing to break the monotony between drills, guard duty, and 
 picketing, waited with no little anxiety the coming of the day 
 that was to test the metal of the little grey from the Pelican 
 State and the sorrel from the Old Dominion. Word had gone 
 out among all the troopers that a race was up, and all lovers of 
 the sport came in groups, companies, and regiments to the 
 place of rendezvous. Men seemed to come from everywhere, 
 captains, colonels, and even generals graced the occasion'with 
 their presence. Never before in our army had so many dis- 
 tinguished individuals congregated for so trivial an occasion. 
 There was Wheat, fat, clean shaven, and jolly, his every 
 feature indicating the man he was— bold as a lion, fearless, full 
 of life and frolic as a school boy, bat who had seen war in 
 almost every clime under the sun. There was Turner AvShby, 
 his eyes flashing fire from under his shaggy eyebrows, his 
 long black beard and flowing locks, looking more like a 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 81 
 
 brigand than one of the most daring cavaliers of the Confederate 
 Army. Fitzhugh Lee, too, was there, with colonels, majors, 
 and captains without number. Nothing seemed farther from 
 the horizon of these jolly men than thoughts of the triumphs 
 of war. Captain Mitchell's horse was more on the pony order 
 than a racer, but it was said by those who knew that on more 
 occasions than one the pony had thrown dirt into the eyes of., 
 the fastest horse in the Crescent City, and the Louisianans- 
 were betting on him to a man. The wiry sorrel was equally 
 a favorite with the Virginians, while the South Carolinians 
 were divided between the two. After a great amount of 
 jockeying, usual on such occasions, judges were appointed, 
 distance measured, horses and riders in their places, and 
 hundreds of men stretched along the side of the road to witness 
 the heated race. No little amount of Confederate money had 
 been put upon the race, , although' it was understood to be 
 merely a friendly one, and for amusement only. When the 
 drum sounded, the two horses almost leaped into the air, 
 and sped away like the wind, "little grey" shooting away 
 from her larger adversary like a bullet, and came flying down 
 the track like a streak, about a length ahead of the Virginia 
 horse. The favorites on the lyouisianan rent the air with their 
 yells, hats went into the air, while the friends of the Vir-.-inian 
 shouted like mad to the rider: "Let him out, let him out." 
 When the distance was about half run he was "let out;" the 
 rowels went into the side and the whip came down upon the 
 flanks of the thoroughly aroused racer, and the Virginian 
 began forging to the front, gaining at every leap. Now he is 
 neck and neck, spur and whip are used without stint, he goes 
 ahead and is leaving the "grey" far in the rear; Captain 
 Mitchell is leaning far over on the withers of the faithful little 
 pony, never sparing the whip for a moment, but all could see 
 that he was running a losing race. When about the Com- 
 mencement of the last quarter the "grey" leaves the track, 
 and off to the right he plunges through the trees, dashing 
 headlong by the groups of men, till at last the Captain brings 
 him up with one rein broken. A g. eat crowd surround him, 
 questioning, swearing, and jeering, but the Captain sat as 
 silent, unmovable, and inattentive as a statue, pointing to the 
 broken rein. It had been cut with a knife. The Captain and 
 6 
 
82 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 his friends claimed that the friends of the Virginian had, 
 unnoticed by hitn, cut the leather to a bare thread, while the 
 friends of the other party, with equal persistency, charged the 
 Captain with cutting it himself. That when he saw the race 
 lost, he reached over and cut the rein about six inches from 
 the bit, thus throwing the horse out of the track and saving 
 its credit, if not the money. No one ever knew how it hap- 
 pened, but that there had been a trick played and foul means 
 employed were evident. A great many had lost their money, 
 and their curses were loud and deep, while the winners went 
 away as merry as "marriage bells." 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 Winter Quarters at Bull Run. 
 
 Sometime in October the brigade was withdrawn to the 
 vicinity of Centerville for better facilities in the way of pro- 
 vi:=ions, water, etc., and to be nearer the wooded .section of the 
 country. The water had been scarce at Flint Hill, a long dis- 
 tance from camp, and of inferior quality. The health of the 
 troops was considerably impaired, a great many having been 
 sent to the hospitals, or to their homes. The sickness was 
 attributed, in a large measure, to the quality of green corn and 
 fresh meat, salt being an object uow with the Confederacy, 
 and was issued in limited quantities, We fared sumptuously 
 while at our camp near Centerville. Our wagon train going 
 weekly up towards Warrenton and the mountains, returning 
 laden with flour, meat, and the finest beef we had ever re- 
 ceived. The teamsters actiug as hucksters, brought in a lot 
 of delicacies to sell on their own account — chickens, turkeys, 
 and vegetables, and not uufrequently a keg of "Mountain 
 Dew" would be packed in the wagon with the army supplies, 
 and sold by the wagoners at an enormous profit. There being 
 no revenue officers or "dispensary con^ables" in those days, 
 whiskey could be handled with impunity, and not a little 
 found its way into camp. The citizens, too, had an eye single 
 to their own welfare, and would bring in loads of all kinds of 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 83 
 
 country produce. Sometimes a wagon would drive into camp 
 loaded with dressed chickens and turkeys to the number of 
 one hundred or more. A large old-fashioned wagon-sheet 
 would be spread over the bottom and side of the wagon body, 
 and filled with as much as two horses could pull. I never 
 knew until then how far a man's prejudice could overcome 
 him. Our mess had concluded to treat itself to a turkey din- 
 ner on Christmas. Our boss of the mess was instructed to 
 purchase a turkey of the next wagon that came in. Sure 
 enough, the day came and a fine fat turkey bought, already 
 dressed, and boiling away in the camp iettle, while all hands 
 stood around and drank in the delightful aroma from turkey 
 and condiments that so temptingly escaped from under the 
 kettle lid. When all was ready, the feast spread, and the cook 
 was in the act of sinking his fork into the breast of the rich 
 brown turkey, some one said in the greatest astonishment.- 
 "Well, George Stuck, I'Jl be d — d if you haven't bought a 
 goo.se instead of a turkey, look at its short legs. ' ' There was a 
 go, our money gone, appetites whetted, and for a goose! Well 
 up to that time and even now I cannot eat goose. A dispute- 
 arose, some said it was a goose, others held out with equal 
 persistency that it was a turkey, and I not having discretion 
 enough to judge by the color of the flesh, and so overcome by 
 my prejudice, did not taste it, and a madder man was not 
 often found. To this day I have never been convinced whether 
 it was a turkey or a goose, but am rather inclined to give the 
 benefit of the doubt to the goose. 
 
 We did not get into our regular winter quarters until after 
 the first of January, 1862. These were established on the 
 south Banks of Bull Run, near Blackburn's Ford, the place of 
 the first battle of the name, where I^ongstreet fought on the 
 iSthofJuly. Large details were sent out from camp every 
 day to build foundations for these quarters. This was done by 
 cutting pine poles or logs the right length of our tents, build 
 up three or four feet, and over this pen the tent to be 
 stretched. They were generally about ten feet square, but a 
 man could only stand "erect in the middle. The cracks be- 
 tween the logs were clinked with mud, a chimney built out of 
 poles split in half and notched up in the ends of the log parts 
 of the tent. An inside wall was made of plank or small round 
 
84 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 poles, with space between the two walls of five or six inches.. 
 This was filled with soft earth or mud, packed tightlj', then a 
 blazing fire started, the inner wall burned out, and the diit 
 baked hard and solid as a brick. In this way we had very- 
 good chimneys and comfortable quarters. From six to eight 
 ■occupied one tent, and generally all the inmates messed to- 
 gether. Forks were driven into the ground, on which were 
 placed strong and substantial cross-pieces, then round pipe 
 poles, about the size of a man's arm, laid over all and thickly 
 strewn with pine needles, on which the blankets are laid. 
 There you have the winter quarters for the Southern soldiers 
 the first year of the war. 
 
 But some of the men did not like so primitive an order of 
 architecture and built huts entirely out of logs, and displayed 
 as much originality as you would find in more pretentious 
 cities. These were covered over with poles, on which straw 
 and sand were tightly packed, enough so as to make them 
 water-tight. Some would give names to their quarters, 
 marked in large letters above their doors in charcoal, taxing 
 their minds to give ingenious and unique names, such as "Uncle 
 Tom's Cabin," "The House that Jack Built," "Park Row," 
 "Devil's Inn," etc. To while away the long nights and cold 
 days, the men had' recourse to the soldier's game, "cards." 
 Few ever played for the money that was in it, but more for an 
 amusement and pastime. While almost all played cards, 
 there were very few who could be considered gamblers, or 
 who would take their comrades' money, if they even won it. 
 There would be stakes played for, it is true, on the "credit 
 .system" generally, to be evened-up on pay-day. But when 
 that time came around such good feeling existed that "poker 
 debts," as they were called, were seldom ever thought of, and 
 the. game would continue with its varying successes without ever 
 a thought of liquidation. You might often see a good old 
 Methodist or a strict Presbyterian earnestly engaged in a "five 
 cent antie" game, but never take his friend's money, even if 
 honestly won. Something had to be done to pass away the 
 time, and card-playing was considered an innocent amuse- 
 ment. 
 
 The long inactivity made men naturally think and dream of 
 home. The soldiers had left home quite suddenly, and in 
 
HISTORY OF KRRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 85 
 
 many cases with little preparation, but' the continual talk of 
 ■ "peace in the spring," and the daily vaporing of the press 
 about Eugland or France recognizing the South 's" belligerency 
 — and the opening of her ports — buoyed up the spirits of the 
 soldiers, and fanned the flame of hope. A great many of the' 
 old army ofiBcers of the United States, hailing from the South, 
 had resigned their commissions on the Secession of the States, 
 and tendered their services to the Confederacy. Of course it 
 mattered not what was their former rank, or what service, if 
 any the}' had seen, all exoected places as generals. President 
 Davis being a West Pointer him.self, had great partiality for 
 graduates of that institution. It was his weakness, this favor- 
 itism for West Pointers; and the persistency with which he 
 appointed them above and over the generals of the volunteers, 
 gave dissatisfaction. These appointments caused such resent- 
 ment and dissatisfaction that some of our very best generals 
 resigned their commissions, refusing to serve under men of no 
 experience and doubtful qualifications. Longstreet, Van 
 Dorn, McL,aws, G. W. Smith, and a host of others, who had 
 been captains and majors in the United States Army, were 
 here or in Richmond waiting for some high grade, without 
 first winning their .spurs upon the field. McLaws, a Major in 
 the regular army, was made a Major General, and Lougstreet 
 had been appointed over General Bonham, the latter having 
 seen varied service in Mexico, commanding a regiment of 
 regulars, doing staff duty, and Military Governor of one of 
 the provinces after the war. At such injustice as this, gave 
 General Bonham reason to resign his command and return to 
 South Carolina, where he soon afterwards was elected to Con- 
 gress, and later elected Governor of the State. This left the 
 command to Colonel Kershaw as senior Colonel, but he was 
 soon thereafter made Brigadier General. While the troops 
 felt safe and confident under Kershaw, they parted with 
 General Bonham with unfeigned reluctance and regret. Al- 
 though none blamed him for the steps taken, for all felt keenly 
 the injustice done, still they wished him to remain and lead 
 them to victory, and share the glory they felt sure was in store 
 for all connected with the old First Brigade. 
 
 In future we will call the brigade by the name of Kershaw, 
 the natue by which it was mostly known, and under whose 
 
86 HISTORY OF KERSHAW S BRIGADE. 
 
 leadership the troops did such deeds of prowess, endured so 
 many hardships, fought so man}' battles, and gained so many 
 victories, as to shed a halo around the heads of all who 
 marched with him and fought under the banner of Joseph B. 
 Kershaw. Here I will give a brief biography of General 
 Kershaw. 
 
 JOSEPH BREVARD KERSHAW 
 
 Was born January 5th, 1822, at Camden, S. C. He was a 
 son of John Kershaw and Harriet DuBose, his wife. Both of 
 the families of Kershaws and DuBoses were represented by 
 more than one member, either in the Continentals or the State 
 troops, during the War of the Revolution, Joseph Kershaw, 
 the most prominent of them, and the grandfather of the sub- 
 ject of this sketch, having lost his fortune in his efforts to 
 maintain the patriot cause. John Kershaw died when his 
 son, Joseph Brevard, was a child of seven years of age. He 
 attended first a "dame school" in his native town. After- 
 wards he attended a school taught by a rigid disciplinarian, a 
 Mr. Hatfield, who is still remembered by .some of the pupils 
 for his vigorous application of the rod on frequent occasions, 
 with apparent enjoyment on his part, but with quite other sen- 
 timents on the part of the boys. He was sent at the age of 
 fifteen to the Cokesbury Conference school, in Abbeville Dis- 
 trict, as it was then known, where he remained for only a 
 brief time. Leaving this school, after a short sojourn at home, 
 he went to Charleston, S. C. , where he became a clerk in a 
 dry goods house. This life not being congenial to him, he re- 
 turned to Camden and entered as a student in the law oflSce of 
 the late John M. DeSaussure, Esq., from which, at the age of 
 twenty-one, he was admitted to the Bar. He soon afterwards 
 formed a copartnership with James Pope Dickinson, who 
 was subsequently killed at the battle of Cherubusco, in the 
 war with Mexico, gallantly leading the charge of the Palmetto 
 Regiment. Both partners went to the Mexican War, young 
 Kershaw as First Lieutenant of the Camden company, known 
 as the DeKalb Rifle Guards. Struck down by fever contracted 
 while in the service, he returned home a physical wreck, to be 
 tenderly nursed back to health by his wife. Lucretia Douglass, 
 whom he had married in 1844. Upon the recovery of his 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 87 
 
 health, the war being over, he resumed the practice of law in 
 Camden. But it was not long before his services were de- 
 manded in the State Legislature, which he entered as a mem- 
 ber of the lower house in 1852. From this time on until the 
 opening of hostilities in the war between the States, he prac- 
 ticed his profession with eminent success, and served also in 
 the Legislature several terms, being handsomely re-elected 
 when he stood for the place. He took a deep interest in the 
 struggle then impending, and was a member of the Secession 
 Convention from his native district. As it became more and 
 more evident that there would be war, he ran for and was 
 elected to the ofBce of Colonel of the - militia regiment com- 
 posed of companies from Kershaw and adjacent districts, 
 which, early in 1861, by command of Governor Pickens, he 
 mobilized and led to Charleston and thence to Morris' Island, 
 where the regiment remained until it volunteered and was 
 called to go to Virginia to enter the service of the Confederacy. 
 Several of the companies then in his regiment consented to go. 
 These were supplemented by other companies which offered 
 their services, and the new regiment, now known as the Sec- 
 ond South Carolina Volunteers, proceeded to Richmond, 
 tlience to Manassas. 
 
 From this time until 1864 it is unnecessary to trace his per- 
 sonal history in this place, because the history of the brigade, 
 to the command of which he was elected at the reorganization 
 in 1862, and of its commander cannot be separated. In May, 
 1864, he was promoted to the rank of Major General and as- 
 signed to the command of a division, of which his brigade 
 formed a part. His, was the First Brigade of the First Divis- 
 ion of the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. On 
 the retreat from Richmond his division, with other troops, 
 numbering in all about 6,000 men, was surrounded and cap- 
 tured at the battle of Sailor's Creek, April 6th, 1865. In 
 this disastrous battle Lieutenant Ewell, Major Generals 
 Kershaw and Custis Lee, Brigadier Generals D. M. DuBose, 
 Semmes, Hunter, and Corse, arid Commodores Hunter and 
 Tucker, of the Confederate States' Navy, ranking on shore 
 duty as Brigadiers, were captured, together with their respect- 
 ive commands, almost to a man, after a desperate and sanguin- 
 ary struggle against immense odds. Those ofiScers were all 
 
»8 HISTORY OF KERSHAW S BRIGADE,. 
 
 seat to Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, where they remained in 
 prison until some time in August, 1865, when they were 
 allowed to return to their respective homes. 
 
 General Kershaw resumed the profession of law in Camden 
 immediately upon his return, and enjoyed a laige and lucra- 
 tive practice for many years, until called to serve his State as 
 Circuit Judge in 1877, when the government was wrested from 
 the hands of the Republicans. He took an active part in poli- 
 tics, having been elected to the State Senate in the fall of 1865. 
 He ran for Congress from his district in 1874, but was counted 
 out, as it was believed, at the election. He was also sum- 
 moned to Columbia by Governor Hampton after his election in 
 1876, and rendered important service in securing the peaceable 
 outcome of that most trying struggle. Upon the convening of 
 the Legislature, he was at once elected Judge of the Fifth Cir- 
 cuit, a position which he held with distinguished honor for 
 sixteen years, rendering it to Judge Erne.st Gary in June, 1893, 
 on which occasion there was tendered him a farewell probably 
 unique in the judicial history of the State, by eminent repre- 
 sentatives of the Bar of his Circuit. With impaired health, 
 but with unwavering faith and carefulness that no adversity 
 diminished, he once more returned to the practice of his pro- 
 fession. It was a gallant effort in the face of tremendous odds, 
 but the splendid health that he had enjoyed for many years 
 had been undermined slowly and insidiously by disease inci- 
 dent to a life that had ever borne the burdens of others, and 
 that had .spent itself freely and unselfishly for his country and 
 his fellowman, and it was evident to all that his days were 
 numbered. Devoted friends, the names of many of whom are 
 unknown to me, offered him pecuniary help at this trying 
 juncture, and these the writer would wish to hold, as he would 
 have wished, "in everlasting remembrance." In his message 
 to the General Assembly that year, 1893, Governor B. R. Till- 
 man proposed him as the proper person to collect the records 
 of the services of South Carolina soldiers in the Civil War, 
 and to prepare suitable historical introduction to the volume. 
 The Legislature promptly, and I believe unanimously, en- 
 dorsed the nomination and made an appropriation for the work. 
 To this he gave himself during the two succeeding months, 
 collecting data, and even preparing in part the proposed intro- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 89 
 
 ductiou. But growing infirmities compelled him to lay it 
 down, and in the latter part of March, 1894, he became alarm- 
 ingly ill. All was done for his relief that the most competent 
 skill and gentle care could do, but to no avail, and in the night 
 of April 1 2th, just before midnight, he breathed his last. 
 Among his last words to his son were these, spoken when he 
 was perfectly conscious of what was before him: "My son, I 
 have no doubts and no fears. ' ' On the occasion of his funeral 
 there was a general outpouring of people from the town and 
 vicinity for many miles, who sincerely mourned the departure 
 of their friend. The State was represented by the Governor 
 and seven members of his official family. On the modest mon- 
 ument that marks his last resting place is inscribed his name 
 and the date of his birth and death. On the base the legend 
 runs: "I have fought a good fight; I have kept the faith." 
 
 It may prove of interest to the surviving members of the 
 old brigade to know that after the fight of Sailor's Creek, when 
 General Kershaw and his companions were being taken back 
 to Petersburg and thence to City Point to be shipped North, 
 he spent a night at a farm house, then occupied as a field hos- 
 pital and as quarters by the surgeons and attendants. They 
 were South Carolinians, and were anxious to hear all about 
 the fight. In telling of it the pride and love which he reposed 
 in the old brigade received a wistful testimonial. It was then 
 confronting Sherman somewhere in North Carolina. Its old 
 commander said in a voice vibrant with feeling: "If I had 
 only had my old brigade with me I believe we could have 
 held these fellows in check until night gave us the opportunity 
 to withdraw." 
 
 The roads in every direction near the army had become al- 
 most impa.ssable — mud knee deep in the middle and ruts cut 
 to the hubs on either side. The roads leading to Manassas 
 were literally strewn with the carcasses of horses, some even 
 sunk out of sight in the slough and mud. It would remind 
 one of the passage of Napoleon across the Arabian desert, so 
 graphically described by historians. The firewood had be- 
 come scarce, and had to be carried on the men's shoulders the 
 distance of a mile, the wagons being engaged in hauling sup- 
 plies and the enormous private baggage sent to the soldiers from 
 home. I remember once on my return from home on a short 
 
90 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BKIGADE. 
 
 furlough, I had under my charge one whole carload of boxes 
 for mj' company alone. Towards night every soldier would 
 go out to the nearest woodland, which was usually a mile dis- 
 tant, cut a stick of wood the size he could easily carry, and 
 bring into camp, this to do the night and next day. The 
 weather being so severe, fires had to be kept up all during the 
 night. Some constructed little boats and boated the wood 
 across the stream. Bull Run, and a time they generally had of 
 it, with the boat upsetting the men and the wood floundering 
 and rolling about in the water, and it freezing cold. 
 
 The Department granted a thirt}' days' leave of absence to 
 all individuals and companies that would re-enlist for the re- 
 remaining two years or the war. Many officers were granted 
 commissions to raise companies of cavalry and artillery out of 
 the infantry commands, whose time was soon to expire. Lieu- 
 tenant T. J. Lipscomb, of Company B, Third South Carolina 
 Regiment, was given a commission as Captain, and he, with 
 others, raised a company of cavalry and was given a thirty 
 daj's' furlough. A great many companies volunteered in a 
 body, not knowing at the time that the Con.script Act soon to 
 be enacted would retain in service all between certain ages in 
 the army, even after their time had expired. 
 
 About the middle of February President Davis called Gen- 
 eral Johnston to Richmond, to confer with him upon the prac- 
 ticability of withdrawing the army to the south banks of the 
 Rappahannock. It was generally understood at the time, and 
 largely the impression since, that the army was withdrawn in 
 consequence of McClellan's movements on the Peninsula. 
 But such was not the case. This withdrawal was determined 
 on long before it was known for certain that McClellan would 
 adopt the Peninsula as his base of operations. The middle of 
 February began the removal of the ordnance and commi.ssary 
 stores by railroad to the south of the rivers in our rear. These 
 had been accumulated at Manassas out of all proportion to the 
 needs of the army, and against the wishes of the commanding 
 General. There seemed to be a want of harmony between the 
 army officers and the officers of the Department in Richmond. 
 This difference of feelings was kept up throughout the war, 
 greatly to the embarassment at times of the Generals in the 
 field, and often a great sacrifice to the service, The officials 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 91 
 
 in Richmond, away from the seat of war, had a continual pre- 
 dilection to meddle with the internal affairs of the army. This 
 meddling caused Jackson, who became immortal in after years, 
 to tender his resignation, and but for the interference of Gen- 
 eral Johnston, the world would perhaps never have heard of 
 the daring feats of "Stonewall Jackson." He asked to be re- 
 turned to the professorship at the Military Institute, but Gen- 
 eral Johnston held his letter up and appealed to Jackson's 
 patriotism and the cause for which all were fighting, to recon- 
 sider his action and to overlook this officious intermeddling 
 and remain at his post. This he did under protest. 
 
 Our brigade, and, in fact, all regiments and brigades, had 
 been put in different commands at different times to suit the 
 caprice of the President or whims of the Department, and now 
 we were Early's Division. 
 
 On the night of the 9th of March we broke up quarters at 
 Bull Run and commenced our long and tiresome march for the 
 Rappahannock. We were ordered by different routes to facil- 
 itate the movement, our wagon trains moving out in the morn- 
 ing along the dirt road and near the railroad. All baggage 
 that the soldiers could not carry had been sent to the rear days 
 before, and the greater part destroyed in the great wreck and 
 conflagration that followed at Manassas on its evacuation. In 
 passing through Manassas the stores, filled to the very tops 
 with commissary stores, sutler's goods, clothing, shoes, pri- 
 vate boxes, and whiskey, were thrown open for the soldiers to 
 help themselves. What a feast for the troops! There seemed 
 everything at hand to tempt him to eat, drink, or wear, but it 
 was a verification of the adage, "When it rains much you have 
 no spoon." We had no way of transporting these goods, now 
 piled high on every hand, but to carry them on our backs, and 
 we were already overloaded for a march of any distance. 
 Whiskey flowed like water. Barrels were knocked open and 
 canteens filled. Kegs, jugs, and bottles seemed to be every- 
 where. One stalwart man of my company shouldered a ten 
 gallon keg and proposed to hold on to it as long as possible, 
 and it is a fact that a few men carried this keg by reliefs all 
 night and next day. This was the case in other companies. 
 When we got out of the town and on the railroad, the men 
 were completely overloaded. All night we marched along the 
 
92 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 railroad at a slow, steady gait, but all order and discipline were 
 abandoned. About midnight we saw in our rear great sheets 
 of flame shooting up from the burning buildings, that illumi- 
 nated the country for miles around. Manassas was on fire! 
 Some of the buildings had caught fire by accident or careless- 
 ness of the soldejrs, for the firing was not to begin until next 
 day, after the withdrawal of the cavalry. The people in the 
 surrounding country had been invited to come in and get 
 whatever they wished, but I doubt if any came in time to save 
 much from the burning mass. A great meat curing establish- 
 ment at Thoroughfare Gap, that contained millions of pounds 
 of beef and pork, was also destroyed. We could hear the 
 bursting of bombs as the flames reached the magazines, as well 
 as the explosion of thousands of small arm cartridges. The 
 whole sounded like the raging of a great battle. Manassas 
 had become endeared to the soldiers b3^ its many memories, 
 and when the word went along the line, "Manassas is burn- 
 ing," it put a melancholy feeling upon all. Some of the hap- 
 piest recollections of the soldiers that composed Kershaw's 
 Brigade, as well as all of Johnston's Army, were centred 
 around Manassas. It was here they had experienced their first 
 sensations of the soldier, Manassas was the field of their first 
 victory, and there they had spent their first winter. It seemed 
 to connect the soldiers of the Confederacy with those of Wash- 
 ington at Valley Forge and Trenton, the winter quarters of 
 the army of the patriots. It gave the recollection of rest, a 
 contrast with the many marches, the hard fought battles, 
 trials, and hardships. 
 
 The next day it began to rain, and a continual down-pour 
 continued for days and nights. Blankets were taken from 
 knapsacks to cover over the men as they marched, but they 
 soon filled with water, and had to be thrown aside. Both 
 sides of the railroad were strewn with blankets, shawls, over- 
 coats, and clothing of every description, the men finding it 
 impossible to bear up under such loads. The slippery ground 
 and the unevenness of the railroad track made marching very 
 disagreeable to soldiers unaccustomed to it. Some took the 
 dirt road, while others kept the railroad track, and in this way 
 all organizations were lost sight of, but at night they collected 
 together in regiments, joined the wagon trains, and bivouaced 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 93 
 
 for the night. Sometimes it would be midnight before the 
 last of the stragglers came up. We crossed the Rappahan- 
 nock on the railroad bridge, which had been laid with plank 
 to accommodate the passage of wagon trains, on the nth and 
 remained until the 19th. Up to this time it was not fully 
 understood by the authorities in Richmond which route Mc- 
 Clellan would take to reach Richmond, whether by way of 
 Fredericksburg or Yorktown, but now scouts reported large 
 transports, laden with soldiers, being shipped down the 
 Potomac to the mouth of the James and York Rivers. This 
 left no doubt in the minds of the authorities that the Peninsula 
 was to be the base of operations. We continued our march on 
 the 19th, crossed the Rapidan, and encamped around Orange 
 Court House. 
 
 Beauregard, whom the soldiers loved dearly, and in whom 
 they had every confidence as a leader, was transferred to the 
 West, to join General A. S. Johnston, who had come from Cali- 
 fornia and was organizing an army in Southern Tennessee. 
 
 Magruder, commanding at Yorktown, reporting large bodies 
 disembarking in his front, Kershaw's Brigade, with several 
 others, were placed upon cars and hurried on through Rich- 
 mond to his support, leaving the other portion of the army to 
 continue the march on foot, or on cars, wherever met. At 
 Richmond we were put on board small sail boats and passed 
 down the James River for the seat of war. This was a novel 
 mode of transportation for most of the soldiers on board. It 
 was a most bitter day and night. A cold east wind blowing 
 from the sea, with a mist of sleet, the cold on the deck of the 
 little vessel became almost unbearable. About two hundred 
 were placed on board of each, and it being so cold we were 
 forced to go below in the "hold," leaving only a little trap 
 door of four feet square as our only means of ventilation. 
 Down in the hold, where these two hundred men were packed 
 like sardines in a box, caused us to almost suffocate, while to 
 remain on deck five minutes would be to court death by freez- 
 ing. Thus one would go up the little ladder, stick his head 
 through the door a moment for a breath of fresh air, then drop 
 back and allow another the pleasure of a fresh breathing 
 spell. So we alternated between freezing and smothering all 
 the way, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles or more. I 
 
94 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 had read of the tortures of the "middle passage" and the 
 packing of the slave ships, but I do not think it could have 
 exceeded our condition. 
 
 Now it must be remembered that for the most of the time on 
 our march we were separated from our wagon trains that had 
 our tents, cooking utensils, and other baggage. Many novel 
 arrangements were resorted to for cooking. The flour was 
 kneaded into dough on an oil cloth spread upon the ground, 
 the dough pulled into thin cakes, pinned to boards or barrel 
 heads by little twigs or wooden pegs, placed before the fire, 
 and baked into very fair bread. Who would think of baking 
 bread on a ram-rod? But it was often done. Long slices of 
 dough would be rolled around the iron ram-rods, then held 
 over the fire, turning it over continually to prevent burning, 
 and in this way we made excellent bread, but by a tedious ■ 
 process. It is needless to say the meats were cooked by broil- 
 ing. We parched corn when flour was scarce, and often guards 
 had to be placed over the stock at feed time to prevent soldiers 
 from robbing the horses of their corn. 
 
 At midnight the captain of the sloop notified us that we were 
 now at our place of disembarkation, and we began to scramble 
 up the ladder, a small lamp hanging near by and out on deck. 
 The wooden wharfs were even with the deck, so we had no 
 difficulty in stepping from one to the other. But the night 
 was pitch dark, and our only mode of keeping direction was 
 taken from the footsteps of the soldiers on the wharf and in 
 front. Here we came very near losing one of our best soldiers. 
 Jim George was an erratic, or some said "half witted" fellow, 
 but was nevertheless a good soldier, and more will be said of 
 him in future In going out of the hold on deck he became 
 what is called in common parlance "wrong shipped," and in- 
 stead of passing to the right, as the others did, he took the 
 left, and in a moment he was floundering about in the cold 
 black waves of the river below. The wind was shrieking, 
 howling, and blowing — a perfect storm — so no one could hear 
 his call for help. He struck out manfully and paddled wildly 
 about in the chilly water, until fortunately a -passing sailor, 
 with the natural instinct of his calling, scented a "man over- 
 board." A line was thrown Jim, and after a pull he was 
 landed on shore, more dead than alive. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. 95 
 
 "How long were you in the water, Jim?" someone asked. 
 
 "Hell! more dan free hours," was the laconic and good- 
 natured reply. 
 
 Had we lost Jim here, the regiment would have lost a treat 
 in after years, as time will show. 
 
 We went into camp a mile or so from the historic old York- 
 town, if a few old tumbled down houses and a row of wooden 
 wharfs could be called a town. The country around York- 
 town was low and swampy, and the continual rains made the 
 woods and fields a perfect marsh, not a dry foot of land to 
 pitch a tent on, if we had had tents, and scarcely a comfort- 
 able place to stand upon. Fires were built, and around these 
 men wonld stand during the day, and a pretense of sleep dur- 
 ing the night. But the soldiers were far from being despond- 
 ent; although some cursed our luck, others laughed and joked 
 the growlers. The next day great numbers visited Yorktown 
 through curiosity, and watched the Federal Fleet anchored off 
 Old Point Comfort. Here happened a "wind fall" I could 
 never account for. While walking along the beach with some 
 comrades, we came upon a group of soldiers, who, like our- 
 selves, were out sight-seeing. They appeared to be somewhat 
 excited by the way they were gesticulating. When we came 
 up, we found a barrel, supposed to be filled with whiskey, had 
 been washed ashore. Some were swearing by all that was 
 good and bad, that "it was a trick of the d — n Yankees on the 
 fleet," who had poisoned the whiskey and tlirown it overboard 
 to catch the "Johnny Rebs." The crowd gathered, and with 
 it the discussion and differences grew. Some swore they 
 would not drink a drop of it for all the world, while others 
 were shouting, "Open h^r up," "get into it," "^lot so much 
 talking, but more drinking." But who was "to bell the cat?" 
 Who would drink first? No one seemed to care for the first 
 drink, but all were willing enough, if somebody else would 
 just "try it." It was the first and only time I ever saw 
 whiskey go begging among a lot of soldiers. At last a long, 
 lank, lantern-jawed son of the "pitch and turpentine State" 
 walked up aud said: 
 
 "Burst her open and give me a drink, a man might as well 
 die from a good fill of whiskey as to camp in this God-forsaken 
 swamp and die of fever; I've got a chill now." 
 
96 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The barrel was opened. The "tar heel" took a long, a 
 steady, and strong pull from a tin cup; then holding it to a 
 comrade, he said: "Go for it, bo3'S, she's all right; no poison 
 thar, and she didn't come from them thar gun floats either. 
 Yankees ain't such fools as to throw away truck like that. 
 No, boys, that 'ar liquor just dropped from Heaven." The 
 battle around the whiskey barrelnow raged fast and furious; 
 spirits flowed without and within; cups, canteens, hats, and caps 
 were soused in the tempting fluid, and aill drank with a relish. 
 Unfortunately, many had left their canteens in camp, but 
 after getting a drink they scurried away for that jewel of the 
 soldier, the canteen. The news of the find spread like con- 
 tagion, and in a few minutes hundreds of men were strug- 
 gling around the barrel of "poison." Where it came from 
 was never known, but it is supposed to have been dropped by 
 accident from a Federal man-of-war. As the soldiers said, 
 "All gifts thankfully received and no questions asked." 
 
 General J. Bankhead Magruder was in command Of the 
 Peninsula at the time of our arrival, and had established his' 
 lines behind the Warwick River, a sluggish stream rising near 
 Yorktown and flowing southward to the James. Along this 
 river light entrenchments had been thrown up. The 
 river had been dammed in places to overflow the lowlands, 
 and at these dams redoubts had been built and defended by 
 our heaviest artillery. 
 
 In a few days all our division was in line, and soon there- 
 after was joined by Longstreet's, D. H. Hill's, and G. W. 
 Smith's, with the cavalry under Stuart. General Johnston 
 was Commander-in-Chief. We remained in camp around 
 Yorktown about two weeks, when General Johnston decided 
 to abandon this line of defense for one nearer Richmond. One 
 of the worst marches our brigade ever had was the night be- 
 fore we evacuated our lines along the Warwick. Remember 
 the troops had no intention of a retreat, for they were going 
 down the river towards the enemy. It was to make a feint, 
 however, to appear as if Johnston was making a general ad- 
 vance, thus to enable the wagon trains and artillery to get out 
 of the way of the retreating army, and Kershaw was to cover 
 this retreat. 
 
 At dark we began our march through long ponds and pools 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 97 
 
 of water, and mud up to the knees, in the direction opposite 
 Gloucester Point, and near a point opposite to the enemy's 
 fleet of gunboats. Through mud and water we floundered 
 and fell, the night being dark. Mile after mile we marched 
 at a snail's gait until we came to a large opening, surrounded 
 by a rail fence. This was about midnight. Here we were 
 ordered to build great fires of the rails near by. This was 
 done, and soon the heavens were lit up by this great stretch of 
 roaring fires. Some had spread their blankets and lay down 
 for a good sleep, while others sat around the good, warm, 
 crackling blaze, wondering what next. Scarcely had we all 
 became quiet than orders came to "fall ip." Back over the 
 same sloppy, muddy, and deep-rutted road we marched, re- 
 tracing the steps made only an hour before, reaching our old 
 camp at daylight, but we were not allowed to stop or rest. 
 The retreat had begun. Magruder, with the other of his 
 forces, was far on the road towards Williamsburg, and we 
 had to fall in his rear and follow his footsteps over roads now 
 simply impassable to any but foot soldiers. We kept up the 
 march until we had left Yorktown ten miles in our rear, after 
 marching a distance of nearly thirty miles, and all night and 
 day. A council of war had been held at Richmond, at which 
 were present President Davis, Generals Lee, Smith, L,ong- 
 street, Johnston, and the Secretary of War, to determine upon 
 the point at which our forces were to concentrate and give 
 MeClellan battle. Johnston favored Richmond as the most 
 easy of concentration; thereto gather all the forces available 
 in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina around Rich- 
 mond, and as the enemy approached fall upon and crush him. 
 G. W. Smith coincided with Johnston. lyougstreet favored 
 reinforcing Jackson in the Valley, drive the enemy out, cross 
 the Potomac, and threaten Washington, and force MeClellan 
 to look after his Capitol. The others favored Yorktown and 
 the Peninsula as the point of concentration. But General 
 Johnston found his position untenable, as the enemy could 
 easily flank his right and left with his fleet. 
 
 On May 3rd began the long, toilsome march up the York 
 River and the James. The enemy hovered on our rear and 
 picked up our stragglers, and forced the rear guard at every 
 ^tep. At Williamsburg, the evening of the 4th of May, John- 
 
08 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 ston was forced to turn and fight. Breastworks and redoubts 
 had beqii built somerailes ip front. ofthe. town, and it was here 
 intended to give battle. The, heavy ,down.-pour of raiu pre- 
 vented Anderson, who. was. holding the rear and, protecting 
 , the wagon train.s, from moving., and the enemy, began press- 
 
 ,ipg him hard. 
 
 Kershaw and the other brigades had passed through Wil- 
 liamsburg when the fight began, but the continual roar of the 
 cannon told of a battle in earnest going on in the rear and our 
 troops hotly engaged. Kershaw and Simms, of our Division, 
 were ordered back at double cjuick. As we pa.ssed through 
 the town the citizens were greatly excited, the piazzas and 
 balconies being filled with ladies and old men, who urged the 
 men on with all the power and eloquence at their command. 
 The woods had b^en felled for some distance in front of the 
 earthworks and forts, and as we neared the former we could see 
 the enemy's skirmishers pushing out of the woods in the clear- 
 ing. The Second and Eighth South Carolina Regiments were 
 ordered to occup5' the , forts and brea.stworks beyond Fort 
 Magruder, and they had a perfect race to reach them before 
 the enemy did. The battle was raging in all fierceness on' the 
 le!t, as well as in our front. More troops were put in action 
 on both sides, and it seemed as if we were going to have the 
 great battle there. D. R. Jones, Lpngstreet. and McLaws 
 were more or less engaged along their whole lines. The 
 Third Regiment did not have an opportunity to fire a gun that 
 day, nor either the Seventh, but the other two, had a consider- 
 able fight, but being mostly behind brea.stvvorks their casualties 
 were light. The enemy withdrew at nightfall, and after 
 remaining on the field for s.)me hours, our army took up the 
 line of march towards Richmond. It has been computed that 
 McClellan had with him on the Peninsula, outside of his 
 marines, irr,ooo men of all arms. 
 
 As the term" of first enlistment has expired, I will give a 
 brief sketch of some of the field officers who led the regiments 
 during the first twelve months of the war. 
 
 COLONEL JAMES H. WILLIAMS., OF THE THIRD SOUTH CAROLINA 
 VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Colonel James H. Williams, the commander of the Third 
 South Carolina Regiment, was born in Newberry County, 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 99 
 
 October 4th, 1813. He was of Welsh descent, his ancestors 
 rairaigrating to this country with 'Lord Baltimore. He was 
 English by his maternal grandmother. The grandfather of 
 Colonel Williams was a Revolutionary soldier, and was killed 
 at the battle of Ninety-Six. The father of the subject of this 
 sketch was also a soldier, and held the office of Captain in the 
 war of 1812. 
 
 Colonel Williams, it would seem, inherited his love for the 
 military service from his ancestors, and in early life joined a 
 company of Nullifiers, in 1831. He also served in the Florida 
 War. His ardor in military matters was Such he gave little 
 time for other attainments; he had no high school or college 
 education. When only twenty-four years old he was elected 
 Major of the Thirty-eighth Regiment of State Militia, and in 
 1843 took the Captaincy of the McDuffie Artillery, a crack 
 volunteer company of Newberry. In 1846 he organized a 
 company for the Mexican War, and was mustered into service 
 in 1847 as Company L, Palmetto Regiment. He was in all 
 the battles of that war, and,' with the Palmetto Regiment, yvon 
 distinction on every field. After his return from Mexico he 
 was elected Brigadier General and then Major General of State 
 Militia. He served as Mayor of his town, Commissioner in 
 Equity, and in the State Legislature. 
 
 Before the breaking out of the Civil War, he had acquired 
 some large estates in the West, arid was there attending to 
 some business' connected therewith when South Carolina 
 seceded. The companies that were to compose the Third 
 Regiment elected him their Colonel, but in his absence, when 
 the troops were c(alled into service, they- were commanded for 
 the time by. Lieutenant Colonel Foster, of Spartanburg. He 
 joined the Regiment at "Lightwood Knot Springs," the ist of 
 May. . He commandeH the Third during the term of its first 
 enhstment, and carried it through the first twelve months' 
 campaign in Virginia. 
 
 At the reorganization of the regiment, the men composing it 
 being almost wholly yoiing men, desired new blood at the 
 head of the volunteer service, and elected Captain James 
 D. Nance in his stead. After his return to the State, he was 
 placed at the head of the Fourth and Ninth Regiments of 
 State Troops, and served as such until the close. 
 
100 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 After the war, he returned to Arkansas and continued his 
 planting operations until the time of his death, August 21st, 
 1892. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 
 that State in 1874. 
 
 Colonel Williams was a born soldier, considerate of and kind 
 to his men. He was cool and fearless to a fault. He under- 
 stood tactics thoroughly, but was wanting in those elements of 
 discipline— its sternness and rigidity that was required to 
 govern troops in actual war. His age counted against him as 
 a strict disciplinarian, but not as a soldier. He was elected to 
 the I,egislature of this State before Reconstruction, as well as 
 a member of the Constitutional Convention of- Arkansas 
 in 1874. 
 
 LIKUTENANT COLONEL FOSTER, OF THE THIRD SOUTH CARO- 
 LINA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel C. B. Foster, of the Third South Caro- 
 lina Regiment, was born in Spartanburg County, South Caro- 
 lina, at the old Foster homestead, near Cedar Springs, in 1817. 
 His father was Anthony Foster, a native of Virginia. Colonel 
 Foster was a member of the lyCgislature before the war, and 
 represented Spartanburg County in the Secession Convention, 
 along with Simpson Bobo, Dr. J. H. Carli-sle, and others. After 
 the Convention adjourned he returned to his home in Spartan- 
 burg and immediatejy began drilling a company for the war. 
 He was elected Captain of the Blackstock Company, which 
 was Company K, in the Third Regiment of South Carolina 
 Voluntters. The Blackstock Company reported for duty as 
 .soon as volunteers were called for, and went immediately to 
 the camp of instruction at Lightwood Knot Springs. Colonel 
 Foster was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment. After 
 spending about three months at the camp of instruction, the 
 Third Regiment was ordered to Virginia. Colonel Foster 
 ■served until some time after the battle of First Mana,ssas, hav- 
 ing participated in that campaign. He remained in Virginia 
 until the fall of 1861, when he was ordered to go home by the 
 surgeon, his health having completely given way. It took 
 long nursing to get him on his feet again. He" was devoted to 
 the Confederate cause, and was always willing and ready to 
 help in any way its advancement. He gave two sons to his 
 
HISTORY OF KRRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 101 
 
 country. One, Captain Perrin Foster, also of the Third Regi- 
 ment, was killed at Fredericksburg leading his command. His 
 other son, James Anthony Foster, gave up his life in the front 
 of his command during the frightful charge on Maryland 
 Heights. He was a member of Company K, of the Third 
 Regiment. 
 
 Colonel Foster was considered a wealthy man before the 
 war, but when it ended he was left penniless. At that time 
 he lived near Glenn Springs, Spartanburg County. In 1867 
 he moved to Union County and merchandised until 1884. He 
 was also County Treasurer for a long time. He died on June 
 9th, 1897, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Benjamin 
 Kennedy, at Jonesville, Union County. In early life Colonel 
 Foster married Miss Mary Ann Perrin, a sister of Colonel 
 Thfimas C. Perrin, of Abbeville. She died in 1886. Three 
 daughters survive Colonel Foster, Mrs. I. G. McKissick, Mrs. 
 Benjamin Kennedy, and Mrs. J. A. Thompson. Colonel 
 Foster was one of God's noblemen. He was true to his 
 friends, his family, and his country. He never flinched from 
 danger nor from his duty. He was faithful at all times and 
 under all circumstances to the best principles of the Anglo- 
 Saxon race. 
 
 COLONEL THOMAS G. BACON, OF THE SEVENTH SOUTH CARO- 
 LINA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Thomas Glascock Bacon was born in Edgefield Village of 
 English ancestry ou the 24th of June, 181 2. He was the 
 youngest son of Major Edmund Bacon, the eloquent' and dis- 
 tinguished member of the Edgefield Bar, and author of the 
 humorous "Georgia Scenes," written under the nom de plume 
 of Ned Brace. Colonel Bacon'-s mother was a sister of Briga- 
 dier General Thomas F. Glascock, of Georgia, a gallant and 
 distinguished officer of the Revolutionary War, and after 
 whom Colonel Bacon was named. He received the early rudi- 
 ments of education at the Edgefield Academy, and when at 
 the proper age he was sent for his classical education to the 
 Pendleton English and Classical Institute, under the tutilage 
 of that profound scholar and educator. Prof. S. M. Shuford. 
 Colonel Bacon was fond of the classics, and had acquired rare 
 literary attainments, and had he cultivated his tastes in that 
 
102 HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 line assiduously, he no doubt would have become the foremost 
 scholar of the State, if not the South. He was- passionately, 
 fond of manly sports and out-door exercise. He was a devotee 
 of the turf, and this disposition led him early in life to the de- 
 velopment of fast horses and a breeder of blooded stock. He 
 was a turfman of the old school, and there were but few courses 
 in the South that had not tested the mettle of his stock. But 
 like his brother in arms. Colonel Cash, of the Eighth, and 
 brother turfman, he became disgusted with the thievery 
 and trickery of later day sports and quit the turf, still owning 
 at his death some of the most noted racers of the times, 
 Granger Lynchburg, John Payne, Glengary, Father Ryan, 
 Ned Brace, and others of lesser note. 
 
 He paid much attention to military matters, and held sev- 
 eral oflSces in the State militia before the war. He, with his 
 friend and superior, General M. L,. Bonham, enlisted in the^ 
 "Blues" and served in the Palmetto Regiment in the war with 
 the Seminoles. At the breaking out of the Civil War he, with 
 Elbert Bland, afterwards Colonel of the Seventh, organized 
 the first company from Edgefield, and was elected Captain. 
 The companies assigned to the Seventh Regiment unanimously 
 elected him the Colonel, and in that capacity he led his regi- 
 ment to Virginia, being among the first regiments from the 
 State to reach the seat of war. He was at the battle of 
 Manassas, and participated in the Peninsular campaign. At 
 the reorganization of the regiment at the expiration of the 
 term of enlistment, his failing health forced him to decline a 
 re-election as Colonel. Returning home, and the . State need- 
 ing the services of trained soldiers to command the State 
 troops, notwithstanding his failing health, he cheerfully 
 accepted the command of the Seventh Regiment State troops. 
 In 1863 he was elected to the State Senate. He died at his 
 home, Pine Pond, in Edgefield County, September 25th, 1876, 
 leaving a widow, but no children. 
 
 Strong in his friendship and earnest in his affection, but 
 with a peaceable and forgiving temperament, pure in his 
 motives, charitable in all things, generous to the needy, affec- 
 tionate to his friends and relatives, chivalric and honorable in 
 every relation of life, brave in action, and with that fortitude 
 under adverse circumstances that makes heroes of men, just 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 103 
 
 and impartial to the oificers and men under his" commatid, 
 pleasant and sociable towards his equals' in rank, obedient and 
 courteous to his s'upeiriorS, few raeii lived or died with so'mUclh 
 respect and admiration, genuine friendship, and love from, all 
 as Colonel Thomas G. Bacon, of the Seventh South Carolina 
 Volunteers. 
 
 COLONEL E. B. C. CASH, OF THE EIGHTH SOUTH' CAROLINA 
 VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 EUerbe Boggan Crawford Cash was born near Wadesboiro, 
 Anson County, North Carolina, on July ist; 1823. His father 
 was Boggan Cash, a Colonel in militia of that State, merchant; 
 and member of Legislature, His mother was Miss Elizabeth 
 Ellerbe, of Chesterfield County, S. C. ' He was the only child! 
 His father died when he was near two years old, and his 
 mother returned to her father's, in South Carolina. He was 
 educated at Mt. Zion Institute, Wionsborp, S. C.,. and South 
 Carolina College. He read law under Genefal Blakeney, at 
 Cheraw, S. C, and practiced in partnership a short while with 
 Alexander Mclver, Esq., the Solicitor of the Eastern Ciircu'it, 
 and father of Chief Justice Henry Mclver, of South Carolina. 
 But his mother owning a large landed estate, and several hun- 
 dred negroes, he soon retired from the Bar to look after her 
 affairs, and devoted himself to planting and raising fine horses 
 and cattle. He married in 1847 hiscoiisin, Miss Allan Ellerbe, 
 of Kershaw, S. C. He was elected to the Legislature from his 
 County, Chesterfield. He was elected Colonel, Brigadier 
 General, and Major General of State militia. 
 
 When the war commenced he was one of the Major Generals 
 of the State. He volunteered and was elected Colonel of th6 
 Eighth South Carolina Regiment. At the reorganization he 
 did not offer for re-election, but came home aud was inade 
 Colonel in State troops. He was kind to the poor the whole 
 war, and gave away during the war over 50,000 bushels of 
 corn and large quantities of other provisions to soldiers' fami- 
 lies, or sold it in Confederate money at ante bellum prices. 
 After the war all notes, claims, and mortgages he held on es-' 
 tates of old soldiers he cancelled and made a present of them 
 to their families. In one case the amount he gave a widow, 
 who had a family and small children, was over $5,000, her 
 husband having been killed in his regiment. 
 
104 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 After the war he continued to tarm. In 1876 he took an 
 active part in redeeming the State, and contributed his time, 
 advice-, and services, and a great deal of money. In 1881 he 
 fought a duel with Colonel Wm. M. Shannon, in which he 
 killed Colonel Shannon. Colonel Cash was the challeged 
 party. His wife died in May, 1880. Colonel Cash died 
 March 10, 1888, and was buried in the family burying ground 
 at his residence, Cash's Depot, S. C. 
 
 Colonel Cash was a man of strong character, fearless, brave, 
 generous and true, a good friend and patriot. He made no 
 religious profession. He was charitable to the extreme, and 
 was the soul of honor, and while he had many enemies, being 
 a fearless man and a good hater, he had such qualities as in- 
 spired the respect and admiration of his fellowmen. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 Reorganized — "New Officers" — Battle. 
 
 On the 13th of April the term for which the twelve months' 
 troops had enlisted was now soon to expire, the great number 
 which had not re-enlisted were looking forward with longing 
 anticipation for orders to disband and return to their homes. 
 On the 14th, their obligations being at an end, officers and 
 men were making rapid preparation to depart for home — not 
 to quit the service, however, but more to enjoy a short leave 
 of absence with their families, and to join other branches of 
 the services, more especially cavalry. Some of the companies 
 had actually left, and were a mile or two from camp when 
 orders came to return. The Conscript Act had been passed, 
 making it obligatory on all, between the ages of eighteen and 
 thirty-five, to enter or remain in the army The men took 
 their sudden return in good humor, for really it was only the 
 married men, who had left their families so unprepared twelve 
 months before, who cared to return home; for some of the 
 young men, who were under the conscript age, refused to 
 leave. Those who had to return received a lot of good- 
 natured badgering at their sudden return to the army. "Hello 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 105 
 
 boys, when did you get back? What's the news at home?" 
 "How did you find all?" were some of the soothing jeers the 
 "returned sinners" had to endure; and as so great a number 
 had expressed a desire to join the cavalry, not a few were 
 asked: "Did you bring your horses with you?" But all was 
 soon forgotten, for in a few days a reorganization was ordered 
 to take place, and new officers elected. 
 
 The Conscript Act was condemned in unmeasured terms in 
 many places at the South, but its necessity and expediency 
 was never doubted. To have allowed so great a number to 
 absent themselves from the army at this time, in the face of 
 an overwhelming enemy, and that enemy advancing upon our 
 Capitol, was more than the morale of the army would admit. 
 Not altogether would the absence of the soldiers themselves 
 efiFect the army, but in the breaking up of organizations, for in 
 some companies all had re-enlisted, while in others one-half, 
 and in many cases none. New regiments would have had to 
 be formed out of the re-enlisted companies, and new companies 
 out of the large number of recruits, now in camps of instruc- 
 tion. So b}' keeping up the old organizations, and filling up 
 the ranks by the conscripts at home, the army would be 
 greatly benefited. 
 
 In some countries, to be called a conscript or drafted man 
 was considered a stigma, but not so in the South. There is 
 little doubt, had a call been made for volunteers, any number 
 could have been had at a moment's notice, for there were 
 hundreds and thousands at the South only awaiting an oppor- 
 tunity to enter the army. In fact, there were companies and 
 regiments already organized and officered, only awaitmg arms 
 by the government^ but these organizations were all raw men, 
 and at this time it was believed to fill up the old companies 
 with recruits, thus putting seasoned troops side by side with 
 raw ones, would enhance the efficiency of the army, retain its 
 discipline, and esprit de corps. 
 
 Then, again, the farms had to be managed, the slaves kept 
 in subjection, and the army fed, and the older men were better 
 qualified for this service than the young. In reality, all 
 were in the service of the country, for while the younger 
 men were fighting in the ranks, the older ones were work- 
 ing in the fields and factories to furnish them clothes, provis- 
 
106 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 ions, and munitions of war. Our government Had no means 
 at home, no ships on the ocean, little credit abroad, and our 
 ports all blockaded. So all had to eutef the service either as 
 a fighter or a worker', and our wisest men thought it the betteir 
 policy to allow the young men the glory upon the field, while 
 the old men served at home. On the 13th of May all com- 
 panies were allowed to elect their officers, both company and 
 regimental, and enter the service for two more years. As I 
 said in the commencement of this work, at the breaking out of 
 the war men generally selected as officers the old militia offi- 
 cers for company officers and veterans of the Mexican War for 
 field officers. General Bonham had been a Colonel in Mexico. 
 Williams, of the Third, had led a company from Newberry 
 to that far-off land. Kershaw went as First Lieutenant. 
 Cash, of the Eighth, was a Major General of the militia at 
 the breaking out of the war. The greatest number of the first 
 Colonels of regiments under the first call were Mexican vete- 
 rans. Another qualification that was considered at the first 
 organization was popularity — -gentle, clever, and kind-hearted. 
 The qualification of courage or as a disciplinarian was seldom 
 thought of; for a man to be wanting in the first could not be 
 thought possible. Our men, who had known the proud feel- 
 ings of personal freedom, dreaded discipline and restraint, nat- 
 urally turned to those men for officers most conducive to their 
 will and wishes. But twelve months' service in trying ca ;i- 
 paigns ma:de quite a change. What they had once looked upon 
 with dread and misgiving they now saw as a necessity. Strict 
 discipline was the better for both men and the service. A 
 greater number of the older officers, feeling their services 
 could be better utilized at home than in the army, and also 
 having done their duty and share by setting the example by 
 enlistment and serving twelve months', relinquished these offices 
 to the younger men and returned home. The younger, too, 
 saw the advisability of infusing in the organizations young 
 blood — men more of their own age and temperament— the 
 stern necessity of military discipline, a closer attendance to 
 tactics and drills, better regulations, and above all, courage. 
 The organizations selected such men as in their opinions would 
 better subserve the interests of the service, and who had the 
 requisites for leadership. This is said with no disparagement 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 107 
 
 to the old oflBcers, for truer, more patriotic, nor a braver set of 
 men ever drew a blade than those who constituted the old bri- 
 gade during its first organization. In fact, some who had 
 served during the first twelve months as officers, when they 
 discovered their deficiency, or that the men had more confi- 
 dence in others, after a short respite at home, returned and 
 joined their old companies as privates. Was there ever greater 
 patriotism and unselfishness and less ostentation shown as in 
 the example of these men! It was but natural that men 
 selected almost at random, and in many instances unacquainted 
 with a majority of the men at enlistment unusual to military 
 life, or the requirements of an officer ia actual service, could 
 possibly be as acceptable as those chosen after a year of ser- 
 vice, and in close compact with the men. 
 
 SECOND REGIMENT. 
 
 The Second Regiment chose as officers — 
 
 Colonel — ^Jno. D. Kennedy. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel — A. S. Goodwin. 
 
 Major — Frank Gaillard. 
 
 Adjutant— E. E- Sill. 
 
 Quartermaster — W. D. Peck. 
 
 Commissary — ^J. J. Villipigne. 
 
 Chief Surgeon — Dr. F. Salmond. 
 
 Chaplains — Revs. McGruder and Smith. 
 
 I give below a list of the Captains, as well as the field officers, 
 of the Second Regiment during the war. There were many 
 changes from Lieutenants to Captains, and subsequent elec- 
 tions from the ranks to Lieutenants, caused by the casualties 
 of war, but space forbids, and want of the facts prevents me 
 from giving more than the company commanders and the field 
 
 officers. 
 
 Colonels — ^J. B. Kershaw, E. P. Jones, Jno. D. Kennedy, 
 
 and Wm. Wallace. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonels — E. P. Jones, A. D. Goodwin, F. Gail- 
 lard, Wm. Wallace, and J. D. Graham. 
 
 Majors — A. D. Goodwin, W. H. Casson, F. Gaillard, Wm. 
 Wallace, I. D. Graham, B. F. Clyburn, G. L. Leaphart. 
 
 Adjutants— A. D. Goodwin, E. E. Sill, and A. McNeil. 
 
 Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons — J. A. Maxwell and J. H. 
 Nott. 
 
108 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Some of them went from Captains and Majors through all 
 the grades to Colonel. The following are the Captains, some 
 elected at the first organization, some at the reorganization, 
 and others rose by promotion from Lieutenant: 
 
 Company A — W. H. Casson, M. A. Shelton, G. I,. Leap- 
 hart, M. M. Maddrey. 
 
 Company B— A. D. Hoke, Wm. PuUiam, W. Powell, J. 
 Caigle. 
 
 Company C— Wm. Wallace, S. Lorick, J. T. Scott, A. P. 
 Winson. 
 
 Company D — ^J. S. Richardson, J. D. Graham, W. Wilder. 
 
 Company E — ^John D. Kennedy, elected Colonel, Z. Leitner, 
 J. Crackeford. 
 
 Company F— W. W. Perryman, W. C. China, G. Mc- 
 Dowell. 
 
 Company G— J. Hail, J. Friesdale, J. P. Cunningham. 
 
 Company H — H. McManus, D. Clyburn. 
 
 Company I— G. B. Cuthbreath, Ralph Elliott, R. Fishburn, 
 B. F. Barlow. 
 
 Company K— R. Rhett, J. Moorer, K. D. Webb, J. D. 
 Dutart, Burton, G. T. Haltiwanger. 
 
 Many changes took place by death and resignation. 
 Scarcely any of the field ofiBcers remained in the end. Many 
 Captains of a low rank went all the way to Colonels of regi- 
 ments, and Third Lieutenants rose by promotion to Captains. 
 This shows the terrible mortality among the officers. None of 
 the first field oflBcers but what had been killed or incapacitated 
 for service by wounds at the close of the war. 
 
 THIRD SOUTH CAROWNA REGIMENT. 
 
 James D. Nance, of Newberry, Captain of Company E, 
 elected Colonel. 
 
 Conway Garlington, of Laurens, Captain of Company A, 
 elected Lieutenant Colonel. 
 
 W. D. Rutherford, of Newberry, formerly Adjutant, made 
 Major. 
 
 Y. J. Pope, Newberry, formerly Orderly Sergeant of Compa- 
 ny E, made Adjutant. 
 
 G. W. Shell, Laurens, Quartermaster. 
 
 J. N. Martin and R. N. Lowrance, Commissary. 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 109 
 
 Ed. Hicks, of Laurens, Sergeant Major. 
 
 All staff officers are appointed or recommended for appoint- 
 ment by the Colonel of the regiment. The offices of Regi- 
 mental Quartermaster and Commissary, the encumbents 
 heretofore ranking as Captains, were abolished during the year, 
 having one Quartermaster and one Commissary for the bri- 
 gade, the regiments having only Sergeants to act as such. I 
 will state here that some of the companies from each regiment 
 had reorganized and elected officers before the time of re-enlist- 
 ment. This is one reason why rank was not accorded in the 
 regular order. In the Third Regiment, Company E, Captain 
 J. D. Nance, and perhaps several others, had reorganized, 
 taken their thirty days' furlough,, and had returned before the 
 general order to reorganize and remain for two more years or 
 the war. The new organizations stood in the Third as fol- 
 lows, by Captains: 
 
 Company A — Willie Hance, Laurens. 
 
 Company B — N. Davidson, Newberry. 
 
 Company C— R. C. Maffett, Newberry. 
 
 Company D— N. F. Walker, Spartanburg. 
 
 Company E — J. K. G. Nance — Newberry. 
 
 Company F — P. Williams, Laurens. 
 
 Company G — R. P. Todd — Laurens. 
 
 Company H — John C. Summer, Lexington. 
 
 Company I — D. M. H. Langston, Laurens. 
 
 Company K— S. M. Langford, Spartanburg. 
 
 Many changes took place in this regiment, some almost im- 
 mediately after the election and others in the battle that fol- 
 lowed in a few weeks. 
 
 Captain Davidson died in two weeks after his election from 
 disease, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Thomas W. Gary, 
 who had during the first twelve months been Captain David- 
 son's Orderly Sergeant. It seems the position of Orderly Ser- 
 geant was quite favorable to promotion, for nearly all the 
 Orderlies during the first twelve months were made either Cap- 
 tains or Lieutenants. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Garlington being killed at Savage Sta- 
 tion, Major Rutherford was promoted to that position, while 
 Captain Maffett was made Major and Lieutenant Herbert Cap-- 
 tain in his stead of Company C. 
 
110 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Captain Hance, of Company A, being killed at Fredericks- 
 burg, First Lieutenant Robert' Richardson became Captain. 
 
 Lieutenant R. H.Wright became Captain of' Company E 
 after the promotion of Nance to Major in the. latter part of the 
 service. ■ ■ ■ ' ' '. 
 
 Captain Williams, -of Company F, was killed, and Lieuten- 
 ant Wm. Deal made Captain and commanded At the surren- 
 der. There may have been other Captains of this company, 
 but no data at hand; 
 
 John W. Watts became Captain of Company G after the 
 promotion of Captain Todd to Major and- Lieutenant Colonel. 
 
 Captain Summer being killed at Fredericksburg, Lieutenant 
 G. S. Swygert became Captain, was disabled andresigned, and 
 D. A. Dickert became Captain and commanded to the end. 
 
 Captain Langston, of Company I, being killed. Lieutenant 
 Jarred Johnston became Captain, disabled at Chickamauga. 
 
 Company K was especially unfortunate in her commanders. 
 Captain Sanford was killed at Savage Station; then Lieutenant 
 L- P. Foster, son of Lieutenant Colonel Foster, was pro- 
 moted to Captain and killed at Fredericksburg. Then W. H. 
 Young was made Captain and killed at Gettysburg. Then 
 J. H. Cunningham became Captain and was killed at Chicka- 
 mauga. J. P. Roebuck was promoted and- soon after taken 
 prisoner. First Lieutenant John W. Wofford commanded the 
 company till the surrender, and after the war became State 
 Senator from Spartanburg. 
 
 Captain N. F. Walker was permanently disabled at Savage 
 Station, returned home, was appointed in the conscript bureau, 
 and never returned to active duty. He .still retained his rank 
 and office as Captain of Company D, therely preventing pro- 
 motions in one of the most gallant companies in Kexshaw's 
 Brigade. 
 
 It was at the battle of Fredericksburg that the regiment lost 
 so many officers, especially Captains, that caused the greatest 
 changes. Captains Hance, Foster, Summer, with nearly a 
 dozen Lieutenants, were killed there, making three new Cap- 
 tains, and a lot of new Lieutenants. It was by the death of 
 Captain Summer that I received the rank of Captain, having 
 been a Lieutenant up to that time. From December, 1862, to 
 the end I commanded the company, with scarcely a change. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. Ill 
 
 It will be seen that at the reorganization the Third Regiment 
 made quite a new deal, and almost. a clean swegp of old officers 
 — and with few exceptions the ' officers fr^nj Colonel to the 
 Lieutenants of least rank were young m,en. I doubt very 
 much if there was a regiment in the service that had such a 
 proportion of young men for officers. 
 
 I will here relate an incident connected with the name of 
 Captain Hance's family, that was spoken of freely in the regi- 
 ment at the time, but little known outside of immediate sur- 
 roundings — not about Captain Hance, however, but the name 
 and connection that the incident recalled, that was often 
 related by the old chroniclers' of Laurens. Andrew Johnson, 
 .who was at the time I speak United States Senator from Ten- 
 nessee, and was on the ticket with Lincoln, for Vice-President 
 of the United States in his second race against McClellan, 
 was elected, and afterwards became President. As the story 
 goes, and it is vouched for as facts, Andrew Johnson in his 
 younger days had a tailoring establishment at Laurens, and 
 while there paid court to the mother of Captain . Hance. So 
 smitten was he with her charms and graces, he paid her 
 special attention, and asked for her hand in marriage. Young 
 Johnson was fine looking, in fact handsome, energetic, 
 prosperous, and well-to-do young man, with no vices that 
 were common to. the young men of that day, but the great 
 disparity in the social standing of the two caused his rejection. 
 The family of Hance was too exclusive at t.he time to consent 
 to a connection with the plebeian Johnson, yet that plebeian 
 rose at last to the highest office in the gift of the American 
 people, through the force of his own endowments. 
 
 SEVENTH SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 The Seventh Regiment was reorganized by electing — 
 Colonel— D. Wyatt Aiken, Abbeville. 
 Lieutenant Colonel — Elbert Bland, Edgefield. 
 Major— W. C. White, Edgefield. 
 Adjutant— Thomas M. Childs. 
 Sergeant Major — Amos C. Stalworth. 
 Quartermaster— B. F. Lovelace. 
 Commis.sary — A. F. Townsend. 
 Company A — Stuart Harrison. 
 
112 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Company B — Thomas Huggins. 
 
 Company C— W. E. Cothran. 
 
 Company D — Warren H. Allen. 
 
 Company E — ^James Mitchell. 
 
 Company F — ^John S. Hard. 
 
 Company G— W. C. Clark. 
 
 Company H^H. W. Addison. 
 
 Company I — Benj. Roper. 
 
 Company K — Jno. L. Burris. 
 
 Company L — ^J. L. Litchfield. 
 
 Company M — ^Jerry Goggans. 
 
 I am indebted to Captain A. C. Waller, of Greenwood, for 
 the following brief summary of the Seventh after reorganiza- 
 tion, giving the different changes of regimental and company 
 commanders, as well as the commanders of the regiment dur- 
 ing battle: 
 
 Colonel Aiken commanded at Savage Station, Malyern Hill, 
 and Antietam, till wounded at Gettysburg, after which he was 
 ordered elsewhere. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Bland commanded at Fredericksburg, 
 Chancellorsville, and Chickamauga; killed in latter battle. 
 
 Major White commanded at Antietam after the wounding 
 of Aiken, and until he was himself killed at the enemy's bat- 
 tery, the farthest advance of the day. Captain Hard had com- 
 mand at the close. Captain Hard also led for a short while at 
 Chickamauga after the death of Bland, and fell at the head of 
 his regiment on top of Pea Ridge. 
 
 Captain Goggans was in command at Knoxville, Bean Sta- 
 tion, and the Wilderness, until wounded. 
 
 Captain James Mitchell led the regiment in the charge at 
 Cold Harbor, and was in command at Spottsylvania. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Maffett, of the Third, was placed in com- 
 mand of the Seventh during the Valley campaign under Early 
 in 1864, and led at Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek the 13th 
 and 19th of September. Was captured in October. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Huggins commanded from October 
 till the surrender, and at the battle of Averysboro and 
 Bentonville. 
 
 Captain Goggans was promoted to Major after the battle of 
 the Wilderness, but resigned. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 113 
 
 Company E was divided into two companies, E and M. 
 Company H took the place of Eland's, which became Company 
 A. 
 
 Captain Stuart Harrison, Company A, resigned, being 
 elected Clerk of Court of Edgefield, and I^ieutenant Gus Bart 
 was made Captain. 
 
 John Carwile, First Lieutenant of Company A, acted as 
 Adjutant after the death of Adjutant Childs, and also on Gen- 
 eral Kershaw's staff. 
 
 Lieutenant James Townsend became Captain of Company B 
 after the promotion of Huggins to Lieutenant Colonel. 
 
 After Captain Hard's promotion Jan'ves Rearden was made 
 Captain of Company E and was killed at Wilderness, and 
 Lieutenant C. K. Henderson became Captain. 
 
 Captain Wm. E. Clark, Company G, was killed at Mary- 
 land heights. Lieutenant Jno. W. Kemp was made Captain 
 and killed at the Wilderness. 
 
 Captain J. L. Burris, of Company K, was wounded at Antie- 
 tam and resigned. First Lieutenant J. L- Talbert having 
 been killed at Mar^'land Height's a few days before, Second 
 Lieutenant Giles M. Berry became Captain; he resigned, and 
 Lieutenant West A. Cheatham was made Captain by promotion. 
 
 Captain J. L. Litchfied, of Company I, was killed at Mary- 
 land Heights, and First Lieutenant Litchfield was made 
 Captain. 
 
 First Lieutenant P. Boukuight became Captain of Company 
 M after the promotion of Captain Goggans. 
 
 EIGHTH SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 The Eighth South Carolina Regiment was reorganized by 
 electing — 
 
 Colonel — ^Jno. W. Henagan, Marlboro. 
 Lieutenant Colonel — A. J. Hoole, Darlington. 
 Major — McD. McLeod, Marlboro. 
 Adjutant— C. M. Weatherly, Darlington. 
 Surgeon — Dr. Pearce. 
 Assistant Surgeon— Dr. Maxy. 
 Company A — ^John H. Muldrow, Darlington. 
 Company B— Richard T. Powell, Chesterfield. 
 Company C — Thomas E. Powe, Chesterfield. 
 
 8 
 
114 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 Company D— Robt. P. Miller, Chesterfield. 
 
 Companj' E — M. E. Keith, Darlington. 
 
 Company F— T. E. Howie, Darlington. 
 
 Company G — C. P. Townsend, Marlboro. 
 
 Company H— Duncan Mclntyre, Marion. 
 
 Company I— A. T. Harllee, Marion. 
 
 Company K — Frank Manning, Marlboro. 
 
 Company L — Thomas E. Stackhouse, Marion. 
 
 Company M— Thomas E. Howie, Darlington. 
 
 Company L was a new company, and T. E. Stackhouse was 
 made Captain; also A. T. Harllee was made Captain of Com- 
 pany I. Company M was also a new company. 
 
 After the reorganization the Generals' staffs were reduced 
 to more republican simplicity. General Kershaw was con- 
 tented with — 
 
 Captain C. R. Holmes — Assistant Adjutant General. 
 
 Lieutenant W. M. Dwight — Adjutant and Inspector General. 
 
 Lieutenant D. A. Doby — Aide de Camp. 
 
 Lieutenant Jno. Myers — Ordnance OSicer. 
 
 Major W. D. Peck — Quartermaster. 
 
 Major Kennedy — Commissary. - 
 
 With a few privates for clerical service. General Kershaw 
 had two fine-looking, noble lads as couriers, neither grown to 
 manhood, hut brave enough to follow their chief in the 
 thickest of battle, or carry his orders through storms of battles, 
 W. M. Crumby, of Georgia, and DeSaussure Burrows. The 
 latter lost his life at Cedar Creek. 
 
 As I have thus shown the regiments and brigade in their 
 second organization, under the name it is known, "Kershaw's," 
 and as all were so closely connected and identified, I will 
 continue to treat them as a whole. The same camps, marches, 
 battles, scenes, and experiences were alike to all, so the history 
 of one is the history of all. South Carolina ma}' have had, 
 and I have no doubt did have, as good troops in the field, as 
 ably commanded as this brigade, but for undaunted courage, 
 loyalty to their leaders and the cause, for self-denials and 
 sacrifices, united spirits, and unflinching daring in the face of 
 death, the world has never produced their superiors. There 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 115 
 
 was much to animate their feelings a^d stimulate their cour- 
 age. The older men had retired and left the field to the lead- 
 ership of the young. Men were here, too, by circumstances 
 of birth, education, and environment that could .scarcely ever 
 expect to occupy more than a secondary place in their coun- 
 try's history, who were destined to inferior stations in life, 
 both social and political, — the prestige of wealth and a long 
 family being denied them — still upon the battlefield they were 
 any man's equal. On the maich or the snflFering in camp, 
 they were the peers of the noblest, and when facing death or 
 experiencing its pangs they knew no superiors. Such being 
 the feelings and sentiments of those born in the humbler 
 .stations of life, what must have been the goal of those already 
 fortune's favorites, with a high or aristocratic birth, wealthy 
 education, and a long line of illustrious ancestors, all to stimu- 
 late them to deecjs of prowess and unparalleled heroism? 
 Such were the men to make the name of South Carolina glori- 
 ous, and that of "Kershaw" immortah How many of these- 
 noble souls died that their country might be free? the name of 
 her people great? In the former they lost, as the ends for 
 which they fought and died were never consummated. To- 
 day, after nearly a half century has passed, when we look, 
 around among the young and see the decadence of chivalry 
 and noble aspirations, the decline of homage to women, want 
 of integrity to men, want of truth and honor, individually and 
 , politically, are we not inclined, at times, to think those merk 
 died in vain? We gained the shadow; have we the substance? 
 We gained an unparalleled prestige for courage, but are the 
 people to-day better morally, socially, and politically? Let the 
 world answer. The days of knight-errantry had their decad- 
 ence; may not the days of the South's chivalry have theirs? 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 Battle of Seven Pines — Seven Days' Fight 
 Around Richmond. 
 
 It was the intention of General Johnston to fall back slowly 
 before McClellan, drawing him away from his base, then when 
 
116 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the Federal Corps become separated in their marches, to con- 
 centrate his forces, turn and crush him at one blow. The 
 low, swampy, and wooded condition of the country from York- 
 town up the Peninsula would not admit of the handling of the 
 troops, nor was there any place for artillery practice to be 
 effective. Now that he had his forces all on the South side of 
 the Chickahominy, and the lands more rolling and firm, he 
 began to contemplate a change in his tactics. Ewell, with 
 several detached regiments under Whiting, had been sent iu 
 the Valley to re-enforce that fiery meteor, Stonewall Jackson, 
 Who was flying through the Shenandoah Valley and the gorges 
 of the Blue Ridge like a cyclone, and General Johnston wished 
 Jackson to so crush his enemy that -his troops could be concen- 
 trated with his own before Richmond. But the authorities at 
 Richmond thought otherwise. It is true Jackson had been 
 worsted at Kernstowa by Shields, but his masterly movements 
 against Banks, Fremont, Siegle, and others, gave him such 
 prestige as to make his name almost indispensible to our army. 
 McDowell, with forty thousand men, lay at Fredericksburg, 
 with nothing in his front but a few squadrons of cavalry and 
 some infantry regiments. Johnston was thus apprehensive 
 that he might undertake to come down upon his flanks and 
 re- enforce "Little Mc." or the "Young Napoleon," as the 
 commander of the Federal. Army was now called. On the 
 2oth of May, Johnston heard of two of the Federal Corps, 
 Keyes' and Heintzleman's, being on the south side of the 
 Cuickahominy, while the others were scattered along the 
 north banks at the different crossings. McClellan had his 
 headquarters six miles away, towards the Pamunkey River. 
 This was considered a good opportunity to strike, and had 
 there been no miscarriages of plan, nor refusals to obey orders, 
 and, instead, harmony and mutual understanding prevailed, 
 ihe South might have gained one of its greatest victories, and 
 had a different ending to the campaign entirely. G. W. 
 Smith lay to the north of Richmond, Longstrect on the Wil- 
 liamsburg Road, immediately in front of the enemy; Hiigeron 
 the James; Magruder, of which was Kershaw's Brigade (in a 
 division under Mclyaws), stretched along the Chickahominy 
 above New Bridge. 
 
 All these troops were to concentrate near Seven Pines and 
 
HISTORY OF KRKSHAw'S BRIGADE. ] 17 
 
 there fall upon the enemy's two corps, and beat them before 
 succor could be rendered. No Lieutenant Generals had as yet 
 been appointed, senior Major Generals generally commanding 
 two divisions. The night before the attack, G2neral [ohnston 
 called his generals together and gave them such instructions 
 and orders as were necessary, and divided his army for the 
 day's battle into two wings, G. W. Smith to command the left 
 and Longstreet the right; the right wing to make the first 
 assault (it being on the .south side of the York River Rail- 
 road). G. W. Smith was to occupy the Nine Mile Road, 
 running parallel with Longstreet's front and extending to the 
 river, near New Bridge, oii the Chickahominy. He was to 
 watch the movements of the enemy on the other side, and 
 prevent Sumner, whose corps were near the New Bridge, from 
 crossing, and to follow up the fight as lyongstreet and D. H. 
 Hill progressed. Magruder, with his own and McLaws' 
 Division, supported Smith, and was to act as emergencies 
 required. Kershaw was now under McLaws. Huger was to 
 march up on the Charles City Road and put in on lyongstreet's 
 left as it uncovered at White Oak Swamp, or to join his forces 
 with lyongstreet's and the two drive the enemy back from the 
 railroad. Keyes' Federal Corps lay along the railroad to Fair 
 Oaks; then Heintzleman's turned abruptly at a right angle in 
 front of G. W. Smith. The whole was admirably planned, 
 and what seemed to make success doubly sure, a very heavy 
 rain had fallen that night, May 30th, accompanied by exces- 
 sive peals of thunder and livid flashes of lightning, and the 
 whole face of the country was flooded with water. The river 
 was overflowing its banks, bridges washed away or inundated 
 by the rapidly swelling stream, all going to make re-enforce- 
 ment by McClellan from the north side out of the question. 
 But the entire movement seemed to be one continual routine 
 of blunders, misunderstandings, and perverseness; a continual 
 wrangling among the senior Major Generals. The enemy 
 had thrown up two lines of heavy earthworks for infantry and 
 redoubts for the artillery, one near Fair Oaks, the other one- 
 half mile in the rear. Longstreet and D. H. Hill assaulted 
 the works with great vigor on the morning of the 31st of 
 May, and drove the enemy from his first entrenched camp. 
 But it seems G. W. Smith did not press to the front, as was 
 
118 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 expected, but understood his orders to remain and guard the 
 crossing of the river. Huger lost his way and did not come 
 up until the opportunity to grasp the key to the situation was 
 lost, and then it was discovered there was a mistake or mis- 
 understanding in regard to his and Longstreet's seniority. 
 Still Huger waived his rank reluctantly and allowed Long- 
 street and Hill to still press the enemy back to his second line 
 of entrenchments. From where we lay, inactive and idle, the 
 steady roil of the musketry was grand and exciting. There 
 was little opportunity for ability and little used, only by the 
 enemy in their forts. 
 
 Several ineffectual attempts were made to storm these forts, 
 and to dislodge the enemy at the point of the bayonet. Finally 
 R. H. Anderson's BrigadeJ of South Carolinians came up, and 
 three regiments, led by Colonel Jenkins, made a flank move- 
 ment, and by a desperate assault, took the redoubt on the left, 
 with six pieces of artiller3^ When Rhodes' North Carolina 
 Brigade got sufiBciently through the tangle and undergrowth 
 and near the opening as to see their way clear, they raised a 
 yell, and with a mad rush, they took the fort with a bound. 
 They were now within the strong fortress on the left and mas- 
 ters of the situation. Colonel Jenkins was highly complimented _ 
 by the commanding General for his skill, and the energy and 
 courage of his men. The enemy worked their guns faithfully 
 and swept the ranks of Rhodes and Anderson with grape and 
 canister, but Southern valor here, as elsewhere, overcame 
 Northern discipline. Many of the enemy fell dead within the 
 fort, while endeavoring to spike their guns. 
 
 Sumner, from the north side of the Chickahominy, was mak- 
 ing frantic efforts to cross the stream and come to the relief of 
 sorely pressed comrades. The bridges were two feet or more 
 under water, swaying and creaking as if anxious to follow the 
 rushing waters below. It is said the Federal General, Butler, 
 called afterwards ' 'Beast," covered himself with glory, by rush- 
 ing at the head of his troops, in and through the water, and 
 succeeded in getting enough men on the bridge to hold it down, 
 while the others crossed over. But the reinforcements came 
 too late to aid their hard pressed friends. After the entrench- 
 ments were all taken, the enemy had no other alternative but 
 to fall back in the deuse forest and undergrowth, giving them 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 119 
 
 shelter until night, with her sable curtains, hid friend and foe 
 alike. Just as the last charge had been made, General John- 
 ston, riding out in an opening, was first struck by a fragment 
 of'shell, thereb.v disabling him for further duty upon the field 
 for a long time. The command of the army now fell upon 
 General G. W. Smith, who ordered the troops to remain sta- 
 tionary for the night, and next morning, they were returned 
 to their original quarters. Kershaw and the other Brigadiers 
 of the divifsion did not become engaged, as they were awaiting 
 upon a contingency that did not arise. It is true, the enemj' 
 were driven from thier strongly fortified position, and for more 
 than a mile to the rear,' still the fruits of the victory were 
 swallowed up in the loss of so many good men, with no tangi- 
 ble or lasting results. From all the facts known at the time, 
 and those developed since, it is the opinion that upon G. W. 
 Smith rested the blame for the loss of the day. Had he been 
 as active or energetic as the other Major Generals, or had he 
 assumed responsibility, and taken advantage of events pre- 
 senting themselves during the battle, that could not be known 
 beforehand, nor counted in the plan of the battle, the day at 
 Seven Pines might have loomed up on the side of the Confed- 
 erate forces with those at Gaines' Mills or Second Manassas. 
 But, as it was, it must be counted as one of the fruitless vic- 
 tories of the war. 
 
 General Smith left the army next day, never to return to 
 active service. Here was a commentary on the question of the 
 made soldier or the soldier born. At West Point General 
 Smith stood almost at the very head of his class; at the com- 
 mencement of the war, he was considered as one of our most 
 brilliant ofiBcers, and stood head and shoulders above some of 
 his cotemporaries in the estimation of our leaders and the De- 
 partment at Richmond. But his actions and conduct on sev- 
 eral momentous occasions will leave to posterity the necessity 
 of voting him a failure; while others of his day, with no train- 
 ing nor experience in the science of war, have astonished the 
 world with their achievements and soldierly conduct. The 
 soldiers were sorrowful and sad when they learned of the fate 
 of their beloved Commander-in-Chief. They had learned to 
 love him as a father; he had their entire confidence. They 
 were fearful at the time lest his place could never be filled; and. 
 
120 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 but for the splendid achievement of their new commander, R. 
 E. Lee, with the troops drilled and disciplined by his pre- 
 decessor, and who fought the battles on the plans laid down 
 by him, it is doubtful whether their confidence could have ever 
 been transferred to another. 
 
 General Lee took command the next day, June the ist, 1862. 
 He did not come with any prestige of great victory to recom- 
 mend him to the troops, but his bold face, manly features, dis- 
 tinguished bearing, soon inspired a considerable degree of 
 confidence and esteem, to be soon permanently welded by the 
 glorious victories won from the Chickahominy to the James. 
 He called all his Lieutenants around him in a few days and 
 had a friendly talk. He told none his plans — he left that to 
 be surmised — but he gained the confidence of his Generals ~Al 
 once. 
 
 The troops were set to work fortifying their lines from the 
 James to the Chickahominy, and up the latter stream to near 
 Meadow Bridge. Engineer corps were established, and large 
 details from each regiment, almost one-third of the number, 
 were put to work under the engineers strengthening their 
 camps on scientific principles. The troops thought they were 
 to do their fighting behind these works, but strange to say, 
 out of the hundred of fortifications built by Kershaw's 
 men during the war, not one ever fired a gun from behind 
 them. 
 
 On the 12th of June General Stuart started on his remark- 
 able ride around the army of McClellan, and gained for him- 
 self the name of "Prince of Raiders." Starting out in the 
 morning as if going away to our left at a leisurely gait, he 
 rode as far as Hanover Court House. Before daylight next 
 morning his troopers sprang into their saddles and swept down 
 the country between the Chickahominy and the Pamunkey 
 Rivers like a thunderbolt, capturing pickets, driving in out- 
 posts, overturning wagon trains, and destroying everything 
 with fire and sword. He rides boldly across the enemy's line 
 of communicators, coming up at nighfall at the Chickahominy, 
 with the whole of McClellan's army between him aud Rich- 
 mond. In this ride he came in contact with his old regiment 
 in the United States Army, capturing its wagon trains, one 
 laden with the finest delicacies and choicest of wines. After 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 121 
 
 putting the enemy to rout Stuart and his men regaled them- 
 selves on these tempting viands, Stuart himself drinking a 
 "bumper of choice old Burgundy," sending word to nis 
 former comrades that he "was sorry they did not stay and 
 join him, but as it was, he would drink their health in their 
 absence.'' Finding the bridges destroyed, he built a tempo- 
 rary one, over which the men walked and swam their horses, 
 holding on to the bridles. When all were safely over Stuart 
 sped like a whirlwind towards the James, leaving the enemy 
 staring wildly in mute astonishment at the very audacity of 
 his daring. That night he returned to his camps, having 
 made in thirty-six hours the entire circuit of the Federal 
 Army. Stuart was a rare character. Ivight hearted, merry, 
 and good natured, he was the very idol of his cavaliers. His 
 boldness, dash, and erratic mode of warfare made him a 
 dreaded foe and dangerous enemy. One moment he was in 
 their camps, on the plains, shouting and slashing, and before 
 the frightened sleepers could be brought to the realization of 
 their situation, he was far over the foothills of the Blue Ridge 
 or across the swift waters of the Rappahannock. 
 
 During the first week after taking our position on the line, 
 Magruder, with his divisions of eight brigades, was posted 
 high up on the Chickahominj', nearly north of Richmond. 
 Mclyaws, commanding Kershaw's, Cobb's, Semmes', and 
 Barksdale's Brigades, was on the left, the first being South 
 Carolinians, the next two Georgians, and the last Mississippi- 
 ans. General p. R. Jones, with his own, Toombs', G. T. 
 Anderson's, and perhaps one other Brigade,' constituted the 
 right of the corps. The army was divided in wings. Huger, 
 the senior Major General, commanded on the right, next the 
 James River, with Longstreet next; but before the great battle 
 Magruder was given the centre and I,ongstreet the left with 
 his divisions, and the two Hills', A. P. and D. H. But after 
 the coming of Jackson A. P. Hill's, called the "Light Bri- 
 gade," was placed under the command of the Valley chieftain. 
 
 While up on the Chickahominy, the enemy were continually 
 watching our movements from lines of balloons floating high 
 up in the air, anchored in place by stout ropes. They created 
 quite a mystic and superstitious feeling among some of the 
 most credulous. One night while a member of Company C, 
 
122 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Third South Carolina, was on picket among some tangled 
 brushwood on the crest of the hill overlooking the river, he 
 created quite a stir by seeing a strange light in his front, just 
 beyond the stream. He called for the officer of the guard 
 with all his might and main. When the officer made his 
 appearance with a strong reinforcement, he demanded the 
 reason of the untimely call. With fear and trembling he 
 pointed to the brilliant light and said: 
 
 "Don't you see 'em yonder? Thej' are putting up a 
 balloon." 
 
 "No," said the officer, "that's nothing but a star," which 
 it really was. 
 
 "Star, hell! I tell you it's a balloon. Are the Yankees 
 smart enough to catch the stars?" It is enough to say the 
 man carried the name of "balloon" during the rest of his ser- 
 vice. 
 
 A Federal battery was stationed immediately in our front, 
 beyond the river, supported b}' infantry. Some one in author- 
 ity suggested the idea of crossing over at night, break through 
 the tangled morass on the other side, and capture the outfit by 
 a sudden dash. The day before the Third South Carolina 
 Regiment was formed in line and a call made for volunteers to 
 undertake this hazardous enterprise. Only one hundred sol- 
 diers were required, and that number was easily obtained, a 
 great number being officers. At least twenty-five Lieutenants 
 and Captains had volunteered. The detachment was put 
 under Captain Foster as chief of the storming party, and the 
 next day was occupied in drilling the men and putting them 
 in shape for the undertaking. We were formed in line about 
 dark near the time and place allotted, and all were in high glee 
 in anticipation of the novel assault. But just as all were 
 ready, orders came countermanding the first order. So the 
 officers and men returned to their quarters. Some appeared 
 well satisfied at the turn of events, especially those who had 
 volunteered more for the honor attached than the good to be 
 performed. Others, however, were disappointed. An old 
 man from Laurens was indignant. He said "the Third Regi- 
 ment would never get anything. That he had been naked 
 and barefooted for two months, and when a chance was ofiered 
 to clothe and shoe himself some d — n fool had to countermand 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 123 
 
 the order." Ere manj' days bis ambition and lust for a fight 
 were filled to overflowing. 
 
 The various grades and rabks of the Generals kept us contin- 
 ually moving from left to right, Generals being sometimes like 
 a balky horse — will not pull out of his right place. We were 
 stationed, as it appea.ed from the preparations made, perma- 
 nently just in front of Richmond, or a little to the left of that 
 place and the Williamsburg road, and began to fortify in 
 earnest. About the middle of June Lee and his Ivieutenants 
 were planning that great campaign whereby McClellan was to 
 be overthrown and his army sent flying back to Washington. 
 Generals plan the moves of men like players their pieces upon 
 the chess board — a demonstration here, a feint there, now a 
 great battle, then a reconnoissance — without ever thinking of 
 or considering the lives lost, the orphans made, the disconsolate 
 widows, and broken homes that these moves make. They 
 talk of attacks, of pressing or crushing, of long marches, the 
 streams or obstacles encountered, as if it were only the move- 
 ment of some vast machinery, where the slipping of a cog or 
 the breaking of a wheel will cause the machine to stop. The 
 General views in his mind his successes, his marches, his 
 strategy, without ever thinking of the dead men that will 
 mark his pathway, the victorious fields made glorious by the 
 groans of the dying, or the blackened corpses of the dead. 
 The most Christian and humane soldier, however, plans his 
 battles without ever a thought of the consequences to his 
 faithful followers. 
 
 On the 25th of June, orders came to be prepared to move 
 at a moment's notice. This left no doubt in the minds of the 
 men that stirring times were ahead. It had been whispered 
 in camp that Jackson, the "ubiquitous," was on his way from 
 the Valley to help Lee in his work of defenting McClellan. 
 
 About 4 o'clock, on the 26th of June, as the men lay lolling 
 around in camp, the ominous sound of a cannon was heard 
 away to our left and rear. Soon another and another, their 
 dull rumbling roar telling too plainly the battle was about to 
 begin. Men hasten hither and thither, gathering their effects, 
 expecting every moment to be ordered away. Soon the roar 
 of musketry filled the air; the regular and continual baying of 
 the cannon beat time to the steady roll of small arms. Jack- 
 
124 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 son had come down from the Valley, and was sweeping over 
 the country away to our left like an avalanche. Fitz John 
 Porter, one of the most accomplished soldiers in the Northern 
 Army, was entrusted with tlje defense of the north side of the 
 Chickahominy, and had erected formidable lines of breast- 
 works along Beaver Dam Creek, already strong and unap- 
 proachable from its natural formations. Jackson was to have 
 encountered Potter on the extreme right flank of the Union 
 Army at an early hour in the day, and as soon as A. P. Hill 
 heard the sound of his guns, he was to cross over on our left 
 at Meadow Bridge and sweep down the river on Jackson's 
 right. But after waiting for the opening of Jackson's guns 
 until after 3 o'clock, without any information that he was on 
 the field. Hill crossed over the river and attacked Porter in his 
 strong position at Mechanicsville. His task was to beat, back 
 the enemy until the bridges below were uncovered, allowing 
 re-enforcement to reach him. Jackson being unavoidably 
 delayed, A. P. Hill assailed the whole right wing of the 
 Federal Army, single-handed and alone, he only having five 
 brigades, one being left some miles above on the river, but the 
 brigade that was left was making rapid strides to join the 
 fighting column. The strong earthworks, filled with fighting 
 infantry and heavy field artillery in the forts, were too much 
 for this light column, but undaunted by the weight of num- 
 bers and strength of arms. Hill threw himself headlong upon 
 the entrenched positions with rare courage and determination. 
 There were South Carolinians with him who were now engag- 
 ing in their maiden effort, and were winning imperishable 
 fame by their deeds of valor. Gregg, with the old First South 
 Carolina Regiment of Veterans, with four new organizations, 
 the Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Orr's Rifles, went 
 recklessly into the fray, and struck right and left with the 
 courage and confidence of veteran troops. D. H. Hill, late in 
 the evening, crossed over and placed himself on the right of 
 those already engaged. The battle of Gaines' Mill was one 
 continual slaughter on the side of the Confederates. The enemy 
 being behind their protections, their loss was comparatively 
 slight. The fight was kept up till 9 o'clock at night, with' 
 little material advantage to either, with his own and only a 
 portion of Jackson's troops up. But the desperate ouslaught 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAw's BRIGADE. 125 
 
 of the day convinced Porter that he could not hold his ground 
 against another such assault, so he fell back to a much stronger 
 position around Gaines' Mill. 
 
 The next day, the 27th, will be remembered as long as his- 
 tory records the events of our Civil War as one of the most 
 bloody and determined of any of the great battles of the war 
 for the men engaged. For desperate and reckless charges, for 
 brave and steady resistance, it stands second to none. Jack- 
 son, Ewell, Whiting, and D. H. Hill moved their divisions by 
 daylight, aroused the enemy's right, intending to reach his 
 rear, but at Cold Harbor they met the enemy in strong force. 
 D. H. Hill attacked immediately, while A. P. Hill, who had 
 been left in Porter's front, marched through the deserted camp, 
 over his fortifications, and at Gaines' Mill, he met Porter 
 posted on an eminence beyond the stream. This was only 
 passable at few places, but Hill pushed his men over under a 
 galling fire of musketry, while the enemy swept the plain and 
 valley below with shell and grape from their batteries crown- 
 ing the height beyond. A. P. Hill formed his lines beyond 
 the stream, and advanced with a steady step and a bold front 
 to the assault. Charge after charge was made, only to be met 
 -and repulsed with a courage equal to that of the Confederates. 
 Hill did not know then that he was fighting the bulk of the 
 Fifth Corps, for he heard the constant roll of Jackson and D. 
 H. Hill's guns away to his left; Jackson thinking the L,ight Di- 
 vision under A. P. Hill would drive the enemy from his posi- 
 tion, withdrew from Cold Harbor and sought to intercept the 
 retreating foe in concealing his men for some hours on the line 
 of retreat. But as the day wore on, and no diminution of the 
 firing, at the point where A. P. Hill and his adversary had so 
 long kept up, Jackson and D. H. Hill undertook to relieve 
 him. Longstreet, too, near nightfall, who had been held in 
 reserve all day, now broke from his place of inaction and 
 rushed into the fray like an uncaged lion, and placed himself 
 between A. P. Hill and the river.- For a few moments the earth 
 trembled with the tread of struggling thousands, and the 
 dreadful recoil of the heavy' batteries that lined the crest of the 
 hill from right to left. The air was filled with the shrieking 
 shells as they sizzed through the air or plowed their way 
 through the ranks of the battling masses. Charges were met 
 
126 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 by charges, and the terrible "Rebel Yell" couldbe heard above 
 tht din and roar of battle, as the Confederates swept over 
 field or through the forest, either to capture a battery or to 
 force a line of infantry back by the point of the bayonet. 
 While the battle was yet trembling in the balance, the Con- 
 federates making frantic efforts to pierce the enemy's lines, 
 and they, with equal courage and persistency, determined on 
 holding, Pickett and Anderson, of Longstreet's Division, and 
 Hood and Whiting, of Jackson's, threw their strength and 
 weight to the aid of Hill's depleted ranks. The enemy could 
 stand no longer. The line is broken at one point, then another, 
 and as the Confederates closed in on them from all sides, they 
 break in disorder and leave the field. It looked at one time as 
 if there would be a rout, but Porter in this emergency, put in 
 practice one of Napolean's favorite tactics. He called up his 
 cavalry, and threatened the weakened ranks of the Confeder- 
 ates with a formidable front of his best troopers. These could 
 not be of service in the weight of battle, but protected the 
 broken columns and fleeing fugitives of Porter's Armj'. 
 
 South Carolina will be ever proud of the men whom she had 
 on that memorable field who consecrated the earth at Gaines' 
 Mill with their blood, as well as of such leaders as Gregg, 
 McGowan, McCrady, Marshall, Simpson, Haskell, and Hamil- 
 ton, and hosts of others, who have ever shed lustre and glory 
 equal to those of any of 'the thousands who have made the 
 Palmetto State renowned the world over. 
 
 McClellan was now in .sore straits. He could not weaken 
 his lines on the south side of the Chickahoniiny to re-enforce 
 Fitz John Porter, for fear Magruder, Holmes, and Huger, 
 who were watching his every movements in their front, .should 
 fall upon the line thus weakened and cut his army in twain. 
 The next day McClellan commenced his retreat towards the 
 James, having put his army over the Chickahomiuy the night 
 after his defeat. His step was, no doubt, occasioned by the 
 fact that lyce had sent Stuart with his cavalry and Swell's 
 Division of Infantry down the north side of the Chickahomiuy 
 and destroyed McClellan's line of communication between his 
 army and the York River. However, the Confederate com- 
 mander was equally as anxious to cut him off from the James 
 as the York. He aimed to force him to battle between the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADR. 127 
 
 two rivers, and there, cut off from his fleet, he would be 
 utterly destroyed. Lee only wished McClellan to remain in 
 his present position until he could reach the James with a part 
 of his own troops, now on the north side of the Chicka- 
 hominy. 
 
 Od the evening of the 27th, Magruder made a feint with 
 Kershaw's and some other brigades of this division, near Alens, 
 as the troops in his front showed a disposition to retire. A 
 line of battle was formed, skirmishers thrown out, and an 
 advance ordered. Our skirmishers had not penetrated far into 
 the thicket before they were met by a volley from the enemy's 
 line of battle The balls whistled over our heads and through 
 the tops of the scrubby oaks, like a fall of hail. It put chills 
 to creeping up our backs, the first time we had ever been under 
 a musketry fire. For a moment we were thrown into a perfect 
 fever of excitement and confusion. The opening in the rear 
 looked temptingly inviting in comparison to the wooded 
 grounds in front, from whence came the volley of bullets. 
 Here the Third South Carolina lost her first soldier in battle, 
 Dr. William Thompson, of the medical staff, who had followed 
 too close on the heels of the fighting column in his anxiety to 
 be near the battle. 
 
 Early in the morning of the 28th, Lee put the columns of 
 Longstreet and A. P. Hill in motion in the direction of Rich- 
 mond around our rear. After their meeting with Holmes and 
 Huger on our extreme right, they were to press down the 
 James River and prevent McClellan from reaching it. Jack- 
 .son, D. H. Hill, and .VTagruder were to follow the retreating 
 army. We left our quarters early in the day, and soon found 
 ourselves in the enemy's deserted camp. 
 
 The country between the James and the Chickahominy is a 
 very flat, swampy country, grown up in great forests, with 
 now and then a cultivated field. The forests were overrun 
 with a tangled mass of undergrowth. It was impossible for 
 the army to keep up with the enemy while in line of battle. 
 So sending our skirmishers ahead the army followed the roads 
 in columns of fours. In each regiment the right or left com- 
 pany in the beginning of battle is always deployed at such 
 distance between each soldier as to cover the front of the regi- 
 ment, while in line of battle the regiments being from ten to 
 
128 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 £fty yards apart. In this way we marched all day, sometimes 
 in line of battle, at others by the roads in colunins. A great 
 siege cannon had been erected on a platform car and pushed 
 abreast of us along the railroad by an engine, and gave out 
 thundering evidences of its presence b}' shelling the woods in 
 our front. This was one of the most novel batteries of the 
 war, a siege gun going in battle on board of cars. Near night 
 at Savage Station Sumner and Franklin, of the Federal Army, 
 who had been retreating all day, turned to give battle. Jack- 
 son was pressing on our left, and it became necessary that 
 Sumner should hold Magruder in check until the army and 
 trains- of the Federals that were passing in his rear should cross 
 White Oak Swamp to a place of safety. Our brigade was 
 lying in a little declivity between two rises in the ground; that 
 in our front, and more than one hundred yards distance, was 
 thickly studded with briars, creepers, and underbrush with a 
 sparse growth of heavy timber. We had passed numerous re- 
 doubts, where the field batteries of the enemy would occupy 
 and shell our ranks while the infantry continued the retreat. 
 Our brigade skirmishers, under command of Major Rutherford, 
 had been halted in this thicket while the line of battle was 
 resting. But hardly had the skirmishers been ordered forward 
 than the enemy's line of battle, upon which they had come, 
 poured a galling fire into them, the bullets whistling over our 
 heads causing a momentary panic among the skirmishers, a part 
 retreating to the main line. A battery of six guns stationed in 
 a fort in our front, opened upon us with shell and grape. ' Being 
 in the valley, between the two hills, the bullets rattled over 
 our heads doing no damage, but threw us into some excitement. 
 The Third being near the center of the brigade. General 
 Kershaw, in person, was immediately in our rear on foot. As 
 soon as the bullets had passed over he called out in a loud, 
 •clear tone the single word "charge." The troops bounded 
 to the front with a yell, and made for the forest in front, while 
 the batteries graped us as we rushed through the tangled 
 morass. The topography of the country was such that our 
 artillery could get no position to reply, but the heavy railroad 
 siege gun made the welkin ring with its deafening reports. 
 Semmes and Barksdale put in on our right; Cobb reriiaining as 
 reserve, while the Division of D. R. Jones, which had been 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 129 
 
 moving down on the left side of the railroad, soon became 
 engaged. The enemy fought with great energy and vigor, 
 while the Ccufederates pressed them hard. Much was at 
 stake, and night was near. Sumner was fighting for the safety 
 of the long trains of artillery and wagons seeking cover in his 
 rear, as well as for the very life of the army itself. Soon after 
 the first fire the settling smoke and dense shrubbery made the 
 woods almost as dark as night in our front, but the long line of 
 fire flashing from the enemy's guns revealed their position. 
 The men became woefully tangled and disorganized, and in 
 some places losing the organizations entirely, but under all 
 these difficulties they steadily pressed to the front. When 
 near the outer edge of the thicket, we could see the enemy 
 lying down in some young growth of pines, with their batteries 
 in the fort. The graping was simply dreadful, cutting and 
 breaking through the bushes and striking against trees. - I 
 had uot gone far into the thicket before I was struck by a 
 minnie ball in the chest, which sent me reeling to the ground 
 momentarily unconscious. Our men lost all semblance of a 
 line, being scattered over a space of perhaps 50 yards, and 
 those in front were in as much danger from friend as from foe. 
 While I lay in a semi-unconscious state, I received another 
 bullet in my thigh which I had every reason to believe came 
 from some one in the rear. But I roused myself, and stagger- 
 ing to my feet made my way as well as I could out of the 
 thicket. When I reached the place from whence we had first 
 made the charge, our drummer was beating the assembly 
 or long roll with all his might, and men collecting around Gen- 
 eral Kershaw and Colonel Nance. Here I first learned of the 
 repulse. The balls were still flying overhead, but some of our 
 batteries had got in position and were giving the enemy a rak- 
 ing fire. Nor was the railroad battery idle, for I could see the 
 great black, grim monster pufiing out heaps of gray smoke, 
 then the red flash, then the report, sending the engine and car 
 back along the track with a fearful recoil. The lines were speed- 
 ily reformed and again pUt in motion. Jones, too, was forced by 
 overwhelming numbers to give back, but Jackson coming up gave 
 him renewedj^ponfidence, and a final advance was made along the 
 whole line, 'fi'he battle was kept up with varying success until 
 after night, v%en Sumner withdrew over White Oak Swamp. 
 
130 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 On the morning of the 30th, McClellan, like a quarry driven 
 to bay, drew up his forces on the south side, of White Oak 
 Swamp and awaited the next shock of battle. Behind him 
 were his trains of heavy siege guns, his army wagons, pon- 
 toons, and, ordnance trains, all in bog and slush, seeking safety 
 under the sheltering wings of his gunboats and ironclads on 
 the James. Lee met him at every point with bristling bayo- 
 nets of his victorious troops. At three o'clock A. M. Long- 
 street and- A. P. Hill moved down the Darby town road, leaving 
 Jackson, D. , H. Hill, arid Magruder to press McClellan's 
 retreating forces in the rear. Huger, with the two former, 
 was to come down the James River and attack in the flank. 
 Magruder, with his corps, was sent early in the day on a wild 
 goose chase to support Longstreet's right, but by being led by 
 guides who did not understand the roads or plan of battle, 
 Magruder took the wrong road and did not get up in time to 
 join in the battle of Frazier's Farm. Jackson for some cause 
 did not press the rear, as anticipated, neither did Huger come 
 in time, leaving the brunt of the battle on the shoulders of 
 A. P. Hill and Longstreet. The battle was but a repetition 
 of that of Gaines' Mill, the troops of Hill and Longstreet 
 gaining imperishable glory by their stubborn and resistless 
 attacks, lasting till nine o'clock at night, when the enemy 
 finally withdrew. 
 
 Two incidents of these battles are worthy of record, showing 
 the different dispositions of the people of the North and South. 
 At night the division commanded by General McCtill, who 
 had been fighting Longstreet so desperately all day, was cap- 
 tured and brought to Longstreet's headquarters. General 
 McCall had been Captain of a company in the United States 
 Army, in which Longstreet had been a Lieutenant. When 
 General Longstreet saw his old comrade brought to him as a 
 prisoner of war, he sought to lighten the weight of his feelings 
 as much as circumstances would admit. He dismounted, 
 pulled his gloves, and offered his hand in true knightly fashion 
 to his fallen foe. But his Federal antagonist, becoming in- 
 censed, drew himself up haughtily and waved Longstreet 
 away, saying, "Excuse me, sir, I can stand defeat but not 
 insult." Insult indeed! to shake the hand of one of the most 
 illustrious chieftains of the century, one who had tendered the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 131 
 
 hand in friendly recognition of past associations, thus to 
 smooth and soften the' humiliation of his foe's present condi- 
 tion! Insult — was it? 
 
 When Bob Toombs, at the head of his brigade, was sweep- 
 ing through the tangled underbrush at Savage Station , under 
 a terrific hail of bullets from the retreating enemy, he was 
 hailed by a fallen enemy, who had braced himself against a 
 tree: 
 
 "Hello, Bob Toombs! Hello, Bob Toombs! Don't you 
 know your old friend Webster?" 
 
 Dismounting, Toombs went to the son of his old friend but 
 political adversary, Daniel Webster, one of the great trio at 
 Washington of twenty years before, and found his life slowly 
 ebbing away. Toombs rendered him all the assistance in his 
 power — placed him in comfortable position that he might die 
 at ease — and hastened on to rejoin his command, after promis- 
 ing to perform some last sad rites after his death. When the 
 battle was ended for the day, the great fiery Secessionist has- 
 tened to return to the wounded enemy. But too late; his spirit 
 had flown, aud nothing was now left to Toombs but to fulfill 
 the promises he made to his dying foe. He had his body car- 
 ried through the lines that night under a flag of truce and 
 delivered with the messages left to his friends. He had known 
 young Webster at Washington when his illustrious father was 
 at the zenith of his power and fame. The son and the great 
 Southern States' Rights champion had become fast friends as 
 the latter was just entering on his glorious career. 
 
 Our brigade lost heavily in the battle of Savage Station both 
 in officers and men. Lieutenant Colonel Garlington, of the 
 Third, was killed, and so was Captain Langford and several 
 Lieutenants. Colonel Bland, of the Seventh, was wounded 
 and disabled for a long time. The casualties in the battle of 
 Savage Station caused changes in officers in almost every com- 
 pany in the brigade. 
 
 When I came to consciousness after being wounded the first ^ 
 thing that met my ears was the roar of musketry and the 
 boom of cannon, with the continual swish, swash of the grape 
 and canister striking the trees and ground. I placed my hand 
 in my bosom, where I felt a dull, deadening sensation. There 
 1 found the warm blood, that filled my inner garments and 
 
132 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 now trickled down my side as I endeavored to stand upright. 
 I had been shot through the left lung, and as I felt the great 
 gaping wound in my chest, the blood gushing and spluttering 
 out at every breath, I began to realize my situation. I tried 
 to get off the field the best I could, the bullet in my leg not 
 troubling me much, and as yet, I felt strong enough to walk. 
 My brother, who was a surgeon, and served three years in the 
 hospitals in Richmond, but now in the ranks, came to my aid 
 and led me to the rear. We stopped near the railroad battery, 
 which was belching away, the report of the great gun bring- 
 ing upon us the concentrated fire of the enemy. As I sat upon 
 the fallen trunk of a tree my brother made a hasty examina- 
 tion of my wound. All this while I was fully convinced I was 
 near death's door. He pronounced my wound at first as fatalj 
 a bit of very unpleajsant information, but after probing my 
 wound with his finger he gave me the flattering assurance that 
 unless I bled to death quite soon my chances might be good! 
 Gentle reader, were you ever, as you thought, at death's door, 
 when the grim monster was facing you, when life looked 
 indeed a very brief span? If so, you can understand my feel- 
 ings — I was scared! As Goldsmith once said, "When you 
 think you are about to die, this world looks might)' tempting 
 and pretty." Everything in my front took on the hue of 
 dark green, a pleasant sensation came ov'er m;, and I had the 
 strangest feeling ever experienced in my life. I thought sure 
 1 was dying then and there and fell from the log in a death- 
 like swoon. But I soon revived, having only fainted from loss 
 of blood, and my brother insisted on my going back up the 
 railroad to a farmhouse we had passed, and where our sur- 
 geons had established a hospital. The long stretch of wood 
 we had to travel was lined with the wounded, each wounded 
 soldier with two or three friends helping him off the field. 
 We had no "litter bearers" or regular detail to care for the 
 wounded at this time, and the friends who untertook this ser- 
 vice voluntarily oftentimes depleted the ranks more than the 
 lo.ss iu battle. Hundreds in this way absented themselves for 
 a few days taking care of the wounded. But all this was 
 changed soon afterwards. Regular details were made from 
 each regiment, consisting of a non-commissioned officer and 
 five privates, who.se duty it was to follow close in rear of the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 133 
 
 line of battle with their "stretchers" and take off the dis- 
 abled. 
 
 I will never forget the scene that met my e.\es as I neared 
 the house where the wounded had been gathered. There the 
 torn and mangled lay, shot in every conceivable part of the 
 body or limbs — some with wounds in the head, arms torn ofE 
 at the shoulder or elbow, legs broken, fingers, toes, or foot 
 shot away; some hobbling along on inverted muskets or 
 crutches, but the great ma.ss were stretched at full length 
 upon the ground, uttering low, deep, and piteous moans, that 
 told of the great sufferings, or a life pas.sing away. The main 
 hall of the deserted farm house, as well as the rooms, were 
 filled to overflowing with those most seriously wounded. The 
 stifling stench of blood was sickening in the extreme. The 
 front and back yards, the fence corners, and even the out- 
 buildings were filled with the dead and dying. Surgeons 
 and their assistants were hurrying to and fro, relieving the 
 distress as far as their limited means would allow, making 
 such hasty examinations as time permitted. Here they would 
 stop to probe a wound, there to set a broken limb, bind a 
 wound, stop the flow of blood, or tie an artery. 
 
 But amotig all this deluge of blood, mangled bodies, and 
 the groans of the wounded and dying, our ears were contin- 
 ually greeted by the awful, everlasting rattle of the musketry, 
 the roar of the field batteries, and the booming, shaking, and 
 trembling of the siege guns from friend and foe. 
 
 The peculiar odor of human blood, mingling with the set- 
 thng smoke of the near by battlefield , became so oppressive I 
 could not remain in the house. My brother helped me into 
 the yard, but in passing out I fell, fainting for the third time; 
 my loss of blood had been so great I could stand only with 
 difficulty. I thought the end was near now for a certainty, and 
 was frightened accordingly. But still I nerved myself with all 
 the will power I possessed, and was placed on an oil cloth under 
 the spreading branches of an elm. From the front a continual 
 stream of wounded kept coming in till late at night. Some 
 were carried on shoulders of friends, others leaning their 
 weight upon them and- dragging their bodies along, while the 
 slightly wounded were left to care for themselves. Oh, the 
 horrors of the battlefield ! So cruel, so sickening, so heart- 
 
134 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 rending to those even of the stoutest nerves! — once seen, is 
 indelibly impressed iipori your mind forever. 
 
 The firing ceased about 9 o'clock, and all became still as 
 death, save the groaning of the wounded soldiers in the hos- 
 pital, or the calls and cries of those left upon the battlefield. 
 Oh, such a night, the night after the battle! The very remem- 
 brance of it is a vivid picture of Dante's "Inferno." To lie 
 during the long and anxious watches of the night, surrounded 
 by such scenes of suffering and woe, to continually hear the 
 groans of the wounded, the whispered consultations of the 
 surgeons over the case of some poor boy who was soon to be 
 robbed of a leg or arm, the air filled with stifled groans, or the 
 wild shout of some poor soldier, who, now delirious with pain, 
 his voice sounding like the wail of a lost soul — all this, and 
 more — and thinking your soul, too, is about to shake ofi" its 
 mortal coil and take its flight with the thousands that have just 
 gone, are going, and the many more to follow before the rising 
 of the next sun — all this is too much for a feeble pen like mine 
 to portray. 
 
 The troops lay on the battlefield all night under arms. 
 Here and there a soldier, singly or perhaps in twos, were 
 scouring through the dense thicket or isolated places, seeking 
 lost friends and comrades, whose names were unanswered to at 
 the roll call, and who were not among the wounded and dead 
 at the hospital. The pale moon looked down in sombre 
 silence upon the ghastly upturned faces of the dead that lay 
 strewn along the battle line. The next day was a true version 
 of the lines — 
 
 "Under the sod, under the clay. 
 Here lies the blue, there the grey." 
 
 for the blue and grey fell in great wind rows that day, and 
 were buried .side by side. 
 
 The Confederates being repulsed in the first charge, returned 
 to the attack, broke the Federal lines in pieces, and by 9 
 o'clock they had fled the field, leaving all the fruits of victory 
 in the hands of the Confederates. 
 
 No rest for the beaten enemy, no sleep for the hunted prey. 
 McClellan was moving heaven and earth during the whole 
 night to place "White Oak Swamp" (a tangled, swampy 
 wilderness, of a half mile in width and six or eight miles in 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 135 
 
 length,) between his army and L,ee's. By morning he had 
 the greater portion of his army and supply trains over, but 
 had left several divisions on the north side of the swamp to 
 guard the crossings. Jackson and Magruder began pressing 
 him early on the 30th in his rear, while Longstreet, A. P. 
 Hill, and others were marching with might and tnain to inter- 
 cept him on the other side. After sume desultory firing, 
 Jackson found McClellan's rear guard too strong to assail, by 
 direct assault, so his divisions, with Magruder's,, were ordered 
 around to join forces with Hill and Longstreet. The swamp 
 was impassable, except at the few crossings, and they were 
 strongl}- guarded, so they were considered not practicable of 
 direct assault. But in the long winding roads that intervened 
 between the two wings, Magruder and Jackson on the north 
 and Longstreet and A. P. Hill on the south, Magruder was 
 misled by taking the wrong road (the whole Peninsula being 
 a veritable wilderness), and marched away from the field 
 instead of towards it, and did not reach lyongstreet during the 
 day. But at 3 o'clock Longstreet, not hearing either Jackson's 
 or Magruder's guns, as per agreement, and restless of the 
 delays of the other portions of the army, feeling the danger of 
 longer inactivity, boldly marched in and attacked the enemy 
 in his front. 
 
 Here was Frazier's Farm, and here was fought as stubbornly 
 contested battle, considering the numbers engaged, as any 
 during the campaign. Near nightfall, after Longstreet had 
 nearly exhausted the strength of his troops by hard fighting, 
 A. P. Hill, ever watchful and on the alert, threw the weight 
 of his columns on the depleted ranks of the enemy, and forced 
 them Irom the field. The soldiers who had done such deeds 
 of daring as to win everlasiing renown at Gaines' Mill and 
 Cold Harbor, did not fail their fearless commander at .Frazier's 
 Farm. When the signal for battle was given, they leaped to 
 the front, like dogs unleached, and sprang upon their old 
 enemies. Porter, McCall, Heintzelman, Hooker, and Kearny. 
 Here again the steady fire and discipline of the Federals had to 
 yield to the impetuosity and valor of Southern troops. Hill 
 and Longstreet swept the field, capturing several hundred 
 prisoners, a whole battery of artillery, horses, and men. 
 
 McClellan brought up his beaten army on Malvern Hill, to 
 
136 HISTORY OF KERSHAW-'S BRIGADE. 
 
 make one last desperate effort to save his army from destruc- 
 tion or annihilation. This is a place of great natural defenses. 
 Situated one mile from the James River, it rises suddenly on 
 all sides from the surrounding marshy lowlands to several 
 hundred feet in height, and environed on three sides by 
 branches and and by Turkey Creek. On the northern emi- 
 nence McClellan planted eighty pieces of heavy ordnance, 
 and en the eastern, field batteries in great numbers. I^ee 
 placed his troops in mass on the extreme east of the position 
 occupied by the enemy, intending to park the greater number 
 of his heaviest batteries against the northern front of the emi- 
 nence, where McClellan had his artillery pointing to the east, 
 and where the Confederates massed to sweep the field as Lee 
 advanced his infantry,. The object of Lee was to concentrate 
 all his artillery on the flank of McClellan's artillery, then by 
 an enfilade fire from his own, he could destroy that of his 
 enemy, and advance his infantry through the broad sweep of 
 lowlands, separating the forces, without subjecting them to 
 the severe cannonading. He gave orders that as soon as the 
 enemy's batteries were demolished or silenced, Armistead's 
 Virginia Brigade, occupying the most advanced aud^ favorable 
 position for observation, was to advance to the assault, with a 
 yell and a hurrah, as a signal for the advance of all the attack- 
 ing columns. But the condition of the ground was such that 
 the officers who were to put the cannon in position got only 
 a few heavy pieces in play, and these were soon knocked in 
 pieces by the numbers of the enemy's siege guns and rifled, 
 field pieces. Some of the brigade commanders, thinking the 
 signal for combat had been given, rushed at the hill in front 
 with ear piercing yells without further orders. They were 
 mown down like grain before the sickle by the fierce artillery 
 fire and the enemy's infantry on the crest of the hill. Ker- 
 shaw following the lead of the brigade on his left, gave orders, 
 "Forward, charge!" Down the incline, across the wide ex- 
 panse, they rushed with a yell, their bayonets bristling and 
 glittering in the sunlight, while the shells rained - like hail 
 stones through their ranks from the cannon crested hill in 
 front. The gunboats and ironclad monitors in the James 
 opened a fearful fusilade from their monster guns and huge 
 mortars, the great three-hundred-pound shells from the latter 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 137 
 
 rising high in the air, then curling in a beautiful how to fall 
 among the troops, with a crash and explosion that shook the 
 ground like the trembling of the earth around a volcano. The 
 whole face of the blufE front was veiled by the white smoke of 
 the one hundred belching cannon, the flashing of the guns 
 forming a perfect rain of fire around the sides of the hill. It 
 was too far to fire and too dense and tangled to charge with 
 any degree of progress or order, so, in broken and discon- 
 nected ranks, Kershaw had to advance and endure this storm 
 of shot and shell, that by the time he reached the line of the 
 enemy's infantry, his ranks were too much broken to offer a 
 very formidable front. From the enemy's fortified position 
 their deadly fire caused our already thinned ranks to melt like 
 snow before the sun's warm rays. The result was a complete 
 repulse along the whole line. But McClellan was only too 
 glad to be allowed a breathing spell from his seven days of 
 continual defeat, and availed himself of the opportunity of this 
 respite to pull off his army under the protecting wings of his 
 ironclad fleet. 
 
 The Confederates had won a glorious victory during the 
 first six days. The enemy had been driven from the Chicka- 
 hominy to the James, his army defeated and demoralized 
 beyond months of recuperation. L,ee and his followers should 
 be satisfied. But had none of his orders miscarried, and all of 
 his Lieutenants fulfilled what he had expected of them, yet 
 greater results might have been accomplished — not too much 
 to say McClellan's Army would have been entirely destroyed 
 or captured, for had he been kept away from the natural de- 
 fenses of Malvern Hill and forced to fight in the open field, his 
 destruction would have followed beyond the cavil of a doubt. 
 The Southern soldiers were as eager and as fresh on the last 
 day as on the first, but a land army has a superstitious dread 
 of one sheltered by gunboats and ironclads. 
 
 All the troops engaged in the Seven Days' Battle did 
 extremely well, and won imperishable fame by their deeds of 
 valor and prowess. Their commanders in the field were 
 matchless, and showed military talents of high order, the cour- 
 age of their troops invincible, and to particularize would be 
 unjust. But truth will say, in after years, when impartial 
 hands will record the events, and give blame where blame 
 
138 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 belongs, and justice where justice is due, that in this great 
 Seven Days' Conflict, where so much heroism was displayed 
 on both sides, individually and collectively, that to A. P. Hill 
 and the brave men under him belongs the honor of first scotch- 
 ing at Gaines' Mill the great serpent that was siarrounding the 
 Capital with bristling ba)'onets, and were in at the breaking of 
 its back at Frazier's Farm. 
 
 It was due to the daring and intrepidity of Hill's Light 
 Division at Gaines' Mill, more than to any other, that made it 
 possible for the stirring events and unprecedented results that 
 followed. 
 
 Among the greater Generals, I,ee was simply matchless and 
 superb; Jackson, a mystic meteor or firey comet; Longstreet 
 and the two Hills, the "Wild Huns" of the South, masterful 
 in tactics, cyclones in battle. Huger, Magruder, and Holmes 
 were rather slow, but the courage and endurance of their 
 troops made up for the shortcomings of their commanders. 
 
 Among the lesser lights will stand Gregg, Jenkins, and 
 Kershaw, of South Carolina, as foremost among the galaxy of 
 immortal heroes who gave the battles around Richmond their 
 place as "unparalleled in history." 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 The March to Maryland — Second Manassas. 
 Capture of Harper's Ferry — Sharpsburg. 
 
 The enemy lay quietly in his camps at Harrison's Landing 
 for a few days, but to cover his meditated removal down the 
 James, he advanced a large part of his army as far as Malvern 
 Hill on the day of the 5th of August as if to press Lee back. 
 Kershaw, with the rest of McLaw's Division, together with 
 Jones and Longstreet, were sent to meet them. The troops 
 were all placed in position by nightfall, bivouaced for the 
 night on the field, and slept on their arms to guard against 
 any night attack. The soldiers thought of tomorrow— that it 
 perhaps might be yet more sanguinary than any of the others. 
 Our ranks, already badly worn by the desperate conflicts at 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 139 
 
 Savage Station, Frazier's Farm, Cold Harbor, etc., still showed 
 a bold front for the coming day. Early in the morning the 
 troops were put in motion, skirmishers thrown out, and all 
 preparations for battle made, but to the surprise and relief of 
 all, the "bird had fiown," and instead of battle lines and brist- 
 ling steel fronts we found nothing but deserted camps and evi- 
 dences of a hasty flight. In a few days we were removed fur- 
 ther back towards Richmond and sought camp on higher 
 ground, to better guard against'the ravages of disease and to 
 be further removed from the enemy. The troops now had 
 the pleasure of a month's rest, our only duties being guard and 
 advance picket every ten or twelve days. 
 
 While McClellan had been pushing his army up on the 
 Peninsula the Federals were actively engaged in organizing a 
 second army in the vicinity of Manassas and Fredericksburg 
 under General John Pope, to operate against Richmond by the 
 flank. General Pope from his infamous orders greatly incensed 
 the people of the South, and from his vain boasting gained for 
 himself the sobriquet of "Pope the Braggart." He ordered 
 every citizen within his lines or living near them to either take 
 the oath of allegiance to the United States or to be driven out 
 of the country as an enemy of the Union. No one was to 
 have any communication with his friends within the Confed- 
 erate lines, either by letter or otherwise, on the penalty of 
 being shot as a spy and his property confiscated. Hundreds of 
 homes were broken up by the order. Meu and women were 
 driven South, or placed in Federal prisons, there to linger for 
 years, perhaps, with their homes abandoned to the malicious 
 desecration of a merciless enemy, all for no other charges than 
 their refusal to be a traitor to their principles and an enemy to 
 their country. Pope boasted of "seeing nothing of the enemy 
 but his back," and that "he had no headquarters but in the 
 saddle." He was continually sending dispatches to his chief, 
 General Halleck, who had been appointed Commander-in- 
 Chief of all the Federal forces in the field, of the "victories 
 gained overl^ee," his "bloody repulses of Jackson," and "suc- 
 cessful advances," and "the Confederates on the run," etc., 
 etc. , while the very opposites were the facts. On one occasion 
 he telegraphed to Washington that he had defeated Lee, that 
 the Confederate leader was in full retreat to Richmond, when. 
 
140 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 as a fact, before the dispatch bad reached its destination his 
 own army was overwhelmed, and with Pope at its head, flying 
 the field in every direction, seeking safety under the guns at 
 Washington. It is little wonder he bore the name he had so 
 deservedly won by his manifestoes, "Pope the Braggart." 
 
 About the middle of July Jackson, with Ewell and A. P. 
 Hill, was sent up to the Rapidan to look after Pope and his 
 wonderful army, which had begun to be re-enforced by troops 
 from the James. On the 9th of August Jackson came up with 
 a part of Pope's army at Cedar Mountain, and a fierce battle 
 was fought, very favorable to the Confederate side. A month 
 after Jackson had left Richmond, Longstreet, with three divis- 
 ions, headed by Lee in person, was ordered to re-enforce Jack- 
 son, and began the offensive. While the Federal commander 
 was lying securely in his camp, between the Rappahannock 
 and the Rapidan, unconscious of the near approach of the Con- 
 federate Army, his scouts intercepted an order written by Gen- 
 eral lyCe to his cavalry leader, giving details of his intended 
 advance and attack. Pope, being thus apprised, hurriedly re- 
 crossed the Rappahannock and concentrated his forces behind 
 that stream. Lee followed his movements closely, and while 
 watching in front, with a portion of his army, he started Jack- 
 sou on his famous march around the enemy's rear. Pulling 
 up at night, Jackson marched to the left, crossed the Rappa- 
 hannock on the 25th, and by the night of the 26th he had 
 reached the railroad immediately in Pope's rear, capturing 
 trains of cars, prisoners, etc. On learning that large quanti- 
 ties of provisions and munitions of war were stored at Manassas 
 Junction, feebly guarded. General Trimble, with a small 
 number of brave Alabamians, Georgians, and North Carolin- 
 ians, not five hundred all told, volunteered to march still 
 further to that point, a distance of some miles, notwithstanding 
 they had marched with Jackson thirty miles during the day, 
 and capture the place. This was done in good time, defeating 
 a brigade doing guard duty, and capturing a large number of 
 prisoners, one entire battery of artillery, and untold quantities 
 of provisions. Jackson now appeared to retreat, but only 
 withdrew in order to give Longstreet time to come up, which 
 he was doing hard upon Jackson's track, but more than twenty- 
 four hours behind. This was one of the most hazardous feats 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE. 141 
 
 accomplished by Lee during the war, with the possible excep- 
 tion of Chancellorsville, "dividing his army in the face of 
 superior numbers," a movement denounced by all successful 
 Generals and scientists of war. But Lee attempted this on 
 more occasions than one, and always successfully. 
 
 Jackson concealed his forces among the hills of Bull Run, 
 giving time for Longstreet, who was fighting his way through 
 Thoroughfare Gap at the very point of the bayonet, to come 
 up, while Pope was racing around the plains of Manassas, try- 
 ing to intercept Jackson's imaginary retreat. It seems as if 
 the one single idea impressed itself upon the Federal com- 
 mander, and that was that Jackson was trying to get away 
 from him. But before many days Pope found the wily 
 "Stonewall," and when in his embrace endeavoring to hold 
 him. Pope found himself in the predicament of the man who 
 had essayed to wrestle with a bear. When the man had 
 downed his antagonist he had to call lustily for friends. So 
 Pope had to call for help to turn Jackson loose — to pull him 
 loose. On the 29th the forces of Pope, the "Braggart," came 
 upon those of Jackson hidden behind a railroad enbankment 
 on the plains of Manas.sas, and a stubborn battle ensued, 
 which lasted until late at night. Longstreet came upon the 
 field, but took no further part in the battle than a heavy dem- 
 onstration on the right to relieve the pressure from Jackson. 
 Longstreet's left, however, turned the tide of battle. Lee 
 turned some prisoners loose at night that had been captured 
 during the day, leaving the impression on their minds that he 
 was beating a hasty retreat. Reporting to their chief that 
 night, the prisoners confirmed the opinion that Pope was fooled 
 in believing all day, that "Lee was in full retreat," trying to 
 avoid a battle. Pope sent flaming messages to that effect to 
 the authorities at Washington, and so anxious was he lest his 
 prey should escape, he gave orders for his troops to be in 
 motion early in the morning. On the 30th was fought the 
 decisive battle of Second Manassas, and the plains above Bull 
 Run were again the scence of a glorious Confederate victory, by 
 Lee almost annihilating the army of John Pope, "the Braggart." 
 Had it not been for the steady discipline, extraordinary cool- 
 ne.ss, and soldierly behavior of Sykes and his regulars at Stone 
 Bridge, the rout of the Federal Army at Second Manassas 
 
142 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 would have been but little less complete than on the fatal daj^ 
 just a little more than one year before. 
 
 At Ox Hill, ist September, Pope had to adopt the tactics of 
 McClellan at Malvern Hill, face about and fight for the safety 
 of hi.s great ordnance and supply trains, and to allow his army 
 a safe passage over the Potomac. At Ox Hill, the enemy 
 under Stephens and Kearny, displayed extraordinary tenacity 
 and courage, these two division commanders throwing their 
 columns headlong upon those of Jackson without a thought of 
 the danger and risks such rash acts incurred. Both were killed 
 in the battle. Phil. Kearney had gained &■ national reputation 
 for his enterprising warfare in Calafornia and Mexico during 
 the troublesome times of the Mexican War, and it was with un- 
 feigned sorrow and regret the two armies heard of the sad death 
 of this veteran hero. 
 
 During the time that all the.se stirring events were taking 
 place and just before Magruder, with McLaw's and Walker's 
 divisions, was either quietly lying in front of Richmond watch- 
 ing the array of McClellan dwindle away, leaving by transports 
 down the James and up the Potomac, or was marching at a 
 killing gait to overtake their comrades under Lee to share 
 with, them their trials, their battles and their victories in 
 Maryland. Lee could not leave the Capital with all his force 
 so long as there vas a semblance of an army threatening it. 
 
 As soon as it was discovered that Manassas was to be the 
 real battle ground of the campaign, and Washington instead of 
 Richmond the objective point, Lee lost no time in concentrat- 
 ing his army north of the Rappahannock. About the middle 
 of August McLaws, with Kershaw's, Sumner's, Cobb's, and 
 Bark.sdale's Brigades, with two brigades under Walker and the 
 Hampton Legion Cavalry, turned their footsteps Northward, 
 and bent all their energies to reach the scene of action before 
 the culminating events above mentioned. 
 
 At Orange C. PL, on the 26th, we hastened our march, as 
 news began to reach us of Jackson's extraordinary movements 
 and the excitement in the Federal Army, occasioned by their 
 ludicrous hunt for the "lost Confederate." Jackson's name 
 had reached its meridian in the minds of the troops, and ihey 
 were ever expecting to hear of some new achievement or bril- 
 liant victory by this strange, silent, and mysterious man. The 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 143 
 
 very mystery of his movements, his unexplainable absence and 
 sudden reappearance at unexpected points, his audacity in the 
 face of the enemy, his seeming recklessness, gave unbounded 
 confidence to the army. The men began to feel safe at the 
 very idea of his disappearance and absence. While the thunder 
 of his guns and those of Longstreet's were sounding along the 
 valleys of Bull Run, and reverberating down to the Potomac or 
 up to Washington, McLaws with his South Carolinians, Geor- 
 gians, and Mlssissippians was swinging along with an elastic 
 step between Orange C. H. and Mana.ssas. 
 
 McClellan himself had already reached Alexandria with the 
 last of his troops, but by the acts of the ubiquitous Jackson 
 his lines of communication were cut and the Federal commander 
 had to grope his way in the dark for fear of running foul of his 
 erratic enemy. 
 
 When we began nearing Manassas, we learned of the awful 
 effect of the two preceding days' battle by meeting the 
 wounded. They came .singly and in groups, men marching 
 with arms in slings, heads bandaged, or hopping along on 
 improvised crutches, while the wagons and ambulances were 
 laden with the severely wounded. In that barren country no 
 hospital could be established, for it was as destitute of sus- 
 tenance as the arid plains of the Arabian Desert when the 
 great Napoleon undertook to cross it with his beaten army. 
 All, with the exception of water; we had plenty of that. 
 Passing over a part of the battlefield about the 5th of Septem- 
 ber, the harrowing sights that were met with were in places 
 too sickening to admit of description. The enemy's dead, in 
 many places, had been left unburied, it being a veritable in- 
 stance of "leaving the dead to bury the dead." Horses in a 
 rapid state of decomposition literally covered the field. The 
 air was so impregnated with the foul stench arising from the 
 plains where the battle had raged fiercest, that the troops were 
 forced to close their notrils while passing. Here and there 
 lay a dead enemy overlooked in the night of the general 
 burial, stripped of his outer clothing, his blackened features 
 and glassy eyes staring upturned to the hot September sun, 
 while our soldiers hurried past, leaving them unburied and 
 unnoticed. Some lay in the beaten track of our wagon trains, 
 and had been run over ruthlessly by the teamsters, they not 
 
144 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 having the time, if the- inclination, to remove them. The hot 
 sun made decomposition rapid, and the dead that had fallen on 
 the steep incline their heads had left the body and rolled 
 several paces away. All the dead had become as black as 
 Africans, the hot rays of the sun changing the features quite 
 prematurely. In the opening where the Washington Battalion 
 of Artillery from New Orleans had played such havoc on the 
 30th with the enemy's retreating columns, it resembled some 
 great railroad wreck — cannon and broken caissons piled in 
 great heaps; horses lying swollen and stiff, some harnessed, 
 others not; broken rammers, smashed wheels, dismounted 
 pieces told of the desperate struggle that had taken place. 
 One of the strange features of a battlefied is the absence of the 
 carrion crow or buzzard — it matters little as to the uumber of 
 dead soldiers or horses, no vultures ever venture near^t 
 being a fact that a buzzard was never seen in that part of 
 Virginia during the war. 
 
 All was still, save the rumble of the wagon trains and the 
 steady tread of the soldiers. Across EuU Run and out towards 
 Washington Mcl,aws followed with hasty step the track of 
 I,ongstreet and Jackson. 
 
 On the 5th or 6th we rejoined at last, after a two months' 
 separation from the other portion of the army. Lee was now 
 preparing to invade Maryland and other States North, as the 
 course of events dictated. Pope's Armj- had joined that of 
 McClellan, and the authorities at Washington had to call on the 
 latter to "save their Capital." When the troops began the 
 crossing of the now classic Potomac, a name on every tongue 
 since the commencement of hostilities, their enthusiasm knew 
 no bounds. Bands played "Maryland, My Mrryland," men 
 sang and cheered, hats filled the air, flags waved, and shouts 
 from fifty thousand throats reverberated up and down the 
 banks of the river, to be echoed back from the mountains and 
 •die away among the hills and highlands of Maryland. Men 
 stopped midway in the stream and sang loudly the cheering 
 strains of Randall's, "Maryland, My Maryland." We were 
 overjoyed at rejoining the army, and the troops of Jackson, 
 lyongstreet, and the two Hills were proud to feel the elbow 
 touch of such chivalrous spirits a? McL,aws, Kershaw, Hamp- 
 ton, and others in the conflicts that were soon to take place. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 145 
 
 Never before had an occurrence so excited and enlivened the 
 spirits of the troops as the crossing of the Potomac into the 
 land of our sister, Maryland. It is said the Crusaders, after 
 months of toil, marching, and fighting, on their way throiagh 
 the plains of Asia Minor, wept when they saw the towering 
 spires of Jerusalem, the Holy City, in the distance; and if ever 
 Lee's troops could have wept for joy, it was at the crossing of 
 the Potomac. But we paid dearly for this pleasure in the 
 death of so many thousands of brave men and the loss of so 
 many valuable officers. General Winder fell at Cedar Moun- 
 tain, and Jackson's right hand, the brave Ewell, lost his leg at 
 Manassas. 
 
 The army went into camp around Frederick City, Md. 
 PVom here, on the 8th, Lee issued his celebrated address to 
 the people of Maryland, and to those of the North generally, 
 telling them of his entry into their country, its cause and pur- 
 pose; that it was not as a conqueror, or an enemy, but to de- 
 mand and enforce a peace between the two countries. He 
 clothed his language in the most conservative and entreating 
 terms, professing friendship for those who would assist him, 
 and protection to life and the property of all. He enjoined the 
 people, without regard to past differences, to flock to his stand- 
 ard and aid in the defeat of the party and people who were 
 now drenching the country in blood and putting in mourning 
 the people of two nations. The young men he asked to join 
 hi.s ranks as soldiers of a just and honorable cause. Of the 
 old he asked their sympathies and prayers. To the President 
 of the Confederate States he also wrote a letter, proposing to 
 him that he should head his armies, and, as the chieftain of 
 the nation, propose a peace to the authorities at Washington 
 from the very threshold of their Capital. But both failed of 
 the desired effect. The people of the South had been led to 
 believe that Maryland was anxious to cast her destinies with 
 those of her sister States, that all her sympathies were with 
 the people of the South, and that her young men were anx- 
 ious and only awaiting the opportunity to join the ranks as 
 soldiers under Lee. But these ideas and promises were all 
 delusions, for the people we saw along the route remained pas- 
 sive .spectators and disinterested witnesses to tbe, great evolu- 
 tions now taking place. What the people felt on the ' 'eastern 
 10 
 
146 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 shore" is not known; but the acts of those between the 
 Potomac and Pennsylvania above Washington indicated but 
 little sympathy with the Southern cause; and what enlistments 
 were made lacked the proportions needed to swell Lee's army 
 to its desired limits. Lee promised protection and he gave it. 
 The soldiers to a man seemed to feel the importance of obeying 
 the orders to respect and protect the person and property of 
 those with whom we came in contact. It was said of this, 
 
 as well as other campaigns in the North, that "it was con- 
 ducted with kid gloves on." 
 
 Whiie lying at Frederick City, Lee conceived the bold and 
 perilous project of again dividing his army in the face of his 
 enemy, and that enemy McClellan. Swinging back with a 
 part of his army, he captured the stronghold of Harper's 
 Ferry, with its 11,000 defenders, while with the other he held 
 McClellan at bay in front. The undertaking was dangerous 
 in the extreme, and with a leader less bold and Lieutenants 
 less prompt and skillful, its final consummation would have 
 been more than problematical. But Lee was the one to pro- 
 pose his subalterns to act. Harper's Ferry, on the Virginia 
 side of the Potomac, where that river is intersected by the 
 Shenandoah, both cutting their way through the cliffs and 
 crags of the Blue Ridge, was the seat of the United States 
 Arsenal, and had immense stores of arms and ammunition, as 
 well as army supplies of every description. The Baltimore 
 and Ohio Railroad and the canal cross the mountains here on 
 the Maryland side, both hugging the piecipitous side of the 
 mountain and at the very edge of the water. The approaches 
 to the place were few, and they so defended that capture seemed 
 impossible, unless the heights surrounding could be obtained, 
 find this appeared impossible from a Tnilitary point of view. 
 On the south side are the Loudon and Bolivar Heights. On 
 the other side the mountains divide into two distinct ranges, 
 and gradually bear away from each other until they reach a 
 distance of three miles from crest to crest. Between the two 
 mountains is the beautiful and picturesque Pleasant Valley. 
 The eastern ridge, called South Mountain, commencing from 
 the rugged cliff at Rivertoria, a little hamlet nestled down 
 between the mountaini and the Potomac, runs northwards, 
 while the western ridge, called Elk Mountain, starts from the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 147 
 
 bluff called Maryland Heights, overlooking the town of Har- 
 per's Ferry, and runs nearly parallel to the other. Jackson 
 passed on up the river with his division, Ewell's, and A. P. 
 Hill's, recrossed the Potomac into Virginia, captured Martins- 
 burg, where a number of prisoners and great supplies were 
 taken, and came up and took possession of Bolivar Heights, 
 above Harper's Ferry. Walker's Division marched back 
 across the Potomac and took possession of Loudon Heights, a 
 neck of high land between the Shenandoah and Potomac over- 
 looking Harper's Ferry from below, the Shenandoah being 
 between his army and the latter place. On the nth McL,aws 
 moved out of Frederick City, strengthened by the brigades of 
 Wilcox, Featherstone, and Pryor, making seven brigades that 
 were to undertake the capture of the stronghold by the moun- 
 tain passes and ridges on the north. Kershaw, it will be seen, 
 was given the most difficult position of passage and more for- 
 midable to attack than any of the other routes of approach. 
 Some time after Jackson and Walker had left on their long 
 march, McLaws followed. lyongstreet and other portions of 
 the army and wagon trains kept the straight road towards 
 Hagerstown, while Kershaw and the rest of the troops under 
 . McLaws took the road leading southwest, on through the town 
 of Burkettville, and camped at the foothills of the mountain, 
 on the east side. Next morning Kershaw, commanding his 
 own brigade and that of Barksdale, took the lead, passed over 
 South Mountain, through Pleasant Valley, aud to Elk Ridge, 
 three miles distance, thence along the top of Elk Ridge by a 
 dull cattle path. The width of the crest was not more than fiftj' 
 yards in places, and along this Kershaw had to move in line 
 of battle, Barksdale's Brigade in reserve. Wright's Brigade 
 moved along a similar path on the crest of South Mountain, he 
 taking with him two mountain howitzers, drawn by one horse 
 each. Mc-Laws, as Commander-in-Chief, with some of the 
 other brigades, marched by the road at the hash of the moun- 
 tain below Wright, while Cobb was to keep abreast of Ker- 
 shaw and Barksdale at the base of Elk Ridge. Over such 
 obstacles as were encountered and the difficulties and dangers 
 separating the different troops, a line of battle never before 
 made headway as did those of Kershaw aud the troops under 
 McLaws. 
 
148 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 We met the enemy's skirmishers soon after turning to the 
 left on Elk Ridge, and all along the whole distance of five 
 miles we were more or less harassed by them. During the 
 march of the i2th the men had to pull themselves up precipi- 
 tous inclines by the twigs and undergrowth that lined the 
 mountain side, or hold themselves in position by the trees in 
 front. At night we bivouaced on the mountain. We could 
 see the fires all along the mountain side and gorges through 
 Pleasant Valley and upon South Mountain, where the troops 
 of Wright had camped opposite. Early next morning as we 
 advanced we again met the enemy's skirmishers, and had to be 
 ■continually driving them back. Away to the south and 
 beyond the Potomac we could hear the sound of Jackson's 
 guns as he was beating his way up to meet us. By noon we 
 encountered the enemy's breastworks, built of great stones 
 and logs, in front of which was an abattis of felled timber and 
 brushwood. The Third, under Nance, and the Seventh, under 
 Aiken, were ordered to the charge on the right. Having no 
 artillery up, it was with great difficulty we approached the for- 
 tifications. Men had to cling to bushes while they loaded and 
 fired. But with their usual gallantry they came down to their 
 work. Through the tangled undergrowth, through the abattis, 
 and over the breastworks they leaped with a yell. The fight- 
 in j was short but very severe. The Third did not lose any 
 fie'.d officers, but the line suffered considerably. The Third 
 lust .some of her most promising officers. Of the Seventh, 
 Ci-iptain Litchfield, of Company L, Captain Wm. Clark, of 
 Company G, and Lieutenant J. L- Talbert fell dead, and many 
 others wounded. 
 
 The Second and Eighth had climbed the mountains, and 
 advanced on Harper's Ferry from the east. The Second was 
 commanded by Colonel Kennedy and the Eighth by Colonel 
 Henegan. The enemy was posted behind works, constructed 
 the same as th(5se assaulted by the Third and Seventh, of cliffs 
 of rocks, trunks of trees, covered by an abattis. The regi- 
 ments advanced in splendid style, and through the tangled 
 underbrush and ^over boulders they rushed for the enemy's 
 works. Colonel Kennedy was wounded in the early part of 
 the engagement, but did not leave the field. The Second lost 
 some gallant line officers. When the order was given to charge 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 149 
 
 the color bearer of the Eighth, Sergeant Strother, of 
 Chesterfield, a tall, handsome man of six feet three in height, 
 carrying the beautiful banner presented to the regiment by 
 the ladies of Pee Dee, fell dead within thirty yards of the 
 enemy's works. All the color guard were either killed or 
 wounded. Captain A. T. Harllee, commanding one of the 
 color companies, seeing the flag fall, seized it and waving it 
 aloft, called to the men to forward and take the breastworks. 
 He, too, fell desperately wounded, .shot through both thighs 
 with a minnie ball. He then called to Colonel Henegan, he 
 being near at hand, to take the colors. Snatching them from 
 under Captain Harllee, Colonel Henegan shouted to the men 
 to follow him, but had not gone far before he fell dangerously 
 wounded. Some of the men lifted up their fallen Colonel and 
 started to the rear; but just at this moment his regiment began 
 to waver and break to the rear. The gallant Colonel .seeing 
 this ordered his men to put him down, and commanded in a 
 lend, clear voice, "About face! Charge and take the works," 
 which order was obeyed with promptness, and soon the flags 
 of Kershaw's Regiments waved in triumph over the enemy's 
 deserted works. 
 
 Walker had occupied Loudon Heights, on the Virginia side, 
 and all were waiting now for Jackson to finish the work 
 assigned to him and to occupy Bolivar Heights, thus finishing 
 the cordon around the luckless garrison. The enemy's cavalry 
 under the cover of the darkness crossed the river, hugged its 
 banks close, and escaped. During the night a road was cut to 
 the top of Maryland Heights by our engineer corps and sev- 
 eral pieces of small cannondrawn up, mostly by hand, and placed 
 in such position as to sweep the garrison below. Some of Jack- 
 son's troops early in the night began climbing around the steep 
 cliffs that overlook the Shenandoah, and by daylight took pos- 
 session of the heights opposite to those occupied by Walker's 
 Division. But all during the day, while we were awaiting the 
 signal of Jackson's approach, we heard continually the deep, 
 -dull sound of cannonading in our rear. Peal after peal from 
 heavy guns that fairly shook the mountain side told too plainly 
 a desperate struggle was going on in the passes that protected 
 our rear. General McLaws, taking Cobb's Georgia Brigade 
 and some cavalry, hurried back over the rugged by-paths that 
 
150 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 had been just traversed, to find D. H. Hill and I^ongstreet in a 
 hand-to-hand combat, defending the routes on South Moun- 
 tain that led down on us by the mountain crests. The next 
 day orders for stcrming the works by the troops beyond the 
 river were given. Mclyaws and Walker had secured their 
 position, and now were in readiness to assist Jackson. All the 
 batteries were opened on Bolivar Heights, and from the three 
 sides the artillery duel raged furiously for a time, while Jack- 
 son's infantry was pushed to the front and captured the works 
 there. Soon thereafter the white flag was waving over Har- 
 per's Ferry, "the citadel had fallen." In the capitulation 
 eleven thousand prisoners, seventy-two piieces of artillery, 
 twelve thousand stands of small arms, horses, wagons, 
 munitions, and supplies in abundance passed into the hands of 
 the Confederates. Jackson's troops fairly swam in the deli- 
 cacies, provisions, and "drinkables" constituting a part of the 
 spoils taken, while Kershrw's and all of McLaw'sand Walker's 
 troops, who had done the hardest of the fighting, got none. 
 Our men complained bitterly of this seeming injustice. It 
 took all day to finish the capitulation, paroling prisoners, and 
 dividing out the supplies; but we had but little time to rest, 
 for Lee's Army was now in a critical condition. McClellan, 
 having by accident captured Lee's orders specifying the routes 
 to be taken bj' all the troops after the fall of Harper's Ferry, 
 knew exactly where and when to strike. The Southern Army 
 was at this time woefully divided, a part being between the 
 Potomac and the Shenandoah, Jackson with three divisions 
 across the Potomac in Virginia, McLaws with his own and a 
 part of Anderson's Division on the heights of Maryland, with 
 the enemy five miles in his rear at Crompton Pass cutting him 
 off from retreat in that direction. Lee, with the rest of his 
 army and reserve trains, was near Hagerstown. 
 
 On the 1 6th we descended the mountain, crossed the Poto- 
 mac, fell in the rear of Jackson's moving army, and marched 
 up the Potomac some distance, recrossed into Maryland, on 
 our hunt for Lee and his army. The sun poured down its 
 blistering rays with intense fierceness upon the already fatigued 
 and fagged soldiers, while the dust along the pikes, that 
 wound over and around the numerous hills, was almost stifling. 
 We bivouaced for the night on the roadside, ten miles from 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 151 
 
 Antietam Creek, where Lee was at the time concentrating his 
 army, and where on the next day was to be fought the most 
 stubbornly contested and bloody battle of modern times, if we 
 take in consideration the number of troops engaged, its dura- 
 tion, and its casualties. After three days of incessant march- 
 ing and fighting over mountain heights, rugged gorges, 
 wading rivers— all on the shortest of rations, many of the mea 
 were content to fall upon the bare ground and snatch a few 
 moments of rest without the time and trouble of a supper. 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 Sharpsburg or Antietam— -Return to Virginia. 
 
 When Lee cros.sed the Potomac the Department at Wash- 
 ington, as well as the whole North, was thrown into conster- 
 laation, and the wildest excitement prevailed, especially in 
 Maryland and Pennsylvania. "Where was Lee?" "Where 
 was he going?' ' were some of the questions that flitted over the 
 wires to McClellan from Washington, Philadelphia, and 
 Baltimore. But the personage^ about whose movements and 
 whereabouts seemed to excite more anxiety and superstitious 
 <dread than any or all of Lee's Lieutenants was Jackson. The 
 North regarded him as some mythical monster, acting in reality 
 the parts assigned to fiction. But after it was learned that 
 Lee had turned the head of his columns to the westward, 
 their fears were somewhat allayed. General Curtis, of Penn- 
 sylvania, almost took spasms at the thought of the dreaded 
 rebels invading his domain, and called upon the militia "to 
 turn out and resist the invader." In less than three weeks 
 after the battle of Manassas, the North* or more correctly. 
 New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Mary- 
 land, had out 250,000 State troops behind the Susquehanna 
 River. 
 
 The great horde of negro cooks and servants that usually 
 followed the army were allowed to roam at will over the sur- 
 rounding country, just the same as down in Virginia. The 
 
152 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 negroes foraged for their masters wherever they, went, and ia 
 times of short rations the)' were quite an adjunct to the Com- 
 missary Department, gathering chickens, butter, flour, etc. 
 Even now, when so near the Free States, with nothing to pre- 
 vent them from making their escape, the negroes showed no 
 disposition to take advantage of their situation and conditions, 
 their owners giving themselves no concern whatever for their 
 safety. On more occasions than one their masters told them 
 to go whenever they wished, that they would exercise no 
 authority over them whatever, but I do not believe a single 
 negro left of his own accord. Some few were lost, of course, 
 but they were lost like man)' of the soldiers — captured by for- 
 aging parties or left broken down along the roadside. It is a 
 fact, though, that during the whole war the negroes were as 
 piuch afraid of the "Yankee" as the white soldier, and dreaded 
 capture more. 
 
 It might be supposed that we fared sumptuously, being in 
 an enemy's country at fruit and harvest time, with great wav- 
 ing fields of corn, trees bending under loads of choice ripe 
 fruits, but such was far from being the case. Not an apple, 
 peach, or plum was allowed to be taken without payment, or 
 at the owner's consent. Fields, orchards, and farmhouses 
 were .strictly guarded against depredations. The citizens as a 
 whole looked at us askance, rather passive than demonstrat- 
 ive. The young did not flock to our standards- as was 
 expected, and the old men looked on more in wonder than in 
 pleasure, and opened their granaries with willingness, but not 
 with cheerfulness. They accepted the Confederate money 
 offered as pay for meals or provisions more as a respect to an 
 overpowering foe than as a compensation for their wares. A 
 good joke in this campaign was had at the expense of Captain 
 Nance, of the Third. It must be remembered that the pri- 
 vates played many practical jokes upon their officers in camps, 
 when at other times.and on other occasions such would be no 
 joke at all, but a bit of downright rascality and meanness — 
 but in the army such was called fun. A nice chicken, but too 
 old to fry, so it must be stewed. As the wagons were not up, 
 cooking utensils were scarce — about one oven to twenty-five 
 men. Captain Nance ordered Jess to bake the biscuit at night 
 and put away till morning, when the chicken would be cooked 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 153 
 
 and a fine breakfast spread. Now the Captain was overflow- 
 ing in good hiuuor and spirits, and being naturally generous- 
 hearted, invited the Colonial and I^ieuteaant Colonel Ruther- 
 ford, the latter his prospective brother-in-law, down to take 
 breakfast with him. The biscuits were all baked nicely and 
 piled high up on an old tin plate and put in the Captain's tent 
 at his head for safe keeping during the night. Early next 
 morning the fowl was "jumping in the pan," as the boys 
 would say, while the Captain made merry with the others over 
 their discomfiture at .seeing him and his guests eating ' 'chicken 
 and flour bread," while they would be "chewing crackers." 
 All things must come to an end, of course; so the chicken was 
 at last "cooked to a turn," the Colonel and the future brother- 
 in-law are seated expectantly upon the ground waiting the 
 breakfast call. The Captain was assisting Jess in putting on 
 the finishing touches to the tempting meal, as well as doing 
 the honors to his distinguished guests. When all was ready 
 he ordered Jess to bring out the biscuits. After an unusual 
 long wait, as it may have appeared to Captain Nance under 
 the condition of his appetite and the presence of his superiors, 
 he called out, "Why in the thunder don't you bring out the 
 biscuits, Jess?" Still blankets were overturned and turned 
 again, knapsacks moved for the fourth or fifth time, yet Jess 
 hunted faithfully in that little four by six tent for the plate of 
 biscuits. "Why in the h — 1 don't you come on with the bis- 
 cuits, Jess?" with a pronounced accent on the word "Jess." 
 Meanwhile Jess poked his black, shaggy head through the 
 tent door, the white of his eyes depicting the anguish of his 
 mind, his voice the despair he felt, answered: "Well, Marse 
 John, before God Almighty, ef somebody ain't tookeu stole 
 dem bisket." Tableaux!! Twenty-five years afterwards at a 
 big revival meeting at Bethel Church, in Newberry County, a 
 great many "hard cases," as they were called, were greatly 
 impressed with the sermons, and one especially seemed on the 
 point of "getting religion," as it is called. But he seemed to 
 be burdened with a great weight. At the end of the service 
 he took out Captain Nance and expressed a de-sire to make a 
 confession. "Did you ever know who stole your biscuits that 
 night at Frederick City?" "No." "Well, I and Bud Wil- 
 son — " But Captain Nance never allowed John Mathis to 
 
154 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 finish, for as the light of that far-ofif truth dawned upon him 
 and seemed to bring back the recollection of that nice brown 
 chicken and the missing biscuits he said: "No, I'll never for- 
 give you; go home and don't trj' for religion any longer, for a 
 crime as heinous as yours is beyond forgiveness. Oh, such 
 depravity!" It appears since that two of his most intimate 
 friends had robbed him just for the fun they would have over 
 his disappointment in the morning and the chagrin the Captain 
 would experience, but the biscuits were too tempting to keep. 
 On the morning of the 17th we were yet ten miles from 
 Sharpsburg, where I,ee had drawn up his army around that 
 little hamlet and along Antietam Creek, to meet the shock of 
 battle that McClellan was preparing to give. The battle- 
 ground chosen was in a bend of the Potomac, I/Ce's left resting 
 on the river above and around to the front to near the point 
 where the Antietam enters the Potomac on the right. The 
 little sluggish stream between the two armies, running at the 
 base of the heights around and beyond Sharpsburg, was not 
 fordable for some distance above the Potomac, and only crossed 
 by stone bridges at the public roads. Up near Lee's left it 
 could be crossed without bridges. The Confederate Army now 
 lay in a small compass in this bend of the river, the Federal 
 Army extending in his front from the river above to the 
 Antietam below, just above its junction with the Potomac. 
 That stream rolled in a deep, strong current in the rear of 
 Lee. 
 
 Even before the sun had spread its rays over the heights of 
 this quaint old Quaker town sufficient to distinguish objects a 
 few feet away, the guns were booming along the crossings of 
 Antietam. With a hurried breakfast Kershaw took up the 
 . line of march along the dusty roads in the direction of the 
 firing, which had begun by daylight and continued to rage 
 incessantly during the day and till after dark, making this the 
 most bloody battle for the men engaged fought during the 
 century. In its casualties — the actual dead upon the field and 
 the wounded — for the time of action, it exceeded all others 
 before or since. When we neared General Lee's headquarters, 
 some distance in rear of the town, D. H. Hill and part of 
 Jackson's forces were already in the doubtful toils of a raging 
 conflict awav to our left and front, where Hooker was endeav- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 155 
 
 oring to break Lee's left or press it back upon the river. 
 Barksdale's Brigade, of our division, was in front, and when 
 near the battlefield formed in line of battle. Kershaw formed 
 his lines with the Third, Colonel Nance, in front, nearly par- 
 allel with a body of woods, near the Duuker Church, and left 
 of the road leading to it, the enemy being about five hundred 
 yards in our front. The other regiments were formed in line 
 on our left as they came up. Colonel Aiken, of the Seventh, 
 Lieutenant Colonel Hoole, of the Eighth, and Colonel Ken- 
 nedy, of the Second, in the order named, Barksdale moving in 
 action before our last regiment came fairly in line. Sumner, 
 of the Federal Army, was pushing his forces of the Second 
 Army Corps forward at this point of the line in columns of 
 brigades, having crossed the Antietam at the fords above. 
 Sedgwick, of his leading division, had already formed in line 
 of battle awaiting our assault. One of the Georgia Brigades of 
 the division formed on Kershaw's left, while the other acted as 
 reserve, and a general advance was ordered against the troops 
 in the woods. The battle wa.s in full blast now along the 
 greater part of the line. General Longstreet, speaking of the 
 time Kershaw came in action, says: "The fire spread along 
 both lines from left to right, across the Antietam, and back 
 again, and the thunder of the big guns became continuous and 
 increased to a mighty volume. To this was presently added 
 the sharper rattle of musketry, and the surge of mingling 
 sound sweeping up and down the field was multiplied and con- 
 fused by the reverberations from the rocks and hills. And in 
 the great tumult of sound, which shook the air and seemed to 
 shatter the cliffs and ledges above the Antietam, bodies of the 
 facing foes were pushed forward to closer work, and soon 
 added the clash of steel to the thunderous crash of cannon 
 shot. Under this storm, now Kershaw advanced his men. 
 Through the open, on through the woods, with a solid step 
 these brave men went, while the battery on their left swept 
 their ranks with grape and canister. ' ' In the woods the bri- 
 gade was moved to the left to evade this storm of shot and 
 shell. The Mississippians on the left were now reforming 
 their broken ranks. Colonel Aiken, of the Seventh, had fallen 
 badly wounded in the first charge, and the command was 
 given to Captain White. This was the first battle in a fair 
 
156 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 field in which the new commanders of the regiments had had 
 an opportunity to show their mettle and ability, and well did 
 they sustain themselves. Savage Station and Maryland 
 Heights were so crowded with underbrush and vision so 
 obscured that they were almost battles in the dark. Colonel 
 Kennedy, of the Second, and Lieutenant Colonel Hoole, of the 
 Eighth, were handling their men in splendid style, the Seventh 
 changing its commander three times while in battle. Colonel 
 Nance changed his front in the lull of battle, and moved under 
 the triendly cover of a hill, on which was posted the battery 
 that had been graping the field so desperately during the first 
 advance. The brigade had now passed through the field of 
 waving corn, over the rail fence, and driven Sedgwick from 
 his position. Barksdale, who had been staggered by the first 
 impact, was now moving up in beautiful harmony; the steady, 
 elastic step of his men, the waving banuers, the officers march- 
 ing in the rear, their bright blades glittering in the sunlight, 
 made a most imposing spectacle. Up the slope, among the 
 straggling oaks, they bent their steps; while the grape, shell, 
 and canister thinned their ranks to such an extent that when 
 the enemy's infantry was met, their galling fire forced Barks- 
 dale to retire in great disorder. The enemy's troops were 
 being hurried ever the creek and forming in our front. Ker- 
 shaw moved forward in line with those on the right to meet 
 them, and swept everything from his front. The enemy had 
 been massing along the whole line, and when Kershaw reached 
 the farthest limit of the open field he was met by overwhelm- 
 ing numbers. Now the fight waged hot and fierce, but the line 
 on the right having retired left the right flank of the Third 
 Regiment entirely exposed both to the fire of the artillery and 
 infantry, forcing the brigade to retire to its former ground, 
 leaving, however, the second commander of the Seventh dead 
 upon the field. It was here the famous scout and aide to 
 General Stuart, Captain W. D. Farley, killed at the Rappa- 
 hannock, came to visit his brother, L,ieutenant Farley, of the 
 Third. He was made doubly famous by the fiction of Captain 
 Estine Cooke. 
 
 McClellan was now growing desperate, his lines making no 
 headway either on the left or centre. His forces were held at 
 bay on our right across the Antietam, having failed to force a. 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 157 
 
 crossing at the bridges. Jackson and Hill, on the left, were 
 being sorely pressed by the corps of Mansfield and Hooker, 
 but still doggedly held their ground. Jackson had left the 
 division of A. P. Hill at Harper's Ferry to settle the negoti- 
 ations of surrender, and had but a comparative weak force to 
 meet this overwhelming number of two army corps. Again 
 and again the Confederate ranks were broken, but as often 
 reformed. Stuart stood on the extreme left, with his body of 
 cavalry, but the condition of the? field was such as to prevent 
 him from doing little more service than holding the flanks. 
 General Toombs, with his Georgia Brigade, and some detached 
 troops, with two batteries, held the lower fords all day against 
 the whole of Burnside's corps, notwithstanding the imperative 
 orders of his chief "to cross and strike the Confederates in the 
 rear." Assaults by whole divisions were repeatedly made 
 against the small force west of the stream, but were easil5' 
 repulsed by Toombs and his Georgians. In all probability 
 these unsuccessful attacks would have continued during the 
 day, had not the Federals found a crossing, unknown to the 
 Confederate Generals, between the bridges. When the cross- 
 ing was found the whole slope on the western side of the 
 stream was soon a perfect sheet of blue. So sure were they of 
 victory that they called upon the Confederates to "throw down 
 their arms and surrender. ' ' This was only answered by a 
 volley and a charge with the bayonet point. But there was a 
 factor in the day's battle not yet taken account of, and which 
 was soon to come upon the field like a whirlwind and change 
 the course of events. A. P. Hill, who had been left at Har- 
 per's Ferry, was speeding towards the bloody field with all the 
 speed his tired troops could make. Gregg, Branch, and 
 Archer, of Hill's Division, were thrown into the combat at this 
 most critical moment, after the enemy had forced a crossing at 
 all points and were pushing Lee backwards towards the 
 Potomac. Short and decisive was the work. An advance of 
 the whole right was made. The enemy first btaggered, then 
 reeled, and at last pressed off the field. The batteries lost in 
 the early part of the day were retaken, and the enemy was 
 glad to find shelter under his heavy guns on the other side of 
 the Antietam. But the battle on the left was not so favorable. 
 Jackson's, D. H. Hill's, and McL,aw's troops, jaded and 
 
158 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fagged by the forced inarches in the morning, their ranks 
 woefully thinned by the day's continuous fighting, their 
 ammunition sadly exhausted, could do no more than hold 
 their ground for the remainder of the day. The enemy now 
 being re-enforced by Porter's Corps, his batteries enfilading 
 our ranks. Mclyaws was forced to move Kershaw and the troops 
 on his right to the left and rear, nearly parallel to the line first 
 formed during the day. There had been no material advan- 
 tage on either .side. On the right the enemy had crossed the 
 Antietam, it is true, but to a position no better than the night 
 before. Our left and centre were bent back in somewhat more 
 acute angle than on the morning, but to an equally good 
 position. Not many prisoners were taken on either side in 
 proportion to the magnitude of the battle. The enemy's loss 
 in killed and wounded was a little more than ours, but so far 
 as the day's battle goes, the lo.ss and gain were about equal. 
 It is true Lee lost thou.sands of good and brave troops whose 
 places could scarcely be filled; yet he inflicted such punish- 
 ment upon the enemy that it took him months to recuperate. 
 The moral effect was against us and in favor of the enemj' 
 It had a decided bearing upon the coming elections at the 
 North, and a corresponding depression upon the people at the 
 South. The Southern Army, from its many successive vic- 
 tories in the past, had taught themselves to believe that they 
 were simply invincible upon the field of battle, and the people 
 of the South looked upon the strategy and military skill of 
 Lee and Jackson as being far beyond the cope of any Gen- 
 erals the North could produce. But this battle taught the 
 South a great lesson in many ways. It demonstrated the fact 
 that it was possible to be matched in generalship, it was pos- 
 sible to meet men upon the field equal in courage and endur- 
 ance to themselves. But it also proved to what point of for- 
 bearance and self-sacrifice the Southern soldier could go when 
 the necessity arose, and how faithful and obedient they would 
 remain to their leaders under the severest of tests. The Con- 
 federate soldier had been proven beyond cavil the equal in 
 every respect to that of any on the globe. After fighting all 
 day, without food and with little water, they had to remain on 
 the field of battle, tired and hungry, until details returned to 
 the wagons and cooked their rations. It may be easily 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 159 
 
 imagined that both armies were glad enough to fall upon the 
 ground and rest after such a day of blood and carnage, with 
 the smoke, dust, and weltering heat of the day. Before the 
 sound of the last gun had died away in the distance one 
 hundred thousand men were stretched upon the ground fast 
 asleep, while near a third of that number were sleeping their 
 last sleep or suffering from the effects of fearful wounds. The 
 ghouls of the battlefield are now at their wanton work. 
 Stealthily and cautiously they creep and grope about in the 
 dark to hunt the body of an enemy, or even a comrade, and 
 strip or rob him of his little all. Prayers, groans, and curses 
 mingle, but the robber of the battlefield continues his work. 
 Friends seek lost comrades here and there, a brother looks, 
 perhaps, in vain for a brother. 
 
 The loss in some of our regiments was appalling, especially 
 the Seventh. Two regimental commanders of that command 
 had fallen. Colonel Aiken and Captain White, leaving Captain 
 Hard, one of the junior Captains, in command. The regi- 
 ment lost in the two battles of Maryland Heights and Sharps- 
 burg, two hundred and fifty-three out of four hundred and 
 forty-six. 
 
 General McClellan, in his testimony before the War Investi- 
 gating Committee, says: "We fought pretty close upon one 
 hundred thousand men. Our forces were, total in action, 
 eighty-seven thousand one hundred and sixty-four." Deduct- 
 ing the cavalry division not in action of fo'.ir thousand three 
 hundred and twenty, gives McClellan eighty-two thousand 
 eight hundred and forty-four, infantr}' and artillery. 
 
 General Lee says in his report: "The battle was fought by 
 less than forty thousand men of all arms on our side." The 
 actual numbers were: 
 
 Jackson, including A. P. Hill . . 10,000 
 
 Longstreet 12,000 
 
 D. H. Hill and Walker 7,000 
 
 Cavalry 8,000 
 
 37,000 
 Deduct four thousand cavalry on detached service and not 
 on the field from L,ee's force, and we have of infantry, artillery, 
 and cavalry, thirty-three thousand. Jackson only had four 
 
160 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 thousand on the left until the arrival of A. P. Hill, and with- 
 stood the assaults of forty thousand till noon; when re-enforced 
 by Hill he pressed the enemy from the field. 
 
 The next day was employed in' burying the dead and 
 gathering up the wounded. Those who could travel were 
 started off across the Potomac on foot, in wagons and ambu- 
 lances, on the long one hundred miles march to the nearest 
 railroad station, while those whose wounds would not admit of 
 their removal were gathered in houses in the town and surgeons 
 ■detailed to remain and treat them. On the morning of the 
 19th some hours before day the rumbling of the wagon trains 
 told of our march backward. We crossed the Potomac, Long- 
 street leading, and Jackson bringing up the rear. A great 
 many that had been broken down by the rapid marches and 
 the sun's burning rays from the time of our crossing into 
 Maryland till now, were not up at the battle of the 17th, thus 
 ' weakening the ranks of I,ee to nearly one-half their real 
 strength, taking those on detached service into consideration 
 also. But these had all come tip and joined their ranks as we 
 began crossing the Potomac. None wished to be left behind; 
 €ven men ,so badly wounded that at home they would be con- 
 fined to their beds marched one hundred miles in the killing 
 heat. Hundreds of men with their arms amputated left the 
 operating table to take up their long march. Some shot 
 through the head, body, or limbs preferred to place the Potomac 
 between themselves and the enemy. 
 
 Lee entered Maryland with sixty-one thousand men all told, 
 -counting Quartermaster and Commissary Departments, the 
 teamsters, and those in the Medical and Engineer Department. 
 Lee lost thirteen thousand six hundred and eighty-seven men 
 killed and wounded on the field of battle, and .several thousand 
 in capture and broken down by the wayside, most of the latter, 
 however, reporting for duty in a few days. 
 
 McClellan had of actual soldiers in the lines of battle and 
 reserve eighty-seven thousand one hunhred and sixty-four, his 
 losses in battle being twelve thousand four hundred and ten, 
 making his casualties one thousand two hundred and seventy- 
 seven less than Lee's. The prisoners and cannon captured in 
 action were about equal during the twelve days north of the 
 Potomac, while at Harper's Ferry Lee captured sufficient 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 161 
 
 ammunitiou to replenish that spent in battle, and horses and 
 wagons enough to fully equip the whole array, thousands of- 
 improved small arms, seventy-two cannon and caissons, and 
 eleven thousand prisoners. While the loss of prisoners, 
 ammunition, horses, ordnance, etc., did not materially cripple 
 the North, our losses in prisoners and killed and wounded 
 could hardly be replaced at that time. So in summing up the 
 results it is doubtful whether or not the South gained any 
 lasting benefit from the campaign beyond the Potomac. But 
 L^e was forced by circuriistances after the enemy's disaster at 
 Manassas to follow up his victories and be guided by the 
 course of events, and in that direction they lead, ' McClellan 
 offered the gauge of battle; Lee was bound to accept. The 
 North claimed Sharpsburg or Antifctam as a victory, and the 
 world accepted it as siich. This gave Lincoln the opportunity 
 he had long waited for to write his famous Emancipation 
 Proclamation. It was not promulgated, however, till the first 
 of January following. Among military critics this battle 
 would be given to Lee, even while the campaign is voted a 
 failure. It is an axiom in war that when one army stands 
 upon the defensive and is attacked by the other, if the latter 
 fails to force the former from liis position, then it is considered 
 a victorj' for the army standing on the defensive. (See Lee 
 at Gettysburg and Burnsides at Fredericksburg. ) While Lee 
 was the invader, he stood on the defensive at Sharpsburg or 
 Aiitietam, andlMcClellan did no' more than press his left and 
 centre back. Lee held his battle line firmly, slept on the 
 field, buried his dead the next aay, then deliberately with- 
 drew. What better evidence is wanting to prove Lee not 
 defeated. McClellah claimed no more than a drawn fight. 
 
 On the 19th the eneniy began pressing our rear near Shep- 
 ard-stown, and' A. F. Hill was ordered to return and drive 
 them oiff. A fierce and sanguinary battle took place at 
 Bateler's Ford, between two portions of the armies, A. P. Hill 
 gaining a complete victory, driving the enemy beyond the 
 river.' The army fell back to .Martinsburg and rested a few 
 days. Afterwards they were encamped at Winchester, where 
 they remained until the opening of the next campaign. 
 
 Before closing the account of the First Maryland campaign, 
 I wish to say a word in regard to the Commissar}' and Quar- 
 11 
 
162 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADlt. 
 
 terraaster's Departments. Much ridicule, and sometimes 
 ' abuse, has been heaped upon the heads of those who composed 
 the two Departments. I must say, in all justice, that much of 
 this was ill timed and ill advised. It must be remembered 
 that to the men who constituted these Departments belonged 
 the duty of feeding, clothing, and furnishing the transpor- 
 tation for the whole arm}'. Often without means or ways, 
 they had to invent them. In an enemy's country, surrounded 
 by many dangers, in a hostile and treacherous community, 
 and mostly unprotected except by those of their own force, 
 they had to toil night and da}-, through sunshine and rain, 
 that the men who were in the battle ranks could be fed and 
 clothed. They had no re.st. When the men were hungry 
 they must be fed; when others slept they had to be on the 
 alert. When sick or unable to travel a means of transportation 
 must be furnished. The Commissary and the Quarterma.ster 
 must provide for the sustenance of the army.- Kershaw's Bri- 
 gade was doubly bles.sed in the persons of Captain, afterwards 
 Major W. D. Peck and Captain Shell, of the Quartermaster 
 Department, and Captain R. N. Lowraace, and Lieutenant 
 J. X. Martin, of the Commissary. The troops never wanted 
 or suffered while it was in the power of those officers to supply 
 them. 
 
 Major Peck was a remarkable man in many respects. He 
 certainly could be called one of nature's noblemen. Besides 
 being a perfect high-toned gentleman of the old school, he 
 was one of the most efficient officers in the army, and his pop- 
 ularity was universal His greatest .service was in the Quar- 
 termaster's Department, but. he served for awhile in the ranks 
 in Captain W'm. Wallace's Company, Second Regiment, as 
 Orderly Sergeant -served in that capacity at the bombardment 
 of Fort Sumter and the first battle of Manassas. On the death 
 of Quartermaster W. S. Wood, Colonel Ker.shaw appointed 
 him his Regimental Quartermaster to fill the place made 
 vacant by Captain Wood, in July, 1861, with the rank of 
 Captain. When Kershaw was made Brigadier General, on 
 the resignation of General Bonham, he had him promoted to 
 Brigade Quartermaster with the rank of Major. On the res- 
 ignation of Major McLaws, Division Quartermaster, he was 
 made Division Quartermaster in hisstead, and held this position 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 163 
 
 during the war. He received his last appointment only one 
 month before his illustrious chief, J. B. Kershaw, was made 
 Major General. It seems a strange coincidence in the rise of 
 these two men, who entered the service together — each took 
 diflFerent arms, but rose in parallel grades to the highest 
 position in the division. Major Peck was seldom absent from 
 duty, and a complaint against him was never heard. He was 
 a bold, gallant officer, and when in the discharge of his duties 
 he laid aside every other consideration. Major Peck had a 
 very striking appearance, tall, erect, and dignified, and upon 
 horseback he was a perfect cavalier. It might be truly said 
 he was one of the handsomest men in the army. His com- 
 manding appearance attracted attention wherever he went, 
 and he was often taken for a general officer. For cordiality, 
 generosity, and unselfishness he was almost without a rival. 
 It required no effort on his part to display the elegance of his 
 character — his gentlemanly qualities and deportment were as 
 natural to him as it is for the "sparks to fly upward." He 
 was born in Columbia April 4th, 1833, and died there April 
 25th, 1870. 
 
 The inere fact of Captain G. W. Shell being appointed to such 
 a responsible position as Quartermaster by so strict a discipli- 
 narian as Colbnel Nance is a sufficient guarantee of his quali- 
 fications. Captain Shell entered the army as a private in the 
 "State Guards,'.' from Laurens, served one year as such, then 
 as Regimental Quartermaster with rank of Captain for a part 
 of two years. Then that office iq the army was abolished 
 and put in charge of a non-commissioned officer. Appreciat- 
 ing his great services while serving his regiment, the officials 
 were loath to dispense with his sei-vices, and gave him a 
 position in the brigade department and then in the division as 
 assistant to Major Peck, retaining his rank. All that has 
 been said of Major Peck can be truly said of Captain Shell. 
 He was an exceptional executive officer, kind and courteous to 
 those under his orders, obedient and respectful to his superiors. 
 He was ever vigilant and watchful of the wauts of the troops, 
 and while in the abandoned sections of Virginia, as well as in 
 Maryland and Pennsylvania, he displayed the greatest activity 
 in gathering supplies for the soldiers. He was universally 
 loved and admired. He was of the same age of Captain Peck, 
 
164 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 born and reared in Laurens County, where he returned after 
 the close of the war and still resides, enjoying all the comforts 
 emanating from a well spent life. For several terms he filled 
 the office of Clerk of the Court of his native county, and 
 served two terms in the United States Congress. He was the 
 leading spirit in the great reform movement that overspread 
 the State several years ago, in which Ben Tillman was made 
 Governor, and South Carolina's brightest light, both political 
 and military. General Wade Hampton, was retired to private 
 life. 
 
 COLONEL D. WVATT AIKEN, OF THE SEVENTH. 
 
 As Colonel Aiken s^w but little more service with the First 
 Brigade, I will here give a short sketch of his life. I have 
 made it a rule in this work, as far as practicable, to give a 
 sketch at the end of the ofiScer's service in the Brigade, but ia 
 this case I riiake an exception. 
 
 Colonel Aiken was born in Winnsboro, Fairfield County, 
 S. C, March 17th, 1828. He graduated at the South Caro- 
 lina College in the class of 1849. Was professor at Mt. Zion 
 College for two years, and married Miss Mattie Gaillard ia 
 1852, settliiig at "Bellevue" Farm, near Winnsboro. ,He 
 became county editor of Winnsboro News and Herald, and 
 was married the second time to Miss Smith, of Abbeville, and 
 removed to that count5' in 1858. Was fond of agriculture, 
 and was editor of various periodicals devoted to that and kin- 
 dred pursuits. 
 
 In i86r he volunteered as a private in the Seventh South 
 Carolina Volunteers, and was appointed Adjutant of that regi- 
 ment. At the reorganization of the regiment in 1862 he 
 was elected Colonel to succeed Colonel Bacon, who declined 
 re-election. At Sharpsburg he received a wound in the body, 
 which for a long time was feared to be fatal. He, however, 
 returned in June, 1863, and commanded his regiment in the 
 Gettysburg battle, after which he was deemed unable for 
 further active service in the field, and was appointed "com- 
 mandant of the post" at Macon, Ga. This position he held 
 for one year, and then discharged from the army as beiug 
 unfit for further service. 
 
 After the war he was selected for three terms to the State 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 165 
 
 Legislature. He was "Master of State Grange Patrons of 
 Husbandry," and was twice President of the 'State Agricul- 
 tural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina." He was 
 chosen Democratic standard bearer for Congress in the memo- 
 rable campaign of 1876, and continually re-elected thereafter 
 until his death, which occurred on April 6th, 188.7. 
 
 Colonel Aiken was also one of nature's noblemen, bold,, 
 fearless, and incorruptible. He did as much, or perhaps 
 more, than any of the many great and loyal men of that day 
 to release South Carolina from the coils of the Republican 
 ring that ruled the State during the dark days of Reconstruc- 
 tion. 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 From Winchester to Fredericksburg. 
 
 The brigade remained in camp in a beautiful grove, about 
 four miles beyond Winchester, until the last of October. 
 Here the ' regiments were thoroughly organized and put in 
 good shape for the next campaign. Many officers and non- 
 commissioned officers had been killed, or totally disabled in 
 the various battles, and their places had to be filled by election 
 and promotion. All officers, from Colonel down, went up by 
 regular grades, leaving nothing but the Third Lieutenants to 
 be elected. The non-commis.sioned ofiicers generally went up 
 by promotion also, where competent, or the Captains either 
 promoted them by regular grade or left the selection to the 
 men of the company. We had lost no field officer killed, 
 except Lieutenant Colonel Garlingtou, of the Third, and 
 Major Rutherford was promoted to that position, and Captain 
 R. C. Maffett made Major. Several Lieutenants in all the 
 regiments were made Captains, and many new Lieutenants 
 were chosen from the ranks, so much so that the rolls of the 
 various companies were very materially changed, since the 
 reorganization in April last. Many of the wounded had re- 
 turned, and large bodies of men had come in from the con- 
 script camps since the reorganization. The Seventh Regiment 
 
166 HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE, 
 
 had lost heavier, in ofiBcers and men, than any of the regi- 
 ments. Colonel Aiken was wounded at Sharpsburg, and never 
 returned only for a short time, but the regiment was com- 
 manded by Lieutenant Colonel Bland until the resignation of 
 Colonel Aiken, except when the former was himself disabled 
 bj' wounds. 
 
 Camp guards were kept up around the brigade, and regi- 
 mental pickets, some two or three miles distant, about every 
 two weeks. We had company and regimental drills about 
 four times per week, and, in fact, we drilled almost every day, 
 now that we were not on the actual march. The turn-pike 
 road from Winchester to Staunton, ninety miles, for weeks 
 was perfectly lined with soldiers returning at the expiration of 
 their furloughs, or discharged from hospital, and our conva- 
 lescent sick and wounded from the Maryland campaign going 
 homeward. 
 
 On the 27th or 28th of October orders came to move'. 
 Longstreet took the lead, with McLaws' and Anderson's 
 Divisions in front. General Lee had divided his army into 
 two corp.K ; the Department of Richmond having created the 
 rank of Lieutenant General, raised Longstreet and Jaekson to 
 that grade in Lee's Army. Longstreet' s Corps consisted of 
 McLaws' Division, composed of Kershaw's, Barksdale's, 
 Cobb's, and Semmes' Brigades, and Anderson's, Hood's, 
 Pickett's, and Ransom's Divisions. Jackson's Corps consisted 
 of D. H. Hill's, A. P. Hill's, Ewell's, and Taliaferro's 
 Divisions. We marched by way of Chester Gap over the 
 Blue Ridge, and came into camp near Culpepper on the 9th 
 of November. The enemy had crossed the Potomac and was 
 moving southward, by easy stages, on the east side of the 
 mountain. 
 
 On the 5th of October General McClellan was removed from 
 the command of the Army of the Potomac and Major General 
 Burnsides, a corps commander, was made Commander-in- 
 Chief in his stead. This change was universally regretted by 
 both armies, for the Northern Armj' had great confidence in 
 the little "Giant," while no officer in the Union Army was 
 ever held in higher esteem by the Southern soldiers than little 
 "Mack," as General McClellan was called. They admired 
 him for his unsurpassed courage, generalship, and his kind 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 167 
 
 and gentlemanly deportment, quite in contrast to the majority 
 of Union commanders. 
 
 General Burnsides, who had succeeded McClellan, now 
 divided his army by corps in three grand divisions — General 
 Sumner, commanding the Right Grand Division, composed of 
 the Second and Ninth Corps; General Hooker, the center, 
 with the Third and Fifth Corps; and General Franklin, the 
 left, with the First and Sixth Corps. So both armies had 
 undergone considerable changes, and were now moving along 
 on converging lines towards a meeting point to test the mettle 
 of the new commanders and organizations. 
 
 We remained in camp around Culpepper until the morning 
 of the i8th of November, when the march was resumed, by 
 McLaws taking the road leading to Fredericksburg, headed by 
 General Longstreet in person, and another division south 
 along the line of the railroad in the direction of the North 
 Anna River, the other divisions of the corps remaining sta- 
 tionary, awaiting developments. Jackson had not yet crossed 
 the Blue Ridge, and General L,ee was only waiting and watch- 
 ing the move of Burnsides before concentrating his army ^t 
 any particular place. It was unknown at this time whether 
 the Federal commander would take the route by way of 
 Fredericksburg, or follow in a straight course and make the 
 North Anna his base of operations. The cavalry, making a 
 demonstration against the enemy's outposts, found the Union 
 Army had left and gone in the direction of Fredericksburg. 
 Then Lee began the concentration of his army by calling 
 Jackson on the east side of the Blue Ridge and Longstreet 
 down on the south side of the Rappahannock. We crossed 
 the north fork of the Rappahannock at a rocky ford, two 
 miles above the junction of the Rapidan and just below the 
 railroad bridge, on a cold, blustery day, the water blue and 
 cold as ice itself, coming from the mountain springs of the 
 Blue Ridge, not many miles away. Some of the men took off 
 their shoes and outer garments, while others plunged in just 
 as they marched from the road. Men yelled, cursed, and 
 laughed. Some climbed upon the rocks to allow their feet 
 and legs to warm up in the sun's rays, others held up one 
 foot for awhile, then the other, to allow the air to strike their 
 naked shins and warm them. Oh! it was dreadfully cold, but 
 
168 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 such fun! The water being about three feet deep, we could 
 easily see the rocks and sands in the bottom. The raen who 
 had pulled off their shoes and clothing suffered severely. 
 
 There was a man in my company who was as brave and as 
 good a soldier as ever lived, but beyond question the most 
 awkward man in the army. His comrades called him 
 "mucus," as some one said that was the Latin for "calf." 
 This man would fall down any time and anywhere. Standing 
 in the road or resting on his rifle, he would fall — fall while 
 marching, or standing in his tent. I saw him climb on top of 
 a box car and then fall without the least provocation back- 
 wards into a ten-foot ditch. But in all his falling he was 
 never known to hurt himself, but invariably blamed somebody 
 for his fall. When he fell from the car, and it standing per- 
 fectly still, he only said: "I wish the d — n car would go on or 
 standstill, one or the other. " The road leading to the river 
 makes a bend here, and between the bend and river bank an 
 abutment of logs, filled in with stone to the height of fifteen 
 feet , was built to prevent the water from encroaching upon the 
 land. "Mucus," for no cause whatever that anyone could 
 learn, quit the ranks and walked out on this abutment and 
 along down its side, keeping near the edge of the water, but 
 fifteen feet above, when, to the unaccountability of all, he fell 
 headlong down into the river. The water at this point was 
 not more than three or four feet deep, but deep enough to 
 drench him from head to foot. He rose up, and us usual, 
 quick to place the blame, said: "If I knew the d — n man who 
 pu,shed me off in the water, I'd put a ball in him." No one 
 had been in twenty feet of him. All the consolation he got 
 was "how deep was the water, 'Mucus'?" "Was the water 
 cold?" But awkward as he was, he was quick-witted and 
 good at repartee. He answered the question "how deep was 
 the water?' "Deep enough to drown a d — n fool, if yon don't 
 believe it, go down like I did and try it." 
 
 When we reached the other side we were told "no use to 
 put on your shoes or clothing, another river one mile ahead," 
 the Rapidan here joining the Rappahannock. Those who had 
 partly disrobed put their clothing under their arms, shoes in 
 their hands, and went hurrying along after the column in 
 .advance. These men, with their bare limbs, resembled the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 109 
 
 Scotch Highlanders in the British Army, but their modesty 
 was put to the test; when about half-way to the other stream 
 they passed a large, old-fashioned Virginia residence, with 
 balconies above aud below, and these filled with ladies of the 
 surrounding country, visitors to see the soldiers pass. It was 
 an amusing sight no less to the ladies of the house than to the 
 men, to witness this long line of soldiers rushing by with their 
 coat-tails beating a tatto on their naked nether limbs. The 
 other stream was not so wide, but equally as cold and deep. 
 
 General Kershaw, sitting on his horse at this point, amusing 
 himself at the soldiers' plight, undertook to encourage and 
 soothe their ruffled feelings by giving words of cheer. "Go 
 ahead, boys," remarked the General, "and don't mind this; 
 when I was in Mexico — " "But,. General, it wasn't so cold 
 in Mexico, nor did they fight war in winter, and a horse's legs 
 'are not so tender as a man's bare shins," were some of the 
 answers given, and all took a. merry laugh and went scudding 
 away. 
 
 Passing over, we entered the famous Wilderness, soon to be 
 made renowned by the clash of arms, where Lee and Hooker 
 met and shook the surrounding country with the thunder of 
 their guns a few months afterwards, and where Grant made 
 the "echoes ring" and reverberate on the 5th and 6th of May, 
 the year following. We found, too, the "Chancellor House," 
 this lone, large, dismal-looking building .standing alone in this 
 Wilderness and .surrounded on all sides by an almost impene- 
 trable forest of scrubby oaks and tangled vines. The hou.se 
 was a large, old-fashioned hotel, situated on a cleared plateau, 
 a piaza above and below, reaching around on three sides. It 
 was called "Chancellorsville," but where the "ville" came in, 
 or for what the structure was ever built, I am unable to tell. 
 This place occupied a prominent place in the picture of the 
 Battle of Chancellorsville, being for a time the headquarters of 
 General Hooker, and around which the greater part of his 
 cannon were placed. We took up camp in rear of Fredericks- 
 burg, about two miles south of the city. 
 
 While here we received into our brigade the Fifteenth 
 South Carolina Regiment, commanded by Colonel DeSaussure, 
 and the Third Battalion, composed of eight companies and 
 commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rice. As these are new 
 
170 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 additions, it will be necessary to give a brief sketch of their 
 organization and movements prior to their connection with 
 Kershaw's Brigade. 
 
 Soon after the battle of Bull Run or First Manassas, the 
 Richmond Government made a call upon the different States 
 for a new levy to meet the call of President Lincoln for three 
 hundred thousand more troops to put down the Rebellion. 
 The companies that were to compose the Fifteenth Regiment 
 assembled at the old camping ground at Lightwood Knot 
 Spring, three miles above Columbia. They were: 
 
 Company A — Captain Brown, Richland. 
 
 Companj' B — Captain Gist, Union. 
 
 Company C — Captain Lewie, Lexington. 
 
 Company D — Captain Warren, Kershaw. 
 
 Company E — Captain Davis, Fairfield. 
 
 Company F — Captain Boyd, Union. 
 
 Company G — Captain McKitchen, Williamsl-'urg. 
 
 Company H — Captain Farr, Union. 
 
 Company I — Captain Koon, Lexington. 
 
 Company K — Captain Bird, 
 
 (These names are given from the best information obtain- 
 able and may not be exactly correct, but as the fortunes of 
 war soon made radical changes it is of little moment at this 
 late date.) These companies elected for their field ofiicers: 
 
 Colonel — Wm. DeSaussure. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel — Joseph Gist. 
 
 Major 
 
 The regiment remained in camp undergoing a thorough 
 course of instruction until Hilton Head, on the coast of South 
 Carolina, was threatened; then the Fifteenth was ordered in 
 the field and hurried to that place, reaching it on the after- 
 noon of the day before the battle of that name. The Fifteenth, 
 with the Third Battalion and other State troops, was placed 
 under the command of Brigadier General Drayton, also of 
 South Carolina, and put in position. The next day, by some 
 indiscretion of General Drayton, or .so supposed at that time, 
 the Fifteenth was placed in such position as to be greatly 
 exposed to the heavy fire, from the war vessels in the, harbor. 
 This caused the loss of some thirty or forty in killed and 
 wounded. The slaughter would have been much greater had 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 171 
 
 it not been for the courage and quick perception of Colonel 
 DeSaussure in manoeuvering them into a place of safety. 
 After the battle the regiment lay for some time about Hardees- 
 ville and Bluffton doing guard and picket duty, still keeping 
 up their course of daily drills. They were then sent to James 
 Island, and were held in reserve at the battle of Secessionville. 
 After the great Seven Days' Battles around Richmond it and 
 the Third Battalion were ordered to Virginia and placed with 
 a regiment from Alabama and one from Georgia in a brigade 
 under General Drayton. They went into camp below Rich- 
 mond as a part of a division commanded by Brigadier General 
 D. R. Jones, in the corps commanded by Ivongstreet. When 
 I/Ce began his march northward they broke camp on the 13th 
 of August, and followed the lead of Longstreet to Gordons- 
 ville, and from thence on to Maryland. They were on the 
 field during the bloody battle of Second Manassas, but not 
 actually engaged, being held in the reserve line on the extreme 
 right. At South Mountain they received their first baptism of 
 fire in a battle with infantry. On the memorable 17th of 
 September at Sharpsburg they were confirmed as veteran sol- 
 diers in au additional baptism of blood. However, as yet 
 considered raw and undisciplined troops, they conducted 
 themselves on each of these trying occasions like trained sol- 
 diers. Colonel DeSaussure was one of the most gallant and 
 efficient officers that South Carolina ever produced. He was a 
 Mexican War veteran and a born soldier. His attainments 
 were such as fitted him for much higher position in the ser- 
 vice than he had yet acquired. Had not the fortunes of war 
 laid him low not many miles distant one year later, he would 
 have shown, no doubt, as one of the brightest stars in the con- 
 stellation of great Generals that South Carolina ever produced. 
 After the return to Virginia Drayton's Brigade was broken 
 up, and the Fifteenth and Third Battalion were as.signed to 
 the brigade of General J. B. Kershaw, and began its service 
 in that organization on the heights of Fredericksburg. 
 
 thp: third battalion. 
 
 I am indebted to Colonel W. G. Rice for a brief sketch of 
 the Third Battalion, or as it was more generally known in the 
 army, "James' Battalion," after its first commander, (who 
 
172 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fell at South Mountain, Md. ,) up to the time of joining the 
 brigade : 
 
 "On the fall of Hilton Head and the occupation of Port 
 Roj'al by the, enemy, the Governor of South Carolina issued 
 a call for volunteers for State service. Among the companies 
 offering their services were four from Laurens County. Lieu- 
 tenant Geo. S. James having resigned from the' United States 
 Army, and being personally known to several of the officers 
 of said four companies, they united in forming a battalion and 
 electing him Major. The companies became known thereafter 
 as: 
 
 "Company A— Captain W. G. Rice. 
 
 "Company B— Captain J. G, Williams. 
 
 "Company C — Captain J. M. Shumate. 
 
 "Company D — Captairi G. M. Gunnels. 
 
 "All of Laurens County, the organization being effected at 
 Camp Hampton, near Columbia, November, 1861, and where 
 Major James assumeid command. In December the battalion 
 was ordered to Charleston, and from thence to White Point, 
 near the coast. Here the battalion was strengthened by 
 three more companies, making it now a compound battalion 
 and entitled to a Lieutenant Colonel and Major. The additional 
 companies were: 
 
 "Company E, from Laurens — Captain M. M. Hunter. 
 
 "Company F, from Richland — Captain D. B. Miller. 
 
 "Company G, from Fairfield — Captain A. P. Irby. 
 
 "Major James was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and Cap- 
 tain W. G. Rice, as senior Captain, made Major, while Lieu- 
 tenant J. M. Townsend was raised to the grade of Captain in 
 place of Major Rice. 
 
 "In April, 1862, areorganization was ordered, and the troops 
 enlisted in the Confederate States' service. Both Colonel 
 James and Major Rice were elected to their former positions, 
 with the following company commanders: 
 
 "J. M. Townsend — Captain Company A. 
 
 "O. A. Watson — Captain Company B. 
 
 "William Huggins — Captain Company C. 
 
 "G. M. Gunnels — Captain Company D. 
 
 "W. H. Fowler — Captain Company E. 
 
 "D. B. Miller— Captain Company F. 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 173 
 
 "B. M. Whitener — Captain Company G. 
 
 "Early in June the battalion was ordered to Jarfies' Island, 
 iarriving there two days before the battle of Secessionville, but 
 not participating iii it. A short while afterwards it was 
 ordered to Richmond, and there remained until the great 
 forward movement of General Lee's, which resulted in the 
 Second Maua.ssas Battle and the invasion of Maryland. The 
 battalion was now brigaded with Philip's Georgia! Legion, 
 Fiftieth and Fifty-first Georgia, and Fifteenth South Carolina 
 Regiments, and cbinmancled by Brigadier General Drayton. 
 The battalion was under fire at Waterloo Bridge and at 
 Thoroiighfare Gap, and the brigade held the extreme right of 
 Lee's Army at the Second Manassas Battle, but was riot seri- 
 ously engaged. The topography of the country was such that 
 "while the incessant roar of artillery could be distinctly heard 
 during the day, no infantry could be heard, and the extreme 
 right did not hear of the result of the great battle until Gen- 
 eral Robert Toombs inarched by and shouted' to his fellow 
 Georgians: 'Another great and glorious. Bull Run.' After 
 repeated marches and counter- marches during the day, night 
 put an end to the bloody struggle, and the troops lay down to 
 rest. A perfect tornado of shot and shell tore through the 
 woods all around us until deep darkness fell and the enemy 
 withdrew, leaving the entire field to the Confederates." 
 
 After resting for nearly a week at Frederick City, Md., the 
 battalion, with the Fifteenth South Carolina and the Georgians 
 of Draj'ton's Brigade, was ordered to re-enforce General D. H. 
 Hill, who was guarding Lee's rear at Crompton's Gap, in 
 South Mountain. Here the South Carolinians were for the 
 first trnie thoroiighly baptized with fire and blOod, and in 
 which the gallant Colonel Jones lost his life. Of this battle 
 Colonel Rice says: 
 
 "Late in the evening of September 14th the brigade reached 
 the battlefield and deployed in an old disused road that crossed 
 thie mountain some four hundred yards to the right of the 
 turnpike. No enemy in sight. Failing to drive D. H. Hill 
 from their front, the Fed'^rals made a detour and' approached 
 him by the flank. Two hundred yards ' from the road men- 
 tioned above was a belt of woods saddling the mountain, and 
 at this point running parallel with the road. General Drayton, 
 
174 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 not seeing the enenij', ordered forward Captain Miller's 
 Conipan}' as skirmishers to ascertain their whereabouts. 
 Captain Miller had advanced but a short distance when he 
 met the enemj' in force. General Drayton ordered the com- 
 mand to forward and drive thein from the woods. In the 
 execution of this order some confusion arose, and a part of the 
 brigade gave way, leaving the battalion in a very peculiar and 
 isolated condition. There was a low rock fence running at 
 right angles to the battle line, and behind this the battalion 
 sought to protect itself, but it seemed and was in reality a 
 deathtrap, for it presented its right flank to the enemy. It 
 thus became onlj' a question of a very short time when it must 
 either leave the field or surrender. Right nobly did this little 
 band of heroes hold their ground against overwhelming 
 numbers, and their front was never successfullj' approached; 
 but as both flanks were so mercilessly assailed, a short time 
 was sufficient to almost annihilate them. Colonel James 
 was twice admonished by his second in command of his unten- 
 able position, and that death or surrender was inevitable if he 
 persisted in holding his ground, but without avail. The true 
 soldier that he was preferred death to yielding. Just as night 
 approached and fifing began to cease, Colonel James was 
 pierced through the breast with a minnie ball, from the effects 
 of which he soon died." 
 
 Colonel Rice was dangerously wounded and left on the field 
 for dead. But recovering consciousness, he found himself 
 within the enemy's lines, that portion of his command nearest 
 him having been withdrawn some distance in the rectifying of 
 the lines. Colonel Rice escaped capture by crawling in a deep 
 wash in the road, and was rescued by some skirmishers who 
 were advancing to establish a new line. Colonel Rice gives 
 this information in a foot-note: "The road in which the brigade 
 was stationed was as all roads crossing hills, much washed and 
 worn down, thus giving the troops therein stationed the 
 advantage of first class breastworks. I do not know that the 
 Fifteenth South Carolina and the other portion of the brigade 
 were thus sheltered — have heard indeed that all were not — but 
 within my vision the position was most admirable, now almost 
 impregnable with good troops to defend it. To leave such a 
 position was suicidal, especially when we were ordered to 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 175 
 
 march through open ground and attack the enemy, sheltered 
 behind trees and rocks. This is my estimate at least, and the 
 result proved most disastrous to the brigade and General Dray- 
 ton himself, as he was .soon afterwards relieved of his com- 
 mand." 
 
 It has been the aim of the writer of this History not to criti- 
 cize, condemn, nor make any comments upon the inotives or 
 acts of any of the officers whom he should have cause to men- 
 tion, and he somewhat reluctantly gives space to Colonel Rice's 
 stricture of General Drayton. It is difficult for officers in sub- 
 altern position to understand all that their superiors do and do 
 not. The Generals, from their positions, can see differently 
 from tho.se in the line amid the smoke of battle, and they often 
 give commands hard to comprehend from minor offiters' point 
 of view. General Drayton was an accomplished and gallant 
 officer, and while he might have been rash and reckless at 
 South Mountain, still it is hard to conceive his being relieved 
 of his command through the charge, of "rashness," especially 
 when his brigade held up successfully for so long a time one 
 of the most stubborn battles of the war. 
 
 At the Battle of Sharp.sburg or Antietam, the little remnant 
 of the battalion was again engaged. On I^ee's return to Vir- 
 ginia, and during the last days of November or early in De- 
 cember, the Third Battalion and the Fifteenth Regiment were 
 transferred to Kerstiaw's Brigade, and from thence on it will 
 be treated as a part of the old First Brigade. At Fredericks- 
 burg, on the day of the great battle, the battalion held the 
 railroad cut running from near the city to the right of 
 Mayree's Hill, and was well protected by a bluff and the rail- 
 road, consequently did not suffer as great a loss as the other 
 regiments of the brigade. 
 
 COLONEI, GEORGE S. J.AMES, 
 
 The first commander of the Third Battalion, and who fell at 
 South Mountain, was born in Laurens County, in 1829. He 
 was the second son of John S. James, a prominent lawyer of 
 Laurens, who, meeting with misfortune and losing a handsome 
 fortune, attempted to regain it by moving to Columbia and 
 engaging in mercantile pursuits. This he followed with suc- 
 cess. Colonel George S. James received his early education 
 
176 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 in the academies of the up-country. While yet a youth some 
 seventeen years of age, war with Mexico was declare4, and 
 his patriotic and chivalric spirit sent him at once to the ranks 
 of the Palmetto Regiment, and he shared the triumphs and for- 
 tunes of that command to the close of the war. 
 
 After his return to his native State, he entered the South 
 Carolina College, along with many others,, who in after years 
 made their State and themselves immortal by their fiery zeal 
 in the War of Secession. At the college young James was a 
 great favorite of all who knew him best, and while not a close 
 student of text-books, he was an extensive reader, always 
 •delighting his friends with wit and humor. The student life, 
 however, failed to satisfy his adventurous spirit, and wander- 
 ing away to the far distant West, seeking adventure or conge- 
 nial pursuits, he received a commission of Lieutenant in the 
 United States Army. 
 
 The storm cloud of war, so long hovering over the land, 
 was now about to burst, and Lieutenant James seeing separa- 
 tion and perhaps war inevitable, resigned his commission, and 
 hastened to offer his sword to his native State. He com- 
 manded a battery at Fort Johnson, on James' Island, and 
 shared with General RuflSn the honor of firing the first gun at 
 Fort Sumter, a shot that was to electrify the world and put 
 in motion two of the grandest and mightiest armies of all 
 times. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 Battle of Fredericksburg — The Fifteenth Regi- 
 ment and Third Battalion Join Brigade. 
 
 A portion of the Federal Army had preceded Lee, reaching 
 the heights opposite Fredericksburg two days before the 
 iirrival of Kershaw's Brigade and the other parts of the 
 division. ' The Federals had been met by a small body of 
 Confederates doing outpost duty there and held at bay till the 
 coming of Longstreet with his five divisions. General Lee 
 
HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S BRIGABE. 177 
 
 was not long in determining the route Burnsides had selected 
 and hurried Jackson on, and placed him some miles to our 
 right, near Hamilton's Crossing, on the Richmond and Fred- 
 ericksburg Railroad. When Burnsides became aware of the 
 mighty obstacle of Lee's battalions between him and his goal, 
 the deep, sluggish river separating the two armies, he realized 
 the trouble that lay in his path. He began fortifying the 
 ri(4|es running parallel to and near the river, and built a great 
 chzln of forts along "Stafford Heights," opposite Fredericks- 
 burg.' In these forts he mounted one hundred and thirty- 
 seven guns, forty being siege pieces brought down from Wash- 
 ington by way of the Potomac and Acquia Creek,; and lined the 
 entire range of hills with his heaviest and long-distanced field 
 batteries. These forts and batteries commanded the river and 
 plain beyond, as well as every height and elevation on the 
 Southern side. The range of hills on the opposite side were 
 much higher and more commanding than those on the South- 
 ern side, still L,ee began fortifying Taylor's, Mayree's, and 
 Lee's Heights, and all the intervening hills also, by building 
 forts and heavy redoubts, with protected embrasures on the 
 flanks. Between these hills and along their crests the infantry 
 threw up light earthworks. It could not be said that ours 
 was a fortified position in any sense, only through natural 
 barriers. There is a plain of a half to a mile in width between 
 the river and the range to the South, commencing at Taylor's 
 Hill, half a mile above the city, and widening as it diverges 
 from the river below, terminating in a broken plateau down 
 near Hamilton's Crossing. The highlands on the opposite 
 side come rather precipitous to the water's edge. Along the 
 banks, on either side, were rifle pits, in which were kept from 
 three to five pickets, and on our side a brigade . was stationed 
 night and day in the city as a support to the videttes guarding 
 the river front. These pickets were directed to prevent a 
 crossing at all hazards until the troops at camp in the rear 
 were all in position in front of Fredericksburg. Stuart, with 
 the body of his cavalry, guarded the river and country on our 
 right below Jackson, while Hampton kept a lookout at the 
 crossings above on the left of Longstreet. 
 
 On the morning of the nth, at 3 o'clock, when all was still 
 and the soldiers fast asleep, they Were rudely aroused from 
 12 
 
178 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 their slumbers by the deep boom of a cannon away to the front 
 and across the river. Scarcely had the sound of the first gun 
 died away than another report thundered out on the stillness 
 of that December night, its echo reverberating from hill to hill 
 and down along the river side. These sounds were too oflai- 
 nous to be mistaken; they were the signal guns that were to 
 put in motion these two mighty armies. ''Fall in" was the 
 word given, and repeated from hill to hill and camp to camp.- 
 Drums beat the long roll at every camp, while far below and 
 above the blast of the bugle called the troopers to "boots and 
 saddle." Couriers dashed headlong in the sombre darkness 
 from one General's headquarters to another's. Adjutants' and 
 Colonels' orderlies were rushing from tent to tent, arousing 
 the officers and men to arms, and giving instructions for the 
 move. 
 
 I can remember well the sharp, distinct voice of Adjutant 
 Y. J. Pope on that morning, coming down the line of the 
 officers' tents and calling out to each as he came opposite: 
 "Captain ■ — , get your company ready to move at once." 
 
 Under such order-i, companies have that same rivalry to be 
 firi3t on the parade ground as exists among fire 'companies in 
 towns and cities when the fire bell rings. We were all soon 
 in line and marching with a hasty step in the direction of the 
 breastworks above the city, Kershaw taking position immedi- 
 ately to the right of the Telegraph Road. This is a public 
 highway leading into the city, curving in a semi-circle around 
 Mayree Hill on .the left. From this road the hill rises on the 
 west and north in a regular bluff — a stone wall of five feet in 
 height bordering either side of the road. "Deep Run", a 
 small ravine, runs between the hill on which Kershaw was 
 stationed and that of Mayree's. Daylight was yet some hours 
 off when we took position, but we could hear the rattle of the 
 guns of Barksdale's Mississippiaus, whose turn it was to be on 
 picket in the city, driving off the enemy's pontoon corps and 
 bridge builders. 
 
 The city was almost deserted. General L,ee advising the citi- 
 zens to leave their homes as soon as it became apparent that a 
 battle would be fought here. Still a few, loath to leave their 
 all to the ravages of an army, decided to remain and trust to 
 fate. But soon after the firing along the river began, we saw 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 179 
 
 groups of women and children and a few old men in the glim 
 twilight of the morning rushing along the roads out from the 
 city as fast as their feeble limbs and tender feet could carry 
 them , hunting a safe retreat in the backwoods until the cloud 
 pf war broke or passed over. Some were carrying babes in 
 their arms, others dragging little children along by the hands, 
 with a few articles of bedding or wearing apparel under their 
 arms or thrown over their shoulders. The old men tottered 
 along in the rear, giving words of comfort and cheer to the 
 excited and frightened women and little ones. It was a sick- 
 ening sight to see these helpless and inoffensive people hurry- 
 ing away from the dangers of battle in the chilly morning of 
 December, seeking some safe haunt in the backwoods, yet they 
 bore it all without murmur or complaint. 
 
 Anderson's Division of lyOngstreet's Corps rested on the 
 river on the extreme left, at Taylor's Hill; then Ransom's 
 along the crest of the ridge between Taylor's and Mayree's, 
 and McL,aws' from his left across Deep Run Valley and along 
 the ridge to Lee's Hill, where Pickett was posted; Hood ex- 
 tending from Pickett's right, touching the left of the troops of 
 Jackson's Corps. Three of Cobb's regiments and one from 
 North Carolina were posted behind the stone wall lining the 
 sunken road, while two of Cooke's North Carolina regiments 
 were on the crest of Mayree's Hill overlooking Cobb. Ker- 
 shaw's Brigade, with the Third South Carolina on the left, 
 was resting on the ridge running at right angles to the Tele- 
 graph Road, the left resting on the road, the Second South 
 Carolina next, and so on to the left of Semmes' Brigade. 
 Barksdale being in the city on picket, was relieved and placed 
 in reserve. 
 
 As soon as the signal guns gave evidence of an impending 
 battle, D. H. Hill, who had been sent on detached service 
 down the river, was recalled and placed in line with the other 
 portion of Jackson's Corps. Jackson had his entire force 
 closely massed in the woodland around Hamilton's Crossing 
 and along the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad, one 
 mile from the river. The Light Division of A. P. Hill occu- 
 pied the front line, with a heavy battery of fourteen, guns on 
 his right, supported by Archer's Brigade; then Lane's and 
 Pender's in front, with Gregg's and Thomas' in reserve. 
 
180 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Behind the lyight Division lay Early on the right, Taliaferro 
 on the left, with D. H. Hill in rear of all along the Mine 
 Road, the right of these divisions resting on Hamilton's Cross- 
 ing. Hood occupied the valley between Lee's Hill and the 
 highland around Hamilton's Crossing; Pickett on the ridge 
 between Hood and McLaws; Stuart's Cavalry ran at right 
 angles to the infantry line from Hamilton's Crossing to the 
 river, hemming the Federal Army in the plain between Ham- 
 ilton's Crossing and Taylor's Hill above the city, a space three 
 miles long by one wide. 
 
 Before day the enemy's pontoon corps came caution.sly to 
 the river and began operations at laying down the bridge, but 
 the pickets in the rifle pits kept them off for a time by their 
 steady fire. The manner of putting down army bridges is 
 much more simple and rapid than the old country mode of 
 building. Large boats are loaded on long-coupled wagons, 
 the boats filled with plank for flooring and cross beams, with 
 a large iron ring in the rear end of each boat, through which 
 a stout rope is to run, holding them at equal distance when in 
 the water. When all is ready the boats are launched at equal 
 distance so that the beams can reach, then pushed out in the 
 stream, and floated around in a semi-circle, until the opposite 
 bank is reached, the rope fastened to trees on either bank, 
 cross pieces are laid, the flooring put down, and the bridge is 
 ready for cros.sing. 
 
 After making .several ineffectual attempts in placing the 
 bridge, the destructive fire of Barksdale's Riflemen forcing 
 them back, the enemy attempted the bold project of filling the 
 boats with armed soldiers, pushing out in the stream, and 
 fighting their way across, under cover of their artillery fire. 
 While the dense fog was yet hanging heavily over the waters, 
 one hundred and forty guns, many siege pieces, were opened 
 upon the deserted city and the men along the water front. The 
 roar from the cannon-crowned battlements shook the very earth. 
 Above and below us seemed to vibrate as from the effects of a 
 mighty upheaval, while the shot and shell came whizzing and 
 shrieking overhead, looking like a .shower of falling meteors. 
 For more than an hour did this seething volcano vomit iron 
 like hail upon the city and the men in the rifle pits, the 
 shells and shot from the siege guns tearing through the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 181 
 
 houses and plunging along the streets, and ricocheting to the 
 hills above. Not a house nor room nor chimney escaped 
 destruction. Walls were perforated, plastering and ceiling 
 fell, chimneys tottering or spreading over yards and out into 
 the streets. Not a place of safety, save the cellars and wells, 
 and in the former some were forced to take refuge. Yet 
 through all this, the brave Mississippians stood and bravely 
 fought the bridge builders, beating them back till orders were 
 given to retire. They had accomplished the purpose of delay- 
 ing the enemj''s crossing until our troops were in position. 
 The Federals now hurried over in swarms, by thousands and 
 tens of thousands, and made their way down the river, 
 stationing a strong cordon of guards around the point of land- 
 ing. The space between was soon a seething mass of human- 
 ity, the houses and streets crowded to overflowing. A second 
 bridge was laid a mile below at the mouth of Deep Run, and 
 here a continuous stream of all arms were soon pouring over. 
 General Kershaw rode along our lines, encouraging the men, 
 urging them to stand steadfast, assuring them that there was 
 to be neither an advance nor retreat, that we were but to hold 
 our ground, and one of the greatest victories of the war would 
 be gained. How prophetic his words! All during the day 
 and night the deep rumbling sound of the long wagon trains, 
 artiller}', and cavalry could be heard crossing the pontoon 
 bridges above and below. 
 
 The next morning, the 12th, as the fog lifted, Stafford 
 Heights and the inclines above the river were one field of blue. 
 Great lines of infantry, with waving banners, their bright guns 
 and bayonets glittering in the sunlight, all slowly marching 
 down the steep inclines between the heights and the river on 
 over the bridges, then down the river side at a double-quick to 
 join their comrades of the night before. These long, swaying 
 Hnes, surging in and out among the jutting of the hillsides 
 beyond, down to the river, over and down among the trees and 
 bushes near the water, resembled some monster serpent drag- 
 ging its "weary length along." Light batteries of artillery 
 came dashing at break-neck speed down the hillsides, their 
 horses rearing and plunging as if wishing to take the river at 
 a leap. Cavalry, too, with their heavy-bodied Norman horses, 
 their spurs digging the flanks, sabres bright and glistening 
 
182 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 and dangling at their sides, came at a canter, all seeming anx- 
 ious to get over and meet the death and desolation awaiting 
 them. lyong trains of ordnance wagons, with their black oil- 
 cloth covering, the supply trains and quartermaster depart- 
 ments all following in the wake of their division or corps head- 
 quarters, escorts, and trains. All spread out over the hills 
 and in the gorges lay men by the thousands, awaiting their 
 turn to move. Not a shot nor shell to mar or disturb "the 
 even tenor of their way." Bands of music enlivened the scene 
 by their inspiring strains, and when some national air, or 
 specially martial piece, would be struck up, shouts and yells 
 rended the air for miles, to be answered bj' counter yells from 
 the throats of fifty thousand "Johnny Rebs," as the Southern 
 soldiers were called. The Confederate bands were not idle, 
 for as soon as a Federal band would cease playing, some of the 
 Southern bands would take up the refrain, and as the notes, 
 especiallj' Dixie, would be wafted over the water and hills, the 
 "blue coats" would shout, sing, and dance — hats and caps 
 .went up, flags waved in the breeze — so delighted were they at 
 the sight and sound of Dixie. The whole presented more the 
 spectacle of a holiday procession, or a gala day, rather than 
 the prelude to the most sanguinary battle of modern times. 
 
 The night following was cold, and a biting wind was blow- 
 ing. Only a few days before a heavy snow had fallen, and in 
 some places it still remained banked up in shaded corners. 
 To those who had to stand picket out in the plain between 
 the armies the cold was fearful. The enemy had no fires 
 outside of the city, and their sufferings from cold must have 
 been severe. My company, from the Third, as well as one 
 from each of the other regiments, were on picket duty, posted 
 in an open cornfield in the plain close to the enem}', near 
 enough, in fact, to hear voices in either camp — with no fire, 
 and not allowed to speak above a whisper. The night became 
 so intensely cold just before day that the men gathered corn- 
 stalks and kindled little fires along the beat, and at early dawn 
 we were withdrawn. 
 
 All knew full well, as the day preceding had passed without 
 any demonstrations, only maneuvering, this day, the 13th, 
 would be a day of battle. A heavy fog, as usual, rose from 
 the river and settled along the plains and hillsides, so much so 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 183 
 
 that objects could not be distinguished twenty paces. How- 
 ever, the least noise could be heard at a great distance. 
 Activity in the Federal camp was noticed early in the morn- 
 ing. OfEcers could be heard giving commands, wagons and 
 artillery moving to positions. At half past ten the fog sud- 
 denly lifted, and away to our right and near the river great 
 columns of men were moving, marching and counter-march- 
 ing. These were in front of A. P. Hill, of Jackson's Corps. 
 In front of us and in the town all was still and quiet as a city 
 of the dead. The great siege guns from beyond the river on 
 Stafford Heights opened the battle by a dozen or more shells 
 screaming through the tree tops and falling in Jackson's camp. 
 From every fort soon afterwards a white puff of smoke could 
 be seen, then a vivid flash and a deafening report, telling us 
 that the enemy was ready and waiting. From the many field 
 batteries between Jackson and the river the smoke curled up 
 around the tree tops, and shell went crashing through the 
 timbers. Our batteries along the front of Lougstreet's Corps 
 opened their long-ranged guns on the redoubts beyond the 
 river, and our two siege guns on Lee's Hill, just brought up 
 from Richmond, paid special attention to the columns moving 
 to the assault of A. P. Hill. For one hour the earth and air 
 seemed to tremble and shake beneath the shock of three hun- 
 dred guns, and the bursting of thousands of shells overhead, 
 before and behind us, looked like bursting stars on a frolic. 
 The activity suddenly ceases in front of Hill, and the enemy's 
 infantry lines move to the front. First the skirmishers meet, 
 and their regular firing tells the two armies that they are near 
 together. Then the skirmish fire gives way to the deep, 
 sullen roar of the line of battle. From our position, some 
 three hundred yards in rear and to the right of Mayree's Hill, 
 we could see the Union columns moving down the river, our 
 batteries raking them with shot and shell. In crossing an 
 old unfinished railroad cut the two siege guns played upon the 
 flank with fearful effect. Huddling down behind the walls of 
 the cut to avoid the fire in front, the batteries from Mayree's 
 and in the fields to the right enfiladed the position, the men 
 rushing hither and thither and falling in heaps from the deadly 
 fire in front and flank. Jackson has been engagedin a heavy 
 battle for nearly an hour, when suddenly in our front tens of 
 
184 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 thousands of "blue coats" seemed to spring up out of the 
 earth and make for our lines. Near one-half of the army had 
 concealed themselves in the city and along the river banks, 
 close to the water's edge. The foliage of the trees and the 
 declivity of the ground having hidden them thus far from 
 view. From out of the streets and from behind walls and 
 houses men poured, as if by some magical process or super- 
 human agency, and formed lines of battle behind a little rise in 
 the ground, near the canal. But in a few moments they 
 emerged from their second place of protection and bore down 
 upon the stone wall, behind which stood Cobb's Georgians and 
 a Regiment of North Carolinians. When midway between 
 the canal and stone fence, they met an obstruction — a plank 
 fence — but this did not delay them long. It was soon dashed 
 to the ground and out of their way, but their men were falling 
 at every step from Cobb's infantry fire and grape and canister 
 from the Washington Artillery of New Orleans on the hill. 
 They never neared the wall nor did they take more time than to 
 fire a volley or two before they fied the field. This retreating 
 column of Franklin's met that of Hancock's, formed, and on 
 its way to try issues with the troops behind the stone wall, 
 Longstreet now saw what had never been considered before — 
 that Burnsides was determined to possess himself of the key to 
 L,ee's position, "Mayree's Hill," in front of. which was the 
 stone wall. He ordered the two regiments of North Caroli- 
 nians that were posted on the crest of the hill down behind the 
 stone wall, to the left of Cobb and Kershaw, to reinforce the 
 position with his brigade. 
 
 The Third Regiment being ordered to the top of Mayree's 
 Hill, Colonel Nance, at the head of his regiment, entered the 
 Telegraph Road, and down this the men rushed, followed by 
 the Second, led by Colonel Kennedy, under one of the heaviest 
 shellings the troops ever experienced. This two hundred yards' 
 stretch of road was in full view and range of the heavy gu-n 
 batteries on Stafford Heights, and as the men scattered out 
 along and down the road, the shells passed, plowing in the 
 road, bursting overhead, or striking the earth and ricocheting 
 to the hills far in the rear. On reaching the ravine, at the 
 lower end 6t the incline, the Third Regiment was turned to 
 the left and up a by-road to the plateau in rear of the "Mayree 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 185 
 
 Mansion." The hoiase tops in the city were lined with sharp- 
 shooters, and from windows and doors and from behind houses 
 the deadly missiles from the globe-sighted rifles made sad 
 havoc in our ranks. 
 
 When the Third reached the top of the plateau it was in 
 column of fours, and Colonel Nance formed line of battle by 
 changing "front forward on first company." This pretty 
 piece of tactics was executed while under the galling fire from 
 the artillery and sharp-shooters, but was as perfect as on dress 
 parade. The regiment lined up, the right resting on the 
 house and extending along a dull road to the next street lead- 
 ing into the city. We had scarcely gotten in position before 
 Nance, Rutherford, and MafEett, the three field ofiicers, had 
 fallen. Colonel Kennedy, with the Second, passed over the 
 left of the plateau and down the street on our left, and at right 
 angles with our line, being in a position to give a sweeping 
 fire to the flank of the columns of assault against the stone 
 fence. From the preparation and determination made to break 
 through the line here, Kershaw ordered I^ieutenant Colonel 
 Bland, with the Seventh, Colonel Henegan, with the Eighth, 
 and Colonel DeSaussure, with the Fifteenth, to double-up with 
 Cobb's men, and to hold their position "at the sacrifice of 
 every man of their commands. ' ' 
 
 All of the different regiments, with the exception of the 
 Third South Caiplina, had good protection in the way of stone 
 walls, this being the sole occasion that any of Kershaw's 
 troops had been protected by breastworks of any kind during 
 the whole war. The Second was in a sunken road leading to 
 the city, walled on either side with granite, the earth on the 
 outside being leveled up with the top. The manouvering into 
 position had taken place while Hancock was making the first 
 assault upon the wall defended by Cobb. Howard was now 
 preparing to make the doubtful attempt at taking the strong- 
 hold with the point of the bayonet, and without firing a gun. 
 But with such men as the Georgians, South Carolinians, and 
 North Carolinians in their front, the task proved too Hercu- 
 lean. Howard moved to the battle in beautiful style, their 
 line almost solid and straight, their step in perfect unison with 
 the long, moving columns, their guns carried at a trail, and 
 the stars and stripes floating proudly above their heads. The 
 
186 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 shot and shell plunging through their ranks from the hills 
 above, the two siege guns on I,ee's Hill now in beautiful play, 
 the brass pieces of the Washington Artillery firing with grape 
 and shrapnell — but all this made no break nor halt in that 
 long line of blue. The double column behind the stone wall 
 and the Third South Carolina on the crest of the Hill met 
 them in front with a cool and steady fire, while the Second 
 South Carolina directed its attention to the flank. But the 
 boldest and stoutest hearts could not withstand this withering 
 blast of bullets and shells without returning the fire. The 
 enemy opened upon us a terrific fire, both from the columns 
 in front and from the sharp-shooters in the housetops in the 
 city. After giving us battle as long as human endurance 
 could bear the ordeal, they, like their companions before them, 
 fled in confusion. 
 
 Before making the direct attack, Howard attempted a diver- 
 sion by endeavoring to turn Cobb's left. Passing out into the 
 plain above the city, he was met by some of Cooke's North 
 Carolinians, and there around the sacred tomb of Mary Wash- 
 ington was a hand to hand encounter between some New York 
 and Massachusetts troops and those from the Pine Tree State. 
 Sons of the same ancestry, sons of sires who fought with the 
 "Father of his Country" in the struggle for the nation's inde- 
 pendence, now fighting above the grave of the mother for its 
 dissolution! Thrice were the Confederates driven from the 
 position, but as often retaken, and at last held at the point of 
 the bayonet by the hardy sons of North Carolina. 
 
 The battle, grand and awful in its sublimity, raged from the 
 morning's opening till two o'clock, without the least abate- 
 ment along the whole line. From the extreme right to our 
 left at Taylor's Hill was a sea of fire. But Mayree's Hill was 
 the center, around which all the other battles revolved. It 
 was the key to L,ee's position, and this had become the boon 
 of contention. It was in the taking of Mayree's Hill and the 
 defeat of the troops defending it that the North was pouring 
 out its river of blood. Both commanders were still preparing 
 to stake their all upon this hazard of the die — the discipline of 
 the North against the valor of the South. 
 
 Our loss was heavy, both in oSicers and men. The brave, 
 chivalric Cobb, of Georgia, had fallen. Of the Third South 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 187 
 
 Carolina, Colonel Nance, I^ieutenant Colonel Rutherford, and 
 Major Maffett had all been severely wounded in the early part 
 of the engagement. Captain Hance, while commanding, fell 
 pierced through the heart. Then the next in command. Cap- 
 tain Summer, met a similar fate; then Captain Foster. Captain 
 Nance, the junior Captain in the regiment, retained the com- 
 mand during the continuance of the fight, although painfully 
 wounded. The dead of the Third Regiment lay in heaps, like 
 hogs in a slaughter pen. The position of the Second Regi- 
 ment gave it great advantage over the advancing column. 
 From a piaza in rear of the sunken road, Colonel Kennedy 
 posted himself, getting a better view, and to better direct the 
 firing Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace remained with the 
 men in the road, and as the column of assault reached the 
 proper range, he ordered a telling fire on the enemy's flank. 
 Men in the road would load the guns for those near the wall, 
 thus keeping up a continual fire, and as the enemy scattered 
 over the plain in their retreat, then was the opportunity for 
 the Second and Third, from their elevated positions and better 
 view, to give them such deadly parting salutes. The smoke 
 in front of the stone wall became so dense that the troops 
 behind it could only fire at the flashing of the enemy's guns. 
 From the Third's position, it was more dangerous for its 
 wounded to leave the field than remain on the battle line, the 
 broad, level plateau in rear almost making it suicidal to raise 
 even as high as a stooping posture. 
 
 From the constant, steady, and uninterrupted roll of mus- 
 ketry far to the right, we knew Jack.son was engaged in a 
 mighty struggle. From the early mornixig's opening the 
 noise of his battle had been gradually bearing to the rear. 
 He was being driven from position to position, and was meet- 
 ing with defeat and possiblj' disaster. From thp direction of 
 his fire our situation was anything but assuring. 
 
 General Meade, of the Federal Army, had made the first 
 morning attack upon the Light Brigade, under A. P. Hill, 
 throwing that column in confusion and driving it back upon 
 the- second line. These troops were not expecting the advance, 
 and some had their guns stacked. The heavy fog obscured 
 the Federal lines until they were almost within pistol shot. 
 When it was discovered that an enemy was in their front (in 
 
188 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE, 
 
 fact some thought them their friends), in this confusion of 
 troops a retreat was ordered to the second line. In this sur- 
 prise and disorder South Carolina lost one of her most gifted 
 sons, and the South a brave and accomplished ofiScer, Briga- 
 dier General Maxcy Gregg. 
 
 General Hood, on Hill's left, failing to move in time to give 
 him the support expected, the whole of Jackson's Corps was 
 forced to retire. But the tide at length begins to turn. Meade 
 is driven from the field. Division after division was rushed to 
 the front to meet and check Jackson's steady advance. Can- 
 non now boom as never before heard, even the clear ringing 
 of Pelham's little howitzers, of Stuart's Cavalry, could be 
 heard above the thunder of the big guns, telling us that Stuart 
 was putting his horse artillery in the balance. His brave 
 artillery leader was raking the enemy's flank as they fell back 
 on the river. In our front new troops were being marshalled 
 and put in readiness to swell the human holocaust before the 
 fatal wall. 
 
 Franklin, Hancock, and Howard had made unsuccessful 
 attempts upon this position, leaving their wounded and dead 
 lying in heaps and wind rows from the old railroad cut to the 
 suburbs. Now Sturgis, of the Ninth Corps, was steadily ad- 
 vancing. The Washington Artillery, from New Orleans, occu- 
 pying the most conspicuous and favorable position on the 
 right of the "Mayree House," had exhausted their shot and 
 shell. The infantry in the road and behind the wall, Cobb's 
 and part of Kershaw's, were nearly out of ammunition, and dur- 
 ing the last charge had been using that of their dead and 
 wounded. Calls were made on all sides for "more ammuni- 
 tion," both from the artillery and infantry. Orders and details 
 had been sent to the ordnance trains to bring supplies to the 
 front. But the orders had miscarried, or the trains were too 
 far distant, for up to three o'clock no sign of replenishment 
 was in sight. The hearts of the exhausted men began to fail 
 them — the batteries silent, the infantry short of ammunition, 
 while a long line of blue was making rapid strides towards us 
 in front. 
 
 But now all hearts were made glad by the sudden rush of 
 Alexander's Battery coming to the relief of the Washington 
 Artillery. Down the Telegraph Road the battery came, their 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 189 
 
 horses rearing and plunging, drivers burying the points of 
 their spurs deep into the flanks of the foaming steeds; riders 
 in front bending low upon the saddle bows to escape the shells 
 that now filled the air, or plowing up the earth beneath the 
 horses hoofs; the men on the caissons clinging with a death- 
 like grip to retain their seats, the great heavy wheels spinning 
 around like mad and bounding high in the air; while the 
 officers riding at the side of this charging column of artillerists, 
 shouted at the top of thier voices, giving directions to the 
 leaders. Down this open and exposed stretch of road, up 
 over the plateau, then wheel to the right, they make a rush 
 through the gauntlet that separates them from the fort in 
 which stood the Washington Artillery. Over the dead and 
 dying the horses leap and plunge, dragging the cannon and 
 ammunition chests — they enter the fort at a gallop. Swinging 
 into line, their brass pieces are now belching forth grape and 
 canister into the ranks of the advancing columns. All this 
 takes place in less time than it takes to record it. The bold 
 dash and beautiful piece of evolution so excite the admiration 
 of all who witnessed it, that a yell went up that drowns for a 
 time the heavy baying of the siege guns on Stafford Heights. 
 
 About this time Jackson seems to have reached his limit of 
 retreat, and was now forging steadily to the front, regaining 
 every inch of the lost ground of the morning. The Federal 
 Commander-in-Chief, seeing ihe. stubborn resistance he is met 
 with in front of the city, and Jackson's gray lines pressing his 
 left back upon the river, began to feel the hopelessness of his 
 battle, and sent orders to Franklin to attack Jackson with his 
 entire force. Hooker was to reinforce Sumner on the right, 
 the latter to take the stone wall and the heights bej'ond before 
 night. Sturgis had met the fate of those who had assaulted 
 before him. Now Getty and Griffin were making frantic 
 efforts to reach the wall. Griffin had his men concealed and 
 protected in the wet, marshy bed of the old canal. He now 
 undertook to accomplish that which Howard had attempted in 
 the morning, and failed — the feat of taking the stone walls 
 with empty guns. 
 
 In this column of assault was the famous Meager's Irish 
 Brigade, of New York, — all Irishmen, but undoubtedly the 
 finest body of troops in the Federal Army. When the signal 
 
190 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 for advance was given, from out of their hiding places they 
 sprang— from the canal, the bushes on the river bank, the side 
 streets in the city, one compact row of glittering bayonets came 
 — in long battle lines. General Kershaw, seeing the prepara- 
 tion made for this final and overwhelming assault upon our 
 jaded troops, sent Captain Doby, of his staff, along our lines 
 with orders to hold our position at all hazards, even at the 
 point of the baj'onet. 
 
 As the rifle balls from the housetops and shells from the 
 batteries along the river banks sang their peculiar death notes 
 overhead and around us, this brave and fearless ofBcer made 
 the entire length of the line, exhorting, entreating, and urg- 
 ing the men to redoubled efforts. How Captain Doby escaped 
 death is little less than miraculous. 
 
 The casualties of battle among the officers and the doubling 
 up process of the men behind the wall caused all order of 
 organization to be lost sight of, and each man loaded and fired 
 as he saw best. The men in the road, even the wounded, 
 crowded out from the wall by force of number, loaded the 
 guns for the more fortunate who had places, and in many in- 
 stances three and four men loaded the guns for one, passing 
 them to those who were firing from the top of the stone fence. 
 Each seemed to fight on his own responsibility, and with the 
 same determined spirit to hold the wall and the heights above. 
 Each felt as if the safety of the army depended upon his exer- 
 tions alone. 
 
 With a firm and elastic step this long, .swaying line of Irish- 
 men moved to the assault with as much indifiFerence appar- 
 ently to their fate as "sheep going to the shambles." Not a 
 shot was fired from this advancing column, while the shells 
 from our batteries cut swath after swath through their ranks, 
 only to be closed again as if by some mechauical m'eans; colors 
 fall, but rise and float again, men bounding forward and 
 eagerly grasping the fallen staff, indifferent of the fate that 
 awaited them. Officers are in front, with drawn swords flash- 
 ing in the gleam of the fading sunlight, urging on their men 
 to still greater deeds of prowess, and by their individual cour- 
 age set examples in heroism never before witnessed on this 
 continent. The assault upon Mayree's Hill by the Irish 
 Brigade and their compatriots will go down in history as only 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 191 
 
 equalled by the famous ride of the "Six Hundred at Hohen- 
 linden," and the "Charge of the JLight Brigade at Balaclava." 
 They forge their way forward over the heap of dead and dying 
 that now strew the plain, nearer to the deadly wall than any 
 of the troops before them. It began to look for the moment 
 as if their undaunted courage would succeed, but the courage 
 of the defenders of Mayree's Hill seemed to increase in ardour 
 and determination in proportion to that of the enemy. The 
 smoke and flame of their battle is now less than one hundred 
 paces from the wall, but the odds are against them, and they, 
 too, had to finall}' yield to the inevitable and leave the field in 
 great disorder. 
 
 From both sides hopes and prayers had gone up that this 
 charge would prove the last attempt to break our lines. But 
 Humphries met the shattered columns with a fresh advance. 
 Those who were rr arching to enter this maelstrom of carnage 
 were entreated and praj'ed to by all of those who had just 
 returned from the sickening scene not to enter this death trap, 
 and begged them not to throw away their lives in the vain 
 attempt to accomplish the impossible. But Humphries, anx- 
 ious of glory for himself and men, urged on by the imperative 
 orders from his Commander-in-Chief, soon had his men on the 
 march to the "bloody wall." But as the sun dropped behind 
 the hills in our rear, the scene that presented itself in the 
 fading gloom of that December day was a plain filled with the 
 dead and dying — a living stream of flying fugitives seeking 
 shelter from the storm of shot and shell by plunging over the 
 precipitous banks of the river, or along the streets and protect- 
 ing wall.s of the city buildings. 
 
 Jackson had pressed all in his front back to the water's 
 edge, while his batteries, with those of Stuart's, were still 
 throwing shells into the huddled, panic-stricken, and now 
 thoroughly vanquished army of the enemy. 
 
 That night the Federal Commander-in-Chief sat in his tent 
 alone, and arouud him the groans of the wounded and the 
 agonizing wails of the dying greet his ear — the gentle wind 
 singing a requiem to his dead. He nursed alone the bitter 
 consciousness of the total defeat of his army, now a scattered 
 mass — a skeleton of its former greatness — while the flower of 
 the Northern chivalry lie sleeping the sleep of death on the 
 
192 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 hills and plains round about. His country and posterity would 
 charge him with all the responsibility of defeat, and he felt 
 that his brief command of the once grand and mighty Army 
 of the Potomac was now at an end. Sore and bitter recollec- 
 tions ! 
 
 Burnsides had on the field one hundred and thirty-two thou- 
 sand and seventeen men; of these one hundred and sixteen 
 thousand six hundred and eighty-three" were in line of battle. 
 I/ee had upon the field and ready for action sixty- nine thou- 
 sand three hundred and ninety-one infantry and artillery, and 
 about five thousand cavalry. Burnsides had three hundred 
 and seventy pieces of field artillery and fort}' siege guns 
 mounted on Stafford's Heights. Lee had three hundred and 
 twelve pieces of field and heavy artillery, with two siege guns, 
 both exploding, one in the early part of the day. 
 
 The enemy's loss was twelve thousand six hundred and 
 fifty-three, of which at least eight thousand fell in front of the 
 stone wall. It has been computed by returns made since that 
 in the seven different charges there were engaged at least 
 twenty-five thousand infantry alone in the assaults against the 
 stone wall, defended by not more than four thousand men, 
 exclusive of artillery. L,ee's entire loss was five thousand 
 three hundred and twenty-two killed, wounded, and missing; 
 and one of the strangest features of this great battle, one in 
 which so many men of all arms were engaged, the enormous 
 loss of life on both sides, and the close proximity of such a 
 lar.i^e body of cavalry, the returns of the battle only give 
 thirteen wounded and none killed of the entire cavalry force on 
 the Confederate side. 
 
 The men who held the stone wall and Mayree's Hill were 
 three regiments of Cooke's North Carolina Brigade; the Six- 
 teenth Georgia, Colonel Bryan; the Eighteenth Georgia, Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Ruff; the Twenty-fourth Georgia, Colonel 
 McMillan; the Cobb Legion and Philip Legion, Colonel Cook, 
 ■of General T. R. R. Cobb's Brigade; the Second South Caro- 
 lina, Colonel Kennedy; the Third South Carolina, Colonel 
 Nance, Lieutenant Colonel Rutherford, Major Maffett, Cap- 
 tains Summer, Hance, Foster, and Nance; the Seventh South 
 Carolina, Lieutenant Colonel Bland; the Eighth South Caro- 
 lina, Colonel Henegan and Major Stackhouse; the Fifteenth 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 193 
 
 South Carolina, Colonel DeSaussure; the Third Battalion, 
 Major Rice, of Kershaw's Brigade; the Washington Battery, 
 of New Orleans, and Alexander's Battery, from Virginia. 
 The brigades from Hood's and Pickett's Divisions, Jenkins, 
 of South Carolina, being from the latter, were sent to the sup- 
 port of McLaws, at Mayree's Hill, and only acted as reserve 
 and not engaged. 
 
 The next day, as if by mutual consent, was a day of rest. 
 The wounded were gathered in as far as we were able to reach 
 them. The enemy's wounded lay within one hundred yards 
 of the stone wall for two days and nights, and their piteous 
 calls for help and water were simply heart-rending. When- 
 ever one of our soldiers attempted to relieve the enem}' lying 
 close under our wall, he would be fired upon by the pickets 
 and guards in the house tops. 
 
 On the night of the 15th, the Federal Army, like strolling 
 Arabs, "folded their tents and silently stole away." The 
 1 6th was given up et;itirely to the bufial of the dead. In the 
 long line of pits, dug as protection for the enemy while pre- 
 paring for a charge, these putrefying bodies were thrown head- 
 long, pell mell, like the filling of blind ditches with timbers. 
 One Confederate would get between the legs of the dead 
 enemy, take a foot in either hand, then two others would each 
 grasp, an arm, and drag at a run the remains of the dead 
 enemy and heave it over in the pit. In this way these pits or 
 ditches were filled almost to a level of the surface, a little dirt 
 thrown over them, there to remain until the great United 
 States Government removed them to the beautiful park around 
 Mayree's Heights. There to this day, and oerhaps for all 
 time, sleep the "blue and the gray," while the flag so disas- 
 troiisly beaten on that day now floats iu triumph aver all. 
 
 It must be said to the credit of General Burnsides, that the 
 responsibility for this disastrous battle shopld not rest upon his 
 shoulders.. He. felt his . incapacity for handling so great a 
 body. of troops. Again and again he wrote the authorities in 
 Washington protesting again.st the command being given him. 
 "I am unable to handle .so great an army," he wrote his chief, 
 but in vain. The fiat.had gone forth, "Go and crush I^ee," 
 and the result was to have been expected. 
 
 13 
 
194 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 Incidents of the Battle — Comparisons With 
 Other Engagements. 
 
 The Battle of Fredericksburg was not the most desperate 
 nor bloody of the war, nor was it so fruitful of events as others 
 in its bearing on future results. Really neither side gained 
 nor lost any great advantage; nor was the battle any more to 
 the Confederate side than a great victory barren of ulterior 
 results; the loss to the Federals no more than the loss of a 
 number of men and the lowering of the morale among the 
 troops. Within a day or two both armies occupied the same 
 positions as before the battle. Not wishing to attempt any 
 invidious comparisons or reflections upon troops in wars of 
 other periods, but for the information of those who are not 
 conversant with the magnitude of the Civil, War, as compared 
 with the Revolution and Mexican War, I will here give a few 
 statistics. The reader then can draw his own conclusions as 
 to the sanguinary effects and extent of some of our battles. 
 Of course the different kinds of weapons used in the late war — 
 their deadly effect, long range, better mode of firing — will have 
 to be considered in comparison to the old. 
 
 As the Revolutionary War was more of a guerilla than 
 actual war, I will speak more directly of the Mexican War. 
 It will be noticed the difference in the killed to the wounded 
 was far out of proportion in favor of the latter. This I 
 attribute to the smallness of the gun's calibre, and in many 
 instances buck-shot were used in connection with larger balls 
 by the soldiers of the old wars, while the Mexicans used 
 .swords and lances, as well as pistols. During the three days' 
 battle at Molino del Rey, Chapultepec, and the storming of 
 the City of Mexico, considered the most bloody and san- 
 guinary of that war, the four divisions of Scott's Army, of two 
 thousand each, lost as follows: Pillow lost one officer killed 
 and fourteen wounded, twenty-one privates killed and ninety- 
 seven wounded. Worth lost two officers killed and nine 
 wounded, twenty-three privates killed and ninety-five wounded. 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 195 
 
 Quitman lost four officers killed and thirty wounded, thirty- 
 seven privates killed and two hundred and thirty-seven 
 wounded. Smith's Brigade, with Quitman, lost ten officers 
 wounded and none killed, twenty-four privates killed and one 
 hundred and twenty-six wounded. Twigg's Division lost 
 three officers killed and twelve wounded, fifteen privates 
 killed and seventy-seven wounded. This, with some few 
 missing, making a grand total loss, out of Scott's Army of 
 nine to ten thousand men, of between six hundred and fifty and 
 seven hundred killed, wounded, and missing — a number that 
 Kershaw's Brigade alone frequently lost in three or four 
 hours. 
 
 The heaviest casualties in the three days' battle of Mexico 
 in regiments were in the Palmetto Regiment and the Ken- 
 tucky Rifles, where the former lost two officers killed and nine 
 wounded, fourteen privatas killed and seventy -five wounded; 
 the latter lost six officers wounded and none killed, nine pri- 
 vates killed and sixty-four wounded. When it is remembered 
 that the Third Regiment in the battle with about three hun- 
 dred and fifty and four hundred men in line lost six regimental 
 commanders killed and wounded, not less than three times 
 that number of other officers killed and wounded, and more 
 than one hundred and fifty men killed and wounded, some 
 idea can be had of its bloody crisis and deadly struggle, in 
 which our troops were engaged, in comparison to the patriots 
 in Mexico. 
 
 But considering the close proximity of the troops engaged 
 at Fredericksburg, the narrow compass in which they were 
 massed, the number of elevated positions suitable for artillerj' 
 on either side, and the number of troops on the field, the 
 wonder is why the casualties were not even greater than the 
 reports make them. Burnsides, from the nature of the ground, 
 could not handle more than half his army, as by official re- 
 turns not more than fifty thousand were in line of battle and 
 in actual combat. There were only two points at which he 
 could extend his line, and if at one he found a "Scylla," he 
 was equally sure to find a "Charybdis" at the other. On his 
 left flank Jackson's whole corps was massed, at Hamilton's 
 Crossing; at his right was the stone wall and Mayree's Hill. 
 To meet Hood and Pickett he would have had to advance be- 
 
196 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 tween a quarter and half mile through a plain, where his 
 army could be enfiladed by the guns of Longstreet- and Jack- 
 son, and in front by the batteries of Hood and Pickett. It 
 seems from reports since come to light that the authorities at 
 Washington apprehended more danger in Burnsides crossing 
 the river than in the battle that was to follow. Lincoln in 
 giving him orders as to his movements instructed his Secretary 
 -of War, Stanton, to write Burnsides to be very careful in the 
 ■crossing, to guard his flanks well, and not allow Lee to fall 
 upon one part that had crossed and crush it before the other 
 part could come to the rescue; nor allow that wing of the 
 army yet remaining on the Northern side to be attacked and 
 destroyed while the other had crossed to the Southern side. 
 It is Siid Stanton wrote the order couched in the best of 
 English, and phrased in elegant terms the instructions above, 
 telling him to guard his flanks, etc., then read the order to 
 Lincoln for his approval. Taking up the pen, the President 
 endorsed it, and wrote underneath, in his own hand: "In 
 crossing the river don't allow yourself to be caught in the fix 
 of a cow, hurried by dogs, in jumping a fence, get hung in the 
 middle, so that she can't either use her horns in front, nor her 
 heels behind." 
 
 Many incidents of courage and pathos could be written of 
 this, as well as many other battles, but one that I think the 
 crowning act of courage and sympathy for an enemy in dis- 
 tress is due was that of a Georgian behind the wall. In one 
 of the first charges made during the day a Federal had fallen, 
 and to protect himself as much as possible from the bullets of 
 his enemies, he had by sheer force of will pulled his bod}' 
 along until he had neared the wall. Then he failed through 
 pure exhaustion. From loss of blood and the exposure of the 
 sun's rays, he called loudly for water. "Oh, somebody bring 
 me a drink of water! — water! water!!" was the piteous appeals 
 heard by those behind the stone wall. To go to his rescue 
 was to court certain death, as the housetops to the left were 
 lined with sharpshooters, ready to fire upon anyone showing 
 his head above the wall. But one brave soldier from Georgia 
 daied all, and during the lull in the firing leaped ,the walls, 
 rushed to the wounded soldier, and raising his head in his 
 arms, gave him a drink of water, then made his way back and 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 197 
 
 over the wall amid a hail of bullets knocking the dirt up all 
 around him. 
 
 The soldier, like the sailor, is proverbial for his superstition. 
 But at times certain incidents or coincidents take place in the 
 life of the soldier that are inexplainable, to say the least. Now 
 it is certain that every soldier going into battle has some dread 
 of death. It is the nature of man to dread that long lost sleep 
 at any time and in any place. He knows that death is a mas- 
 ter of all, and all must yield to its inexorable summons, and 
 that summons is more likely to come in battle than on ordinary 
 occasions. That at certain times soldiers do have a premoni- 
 tion of their coming death, has been proven on many occa- 
 sions. Not that I say all soldiers foretell their end by some 
 kind of secret monster, but that some do, or seem to do so. 
 Captain Summer, of my company, was an unusually good- 
 humored and lively man, and while he was not what could be 
 called profane, yet he had little predilection toward piety or 
 the Church. In other battles he advanced to the front as 
 light-hearted and free from care as if going on drill or inspec- 
 tion. When we were drawn up in line of battle at Fredericks- 
 burg the first morning an order came for the Captain. He 
 was not present, and on enquiry, I was told that he had gone to 
 a cluster of bushes in the rear. Thinking the order might be 
 of importance, I hastened to the place, and there I found 
 Captain Summer on his knees in prayer. I rallied him about 
 his "sudden piety," and in a jesting manner accused him of 
 "weakening.'' After rising from his kneeling posture, I saw 
 he was calm, pale, and serious — so different from his former 
 moods in going into battle. I began teasing him in a banter- 
 ing way about being a "coward." "No," said he, "I am no 
 coward, and will show I have as much nerve, if not more, than 
 most men in the army, for all have doubts of death, but I 
 have none. I will be killed in this battle. I feel it as plainl}"^ 
 as I feel I am living, but I am no coward, and shall go in this 
 battle and fight with the same spirit that I have always 
 shown." This was true. He acted bravely, and for the few 
 moments that he commanded the regiment he exhibited all the 
 daring a brave man could, but he fell shot through the brains 
 with a minnie ball. He had given me messages to his young 
 wife, to whom he had been married only about two months, 
 
198 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 before entering the services, as to the disposition of his effects, 
 as well as his body after death. 
 
 Another instance was that of Lieutenant Hill, of Company 
 G, Third South Carolina Regiment. The day before the battle 
 he asked permission to return to camp that night, a distance 
 perhaps of three miles. With a companion he returned to the 
 camp, procured water, bathed himself, and changed his under- 
 clothing. On being asked by his companion why he wished 
 to walk three miles at night to si mply bathe and change his 
 clothing, with perfect unconcern he replied: "In the coming 
 battle I feel that I will be killed, and such being the case, I 
 could not bear. the idea of dying and being buried in soiled 
 clothes. ' ' He fell dead at the first volley. Was there ever 
 such courage as this — to feel that death was so certain and that 
 it could be prevented b}' absenting themselves from battle, but 
 allowed their pride, patriotism, and moral courage to carry 
 them on to sure death? 
 
 In the case of a private in Company C, Third Regiment, it 
 was different. He did not have the moral courage to resist 
 the "secret monitor," that silent whisperer of death. He had 
 always asserted that he would be killed in the first battle, and 
 so strong was this conviction upon him, that he failed to keep in 
 line of battle on another occasion, and had been censured by his 
 of&cers for cowardice. In this battle he was ordered in charge of 
 a Sergeant, with instructions that he be carried in battle at the 
 point of the bayonet. However, it required no force to make 
 him keep his place in line, still he continued true to his con- 
 victions, that his death was certain. He went willingly, if 
 not cheerfully, in line. As the column was moving to take 
 position on Mayree's Hill, he gave instructions to bis compan- 
 ions as he advanced what messages should be sent to his wife, 
 and while giving those instructions and before the command 
 reached its position he fell pierced through the heart. 
 
 Another instance that came under my own observation, that 
 which some chose to call "presentiment,"' was of a member in 
 my company in East Tennessee. He was an exceptionally 
 good soldier and the very picture of an ideal hero, tall, erect, 
 and physically well developed, • over six feet in height, and 
 always stood in the front rank at the head of the company. 
 While Longstreet was moving upon Kuoxville, the morning 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 199 
 
 he crossed the Tennessee River before dawn and before there 
 was any indication of a battle, this man said to me, with as 
 much coolness and composure, as if on an ordinary subject, 
 without a falter in his tone or any emotion whatever: "Cap- 
 tain, I will be killed to-day. I have some money in my 
 pocket which I want you to take and also to draw my foXir 
 months' wages now due, and send by some trusty man to my 
 wife. Tell her also— " but here I stopped him, told him it 
 was childish to entertain such nonsense, to be a man as his 
 conduct had so often in the past shown him to be. I joked 
 and laughed at him, and in a good-natured way told him the 
 East Tennessee climate gave him that disease known among 
 soldiers as "crawfishing." This I did to withdraw his mind 
 from this gloomy brooding. We had no real battle, but a con- 
 tinual skirmish with the enemy, with stray shots throughout 
 the day. As we were moving along in line of battle, I heard 
 that peculiar buzzing noise of a bullet, as if in ricochet, com- 
 ing in our direction, but high in the air. As it neared the 
 column it seemed to lower and come with a more hissing 
 sound. It struck the man square in the breast, then reeling 
 out of ranks he made a few strides towards where I was 
 marching, his pocket-book in hand, and fell dead at my feet 
 without a word or groan. He was the only man killed during 
 the day in the brigade, and not even then on the firing line. 
 Of course all will say these are only "coincidences," but be 
 what they may, I give them as facts coming under my own 
 eyes, and facts of the Same nature came to the knowledge of 
 hundreds and thousands of soldiers during every campaign, 
 which none endeavor to explain, other than the facts them- 
 selves. But as the soldier is nothing more than a small frac- 
 tion of the whole of a great machine, so much happens that he 
 cannot fathom nor explain, that it naturally makes a great 
 number of soldiers, like the sailor, somewhat superstitious. 
 But when we speak of moral courage, where is there a courage 
 more sublime than the soldier marching, as he thinks, to his 
 certain death, while all his comrades are taking their chances 
 at the hazard of war? 
 
 There are many unaccountable incidents and coincidents in 
 a .soldier's experience. Then, again, how differently men 
 enter battle and how differently they act when wounded. 
 
200 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Some men, on the eve of battle, the most trying time in a 
 soldier's life, will stand calm and impassive, awaiting the 
 command, "forward," while his next neighbor will tremble 
 and shake, as with a great chill, praying, meditating, and al- 
 most in despair, awaiting the orders to advance. Then when 
 in the heat of the conflict both men seem metamorphosed. 
 The former, almost frightened out of his wits, loses his head 
 and is just as apt to fire backwards as forwards; while the 
 latter seems to have lost all fear, reckless of his life, and fights, 
 like a hero. I have known men who at home were perfect 
 cowards, whom a scho(31boy could run away with a walking 
 cane, become fearless and brave as lions in battle; while on 
 the other hand men who were called ' 'game cocks' ' at home 
 and great "crossroads bullies," were abject cowards in battle. 
 As to being wounded, some men will look on a mortal wound, 
 teel his life ebbing away, perfectly calm and without concern, 
 and give his dying messages with the compo.sure of an every- 
 day occurrence; while others, if the tip of the finger is touched, 
 or his shin-bone grazed, will "yell like a hyena or holler like 
 a loon," and raise such a rumpus as to alarm the whole army. 
 I saw a man running out of battle once (an officer) at such a 
 gait as only fright could give, and when I asked him if he was 
 wounded, he replied, "Yes, my leg is broken in two places," 
 when, as a matter of fact, he had only a slight flesh wound. 
 These incidents the reader may think merely fiction, but they are 
 real facts. A man in Company E,, Third South Carolina Regi- 
 ment, having a minnie ball lodged between the two bones of his 
 arm, made such a racket when the surgeons undertook to push it 
 out, that they had to turn him loose; while a private in Com- 
 pany G, of the same regiment, being shot in the chest, when 
 the surgeon was probing for the ball with his finger, looked 
 on with unconcern, only remarking, "Make the hole a little 
 larger, doctor, and put your whole hand in it." In a few days 
 he was dead. I could give the names of all these parties, but 
 for obvious reasons omit them. I merely single out these 
 cases to show how differently men's nervous sy.stems are con- 
 structed. And I might add, too, an instance of a member of 
 my company at the third day of the battle of Gettysburg, 
 laying under the heavy cannonading while Pickett was mak- 
 ing his famous charge, and most of the men asleep, this ma^ 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 201 
 
 had his foot in the fork of a little bush, to better rest himself. 
 In this position a shot struck him above the ankle; he looked 
 
 at the wound a moment, then said: "Boys, I'll be if that 
 
 ain't a thirty days' furlough " Next day his foot had to be 
 amputated, and to this day he wears a cork. Such is the 
 difference in soldiers, and you cannot judge them by outward 
 appearance. 
 
 I here insert a few paragraphs from the pen of Adjutant 
 Y. J. Pope, of the Third, to show that there was mirth in 
 the camps, notwithstanding the cold and hardships: 
 
 PLAYING "ANTHONY OVER" AT HEADQUARTERS ON THE 
 SEVENTH OF DECEMBER, 1 862. 
 
 There was one thing that always attracted my attention 
 during the war, and that was the warm fellowship which 
 existed amongst the soldiers. If a man got a trunk or box 
 laden with good things from home, there was no selfishne.ss 
 about it; the comrades were expected and did share in the 
 feast. While out on picket on the banks of the Rappahannock 
 River, when we were told that another regiment had come to 
 relieve ours, at the same time we were told that Colonel 
 Rutherford had come back to us; he had been absent since 
 September, and we were all very anxious to see him, for he 
 was a charming fellow — whole-souled, witty, and always an 
 addition to anj' party. We knew, too, that he would bring 
 something good to eat from home. My feathers fell, though,, 
 when Colonel Nance said to me, "Go yourself and see that 
 every company is relieved from picket duty, and bring them, 
 to the regiment." I knew what this meant. It was at night, 
 the ground was covered with snow, and the companies would 
 take a long time to march back to camp. A soldier is made to 
 obey orders, whether pleasant or unpleasant, so I rode at the 
 head of the battalion; I was chilled through; my ears felt — 
 well I rubbed a little feeling into them. At last we reached 
 camp. Before I did so I could hear the merry laughter of the 
 group about our regimental headquarter fire. Rutherford 
 greeted me with the utmost cordiality, and had my supper 
 served, having had the servants to keep it hot. But I could 
 not forget my having to ride three miles at the head of the 
 four companies, and how cold I had got in doing so. There- 
 
202 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fore, I was in a bad humor, and refusing to join the merry 
 group around the fire, went to bed at once. About twelve 
 o'clock that night I heard the voices in the game of "An- 
 thony over," and was obliged to laugh. Of course the merry 
 cup had circulated. We lived in a Sibley tent that had a cap 
 to fit over the top. And that night, as it was very cold, it 
 had been determined to put the cap on the tent. So the 
 merry-makers formed themselves into two groups, and pitched 
 the cap to the top, and when it failed to lodge the other side 
 would try its hand. One side would call out, "Anthony," to 
 which call the other party would reply, "over." Then the 
 first crowd would sing out, "Here she comes," throwing the 
 cap with the uttering of those words. The peals of laughter 
 from both sides, when the effort to lodge the cap would fail 
 and the teasing of each side, made me laugh whether I wished 
 to do so or not. After awhile it lodged alright, then "good- 
 nights' ' were exchanged, and then to bed. 
 
 I need not add that on the next day all was good humor 
 at headquarters, and in six days afterwards Colonel Nance, 
 Colonel Rutherford, and Major Maffett were all painfully 
 wounded in battle. 
 
 IN DECEMBER, 1862. 
 
 While Longstreet's troops occupied the City of Fredericks- 
 burg in the winter of 1862, I had learned that at night one of 
 the quartermasters of Mcl,aws' Division was in the habit of 
 going across to an island in the Rappahannock River, just 
 above the city, to obtain hay and corn, and to come down to 
 the main incentive, that there was a very charming old Vi. - 
 ginia family who lived there, and that a bright-eyed daughter 
 was of that family. I set about getting a sight of this "Island 
 enchantress," and at last Captain Franks, who was Quarter- 
 master of the Seventeenth Regiment of Barksdale's Brigade, 
 agreed to take me with him one night. Here I was, the 
 Adjutant of a Regiment, going over to an island without leave, 
 with the enemy in strong force just across the river, and there- 
 fore liable to be captured. Nevertheless, the hope of a peep 
 at bright eyes has got many a man into dangerous ventures, 
 and my case was not different from the rest. So I went. I 
 saw the fair maid. She was not only beautiful, but very inter- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 203 
 
 esting. After it was all over prudence whispered to me not to 
 tempt my fate again — especially as a fair lady in another State 
 would have had a right to except to such conduct on my part. 
 I never regretted my visit to the island, though! 
 
 AN ACT OF HEROIC FIDELITY OF A NEdRO SLAVE IN THE WAR. 
 
 In looking back at the incidents of the War Between the 
 States, it is with great pleasure that an incident highly hon- 
 orable to the African slave race is recalled. 
 
 It was on the 13th of December, 1862, when the Third 
 South Carolina Regiment of Infantry was ordered from the 
 position at the foot of lyce's Hill, at Fredericksburg, Va., to 
 Mayree's House, near but to the right of the sunken road pro- 
 tected by the rock fence, that in going down the Telegraph 
 Road the regiment was for a time exposed to the fire of the 
 Federal batteries on the Stafford Heights. A shell from those 
 batteries was so accurately directed that it burst near by Com- 
 pajiy C, of that regiment, and one of the results was that 
 I/ieutenant James Spencer Piester, of that company, was 
 instantly killed. His body lay in that road and his faithful 
 body servant, Simpson Piester, went to the body of his master 
 and tenderly taking it into his arms, bore it to the rear, so that 
 it might be sent to his relatives in Newberry, South Carolina. 
 Anyone who had occasion to go upon the Telegraph Road in 
 that day must appreciate the courage and fidelity involved in 
 the act performed by Simpson Piester. 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 Reminiscences. 
 
 After the smoke of the great battle had cleared away and 
 the enemy settled permanently in their old quarters north of 
 the Rappahannock, I^ee moved his army some miles south of 
 Fredericksburg, on the wooded highlands, and prepared for 
 winter quarters. This was not a very laborious undertaking, 
 nor of long duration, for all that was necessary was to pitch 
 our old wornout, slahting-roof tents, occupied by six or eight 
 
204 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 men each. The troops had become too well acquainted with 
 the uncertainty of their duration in camp to go into any very 
 laborious or elaborate preparations. Kershaw had a very 
 desirable location among the wooded hills, but this was soon 
 denuded of every vestige of fuel of every kind, for it must be 
 understood the arm}' had no wagons or teams to haul their 
 fire wood, but each had to carry his share of the wood re- 
 quired for the daily use, and often a mile or mile and a half 
 distant. At the close of the year the Eastern Army found 
 itself in quite easy circumstances and well pleased with the 
 year's campaign, but the fruits of our victory were more in 
 brilliant achievements than material results. 
 
 In the Western Army it was not so successful. On the first 
 of the year General Albert Sidney Johnston had his army at 
 Bowling Green, Ky. But disaster after disaster befell him, 
 until two states were lost to the Confederacy, as well as that 
 great commander himself, who fell at the moment of victory 
 on the fatal field of Shiloh. Commencing with the fall of 
 Fort Henry on the Tennessee, then Fort Donaldson on the 
 Cumberland, which necessitated the evacuation of the lines of 
 defense at Bowling Green, and the withdrawal of the army 
 from Kentucky. At Pittsburg I<anding Grant was over- 
 whelmingly defeated by the army under Beauregard, but by 
 the division of the army under the two Confederate leaders, 
 and the overpowering numbers of the enemy under some of 
 the greatest Generals in the Union Army, Beauregard was 
 forced to withdraw to Shiloh. Here the two combined armies 
 of Beauregard and Johnston attacked the Union Army under 
 Grant, Sherman, Buell, Lew Wallace, and other militarj"- 
 geniuses, with oveiybne h undred ah driixteenTEousand m"^B*>as 
 -a-gainst an army of forty-eight thousand Confederates. After 
 one of the most stubborn, as well as bloodiest battles of the 
 war, the Confederates gained a complete victory on the first 
 day, but through a combined train of circumstances, they 
 were forced to withdraw the second. After other battles, 
 with varied results, the end of the year found the Western 
 Army in Northern Mississippi and Southern Tennessee. 
 
 The Eastern Army, on the other hand, had hurled the 
 enemy from the very gates of the Capital of the Confederacy, 
 after seven days fighting, doubling it up in an indefinable 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 205 
 
 mass, and had driven it northward in haste; on the plains of 
 Manassas it was overtaken, beaten, and almost annihilated, 
 only failing in a repetition of the same, ending as the first bat- 
 tle of that name and place; by the same causes, viz., Sykes' 
 Regulars, the enemy pushed across the Potomac, putting the 
 Capitol, as well as the whole North, in a perfect state of panic; 
 the Confederates entered the enemy's own country, capturing 
 one of their strongholds, with eleven thousand prisoners and 
 munitions of war, enough to equip an army; bought one of the 
 most sanguinary battles of modern times almost within sight 
 of the Capitol itself, if not to a successful finish to a very cred- 
 itable draw; returned South, unmolested, with its prisoners 
 and untold booty; fought the great battle of Fredericksburg, 
 with the results just enumerated. Could Napoleon, Frederick 
 the Great, or the "Madman of the North" have done better 
 with the forces at hand and against an enemy with odds of 
 two and three to one? So Lee's Array had nothing of which 
 to complain, only the loss of so many great and chivalrous 
 comrades. 
 
 We had little picketing to do, once perhaps a month, then 
 in the deserted houses of Fredericksburg. Guard duty around 
 camp was abolished for the winter; so was drilling, only on 
 nice, warm days; the latter, however, was rarely seen during 
 that season. The troops abandoned themselves to base ball, 
 snow fights, writing letters, and receiving as guests in their 
 camps friends and relatives, who never failed to bring with 
 them great boxes of the good things from home, as well as 
 clothing and shoes for the needy soldiers. Furloughs were 
 granted in limited numbers. Recruits and now the thoroughly 
 healed of the wounded from the many engagements flocked to 
 our ranks, making all put on a cheerful face. 
 
 That winter in Virginia was one of the most severe known 
 in many years, but the soldiers had become accustomed to the 
 cold of the North, and rather liked it than otherwise, espe- 
 cially when snow fell to the depth of twelve to sixteen inches, 
 and remained for two or three weeks. So the reader can see 
 that the soldier's life has its sunny side, as well as its dark. 
 The troops delight in "snow balling," and revelled in the sport 
 for days at a time. Many hard battles were fought, w-on, and 
 Jost; sometimes company agaiast company, then regiment 
 
206 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 against regiment, and sometimes brigades would be pitted 
 against rival brigades. When the South Carolinians were 
 against the Georgians, or the two Georgia brigades against 
 Kershaw's and the Mississippi brigades, then the blows would 
 fall fast and furious. The fiercest fight and the hardest rfln 
 of my life was when Kershaw's Brigade, under Colonel Ruth- 
 erford, of the Third, challenged and fought Cobb's Georgians. 
 Colonel Rutherford was a great lover of the sport, and wher- 
 ever a contest was going on he would be sure to take a hand. 
 On the day alluded to Colonel Rutherford martialed his men by 
 the beating of drums and the bugle's blast; oflBcers headed 
 their companies, regiments formed, with flags flying, then 
 when all was ready the troops were marched to the brow of a 
 hill, or rather half way down the hill, and formed line of 
 battle, there to await the coming of the Georgians. They 
 were at that moment advancing across the plain that separated 
 the two camps. The men built great pyramids of snow balls 
 in their rear, and awaited the assault of the fast approaching 
 enemy. Of&cers cheered the men and urged them to stand 
 fast and uphold the "honor of their State," while the officers 
 on the other side besought their men to sweep all before them 
 off the field. 
 
 The men stood trembling with cold and emotion, and the 
 officers with fear, for the officer who was luckless enough as to 
 fall into the hands of a .set of "snow revelers," found to his 
 sorrow that his bed was not one of roses. Wh.en the Geor- 
 gians were within one hundred feet the order was given to 
 "fire." Then shower after shower of the the fleecy balls 
 filled the air. Cheer after cheer went up from the a-ssaulters 
 and the assaultant — now pressed back by the flying balls, then 
 to the assault again. Officers shouted to the men, and they 
 answered with a "yell." When some, more bold than the 
 rest, ventured too near, he was caught and dragged through 
 the lines, while his comrades made frantic efforts to rescue 
 him. The poor prisoner, now .safely behind the lines, his fate 
 problematical, as down in the snow he was pulled, now on his 
 face, next on his back, then swung round and round by his 
 heels — all the while snow being pushed down his back or in 
 his bosom, his eyes, ears, and hair thoroughly filled with the 
 "beautiful snow." After a fifteen minutes' struggle, our lines 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 207 
 
 gave way. The fierce looks of a tall, muscular, wild-eyed 
 Georgian, who stood directly in my front, seemed to have 
 singled me out for sacrifice. The stampede began. I tried to 
 lead the command in the rout by placing myself in the front of 
 the boldest and stoutest squad in the ranks, all the while 
 shouting to the men to ' 'turn boys turn. ' ' But they continued 
 to charge to the rear, and in the nearest cut to our camp, then 
 a mile off, I saw the only chance to save myself from the 
 clutches of that wild-eyed Georgian was in continual and rapid 
 flight. The idea of a boy seventeen years old, and never yet 
 tipped the beam at one hundred, in the grasp of that monster, 
 as he now began to look to me, gave me the horrors. One by 
 one the men began to pass me, and while the distance between 
 us and the camp grew less at each step, yet the distance be- 
 tween me and my pursuer grew less as we proceeded in our 
 mad race. The broad expanse that lay between the men and 
 camp was one flying, surging mass, while the earth, or rather 
 the snow, all around was filled with men who had fallen or 
 been overtaken, and now in the last throes of a desperate .snow 
 battle. I dared not look behind, but kept bravely on. My 
 breath grew fast and thick, and the camp seemed a perfect 
 menage, now near at hand then far in the distance. The men 
 who had not yet fallen in the hands of the reckless Georgians 
 had distanced me, and the only energy that kept me to the 
 race was the hope that some mishap might befall the wild- 
 eyed man in my rear, otherwise I was gone. No one would 
 have the temerity to tackle the giant in his rage. But all 
 things must come to an end, and my race ended by falling in 
 my tent, more dead than alive, just as I felt the warm breath 
 of my pursurer blowing on my neck. I heard, as I lay pant- 
 ing, the wild-eyed man say, "I would rather have caught that 
 d— n little Captain than to have killed the biggest man in the 
 Yankee Army." 
 
208 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 Campaign of 1863 — Battle of Chaneellorsville. 
 
 On the morning of April 29th the soldiers were aroused from 
 their slumbers by the beating of the long roll. What an 
 ominous sound is the long roll to the soldier wrapped in his 
 blanket and enjoying the sweets of sleep. It is like a fire bell 
 at night. It denotes battle. It tells the soldier the enemy is 
 moving; it means haste and active preparation. A battle is 
 imminent. The soldiers thus roused, as if from their long 
 sleep since Fredericksburg, feel in a touchous mood. The 
 frightful scenes of Fredericksburg and Mayree's Hill rise up 
 before them as a spectre. Soldiers rush out of their tents, 
 asking questions and making suppositions. Others are busily 
 engaged folding blankets, tearing down tents, and making 
 preparations to move; companies formed into regiments and 
 regiments into brigades. The distant boom of cannon beyond 
 the Rappahannock tells us that the enemy is to cross the river 
 again and try conclusions with the soldiers of Lee. All 
 expected a bloody engagement, for the Federal Army had been 
 greatly recruited, under excellent discipline, and headed by 
 Fighting Joe Hooker. He was one of the best officers in that 
 army, and he himself had boasted that his was the "finest 
 army that had ever been organized upon the planet." It 
 numbered one hundred and thirty-one thousand men of all 
 arms, while Lee had barely sixty thousand. We moved rapidly 
 in the direction of Fredericksburg. I never saw Kershaw look 
 so well. Riding his iron-gray at the head of his columns, one 
 could not but be impressed with his soldierly appearance. He 
 seemed a veritable knight of old. Leading his brigade above 
 the city, he took position in the old entrenchments. 
 
 Before reaching the battle line, the enemy had already 
 placed pontoons near the old place of landing, crossed over a 
 portion of their army, and was now picketing on the south 
 side of the river. One company from each re.iment was 
 thro^^ out as sharp-shooters or^ skirmishers, under Captain 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 209 
 
 Goggans, of the Seventh, and deployed in the valley below, 
 where we could watch the enemy. My company was of the 
 'number. Nothing was done during the day but a continual 
 change of positions. We remained on the skirmish line dur- 
 ing the night without fire or without any relief, expecting an 
 advance next morning, or to be relieved at least. The sun 
 was obscured by the densest fog the following morning I had 
 almost ever witnessed. When it cleared up, about lo o'clock, 
 what was our astonishment? — to find no enemy in our front, 
 nor friends in our rear. : There were, however, some Federals 
 opposite and below the city, but they belonged to another 
 division. We could hear occasional cannonading some miles 
 up the Rappahannock. By some stafE officers pa.ssing, we 
 ascertained that Hooker had withdrawn during the night in 
 our front, recrossed the river at Ely's and Raccoon fords, or 
 some of the fords opposite the Wilderness. This was on Fri- 
 day, May the first. After a consultation with the officers of 
 our detachment, it was agreed to evacuate our position and 
 join our regiments wherever we could find them. We had no 
 rations, and this was one of the incentives to move. But had 
 the men been supplied with provisions, and the matter left to 
 them alone, I doubt very much whether they would have 
 chosen to leave the ground now occupied, as we were in com- 
 parative safety and no enemy in sight, while to join our com- 
 mands would add largely to the chances of getting in battle. 
 I am sorry to say a majority of the officers were of that opin- 
 ion, too. Some brought to bear one of Napoleon's maxims I 
 had heard when a boy, "When a soldier is in doubt where to 
 go, always go to the place 3'ou hear the heaviest firing," and 
 we could indistinctly hear occasional booming of cannon high 
 up the river, indicating that a part of the army at least was in 
 that direction. 
 
 So we moved back and over the breastworks, on to the plank 
 road leading to Orange Court House. Making our way, 
 keeping together as a battalion, up that road in the direction 
 of the Wilderness, near noon we could hear the deep bay of 
 cannon, now distant and indistinct, then again more rapidly 
 and quite distinguishable, showing plainly that Lee was having 
 a running fight. Later in the day we passed dead horses and 
 a few dead and wounded soldiers. On every hand were indi- 
 14 
 
210 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 cations of the effects of shot and shell. Trees were shattered 
 along the road side, fences torn down and rude breastworks 
 made here and there, the evidence of heavy skirmishing in 
 our front. Lee was pressing the advance guard that had 
 crossed at one of the lower fords back on the main army, cross- 
 ing then at fords opposite and above the Chancellor's Hou.se. 
 Near .sundown the firing was conspicuously heavy, especially 
 the artillery. The men of most of the companies evinced a 
 desire to frequently rest, and in every way delay our march as 
 much as possible. Some of the ofiBcers, too, joined with the 
 men and offered objections to rushing headlong into battle 
 without orders. I knew that our brigade was somewhere in 
 our front, and from the firing I was thoroughly convinced a 
 battle was imminent, and in that case our duty called us to 
 our command. Not through any cowardice, however, did the 
 men hesitate, for all this fiction written about men's eagerness 
 for battle, their ungovernable desire to throw themselves upon 
 the enemy, their great love of hearing the bursting of shells 
 over their heads, the whizzing of minuie balls through their 
 ranks is all very well for romance and on paper, but a soldier 
 left free to himself, unless he seeks notoriety or honors, will 
 not often rush voluntarily into battle, and if he can escape it 
 honorably, he will do it nine times out of ten. There are 
 times, however, when oflBcers, whose keen sense of duty and 
 honorable appreciation of the position they occupy, will lead 
 their commands into battle unauthorized, when they see the 
 necessity, but a private who owes no obedience nor allegiance 
 only to his superiors, and has no responsibility, seldom ever 
 goes voluntarily into baltle; if so, once is enough. 
 
 Under these circumstances, as the sun was near setting, we 
 learned from some wounded soldier that Kershaw was moving 
 in line of battle to the left of the plank road. A.nother Cap- 
 tain and myself deserted our companions and made our way to 
 our regiments with our companies. As we came upon it, it 
 was just moving out from a thicket into an open field under a 
 heavy skirmish fire and a fierce fire from a battery in our front. 
 We marched at a double-quick to rejoin the regiment, and the 
 proudest moments of my life, and the sweetest words to hear, 
 was as the other portion of the regiment saw us coming they 
 gave a cheer of welcome'and shouted, "Hurrah! for the Dutch- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW',S BRIGADE. 211 
 
 the Dutch has come-; make way to the left for the Dutch," 
 and such terms of gladness and welcome, that I thought, even 
 while the "Dutch" and its youthful commander were but a 
 mere speck of the great army, still some had missed us, and I 
 was glad to feel the touch of their elbow on the right and left 
 when a battle was in progress. 
 
 Companies in the army, like school boys, almost all have 
 "nick-names." Mine was called the "Dutch" from the fact 
 of its having been raised in that section of the country be- 
 tween Saluda River and the Broad, known as "Dutch Fork." 
 A century or more before, this country, just above Columbia 
 and in the fork of the two rivers, was settled by German refu- 
 gees, hence the name "Dutch Fork." 
 
 After joining the regiment, we only advanced a little further 
 and halted for the night, sleeping with guns in arms, lest a 
 night attack might find the troops illy prepared were the guns 
 m stack. We were so near the enemy that fires were not 
 allowed, and none permitted to speak above a whisper. Two 
 men from each company were detailed to go to the rear and 
 cook rations. It is not au easy task for two men, who had 
 been marching and fighting all day, to be up all night cooking 
 three meals each for thirty or forty men, having to gather 
 their own fuel, and often going half mile for water. A whole 
 day's ration is always cooked at one time on marches, as 
 night is the onl}' time for cooking. The decrees of an order 
 for a detail are inexorable. A soldier must take it as it comes, 
 for none ever know but what the next duties may be even 
 worse than the present. As a general rule, soldiers rarely 
 ever grumble at any detail on the eve of an engagement, for 
 sometimes it excuses them from a battle, and the old experi- 
 enced veteran never refuses that. 
 
 At daylight a battery some two hundred yards in our front 
 opened a furious fire upon us, the shells coming uncomfort- 
 ably near our heads. If there were any infantry between the 
 battery and our troops, they must have laid low to escape the 
 shots over their heads. But after a few rounds they limbered 
 up and scampered away. We moved slowly aloug with heavy 
 skirmishing in our front all the morning of the second. When 
 near the Chancellor's House, we formed line of battle in a kind 
 of semi-circle, our right resting on the river and extending 
 
212 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 over the plank road, Kershaw being soiiie distance to the left 
 of this road, the Fifteenth Regiment occupying the right. 
 Here we remained for the remainder of the day. We heard 
 the word coming up the line, "No cheering, no cheering." 
 In a few moments General Lee came riding along the lines, 
 going to the left. He had with him quite a number of his 
 staff and one or two couriers. He looked straight to the front 
 and thoughtful, noticing none of the soldiers who rushed to 
 the line to see him pass. He no doubt was then forming the 
 masterful move, and one, too, in opposition to all rules or 
 order of military science or strategy, "the division of his 
 anil) in the face of the enemy," a movement that has cau,sed 
 many arn)ies, before, destruction and the downfall of its com- 
 mander. But notliing succeeds like success. The great dis- 
 parity in numbers was so great that Lee could only watch and 
 hope for some mistake or blunder of his adversary, or by some 
 extraordinary strategic manoeuvre on his own part, gain the 
 advantage by which his opponent would be ruined. Hooker 
 had one hundred and thirty thousand men, while Lee had 
 only sixty thousand. With this number it seemed an easy 
 task for Hooker to threaten Lee at Fredericksburg, then fall 
 upon him with his entire force at Chancellorsville and crush 
 him before Lee could extricate himself, from the meshes that 
 were surrounding him, and retreat to Richmond. The dense 
 Wilderness seemed providential for the movement upon which 
 Lee had now determined to stake the fate of his army' and the 
 fortunes of the Confederacy. Its heavy, thick undergrowth 
 entirely obstructed the view and hid the movements to be 
 made. Jackson, with Rhodes, Colston's, and A. P. Hill's 
 Divisions, were to make a detour around the enemy's right, 
 march by dull roads and bridle paths through the tangled 
 forest, and fall upon the enemy's rear, while McLaws, Ander- 
 son's, and Early's Divisions were to hold him in check in 
 front. Pickett's Divi ion had, before this time, been sent to 
 Wilmington, N. C. , while Ransom's Division, with Barks- 
 dale's Mississippi Brigade, of McLaws' Di\-ision, were to keep 
 watch of the enemy at Fredericksburg. The Federal General, 
 Stouetnan, with his cavalry, was then on his famous but dis- 
 astrous raid to Richmond. Jackson commenced his march 
 early in the morning, and kept it up all day, turning back 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 213 
 
 towards the rear of the enemy when suflSciently distant that 
 his movement could not be detected. By marching eighteen 
 or twenty miles he was then within three miles of his starting 
 point. But Hooker's Army stood between him and Lee. 
 Near night Jackson struck the enemy a terrific blow, near the 
 plank road, just opposite to where we lay, and the cannonad- 
 ing was simply deafening. The shots fired from some of the 
 rifled guns of Jackson passed far overhead of the enemy and 
 fell in our rear. Hooker, bewildered and lost in the meshes 
 of the Wilderness, had formed his divisions in line of battle in 
 echelon, and moved out from the river. Great gaps would 
 intervene between the division in front and the one in rear. 
 Little did he think an enemy was marching rapidly for his 
 rear, another watching every movement in front, and those 
 enemies, Jackson and Lee, unknown to Hooker, his flank 
 stood exposed and the distance between the columns gave an 
 ordinary enemy an advantage seldom offered by an astute 
 General, but to such an enemy as Jackson it was more than he 
 had hoped or even dared to expect. As he sat watching the 
 broken columns of the enemy struggling through the dense 
 undergrowth, the favorable moment came. Seizing it with 
 promptness and daring, so characteristic of the man, he, like 
 Napoleon at Austerlitz, when he saw the Russians passing by 
 his front with their flanks exposed, rushed upon them like 
 a wild beast upon its prey, turning the exposed column back 
 upon its rear. Colston, commanding Jackson's old Division, 
 led the attack, followed by A. P. Hill. Rhodes then fell like 
 an avalanche upon the unexpectant and now thoroughly dis- 
 organized divisions of the retreating enemy. Volley after 
 volley was poured into the seething mass of advancing and 
 receding columns. Not much use could be made of artillery 
 at close range, so that arm of the service was mainly occupied 
 in shelling their trains and the woods in rear. Until late in 
 the night did the battle rage in all its fury. Darkness only 
 added to its intensity, and the fire was kept up until a shot 
 through mistake lay the great Chieftain, Stonewall Jackson, 
 low. General A. P. Hill now took command of the corps, 
 and every preparation was made for the desperate onslaught of 
 to-morrow. B3' some strange intuition peculiar to the soldier, 
 and his ability to gather news, the word that Jackson had 
 
214 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fallen burst through the camp like an explosion, and cast a 
 gloom of sorrow over all. 
 
 As our brother South Carolinians, of McGowan's Brigade, 
 were on the opposite side of us, and in the heat of the fray, 
 while we remained idle, I take the liberty of quoting from 
 "Caldwell's History" of that brigade a description of the ter- 
 rible scenes being enacted on that memorable night in the 
 Wilderness in which Jackson fell: 
 
 "Now it is night. The moon a day or two past full, rose in 
 cloudless sky and lighted our way. We were fronted, and 
 then advanced on the right of the road into a thick growth of 
 pines. Soon a firing of small arms sprang up before us, and 
 directly afterwards the enemy's artillery opened furiously, 
 bearing upon us. The scene was terrible. Volley after volley 
 of musketry was poured by the Confederate line in front of us 
 upon the enemy. The enemy replied with equal rapidity; 
 cheer, wild and fierce, rang over the whole woods; ofBcers 
 shouted at the top of their voices, to make themselves heard; 
 cannon roared and shells burst continuously. We knew noth- 
 ing, could see nothing, hedged in by the matted mass of 
 tries. Night engagements are always dreadful, but this 
 was the worst I ever knew. To see your danger is bad 
 enough, but to hear shells whizzing and bursting over you, to 
 hear shrapnell and iron fragments slapping the trees and 
 cracking off limbs, and not know from whence death comes to 
 you, is trying beyond all things. And here it looked so in- 
 congruous — below raged, thunder, shout, shriek, slaughter-^ 
 above soft, silent, smiling moonlight, peace!" 
 
 The next morning A. P. Hill was moving early, but was 
 himself -vyounded, and General Jeb. Stuart, of the cavalry, 
 took command. The fighting of Jackson's Corps to-day sur- 
 passed that of the night before, and after overcoming almost 
 insurmountable obstacles, they succeeded in dislodging 
 Hooker from his well fortified position. 
 
 Kershaw remained in his line of battle, keeping up a con- 
 stant fire with his skirmishers. An advance upon the Chan- 
 cellor's House was momentarily expected. The long delay 
 between the commencement of Jackson's movement until we 
 heard the thunder of his guns immediately in our front and in 
 rear of the enemy, was taken up in conjecturing, "what 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 215 
 
 move was next. ' ' All felt that it was to be no retreat, and as 
 we faileH to advance, the mystery of our inactivity was more 
 confounding. 
 
 Early next morning, however, the battle began in earnest. 
 Hooker had occupied the night in straightening out his lines 
 and establishing a basis of battle, with the hope of retrieving 
 the blunder of the day before. Stuart (or rather A. P. Hill, 
 until wounded,) began pressing him from the very start. We 
 could hear the wild yells of our troops as line after line of 
 Hooker's were reformed, to be brushed away by the heroism 
 of the Southern troops. Our skirmishers began their desultory 
 firing of the day before. The battle seemed to near us as it 
 progressed, and the opening around Chancellor's House 
 appeared to be alive with the enemy's artillery. About two 
 o'clock our lines were ordered forward, and we made our way 
 through the tangled morass, in direction of our skirmish line. 
 Here one of the bravest men in our regiment was killed, pri- 
 vate John Davis, of the "Quitman Rifles." He was reckless 
 beyond all reason. He loved danger for danger's sake. 
 Stepping behind a tree to load (he was on skirmish line) he 
 would pass out from this cover in plain, view, take deliberate 
 aim, and fire. Again and again he was entreated and urged 
 by his comrades to shield himself, but in vain. A bullet from 
 the enemy's sharp-shooters killed him instantly. 
 
 A singular and touching incident of this family is here re- 
 corded. Davis had an only brother, who was equally as 
 brave as John and younger, James, the two being the only 
 children of an aged but wealthy couple, of Newberry County. 
 After the death of John, his mother exerted herself and hired 
 a substitute for her babj' boy, and came on in a week after the 
 battle for the body of her oldest son and to take James home 
 with her, as the only hope and solace of the declining years of 
 this aged father and mother. Much against his will and 
 wishes, but by mother's entreaties and friends' solicitations, 
 the young man consented to accompany his mother home. 
 But fate seemed to follow them here and play them false, for 
 in less than two weeks this brave, bright, and promising boy 
 lay dead from a malignant disease. 
 
 As our brigade was moving through the thicket in the 
 interval between our main line and the skirmishers, and under 
 
216 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE,/ 
 
 a heavy fire, we came upon a lone stranger sitting quietly 
 upon a log. At first he was thought an enemy, who in the 
 denseness of the undergrowth had passed our lines on a tour 
 of observation. He was closely questioned, and it turned out 
 to be Rev. Boushell, a methodist minister belonging to one of 
 McGowan's South Carolina regiments, who became lost from 
 his command in the great flank movement of Jackson (Mc- 
 Gowan's Brigade belonged to Jackson's Corps), and said he 
 came down "to see how the battle was going and to lend aid 
 and comfort to any wounded soldier should he chance to find 
 one in need of his services." 
 
 The batteries in our front were now raking the matted brush 
 all around and overhead, and their infantry soon became aware 
 of our presence, and they, too, began pouring volleys into our 
 advancing column. The ranks became confused, for in this 
 wilderness we could not see twenty paces in front. Still we 
 moved forward with such order as was under the conditions 
 permissible. When near the turn-pike road General Kershaw 
 gave the command to "charge." The Fifteenth raised the 
 yell; then the Third dashed forward; the Seventh was some- 
 what late on account of the almost impassable condition of the 
 ground, but still it and the Third Battalion, with the Second 
 on the left, made a mad rush for the public road, and entered' 
 it soon after the Fifteenth and Third. A perfect sea of fire 
 was in our faces from the many cannon parked around the 
 Chancellor House and graping in all directions but the rear. 
 Lee on the one side and Stuart on the other had closed upon 
 the enemy, their wings joining just in front of the house. 
 Some of the pieces of the enemy's artillery were not more than 
 fifty yards in our front, and the discharges seemed to blaze fire 
 in our very ranks. Infantry, too, was there massed all over 
 the yard, and in rear of this one vast, mingling, moving body 
 of humanity, dead horses lay in all directions, while the dead 
 and wounded soldiers lay heaped and strewn with the living. 
 But a few volleys from our troops in the road soon silenced all' 
 opposition from the infantry, while cannoneers were hitching 
 up their horses to fly away. Some were trying to drag away 
 their caissons and light pieces by hand, while thousands of 
 "blue coats," with and without arms, were running for cover 
 to the rear. In less than twenty minutes the firing ceased in 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 217 
 
 our front, and men were ordered to prepare breastworks. Our 
 soldiers, like the beaver, by this time had become accu.stomed 
 to burrow in the ground as soon as a ' halt" was made. A 
 shovel and a spade were carried at all times by each companj' 
 to guard against emergencies. The bursting of a shell near 
 my company caused a fragment to .strike one of my own men 
 on the shoulder. He claimed to be desperately wounded, and 
 wished to go to the hospital. I examined him hastily to see if 
 I could give him any assistance. He claimed his shoulder was 
 broken. Just then the order was given to "commence to 
 fortify." "G. ," the wounded man, was the first to grasp the 
 shovel, and threw dirt with an energy that caused my Orderly 
 Sergeant, a brave and faithful soldier, but whp never allowed 
 the comic side of any transaction to pass him, to say: "Cap- 
 tain, look at the 'wild pigeon;' see how he scratches dirt." 
 All soldiers carried a "nick-name," a name given by some 
 physical disability or some error he had made, or from an}' 
 circumstance in his life out of the usual order. Hardly had 
 we taken possession of the turn-pike road and began fortify- 
 ing, than the sound of shells down the river was heard, and 
 we were hurriedly marched down the road. Mcl^aws' and 
 Anderson's Divisions were doubled-quicked down the turn- 
 pike road and away from the battle to meet Sedgwick, who 
 had crossed the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg, stormed 
 Mayree's Heights, routed and captured the most of Barks- 
 dale's Mississippi Brigade, and was making his way rapidly 
 upon I,ee's rear. 
 
 This Battle of Chancellorsville certainly had its many sides, 
 with its rapid marching, changing of positions, and general- 
 ship of the highest order. On the day before Jackson had 
 gone around the right flank of Hooker and fell upon his rear, 
 while to-day we had the novel spectacle of Sedgwick in the 
 rear of I^ee and Stuart in rear of Hooker. No one can fore- 
 tell the result of the battle, had Hooker held his position until 
 Sedgwick came up. But Lee's great mind ran quick and fast. 
 He knew the country and was well posted by his scouts of 
 every move and turn of the enemy on the chess-board of battle. 
 Anderson, with his division, being on our right, led the ad- 
 vance down the road to meet Sedgwick. We passed great 
 parks of wagons (ordnance and commissary) on either side 
 
218 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of the road. Here and there were the field infirmaries where 
 their wounded were being attended to and where ■ all the 
 surplus baggage had been stacked before the battle. 
 
 On reaching Zoar Church, some five miles in rear, we en- 
 countered Sedgwick's advance line of skirmishers, and a heavy 
 fusilade began. Anderson formed line of battle on extreme 
 right, and on right of plank road, with the purpose of sweep- 
 ing round on the enemy's left. McLaws formed on left of the 
 corps, his extreme left reaching out toward the river and across 
 the road; Kershaw being immediately on right of the road, 
 with the Second resting on it, then the Fifteenth, the Third 
 Battalion, the E)ighth, the Third, and the Seventh on the 
 right. On the left of the road leading to Fredericksburg was 
 a large open field extending to the bluff near the river; on the 
 right was a dense thicket of pines and undergrowth. In this 
 we had to form. The Seventh experienced some trouble in 
 getting into line, and many camp rumors were afloat a few 
 days afterwards of an uncomplimentary nature of the 
 Seventh's action. But this was all-false, for no more gallant 
 regiment nor better of&cered, both in courage and ability, was 
 in the Confederate service than the "bloody Seventh." But it 
 was the unfavorable nature of the ground, the diflSculties expe- 
 rienced in forming a line, and the crowding and lapping of the 
 men that caused the confusion. 
 
 Soon after our line of battle v^as formed and Kershaw await- 
 ing orders from McLaws to advance, a line of support came up 
 in our rear, and mistaking us for the enemy, commenced firing 
 upon us. Handkerchiefs went up, calls of "friends," 
 "friends," but still the firing continued. One Colonel seeing 
 the danger — the enemy just in front, and our friends firing on 
 us in the rear — called out, "Who will volunteer to carry our 
 colors back to our friends in rear?" Up sprang the handsome 
 and gallant young Sergeant, Copeland, of the "Clinton 
 Divers," (one of the most magnificent and finest looking com- 
 panies in his service, having at its enlistment forty men over 
 six feet tall), and said, "Colonel, send me." Grasping the 
 colors in his hand, he carried them, waving and jesticulating 
 in a friendly manner, until he convinced the troops that they 
 were friends in their front. 
 
 While thus waiting for Anderson to swing around the left of 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 219 
 
 the enemy, a desperate charge was made upon us. The can- 
 nonading was exceedingly heavy and accurate. Great trees 
 all around fell, snapped in twain by the shell and solid shot, 
 and many men were killed and wounded by the falling timber. 
 Trees, a foot in diameter, snapped in two like pipe stems, and 
 fell upon the men. It was growing dark before Anderson 
 could get in position, and during that time the troops never 
 experienced a heavier shelling. It was enough to make the 
 stoutest hearts quake. One of my very bravest men, one who 
 had never failed before, called to me as I passed, "Captain, if 
 I am not here when the roll is called, you may know where I 
 am. I don't believe I can stand this." But he did, and like 
 the man he was, withstood it. Another, a young recruit, and 
 under his first fire, almost became insane, jumping upon me 
 and begging "for God's sake" let him go to the rear. I could 
 not stand this piteous appeal, and knowing he could not be of 
 any service to us in that condition, told him "to go." It is 
 needless to say he obeyed my orders. Dr. Evans, our surgeon, 
 told me afterwards that he came to his quarters and remained 
 three days, perfectly crazy'. 
 
 At last the order came after night to advance. In a semi- 
 circle we swept through the thicket; turning, we came into the 
 road, and over it into the opening in front. The enemy was 
 pushed back into the breastworks on the bluff at the river. 
 These breastworks had been built by our troops during the 
 Fredericksburg battle, and afterwards to guard and protect 
 Raccoon and Ely's fords, just in rear. As night was upon us, 
 and the enemy huddled before us at the ford, we were halted 
 and lay on the field all night. This was the ending of the 
 battle of Chancellorsville. 
 
 Next morning the sun was perfectly hidden by a heavy 
 fog, so much so that one could not see a man twenty yards 
 distant. Skirmishers were thrown out and our advance made 
 to the river, but nothing was found on this side of the river 
 but the wounded and the discarded rifles and munitions of 
 war. The wounded lay in all directions, calling for help and 
 heaping curses upon their friends, who had abandoned them in 
 their distress. Guns, tent flies, and cartridge boxes were 
 packed up by the wagon loads. Hooker's Army was thor- 
 oughly beaten, disheartened, and disorganized. Met and 
 
220 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 defeated at every turn and move, they were only too glad to 
 place themselves across the river and under the protection of 
 their siege guns on Stafford's Heights. Hooker's losses were 
 never correctly given, but roughly computed at twenty-fiv'e 
 thousand, while those of Lee's were ten thousand two hundred 
 and eighty-one. But the Confederates counted it a dear vic- 
 tory in the loss of the intrepid but silent Stonewall Jackson. 
 There was a magic in his name that gave enthusiasm and con- 
 fidence to the whole army. To the enemy his name was a 
 terror and himself an, apparition. He had frightened and 
 beaten Banks out of the Shennandoah Valley, had routed 
 Fremont, and so entangled and out-generaled Seigle that he 
 was glad to put the Potomac between himself and this silent, 
 mysterious, and indefatigable chieftain, who oftened prayied 
 before battle and fought with a Bible in one hand and a sword 
 in the other. He came like a whirlwind upon the flank of Mc- 
 Clellan at Mechanicsville, and began those series of battles and 
 victories that terminated with the "Ivittle Giant" being 
 hemmed in at Drur3''s Bluff and Malvern Hill. While Pope, 
 the "Braggart,'' was sweeping the fields before him in North- 
 ern Virginia, and whose boast was he "saw only the enemy's 
 back," and his "headquarters were in the saddle," Jackson 
 appeared before him like a lion in his path. He swings around 
 Pope's right, over the mountains, back through Thoroughfare 
 Gap; he .sweeps through the country like a comet through 
 space, and falls on Pope's rear on the plains of Manassas, and 
 sent him flying across the Potomac like McDowell was beaten 
 two years before. While pursuing the enemy across the river 
 and into Maryland, he turns suddenly, recrosses the river, and 
 stands before Harper's Ferry, and captures that stronghold 
 with scarcely a struggle. All this was enough to give him 
 the sobriquet of the "Silent Man," the man of "mystery," and 
 it is not too much to say that Jackson to the South was worth 
 ten thousand soldiers, while the terror of his name wrought 
 consternation in the ranks of the enemy. 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 221 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 From Chancellorsville to Gettysburg — Camp, 
 March, and Battle. 
 
 Again w£ are in our old quarters. Details were sent out 
 every day to gather up the broken and captured guus, to be 
 shipped to Richmond for repairs. The soldiers had gathered a 
 great amount of camp supplies, such as oil cloths, tents, 
 blankets, etc. When a soldier captured more than a suffi- 
 ciency for his own wants, he would either sell to his com- 
 rades or to the brigade sutler. This was a unique personage 
 with the soldiers. He kept for sale such articles as the soldier 
 mostly needed, and always made great profits on his goods. 
 Being excused from military duty, he could come and go at 
 will. But the great danger was of his being captured or his 
 tent raided by his own men, the risk therefore being so great 
 that he had to ask exorbitant prices for his goods. He kept 
 crackers, cards, oysters and sardines, paper and envelopes, 
 etc., and often a bottle; would purcha.se all the plunder 
 brought him and peddle the same to citizens in the rear. 
 After the battle of Chancellorsville a member of Company D, 
 from Spartanburg, took the sutler an oil cloth to buy. After 
 the trade was effected, the sutler was seen to throw the cloth 
 behind a box in the tent. Gathering some of his friends, to 
 keep the man of trade engaged in front, the oil cloth man 
 would go in the rear, raise the tent, extract the oil cloth, take 
 it around, and sell it again. Paying over the money, the sutler 
 would throw the cloth behind the box, and continue his trade 
 with those in front. Another would go behind the tent, get 
 the cloth, bring it to the front, throw it upon the counter, and 
 demand his dollar. This was kept up till everyone had sold 
 the oil cloth once, and sometimes twice, but at last the old 
 sutler began to think oil cloths were coming in too regularly, 
 .so he looked behind the box, and behold he had been buying 
 the same oil cloth all night. The oflBce was abolished on our 
 next campaign. 
 
222 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Lee began putting his army in splendid trim. All furloughs 
 were discontinued and drills (six per week) were now begun. 
 To an outsider this seemed nonsensical and an useless burden 
 upon the soldiers, but to a soldier nothing is more requisite to 
 the discipline and morale of an army than regular drills, and 
 the army given a good share of what is called "red tape." By 
 the last of May, or the first of June, Lee had recruited his 
 army, by the non-extension of all furloughs and the return of 
 the slightly wounded, to sixty-eighl thousand. It is astonish- 
 ing what a very slight wound will cause a soldier to seek a 
 furlough. He naturally thinks that after the marches, dan- 
 ger, and dread of battle, a little blood drawn entitles him to at 
 least a thirty days' furlough. It became a custom in the 
 army for a man to compute the length of his furlough by the 
 extent of his wound. The very least was thirty days, so 
 when a soldier was asked the nature of his wound he would 
 reply i "only a thirty days'," or "got this time a sixty daj's';" 
 while with an arm or foot off he would say, "I got my dis- 
 charge" at such battle. 
 
 On the 27th of June Hooker was superseded by General 
 Geo. B. Meade, and he bent all his energies to the discipline of 
 his great army. 
 
 Genera] Kershaw, on his promotion to Brigadier, surrounded 
 himself with a staff of young men of unequalled ability, tire- 
 less, watchful, and brave to a fault. Captain C. R. Holmes, 
 as Assistant Adjutant General, was promoted to that position 
 from one of the Charleston companies. I fear no contradiction 
 when I say he was one of the very best staff officers in the 
 army, and had he been in line of promotion his merits would 
 have demanded recognition and a much higher position given 
 him. Captain W. M. Dwight, as Adjutant and Inspector 
 General, was also an officer of rare attainments. Cool and 
 collected in battle, his presence alvj'ays gave encouragement 
 and confidence to the men under fire. He was captured at 
 the Wilderness the 6th of May, 1864. Captain D. A. Doby 
 was Kershaw's Aide-de-Camp, or personal aid, and a braver, 
 more daring, and reckless soldier I never saw. Wherever the 
 battle raged fiercest, Captain' Doby was sure to be in the storm 
 center. Riding along the line where shells were plowing up 
 great furrows, or the air filled with flying fragments, and bul- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 223 
 
 lets following like hail from a summer clond, Doby would give 
 words of cheer and encouragement to the men. It seemed at 
 times that he lived a charmed life, so perilous was his situa- 
 tion in times of battle. But the fatal volley that laid the 
 lamented Jenkins low, and unhorsed Longstreet at the Wilder- 
 ness, gave Doby his last long furlough, felling from his horse 
 dead at the feet of his illustrious chieftain. Lieutenant John 
 Myers was Brigade Ordnance officer, but his duties did not call 
 him to the firing line, thus he was debarred from sharing with 
 his companions their triumphs, their dangers, and their glories, 
 the halo that will ever surround those who followed the plume 
 of the knightly Kershaw. 
 
 The Colonels of the different regiments were also fortunate 
 in their selection of Adjutants. This is one of the u)ost impor- 
 tant and responsible offices in the regimental organization. 
 The duties are manifold, and often thankless and unappreciated. 
 He shares more dangers (having to go from point to point dur- 
 ing battle to give orders) than most of the ofiicers, still he is 
 cut off, by army regulation, from promotion, the ambition and 
 goal of all officers. Colonel Kennedy, of the Second, appointed 
 as his Adjutant E. E. Sill, of Camden, while Colonel Nance, 
 of the Third, gave the position to his former Orderly Sergeant, 
 Y. J. Pope, of Newberry. Colonel Aiken, of the Seventh, ap- 
 pointed as Adjutant Thomas M. Childs, who was killed at 
 Sharpsburg. Colonel Elbert Bland then had Lieutenant John 
 R. Carwile, of Edgefield, to fill the position during the remain- 
 der of the service, or until the latter was placed upon the 
 brigade staff. Colonel Hennegan made Lieutenant Colin M. 
 Weatherly, of Bennettsville, S. C. Adjutant of the Eighth. 
 All were young men of splendid physique, energetic, courte- 
 ous, and brave. They had the love and confidence of the 
 entire command. W. C. Hariss, Adjutant of the Third Bat- 
 talion, was from Laurens. Of the Fifteenth, both were good 
 officers, but as they were not -with the brigade all the while, I 
 am not able to do them justice. 
 
 The troops of Lee were now at the zenith of their perfection 
 and glory. They looked upon them.selves as invincible, and 
 that no General the North could put in the field could match 
 our Lee. The cavalry of Stuart and Hampton had done some 
 remarkably good fighting, and they were now looked upon as 
 
224 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 an indispensable arm of the service. The cavalry of the West 
 were considered more as raiders than fighters, but our dis- 
 mounted cavalry was depended upon with almost as much con- 
 fidence as our infantry. This was new tactics of Lee's, never 
 before practiced in any army of the world. In other times, 
 where the cavalry could not charge and strike with their 
 sabres, they remained simply spectators. But Lee, in time 
 of battle, dismounted them, and they, with their long-ranged 
 carbines, did good and effective service. 
 
 Grant had been foiled and defeated at Vicksburg. At Holly 
 Springs, Chickasaw Bayou, Yazo Pass, and Millikin's Bend he 
 had been successfull5' met and defeated. The people of West 
 Virginia, that mountainous region of the old commonwealth, 
 had ever been loyal to the Union, and now formed a new State 
 and was admitted into the Union on the 20th of April, 1863, 
 under the name of "West Virginia." Here it is well to notice 
 a strange condition of facts that prevaile'dt*.over the whole 
 South, and that is the loyalty to the Union of all mountainous 
 regions. In the mountains of North Carolina, where men are 
 noted for their hardihood and courage, and who, once in the 
 field, made the very best and brave.st of soldiers, they held to 
 the Union, and looked with suspicion upon the heresy of 
 Secession. The same can be said of South Carolina, Tennes- 
 see, Georgia, and Alabama. These men would often go into 
 hiding in the caves and gorges of the mountains, and defy all 
 the tact and strategy of the conscript officers for months, and 
 sometimes for years. It was not for want of courage, for they 
 had that in abundance, but born and reared in an atmosphere 
 of personal independence, they felt as free as the mountains 
 they inhabited, and they scorned a law that forced them to do 
 that which was repugnant to their ideas of personal liberty. 
 Living in the dark recesses of the mountains, far from the 
 changing sentiments of their more enlightened neighbors of 
 the lowland, they drank in, 'as by inspiration with their 
 mother's milk, a loyalty to the general government as it had 
 ■come down to them from the days of their forefathers of the 
 Revolution. As to the question of slavery, they had neither 
 kith nor kin in interest or sentiment with that institution. As 
 to State's rights, as long as they were allowed to roam at 
 will over the mountain sides, distill the product of their valleys 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 225 
 
 and mountain patches, and live undisturbed in their glens and 
 mountain homes, they looked upon any changes that would 
 effect their surroundings as innovations to be resisted to the 
 death. So the part that We.st Virginia and the 'mountainous 
 regions of the South took iw the war was neither surprising to 
 nor resented by the people of the Confederacy. 
 
 By the middle of June L,ee began to turn his eyes again to 
 the tempting fields of grain and army supp'ies of Pennsylvania 
 and Maryland. The Valley had been laid waste. West Vir- 
 ginia given up, the Soinh was how put to her utmost resources ■ 
 to furnish supplies for her vast armies. All heavy baggage 
 was sent to the rear, and I,?e's tro )p3 b;gi!i m )ving by vari- 
 ous routes up and across the river in thi direction of Cnlpepper 
 Court House. But before the march began, General Lee re- 
 newed the whole of Longstreet's Corps, and the sight of this 
 mignificent body of troops wasboth inspiring and encouraging. 
 The. corps was formed in" two columns, in a very large and 
 level old field. The artillery was formed on the right, and as 
 General Lee with his staff rode into the opening thirteen guns 
 were fired as a salute to the Chief. Certain officers have cer- 
 tain salutes. The Presideiit has, I think, twputy-one guns, while 
 the Commander-in-Chief has thirteen, and so on. Wofford's 
 Georgia regiment was on the right, tnra Birkdiles's Missis- 
 sippi, Kershaw's South Carolina and Cobb's G;orgia consti- 
 tuted McLaws' division. The c,ilnai;is wheeled by companies. 
 into line and took up the niirch of raviejv. The binds headed 
 each brigade, and played National airs as the troops marched 
 by. 
 
 Barksdale had a magnificent brass band, while Kershaw 
 had only a fife corps headed by that prince of players, Sam 
 Siuimonds, who could get more real music out of a fife or flute 
 than some musicians could out of a whole band. The music 
 of the fife and drum, while it may not be so accomplished, 
 gives out more inspiring strains for the marching soldier than 
 any brass band. The cornet, with its accompanying pieces, 
 «iakes fine music on the stillness of tlie night, when soldiers 
 are preparing for their night's rest, but nothing gives the sol- 
 dier on the march more spirit than the fife and drum. When 
 a company nears the reviewing officer they give the salute by 
 briugiug their pieces from "right shoulder" to '.'carry," while 
 
126 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADM. 
 
 €)h the march, and from "carry" to "present arms" when sta- 
 tionary. The officers raise the hilt of the sword, grasped 
 firmly in the right hand, till the hilt is opposite' the chin, the 
 Jjoint of the blade extending outward about eighteen inches 
 from the eyes, then, with a quick movement, to the side, the 
 point downward and forward, and kept in this position till the 
 teviewiug oflEicer has passed a'oout eighteen paces. 
 
 The army had been placed under three Lieutenant Generalst 
 iLongstreet, with McL,aw's, Hood's and Pickett's first corps; 
 Oeneial Ewell, with Early's, Rhodes' and Trimble's consti- 
 tuting the 2d; while General A. P. Hill commanded Anderson's, 
 Heath's and Pendar's, the 3d. Colonel James D. Nance com- 
 Jnanded the 3d South Caroliiia, Colonel John D. Kennedy the 
 sd, Lieutenant Colonel Bland the 7th, Colonel Henegau the 
 8th, -Colonel Dessausure the 15th, and Lieutenant Colonel W. C 
 G. Rice the 3d battallion, which had now been recruited by 
 one man from each company in the brigade, forming two new 
 companies, and formed a battallion of sharpshooters and skir- 
 mishers. 
 
 The great army was now ready for the ever memorable sec- 
 ond invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania, which culminated 
 In Gettysburg. The army was never before nor afterwards 
 under betteer discipline nor in better fighting tritia. 
 
 I will say here, that Colonel Aiken soon joined the brigade, 
 and look command of his regiment until after the great battle,- 
 and then retired permanently from active service. 
 
 On the 3d of June McLaws led off. Hood following on the 
 4lh. Pickett followed -Hood. On the 4th and 5th Ewell 
 broke camp and followed. in the wake of Longstreet. A. P. 
 •Hill; with 3d corps, was left fit Fredericksburg to watch the 
 movements of the eneqiy. After some delay, the enemy 
 thi-eateuing a crossing, the 3d corps follO\jved the other troops, 
 all congregating near Culpepper Court House. Reaching the 
 Blue Ridge mountains at Ashby's Gap on the i2tli of June, at 
 the western base of which runs the Shenandoah, we forded the 
 jitream, it being somewhat swollen, so much so, indeed, that 
 men had to link hands as a protection. The water came lip 
 under the armpits, and four men marched abreast, holding 
 each other by the hands. Some caught hold of horses belong- 
 ing to officers of the regimental staff. In this way we crossed 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE . 227 
 
 ever, and took up camp in the woods beyond. The wagon 
 trains were in advance, and the march was slow and much im- 
 peded. Very few ot the men had divested themselves of their 
 clothing in crossing, and consequently when we went into 
 quarters it was a very wet army. The soldiers had built fires 
 and were rinsing out their clothes, when an order came to "fall 
 in ranks at once." The men hastily drew on their now thor- 
 oughly wet clothes, with all haste got into line and took up the 
 march back towards the river. A rumor was started "the 
 cavalry was pressing our rear." Kershaw's Brigade was 
 marched back over the river, much to their disgust, and posted 
 on the right and left of the road on top of the mountain. Here 
 we were stationed all night, and being on the watch for the 
 enemy, no fires were allowed. Towards day a cold mountain 
 wind set in, and the troops suffered no little from the chilly 
 wind and wet clothing. At sun-up we were marched for the 
 third time across the river, and prepared *bnr meals for the 
 ■morning in the quarters of the evening before. Up to this 
 time no intimation was given us of our destination, but while 
 preparing our breakfast Adjutant Pope'came around with or- 
 ders stating we were on our way to Hagerstowu, Md. At first 
 some seemed to regard this as a joke, but as Adjutant Pope was 
 so noted for his truthfulness and lack of jesting in business 
 matters, we were compelled to take the matter seriously. Of 
 all the officers in the 3d South Carolina, Adjutant Pope, I be- 
 lieve, was the most beloved. His position kept him' in close 
 contact with the ofiicers and men, and all had the utmost con- 
 fidence in his honor and integrity and none doubted his impar- 
 tiality. He had to keep the li.-t of companies, to do picket duty, 
 and detail, and he was never accused of showing preferment 
 to any company. He was kind and courteous to all, and while 
 he mingled and caroused with the men, he never forgot his 
 dignity nor the respect due to his superiors. Whenever a favor 
 was wanted, or a "friend at court" desired,, he never failed to 
 relieve and assist the poorest private the same as the highest 
 officer. While a strict disciplinarian, he was indulgent to 
 almost a fault, and was often seen to dismount and walk with 
 the troops and allow some tired or sick soldier to ride his horse. 
 Adjutant Pope and old "Doc," the name of his horse, were 
 indispeusable to the 3d South Carolina regiment. The trusty 
 
228 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 old horse, like bis master, survived the war and did good ser- 
 vice after its close. 
 
 The next da}', the 13th, we took up our march in earnest. 
 No straggling under any circumstances was allowed; The 
 greatest respect was to be paid to all property', no pilfering of 
 hen roosts, no robbery of orchards nor burning bf palings or 
 fences along the, ijiArijh. , SQuies.;rMile-iu front iwe struck the 
 Staunton and Winchester turnpike, and at regular intervals the 
 troops'werelialted for. a-few-miiiates' rest. Occasionally ihe 
 bands struck 'Up 'a march and the soldiers were ordered into line 
 and to take up. the step: 
 
 So away down the- valley we marched' with' banners flying, 
 bands 'playing' and the soldiers with a swinging step. Our 
 march was regulated to'about eighteen mile.S a day. But with 
 all the orders and strict discipline, a great' many of the soldiers 
 who were given the name of '"Foragers" could leave camp at 
 night and- often-cross the mountain into the Luray valley, a 
 valley, strictly speaking, laden< with' "milk and' honey." It 
 bad never suffered the ravages of the Shenandoah, and there' 
 everything enticing to the appetite"' of the soldier was found. 
 Before day the forager ■ would return 'with' butter, bread. an4t' 
 often canteens filled with jaire old "Mduntain Corn" or "Ap- 
 ple Jack." How men, after au' all-day's Straggling msrch, 
 wb'ich is far more tiresome than- au ordinary walk, could go' 
 from ten to^fifteen miles over the niount'ains at night in search 
 of something to eat or drink; is more' than I could understand. 
 
 In a day or'twowe heard the' neiivs of 'Ewell capturing 
 Milroy at Winchester, with'500 prisoners, and on the 'way a' 
 part of- their troops passed 'us ill high glee ou their way to Rich-' 
 mond -prison. I always noticed that the 'Federals, ou their 
 marchto Richmond, were generally in better spirits when being' 
 escortedby Confederates than when commanded by their own 
 ofiB-cers with the Confederates between-them and the Southern 
 Capital. ■ ■ 
 
 Ou thefiftb day of our march we passed through Winches- 
 ter, with A. P. Hill marching parallel to us, .some eight or ten' 
 miles to our right. Ewell had pushed on to the Potomac, and 
 was turning Washington wild and frantic at the sight of the 
 "Rebels''' so close to their capital. As we neared the border 
 We Gould discover Union sentiment taking the place of tb#t of 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 229 
 
 the South. Those who ever sj'mpathized with us had to be 
 very cautious and circumspect. Now and then we would see a 
 window slowly raise in a house by the roadside, or on a hill in 
 the distance, and the feeble flutter of a white handkerchief told 
 of their Confederate proclivities. Generally the doors of all 
 dwellings in the extreme northern portion of Virginia, and in 
 Maryland and Pennsylvania, were mostly closed. 
 
 On the morning of the 25th of June we crossed the Potomac 
 at Williamsport. Here was shouting and yelling. Hats went 
 into the air, flags dipped and swayed, the bands olayed "Mary- 
 land, My Maryland," while the men sang "All Quiet on the 
 Potomac To-night." We were now in the enemy's country, 
 and scarcely a shot fired. We had lost Stuart. "Where was 
 he?" "Stewart has left us." These and like expressions 
 were heard on all sides. That bold and audacious cavalier, in 
 a sudden fit of adventure, or hardihood unequelled, had crossed 
 the Potomac in sight of the .spires of Washington, almost under 
 its very guus, and had frightened the authorities out of their 
 wits. Every citizen that could possibly get out of the place 
 was grabbing his valuables and fleeing the city on every train. 
 The Cabinet officers were running hither and thither, not able 
 to form a sensible or rational idea. Had it been possible to 
 have evacuated the city, that would have been done. A Con- 
 federate prisqn or a hasty gibbet stared Staunton in the face, 
 and he was sending telegrams like lightning over the land. 
 Lincoln w*as the only one who seemingly had not lost his head. 
 But Stuart pushed on toward York and Carlisle, while Ewell 
 had carried fear and trembling to Philadelphia and Baltimore. 
 Mead was marching with the energy of despair to head off Lee 
 and his victorious troops.. Longstreet halted at Chambersburg 
 and awaited developments. The troops lived in clover. The 
 best of everything generally was given freely and willingly to 
 them. Great herds of the finest and fattest beeves were con- 
 tinually being gathered together. Our broken down artillery 
 horses and wagon mules were replaced by Pennsylvania's best. 
 But in all, duly paid for in Confederate notes given by our 
 Commissaries and Quartermasters. 
 
 At Hagerstown, Hill's troops came up with those of Long- 
 street, both moving on to Chambersburg, and there remained 
 until the 27th. 
 
230 HISTORY OF KERSHAw'S BRIGADB. 
 
 General Lee had issued an address to the people of Mary- 
 land setting forth the reasons and causes of his army invading- 
 their country, offering peace and protection, and calling upon 
 them to repair to his standard and throw off the tyranny and 
 oppression that were bearing them down. He claimed to come, 
 not as a conqueror, nor as one in pursuit of conquest, but as a 
 liberator. But the people seemed to be in a state of lethargy, 
 and to take little interest in the contest one way or the other. 
 Guards were placed at all homes where such protection was 
 asked for, and their fields of grain and orchards, as well as- 
 their domestic possessions, were sacredly guarded. 
 
 It was the general plan of L,ee not to fight an aggressive bat- 
 tle in the enemy's country, but to draw the army of the North 
 away from his lines of communities, and fight him on the defen- 
 sive at favorable points. 
 
 Ewell had been sent on towards Carlisle and York, both 
 those places being probably delivered to the Confederates by 
 the civil authorities. 
 
 In passing through Pennsylvania, many curious characters 
 were found among the quaint old Quaker settlers, who viewed 
 the army of Lee not with "fear" or "trembling," but more in 
 wonder aud Christian abhorrence. When the front of the col- 
 umn came to the line dividing Pennsylvania and Maryland, it 
 was met bj' a delegation of those rigorously righteous old 
 Quakers who, stepping in the middle of the road, commanded, 
 as in the name of God, "So far thou canst go, but no farther.'* 
 After performing this seemingly command of God, and in ac- 
 cordance with their faith, a perfect abhorrence to war and 
 bloodshed, they returned to their homes perfectly satisfied. It 
 is needless to say the cornmander of Lee's 2d corps paid little 
 heed to the command of the pious Quakers. 
 
 After remaining neur Chambersburg Kershaw, with the other 
 portion of the division, marched on to a little hamlet called 
 Greenwood, leaving a part of Pickett's division at Chambers- 
 burg to guard our trains. 
 
 On the 2gth the troops in advance began gradually to con- 
 centrate in the direction of Cashtown, some eight or tea 
 miles west of Gettysburg. Ewell was bearing down from Car- 
 lisle, A. P. Hill was moving east, while Longstreet was moved- 
 up to Greenwood. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 23J 
 
 On the first of July A. P. Hill had met the enemy near Get- 
 tysburg, and fought the first day's battle of that name, driving^ 
 the enemy back and through that city, part of his lines occu« 
 pying the streets of Gettysburg and extending north and 
 around the city. The distance intervening and the mountain- 
 ous condition of the country prevented us from hearing the roar 
 of the guns, and little did any of us think, while enjoying the 
 rest in our tents, one portion of our army was in the throes of 
 a desperate battle. Up to this time not a word had been heara 
 from Stuart and his cavalry, and this seriously disturbed the 
 mind of our great commander. The positions of the enemy, 
 moving against our rear and flank, necessitated a battle or a 
 withdrawal, and to fight a great battle without the aid of cav- ■ 
 airy simply seemed preposterous. General Stuart has been 
 greatly censured for his conduct during these stirring times, 
 Just on the eve of this, the greatest battle fought in modern 
 times. 
 
 Near sun-down, June ist, we got orders to move along a dull 
 road over hills, mountains and valleys. We marched with 
 elastic step, every one feeling the time had come for active 
 work. Early on our march we encountered Ganeral J. E- John- 
 ston's brigade of Early's division, that had been left at Cham* 
 bersburg, together with all of Ewell's wagon trains- This de- 
 layed our march until it w as thought all were well out of the 
 way. But before midnight it was overtaken again, and then 
 the march became slow and tedious. To walk two or three 
 steps, and then halt for that length of time, was anything but 
 restful and assuring to troops who had marched all night with- 
 out sleep or rest. About three o'clock at night, when we had 
 reached the summit of an eminence, we saw in the plain before 
 us a great sea of white tents, silent and still, with here and 
 there a groan, or a surgeon passing from one tent to another 
 relieving the pain of some poor mortal who had fallen in battle 
 on the morning of the day before. We had come upon the field 
 hospital of Hill, where he had his wounded of the day before 
 encamped. Heie we first heard of the fight in which so many 
 brave men had fallen, without any decided results. As we had 
 friends and relatives in A. P. Hill's corps, all began to make 
 inquiries tor Gregg's old brigade. We heard with delight and 
 animation of the grand conduct of the banner brigade of South 
 
232 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Carolina, "Gregg's" or McGowan's, and listened with no little 
 pride to the report of their desperite struggle through the 
 streets of Gettysburg, and to learn that the flag in the hands of 
 a meryber of a Palmetto regiment first waved over the city. I 
 heard here of the desperate wounding of an old friend and 
 school-mate, Lieutenant W. I,. Leitsey, and left the ranks 
 •long enough to hunt him up in one of the many tents to the 
 left. I found him severely wounded, so much so that I never 
 met him afterwards. While marching along at a "snail's 
 gait" among the wagons and artillery trains, with a long row 
 of tents to the left, tired and worn out and so dark that you 
 could not distinguish objects a few feet distant, a lone man 
 was standing by the road side viewing, as well as he could 
 In the dark, the passing troops. The slowness of our march 
 enabled me to have a few words of conversation with him. 
 At its end, and just as I was passing him, I heard, or thought 
 I heard him say, "I have a drink in here," pointing to a tent, 
 "if you feel like it." Reader, you may have heard of angel's 
 voices in times of great distress, but if ever an angel spoke, it 
 was at that particular moment, and to me. I was so tired, 
 sleepy and worn out I could scarcely stand, and a drink would 
 certainly be invigorating, but for fear I had not heard or un- 
 derstood him clearly I had him to repeat it. In fact, so timely 
 was it that I felt as if I could have listened all night, so much 
 like the voice of a syren was it at that moment. I said "Yes ! 
 Yes ! ! " But just then I thought of my friend and compan- 
 ion, my next Color Captain, John W. Watts, who was just 
 ahead of me and marching under the same difficulties as my- 
 self. I told the man I had a friend in front who wanted a 
 drink worse than I did. He answered "there is enough for 
 two," and we went in. It was Egyptian darkness, but we 
 found a jug and tin cup on the table, and helped ourselves. 
 It may have been that in the darkness we helped ourselves too 
 bountifully, for that morning Watts found himself in an ambu- 
 lance going to the rear. Overcome by weariness and the potion 
 swallowed in the dark perhaps, he lay down by the roadside to 
 snatch a few moments sleep, and was picked up by the driver 
 of the ambulance as one desperately wounded, and the driver 
 was playing the Good Samaritan. Just before we went into 
 action that day, I saw coming through an old field my lost 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 233 
 
 friend, and right royally glad was I to see him, for I was always 
 glad when I had Watts on my right of the colors. Our brigade 
 lay down by the roadside to rest and recuperate for a few hours, 
 near Willoughby's Run, four ruiles from Gettysburg. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIIL 
 
 Battle of Gettysburg — July 2d. 
 
 When the troops were aroused from their slumbers on that 
 beautiful clear morning of the 2d of July, the sun had long 
 since shot its rays over the quaint old, now historic, town of 
 Gettysburg, sleeping down among the hills and spurs of the 
 Blue Ridge. After an all-night's march, and a hard day's 
 work before them, the troops were allowed all the rest and 
 repose possible. I will here state that Longstneet had with 
 him only two divisions of his corps, with four Sg^Sats to a 
 divi-sion. Pickett was left near Chambersburg to protect the 
 numerous supply trains. Jenkins' South Carolina brigade of 
 his division had been left in Virginia to guard the mountain 
 passes against a possible cavalry raid, and thus had not the 
 opportunity of sharing with the other South Carolinians in the 
 glories that will forever cluster around Gettysburg. They 
 would, too, had they been present, have enjoyed and deserved 
 the halo that will for all time surround the "charge of Pickett," 
 a charge that will go down in history with Balaclava and Ho- 
 henlinden. 
 
 A. P. Hill, aided by part of Ewell's corps, had fought a 
 winning fight the day before, and had driven the enemy from 
 the field -through the streets of the sleepy old town of Gettys- 
 burg to the high ground on the east. But this was only the 
 advance guard of General Meade, thrown forward to gain time 
 in order to bring up his main army. He was now concen- 
 trating it with all haste, and forming in rear of the rugged 
 ridge running south of Gettysburg and culminating in the 
 promontories at the Round Top. Behind this ridge was soon 
 to assemble an army, if not the largest, yet the grandest, best 
 disciplined, best equipped of all time, with an incentive to do 
 successful battle as seldom falls to the lot of an army, and on 
 its success or defeat depended the fate of two nations. 
 
234 HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 There was a kind of intuition, an apparent settled fact, among 
 the soldiers of Longstreet's corps, that after all the other troops 
 bad made their long marches, tugged at the flanks of the enemy, 
 threatened his rear, and all the display of strategy and general- 
 ship had been exhausted in the dislodgenient of the foe, and all 
 these failed, then when the hard, stubborn, decisive blow was 
 to be struck, the troops of the first corps were called upon to 
 strike it. Longstreet had informed Lee at the outset, "My 
 corps is as solid as a rock — a great rock. I will strike the 
 blow, and win, if the other troops gather the fruits of victory." 
 
 How confident the old "War Horse," as General Lee called 
 him, was in the soliditj- and courage of his troops. Little did 
 he know when he made the assertion that so soon his seventeen 
 thousand men were to be pitted against the whole army of the 
 Potomac. Still, no battle was ever considered decisive until 
 Longstreet, with his cool, steady head, his heart of steel and 
 troops who acknowledged no superior, or scarcely equals 
 in ancient or modern times, in endurance and courage, had 
 measured strength with the enemy. This I give, not as a per- 
 sonal view, Dut as the feelings, the confidence and pardonable 
 pride of the troops of the ist corps. 
 
 As A. P. Hill and Ewell had had their bout the day before, 
 it was a foregone conclusion that Longstreet' s time to measure 
 strength was near at hand, and the men braced themselves ac- 
 cordingly for the ordeal. 
 
 A ridge running parallel with that behind which the enemy- 
 stood, but not near so precipitous or rugged, and about a mile: 
 distant, with a gentle decline towards the base of the opposite 
 ridge, was to be the base of the battle ground of the day. This, 
 plain or gentle slope between the two armies, a mile in extent^ 
 was mostly open fields covered with grain or other crops, with 
 here and there a farm house, orchard and garden. It seems 
 irom reports since made that Lee had not matured his plan of 
 battle until late in the forenoon. He called a council of war 
 of his principal Lieutenant to discuss plans and feasibilities. 
 It was a long time undecided whether Ewell should lead the 
 battle on the right, or allow Longstreet to throw his whole- 
 corps on the Round Top and break away these strongholds, the 
 very citadel to Meade's whole line. The latter was agreed upon, 
 much against the judgment of General Longstreet, but Lee'g. 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 235 
 
 orders were imperative, and obeyed with alacrity. At ten 
 o'clock the movement began for the formation of the columns 
 of assault. Along and in rear of the ridge we marched at a 
 slow and halting gait. The Washington artillery had preceded 
 us, and soon afterwards Alexander's battery passed to select 
 positions. We marched and countermarched, first to the right, 
 then to the left. As we thus marched we had little opportu- 
 nity as yet to view the strongholds of the enemy on the oppo- 
 site ridge, nor the incline between, which was soon to be strewn 
 with the dead and dying. Occasionally a General would 
 ride to the crest and take a survey of the surroundings. No 
 cannon had yet been fired on either side, and everything was 
 quiet and still save the tread of the thousands in motion, as if 
 preparing for a great review. 
 
 lyongstreet passed us once or twice, but he had his eyes cast 
 to the ground, as if in a deep study, his mind disturbed, and 
 had more the look of gloom than I had ever noticed before. 
 Well might the great chieftain look cast down with the weight 
 of this great responsibility resting upon him. There seemed to 
 be an air of heaviness hanging around all. The soldiers trod 
 with a firm but seeming heavy tread. Not that there was any 
 want of confidence or doubt of ultimate success, but each felt 
 within himself that this was to be the decisive battle of the 
 war, and as a consequence it would be stubborn and bloody. 
 Soldiers looked in the faces of their fellow-soldiers with a silent 
 sympathj' that spoke more eloquently than words an exhibi- 
 tion of brotherly love never before witnessed in the ist corps. 
 They felt a sympathy for those whom they knew, before the 
 setting of the sun, would feel touch of the elbow for the last 
 time, and who must fall upon this distant field and in an ene- 
 my's country. 
 
 About now we were moved over the crest and halted behind 
 a stone wall that ran parallel to a county road, our center being 
 near a gateway in the wall. As soon as the halt was made 
 the soldiers fell down, and soon the most of them were fast 
 asleep. While here, it was necessary for some troops of Hill's 
 to pass over up and through the gate. The head of the col- 
 umn was lead by a doughty General clad in a brilliant new 
 uniform, a crimson sash encircling his waist, its deep, heavy- 
 hanging down to his sword scabbard, while great golden curls 
 
236 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 hung in maiden ringlets to his very shoulders. His movement 
 was superb and he sat his horse in true Knightly manner. On 
 the whole, such a turn-out was a sight seldom witnessed by the 
 staid soldiers of the First Corps. As he was passing a man in 
 Company D, 3d South Carolina, roused up from his broken 
 sleep, saw for the first time the soldier wonder with the long 
 curls. He called out to him, not knowing he was an officer of 
 such rank, "Say, Mister, come right down out of that hair," a 
 foolish and unnecessary expression that was common through- 
 out the army when anything unusual hove in sight. 
 
 This hail roused all the ire in the flashy General, he became 
 as "mad as a March hare," and wheeling his horse, dashed up 
 to where the challenge appeared to have come from and 
 demanded in an angry tone, "Who was that .spoke? Who 
 commands this company ?" And as no reply was given he 
 turned away, saying, "D — d if I only knew who it was that 
 insulted me, I v.-ould put a ball in him." But as he rode off 
 the soldier gave him a Parthian shot by calling after him, "Say, 
 Mister, don't get so mad about it, I thought you were some 
 d. — n wagon master. ' ' 
 
 Slowly again our column began moving to the right. The 
 center of the division was halted in front of little Round Top. 
 Kershaw was then on the right. Barksdale with his Mississip- 
 pjans on his left, Woiford and SeffiSfer with their Georgians in 
 rear as support. Everything was quiet in our front, as if the 
 enemy had put his house in order and awaited our coming. 
 Kershaw took position behind a tumbled down wall to await 
 Hood's movements on our right, and who was to open the bat- 
 tle by the assault on Round Top. The country on our right, 
 through whii h Hood had to manoeuvre, was very much broken 
 and thickly studded with trees and mountain undergrowth, 
 which delayed that General in getting in battle line. Ander- 
 son's Georgians, with Hood's old Texas Brigade under Rob- 
 ertsoJi, was on Mcl,aws' immediate right, next to Kershaw. 
 Ivaw's Alabama Brigade was on the extreme right, and made 
 the first advance. On McLaws' left was Wilcox, of General 
 "Tige" Anderson's Division of the 3d Corps, with Posey and 
 other troops to his left, these to act more as a brace to L,ong- 
 srreet as he advanced to the assault; however, most of them 
 were drawn into the vortex of battle before the close of the day. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE. 237 
 
 In Kershaw's Brigade, the 2d under Colonel John D. Kennedy 
 and Lieutenant Colonel Frank Gilliarl, the 15th under Colonel 
 W D. Dessausure and Major Wm. Gist, the 3d under Colonel 
 James D. Nance and Major R. C. Maffett, the 7th under 
 Colonel D. Wyatt Aiken and Lieutenant Colonel Elbert Bland, 
 the 3d Battallion under Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Rice, the 
 8th under Colonel John W. Heneg'an, Lieutenant Colonel Hood 
 and Major McLeod, went into battle in the order named, as far 
 as I remember Major Wm. Wallace of the 2d commanded the 
 brigade skirmish line or .sharpshooters, now some distance in 
 our front. A battery often guns was immediately in our rear, 
 in a grove of oaks, and drew on us a heavy fire when the ar- 
 tillery duel began. All troops in line, the batteries in position, 
 nothing was wanting but the signal gun to put these mighty 
 forces in motion. Ewell had been engaged during the morn- 
 ing in a desultory battle far to our left and beyond the town, 
 but had now quieted down. A blue puff of smoke, a deafen- 
 ing report from one of the guns of the Washington Artillery of 
 New Orleans, followed in quick succession by others, gave the 
 signal to both armies — the battle was now on. 
 
 It was the plan of action for Hood to move forward first and 
 engage the enemy, and when once the combat was well under 
 way on the right, McLaws to press his columns to the front. 
 Law, with his Alabamians, was closing around the .southern 
 base of greater Round Top, while Robert.son, with his three 
 Texas regiments and one Arkansas, and Anderson with his 
 Georgians, were pushing their way through thickets and over 
 boulders to the front base of the Round Tops and the gorges 
 between the two. We could easily determine their progress by 
 the "rebel yell" as it rang out in triumph along the mountain 
 sides. 
 
 The battery in our rear was drawing a fearful fire upon us, 
 as we lay behind the stone fence, and all were but too anxious 
 to be ordered forward. Barksdale, on our left, moved out first, 
 just in front of the famous Peach Orchard. A heavy battery 
 was posted there, supported by McCandless' and Willard's Di- 
 visions, and began raking Barksdale from the start. The 
 brave old Mississippian, who was .so soon to lose his life, asked 
 permission to charge and take the battery, but was refused. 
 Kershaw next gave the command, "forward,!^' and the men 
 
238 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 sprang to their work with a will and determination and spread 
 their steps to the right and left as they advanced. Kershaw 
 was on foot, prepared to follow the line of battle immediately 
 in rear, looking cool, composed and grand, his steel-gray eyes 
 flashing the fire he felt in his soul. 
 
 The shelling from the enemy on the ridge in front had, up to 
 this time, been mostly confined to replying to our batteries, 
 but as soon as this long array of bristling bayonets moved over 
 the crest and burst out suddenly in the open, in full view of 
 of the cannon-crowned battlements, all guns were turned upon 
 us. The shelling from Round Top was terrific enough to 
 make the stoutest hearts quake, while the battery down at the 
 base of the ridge, in the orchard, was raking Barksdale and 
 Kershaw right and left with grape and shrapnell. Semms" 
 Georgians soon moved up on our right and between Kershaw 
 and Hood's left, but its brave commander fell mortally wound- 
 ed at the very commencement of the attack. Kershaw ad- 
 vanced directly against little Round Top, the strongest point 
 in the enemy's line, and defended by Ayer's Regulars, the 
 best disciplined and most stubborn fighters in the Federal 
 army. The battery in the orchard began grapeing Kershaw's 
 left as soon as it came in range, the right being protected by a 
 depression in the ground over which they marched. Not a 
 gun was allowed to be fired either at sharpshooters that were 
 firing on our front froo behind boulders and trees in a grove 
 we were nearmg, or at the commoners who were raking our 
 flank on the left. Men fell here and there from the deadly 
 minnie-balls, while great gaps or swaths were swept away in 
 our ranks by shells from the batteries on the hills, or by the 
 destructive grape and canister from the orchard. On marched 
 the determined men across this open expanse, closing together 
 as their comrades fell out. Barksdale had fallen, but his troops 
 were still moving to the front and over the battery that was 
 making such havoc in their ranks. Semms, too, had fallen, 
 but his Georgians never wavered nor faltered, but moved like a 
 huge machine in the face of these myriads of death-dealing 
 missiles. Just as we entered the woods the infantry opened 
 upon us a withering fire, especially from up the gorge that 
 ran in the direction of Round Top. Firing now became gen- 
 eral along the whole Hue on both sides. The Fifteenth Regi'' 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 239 
 
 raent met a heavy obstruction, a mock-orange hedge, and it 
 was just after passing this obstacle that Colonel Dessausure fell. 
 The center of the Third Regiment and some parts of the other 
 regiments, were practically protected by boulders and large 
 trees, but the greater part fought in the open field or in 
 sparsely timbered groves of small trees. The fight now waged 
 fast and furious. 
 
 Captain Malloy writes thus of the 8th: "We occupied the 
 extreme left of the brigade, just fronting the celebrated 'Peach 
 Orchard.' The order was given. We began the fatal charge, 
 and soon had driven the enemy from their guns in the orchard, 
 when a command was given to 'move to the right,' which 
 fatal order was obeyed under a terrible fire, this leaving the 
 'Peach Orchard' partly uncovered. The enemy soon rallied 
 to their guns and turned them on the flank of our brigade. 
 Amid a storm of shot and shell from flank and front, our gal- 
 lant old brigade pushed towards the Round Top, driving all be- 
 fore them, till night put an end to the awful slaughter. The 
 regiment went in action with 215 in ranks, and lost more than 
 half its number. We lost many gallant officers, among whom 
 were Major McLeod, Captain Thomas E. Powe, Captain John 
 Mclver, and others." The move to the right was to let Wof- 
 ford in between Barksdale and Kershaw. 
 
 Barksdale was pressing up the gorge that lay between little 
 Round Top and the ridge, was making successful battle and in 
 all likelihood would have succeeded had it not been for ' Gene- 
 ral Warren. General Meade's Chief Engineer being on the 
 ground and seeing the danger, grasped the situation at once, 
 called up all the available force and lined the stone walls that 
 led along the gorge with infantry. Brigade after brigade of 
 Federal infantry was now rushed to this citadel, while the 
 crown of little Round Top was literally covered with artillery. 
 Ayer's Regulars were found to be a stubborn set by Kershaw's 
 troops. The Federal volunteers on our right and left gave 
 way to Southern valor, but the regulars stood firm, protected 
 as they were by the great boulders along their lines. Barks- 
 dale had passed beyond us as the enemy's line bent backward 
 at this point, and was receiving the whole shock of battle in 
 his front, while a terrific fire was coming from down the gorge 
 and from behind hedges on the hill-side. But the Mississip- 
 
240 HISTORY OS' KEESHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 pians held on like grim death till Wofford, with his Georgians, 
 who was m(.ving in majestic style across the open field in the 
 rear, came to his support. 
 
 General Wofford was a splendid officer, and equally "as hard 
 a fighter. He advanced his brigade through the deadly hail 
 >of bullets and took position on Bardsdale's right and Kershaw's 
 left, and soon the roar of his guns were mingling with those of 
 their comrades. The whole division was now in action. The 
 enemy began to give vvaj', and scamper np the hill-side. But 
 Meade; by this time, had the bulk of his army around and in' 
 rear of the Round Top, and fresh troops were continuall3' be- 
 ing rushed in to take the places of or reinforce those already, 
 in action. Hood's whole force was now also engaged; as well 
 as a part of A. P. Hill's on our left.' The smoke^ becai^ie, so- 
 dense, the noise of small arms and the tumult raised by the ! 
 "Rebel Yell,". so great that the voices of officers attempting 
 to give commands were hushed in the pandemonium. Along' 
 to the right of the 3d, especially up the little ravine, the fire 
 was concentrated on those who held' tlijis position and was ter- 
 rific- beyond description, forcing a part of the line.back to the- 
 stone house. This fearful shock of battle; was kept up along 
 the whole line ■vyithout intermission till night threw her sable 
 curtains over the scene of icarnage- and bloodshed and-put aa 
 end to the .strife.', Wofl:ord, and Barksdale had none -to rein- 
 force them at the gorge, and had to fijsht it out. single-handed-! 
 and alone, while the Regulars, w'iththeir backs to the base of 
 little Round Top, protected by natural formations, were too 
 strong to be dislodged by Kershaw. As soon as the firing 
 ceased the troops w,ere withdrawn to near our position of the- 
 forenoon. 
 
 The work of gathering up the wounded lasted till late at 
 night. Our loss in regimental and line officers was very-great. 
 Scarcely a regiment but what had lost one of its staff, nor a 
 company souie of its officers. Dr. Salmond, the Brigade' Sur- 
 geon, came early upon the field and directed in person- the- 
 movements of his assistants in their work of gathering up the 
 wounded, i "The dead were left to take care o£ the dead" 
 until next daj'. 
 
 When the 'brigade was near the woodland in its- advance, a 
 most deadly fire was directed towards the center of the 3d botji 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 2(41 
 
 by the battery to our left, and sharpshooting in the front. It 
 was thought by some that it was our flag that was drawing the 
 fire, four color guards having gone down, some one called out 
 "lyower the colors, down with the flag." Sergaut Lamb, color 
 bearer, waved the flag aloft, and moving to the front where all 
 could see, called out in loud tones, "This flag never goes down 
 until I am down." 
 
 Then tho word went up and down the line "Shoot that offi.- 
 cer, down him, shoot him," but still he continued to give those - 
 commands, "Ready, aim, fire," and the grape shot would come- 
 plunging into our very faces. The sharpshooters, who had!: 
 joined our ranks, as we advanced, now commenced to bla«er 
 away, and the connoneers scattered to cover in the rear. This; 
 officer finding himself deserted by his men, waved his swordi 
 defiantly over his head and walked away as deliberately as on 
 dress parade, while the sharpshooters were plowing up the 
 dirt all around him, but all failed to bring him down. We 
 bivouaced during the night just in rear of the battle ground^ 
 
 CHAPTER XIX, 
 
 Gettysburg Continued— Pickett's Charge. 
 
 The next morning, July the 3rd, the sun rose bright sad 
 clear. Rations were brought to the men by details, who, after 
 marching and fighting all day, had to hunt up the supply 
 train, draw rations and cook for their companies for the next 
 day — certainly a heavy burden on two men, the usual detail 
 from each company. 
 
 No one could conjecture what the next move would be, but 
 the army felt a certainty that I^ee would not yield to a drawn 
 battle without, at least, another attempt to break Meade's front. 
 Either the enemy would attempt to take an advantage of our 
 yesterday's repulse and endeavor to break our lines, crush I<ee 
 by doubling him back on the Patomac, or that I^ee would un- 
 dertake the accomplishment of the work of the day before. 
 After the heavy battle of yesterday and the all night's march 
 preceding, the soldiers felt little like renewing the fight of 
 today, still there was no despondency, no lack of ardor, or 
 
242 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 morale, each and every soldier feeling, while he had done his 
 best the day before, still he was equal to that before him for 
 today. 
 
 In the First Corps all was still and quiet, scarcely a shot 
 from either side, a picket shot occasionally was the only re- 
 minder that the enemy was near. 
 
 Away to our left, and beyond the city, the Federals had as- 
 saulted Ewell's lines, and a considerable battle was raging from 
 daylight till lo o'clock. 
 
 The enemy were endeavoring to regain some of the trenches 
 they had lost two days before. 
 
 General Pickett, who had been left at Chambersburg, had 
 now come up with his threaVirginia Brigades, Garnett's, 
 Kemper's, and Armstead's, (fKfetettbeing left in Virginia) 
 iand was putting them in position for his famous charge. 
 
 While this has no real connection with the work in hand, 
 still, since the "Charge of Pickett," has gone in song and 
 story, as the most gallant, dashing, and bloody of modern 
 times, I am tempted here to digress somewhat, and give, as 
 far as I am able, an impartial account of this memorable corti- 
 bat, being an eye witness. While Pickett led the storming 
 party, in person, still the planning and details were entrusted 
 to another head, namely. General Longstreet. In justice to 
 him I will say he was opposed to this useless sacrifice of life 
 and limb. In his memoirs he tells how he pleaded with I,ee, 
 to relieve him from the responsibility of command, and when 
 the carnage was at its zenith, riding through the hail from 
 three hundred cannons and shells bursting under and over 
 him, the Old Chieftain says, ' 'I raised my eyes heavenward 
 and prayed that one of these shots might lay me low and re- 
 lieve me from this awful responsibility." While I would, by 
 no word, or intimation detract one iota from the justly earned 
 fame of the great Virginian, nor the brave men under him, 
 still it is but equal justice to remember and record that there 
 were other Generals and troops from other States as justly 
 meritorious and deserving of honor as participants in the great 
 charge, as Pickett and his Virginians. On the day before, Ker- 
 shaw, in the battle before little "Round Top," Semms to the 
 right, Wofford and Barksdale in front of the peach orchard and 
 up the deadly gorge around Little Round Top to say nothing 
 of Hood at Round Top, charged and held in close battle, two 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 243 
 
 thirds of the Army of the Potomac, without any support what- 
 ever. See now how Pickett was braced and supported. Cem- 
 etery Ridge was a long ridge of considerable elevation, on which, 
 and behind it the enemy was marshalled in mass; opposite this 
 ridge was another of less eminence, and one mile, or near so, 
 distant, behind which the Confederates were concentrating for 
 the assault. I,ongstreet moved McLaws up near to the right 
 of the assaulting columns in two lines, Semms and Wofford 
 in the front and Barksdale and Kershaw in the rear lines as 
 support. I continue to retain the names of the Brigade Com- 
 manders to designate the troops, although Barksdale and 
 Semms had fallen the day before. 
 
 Kemper and Garnett were on the i-ight of the assaultin g 
 column, with Armstead as support, all Virginians and ot 
 Pickett's Division. Wilcox, with his Alabama Brigade was to 
 move some distance in rear of Pickett's right to take any ad- 
 vantage of the break in the line, and to protect Pickett's flank. 
 On the left of Pickett, and on the line of attack was Heath's 
 Division, commanded by General Pettigrew, composed of 
 Archer's Brigade, of Alabama and Tennesseeans, Pettigrew's, 
 North Carolina, Brockenboro's, Virginia, and Davis' Brigade, 
 composed of three Mississippi Regiments and one North Caro- 
 lina, with Scales' and Lanes' North Carolina Brigade in support. 
 Hood and Mclyaws guarding the right and A. P. Hill the left. 
 I repeat it, was there ever an assaulting column better braced 
 or supported? 
 
 General Alexander had charge of the artillerj' at this point, 
 and the gunners along the whole line were standing to their 
 pieces, ready to draw the lanyards that were to set the opposite 
 hills ablaze with shot and shell, the moment the signal was 
 given. 
 
 Everyman, I dare say, in both armies held his breath in 
 anxious and feverish suspense, awaiting the awful crash. The 
 enemy had been apprised of the Confederate movements, and 
 were prepared for the shock. 
 
 When all was ready the signal gun was fired, and almost 
 simultaneously one hundred and fifty guns belched forth upon 
 the enemy's works, which challenge was readily accepted by 
 Meade's cannoneers, and two hundred shrieking shells made 
 answer to the Confederate's salute. Round after round were 
 fired in rapid succession from both sides, the air above seemed 
 
244 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 filled with shrieking, screaming, bursting shells. For a time- 
 it looked as if the Heavens above had opened her vaults of 
 thunder bolts, and was letting them fall in showers upon the 
 heads of mortals below. Some would burst overhead, while 
 others would go whizzing over us and explode far in the rear. 
 It was the intention of l,ee to so silence the enemy's batteries, 
 that the assaulting column would be rid of this dangerous, 
 annoyance. Longstreet says of the opening of the battle: 
 "The signal guns broke the silence, the blaze of the second 
 gxin, mingling in the smoke of the first, and salvos rolled ta 
 the left and repeating themselves along the ridges the enem3''& 
 fine metal spreading its fire to the converging lines of the Con- 
 federates, plowing the trembling ground, plunging through 
 the line of batteries and clouding the heavy air. Two or three 
 hundred guns seemed proud of their undivided honors of organ- 
 ized confusion. The Confederates had the benefit of cour- 
 verging fire into the enemy's massed position, but the superior 
 metal of the enemy neutralized the advantages of position. 
 The brave and steady work progressed." 
 
 After almost exhausting his amunition, General Alexander 
 .sent a message to General Pickett, "If you are coming, come 
 at once, or I cannot give you proper support. Ammunition 
 nearly exhausted; eighteen guns yet firing from the cemetery." 
 This speaks volumes for our artillerist, who had silenced over one 
 hundred and fifty guns, only eighteen yet in action, but these 
 eighteen directly in front of Pickett. Under this deadly can- 
 nonade, Pickett sprang to the assault. Kemper and Garnett 
 advanced over the crest, closely followed by Armstead. Wil- 
 cox, with his Alabamians, took up the step and marched a 
 short distance in rear of the right. The Alabamians, Tennes- 
 seeans. North Carolinians, and Virginians under Pettigrew 
 lined up on Pickett's left, followed by Trimble, with his two 
 North Carolina Brigades and the columns were ofE. The bat- 
 teries on the ridges in front now turned all their attention to 
 this dreaded column of gray, as soon as they had passed over 
 the crest that up to this time had concealed them. To 
 the enemy even this grand moving body of the best material 
 in the world must have looked imposing as it passed in solid 
 phalanx over this broad expanse without scarcely a bush or 
 tree to screen it. And what must have been the feelings of 
 the troops that were to receive this mighty shock of battle f 
 
HMTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 245 
 
 The men marched with firm step, with banners flying, the 
 thunder of our guns in rear roaringand echoing to cheer them 
 on, while those of the enemy were sweeping wind rows through 
 their ranks. Mclyaws was moved up nearer the enemy's lines 
 to be ready to reap the benefit of the least signs of success. 
 Brockenborro and Davis were keeping an easy step with Kemper 
 and Garnett, but their ranks were being thinned at every ad- 
 vance. Great gaps were mown out by the bursting of shells 
 while the grape and canister caused the soldiers to drop by 
 ■ones, twos and sections along the jvhole line. Men who were 
 spectators of this carnage, held their breath in horror, while 
 others turned away from the sickening scene, in pitying si- 
 lence. General Trimble was ordered to close up and fill the 
 depleted ranks, which was done in splendid style, and on the 
 assaulting columns sped. 
 
 Trimble had fallen, Garnett was killed, with Kemper and Gib- 
 bon being borne from the field more dead than alive. At last 
 the expected crash came, when infantry met infantry. Pickett's 
 Tight strikes Hancock's center, then a dull, sullen roar told 
 too well that Greek had met Greek. Next came Davis, then 
 Brockenborro, followed on the left by Archer's and Pettigrew's 
 Brigade, and soon all was engulfed in the smoke of battle 
 and lost to sight. Such a struggle could not last long for the 
 tension was too great. The Confederates had driven in the 
 first line, but Meade's whole army was near, and fresh bat- 
 talions were being momentarily ordered to the front. The 
 ■enemy now moved out against Pickett's right, but Semms and 
 Wofford of McLaws' Division were there to repulse them. 
 
 For some cause, no one could or ever will explain, Pickett's 
 Brigades wavered at a critical moment, halted, hesitated, then 
 the battle was lost. Now began a scene that is as unpleasant 
 to record as it is sickening to contemplate. When Pickett saw 
 his ruin, he ordered a retreat and then for a mile or more these 
 brave men, who had dared to march up to the csnnon's mouth 
 with twenty thousand infantry lying alongside, had to race 
 across this long distance with Meade's united artillery playing 
 upon them, while the twenty thousand rifles were firing upon 
 their rear as they ran. 
 
 Pettigrew's Division, which was clinging close to the battle, 
 saw the disaster that had befallen the gallant Virginians, then 
 in turn they, too, fled the field and doubling up on Lane and 
 
246 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 Scales, North Carolinians, made "confusion worse confounded.'" 
 This flying mass of humanity only added another target for 
 the enemy's guns and an additional number to the death roll^ 
 
 Alexander's batteries, both of position, and the line now 
 turned loose with redoubled energy on those of the enemy's. 
 to relieve, as far as possible, our defeated, ilying, and, demora- 
 lized troops. For a few moments (which seemed like days to 
 the defeated) it looked as if all nature's power and strength 
 were turned into one mighty upheaval; Vessuvius, Etna, and 
 Popocatepetl were emptying their mighty torrents upon the- 
 heads of the unfortunate Confederates. Men fell by the hun- 
 dreds, officers ceased to rally them until the cover of the ridge 
 was reached. The hills in front were ablaze from the flashes' 
 of near two hundred guns, while the smoke from almost as- 
 many on our lines slowly lifted from the ridge behind us, 
 showing one continued sheet of flames, the cannoneers work- 
 ing their guns as never lieforfe. The earth seemed to vibrate 
 and tremble under the recoil of these hundreds of guns, while 
 the air overhead was filled with flying shells. Not a twink- 
 ling of the eye intervened between the passing of shots or 
 shells. The men who were not actively engaged became 
 numbed and a dull heavy sleep overcame them as they lay 
 under this mighty unnatural storm, shells, falling short came 
 plowing through the ground, or bursting prematurely over- 
 head, with little or no effect upon the slumberers, only a cry- 
 of pain as one and another received a wound or a death sho.L 
 from the flying fragments. The charge of Pickett is over, the 
 day is lost, and men fall prone upon the earth to catch breath 
 and think of the dreadful ordeal just passed and of the many 
 hundreds lying between them and the enemy's line bleeding, 
 dying without hope or succor. 
 
 Farnsworth, of Kilpatrick's Cavalry, had been watching the 
 fray from our extreme right, where Hood had stationed scat- 
 tered troops to watch his flank, and when the Union General 
 saw through the mountain gorges and passes the destruction of 
 Pickett he thought his time for action had come. The battle- 
 scarred war honses .suufied the blood aud smoke of battle from, 
 afar, and champed their bits in anxious impatience. The 
 troopers looked down the line and met the stern faces of their 
 comrades adjusting themselves to their saddles and awaiting 
 the signal for the charge. Farnsworth awaits no orders, and 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 247 
 
 when he saw the wave of Pickett's recede he gave the com- 
 mand to "(.harge," and his five hundred troopers came thun- 
 dering down upon our detachments on the extreme right. Bnt 
 Farn.sworth had to ride over and between the Fourth, Four- 
 teenth, and Fifteenth Alabama Regiments, the Eleventh. 
 Georgia, and the First Texas, and it is needless to add, his. 
 ride was a rough and disastrous one. Farnsworth, after re- 
 peated summons to surrender, fell, pierced with five wounds, 
 and died in a few moments. His troopers w-ho had escaped 
 death or capture fled to the gorges and passes of the moun- 
 tains through which they had so recently ridden in high ex- 
 pectation. 
 
 The enemy, as well as the Confederates, had lost heavily in 
 general ofi&cers. Hancock had fallen from his horse, shot 
 throujih the side with a minnie ball, disabling him for a long 
 time. General Dan Sickles, afterwards military Governor of 
 South Gflrolina, lost a leg. General Willard was killed. Gen- 
 erals Newton, Gibbon, Reynolds, Barlow were either killed or 
 wounded, with many other officers of note in the Federal 
 Army. 
 
 The soldier Is not the cold unfeeling, immovable animal that 
 some people ,seem to think he is. On the contrary, and para- 
 doxical as it may appear, he is warm-hearted, sympathetic, 
 and gen^ous spirited and his mind often reverts to home, kin- 
 dred, and friends, when least expected. His love and sympa- 
 thy for his fellow-soldier is proverbial in the army. In the lull 
 i)f battle, or c^ its pve, men with bold hearts and strong nerves 
 Jook each other in the face with grim reliance. With set teeth 
 andnerves strung to extreme tension, the thoughts of the sol- 
 dier often wander to his distant home. The panorama of his- 
 whole life passes before him in vivid colors. His fisrt thoughts 
 are of the great beyond — all soldiers, whatever their beliefs or 
 dogmas, think of thjs. It is natural, it is right, it is just ta 
 himself. If ^ sees in his imagination the aged father or mother 
 or the wife and little ones with outstretched arms awaiting the 
 coming 6'f'ti'im who perhaps will never come. These are some 
 of the sensations and feelings of a soldier on the eve of, or in 
 battle, or fit its close. It is no use denying it, all soldiers feel 
 as other people do, and when a soldier tells as a fact that he 
 "went itfto battle without fear," he simply tells "what George 
 Washington never told." It is human, and "self-preservaticm 
 
2-^ HISTORY OF KEESHA-W'S BRICJADB. 
 
 ist the first law of nature.." JSTo one wants to die. Of course 
 a«afcition, love of. glory, the plaudits of your coni-ades and 
 countrymen, will cause many a blade to flash where otherwise 
 it would not. But every soldier who reads this will say that this 
 is honest and the whole truth. I am writing a truthful history 
 of the past and honesty forces me to this confession. "All 
 men are cowards" in the face of death. Pride, ambition, a 
 keen sense of duty, will make differences outwardly, but the 
 heart is a coward still when death stares the possessor in the 
 face. Men throw away their lives for their country's sake, or 
 tor honor or duty like a cast off garment and laugh at death, 
 but this is only a sentiment, for all men want to live. I write 
 so much to controvert the rot written in history and fiction of 
 soldiers anxious to rush headlong into eternity on the bayonets 
 oi the enemy. 
 
 Historians of all time will admit the fact that at Gettysburg 
 WHS fought a battle, not a skirmish, but it was not what 
 Northern writers like to call it, "Lee's Waterloo." The 
 Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Petersburg were yet to come. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Gettysburg — Fourth Day — Incidents of the 
 
 Battle — Sketch of Dessausure, McLeod, 
 
 and Salmonds. 
 
 A flag of truce now waves over both armies, granting a res- 
 pite to bury the dead and care for the wounded. The burial 
 of the dead killed in battle is the most trying of all duties of 
 the soldier. Not that he objects to paying these last sad rites 
 to his fallen comrades, but it is the manner in which tie must 
 loftve them with his last farewell. 
 
 A detail from each company is formed into a squad, and 
 armed with spades or shovels they search the field for the dead. 
 When found a shallow pit is dug, just deep enough to cover 
 the body, the blanket is taken from,around the person, his body 
 being wrapped therein, laid in the pit, and sufficient dirt thrown 
 upon it to protect it from the vultures. There is 
 nv systematic work, time being too precious, and the 
 
HISTORY OF KfiKSHAW's BRIGADE. 2.40 
 
 dead are buried where they fell. Where the battle 
 was fierce and furious, and the dead lay thick, they were 
 buried in groups. Sometimes frieudlj' hands cut the name 
 and the company of the deceased upon the flap of a cartridge 
 box, nail it to a piece of board and place at the head, but this 
 was soon knocked down, and at the end of a short time all 
 traces of the dead are obliterated. 
 
 The wounded were gathered in the various farm houses, and 
 in the city of Gettysburg. Those who were too badly wound- 
 ed to be moved were left in charge of Surgeons, detailed by the 
 Medical Directors to remain with the wounded. Surgeons-in 
 the discharge of their duties are never made prisoners, ami the 
 yellow flag flies as much protection as the white. A guard is 
 placed around the hospitals to prevent those who may con- 
 valesce while there from escaping, but notwithstanding this 
 vigilance many made their eiscape and came south, as the sol- 
 diers had a horror of the Federal prison pen. Ambulances 
 and empty wagons were loaded to their full capacity with th« 
 wounded, unable to walk, while hundreds with arms off, or 
 otherwise wounded as not to prevent locomotion, "hit the 
 dust," as the soldiers used to say, on their long march of one 
 hundred and fifty miles to Staunton, Va. 
 
 The Confederate forces numbered in the battles around, Get- 
 tysburg on May 31st, 75,000, including Pickett's Division. 
 The Federals had 100,000 ready and equipped for action, di- 
 vided in seven army corps, under General Doubleday com- 
 manding First Corps, General Hancock Second Corps, Gene- 
 ral Sickles Third Corps, General Sykes Fifth Corps, General 
 Sedgwick Sixth Corps, General Howard Eleventh Corps, Gen- 
 eral Sloeum Twelfth Corps, and three divisions of cavalry 
 under Pleasanton. The Confederate losses were : Longstreet, 
 7,539; Ewell, 5.973; A. P. Hill, 6,735; Cavalry under Stuart, 
 1,426; in all 21,643. Enemy's loss, 23,049. 
 
 I herewith give sketches of Coloiiel Dessausure and Major 
 McL,eod,. killed in action, and of Doctor Salmond, Brigade Sur- 
 geon. As the latter acted so gallantly, and showed such gen- 
 erous impulses during and after the engagement, I think it a 
 fitting moment to give here a brief sketch of his life. 
 
250 HISTORY Olf KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 COLONEL WILLIAM DAVIE DESSAUSURE OF THE THIRTEENTH. 
 
 Colonel Dessausure was certainly the Bayard of South Caro-_ 
 lina, having served during his entire manhood, with little .ex- 
 ception, amid the exciting, bustling scenes of army life. He 
 was a hero ol both the Mexican and Civil wars, and served in 
 the Old Army for many years on the great Western Plains. 
 A friend of his, an officer in his command who was very close 
 to the Colonel, writes me a letter, of which I extract the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 "In my judgment, he was the superior of Kershaw's fine set 
 of Colonels, having, from nature, those rare qualities that go 
 to make up the successful war commander, being reticent, ob- 
 servant, far-seeing, quick, decided, of iron will, inspiring confi- 
 dence in his leadership, cheerful, self-possessed, unaffected by 
 danger, and delighting- like a game cock in battle. He was 
 singularly truth loving and truth speaking, and you could rely 
 with confidence on the accuracy of his every statement. He 
 understood men, was clear sighted, quick and sound of judg- 
 ment, and seemed never to be at a loss what to do in emergen- 
 cies. He exposed himself with reckless courage, but protected 
 his men with untiring concern aud skill. He was rather a 
 small man, physically, but , his appearance and bearing were 
 extremely martial, and had a stentorian voice that could be 
 heard above the din of battle." 
 
 Colonel Dessausure was born in Columbia, S. C, December 
 i2th, 1819, was reared and educated there, graduated at the 
 South Carolina College, and studied law in the office of his 
 father, Hon. Wm. F. Dessausure. He raised a company iu 
 Columbia for the Mexican war, and served through that war as 
 Captain of Company H, Palmetto Regiment. After that he was 
 commissioned Captain of Cavalry, and as.signed to General 
 (then Colonel) Joseph E. Johnston's Regiment in the United 
 States Army, and served on the Plains until the Civil war com- 
 menced, when he resigned, returned to his native State and 
 organized the Fifteenth Regiment, and was assigned to Dray- 
 ton's Brigade, then on the coast. 
 
 After the Seven Days' Battle around Richmond he went with 
 his Regiment, as a part of Drayton's Brigade, in the first 
 Maryland campaign. On Lee's return to Virginia, just before 
 the Fredericksburg battle, his regiment was assigned to Ker- 
 shaw. 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 251* 
 
 The papers promoting him to the rank of Brigadier General 
 were in the hands of the Secretary of War at the time he was 
 killed. He was buried in a private cemetery near Breane's 
 Tavern, in Pennsylvania, and his body removed to the family- 
 burying ground after the war. 
 
 He was married to Miss Ravenel of Charleston, who sur- 
 vived him some years. 
 
 DONALD MCDIARMID MCLEOD 
 
 Was descended from Scotch ancestors who immigrated to 
 this country about 1775 and settled in Marlboro District, near 
 Hunt's Bluff, on Big Pee Dee River. He was son of Daniel 
 McLeod and Catherine Evans Mclyeod. He graduated from 
 the South Carolina College about 1853, and for some tim£ en- 
 gaged in teaching school in his native county; then married 
 Miss Margaret C. Alford and engaged in planting near where he 
 was born. He was then quietly leading a happy and contented 
 life when South Carolina seceded. When the toscin of war 
 sounded he raised the first company of volunteers in Marlboro 
 and was elected Captain of it. This company, with another 
 from Marlboro organized about the same time under Captain 
 J. W. Hamington, formed part of the Eighth Regiment, of Ker- 
 shaw's Brigade. Capt. McLeod was of commanding presence, 
 being six feet four inches tall, erect, active, and alert, beloved 
 by his company, and when the test came proved himself 
 worthy of their love and confidence. On the field of battle his- 
 gallantry was conspicuous, and he exhibited undaunted cour- 
 age, and was faithful to every trust. 
 
 At the reorganization of the Regiment he was elected Major 
 and served as such through the battles of Savage Station, Mal- 
 vern Hill, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and 
 Gettysburg. In the last named he was killed while gallantly 
 leading the Regiment in the desperate charge on the enemy's- 
 tweuty pieces of artillery, in the celebrated peach orchard, 
 where in a few minutes the Eighth Regiment, being on the lef , 
 of the Brigade, without suppoit, assailed in front and flankt 
 lost one hundred and eleven of the one hundred and seventy 
 who were engaged in the battle. Of this number twenty-eight 
 were killed and buried on the field of battle. Notwithstanding 
 this slaughter the Old Eighth never faltered, but with the other 
 regiments drove the enemy from the field, pursuing them upon. 
 
'252 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the rugged slopes of Round Top Hill. Thus ended the life of 
 one of the noblest and most devoted of Carolina's sons. 
 
 DR. T. W. SALMOND 
 
 Was born in Camden, S. C, on 31st of August, 1825. Re- 
 ceived his diploma from the Medical College, in Charleston, 
 ■S. C, in 1849. Practiced medicine in Camden till the war 
 •came on. Married first, Miss Mary Whitaker, afterwards Miss 
 Isabel Scota Whitaker. He had two daughters, one by each 
 marriage. When the troops were ordered to Charleston, he left 
 with General Kershaw as Surgeon of his regiment. General 
 Kershaw was Colonel of the Second South Carolina Regiment. 
 His regiment was at the bombardment of Sumter. His staff 
 •consisted of Dr. T. W. Salmond, Surgeon; Fraser, Quarter- 
 Master; J. I. Villipigne, Commissary; A. D. Goodwyn, Ad- 
 jutant. 
 
 At the reorganization of the Brigade, Dr. Salmond was pro- 
 moted to Brigade Surgeon and was in all of the battles in Vir- 
 ginia. He went with General Kershaw • to Tennessee and 
 came home when General Kershaw went back to Virginia, 
 owing to ill health in the spring ot 1864. 
 
 He resumed his practice after the war and continued till his 
 death, August 31st, 1869. 
 
 I give below a short .sketch concerning the Brigade Surgeon, 
 copied from a local paper, as showing the kind of metal of 
 which Dr. Salmond was made: 
 :To the Editor of The Kershaw Gazette: 
 
 I never look upon a maimed soldier of the 'Xost Cause," 
 who fought manfully for the cause which he deemed to be 
 right, without being drawn towards him with I may say 
 brotherly love, commingled with the profonndest respect. 
 And I beg space in your valuable columns to relate an inci- 
 dent in connection with the battle of Gettysburg, which, I 
 •think, will equal the one between General Hagood and the 
 iEederal ofBcer, Daley. 
 
 In that memorable battle, whilst we were charging a bat- 
 tery of sixteen pieces of artillery, when great gaps were being 
 made in the lines by the rapid discharge of grape and canister, 
 when the very grass beneath our feet was being cut to pieces 
 by these missiles of death, and it looked as if mortal men could 
 not possibly live there; Capt. W. Z. L,eitner of our town was 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAw'S BRIGADE. 253^ 
 
 shot in the midst of this deadly shower at the head of his com- 
 pauy. When his comrades were about to remove him from 
 the field he said, "Men I am ruined but never give up the 
 battle. I was shot down at the head of my company, and I 
 would to God that I was there yet." He refused to let them 
 carry him off the field. Dr. Salmoud, then Brigade Surgeon 
 of Kershaw's Brigade, learning that his friend Captain L,eitner 
 was seriously wounded, abandoned his post at the infirmary, 
 mounted his horse and went to the field where Captain Leitner 
 lay, amid the storm of lead and iron, regardless of the dangers 
 which encompassed him on every hand. He placed Captain 
 Leitner on his horse, and brought him off the field. The 
 writer of this was wounded severely in this charge, and while 
 he was making his way as best he could to the rear, he met 
 the Brigade Surgeon on his mission of mercy to his fallen 
 friend, ordering those to the front who were not wounded, as 
 he went along. Brave man, he is now dead. Peace to his 
 ashes. As long as I live, I shall cherish his memory and think 
 of this circumstance. 
 
 A Member of the Old Brigade. 
 
 Taken from Kershaw Gazette of February 26, 1880. 
 
 Judge Pope gives me several instances of devotion and cour- 
 age during the Gettysburg campaign, which I take pleasure in 
 inserting. 
 
 "did the NEGROES WISH FREEDOM?" 
 
 I have listened to much which has been said and written as 
 to the aspiration of the negroes for freedom while they were 
 slaves, but much that I saw myself makes me doubt that this 
 aspiration was general. 
 
 lyCt me relate an instance that fell under my immediate ob- 
 servation. An officer had lost his bodyservant in May, 1863, 
 when he mentioned the fact to someof the gentlemen of the and 
 regiment, the reply was made: "There is a mess in Company 
 A or I of the Third Regiment who have an excellent free 
 negro boy in their employment, but they must give him up 
 and no doubt you can get him. ' ' I saw the soldiers they re- 
 ferred to and they assured me that they would De glad if I 
 would take the servant off their hands. The result was the ser- 
 vant came to me and I hired him. Soon afterwards we began 
 the march to the Valley of Virginia, then to Maryland and 
 
"254 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Pennsylvania. The servant took care of my horse, amongst 
 his other duties. Having been wounded at Gettysburg and 
 placed in a wagon to be transported to Virginia this boy would 
 ride the horse near by the wagon, procuring water and some- 
 thing to eat. As the caravan of wagons laden with wounded 
 soldiers was drawing near to Hagerstown, Maryland, a flurry 
 was discovered and we were told the Yankees were capturing 
 -our train. At this time the servant came up and asked me 
 what he should do. I replied, ' 'Put the Potomac River between 
 3'ou and the Yankees." He dashed o£E in a run. When I 
 reached the Potomac River I found William there with my horse. 
 The Yankees were about to attac k us there. I was to be found 
 ■across the river. I said to William, ' 'What can you do ?' ' He 
 replied that he was going to swim the horse across the Po- 
 tomac River, but said he himself could not swim. I saw him 
 plunge into the river and swim across. The soldiers who were 
 ■with me were sent from Winchester to Staunton, Virginia. 
 While in Staunton, I was assured that I would receive a fur- 
 lough at Richmond, Virginia, so William was asked if he wished 
 to accompany me to South Carolina. This seemed to delight 
 him. Before leaving Staunton, the boy was arrested as a run- 
 away slave, being owned by a widow lady in Abbeville County. 
 The servant admitted to me, when arrested, that he was 
 a slave. A message was sent to his mistress how he had 
 behaved while in my employment — especially how he had fled 
 from the Yankees in Pennsylvania and Maryland. This was 
 the last time I ever saw him. Surely a desire for freedom did 
 not operate very seriously in this case, when the slave actually 
 Tan from it. 
 
 In parting I may add that, left to themselves negroes are 
 very kind-hearted, and even now I recall with lively pleasure 
 the many kindnesses while I was, wounded, from this servant, 
 who was a slave. 
 
 HE WOULD FIGHT. 
 
 Why is it that memory takes us away back into our past ex- 
 periences without as much saying, "With your leave, sir"? 
 Thirty-six years ago I knew a fine fellow just about eighteen 
 years old and to-day he comes back to us so distinctly ! He 
 was a native of Newberry and w hen the war first broke out he 
 left Newberry College to enlist as a private in Company E of the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 255 
 
 Third South Carolina Infantry. With his fine qualities of head 
 and heart, it was natural that he should become a general 
 favorite — witty, very ready, and always kind. His was a brave 
 heart, too. Still he was rather girlish in appearance, for 
 physically he was not strong. This latter condition may ex- 
 plain why he was called to act as Orderly at Regimental Head- 
 quarters when J. E. Brown gave up that position for that ot 
 courier with General I/ongstreet early in the year 1863. Just be- 
 fore the Third Regiment went into action at Gettysburg, Penn- 
 sylvania, and while preparing for that event, it became neces- 
 sary, under general orders, that the field and stafi" of the regi- 
 ment should dismount. It was the habit during battles to 
 commit the horses to the control of the Regimental Orderly. 
 On this occasion the Adjutant said to young Sligh: "Now, Tom, 
 get behind some hill and the moment we call you, bring up 
 the horses; time is often of importance." To the Adjutant's 
 surprise Sligh burst into tears and besought that ofiBcer not to 
 require him to stay behind, but on the contrary, to allow him 
 to join his company and go into battle. At first this was de- 
 nied, but so persistent was he in his request that the Adj utant, 
 who was very fond of him, said: "Well Tom, for this one 
 time 5 ou may go, but don't ask it again." Away he went 
 with a smile instead of a tear. Poor fellow ! The Orderly, 
 Thomas W. Sligh, was killed in that battle while assisting to 
 drive back General Sickles from the "Peach Orchard" on the 
 2d day of July, 1863. 
 
 RETURN TO VIRGINIA. 
 
 At daylight on the morning of the 5th the remnant of that 
 once grand army turned its face southward. I say remnant, 
 for with the loss of near one-third its number in killed, wound- 
 ed, and prisoners the pride, prestige of victory, the feelings of 
 invincibility, were lost to the remainder, and the army was in 
 rather ill condition when it took up the retreat. I<ee has been 
 severely criticised for fighting the battle of Gettysburg, especial- 
 ly the last charge of Pickett; but there are circumstances of minor 
 import sometimes that surround a commander which force him 
 to undertake or attempt that which his better judgment might 
 dictate as a false step. The world judges by results the suc- 
 cesses and achievements of a General, not by his motives or 
 intentions. Battles, however, are in a great measure but series 
 
256 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of accidents at best. Some unforeseen event or circumstance 
 in the battles of Napoleon might have changed some of. his 
 most brilliant victories to utter defeats and his grandest tri- 
 umphs into disastrous routs. Had not General Warren seen 
 the open gap at little Round Top, and had it been possible for 
 Federal troops to fill it up, or that Hancock had been one 
 hour later, or that our troops had pushed through the gorge of 
 litle Round Top before seen by Warren and gained Meade's 
 rear — suppose these, and many other things, and then re- 
 flect what momentous results depended upon such trivial cir- 
 cumstances, aud we will then fail to criticise I,ee. His chances 
 were as good as Meade's. The combination of so 'many little 
 circumstances, and the absence of his cavalry, all conduced to 
 our defeat. 
 
 Hill took the lead, l,ongstreet followed, while Ewell brought 
 up the rear. Our wagon trains had gone on, some of them 
 the day before, towards Williamsport. Kilpatrick made a 
 dash and captured and destroyed a goodly number of them, but 
 the teamsters, non-combatants and the wounded succeeded in 
 driving them off after some little damage. 
 
 Along down the mountain sides, through gorges and over 
 hills, the army slowly made its way. No haste, no confusion. 
 The enemy's cavalry harassed over rear, but did little more. 
 Meade had had too. severe a lesson to hover dangerously close 
 on the heels of lyce, not knowing what moment the wily 
 Cenfederate Chieftain might turn and trike him a blow he would 
 not be able to receive. The rain fell in torrents, night and 
 da}'. The roads were soon greatly cut up, which in a meas- 
 ure was to I^ee's advantage, preventing the enemy from fol- 
 lowing him too closely, it being almost impossible, to follow 
 with his artillery and wagons after our trains had passed. 
 We passed through Fairfield and Hagerstown and on to Wil- 
 liamsport. Near Funkstown we had some excitement by be- 
 ing called upon to help some of Stuart's Cavalry, who were be- 
 ing hard pressed at Antietam Creek. 
 
 After remaining in line of battle for several hours, on a 
 rocky hillside, near the crossing of a sluggish stream, and our 
 pickets exchanging a few shots with those of the enemy, we 
 continued our march. On the night of the 6th and day of the 
 7th our army took up a line of battle in a kind of semi-circle, 
 from Williamsport to Falling Waters. The Potomac was too 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 257 
 
 much swollen from the continuous rains to ford, and the enemy- 
 haying destroyed the bridge at Falling Waters we were com- 
 pelled to entrench ourselves and defend our numerous trains of 
 wagons and artillery until a bridge could be built. In the en- 
 closure of several miles the whole of Lee's army, with the ex- 
 ception of some of his cavalry, were packed. Here I^ee must 
 have been in the most critical condition of the war, outside of 
 Appomattox. Behind him was the raging Potomac, with a 
 continual downpour of rain, in front was the entire Federal 
 army. There were but few heights from which to plant our 
 batteries, and had the enemy pressed sufficiently near to have 
 reached our vast camp with shells, our whole trains of ord- 
 nance would have been at his mercy. We had no bread stuff 
 of consequence in the wagons, and only few beef cattle in the 
 enclosure. For two days our bread supply had been cut off. 
 Now had such conditions continued for several days longer, 
 and a regular siege set ih, lyce would have had to fight his 
 way out. I,umber was difficult to obtain, so some houses 
 were demolished, and such planks as could be used in the con- 
 struction of boats were utilized, and a pontoon bridge was soon 
 under way. 
 
 In this dilemma and strait an accident in the way of a 
 "wind fall" (or I might more appropriately say, "bread fall") 
 came to our regiment's relief. Jim George, a rather eccentric 
 and "short -witted fellow," of Company C, while plundering 
 around in some old out-buildings in our rear, conceived the 
 idea to investigate a straw stack, or an old house filled with 
 straw. After burrowing for some time away down in the 
 tightly packed straw, his comrades heard his voice as he faintly 
 called that he had struck "ile." Bounding out from beneath 
 the straw stack, he came rushing into camp with the news of 
 his find. He informed the Colonel that he had discovered a 
 lot of flour in barrels hidden beneath the straw. The news 
 was too good to be true, and knowing Jim's fund of imagina- 
 tion, few lent ear to the story, and most of the men shook their 
 heads credulously. "What would a man want to put flour 
 down in a straw stack for when no one knew of 'Lee's com- 
 ing?' " and, moreover, "if they did, they did not know at 
 which point he would cross." Many were the views expressed 
 for and against the idea of investigating further, until "Old 
 Uncle" Joe. Culbreath, a veteran of the Mexican War, and 
 17 
 
258 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 a lyieutenant in Jim George's company, said: ''Bos'S, war is a 
 trying thing; it puts people to thinking, and these _d — n 
 Yankees are the sharpest rascals in the world. No doubt they 
 heard of our coming, and fearing a raid on their smoke houses, 
 they did not do like us Southern people would have done — 
 waited until the flour was gone before we thought of saving it 
 — so this old fellow, no doubt, put his flour there for safety." 
 That settled it. "Investigate" was the word, and away went 
 a crowd. The straw was soon torn away, and there, snugly- 
 hidden, were eight or ten barrels of flour. The Colonel 
 ordered an equal division among the regiment, giving Jim an 
 extra portion for himself. 
 
 By the 13th the bridge was completed, and the waters had 
 so far subsided that the river was fordable in places. An hour 
 after dark we took up the line of march, and from our camp to 
 the river, a distance of one mile or less, beat anything in the' 
 way of marching that human nature ever experienced. The 
 dust that had accumulated by the armies passintr over on their 
 march to Gettysburg was now a perfect bog, while the horses 
 and vehicles sinking in the soft earth made the road appear 
 bottorxless. We would march two or three steps, then halt 
 for a moment or two; then a few steps more, and again the 
 few minutes' wait. The men had to keep their hands on the 
 backs of their file leaders to tell when to move and when to 
 halt. The night being so dark and rainy, we could not see 
 farther than "the noses on our faces," while at every step we 
 went nearly up to our knees in slash and mud. Men would 
 stand and sleep — would march (if this could be called march- 
 ing) and sleep. The soldiers could not fall out of ranks for 
 fear of being hopelessly lost, as troops of different corps and 
 divisions would at times be mingled together. Thus we would 
 be for one hour moving the distance of a hundred paces, and 
 any soldier who has ever had to undergo such marching, can 
 well understand its laboriousness. At daybreak we could see 
 in the gloomy twilight our former camp, almost in hollering^ 
 distance. Just as the sun began to peep up from over the 
 eeastern hills, we came in sight of the rude pontoon bridge* 
 lined from one end to the other with hurrying wagons and 
 iartillery — the troops at opened ranks on either side. If it had 
 been fatiguing on the troops, what must it have been on the 
 poor horses and mules that had fasted for days and now draw- 
 
HISfORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 25S 
 
 Ing great trains, with roads almost bottomless? It was with a 
 mingled feeling of delight and relief that the soldiers reached 
 the Virginia side of the river — but not a murmur or harsh 
 word for our beloved commander — all felt that he had done 
 what was best for our country, and it was more in sorrow and 
 sympathy that we beheld his bowed head and grief-stricken 
 face as he rode at times pass the moving troops. 
 
 General Pettigrew had the post of rear guard. He, with his 
 brave troops, beat back the charge after charge of Kirkpat- 
 rick's Cavalry as they attempted to destroy our rear forces. It 
 was a trying time to the retreating soldiers, who had passed 
 over the river to hear their comrades fighting, single-handed 
 and alone, for our safety and their very existence, without any 
 hope of aid or succor. They knew they were left to be lost, 
 and could have easily laid down their arms and surrendered^ 
 thiis saving their lives; but this would have endangered Lee's 
 army, so they fought and died like men. The roar of their 
 powitzers and the rattle of their musketry were like the blasts 
 of the horn of Roland when ca.lling Charlemagne to his aid 
 along the mointain pass of Roncesvalles, but, unlike the latter, 
 we could not answer our comrades' call, and had only to leave 
 them alone to "die in their glory." The brave Pettigrew fell 
 while heading his troops in a charge to beat back some of the 
 furious onslaughts of the enemj-. The others were taken pris- 
 oners, with the exceptioa of a few who made their escape by 
 plunging in the stream and swimming across. 
 
 At first our march was by easy stages, but when l,ee dis- 
 covered the enemy's design of occupying the mountain passes 
 Along the Blue Ridge to our left, no time was lost. We has- 
 tened along through Martinburg and Winchester, across the- 
 Shennandoah to Chester Gap, on the Blue Ridge. We camped 
 at night on the top of the mountain. 
 
 Here an amusing, as well as ludicrous, scene was enacted, but 
 «ot so amusing to the particioants however. Orders had been 
 given when on the eve of our entrance into Maryland, that "no 
 private property of whatever description should be molested." 
 As the fields in places were enclosed by rail fences, it was 
 strictly against orders to disturb any of the fences. This order 
 had been religiously obeyed all the while, until this night on 
 the top of the Blue Ridge. A shambling^ tumble-down rail 
 fence was near the camp pf the Third South Carolina, not 
 
260 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 around any field, however, but apparently to prevent stock 
 from passing on the western side of the mountain. At night 
 while the troops lay in the open air, without any protection 
 whatever, only what the scrawny trees afibrded, a light rain 
 came up. Some of the men ran to get a few rails to make a 
 hurried bivouac, while others who had gotten somewhat damp 
 by the rain took a few to build a fire. As the regiment was 
 formed in line next morning, ready for the march. Adjutant 
 Pope came around for company commanders to report to 
 Colonel Nance's headquarters. Thinking this was only to 
 receive some instructions as to the line of march, nothing was 
 thought of it until met by those cold, penetrating, steel-gray 
 eyes of Colonel Nance. Then all began to wonder ' 'what was 
 up." He commenced to ask, after repeating the instructions 
 as to private property, whose men had taken the rails. He 
 commenced with Captain Richardson, of Company A. 
 
 "Did your men take any rails?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Did you have them put back?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Captain Gary, did your men use any rails?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Did you have them replaced?" 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 A.nd so on down to Company K. All admitted that their 
 inen had taken rails and had not put them back, except Cap- 
 tain Richardson. Then such a lecture as those nine company 
 commanders received was seldom heard. To have heard 
 Colonel Nance dilate upon the enormity of the crime of "diso- 
 bedience to orders," was enough to make one think he had 
 • "deserted his colors in the face of the enem}^," or lost a battle 
 through his cowardice. "Now, gentlemen, let this never 
 occur again. For the present j'ou will deliver your swords to 
 Adjutant Pope, turn your companies over to your next of&cer 
 in command, and march in rear of the regimeut until further 
 orders." Had a thunder bolt fallen, or a three hundred-pound 
 Columbiad exploded in our midst, no greater consternation 
 ■would they have caused. Captain Richardson was exhonor- 
 ated, but the other nine Captains had to march in rear of the 
 regiment during tl;e day, subject to the jeers' and ridicule of 
 all the troops that passed, as well as- the negro cooks. "Great 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 261 
 
 Scott, what a company of officers!" "Where are your men?" 
 "Has there been a stampede?" "Got furloughs?" "Lost j^onr 
 swords in a fight?" were some of the pleasantries we were 
 forced to hear and endure. Captain Nance, of Company G, 
 had a negro cook, who undertook the command of the officers 
 and as the word from the front would come down the line to 
 "halt" or "forward" or "rest," he would very gravely repeat 
 it, much to the merriment of the troops next in front and those 
 in our rear. Near night, however, we got into a brush with 
 the enemy, who were forcing their way down along the eastern 
 side of the mountain, and Adjutant Pope came with our swords 
 and orders to relieve us trom arrest. Lieutenant Dan Maffett 
 had not taken the matter in such good humor, and on taking 
 command of his company, gave this laconic order, "Ya hoo !" 
 (That was the name given to Company C.) "If you ever 
 touch another rail during the whole continuance of the war, 
 G— d d — n you, I'll have you shot at the stake." 
 
 "How are we to get over a fence," inquired someone. 
 
 "Jump it, cre^p it, or go around it, but death is your por- 
 tion if you ever touch a rail again." 
 
 On the 13th of August the whole army was encamped on the 
 south side of the Rapidan. We were commencing to settle 
 down for several months of rest and enjoy a season of fur- 
 loughs, as it was evident neither side would begin active opera- 
 tions until the armies were recruited up and the wounded 
 returned for duty. This would take at least several months. 
 But, alas! for our expectations — a blast to our fondest dreamc 
 — ^heavy fighting and hard marching was in store for our corps. 
 Bragg was being slowly driven out of Tennessee and needed 
 help; the "Bull Dog of the Confederacy" was the one most 
 likely to stay the advancing tide of Rosecrans' Army. 
 
262 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 Transferred to Georgia™ Scenes Along the 
 
 Route. 
 
 While in camp great stress was laid on drills. The brigade 
 drill was the most important. Every day at 3 o'clock the 
 whole brigade was marched to a large old field, and all the 
 evolutions of the brigade drill were gone through with. 
 Crowds of citizens from the surrounding country came to wit- 
 ness our manoeuvers, especially did the ladies grai e the occa- 
 sions with their presence. The troops were in the very best of 
 spirits — no murmurs nor complaints. Clothing and provision 
 boxes began coming in from home. A grand corps review 
 took place soon after our encampment was established, in which 
 Generals L,ee and L,ongstreet reviewed the troops. 
 
 All expected a good, long rest after their many marches and 
 bloody battles in Maryland and Pennsylvania, but we were 
 soon to be called upon for work in other fields. General Bragg 
 had been driven out of Tennessee to the confines of Georgia, 
 and it seemed that, without succor from the Army of the East 
 to aid in fighting their battles, and to add to the morale of the 
 Western Army, Bragg would soon be forced through Georgia. 
 It had long been the prevailing opinion of General Longstreet 
 that the most strategic movement for the South was to rein- 
 force General Bragg with all the available troops of the East 
 (Lee standing on the defensive), crush Rosecrans, and, if pos- 
 sible, drive him back and across the Ohio. With this end in 
 view. General Longstreet wrote, in August, ' to General Lee, as 
 well as to the Secretary of War, giving these opinions as being 
 the only solution to the question of checking the continual 
 advance of Rosecrans — renewing the morale of the Western 
 Army and reviving the waning spirits of the Confederacy, thu9 
 putting the enemy on the defensive and . regaining lost terri- 
 tory. 
 
 It should be remembered that our last stronghold on the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 263 
 
 Mississippi, Vicksburg, had capitulated about the time of the 
 disastrous battle of Gettysburg, with thirty thousand prison- 
 ers. That great waterway was opened to the enemy's gun 
 boats and transports, thus cutting the South, with a part of 
 her army, in twain. 
 
 This suggestion of General L,ongstreet was accepted, so far 
 as sending him, with a part of his corps, to Georgia, by his 
 receiving orders early in September to prepare his troops for 
 transportation. 
 
 The most direct route by railroad to Chattanooga, through 
 Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee, had for some time 
 been in the hands of the enemy at Knoxville. We were, there- 
 fore, forced to take the circuitous route by way of the two 
 Carolinas and Georgia. There were two roads open to trans- 
 portation, one by Wilmington and one by Charlotte, N. C., 
 as far as Augusta, Ga. , but from thence on there was but a 
 single line, and as such our transit was greatly impeded. 
 
 On the morning of the 15th or i6th of September Kershaw's 
 Brigade was put aboard the trains at White Oak Station, and 
 commenced the long- ride to North Georgia. Hood's Division 
 was already on the way. Jenkins' (S. C.) Brigade had been 
 assigned to that division, but it and one of the other of Hood's 
 brigades failed to reach the battleground in time to participate 
 in the glories of that event. General McL,aws, also, with two 
 of his brigades, Bryan's and Wofford' (Georgians), missed the 
 fight, the former awaiting the movements of his last troops, as 
 well as that of the artillery. 
 
 Ivong trains of box cars had been ordered up from Richmond 
 and the troops were loaded by one company being put inside 
 and the next on top, so one-half of the corps made the long 
 four days' journey on the top of box cars. The cars on all 
 railroads in which troops were transported were little more 
 than skeleton cars; the weather being warm, the troops cut all 
 but the frame work loose with knives and axes. They further- 
 more wished to see outside and witness the fine country and 
 ■delightful scenery that lay along the route; nor could those 
 inside bear the idea of being shut np in a box car while their 
 comrades on top were cheering and yelling themselves hoarse 
 at the waving of handkerchiefs and flags in the hands of the 
 pretty women and the hats thrown in the air by the old men 
 and boys along the roadside ^ the trains sped through the 
 
264 HISTORY OF KfiRSHA-w'S BRIGADS. 
 
 towns, villages, and hamlets of the Carolinas and Georgia, 
 No, no; the exuberant spirits of the Southern soldier were 
 too great to allow him to hear yelling going on and not yell 
 himself. He yelled at everything he saw, trom an ox-cart to a 
 pretty woman, a downfall of a luckless cavalryman to a charge 
 in battle. 
 
 The news of our coming had preceded us, and at every sta- 
 tion and road-crossing the people of the surrounding country,, 
 without regard to sex or age, crowded to see us pass, and gave 
 us their blessings and God speed as we swept by with lightning 
 speed. Our whole trip was one grand ovation. Old men- 
 slapped their hands in praise, boys threw up their hats in joy,, 
 while the ladies fanned the breeze with their flags and hand- 
 kerchiefs; yet many a mother dropped a silent tear or felt a 
 heart-ache as she saw her long absent soldier boy flying pass 
 without a word or a kiss. 
 
 At the towns which we were forced to stop for a short time 
 great tables were stretched, filled with the bounties of the 
 land, while the fairest and the best women on earth stood by 
 and ministered to every wish or want. Was there ever a 
 purer devotion, a more passionate patriotism, a more sincere 
 loyalty, than that displayed by the women of the South towards 
 the soldier boys and the cause for which, they fought? Was 
 there ever elsewhere on earth such women? Will there ever 
 again exist circumstances and conditions that will require such 
 heroism, fortitude, and suffering? Perhaps so, perhaps not. 
 
 In passing through Richmond we left behind us two very 
 efficient officers on a very pleasant mission. Dr. James Evans,. 
 Surgeon of the Third, who was to be married to one of Vir- 
 ginia's fair daughters, and Captain T. W. Gary, of same 
 regiment, who was to act as best man. Dr. Evans was a 
 native South Carolinian and a brother of Brigadier General 
 N. G. Evans, of Manassas fame. While still a young man, he 
 was considered one of the finest surgeons and practitioners in 
 the army. He was kind and considerate to his patients, punc- 
 tual and faithful in his duties, and withal a dignified, refined 
 gentleman. Such confidence had the soldiers in his skill and, 
 competency, that none felt uneasy when their lives or limbs, 
 were left to his careful handling. Both officers rejoined us in, 
 a few days. 
 
 We reached Ringold on the evening of the 19th qf Septem,-^ 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 265 
 
 ber, and marched during the night in the direction of the day's 
 battlefield. About midnight we crossed over the sluggish 
 stream of Chickamauga, at Alexander's Bridge, and bivouaced 
 near Hood's Division, already encamped. Chickamauga! how 
 little known of before, but what memories its name is to 
 awaken for centuries afterwards! What a death struggle was 
 to take place along its borders between the blue and the gray, 
 where brother was to meet brother — where the soldiers of the 
 South were to meet their kinsmen of the Northwest! In the 
 long, long ago, before the days of fiction and romance of the 
 white man in the New World, in the golden days of legend of 
 the forest dwellers, when the red man chanted the glorious 
 deeds of his ancestors during his death song to the ears of his 
 children, this touching story has come down from generation 
 to generation, until it reached the ears of their destroyers, the 
 pale faces of to-day: 
 
 Away in the dim distant past a tribe of Indians, driven from 
 their ancestral hunting grounds in the far North, came South 
 and pitched their wigwams along the banks of the "river of 
 the great bend," the Tennessee. They prospered, multiplied, 
 and expanded, until their tents covered the mountain sides and 
 plains below. The braves of the hill men hunted and sported 
 with their brethren of the valley. Their children fished, 
 hunted, played, fought, and gamboled in mimic warfare as 
 brothers along the sparkling streamlets that rise in the moun- 
 tain ridges, their sparkling waters leaping and jumping 
 through the gorges and glens and flowing away to the "great 
 river." All was peace and happiness; the tomahawk of war 
 had long since been buried, and the pipe of peace smoked 
 around their camp fires after every successful hunting expedi- 
 tion. But dissentions arose — distrust and embittered feelings 
 took the place of brotherly love. The men of the mountains 
 became arrayed against their brethren of the plains, and they 
 in turn became the sworn enemies of the dwellers of the cliffs. 
 The war hatchet was dug up and the pipe of peace no longer 
 passed in brotherly love at the council meeting. Their bodies 
 were decked in the paint of war, and the once peaceful and 
 happy people forsook their hunting grounds and entered upon 
 the war path. 
 
 Early on an autumn day, when the mountains and valleys 
 were clothed in golden yellow, the warriors of the dissenting 
 
266 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 factions met along the banks of the little stream, and across its 
 turbid waters waged a bitter battle from early morn until the 
 ' 'sun was dipping behind the palisades of Look-Out Moun- 
 tain" — no quarters given and none asked. It was a war of 
 extermination. The blood of friend and foe mingled in the 
 stream until its waters were said to be red with the life- 
 blood of the struggling combatants. At the close of the fierce 
 combat the few that survived made a peace and covenant, and 
 then and there declared that for all time the slugglish stream 
 should be called Chickamauga, the "river of blood." Such is 
 the legend of the great battleground and the river from whence 
 it takes its name. 
 
 General Buckner had come down from East Tennessee with 
 bis three divisions, Stewart's, Hindman's, and Preston's, and 
 had joined General Bragg some time before our arrival, mak- 
 ing General Bragg's organized army forty-three thousand 
 eight hundred and sixty-six strong. He was further rein- 
 forced by eleven thousand five hundred from General Jo.seph 
 E. Johnston's army in Mississippi and five thousand under 
 General Longstreet, making a total of sixty thousand three 
 hundred and thirty-six, less casualties of the i8th and igth of 
 one thousand one hundred and twenty-four; so as to numbers 
 on the morning of the 20th, Bragg had of all arms fifty-nine 
 thousand two hundred and forty-two; while the Federal com- 
 mander claimed only sixty thousand three hundred and sixty 
 six, but at least five thousand more on detached duty and non- 
 combatants, such as surgeons, commissaries, quartermasters, 
 teamsters, guards, etc. Bragg's rolls covered all men in his 
 army. Rosecrans was far superior in artillery and cavalry, as 
 all of the batteries belonging to Longstreet's corps, or that 
 were to attend him in the campaign of the West, were far 
 back in South Carolina, making what speed possible on the 
 clumsy and cumbersome railroads of that day. So it was with 
 Wofford's and Bryan's Brigades, of McLaw's Division, Jenkins' 
 and one of Hood's, as well as all of the subsistence and ordnance 
 trains. The artillery assigned to General Longstreet by 
 General Lee consisted of Ashland's and Bedford's (Virginia), 
 Brooks' (South Carolina), and Madison's (l/ouisiana) batteries 
 of light artillery, and two Virginia batteries of position, all 
 under the command of Colonel Alexander. 
 
 As for transportation, the soldiers carried all they possessed 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 267 
 
 on their backs, with four days of cooked rations all the time. 
 Generally one or two pieces of light utensils were carried by 
 each company, in which all the bread and meat were cooked 
 during the night. 
 
 Our quartermasters gathered up what they could of teams 
 and wagons from the refuse of Bragg's trains to make a sem- 
 blance of subsistence transportation barely sufficient lo gather 
 in the supplies. It was here that the abilities of our chiefs of 
 quartermaster and commissary departments were tested to the 
 utmost. Captains Peck and Shell, of our brigade, showed 
 themselves equal to the ^occasion, and Captain Lowrance, of 
 the Subsistence Department, could always be able to furnish 
 BS with plenty of corn meal from the surrounding country. 
 
 The sun, on the morning of the 20th, rose in unusual splen- 
 dor, and cast its rays and shadows in sparkling brilliancy over 
 the mountains and plains of North Georgia. The leaves of 
 the trees and shrubbery, in their golden garb of yellow, shown 
 out bright and beautiful in their early autumnal dress — quite 
 in contrast with the bloody scenes to be enacted before the 
 close of day. My older brother, a private in my company, 
 spoke warmly of the beautiful Indian summer morning and 
 the sublime scenery round about, and wondered if all of us 
 would ever see the golden orb of day rise again in its magnifi- 
 cence. Little did he think that even then the hour hand on 
 the dial plate of destiny was pointing to the minute of "high 
 noon," when fate was to take him by the hand and lead him 
 away. It was his turn in the detail to go to the rear during 
 the night to cook rations for the compan'y, and had he done so, 
 he would have missed the battle, as the details did not return 
 in time to become participants in the engagement that com- 
 menced early in the morning. He had asked permission to 
 exchange duties with a comrade, as he wished to be near me 
 should a battle ensue during the time. Contrary to regula- 
 tions, I granted the request. Now the question naturally arises, 
 had he gone on his regular duties would the circumstances 
 have been different? The soldier is generally a believer in 
 the doctrine of predestination in the abstract, and it is well he 
 is so, for otherwise many soldiers would run away from battle. 
 But as it is, he consoles himself with the theories of the old 
 doggerel quartet, which reads something like this: — 
 
268 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 "He who fights and runs away, 
 May live to fight another day ; 
 But he who is in battle slain, 
 Will ne'er live to fight again." 
 
 Ivongstreet's troops had recentl)' been newly uniformed, con- 
 sisting of a dark-blue round jacket, closely fitting, with light- 
 blue trousers, which made a line of Confederates resemble that 
 of the enemy, the only difference being the "cut" of the gar- 
 ments — the Federals wearing a loose blouse instead of a tight- 
 fitting jacket. The uniforms of the Eastern troops made quite 
 a contrast with the tattered and torn home-made jeans of their 
 Western brethren. 
 
 General Bragg had divided his army into two wings — the 
 right commanded by Lieutenant General I,eonidas Polk (a 
 Bishop of the M. E. Church, and afterwards killed in the bat- 
 tles around Atlanta,) and the left commanded by that grand 
 chieftain (Lee's "Old War Horse" and commander, of his 
 right), Lieutenant General James Longstreet. Under his 
 guidance were Preston's Division on extreme left, Hindman's 
 next, with Stewart's on extreme right of left wing, all of 
 Major General Buckner's corps. Between Hindman and 
 Stewart was Bushrod Johnson's new formed division. In 
 reserve were Hood's three brigades, with Kershaw's and 
 Humphries', all under Major General Hood, standing near the 
 center and in rear of the wing. 
 
 The right wing stood as follows: General Pat Cleburn's 
 Division on right of Stewart, with Breckenridge's on the ex- 
 trenfe right of the infantry, under the command of Lieutenant 
 General D. H. Hill, with Cheatham's Division of Polk's Corps 
 to the left and rear of Cleburn as support, with General Walk- 
 er's Corps acting as reserve. Two divisions of Forrest's 
 Cavalry, one dismounted, were on the right ot Breckenridge, 
 to guard that flank, while far out to the left of Longstreet 
 were two brigades of Wheeler's Cavalry. The extreme left of 
 the army, Preston's Division, rested on Chickamaiiga Creek, 
 the right thrown well forward towards the foot hills of Mission 
 Ridge. 
 
 In the alignment of the two wings it was found that Long- 
 street's right overlapped Polk's left, and fully one-half mile in 
 front, so it became necessary to bend Stewart's Division back, 
 to join to Cleburn's left, thereby leaving space between Bush- 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 269 
 
 rod Johnson and Stewart for Hood to place his three brigades 
 on the firing line. 
 
 lyongstreet having no artillery, he was forced to engage all 
 of the thirty pieces of Buckner's. In front of I^ongstreet lay a 
 part of the Twentieth Corps, Davis' and Sheridan's Divisions, 
 under Major General McCook, and part of the Twenty-first 
 Corps, under the command of General Walker. On our right, 
 facing Polk, was the distinguished Union General, George H. 
 Thomas, with four divisions of his own corps, the Fourteenth, 
 Johnson's Division of the Twentieth, aUd Van Cleve's of the 
 Twenty-first Corps. 
 
 General Thomas was a native Virginian, but being an officer 
 in the United States Army at the time of the secession of his 
 State, he preferred to remain and follow the flag of subjuga- 
 tion, rather than, like the most of his brother officers of 
 Southern birth, enter into the service of his native land and 
 battle for justice;, liberty, and States Rights. He and Gen- 
 eral Hunt, of South Carolina, who so ably commanded the 
 artillery of General Meade at Gettysburg, were two of the most 
 illustrious of Southern renegades. 
 
 In the center of Rosecrans' Army were two divisions, Woods' 
 and Palmer's, under Major General Crittenden, posted along 
 the eastern slope of Mission Ridge, with orders to support 
 either or both wings of the army, as occasions demanded. 
 
 General Gordon Granger, with three brigades of infantry 
 and one division of cavalry, guarded the Union left and rear 
 and the gaps leading to Chattanooga, and was to act as general 
 reserve for the army and lay well back and to the left of Bran- 
 nan's Division that was supporting the front line of General 
 Thomas. 
 
 The bulk of the Union cavalry, under General Mitchell, was 
 two miles distant on our left, guarding the ford over Chicka- 
 mauga at Crawfish Springs. The enemy's artillery, consist- 
 ing of two hundred and forty-six pieces, was posted along the 
 ridges in our front, giving exceptional positions to shell and 
 grape an advancing column. 
 
 Bragg had only two hundred pieces, but as his battle line 
 occupied lower ground than that of the enemy, there was little 
 opportunity to do effective work with his cannon. 
 
 The ground was well adapted by nature for a battlefield, and 
 as the attacking party always has the advantage of manoeuver 
 
270 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADB. 
 
 and assault in an open field, each commander was anxious to get 
 his blow in first. So had not Bragg commenced the battle as 
 early as he did, we would most assuredly have had the whole 
 Federal Army upon our hands before the day was mxjch older. 
 Kershaw's Brigade, commanded by General Kershaw, stood 
 from right to left in the following order: Fifteenth Regiment 
 on the right, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Gist; 
 Second Regiment, Colonel James D. Kennedy; Third, Colonel 
 James D. Nance; Third Battalion, by Captain Robert H. Jen- 
 nings; Eighth, Colonel John W. Henagan; Seventh, Colonel 
 Elbert Bland. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 The Battle of Chickamauga. 
 
 As I have already said, this was a lovely country — a pictur- 
 esque valley nestling down among the spurs cf the mountain, 
 with the now classic Chickamauga winding its serpentine way 
 along with a sluggish flow. It was also a lovely day; nature 
 was at her best, with the fields and woods autumn tinged — the 
 whole country rimmed in the golden hue of the Southern sum- 
 mer. The battling ground chosen, or rather say selected by 
 fate, on which the fierce passions of men were to decide the 
 fortunes of armies and the destiny of a nation, was rolling, 
 undulating, with fields of growing grain or brown stubble, 
 broken by woods and ravines, while in our front rose the blue 
 tinted sides of Mission Ridge. 
 
 Both commanders were early in the saddle, their armies more 
 evenly matched in numbers and able Lieutenants than ever 
 before, each willing and anxious to try conclusions with the 
 Other — both confident of success and watchful of the mistakes 
 and blunders of their opponent, ready to take advantage of the 
 least opportunity that in any way would lead to success. The 
 armies on either side were equally determined and confidentj 
 feeling their invincibility and the superiority of their respective 
 commanders. Those of the North felt that it was impossible 
 for the beaten Confederates to stand ior a moment, with any 
 hope of triumph, before that mighty machine qf armed force- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 271 
 
 that had been successfully rolling from the Ohio to the confines 
 of Georgia. On the other hand, the Army of Tennessee felt 
 that, with the aid from Joe Johnston, with Buckner, and the 
 flower of Lee's Army to strengthen their ranks, no army on 
 earth could stay them on the battlefield. 
 
 The plan of battle was to swing the whole army forward in a 
 wheel, Preston's Division on Longstreets extreme left being 
 tlie pivot, the right wing to break the enemy's lines and 
 uncover the McFarland and Rossville Gaps, thus capturing the 
 enemy's lines of communication to Chattanooga, 
 
 The Union Army was well protected by two lines of earth- 
 works and log obstructions, with field batteries at every 
 salient, or scattered along the front Hues at every elevation, 
 supported by the pieces of position on the ridges in rear. 
 
 The Confederate commander made no secret of his plan of 
 battle, for it had been formulated three days before, and his 
 manoeuvers on the i8th and 19th indicated his plan of opera- 
 tions. Early in the morning Bragg- saluted his adversary with 
 thirty pieces of artillery from his right wing, and the Federal 
 commander was not slow in acknowledging the salutation. 
 The thunder of these guns echoed along the mountain sides 
 and up and down the valleys with thrilling effect. Soon the 
 ddges in our front were one blaze of fire as the infantry began 
 their movements for attack, and the smoke from the enemj''s 
 guns was a signal for our batteries along the whole line. 
 
 The; attack on the right was not as prompt as the commander 
 in chief had expected, so he rode in that direction and gave 
 positive orders for the battle to begin. General D. H. Hill 
 now ordered up that paladin of State craft, the gallant Ken- 
 tuckian and opponent of Lincoln for the Presidency, General 
 John C. Breckenridge, and put him to the assault on the 
 enemy's extreme left. But one of his brigade commanders 
 being killed early in the engagement, and the other brigades 
 becoming somewhat disorganized by the tangled underbrush, 
 they made but little headway against the enemy's works. 
 Then the fighting Irishman, the Wild Hun of the South, Gen- 
 eral Pat Cleburn, came in with his division on Breckenridge's 
 left, and with whoop and yell he fell with reckless ferocity 
 upon the enemy's entrenchments. The four-gun battery of 
 the Washington (Louisiana) Artillery following the column of 
 assault, contended successfully with the superior metal of the 
 
272 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIOADE. 
 
 three batteries of the enemy. The attack was so stubborn and 
 relentless that the enemy was forced back on his second line, 
 and caused General Thomas to call up Negley's Division from 
 his reserves to support his left against the furious assaults of 
 Breckenridge and .Cleburn. But after somewhat expending 
 their strength in the first charge against the enemy's works, 
 and Federal reinforcements of infantry and artillery coming up, 
 both Confederate divisions were gradually being forced back 
 to their original positions. Deshler's Brigade, under that 
 prince of Southern statesmen, Roger Q. Mills, supported by a 
 part of Cheatham's Division, took up Cleburn's battle, while 
 the division under General States R. Gist (of South Carolina), 
 with Ividdell's, of Walker's Corps, went to the relief of Breck- 
 enridge. Gist's old Brigade (South Carolina) struck the angle 
 of the enemy's breastworks, and received a galling fire from 
 enfilading lines. But the other brigades of Gist's coming up 
 and Ividdell's Division pushing its way through the shattered 
 and disorganized ranks of Breckenridge, they made successful 
 advance, pressing the enemy back and beyond the Chattanooga 
 Road. 
 
 Thomas was again reduced to the necessity of calling for 
 reinforcements, and so important was it thought that this 
 ground should be held, that the Union commander promised 
 support, even to the extent of the whole army, if necessary. 
 
 But eleven o'clock had come and no material advantage had 
 been gained on the right. The reinforcements of Thomas hav- 
 ing succeeded in checking the advance of Gist and I^iddell, the 
 Old WarHorse on the left became impatient, and sent word to 
 Bragg, "My troops can break the lines, if you care to have 
 them broken." What sublime confidence did I,ee's old com- 
 mander of the First Corps have in the powers of his faithful 
 troops! But General Bragg, it seems, against all military rules 
 or precedent, and in violation of the first principles of army 
 ethics, had already sent orders to I^ongstreet's subalterns, 
 directly and not through the Lieutenant General's head- 
 quarters, as it should have been done, to commence the attack. 
 General Stewart, with his division of Longstreet's right, was 
 at that moment making successful battle against the left of the 
 Twentieth and right of Twenty-first Corps. This attack so 
 near to Thomas' right, caused that astute commander to begin 
 to be as apprehensive of his right as he had been of his left 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 273 
 
 flank, and asked for support in that quarter. I^ongstreet now 
 •ordered up the gallant Texan, General Hood, with his three 
 brigades, with Kershaw's and Humphre}'S in close support. 
 Hood unmercifully assailed the column in his front, but was as 
 unmercifully slaughte'ed, himself falling desperately wounded. 
 Benning's Brigade was thrown in confusion, but at this junc- 
 ture Kershaw and Humphreys moved their brigades upon the 
 firing line end commenced the advance. In front of these two 
 brigades was a broad expanse of cultivated ground, now iu 
 stubble. Beyond this field was a wooded declivity rising still 
 farther away to a ridge called Pea Ridge, on which the enemy 
 was posted. Our columns were under a terrific fire of shells as 
 they advanced through the open field, and as they neared the 
 timbered ridge they were met by a galling tempest of grape 
 and canister. The woods and underbrush shielded the enemy 
 from view. 
 
 Law now commanding Hood's Division, reformed his lines 
 and assaulted and took the enemy's first lines of entrench- 
 ments. Kershaw marched in rear of the brigade, giving com- 
 mands in that clear, metalic sound that inspired confidence in 
 his troops. At the foot of the declivity, or where the ground 
 begun to rise towards the enemy's lines, was a rail fence, and 
 at this obstruction and clearing of it away, Kershaw met a 
 galling fire from the Federal sharpshooters, but not a gun had 
 been fired as yet by our brigade. But Humphreys was in it 
 hot and heavy. As we began our advance up the gentle slope, 
 the enemy poured volley after volley into us from- its line of 
 battle posted behind the log breastworks. Now the battle 
 with us raged in earnest. 
 
 Bushrod Johnson entered the lists with his division, and 
 routed the enemy in his front, taking the first line of breast- 
 works without much difficulty. Hindman's Division followed 
 Johnson, but his left and rear was assailed by a formidable 
 force of mounted infantry which threw Manigault's (South 
 Carolina) Brigade on hi.s extreme left in disorder, the brigade 
 being seriously rattled. But Twiggs' Brigade, from Preston's 
 pivotal Division, came to the succor of Manigault and suc- 
 ceeded in restoring the line, and the advance continued. 
 Kershaw had advanced to within forty paces of the enemj's 
 line, and it seemed for a time that his troops would be annihi- 
 lated. Colonel Bland, then Major Hood, commanding the 
 18 
 
■274 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Seventh, were killed. Lieutenant Colonel Hoole, of the 
 Eighth, was killed. Colonel Gist, commanding the Fifteenth, 
 and Captain Jennings, commanding the Third Battalion, were 
 dangerously wounded, while many others of the line ofEcers 
 had fallen, and men were being mown down like grain before 
 a sickle. 
 
 General Kershaw ordered his men to fall back to the -little 
 ravine a hundred paces in rear, and here they made a tem- 
 porary breastwork of the torn down fence and posted them- 
 selves behind it. They had not long to wait before a long line 
 of blue was seen advancing from the crest of the hill. The 
 enemy, no doubt, took our backward movement as a retreat, 
 and advanced with a confident mien, all unconscious of our 
 presence behind the rail obstruction. Kershaw, with his steel- 
 graj' eyes glancing up and down his lines, and then at the 
 advancing line of blue, gave the command repeatedly to ' 'Hold 
 your fire." When within a very short distance of our, column 
 the startling command rang out above the din of battle on our 
 right and left, '"Fire!" Then a deafening volley , rolled out 
 along the whole line. The enemy halted and wavered, their 
 men falling in groups, then fled to their entrenchments, Ker- 
 shaw closely pursuing. 
 
 From the firing of the first gun away to the right the battle 
 became one of extreme bitterness, the Federals standing with 
 unusual gallantry by their guns in the vain hope that as 
 the day wore on they could successfully withstand, if not 
 entirely repel, the desperate assaults of Bragg until night 
 would give them cover to withdraw. 
 
 The left wing was successful, and had driven the Federal 
 lines back at right angles on Thomas' right. The Federal 
 General, Gordon Granger, rests his title to fame by the bold 
 movement he now made. Thomas was holding Polk in steady 
 battle on our right, when General Granger nc*iced the Twen- 
 tieth Corps was being forced back, and the firing becoming 
 dangerously near in the Federal's rear. General Granger, 
 without any orders whatever, left his position in rear of 
 Thomas and marched to the rescue of-McCook, now seeking 
 shelter along the slopes of Mission Ridge, but too late to 
 retrieve losses — only soon enough to save the Federal Army 
 from rout and total disaster. ' 
 
 But the turning point came when Longstreet ordered up a 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 2JP& 
 
 battalion of heavy field pieces, near the angle made by the 
 bending back of the enemy's right, and began infilading the 
 lines of Thomas, as well as Crittenden's and McCook's. Be- 
 fore this tornado of shot and shell nothing could stand. But 
 with extraordinary tenacity of Thomas and the valor of his 
 men he held his own for a while longer. 
 
 Kershaw was clinging to his enemy like grim death from 
 eleven o'clock until late in the evening — his men worn and 
 fagged, hungry and almost dying of thirst, while the ammuni- 
 tion was being gradually exhausted and no relief in sight. 
 Hmdman (Johnson on the left) had driven the enemy back oa 
 Snodgrass Hill, where Granger's reservc-s were aiding them 
 in making the last grand struggle. Snodgrass Hill was 
 thought to be the key to the situation on our left, as was 
 Horse Shoe Bend on the right, but both were rough and hard 
 keys to handle. Kershaw had driven all before him from the 
 first line of works, and only a weak fire was coming from the 
 second line. All that was needed now to complete the advance 
 was a concentrated push along the whole line, but the density 
 of the smoke settling in the woods, the roar of battle drowning 
 all commands, and the exhaustion and defleclion of the ra&k 
 and file made this move impossible. 
 
 But just before the sun began dipping behind the mountains 
 on our left, a long line of gray, with glittering ba^'onets, was 
 seen coming down the slope in our rear. It was General 
 Oracie, with his Alabama Brigade of Preston's Division, com- 
 ing to reinforce our broken ranks and push the battle forward. 
 This gallant brigade was one tho\isand one hundred strong 
 and it was said this was their first baptism of fire and blood. 
 General Gracie was a fine specimen of physical manhood and a 
 finished looking officer, and rode at the head of his column. 
 Reaching Kershaw, he dismounted, placed the reins of his 
 horse over his arm, and ordered his men to the battle. The 
 enemy could not withstand the onslaught of these fresh troops, 
 and gave way, pursued down the little dell in rear by the 
 Alabamians. The broken lines formed on the reserves ttat 
 were holding Snodgrass Hill, and made an aggressive attibk 
 upon Gracie, forcing him back on the opposite hill. 
 
 Twigg's Brigade, of the same division, came in on the left 
 and gave him such support as to enable him to hold his nfew 
 line. 
 
2(6 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The fire of Longstreet's batteries from the angle down 
 Thomas' lines, forced that General to begin withdrawing his 
 troops from their entrenchments, preparatory to retreat. This 
 movement being noticed by the commanding General, Liddell's 
 Div'ision on the extreme right was again ordered to the 
 attack, but with no better success than in the morning. The 
 enemy had for some time been withdrawing his trains and 
 broken ranks through the gaps of the mountain in the direc- 
 tion of Chattanooga, leaving nothing in front of the left wing 
 but the reserves of Granger and those of Crittenden. These 
 held their ground gallantly around Snodgrass Hill, but it was 
 a self-evid'jnt fact to all the ofScers, as well as the troops, that 
 the battle was irretrievably lost, and they were only fighting 
 for time, the time that retreat could be safely made under 
 cover of darkness. But before the sun was fairly set, that 
 great army was in full retreat. But long before this it was 
 known to the brilliant Union commander that fate had played 
 him false — that destiny was pointing to his everlasting over- 
 throw. He knew, too, that the latter part of the battle, while 
 brief and desperate, the luried cloud of battle settling all 
 around his dead and dying, a spectre had even then arisen as 
 from the earth, and pointing his bonj' fingers at the field of 
 carnage, whispering in his ear that dreaded word, "I,ost!" 
 
 As night closed in upon the bloody scenes of the day, the 
 Federal Armj-, that in the morning had stood proud and defi- 
 ant along the crests and gorges of the mountain ridges, was 
 now a struggling mass of beaten and fleeing fugatives, or 
 groups groping their way through the darkness towards the 
 passes that led to Chattanooga. 
 
 Of all the great Captains of that day, Longstreet was the 
 guiding genius of Chickamauga. It was his masterful mind 
 that rose equal to the emergency, grasped and directed the 
 storm of battle. It was by the unparalleled courage of the 
 troops of Hood, Humphreys, and Kershaw, and the temporary 
 command under L,ongstreet, throwing themselves athwart the 
 path of the great colossus of the North, that checked him and 
 drove him back over the mountains to the strongholds around 
 Chattanooga. And it is no violent assumption to say that had 
 the troops on the right under Polk supported the battle with 
 as fiery zeal as those on the left under Longstreet, the Union 
 Army would have been utterly destroyed and a possible differ- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 277 
 
 ent ending to the campaign, if not in final, resvilts might have 
 been confidently expected. 
 
 The work of the soldier was not done with the coming of 
 night. The woods along the slopes where the battle had 
 raged fiercest had caught fire and the flames were nearing the 
 wounded and the dead. Their calls and piteous wails de- 
 manded immediate assistance. Soldiers in groups and by ones 
 and twos scoured the battlefield in front and rear, gathering up 
 first the wounded then the dead. The former were removed to 
 the field infirmaries, the latter to the new city to be built for 
 them — the city of the dead. The builders were already at 
 work on their last dwelling places, scooping out shallow graves 
 with bayonets, knives, and such '.ools that were at hand. 
 Many pathetic pectacles were witnessed of brothei: burying 
 brother. My brother and five other members of the com- 
 pany were laid side by side, wrapped only in their blankets, 
 in the manner of the Red Men in the legend who fought and 
 died here in the long, long ago. Here we left them "in all 
 their glory" amid the sacred stillness that now reigned over 
 the once stormy battlefield, where but a short while before the 
 tread of struggling legions, the thunder of cannon, and the 
 roar of infantry mingled in systematic confusion. But now 
 the awful silence and quietude that pervades the field after 
 battle — where lay the dreamless sleepers of friend and foe, 
 victor and vanquished, the blue and the gray, with none to 
 sing their requiems — nothing heard save the plaintive notes of 
 the night bird or the faint murmurs of grief of the comrades 
 who are placing the sleepers in their shallow beds ! But what 
 is death to the soldier? It is, the passing of a comrade perhaps 
 one day or hour in advance to the river with the Pole Ferry- 
 man. 
 
 Bragg, out of a total of fifty-nine thou.sand two hundred and 
 forty-two, lost seventeen thousand eight hundred. Rosecran's 
 total was sixty thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven (ex- 
 clusive of the losses on the i8th and 19th). His loss on the 
 2oth was sixteen thousand five hundred and fifty. The greater 
 loss of the Confederates can be accounted for when it is re- 
 membered that they were the assaulting party — the enemy's 
 superior position, formidable entrenchments, and greatmr 
 amount of artillery. 
 
 The Battle of Chickamauga was one of the most sanguinary 
 
278 HISTORY OF KEltSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of- the war, when the number of troops engaged and the time 
 in actual combat are taken iiito consideration. In the matter 
 of losses it stands as the fifth greatest battle of the war. His- 
 tory gives no authentic record of greater casualties in battle in 
 the different organizations, many of the regiments losing from 
 fifty to fifty-seven per cent, of their numbers, while some 
 reached us high as sixty-eight per cent. When it :s remem- 
 bered that usually one is killed out right to every five that are 
 ■wounded, some idea of the dreadful mortality on the field can 
 be formed. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 Notes of the Battle— Pathetic Scenes—Sketches 
 of Officers. 
 
 The Seventh Regiment was particularly unfortunate in the 
 loss of her brilliant officers. Colonel Bland and Lieutenant 
 Colonel Hood both being killed, that regiment was left with- 
 out a field officer. lyieuteuant ColonU Joseph Gist, of the 
 Fifteenth, being permanently disabled, and Major William Gist 
 being soon afterwards killed, the Fifteenth was almost in the 
 same condition of the Seventh. So also was the Third Bat- 
 talion. Captain Robert Jennings, commanding the battalion 
 as senior Captain, lost his arm here, and was permanently 
 retired, leaving Captain Whitner in command. Major Dan 
 Miller had received a. disabling wpund in some of the former 
 battles and never returned. Colonel Rice returning soon after 
 this battle, he likewise received a wound from which he never 
 sufficiently recovered for active service, so the Third Battalion 
 was thereafter commanded by a Captain, Captain Whitner 
 commanding until his death one year later.. The Eighth Regi- 
 ment met an irreparable loss in the death of Lieutenant Colo- 
 nel Hoole. No ofticer in the brigade had a more soldierly 
 bearing, high attainments, and knightly qualities than Colonel 
 Hoole, and not only the regiment, but the whole brigade felt 
 his loss. He was one of those o£&( ers whose fine appearance 
 caused men to stop and look at him twice before passing. The 
 many fine officers. Captains as well as Lieutenants, that were 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 279 
 
 killed or wounded here made a death and disabled roll, from 
 the eflFects of which the brigade never fully recovered. Then 
 the whole army mourned the supposed death of the gallant 
 and dashing Texan, General Hood, but he lived to yet write 
 his name in indellible letters on the roll of fame among the 
 many officers of distinction in the Army of Tennessee. 
 
 In our first general advance in the morning, as the regiment 
 reached the brow of the hill, just before striking the enetr.y's 
 breastworks, ni}' company and the other color company, being 
 crowded together by the pressure of the flanks on either side, 
 became for the moment a tangled, disorganized masrs. A sud- 
 den discharge of grape from the enemy's batteries, as well as 
 from their sharpshooters posted behind trees, threw us in 
 greater confusion, and many men were shot down unex- 
 pectedly. A Sergeant in my company, T. C. Nunamaker, 
 received a fearful wound in the abdomen. Catching ni}' hand 
 while falling, he begged to be carried oflf. "Oh ! for God's 
 sake, don't leave me here to bleed to death or have my life 
 tratnpled out ! Do have me carried off ! " But the laws of 
 war are inexorable, and none could leave the ranks to care for 
 the wounded, and those whose duty it was to attend to such 
 matters were unfortunately too often far in the. rear, seeking 
 places of safety for themselves, to give -much thought or con- 
 cern to the bleeding soldiers. Before bui: lines (vere properl5' 
 adjusted, the gallant Sergeant was beyond the aid of anyone. 
 He had died from internal hemorrhage; The searchers of the 
 battlefied, those gatherers of the wounded and dead, witness 
 many; novel and pathetic scenes. 
 
 Louis Spillers, a private in my company, a poor,' quiet, and 
 unassuming fellow, who had left a wife and little children at 
 home when he donned the uniform of gray, had his thigh 
 broken, just to the left of where the Sergeant fell. Spillers 
 was as "brave as the bravest," and made no noise when he 
 received the fatal wound. As the command swept forward 
 down the little dell, he was of course left behind. Dragging 
 himself along to the shade of a small tree, he sought shelter 
 behind its trunk, protecting his person as well as he could from 
 the bullets of the enemy posted on the ridge in front, and 
 waited developments. When the litter-bearers found him late 
 at night, he was leaning against the tree, calmly puffing away 
 at his clay pipe. When asked why he did not call for assist- 
 
280 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 ance, he replied: "Oh, no; I thought my turn would come 
 after awhile to be cared for, so I just concluded to quietly wait 
 and try and smoke away some of my misery." Before morn- 
 ing he was dead. One might ask the question, What did such 
 men of the South have to fight for — no negroes, no property, 
 not even a home that they could call their own? What was it 
 that caused them to make such sacrifices — to even give their 
 lives to the cause? It wns a principle, and as dear to the poor- 
 est of the poor as to him who counted his broad acres by the 
 thousands and his slaves hy the hundreds. Of such mettle 
 were made the soldiers of ih_- South — unyielding, unconquer- 
 able, invincible ! 
 
 An old man in Captain Watts' Company, from Laurens, 
 Uncle Johny Owens, a veteran of the Florida War, and one 
 who gave much merriment to the soldiers by his frequent com- 
 parisons of war, "fighting Indians" and the one "fighting 
 Yankees," was found on the slope, just in front of the enemy's 
 breastworks, leaning against a tree, resting on his left knee, 
 his loaded rifle across the other. In his right hand, between 
 his forefinger and thumb, in the act of being placed upon the 
 nipple of the gun, w-as a percussion cap. His frame was rigid, 
 cold, and stiff, while his glossy eyes seemed to be peering in 
 the front as looking for a lurking foe. He was stone dead, a. 
 bullet having pierced his heart, not leaving the least sign of 
 the twitching of a muscle to tell of the shock he had received. 
 He had fought his last battle, fired his last gun, and was now- 
 waiting for the last great drum-beat. 
 
 A story is told at the expense of Major Stackhouse, after- 
 wards the Colonel of the Eighth, during this battle. I cannot 
 vouch for its truthfulness, but give it as it was givei. to me by 
 Captain Harllee, of the same regiment. The Eighth was being 
 particularly hard-pressed, and had it not been for the unflinch- 
 ing stoicism of the officers and the valor of the men, the ranks- 
 uot yet recruited from the results of the battle at Gettysburg, 
 the little band would have been forced to yield. Major Stack- 
 house was in command of the right wing of the regiment, and. 
 all who knew the old farmer soldier knew him to be one of the 
 most stubborn fighters in the army, and at the same time a 
 "Methodist of the Methodists." He was moreover a pure- 
 Christian gentleman and a churchman of the straightest sect. 
 There was no cant superstitions or affectation in his make-up,. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 281 
 
 and what he said he meant. It was doubtful if he ever had an 
 evil thought, and while his manners might have been at times 
 blunt, he was always sincere and his language chosen and 
 chaste, with the possible exception during battle. The time of 
 which I speak, the enemy was making a furious assault on the 
 right wing of the Eighth, and as the Major would gently rise 
 to his knees and see the enemy so stubbornly contesting the 
 ground, he would call out to the men, "There they are, boys, 
 give them hell ! " Then in an under tone he would say, "May 
 God, forgive me for that ! " Still the Yankees did not yield, 
 and again and again he shouted louder and louder, "Boys, 
 give it to them; give them hell!" with his usual undertone, 
 "May God, forgive me for that," etc. But they began closing 
 on the right and the center, and his left was about to give 
 way; the old soldier could .stand it no longer. Springing to 
 his feet, his tall lorm towering above all around him, he 
 shouted at the top of his voice, "Give them hell; give them 
 
 hell, I tell you, boys; give them hell, G souls" The 
 
 Eighth must have given them what was wanting, or they 
 received it from somewhere, for after this outburst they scam- 
 pered back behind the ridge. 
 
 Years after this, while Major Stackhouse was in Congress, 
 and much discussion going on about the old Bible version of 
 hell and the new version hades, some of his colleagues twitted 
 the Major about the matter and asked him whether he was 
 wanting the Eighth to give the Union soldiers the new version 
 or the old. With a twinkle in his eye, the Major answered 
 "Well, boys, on all ordinary occasions the new version will 
 answer the purposes, but to drive a wagon out of a stall or the 
 Yankees from your front, the old version is the best." 
 
 Major Hard, who was killed here, was one of the 
 finest ofl5cers in the brigade and the youngest, at that 
 time, of all the field officers. He was handsome, brilliant, 
 and brave. He was one of the original officers of the 
 Seventh; was re-elected at the reorganization in May, 1862, 
 and rose, by promotion, to Major, and at the resignation of 
 Colonel Aiken would have been, according to seniority, lyieu- 
 tenant Colonel. Whether he ever received this rank or not, 
 I cannot remember. I regret my inability to get a sketch of 
 his life. 
 
 But the Rupert of the brigade was Colonel Bland, of the 
 
282 HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Seventh. I do not think he ever received his commission as 
 full Colonel, but commanded the regiment as Lieutenant Colo- 
 nel, with few exceptions, from the battle of Sharpsburg until 
 his death. Colonel Aiken received a wound at Sharpsburg 
 from which he never fully recovered until after the. war. 
 Colonel Aiken was a moulder of the minds of men ; could hold 
 them together and guide them as few men could in Kershaw's 
 Brigade, but Bland was the ideal soldier and a fighter "par 
 ■excellence." He had the gift of inspiring in his men that 
 lofty courage that he himself possessed. His form was fault- 
 less — tall, erect, and well developed, his eyes penetrating 
 rather than piercing, his voice strong and commanding. His 
 was a noble, generous soul, cool and brave almost to rashness. 
 He was idolized by his troops and beloved as a comrade and 
 commander. Under the guise of apparent sternness, there was 
 a gentle flow of humor. To illustrate this, I will relate a lit- 
 tle circumstance that occurred after the battle of Chancellors- 
 ville to show the direction his humor at times took. Colonel 
 Bland was a bearer of orders to General Hooker across the 
 Rappahannock, under a flag of truce. At the opposite banlc 
 he was met by ofiicers and a crowd of curious onlookers, who 
 plied the Colonel with irrelevant questions. On his coat collar 
 he wore the two stars of his rank, Lieutenant Colonel. One 
 of the young Federal officers made some remark about 
 Bland's stars, and said, "I can't understand your Confederate 
 ranks; some officers have bars and some stars. I see j'ou have 
 two stars; are you a Brigadi'erGeneral?'.' 
 
 "No, sir," said Bland, straightening himself up to his full 
 height; "but I ought to be. If I was in your army I would 
 have been a Major General, and in command of your army." 
 Then with a merry chuckle added, "Perhaps then you would 
 not have gotten such a d — n bad whipping at Chancellors- 
 ville." Then all hands laughed. 
 
 COLONEL ELBERT BLAND, SEVENTH REGIMENT. 
 
 Elbert Bland was born in Edgefield County, S. C, and at- 
 tended the common schools until earlj' manhood, when choos- 
 ing medicine as a profession, he atteiided the Medical College 
 ■of New York, where he graduated with distinction. Ardently 
 ambitious, he remained sometime after graduation, in order to 
 perfect himself in his chosen profession. Shortly after his 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 283 
 
 graduation, war broke out between the States and Mexico, 
 and he was offered and accepted the position of Assistant Sur- 
 geon of the Pahnetto Regiment, Colonel P. M. Butler com- 
 manding. By this fortunate occurrence he was enabled to 
 greatly enlarge his knowledge of surgery. At the close of the 
 war he came home, well equipped for the future. Shortly 
 after his return from the war he was happily married to Miss 
 Rebecca GriflFiu, a daughter of Hon. N. L- GrifBn, of Edge- 
 field. Settling in his native county, he entered at once into a 
 lucrative practice, and at the beginning of the late war was 
 enjoying one of the largest country practices in the State. 
 When the mutterings of war began he was one of the first to 
 show signs of activity, and when Gregg's Regiment went to 
 the coast in defense of his native State, he was appointed Sur- 
 geon of that Regiment. Having had some experience already 
 as a Surgeon in the Mexican War, he determined to enter the 
 more active service, and in connection with Thos. G. Bacon, 
 raised the Ninety-Six Riflemen, which afterwards formed part 
 of the Seventh South Carolina Regiment. Bacon was elected 
 Captain and Bland First Lieutenant. Upon organizing the 
 regiment. Bacon was elected Colonel of the regiment and Bland 
 was to be Captain. 
 
 Whilst very little active servic(2!\vas seen duruig the first 
 year of the war, still sufBcient evidencJe was given of Bland's 
 ability as a commander of the men, and upon the reorganiza- 
 tion of the regiment, Capiaiti;-' BlaJiid was elected Lieutenant 
 Colonel.-' From thife-stime untirS'e-pteniber -^oth, 1S63, his for- 
 tunes were thCi.se of the Seventh Regiment"' He was couspicu^ 
 ous on nearly every battlefield in Virginia, and- was' twice 
 wounded — at Savage 'Station, seriously in the arm, from which 
 he never recovered, and painfully in the thigh at Gettysburg. 
 At the sanguinary battle of Chickamauga, on September 20th, 
 1863, whilst in command of his regiment, and in the moment 
 of'victory, he fell mortally wounded, living only about two 
 hours. 
 
 No knightlier soul than his ever flashed a sabre in ihe cause 
 he loved so well, and like Marshall Nay, he was one of the 
 bravest of the brave. He .sleeps quietly in the little cemetery 
 of his native town, and a few years ago, upon the death-bed of 
 his wife, her request was that his grave and coffin should be 
 opened at her death, and that she should be placed upon his 
 
284 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 bosom, which was done, and there they sleep. May they rest 
 in peace. 
 
 I,IEUTENANT COLONEI, HOOLE, EIGHTH REGIMENT. 
 
 Axalla John Hoole was of English decent, his grandfather, 
 Joseph Hoole, having emigrated from York, England, about 
 the close of the Revolutionary War, and settled at George- 
 town, S. C. 
 
 James C. Hoole, the father of A. J. Hoole, was a soldier of 
 the war of 1812. He removed to Darlington District and mar- 
 ried Elizabeth Stanley, by whom he had five children, the 
 third being the subject of this sketch. 
 
 Axalla John Hoole was born near Darlington Court House, 
 S. C, October 12th, 1822. His father died when he was 
 quite small, leaving a large family and but little property, but 
 his mother was a woman of great energy, and succeeded in 
 giving him as good an education as could be obtained at St. 
 John's Academy, Darlington Court House. Upon the comple- 
 tion of the academic course, at the age of eighteen, he taught 
 school for twelve j'ears, after which he followed the occupa- 
 tion of farming. 
 
 While a young man he joined the Darlington Riflemen, and 
 after serving in various capacities, he was elected Captain 
 about 1854 or 1855. He was an enthusiastic advocate of 
 States Rights, and during the excitement attending the admis- 
 sion of Kansas as a State, he went out there to oppose the 
 Abolitionists. He m£(rried Elizabeth G. Brunson, March 20th, 
 1856, and left the same day for Kansas. Taking an active 
 part in Kansas politics and the "Kansas War," he was elected 
 Probate Judge of Douglas County by the pro-slavery party, 
 under the regime ot Governor Walker. 
 
 He returned to Darlington December 5th, 1857, and shortly 
 afterwards was re-elected Captain of the Darlington Riflemen. 
 At a meeting of the Riflemen, held in April, 1861, on the 
 Academy green, he called for volunteers, and every man in 
 the company volunteered, except one. The company went 
 to Charleston April 15th, i86i, and after remaining a short 
 while, returned as far as Florence, where they were mustered 
 in as Company A, Eighth S. C. V. 
 
 The Eigth Regiment left Florence for Virginia June 2d, 
 1 86 1. At the expiration of the period of enlistment, the 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 285 
 
 regiment was reorgauized, and Captain Hoole was elected 
 Lieutenant Colonel, in which capacity he served until he was 
 killed at the battle of Chickamauga, September 20th, 1863. 
 He was buried at the Brunson graveyard, near Darlington. 
 
 COLONEL E. T. STACKHOUSE, EIGHTH REGIMENT. 
 
 As I have made some mention of Major Stackhouse, he 
 being promoted to lyieutenant Colonel, and afterwards Colonel 
 of the Eighth, I will take this opportunity of giving the read- 
 ers a very brief .sketch of the life of this sterling farmer, 
 patriot, soldier, and statesman, who, I am glad to say, sur- 
 vived the war for many years. 
 
 Colonel E. T. Stackhouse was born in Marion County, of 
 this State, the 27th of March, 1824, and died in the City of 
 Washington, D.C, June 14th, 1892. He was educated in 
 the countr}' schools, having never enjoyed the advantages of a 
 collegiate course. He married Miss Anna Fore, who preceded 
 him to the grave by only a few months. Seven children was 
 the result of this union. In youth and early manhood Colonel 
 Stackhouse was noted for his strict integrity and sterling qual- 
 ities, his love of truth and right being his predominating 
 trait. As he grew in manhood he grew in moral worth — the 
 better known, the more beloved. 
 
 His chosen occupation was that of farming, and he was ever 
 proud of the distinction of being called one of the ' 'horny- 
 handed sons of toil." In the neighborhood in which he was 
 born and bred he was an extmplar of all that was progressive 
 and enobling. 
 
 In April, 1861, Colonel Stackhouse was among ^he very 
 first to answer the call of his country, and entered the service 
 as Captain in the Eighth South Carolina Regiment. By the 
 casualties of war, he was promoted to Major, Lieutenant Col- 
 onel, and Colonel, and led the old Eighth, the regiment he 
 loved so well , in some of the most sanguinary engagements of 
 the war. All that Colonel Stackhouse was in civil life he was 
 that, and more if possible, in the life of a soldier. In battle 
 he was calm, collected, and brave; in camp or on the march he 
 was sociable, moral — a Christian gentleman. As a tactician 
 and disciplinarian, Colonel Stackhouse could not be called an 
 exemplar soldier, as viewed in the light of the regular army; 
 but as an officer of volunteers he had those elements in him to 
 
290 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 cause men to take on that same unflinching courage, iiidom- 
 inable spirit, and bold daring that actuated him in danger and 
 battle. He had not that sternness of command nor niceties 
 nor notion of superiority that made machines of men, but he 
 had that peculiar faculty of endowing his soldiers with confi- 
 dence and a willingness to follow where he led. 
 
 He represented his county for three terms in the State Leg- 
 islature, and was President of the State Alliance. He was- 
 among the first to advocate college agricultural training for 
 the youth of the land, and was largely instrumental in the 
 establishment of Clemson College, and became one of its first 
 trustees. 
 
 He was elected, without opposition, to the Fifty-first Con- 
 grees, and died while in the discharge of his duties at Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 In Front of Chattanooga. 
 
 Early on the morning' of the 22d we were ordered forward 
 towards Chattanooga, the right wing having gone the day be- 
 fore. Ou nearing the city, we were shelled by batteries posted 
 on the heights along the way and from the breastworks and 
 , forts around the city. It was during one of the heavy en- 
 gagements between our advanced skirmish lines and the rear 
 guard of the eneui}' that one of the negro cooks, by some 
 means, got lost between the lines, and as a heavy firing began, 
 bullets flying by him in every direction, he rushed towards the 
 rear, and raising his hands in an entreating position, cried out, 
 "Stop, white folks, stop! In the name of God Almighty, 
 stop and argy!" 
 
 In moving along, near the city we came to a great sink in 
 the ground, caused by nature's upheaval at some remote 
 period, covering an acre or two of space. It seemed to have 
 been a feeding place for hogs from time immemorial, for corn 
 cobs covered the earth for a foot or more in depth. In this 
 placp some of our troops were posted to avoid the shells, the 
 enemy having an exact range of this position. They began 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 287 
 
 throwing shells right and left and bursting them just over our 
 heads, the fragments flj'ing in every direction. At every dis- 
 charge, and before the shell reached us, the men would cling 
 to the sides of the slooping sink, or burrow deeper in the cobs, 
 until they had their bodies almost covered. A little man of 
 my company, while a good soldier, had a perfect aversion to 
 cannon shot, and as a shell would burst just overhead, his 
 body was seen to scringe, tremble, and go still deeper among 
 the cobs. Some mischievous comrade took advantage of his 
 position, seized a good sound cob, then just as a shell bursted 
 overhead, the trembling little fellow all flattened out, he 
 struck him a stunning blow on the back. Such a yell as he 
 set up was scarcely ever heard. Throwing the cobs in every 
 direction, he cried out, "Oh! I am killed; I am killed! Ambu- 
 lance corps! Ambulance corps!" But the laugh of the men 
 soon convinced him his wound was more imaginary than real, 
 so he turned over and commenced to burrow again like a 
 mole. 
 
 Rosecrans having withdrawn his entire force within the forti- 
 fications around Chattanooga, our troops were placed in camp, 
 surrounding the enemy in a semi-circle, and began to fortify. 
 Kershaw's Brigade was stationed around a large dwelliug in a 
 grove, just in frout of Chattanooga, and something over a mile 
 distant from the city, but in plain view. We had very pleas- 
 ant quarters in the large grove surrounding the house, and, in 
 fact, some took possession of the porches and outhouses. 
 This, I think, is the point Grant stormed a few months after- 
 wards, and broke through the lines of Bragg. We had built 
 very substantial breastworks, and our troops would have 
 thought themselves safe and secure against the charge of 
 Grant's whole army behind such works. 
 
 If those who are unfamiliar with the life of the soldier imag- 
 ines it is one long funeral procession, without any breaks of 
 humor, they are away off from the real facts. The soldier is 
 much the same as the schoolboy. He must have some vent 
 through which the ebullition of good feelings can blow off, else 
 the machinery bursts. 
 
 While encamped around this house, a cruel joke was played 
 upon Captain — well we will call him Jones; that was not his 
 name, however, but near enough to it to answer our purpose. 
 Now this Captain Jones, as we call him, was engaged to be 
 
288 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 married to one of the fairest flowers in the Palmetto State, a 
 perfect queen among beauties — cultured, vivacious, and be- 
 longing to one of the oldest families in that Commonwealth of 
 Blue Bloods. The many moves and changes during the last 
 month or two considerably interrupted our communications 
 and mail facilities, and Jones had not received the expected 
 letters. He became restless, petulant, and cross, and to use 
 the homely phrase, "he was all torn up." Instead of the "hu- 
 man sympathy" and the "one touch of nature," making the 
 whole world akin, that philosophers and sentimentalists talk 
 about, it should be "one sight of man's misery" — makes the 
 whole world "wish him more miserable." It was through 
 such feelings that induced Captain I. N. Martin, our commis- 
 sary, with Mack Blair and others, to enter into a conspiracy to 
 torture Jones with all he could stand. Blair had a lady cousin 
 living near the home of Jones' fiancee, with whom he corre- 
 sponded, and it was through this channel that the train was 
 laid to blow up Jones while said Jones was in the piazza en- 
 gaged in a deeply interesting game of chess. Martin was to 
 be in the piazza watching the game, when Blair was to enter 
 reading a letter. Then something like the following colloquy 
 took place : 
 
 "Well, Mack, what is the news from home?" 
 
 "Nothing very interesting," replies Blair. Then, as a sud- 
 den recollection strikes him, "Oh, yes, there is to be a big 
 wedding at Old Dr. Blanks." 
 
 "You don't say so?" (The game of chess stands still.) 
 "And who is to be married, pray?" innocently enquires 
 Martin. 
 
 "Why, it will surprise you as much as it did me, I suppose, 
 and I would not believe it, only Cousin Sallie says she is to be 
 bride's maid." (Jones ceases to play and listens intently.) 
 "It is nobody else than Mr. and Miss "Blank." 
 
 Now, this Miss "Blank" is Jones' intended. Jones is paral- 
 yzed. His face turns livid, then pale, now green ! He is 
 motionless, his eyes staring vacantly on the chessboard. 
 Then with a mighty exertion Jones kicked the board aside and 
 sprang to his feet. Shaking his trembling finger in the face of 
 Blair, his whole frame convulsed with emotion, his very soul 
 on fire, he hissed between his teeth : "That's an infernal lie, 
 I don't care whose Cousin Sallie wrote it." 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 289 
 
 Jones was nearly crazed for the balance of the day. He 
 whistled and sang strange melodies while walking aimlessly 
 about. He read and re-read the many love missives received 
 long ago. Some he tore into fragments; others he carefully 
 replaced in his knapsack. 
 
 But those evil geniuses were still at work for further torture, 
 or at least to gloat over Jones' misery. It was arranged to 
 formally bury him, allegorically. At night, while Jones was 
 asleep, or trying to sleep on the piazza, a procession was 
 formed, headed by Major Maffet, who was to act as the priest, 
 and I must say he acted the part like a cardinal. We had a 
 little rehearsal of the part each was to play, and those who 
 "couldn't hold in" from laughing were ruled out, for it was 
 expected that Jones would cut some frightful antics as the 
 ceremony proceeded. I was not allowed to accompany the 
 procession, as it was decided I could not "hold in," and under 
 no condition was there to be a laugh or even a smile; but I 
 took up position behind the balusters and watched events as 
 the shadows- were cast before. Major Maffet was dressed in a 
 long dark overcoat, to represent the priestly gown, with a 
 miter on his head, carrying Hardee's Tactics, from which to 
 read the burial service. All had in their hands a bayonet, 
 from which burned a tallow candle, in place of tapers. The 
 procession marched up the steps in single file, all bearing 
 themselves with the greatest solemnity and sombre dignity, 
 followed by the sexton, with a frying-pan as a shovel, and 
 took their places around the supposed corpse. Maffett began 
 the duties by alluding to that part of the service where "it is 
 allotted that all men shall die, ' ' etc. , waving his hand in due 
 form to the sexton as he repeated the words, "Earth to earth 
 and dust to dust,'-' the sexton following the motions with the 
 frying pan. 
 
 I must say, in all truthfulness, that in all my life I never 
 saw a graver or more solemn set of faces than those of the 
 would-be mourning procession. Captain Wright appeared as 
 if he was looking into his own grave, and the others appeared 
 equally as sorrowful. Major Maffett gave out in clear, distinct 
 tones the familiar lines of — 
 
 "Solemn strikes the funeral chime. 
 Notes of our departing time." 
 
 Well, such grotesque antics as Jones did cut up was per- 
 19 
 
290 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fectly dreadful. He laughed, he mimicked the priest, kicked 
 at the mourners, and once tried to grab the tactics. The 
 Major and his assistants pitched the tune on a high key. 
 Captain Wright braced it with loud, strong bass, while Martin 
 and Sim Pratt came in on the home stretch with tenor aud 
 alto that shook the rafters in the house. Then all dispersed 
 as silently and sorrowfully as they had come. 
 
 In a few days Jones got a letter setting all things straight. 
 Martin and Blair confessed their conspiracy against his peace 
 of mind, and matters progressed favorably thereafter between 
 Jones and Miss "Blank," but Jones confessed afterwards that 
 he carried for a long time "bad, wicked blood in his heart." 
 
 But soldiers have their tragedies as well as their comedies in 
 camp. It was here we lost our old friend, Jim George, the 
 shallow-pated wit — the man who found us the flour on the 
 Potomac, and who floundered about in the river "for three 
 hours," as he said, on that bitter cold night at Yorktown. It 
 was also told of Jim, that during the first battle he was load- 
 ing and shooting at the wounded enemy for all his gun was 
 worth, and when remonstrated with by, his Captain, Chesley 
 Herbert, telling Jim he "should not kill them," Jim indig- 
 nantly asked, "What in the hell did we come to the war for, 
 if not to kill Yankees?" But this, I think, is only a joke at 
 Jim's expense. Nevertheless, he was a good solider, of the 
 harmless kind, and a good, jolly fellow withal, taking it as a 
 pleasure to do a friend a kindness. 
 
 As I have said, however, Jim was a great boaster and blus- 
 terer, glorying in the marvelous and dangerous. Had he lived 
 in the heroic age, I have no doubt he would have regaled the 
 ears of his listeners with blood -curdling stories of his battles 
 with giants, his fights with dragons and winged serpents. He 
 claimed to possess a charm. He wore an amulet around his 
 neck to protect him against the "bullets of lead, of copper, or 
 of brass" of his enemies, through which, he said, nothing 
 could penetrate but the mystic "balls of silver," the same 
 with which "witch rabbits" are killed. He would fill his 
 pockets, after battle, with spent and battered bullets, and 
 exhibit them as specimens of his art in the catching of bullets 
 on "the fly." 
 
 He professed to be a very dangerous and blood-thirsty indi- 
 vidual, but his comrades only laughed at his idiosyncrasies, 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 291 
 
 knowing him as they did as being one of the best and most 
 harmless soldiers in the arm}'. He often boasted, "No Yankee 
 will ever kill me, but our own men will," his companions little 
 dreaming how prophetic his words would prove. 
 
 One night while Jim, in company with some companions, 
 were on a "foraging expedition," they came to a farm house 
 on Missionary Ridge and ordered supper. A cavalryman was 
 there, also, waiting to be served. A negro servant attending 
 to the table gave some real or imaginary affront, and the sol- 
 diers, in a spirit of jest, pretended as if they were going to 
 take the negro out and flog him. Now Jim, as well as the 
 cavalryman, thought the midnight revelers were in earnest, 
 and Jim was in high glee at the prospect of a little adventure. 
 But nothing was further from the thoughts of the soldiers 
 than doing harm to the negro. When they had him in the 
 yard the cavalryman came on the porch, and in an authorita- 
 tive manner, ordered the negro turned loose. 
 
 This was a time Jim thought that he could get in some of 
 his bullying, so going up on the steps where the cavalryman 
 stood, jesticulating with his finger, said, "When we get 
 through with the negro we will give you some of the same." 
 In an instant the strange soldier's pistol was whipped out — 
 a flash, a report, and Jim George fell dead at his feet, a vic- 
 tim to his own swagger and an innocent jest of his compan- 
 ions. So dumbfounded were the innocent "foragers," that 
 they allowed the cavalryman to ride away unmolested and 
 unquestioned. 
 
 The bones of the unfortunate Jim lie buried on the top of 
 Missionary Ridge, and the name of his slayer remains a mys- 
 tery to this day. 
 
 While in Tennessee our diet was .somewhat changed. In 
 the East, flour, with beef and bacon, was issued to the troops; 
 but here we got nothing but corn meal, with a little beef and 
 half ration of bacon. The troops were required to keep four 
 days' rations cooked on hand all the time. Of the meal we 
 made "cart wheels," "dog heads," "ash cakes," and last, but 
 not least, we had ' 'cush." Now corn bread is not a very great 
 delicacy at best, but when four days' old, and green with 
 mold, it is anything but palatable. But the soldiers got around 
 this in the way ' 'cush' ' was manipulated. Now it has been 
 said "if you want soldiers to fight well, you must feed them 
 
292 HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S EKKJADE. 
 
 well ;" but this is still a mooted question, and I have known 
 some of the soldiers of the Souih to gi>.e pretty strong battle - 
 when rather underfed than overfed. 
 
 For the benefit of those Spanish-American soldiers of the , 
 late war, who had nothing to vary their diet of ham and eggs, 
 steak, pork, and potatoes, buscuit, light bread, coffee, and 
 iced teas, but only such light goods as canned tomatoes, green- 
 corn, beans, salmon, and fresh fish, I will tell them how to 
 make "cush." You will not find this word in the dictionaries 
 of the day, biat it was in the soldier's vocabulary, now obso- 
 lete. Chip up bacon in fine particles, place in an oven and fry 
 to a crisp. Fill the oven one-third or one-half full of branch 
 water, then take the stale corn bread, the more moldy the bet- 
 ter, rub into fine crumbs, mix and bring the whole to a boil, 
 gently stirring with a forked stick. When cold, eat with 
 fingers, and to prevent waste or to avoid carrying it on the , 
 march, eat the four days' rations at one sitting. This dish 
 will aid in getting clear of all gestion of meat, and prevent 
 bread from getting old. A pot of "cush" is a dish "fit for a 
 king," and men who will not fight on it would not fight if 
 penned. 
 
 The forest and farms around abounded in sheep and hogs. 
 In fact, Tennessee and North Georgia were not the worst 
 places in the South in which to live through a campaign. We 
 had strict orders to protect all private property and molest 
 nothing out.side of camp requirements, but the men would 
 forage at night, bring in a sheep or hog, divide up, and by the 
 immutable law of camps it was always proper to hang a 
 choice piece of mutton or pork at the door of the officers' tent. 
 This helped to soothe the conscience of the men and pave the 
 way to immunity from puni.shment. The stereotyped orders 
 were issued every night for "Captains to keep their men in 
 camp," but the orders were as often disregarded as obeyed. 
 It was one of those cases where orders are more regarded ' 'in 
 the breach than in the observance. " OfiBcers winked at it, if 
 not actually countenancing the practice, of ''foraging for 
 something to eat." Then again the old argument presented 
 itself, "If we don't take it the Yankees wi'l,'' so there you were. 
 Most of the soldiers took the opportunity of visiting Look- 
 out Mountain and feasting their eyes upon the finest scenery of 
 the South. While they had crossed and recrossed the Blue 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 293 
 
 Ridge and the many ranges of lesser note in Virginia, Mary- 
 land, and Pennsylvania — had gazed with wonder and admira- 
 tion at the windings of the Potomac and Shenandoah from the 
 Heights of Maryland overlooking Harper's Ferry — yet all 
 the.se were nothing as compared to the view from Lookout 
 Mountain. Standing on its bruw, we could see the beautiful 
 blue waters of the Tennessee flowing apparently at our feet, 
 but in reality a mile or two distant. Beyond lay the city of 
 Chattanooga, nestling down in the bend of the river, while 
 away in the distance occasional glimpses of the stream could 
 be had as it wound in and out around the hills and mountains 
 that lined its either side, until the great river looked no larger 
 than a mountain brooklet. From the highest peak of Lookout 
 Mountain we catch faint .streaks of far away Alabama; on the 
 right, North Carolina; to the north, Tennessee; and to the 
 south and east were Georgia and our own dear South Carolina. 
 From this place many of our soldiers cast the last lingering 
 look at the land they loved so well. On the plateau of the 
 mountain was a beautiful lake of several acres in extent, sur- 
 rounded by lovely little villas and summer houses, the.se all 
 hurriedly deserted by the necessities of war — the furniture and 
 fixtures left all in place as the owner.^ took thair hastened 
 departure. In one house we visited was left a handsome 
 'piano,. on which those who could perform gave the soldiers 
 delightful music. 
 
 There was a roadway winding around the base of the moun- 
 tain and gradually up its slopes to the plateau above, where 
 wagons and other vehicles passed to the top. Most of the 
 soldiers who wished to visit this beautiful ar.d historic place 
 passed up this road wa}', but there was another route — just a 
 foot-path — Ujj its precipitous sides, which had to be climbed 
 hundreds of feet, perpendicularly, by means of ladders fastened 
 to its sides. After going up one ladder, say fifty or seventy- 
 five feet, we would come to a little offset in the mountain side, 
 just wide enough to get a fout-hold, before taking another 
 ladder.. Some of the boldest climbers took this route to reach 
 the summit, but after climbing the first ladder and looking 
 back towards the gorge below, I concluded it was safer "and 
 more pleasant to take the "longer way round." It certainly 
 takes a man of stout heart and strong nerves to climb those 
 ladders up to the "lauds of the .sky." 
 
394 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The scenery in and around Chattanooga and Lookout Moun- 
 tain is grand, far beyond pen picturing. The surroundings 
 had a kind of buoyancy even to the spirits of the badly clad 
 and badly fed soldiers, which caused their stale bread and 
 "cush" to be eaten with a relish. The mountain homes 
 seemed veritable ' 'castles in the air. ' ' Looking from the top 
 of Lookout Mountain — its position, its surroundings, its 
 natural fortresses — this would have made an old Feudal lord 
 die of envy. Autumn is now at hand, with its glorious sun- 
 sets, its gorgeous coloring of the leaves and bushes away to 
 the right on Missionary Ridge, the magnificent purple dra- 
 peries along the river sides that rise and fall to our right and 
 left, its blue waters dwindling away until they meet the deeper 
 blue of the sky — are all beautiful beyond description. Lovely 
 though this scenery may be in autumn, and its deeper coloring 
 of green in the summer, how dazzled must be the looker on in 
 beholding it in its tender, blushing mantle of spring? 
 
 For quite a time rumors came of Buruside's advance through 
 East Tennessee and of Longstreet's detachment from the army 
 to meet him. The troops were kept in constant expectation, 
 with the regulation "four days" cooked rations on hand. It 
 is not our purpose to criticise the acts of Generals, or the 
 schemes and plans of the Southern Government, but future 
 histoiical critics will not differ as to the ultimate results of the 
 East Tennessee move. That Longstreet's advance to East 
 Tennessee was without results, if not totally disastrous, all will 
 agree. To divide an army in the face of an enemy, is danger- 
 ous at best, and, with few exceptions, has been avoided by 
 Generals and commanders of all time. Lee could afford it, 
 because he was Lee and had a Jackson to execute the move- 
 ments, but on occasions when the enemy in front are more 
 numerous and commanded by the most able and astute Gen- 
 erals of the time, the movement is hazardous in the extreme. 
 Lee and his Lieutenants had already "robbed the cradle and 
 the grave" to replenish their ranks, and what real benefit 
 would accrue to the South had Longstreet cajitured the whole 
 of Burnside's Army, when the North had many armies to 
 replace it? The critics of the future will judge the movement 
 as ill-timed and fraught with little good and much ill to the 
 Confederacy. However, it was so ordered, and no alternate 
 was left the officers and soldiers but to obev. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 295 
 
 On the 9th ot October President Davis came out to Chatta- 
 nooga to give matters his personal attention and seek, if possi- 
 ble, some "scape-grace" upon which to saddle the blame for 
 not reaping greater fruits of the battle, and to vindicate the 
 conduct of his commander in chief. 
 
 General Bragg had already preferred charges against I^ieu- 
 tenant General Polk, commander of the right wing of the 
 army, for his tardiness in opening the battle of the 20th, and 
 General Hindman was relieved of the command of his division 
 for alleged misconduct prior to that time. Many changes 
 were proposed and made in the corps and division command- 
 ers, as well as plans discussed for the future operations of the 
 army. All agreed that it should be aggressive. 
 
 Major General Cheatham was temporarily placed in com- 
 mand of Polk's Corps after the downfall of that General, and 
 he himself soon afterwards superseded by Lieutenant General 
 Hardee. President Davis had thought of placing Pemberton, 
 who had capitulated to Grant at Vicksburg, but who had been 
 exchanged, in command of the corps; but the ofBcers and 
 troops demurred at this, and public opinion was so outspoken, 
 that Mr. Davis was forced to abandon the idea. It was, there- 
 fore, given to Hardee. For some offense given by Major 
 Genaral D. H. Hill, who commanded the right of the right 
 wing on the 20th, he was relieved of his command and his 
 connection with the Army of Tennessee. Major General 
 Buckner, commanding the divisions on the left of L,ongstreet's 
 wing, also came under the ban of official displeasure and was 
 given an indefinite leave of ab.sence. There was wrangling, 
 too, among the Brigadiers in Hood's Division, Jenkins, I/aw, 
 and Robertson. Jenkins being a new addition to the division, 
 was, senior officer, and commanded the division in Hood's 
 absence by virtue of his rank. Law had been in the division 
 since its formation, and after Hood's disabilities from wounds, 
 commanded very acceptably the balance of the days at Gettys- 
 burg. For this and other meritorious conduct, he thought 
 the command should be given to him as senior in point of 
 service with the division. Robertson had some personal difi5- 
 culty with General Longstreet, which afterwards resulted in a 
 call for a court-martial. The advanced ideas and undisguised 
 views of Longstreet himself were considered with suspicion by 
 both the President and the General commanding the army, 
 
296 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 and had it not been for the high prestige and his brilliant 
 achievements in the East, the unbounded love and devotion of 
 his troops, the loyalty and confidence of General Lee in the 
 high military ability of the old War Horse, his commander of 
 the First Corps, in all probability his official head would have 
 fallen in the basket. But President Davis was strong in his 
 prejudices and convictions, and as usual, tenacious in his 
 friendship and confidence towards his favorites. Bragg, in 
 President Davis' estimation at least, was vinuicated, but at 
 the expense of his subalterns, and was, therefore, retained in 
 command in the face of overwhelming discontent among the 
 Generals and the pressing demands of public opinion for his. 
 recall from the command of the armj'. 
 
 General Lee in the meantime had sought to relieve the 
 pressure against Bragg as much as possible by making a 
 demonstration in force against Meade, forcing the Federal 
 Army back behind Bull Run, thereby preventing a further 
 reinforcement of Rosecrans from the Army of the Potomac. 
 
 I digress thus far from the thread of my story, that the 
 reader may better understand the conditions confronting our 
 army — the morale and esprit de corps of the officers and troops 
 composing it. 
 
 On the 19th of October General Rosecrans was superseded 
 by Major General George B. Thomas, in command of the 
 Union Army, with Grant, who was rapidly climbing to the 
 zenith of this renown, marching to his relief as commander of 
 the department. 
 
 A considerable commotion was caused in camp about the 
 last of October by the news of a large body of Union soldiers 
 making a demonstration against onr left flank and rear. It 
 seems that a body of troops had embarked on board pontoon 
 and flat boats in Chattanooga, and during the night had 
 floated eight miles down the river and there were joined by a 
 similar body marching over land on the north side. This, 
 formidable array was crossed over to the south side and moved 
 in the direction of our rear and our line of communication 
 under cover of the hills and mountain ridges. Jenkins' and 
 McLaw's Divisions were ordered to intercept them and drive 
 them off. A night attack was ordered, but by some misunder- 
 standing or disobedience of orders, this movement on the part 
 of the Confederates miscarried, and was abandoned; not, how- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 297 
 
 ever, until General Bratton, of Jenkins' old Brigade, came up 
 and attacked the rear guard with such vigor that the enemy 
 was glad enough to get away, leaving their wounded and dead 
 upon the field. No further movements were made against the 
 army until after our removal to East Tennessee. 
 
 About the first of November orders were issued for the 
 transfer of I^ongstreet to begin, and on the 5th and 6th the 
 greater part of his army was embarked oq hastily constructed 
 trains at Tyner's Station, some five or six miles out on the 
 E. T. & K. R. R. The horses, artillery, and wagon trains 
 took the dirt road to Sweetwater, in the Sweetwater Valley, 
 one of the most fertile regions in East Tennessee. 
 
 I/Ongstreet's command consisted of Kershaw's (South Caro- 
 lina), Bryan's and Wofford's (Georgia), and Humphreys' 
 (Mississippi) Brigades, under Major General Mclyaws; Ander- 
 son's (Georgia), Jenkins' (South Carolina), Law's (Alabama), 
 Robertson's (Arkansas and Texas), and Benning's (Georgia) 
 Brigades, under Brigadier General M. Jenkins, commanding 
 division; two batteries of artillery, under General Alexander; 
 and four brigades of cavalry, under Major General Wheeler. 
 
 General Hood had been so desperately wounded at Chick- 
 amauga, that it was thought he could never return to the 
 army; but he had won a glorious name, the prestige of which 
 the war department thought of too much value to be lost, but 
 to be used afterwards so disastrously in the campaign through 
 Middle Tennessee. General Hood was, no doubt, an able, 
 resolute, and indefatigable commander, although meteoric, 
 something on the order of Charles, the "Madman of the 
 North;" but his experience did not warrant the department in 
 placing him in the command of an expedition to unde.take the 
 impossible — the defeat of an overwhelming army, behind 
 brea.stworks, in the heart of its own country. 
 
 The movement of Longstreet to East Tennessee and Hood 
 through Middle Tenne.ssee was but the commencement of a 
 series of blunders on the part of our war department that cul- 
 minated eventually in the South's downfall. But it is not our 
 province to speculate in the rosy fields of "might-have-been," 
 but to record facts. 
 
 General Longstreet had of all arms fifteen thousand men, 
 including teamsters, guards, medical and ambulance corps. 
 General Burnside had an army of twenty-five thousand men 
 
298 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 and one hundred pieces of artillery, and this was the army 
 I/Ongstreet was expected to capture or destro}'. 
 
 General Grant was marching from Mississippi with a large 
 portion of his victorious troops of the Vicksburg campaign to 
 reinforce Rosecrans, Sherman coming down through Tennes- 
 see, and Meade was sending reinforcements from the Kast, all 
 to swell the defeated ranks of Rosecrans. With the knowl- 
 edge of all these facts, the department was preparing to further 
 reduce the forces of Bragg by sending Longstreet up in East 
 Tennessee, with soldiers badly clad, worse equipped, and with 
 the poorest apology of camp equipage, for an active and pro- 
 gressive campaign. 
 
 Both governments were greatly displeased with the results 
 of the battle of Chickamauga — the Federals at their army fail- 
 ing to come up to their expectations and gaining a victory, 
 instead of a disastrous defeat; the Confederates at their com- 
 manders in not following up their success and reaping greater 
 results. Under such circumstances, there must be some one 
 on whom to place the blame. General Rosecrans censured 
 General McCook and General Crittendeu, commanders of the 
 Twentieth and Twenty-first Corps, and these two able soldiers 
 were relieved of their commands, while General Rosecrans 
 himself was severely censured by the department in Washing- 
 ton, and soon afterwards relieved of his command. 
 
 The regiments of the brigade were now all short of field 
 officers — the Seventh and Battalion with none, and the Eighth 
 and Fifteenth in charge of Majors. However, Colonel W. G. 
 Rice joined us on the way to East Tennessee and took com- 
 mand of his battalion. 
 
 After a stay of a week in the beautiful Valley of Sweet- 
 water, we were moved to lyondon, the railroad crossing of the 
 Tennessee River, the railroad bridge having been burned by 
 the enemy. The country in East Tennessee was greatly di- 
 vided in sentiment, some for the Union cause and some for the 
 Confederate cau.se. Rumors of outrages and doings of desper- 
 adoes were rife, and the soldiers were somewhat dubious in 
 going far into the country, for fear of running up against 
 bushwhackers, of which the country was said to be full. 
 
 While one train with the Third was being pulled over the 
 East Tennessee Railroad towards Sweetwater by a strange 
 •engineer over a track long unused, and cars out of repair, aii 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 299 
 
 occurrence took place which might have ended more seriously 
 than it did under the circumstances. The train, composed of 
 box cars, one company inside and one on top, was running 
 along at a good, lively rate. A stampede took place among 
 the troops on top, who began jumping right and left down a 
 steep embankment and running with all their speed to the 
 woods in the distance. It was just after daylight, and those 
 inside the cars not knowing what the trouble was, and a great 
 many on the top being roused from their slumbers and seeing 
 the others leaping in great disorber, and hearing the word 
 "bushwhackers" being called out, threw their blankets aside 
 and jumped likewise. Soon the cars were almost empty, those 
 above and within all thinking danger was somewhere, but, in- 
 visible. Just then a train of passenger cars, containing Gen- 
 eral Mclvaws, General Kershaw, their staffs, and others, 
 rounded the cut in our rear, and was running at break-neck 
 speed into the freight train in front. Those in the passenger 
 cars seeing those from the train in front running for dear life's 
 sake for the woods, began to climb through windows and off 
 of the platforms, the engineers and firemen on both trains 
 leaping like the men. So we had the spectacle of one train 
 running into another and neither under control, although the 
 levers had been reversed. In a moment the rear train plunged 
 into the front one, piling up three or four cars on their ends. 
 Fortunately, only one or two were hurt by jumping and none 
 by the collision. It seems almo.st triiraculous to think of two 
 car loads of soldiers jumping from trains at full speed and on a 
 high embankment and a great many from top, and so few get- 
 ting hurt. 
 
 General Longstreet's plan of campaign was to move up the 
 east side of the Holston, or, as it is now called, the Tennessee 
 River, pass through Marysville, cross the river in the vicinity 
 of Knoxville with his infantry, the cavalry to take possession 
 of the heights above and opposite the city, thus cutting off the 
 retreat of the Federals in front of London, and capture the 
 garrison in the city of Knoxville. But he had no trains to 
 move his pontoon bridge, nor horses to pull it. So he was 
 forced to make a virtue of necessity and cross the river just 
 above the little hamlet of London in the face of the enemy. 
 On the night of the 12th the boats and bridge equipment were 
 carried to the river, the boats launched and manned by a 
 
300 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 detachment of Jenkins' South Carolina Brigade, under tire 
 command of the gallant Captain Foster. This small band of 
 men pushed their boats across the river under a heavy fire of 
 the enemy's pickets, succeeded in driving off the enemy, and 
 took possession pf the opposite side. The boats were soon 
 joined together and the bridge laid. The troops then began to 
 cross rapidly and push their way out far in advance. By- 
 morning the greater part of the army was on the west side ot 
 the river. 
 
 General Wheeler, with his cavalry, .started simultaneously 
 with the infantry, but on the east side, with the view of taking 
 possession of the heights around Knoxville, which he partly 
 accomplished after several severe engagements with the Union 
 cavalry, in which the young Confederate cavalier came off vic- 
 torious. 
 
 The next morning after our crossing the enemy showed 
 some disposition to attack our lines, but did no more than 
 drive in our skirmishers, and then began to fall slowly back. 
 I/ongstreet remained near the river constructing .some defen- 
 sive earthworks to protect the bridge, and to allow the supply 
 train, which had been out on a foraging expedition, time to 
 come up. By his not making as rapid advance as was 
 expected, the enemy again, on the 14th, returned to feel our 
 lines and to learn the whereabouts of his foe. 
 
 On the morning of the 15th,. just at daylight, we took up 
 our line of march through a blinding mist or fog, our skir- 
 mishers not being able to see an object fifty paces in front. 
 Our line of advance was along the dirt road, on the west side 
 of the little mountain range, a spur of the clinch, while the 
 main body of the enemy kept close to the railroad, on the east 
 side, and between the mountain range and the river, traversing 
 a narrow valley, which gave him strong positions for defensive 
 battle. The mountain was crossed in several places by dull 
 roads and bridle paths, and it was the intention of the com- 
 manding General to take possession of these passes and tiirn 
 the enemy's flank, or to move around the heiid of the moun- 
 tain, where the, two roads followed by the armies came to- 
 gether on converging lines, then to , either close him in 
 between the mountain and the river and give battle, or fall 
 . upon his rear and crush him. Some few miles out Jenkins'' 
 skirmishers came upon those of the enemy and a running fio-ht 
 
HISTORY, OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 801 
 
 took place, the Federals retreating through the mountain gap 
 to the east side. 
 
 Jenkins kept up his advance (not following the enemy, how- 
 ever, over the mountain), with Alexander's Battalion of 
 Artillery, while McLaws followed closely, with I,eydon's Bat- 
 tery as a support. Thus the march was continued all day, 
 taking up camp at night far in advance of the enemy on the 
 other side ot the mountain. Jenkins was ordered at midnight, 
 with a part of his command, to take possession of a gap in the 
 mountain, and at daylight throw himself across the line of the 
 enemy's retreat. But for some unforeseen circumstance, 
 or treachery or ignorance in Jenkins' guide, he failed in his 
 undertaking, and the enemy passed in safety during the night 
 beyond our lines to a place of comparative security. 
 
 Early next morning the army was in motion, but instead of 
 an enemy in our front we found a park of eighty wagons, well 
 laden with supplies of provisions, camp equipage, tools, etc. , 
 deserted by the retreating column. The horses had been cut 
 loose, still this capture was a very serviceable acquisition to 
 the outfit of the army, especially in entrenching tools. Jen- 
 kins followed close on the heels of the retreating army, occa- 
 sionally coming to a severe brush with the enemy's rear guard, 
 using every exertion to force Burnside to battle until McLaws, 
 with Hart's Brigade of Cavalry, could reach Cambell's Station, 
 the point where the two converging roads meet. McLaws 
 marched nearly all day in full line of battle, Kershaw being 
 on the left of the main thoroughfare and under a continual 
 skirmish fire. But all too late. The wily foe had escaped the 
 net once more and passed over and beyond the road crossing, 
 and formed line of battle on high ground in rear. Longstreet 
 still had hopes of striking the enemy a crushing blow before 
 reaching Knoxville, and all he desired and all that was neces- 
 sary to that end was that he should stand and give battle. 
 The attitude of the Union Army looked favorable towards the 
 consummation of the Confederate leader's plan. Our troops 
 had been marching all the forenoon in one long line of battle, 
 near a mile in length, over ditches, gullies, and fences; through 
 briars, brambles, and undergrowth; then again through wide 
 expanse of cultivated fields, all the while under a galling fire 
 from the enemy's batteries and sharpshooters, and they felt 
 somewhat jaded and worn out when they came upon their 
 
302 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 bristling bayonets, ready for combat. A great number of our 
 men were barefooted, some with shoes partly worn out, clothes 
 ragged and torn, not an overcoat or extra garment among the 
 line officers or men throughout the army, as all surplus bag- 
 gage had been left in Virginia. But when the battle was 
 about to show up the soldiers were on hand, ready and willing 
 as of old, to plunge headlong into the fray. McL,aws was on 
 the left wing and Jenkins on the right. 
 
 Preparation for a general engagement was made. Mcl,aws 
 was ordered to throw forward, Wofford on his extreme left, 
 supported by cavalry, while Jenkins was to send two of his 
 brigades, under General Law, far to the right, on the flank 
 and rear of the enemy's left. Law was first to make the attack 
 on the enemy's flank, then the columns in front were to 
 advance and make direct assault. But the "best laid plans of 
 mice and men oft' gang aglee." Law missed his line of direc- 
 tion — failed to come upon the enemy's flank, night was upon 
 us, and it must be remembered that all these movements took 
 tim.e, thus giving the Union Army an opportunity, under the 
 sable curtains of night, to "fold their tents and gently steal 
 away." 
 
 General Longstreet, in his book written nearly thirty years 
 after the occurrence of Cambell's Station, severely criticises 
 General Law, who commanded the two flanking brigades, and 
 in withering and scathing terms directly charges him with the 
 loss of a great victory. He quotes one of his staff ofiBcers as 
 saying that it was the common camp rumor that General Law 
 had made the remark "that he could have made a successful 
 attack, but that Jenkins would have reaped the credit of it, 
 hence he delayed until the enemy got out of the way." This 
 is unjust and ungenerous to a gallant and faithful officer, one, 
 too, who had, by his many and heavy blows in battle, added 
 largely to the immortal fame of Longstreet himself. That 
 there was a laudable ambition and rivalry among all officers 
 and men in the Confederate Army, there can be no question — 
 an ambition to outstrip all others in heroic actions, noble 
 deeds, and self-sacrificing, but jealously never. As for 
 treachery, as General Longstreet clearly intimates in the case 
 of General Law, why the poorest, ragged, starved, or maimed 
 soldier in the South would not have sold his country or com- 
 panions for the wealth of the Indies, nor would he have unnec- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 303 
 
 essarily sacrificed a life of a comrade for the greatest place on 
 this continent, or the fairest crown of Europe. It must be 
 remembered in this connection that there were personal differ- 
 ences between the corps commander and General I^aw at times, 
 and with one of his division commanders, all during our West- 
 ern campaign. That General Law was obstinate, petulant, 
 and chafed under restraint, is true, but this is only natural in 
 a volunteer army, and must be expected. And had General 
 Longstreet, so rigid a disciplinarian as he was, but a breath of 
 suspicion at the time of disobedience, lack of courage, or 
 unfaithfulness in his subaltern, General Law would have been 
 put under immediate arrest, and a court-martial ordered. The 
 old General, in several places in his memoirs, makes un- 
 complimentary remarks and insinuations against some of his 
 old compatriots in arms, but these should not be taken seri- 
 ously. It will be remembered by all the old Confederates in 
 this connection that during the period just succeeding the war 
 mighty social convulsions took place in the Souths— political 
 upheavals, whereby one party was as bitter against the other 
 as during the mighty struggle of the North again.st the South, 
 and that General Longstreet, unfortunately for his name as a 
 civilian, aligned himself along with the party whom the whites 
 of the South acknowledged as antagonistic to their welfare and 
 interest. This roused the ire of all his old army associates, 
 and many of his former friends now began to hurl poisoned 
 and fiery shafts at the old "War Horse" of the South, and no 
 place so vulnerable as his army record. This, of course, was 
 resented by him, and a deadly feud of long standing sprang up 
 between Generals I/ongstreet, Mahone, and a few others, who 
 joined him on the one side, and the whole army of "Codfed- 
 erate Brigadiers" on the other. This accounts, in a large 
 measure, for many of Longstreet's strictures upon the conduct 
 of officers of the army, and, no doubt, a mere after thought or 
 the weird imaginations of an old and disappointed politico- 
 persecuted man. 
 
 No, No ! The officers and men of the Confederate Army were 
 patriots of diamond purity, and all would have willingly died 
 a martyr's death that the Confederacy might live. 
 
304 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 Around Knoxville — The Siege and Storming of 
 Fort Sanders. 
 
 After the fiasco at Cambell's Station, the enemy retired 
 behind his entrenched position in the suburbs of Knoxville. 
 lyongstreet followed rapidly, with McLaws in front, in line of 
 battle, but all hopes of encountering the enemy before he 
 reached his fortified position around the city had vanished. 
 We reached the rolling hillsides just outside of the city limits 
 about noon on the 17th, and found the enemy's dismoui.ted 
 cavalry, acting as sharpshooters, posted on the heights in front 
 and between the railroad and the river, well protected by rail 
 piles along the crest of the hill. 
 
 Colonel Nance was ordered with the Third South Caro- 
 lina Regiment to dislodge those on the hill, near the railroad, 
 by marching over and beyond the road and taking them in 
 flank, which was successfully done by making a sudden dash 
 from a piece of woodland over an open field and gaining the 
 embankment of the railroad immediately on the right flank of 
 the enemy's sharpshooters. But scarcely had the Third got 
 in position than it found itself assailed on its left and rear by 
 an unseen enemy concealed in the woods. Here Colonel 
 Nance was forced to sacrifice one of his most gallant officers, 
 Lieutenant Allen, of Company D. Seeing his critical and 
 untenable position, he ordered the L,ieutenant, who was stand- 
 ing near him, to report his condition to General Kershaw and 
 ask for instruction. This was a hazardous undertaking in the 
 extreme, but lyieutenant Allen undertook it with rare courage 
 and promptness. Back across the open field he sped, while 
 the whole fire of the sharpshooters was directed towards him 
 instead of to our troops behind the embankment. All saw and 
 felt that the brave officer was lost as soon as he got beyond 
 the cover of the railroad, and turned their heads from the 
 sickening scene. But Allen did not hesitate or falter, but kept 
 on to the fulfilment of his desperate mission, while hundreds of 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 305 
 
 bullets flew around him in every direction — over his head, 
 under his feet, before, and behind — until at last the fatal mes- 
 senger laid him low, a heroic martyr to the stern duties of 
 war. Colonel Nance seeing the hopelessness of his attack, 
 ordered a retreat. Then the whole regiment had to run the 
 same gauntlet in which young Allen lost his life. Away across 
 the open corn field the troops fled in one wild, pell mell, every 
 man for himself, while the bullets hummed and whistled 
 through our scattered ranks, but luckily only a few were shot. 
 
 Jenkins' Division came up late in the day and took position 
 on McLaws' left, then with the cavalry commenced the invest- 
 ment of the city on the west side of the Holston or Tennessee 
 River. To advance Mcl^aws' lines to a favorable position, it 
 was first necessary to dislodge the sharpshooters on the hill 
 tops between the river and the railroad. General Kershaw 
 was ordered to take the works in front by direct assault. The 
 Third was on the extreme left of the brigade, next to the rail- 
 road, while the Second, Seventh, Eighth, and Third Battalion 
 were in the center, with the Fifteenth, under Major Gist, 
 between the dirt road on which we had traveled and the river 
 on extreme right. The Third had to assault the same troops 
 and position that they had failed to di,slodge some hours 
 before. 
 
 Major William Wallace was in command of the skirmishers. 
 The heavy siege pieces at Fort Sanders had been hammering 
 away at us all day, as well as the many field batteries that 
 bristled along the epaulments a];oj)nd Knoxville. The skir- 
 mishers were ordered forward, the battle line to closely follow; 
 but as Colonel Wallace was in front and could see the whole 
 field, I will allow him to give his version of the engagement. 
 
 "We were stationed on a high hill," says Colonel Wallace, 
 "west of said town, which descended gradually some two 
 hundred yards, then rose to a smaller hill nearer to Knoxville. 
 Between these two hills was a smooth valley, the middle of 
 which was distinctly marked by a line running north and 
 south by different crops which had been planted on opposite 
 sides of it. Brigade skirmishers were ordered to advance 
 towards Knoxville and drive in the enemy's pickets. I was in 
 command of the left wing, and drove the enemy from my 
 front, across the creek, which was beyond the smaller hill. 
 On reaching the creek and finding our skirmishers on my 
 20 
 
306 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 right, did not advance over the hill. I returned to my origi- 
 nal position where I found them. Soon afterwards the skir- 
 mish line was again ordered forward to the line in the valley- 
 above described, and to lie down. Just then I heard a yell 
 behind me and' saw the Third South Carolina advancing 
 rapidly towards the smaller hill. I did not order my .skir- 
 mishers to lie down, but as soon as the regiment was abreast 
 of me 1 advanced and drove the enemy again across the creek. 
 On hearing firing on the west of the hill, I closed up my skir- 
 mishers and advance^, south towards the crest of the hill. I 
 found a regiment of Union sharpshooters lying behind a 
 breastwork of rails and firing on the Third, which was within 
 forty yards of them. As soon as the enemy saw us on their 
 flank, they threw up their hands and surrendered. The 
 Third had lost forty men up to this time." 
 
 Colonel Wallace tells also of how a Federal soldier, who 
 had surrendered, was in the act of shooting him, but was pre- 
 vented from doing so by the muzzle of a rifle being thrust in 
 his face by a member of Company E, W. W. Riser, afterwards 
 Sheriff of Newberry County. Colonel Nance was much grati- 
 fied at the able assistance rendered him by Colonel Wallace, 
 and made special and favorable mention of him in his report. 
 
 The Second, Seventh, Eighth, and Third Battalion swept 
 across thejplain like a hurricane, driving everything before 
 them right in the teeth of the deadly fire of Fort Sanders, but 
 the Third and Fifteenth Regiments were unusuall}' unfortunate 
 in their^positions, owing to the strength of the works in their 
 front. The Fifteenth got, in some way, hedged in between 
 the roadjand river, and could make little progress in the face 
 of the many obstacles that confronted them. Their j'oung 
 commander, Major William Gist, son of ex-Governor Gist, 
 becoming somewhat nettled at the progress his troops were 
 making, threw aside all prudence and care, recklessly dashed 
 in front of his column, determined |to ride at its head in the 
 assault that was coming,, but fell dead at the very moment of 
 victory. How many hundreds, nay thousands, of brave and 
 useful officers and men of the South wantonly threw away 
 their lives in the attempt to rouse their companions to extra 
 exertions and greater deeds of valor. 
 
 The Third fought for a few moments almost muzzle to 
 muzzle, with nothing but a few rails, hastily piled, between 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 307 
 
 assailants and the assailed. At this juncture another gallant 
 act was performed by Captain Winthrop, of Alexander's Bat- 
 tery. Sitting on his horse in our rear, watching the battle as, 
 it ebbed and flowed, and seeing the deadly throes in which. 
 the Third was writhing, only a few feet separating them from 
 the enemy, by some sudden impulse or emotion put spurs to. 
 his horse and dashed headlong through our ranks, over the 
 breastworks, and fell desperately wounded in the ranks of the 
 Federals, just as their lines gave way or surrendered. This 
 was only one of the many heroic and nerve-straining acts wit- 
 nessed by the soldiers that followed the flag of Kershaw , 
 McLaws, and lyongstreet. 
 
 Colonel Rice, of the Battalion, was so seriously wounded 
 that he never returned to active duty in the field. Maj.or 
 Miller, in a former battle, had been permanently disabled, but 
 no other field promotions were ever made, so the gallant little 
 Battalion was commanded in future by senior Captains. 
 
 By mortjing of the igth of November the enemy had retired 
 within the walls of Knoxville, and the investment of the city 
 completed. During the nights our sharpshooters were ad- 
 vanced a little distance at a time until they were under the 
 very walls of the city, and there entrenched themselves in rifle 
 pits. The troops began building works to protect against 
 attacks, and laying parallels, so that every few nights we - 
 advanced a little nearer the city. 
 
 Jenkins, with three brigades and a part of the cavalry,, 
 stretched around the city on the north and to the river on ther 
 opposite side of us. A pontoon bridge was laid across the- 
 river below the city, and lyaw, with two brigades of Jenkins' 
 Division and a battery of our best artillery, crossed the Hoi" 
 ston River and took possession of some heights that were 
 thought to command the city on the south side. Burnside 
 had also some strong works on the south of the Holston, 
 strongly guarded by infantry, dismounted cavalry, and some 
 of their best rifled pieces of artillery. This force was just 
 opposite the city, having easy access thereto by a military 
 bridge and a pontoon bridge. Burnside had twelve thousand 
 regular troops in his outer trenches, several thousand recent 
 volunteers from Tennessee in his inner lines, with fifty-one 
 pieces of artillery in place, ready for action, in Knoxville 
 alone. I<ongstreet had between fifteen and seventeen thou- 
 
308 HISTOKY OF KEKPHA-tt-'S BKIGADE. 
 
 sand, after some reiiiforcenients had reached him, and three 
 battalions of artillery, inclusive of the horse artillery. 
 
 Night and day the work of entrenchment went bravely on 
 in both anaies, each wurkiiig in plain \-ie\v of the other, with- 
 out any disposition to disturb tiie operati^ins of either by 
 shelling from the forts in our front or liom oiir works in the 
 rear. Each commander seemed willing and .disposed to give 
 his opponent an open field and a fair fight. No advantage was 
 asked and none taken on either side, and the coming contest 
 appeared to be one between the hot blood of the South in 
 assault and the dogged determination of the North in resist- 
 ance — valor, impetuosity, dash, impulsive courage against 
 cool, calculating, determined resistance. Greeks of the South 
 were preparing to meet Greeks of the North — the passionate 
 Ionian was about to measure swords with the stern Dorian, 
 then of a necessitj' "comes the tug of war." 
 
 On the 2 2(3, McLaws reporting as being ready for the 
 assault, he was ordered to prepare for it on the night of the 
 23d. But a report coming to the commanding General that a 
 large b dy of the enemy's cavalry was moving upon our rear 
 from near Kinston, General Wheeler, with his troopers, was 
 detached from the army to look after the,m, and did not return 
 until the 26th, having frightened the enemy away in the mean- 
 time. The officers of McLaws' assaulting column protested 
 against the night attack, preferring daylight for such impor- 
 tant work, which in the end was granted. 
 
 The night of the 24th the enemy made a sally, attacking 
 Woflord's front; but was soon repulsed and driven back within 
 his lines. Longstreet now awaited the reinforcement that was 
 approaching with all speed. Jones' Bragade of Cavalry, from 
 Southwest Virginia, came up on the 28th, while Bushrod 
 Johnston, with his own Brigaide of Tennessee. Infantry and 
 Grade's Brigade of Alabamians, was near at hand and moving 
 with all haste. The infantry and artillery promised from Vir- 
 ginia were more than one hundred miles away, and could not 
 reach us in time to take part in the pending attack. General 
 Bragg, commanding the Army of Tennessee after his disas- 
 trous defeat at Missionary Ridge, in front of Chattanooga, was 
 at the head of the, war department, and ordered Longstreet to 
 assault Knoxville at once. 
 
 Orders Were given and preparations made to cf>mmemfce the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 309 
 
 attack on Fort Sanders at early dawn on the 29th by the bri- 
 gades of McLaws. Fort Sanders, the key to Burnside's posi- 
 tion, was a forinidable fortress, coveriuja^ several acres of 
 ground, built by the Confederates when in possession of Knox- 
 ville, and called by them "Fort London," but named "Fort 
 Sanders'.' by the Federals, in honor of the brave commander 
 who fell in wresting it from the Confederates. The enemy 
 had greatly strengthened it after Longstreet's advent in East 
 Tennessee. It was surrounded by a deep and wide moat, from 
 the bottom of which to the top of the fort was from eighteen 
 to twenty feet. In front of the moat for several hundred 
 yards was felled timber, which formed an almost impassable 
 abattis, while wire netting was stretched from stump to stump 
 and around the fort. The creek that ran between our lines 
 and the enemy's had been dammed in several places, forcing the 
 water back to the depth of four to five leet. The fort was 
 lined on three sides with the heaviest of field and siege pieces, 
 and crowded to its utmost capacity with infantry. This fort 
 was on an acute angle of the line of entrenciiments. From 
 the right and left ran the outer or first line of breastworks, 
 manned by infantry, and at every salient position cannons 
 were mounted, completely encircling the entire city. 
 
 In the early gray of the morning L,ongstreet had marshalled 
 his forces for the combat, while the troops in Fort Sanders 
 slept all unconscious of the near appi caching storm cloud, 
 which was to burst over their heads. The artillery was all in 
 position, the gunners standing by their guns, lanyard in hand, 
 awaiting the final order to begin the attack. The armies were 
 separated by a long, shallow vale — that to our left, in front of 
 Jenkins, was pierced by a small stream, but obstructed by 
 dams at intervals, I'.ntil the water was in places waist deep. 
 But the men floundered through the water to the opiiosite side 
 and stood shi\-ering in their wet garments, while the cool 
 air of the Novem'ier moruing chilled their whole frames. All 
 along the whole line the men stood silent and motionless, 
 awaiting the sound of the signal gun. 
 
 Wofford, with his Georgians, and Humphrey, with his Mis- 
 sissippians, were to lead the forlorn hope in the assault on Fort 
 Sanders, supported by Bryan's (Georgia) Brigade and one 
 regiment of Mississippians. Kershaw stood to the right of the 
 fort and Anderson, of Jenkins' Division, on the left, supported 
 
310 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 by the other two brigades then present of Jenkins'. The 
 battle was to focus aronnd the fort until that was taken 
 or silenced, then Kershaw was to storm the works on 
 the right, carry them, charge the second line of entrench- 
 ment, in which were posted the reserves and recent Tennessee 
 recruits. Jenkins, with Anderson's Brigade on his right and 
 next to McLaws, was to act as a brace to the assaulting col- 
 umn until the fort was taken, then by a sudden dash take the 
 entrenchments to the left of the fort, wheel and sweep the line 
 towards the north, and clear the way for Jenkins' other 
 brigades. 
 
 The expectant calm before the great storm was now at 
 hand. The men stood silent, grim, and determined, awaiting 
 the coming crash ! The crash came with the thunder of the 
 signal gun from Alexander's Battery. Longstreet then 
 saluted his enemy with the roar of twenty guns, the shells 
 shrieking and crashing in and around Fort Sanders. Burnside 
 answered the salutation with a welcome of fifty guns from the 
 fort and angles along the entrenchments. Salvos after salvos 
 sounded deep and loud from the cannon's mouth, and echoed 
 and re-echoed up and down the valleys of the Holston. After 
 the early morning compliments had continued ten or fifteen 
 minutes, the infantry began to make ready for the bloody fray. 
 Wofford commenced the advance on the northwest angle of the 
 fort, Humphrey the South. Not a yell was to be given, not 
 a gun to be fired, save only those by the sharpshooters. The 
 dread fortress was to be taken b5' cold steel alone. Not a 
 gun was loaded in the three brigades. As the mist of the 
 morning and the smoke of the enemy's guns lifted for a mo- 
 ment, the slow and steady steps of the "forlorn hope" could 
 be seen marching towards the deaih trap — over fallen trees and 
 spreading branches, through the cold waters of the creek, the 
 brave men marched in the face of the belching cannon, raking 
 the field right and left. Our sharpshooters gave the cannon- 
 eers a telling fire, and as the enemy's infantry in the fort rose 
 above the parapets to delivei their volley, they were met by 
 volleys from our sharpshooters in the pits, now in rear of the 
 assaulting columns, and firing over their heads. When near 
 the fort the troops found yet a more serious obstruction in the 
 way of stout wires stretched across their line of approach. 
 This, however was overcome and passed, and the assailants 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 311 
 
 soon found themselves on the crest of the twelve foot abyss 
 that surrounded Fort Sanders. Some jumped into the moat 
 and began climbing up upon the shoulders of their compan- 
 ions. The enemy threw hand bombs over the wall to burst in 
 the ditch. Still the men struggled to reach the top, some 
 succeeding only to fall in the fort. Scaling ladders were now 
 called for, but none were at hand. Anderson had moved up 
 on Wofford's left, but finding the fort yet uncovered, instead 
 of charging the entrenchment, as ordered, he changed his 
 direction towards the fort, and soon his brigade was tangled in 
 wild confusion with those of Worfford and Humphrey, gazing 
 at the helpless mass of struggling humanity in the great gulf 
 below. 
 
 Kershaw's men stood at extreme tension watching and wait- 
 ing the result of the struggle around the fort. Never perhaps 
 were their nerves so strung up as the few moments they 
 awaited in suspense the success or reverse of the assaulting 
 column, bending every effort to catch the first command of 
 "forward." All but a handful of the enemy had left the fort, 
 and victory here seemed assured, and in that event the result 
 of Kershaw's onslaught on the right and Jenkins' South Caro- 
 linians and Benning's Georgians on the left would have been 
 beyond the range of conjecture. Just at this supreme moment 
 Major Goggans, of Mclyaws' staff, who had oeen at the fort 
 and took' in the worst phases of the situation, rode to General 
 Ivongstreet and reported the fortress impregnable without axes 
 and scaling ladders. Under this misapprehension. General 
 Longstreet gave the fatal order for the assaulting columns to 
 retire, and all the support back to their entrenchments. Thus 
 was one of the most glorious victories of the war lost by the 
 ill judgment of one man. General lyongstreet bitterly regret- 
 ted giving this order so hastily, but pleads in extinuation his 
 utmost confidence in Major Goggans, his class-mate at West 
 Point. 
 
 In the twenty minutes of the assault Longstreet lost in his 
 three brigades, Wofford's, Humphrey's, and Anderson's, 
 eight hundred and twenty-two; Burnside, six hundred and 
 seventy-three. During the campaign L,ongstreet lost twelve 
 hundred and ninety-six. During the campaign Burnside lost 
 fourteen hundred and eighty-one. 
 
 Kershaw's Brigade lost many gallant officers and men dur- 
 
312 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 ing the sanguinary struggles around Knoxville, and it must be 
 confessed in sorrow and regret, all to no purpose. Not that 
 the commanding general was wanting in ability, military train- 
 ing, or tactical knowledge; nor the soldiers in courage, daring, 
 and self-denials. None of these were lacking, for the ofBcers 
 and men of the line performed deeds of prowess that have 
 never been excelled by any soldiers on the planet, while in 
 skill or fearlessness the regimental brigade and division com- 
 manders were equal to Ney, Murat, St. Cyr, or any of the host 
 of great commanders of the Napoleonic era. But in the first 
 place the Confederate forces were too weak, poorly equipped 
 in all those essentials that are so requisite to an invading army. 
 
 MAJOR WILLIAM M. GIST. 
 
 Major William M. Gist was a son of Governor W. H. Gist, 
 the Governor just preceding Secession, and Mrs. Mary E. 
 Gist; born in Union County in- 1840. He was educated in the 
 common schools of Union and York Counties and by private 
 tutors, until January, 1854. He then went to school at Glenn 
 Springs to Rev. C. S. Beard for six months. His health fail- 
 ing, he returned to his home, and in Januarj', 1855, entered 
 the Mt. Zion College, at Winnsboro, Fairfield County, taught 
 by Hon. J. W. Hudson, and .spent one j'ear at that institution. 
 He next entered the South Carolina College, in January, 1856, 
 and graduated in the class of '59. The class which Major 
 Gist was in at the time, the Junior, did not participate in the 
 great "college rebellion" of March 28th, 1858. Through that 
 rebellion one hundred and eleven of the students were, sus- 
 pended for six months. 
 
 When the first alarm of war was sounded. Major Gist re- 
 sponded promptly, with the same chivalric spirit that was sO' 
 characteristic of his whole life. He joined, as a private. 
 Captain Gadberry's Company, from tjnion, and left for Char- 
 leston on January 12, 1861, the company forming a part of 
 Colonel Maxey Gregg's First Six Months' Volunteers, and 
 remained with the command until their term of service ex- 
 pired. A vacancy occurring, Colonel Gregg appointed him his 
 Sergeant Major. 
 
 After the fall ot Sumter a part of Colonel Gregg's Regiment 
 was disbanded, and Major Gist returned to Union and began 
 at once organizing a company for the Confederate States 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 313 
 
 Army. He was elected Captain of the company and was 
 joined to the Fifteenth Regiment, then collecting at camp 
 near Columbia for drill and instruction. He served as Captain 
 until the death of Colonel DeSanssure, then was promoted to 
 Major. There being no of&cer senior to him, his way was 
 open to the Colonelcy of his regiment at the time of his death. 
 Major Gist was a young man of rare qualities — open, frank, 
 generous, and brave. He commanded the respect and esteem 
 of all. Just verging into mature manhood as the toscin of war ' 
 sounded, he had no opportunity to display his great qualities 
 as a civilian, but as a soldier he was all that the most exacting 
 could desire. He was beloved by his men, and they appreci- 
 ated his worth. He was kind and aifectionate to all, and 
 showed favoritism or privileges to none. ' It was through that 
 ungovernable impulse that permeates the body and flows 
 through the hot Southern blood that he so recklessly threw 
 his life away, leading his men to the charge. In a moment 
 of hesitancy among his troops, he felt the supreme respon- 
 sibility of leadership, placed himself where danger was great- 
 est, bullets falling thick and fast; thus by the inspiration of 
 his own individual courage, he hoped to carry his men with 
 him to success, or to meet a fate like his own. 
 
 LIEUTENANT COLONEL W. G. RICE. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Rice was born in Union County, 
 S. C, on December 9th, 1831. He was the fourth son of 
 R. S. Rice and Agnes B. Rice, nee Morgan, and resided in the 
 upper portion of the county, near Broad River. His famiiy 
 removed to the lower section of the county, near Goshen Hill, 
 when the son was ten years old, and he attended the schools 
 of the surrounding country until fourteen years of age, when 
 he was sent to the Methodist Conference School, at Cokes- 
 bury. He remained a pupil here until October, 1848, then he 
 entered the South Carolina College, graduating from that 
 institution with the class of '51. He engaged in planting for 
 one year at his original home, then began the study of law in 
 the office of Judge T. N. Dawkins, but did not prosecute the 
 study to graduation. 
 
 In March following he married Miss Sarah E. Sims, of 
 Broad River, of which union eleven children were born, seven 
 of whom are living. The year of his marriage he moved to 
 
314 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Laurens County, near Waterloo, where we find him sur- 
 rounded by "peace and plenty" until the outbreak of the Civil 
 War. In October, 1861, he raised a volunteer company, and 
 later, together with three other companies from I,aurens 
 County, formed a battalion, and tendered the command to 
 George S. James, who had resigned from the United States 
 Army. Major James assumed command at Camp Hampton 
 in December. During the early months of 1862 three other 
 companies united with the battalion, and Major James was 
 promoted to lyieutenant Colonel, and Captain W. G. Rice being 
 senior Captain, was made Major. 
 
 During the month of April following, a reorganization took 
 place, and Lieutenant Colonel James and Major Rice were re- 
 elected to their former positions by exacth- the same vote. 
 Major Rice being detailed on court martial on James' Island, 
 did not accompany his battalion to Virginia, but joined it soon 
 thereafter, near Richmond. 
 
 The battalion marched with the brigade (Drayton's) from 
 Gordonsville to second battle of Manassas, but was not actively 
 engaged. At the battle of Crompton's Gap, Md., Colonel 
 Rice was severely wounded. Colonel James killed, and the 
 battalion almost torn to pieces. Colonel Rice was left for dead 
 upon the field, and when he gained consciousness he was 
 within the enemy's line, and only by exerci.-ing the greatest 
 caution, he regained the Confederate camp. By Colonel Rice's 
 prudence at this battle in ordering a retreat to a more sheltered 
 position, the battalion was saved from utter destruction, but 
 suffering himself almost 'a fatal wound. He was sent across 
 the Potomac, and next day to Shepherdstown. Returning" 
 from leave of absence occasioned by the desperate nature of 
 his wound, he found that he had been promoted to Lieutenant 
 Colonel, and that his battalion and the Fifteenth Regiment 
 made a part of Kershaw's Brigade, this being in December, 
 1862. Colonel Rice led his command through the battles of 
 Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville without incident of special 
 interest (vide sketch of battalion). 
 
 Returning from an enjoyable leave of absence, he found his 
 command at Chambersburg, Pa. Three days later he com- 
 manded the battalion at the bloody battle of Gettysburg. 
 Again Colonel Rice is absent on sick leave, and regains the 
 army just as Longstreet was crossing the Holston! Four daj's 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 315 
 
 afterwards he was given ore company from each of the five 
 regiments to reinforce his battalion, and ordered to feel for 
 and drive the enemy from the position which they held. This 
 proved to be a fortified camp and the enemy in strong line of 
 battle. In the engagement that followed, Colonel Rice was 
 again so severely wounded as to render him unfit for service 
 thereafter. 
 
 After this he returned home to the prosecution of his life- 
 work, farming. He removed to Abbeville, now Greenwood 
 County, December, 1869, where he may now be found, as he 
 says, "in the enjoyment of a reasonable degree of health and 
 strength, surrounded by friends and relatives." 
 
 JULIUS ZOBEL. 
 
 To show with what devotion and fidelity the private soldier 
 of the Southland served the cause he espoused, I will relate as 
 an example the act of Julius Zobel, who fell so dangerously 
 wounded before Knoxville. This is not an isolated case, for 
 hundreds and thdusands were tempted like Zobel, but turned 
 away with scorn and contempt. But Julius Zobel was an ex- 
 ception in that he was not a native born, but a blue-eyed, fair- 
 haired son of the "Fatherland." He had not been in this 
 "Land of the free and home of the brave" long enough to 
 comprehend all its blessings, he being under twenty-one years 
 of age, and not yet naturalized. He was a mechanic in the 
 railroad shops, near Newberry, when the first call for volun- 
 teers was made. He laid aside his tools and promptly joined 
 Company E (Captain Nance), of the Third South Carolina, 
 called "Quitman Rifles." 
 
 He had a smooth, pleasant face, a good eye, and the yellow 
 hair of his countrymen. His nature was all sunshine, geni- 
 ality, and many a joke he practiced upon his comrades, taking 
 all in good humor those passed upon him. One day, as a 
 comrade had been "indulging", too freely, another accosted 
 him with — 
 
 "Turn away your head, your breath is awful. What is the 
 matter with you?" 
 
 Zobel, in his broad German brogue, answered for his com- 
 panion. "Led 'em alone, dare been nodden to madder mid 
 Mattis, only somding crawled in him and died." 
 
 He lost his leg at Knoxville and fell in the enemy's hands 
 
316 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 after Longstreet withdrew, and was sent North with the other 
 wounded. While in the loathsome prison pen, enduring all 
 the sufferings, hardships, and horrors of the Federal "Bastile," 
 he was visited by the German Consul, and on learning that he 
 had not been naturalized, the Consul offered him his liberty if 
 he would take the oath of allegiance to the North. 
 
 Zobel flashed up as with a powder burst, and spoke like the 
 true soldier that he was. "What 1 Desert my comrades; 
 betray the country I have sworn to defend; leave the flag 
 under whose folds I have lost all but life ? No, no ! Let me 
 die a thousand deaths in this hell hole first !" 
 
 He is living to-day in Columbia, an expert mechanic in the 
 service of the Southern Railroad, earning an honest living by 
 the sweat of his brow, with a clear conscience, a faithful heart, 
 and surrounded by a devoted family. 
 
 That the campaign against Knoxville was a failure, cannot 
 be wondered at under the circumstances. In the first place 
 Longstreet's forces were too weak — the two thousand rein- 
 forcements to come from Virginia dwindled down to a few 
 regiments of cavalry and a battery or two. The men were 
 badly furnished and equipped — a great number being barefoot 
 and thinly clad. Hundreds would gather at the slaughter 
 pens daily and cut from the warm beef hides strips large 
 enough to make into moccasins, and thus shod, marched miles 
 upon miles in the blinding snow and sleet. All overcoats and 
 heavy clothing had been left in Virginia, and it is a fact too 
 well known to be denied among the soldiers of the South that 
 baggage once left or sent to the rear never came to the front 
 again. 
 
 Longstreet did not have the support he had the right to 
 expect from his superiors and those in authority at Richmond. 
 He had barely sufiBcient transportation to convey the actual 
 necessaries of camp equippage, and this had to be used daily in 
 gathering supplies from the surrounding country for man and 
 beast. He had no tools for entrenching purposes, only such 
 as he captured from the enemy, and expected to cross deep 
 and unfordable rivers without a pontoon train. With the dead 
 of winter now upon him, his troops had no shelter to protect 
 them from the biting winds of the mountains or the blinding 
 snow storms from overhead save only much-worn blankets and 
 
HISTORY OF KHRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 317 
 
 thiu teut flys five by six feet square, one to the man. This 
 was the condition in which the commanding General found 
 himself and troops, in a strange and hostile country, com- 
 pletely cut off from railroad connection with the outside world. 
 Did the men murmur or complain? Not a hit of it. Had 
 they grown disheartened and demoralized by their defeat at 
 Knoxville, or had they lost their old-time confidence in them- 
 selves and their General ? On the contrary, as difficulties and 
 dangers gathered around their old chieftain, they clung to 
 hmi, if possible, with greater tenacity and a more determined 
 zeal. It seemed as if every soldier in the old First Corps 
 was proud of the opportunity to sufifer for his country — never 
 a groan or pang, but that he felt compensated with the 
 thought that he was doing his all in the service of his country 
 — and to suffer for his native land, his home, and family, was 
 a duty and a pleasure. 
 
 The soldiers of the whole South had long since learned by 
 experience on the fields of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsyl- 
 vania, along the valleys of Kentucky, the mountains and 
 gorges of Tennessee, and the swamps of the Mississippi, that 
 war was only "civilized barbarism," and to endure uncom- 
 plaining was the highest attributes .of a soldier. Civilization 
 during the long centuries yet to come may witness, perhaps, 
 as brave, unselfish, unyielding, and patriotic bands of heroes 
 as those who constituted the Confederate Army, but God in 
 His wisdom has never yet created their equals, and, perhaps, 
 never will create their superiors. . 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 The Siege of Knoxville Raised — Battle of Bean 
 Station— Winter Quarters. 
 
 On the night of the 4th of December preparations were 
 made to raise the siege around Knoxville and vacate the forti- 
 fications built around the city after a fortnight's stay in the 
 trenches. The wagons had begun moving the day before, 
 with part of the artillery, and early in the night the troops 
 
318 HISTORY OF KBiRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 north and west of the city took up the line of march towards 
 Rutledge, followed by McLaws on the right. 
 
 Kershaw being on the extreme right of the army and next 
 to the river on the South, could not move until the troops on 
 the le,ft were well under way, thus leaving us in position until 
 near midnight. Lieutenant Colonel Rutherford commanded the 
 rear guard of skirmishers, deployed several hundred yards on 
 either side of the road. Our march was extremely fatiguing, 
 the roads being muddy and badly cut up by the trains in our 
 front. The weather was cold and bleaky; the night so dark 
 that the troops could scarcely see their way, but all night long 
 they floundered through the mud and slough — over passes and 
 along narrow defiles, between the mountain and the river to 
 their right — the troops trudged along, the greater portion 
 of whom were thinly clad, some, with shoes badly worn, 
 others with none. Two brigades of cavalry were left near the 
 city until daylight to watch the movements of the enemy. 
 The next day we met General Ranson with his infantry divis- 
 ion and some artillery on his long march from Virginia to rein- 
 force Ivongstreet, but too late to be of any material service to 
 the commanding General. Bragg' s orders had been impera- 
 tive, "to assault Knoxville and not to await the reinforce- 
 ment." 
 
 Burnside did not attempt to follow us closely, as he was 
 rather skeptical about leaving his strong positions around 
 Knoxville with the chances of meeting Longstreet in open 
 field. But strong Federal forces were on a rapid march to 
 relieve the pressure against Knoxville — one column from the 
 West and ten thousand men under Sherman were coming up 
 from Chattanooga, and were now at London, on the Tennessee. 
 
 Longstreet continued the march to Rodgersville, some fifty 
 or sixty miles northeast of Knoxville, on the west bank of the 
 Holston, and here rested for several days. It was the impres- 
 sion of the troops that they would remain here for a length of 
 tirhe, and they began building winter quarters. But Burnside 
 feeling the brace of strong reinforcements nearing him, moved 
 out from Knoxville a large detachment in our rear to near 
 Bean Station (or Cross Roads), the one leading from Knox- 
 ville by way of Rutledge, the other from the eastern side of 
 the Holston and over the mountain on the western side at 
 Bean's Gap. Longstreet determined to retrace his steps, strike 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 319 
 
 Burnside a stunning blow, and, if possible, to capture his 
 advance forces at Bean Station. 
 
 Here I will digress a few moments from my narrative to 
 relate an incident that took place while encamped near Rodgers- 
 ville, an incident that will ever remain fresh in the memory Of 
 all of the old First Division who witnessed it. It is with feel- 
 ings of sorrow at this distant day to even recall it to mind, and 
 it is with pain that I record it. But as I have undertaken to 
 give a faithful and true story of the army life of the First 
 Brigade, this harrowing scene becomes a part of its history. 
 It was near the middle of the month. The sun had long since 
 dropped out of sight behind the blue peaks of the distant 
 Cumberland. All is still in camp; the soldiers, after their 
 many hardships and f.itiguing marches, rest, and soon all in 
 sound slumber. Even the very voices of nature seemed hushed 
 and frozen in the gloomy silence of the night. All is quiet, 
 save in one lonely tent, apart some distance from the rest, 
 before which walks a silent sentinel, as if he, too, feels the 
 chilling effects of the sombre stillness. Murmurings soft and 
 low in the one lighted tent are all that break the oppressive 
 death-like silence. In the back ground the great forest trees 
 of the mountain stand mute and motionless, not even a nod of 
 their stately heads to a passing breeze, while far away to the 
 south could be seen an occasional picket fire, making the sur- 
 rounding objects appear like moving, grotesque phantoms. 
 The heavens above were all bedecked with shimmering stars, 
 pouring down upon the sleeping Valley of the Holstdn a cold 
 and trembling light. 
 
 In the lonely tent sits a soldier, who is spending his last 
 night on earth; by his side sits his little sop, who has come 
 far away over the mountains to spend the last moments with 
 his father and see him die — not to die like a soldier wishes for 
 death, but as a. felon and outcast, tHe ignominous death at the 
 stake. Ah occasional sob escapes the lips of the lad, but no 
 sigh or tears of grief from the condemned. He is holding 
 converse with his Maker, for to His throne alone must he now 
 appeal for pardon. Hope on earth had gone. He had no 
 friend at court, no one to plead his cause before those who had 
 power to order a reprieve. He must die. The doomed man 
 was an ignorant mountaineer, belonging to one of the regi- 
 ments from North Georgia or Tennessee, and in an ill-fated 
 
320 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 moment he allowed his longings for home to overcome his 
 sense of duty, and deserted his colors — fled to his mountain 
 home and sought to shelter himself near his wife and little 
 ones in the dark recesses and gorges thereabout. He was 
 followed, caught, returned to his command, courtmartialed, 
 and sentenced to death — time, to-morrow. 
 
 During the days and nights that passed since the dread sen- 
 tence had been read to him, he lay upon his rude couch in the 
 guard tent all indifferent to his environments, and on the 
 march he moved along with the guard in silence, gazing 
 abstractedly at the blue vaults of heaven or the star-strewn, 
 limitless space. That far away future now to him so near — 
 that future which no vi.sion can comtemplate nor morLal mind 
 comprehend — is soon to be unfolded. Little heed was paid to 
 the comforting words of his sympathetic comrades in arms, 
 who bid him hope, for the condemned man felt inwardlj' and 
 was keenly conscious of the fact that he had been caught upon 
 the crest of a great wave of aestiny, soon to be swept away by 
 its receding force to darkness, despair, death. "Fate had 
 played him falsel}'. ' ' 
 
 To witness death, to see the torn and mangled remains of 
 friends and comrades, are but incidents in the life of a soldier, 
 While all dread it, few fear it. Yet it is upon the field of 
 battle that it is expected — amid the din and smoke, the shouts 
 of his comrades, the rattle of musketry, and the cannon's roar. 
 There is the soldier's glory, his haven, his expected end; and 
 of all deaths, that upon the battlefield, surrounded by victori- 
 ous companions and waving banners, the triumphant shouts of 
 comrades, is the least painful. 
 
 The grounds .selected for the carrying out of the court's 
 sentence were on a broad plateau, gently sloping towards the 
 center on three sides. So well were the grounds and surround- 
 ings adapted to the end in view, that it seemed as if nature 
 had anticipated the purpo.ses of man. 
 
 By 9 o'clock the troops of the division were in motion, all 
 under the command of Colonel James D. Nance, of the Third 
 South Carolina, marching for the field of death. Kershaw's 
 Brigade took the lead, and formed on the left of the hollow 
 square. Wofford's on the right, with Bryan's doubling on the 
 two, while Humphrey's closed the space at the west end of 
 the square. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 321 
 
 A detail of thirty men were made to do the firing, fifteen 
 guns being loaded with powder and ball, the others with powder 
 alone, this arrangement being made, perhaps, with a view to 
 ease the qualms of conscience, should any of the guards have 
 scruples ot shedding the blood of a former comrade in arms. 
 None could know positively who held the death-dealing guns. 
 An opening was made at the lower end and the first platoon of 
 guards entered with arms reversed, then the band playing the 
 "Dead March," followed by the condemned and his son, the 
 second platoon bringing up the rear. The cortege marched 
 around the whole front of the lined-up troops, keeping step to 
 the slow and dismal sounds of the "Dead March." The 
 ■prisoner walked with the firm and steady step of a Sagamore, 
 or an Indian brave marching and singing his death chants, to 
 the place of his execution. His son was equally as courageous 
 and self-possessed, not a tremor or faltering in either. At 
 times the father and son would speak in low, soft tones to each 
 other, giving and receiving, perhaps, the last messages, the last 
 farewells on earth, the soldier-outcast being now under the 
 very shadow of death. 
 
 After making the entire circuit of the square, the condemned 
 was conducted to the open space at the eastern side, where a 
 Tude stake had been driven in the ground. To this he boldly 
 walked, calmly kneeling in front, allowing himself to be ban- 
 daged and pinioned thereto. The guards had formed in double 
 ranks, fifteen paces in front, his faithful son standing some dis" 
 tance to his right, calm, unmoved, and defiant, even in the 
 face of all the terrors going on before him. The officer in 
 charge gives the command, "ready," thirty hammers spring 
 back; "aim," the pieces rise to the shoulders; then, and then 
 only, the tension broke, and the unfortunate man, instead of 
 the officer, cried out in a loud, metallic voice, "fire." The 
 report of the thirty rifles rang out on the stillness of the morn- 
 ing; the man at the stake gives a convulsive shudder, his head 
 tails listlessly on his breast, blood gushes out in streams, and in 
 a moment all is still. The deserter has escaped. 
 
 The authorities at Washington had grown tired of Burn- 
 side's failure to either crush I^ongstreet or drive him out of 
 East Tennessee, and had sent General Foster to relieve him, 
 the latter General bringing with him the standing orders, 
 •"Crush or drive out Longstreet." How well General Foster 
 21 
 
322 HISTORY OF EliESHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 succeeded will be related further on. In obedience to the 
 department's special orders, General lyongstreet had, several 
 days previous, sent Wheeler's Cavalry back to General John- 
 ston, now commanding Bragg's Army. Our troops had heard 
 the confirmation of the report of General Bragg's desperate 
 battle at Missionary Ridge — his disastrous defeat, his with- 
 drawal to Dalton, and his subsequent relinquishment of com- 
 mand of the Army of Tennessee. This had no effect upon our 
 troops, no more so than the news of the fall of Vicksburg just 
 after Lee's bloody repulse at Gettysburg. The soldiers of the 
 Bastern Army had unbounded confidence in themselves and 
 their commander, and felt that so long as they stood together 
 they were invincible. 
 
 The enemy had fortified a position at Bean's Station, in a 
 narrow valley between the Holston River and the Clinch 
 Mountains, the valley being about two miles in breadth. This 
 force lyongstreet determined to capture, and his plans were 
 admirably adapted to bring about the result. To the right of 
 the enemy was the river; to their left, a rugged mountain spur,, 
 passable at only a few points. Part of our cavalry was to pass 
 down the western side of the mountain, close the gaps in rear, 
 the infantry to engage the enemy in front until the other por- 
 tion of the cavalry could move down the east bank of the river, 
 cross over, and get in the enemy's rear, thus cutting off all 
 retreat. This part of the Valley of the Holston had been 
 pretty well ravaged to supply the Federal Army, and our 
 troops, with never more than a day's rations on hand at a 
 time, had to be put on short rations, until our subsistence 
 trains could gather in a supply and the neighborhood mills 
 could grind a few days' rations ahead. Old soldiers know 
 what "short rations" mean — next to no rations at all. 
 
 General Longstreet says of the morale of his army at this 
 time: "The men were brave, steady, patient. Occasionally 
 they called pretty loudly for parched corn, but always in a 
 bright, merry mood. There was never a time we did not have 
 corn enough, and plenty of wood with which to keep us warm 
 and parch our corn. At this distance it seems as almost in- 
 credible that we got along as we did, but all were then so 
 healthy and strong that we did not feel severely our really 
 great hardship. Our serious trouble was in the matter of 
 shoes and clothing." 
 
HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 323 
 
 Early on the morning of the 14th the troops were put in 
 motion and marched rapidly down the almost impassable 
 thoroughfare. Bushrod Johnston's Division being in the 
 front, followed by McLaws' — Kershaw's Brigade in the lead. 
 Part of Jenkins' Division was acting as escort for supply trains 
 in the surrounding country, and that Division did not join the 
 army for .several days. Late in the day of the 15th we came 
 in sight of the enemy's breastworks. The Federal artiller}'- 
 opened a furious fusilade upon the troops, coming down the 
 road with their rifled guns and field mortars. Bushrod John- 
 ston had filed to the left of the road and gotten out of range, 
 but the screaming shells kept up a continual whiz through the 
 ranks of Kershaw. The men hurried along the road to seek 
 shelter under a bluff in our front, along the base of which ran 
 a small streamlet. The greater portion of the brigade was 
 here huddled together in a jam, to avoid the shells flying over- 
 head. The enemy must have had presage of our position, for 
 they began throwing Shells up in the air from their 6iortars 
 and dropping them down upon us, but most fell beyond, while 
 a great many exploded in the air. We could see the shells on 
 their downward flight, and the men pushed still closer together 
 and nearer the clifl".- Here the soldier witnessed one of those 
 incidents so often seen in army life that makes him feel that 
 at times his life is protected by a hand of some hidden, unseen 
 power. His escape from death so often appears miraculous 
 that the soldier feels from first to last that he is but "in the 
 hollow of His hand," and learns tb trust all to chance and 
 Providence. 
 
 As a shell from a mortar came tumbling over and over, just 
 above the heads of this mass of humanity, a shout went up 
 from those farther back, "Ivook out ! Look out ! There comes 
 a shell." Lower and lower it came, all feeling their hopeless- 
 ness of escape, should the .shell explode in their midst. Some 
 tried to push backwards; others, forward, while a great many 
 crowded around and under an ambulance, to which was hitched 
 an old broken down horse, standing perfectly still and indiffer- 
 ent, and all oblivious to his surroundings. The men gritted 
 their teeth, shrugged their shoulders, and waited in death-like 
 suspense the falling of the fatal messenger — that peculiar, 
 whirling, hissing sound growing nearer and more distinct 
 every second. But instead of falling among the men, it fell 
 
324 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 direct!}' upon the head of the old horse, severing it almost from 
 the body, but failed to explode. The jam was so. great that 
 some had difficulty in clearing themselves from the falling 
 horse. Who of ns are prepared to say whether this was mere 
 chance, or that the bo'.t was guided and directed by an invisible 
 hand? 
 
 Bushrod Jolmston had formed on the left of the road; Ker- 
 shaw marching over the crest of the hill in our front, and put- 
 ting his brigade in line of battle on a broad plateau and along 
 the foot hills of the mountains on the right. Here the troops 
 were halted, to wait the coming up of the rest of the divi.sion 
 and Jei. kins' two brigades. The cannonading of the enemy 
 was especialh- severe during our halt, and (General Kershaw 
 had to frequently shift his regiments to avoid the terrific force 
 of the enemy's sliells. It was not the intention of the com- 
 manding General to bring on a general engagement here until 
 he heard from his cavalry beyond the river and those to the 
 west of the mountain. The cavalry had been sent to cut off 
 ' retreat and close the mountain passes, and the infantry was to 
 press moderately in front, in order to hold the enemy in 
 position. 
 
 Just before sunset, however, a g^ neral, advance was made. 
 One of Kershaw's regiments was climbing along the mountain 
 side, endeavoring to gain the enemy's left, and as our skir- 
 mishers became hotly engaged, the movements of the regiment 
 on the side of the mountain were discovered, and the enemy 
 began to retire. Now orders were given to press them hard. 
 The rattle of Bushrod Johnston's rifles on our left told of a 
 pretty stiff fight he was having. As the long row of bristling 
 bayonets of Kershaw's men debouched upon the plain in front 
 of the enemy's works, nothing could be seen but one mass of 
 blue, making way to the rear in great confusion. Our artil- 
 lery was now brought up and put in action, our infantry con- 
 tinuing to press forward, sometimes at double-quick. 
 
 We passed over the enemy's entrenchments without firing a 
 gun. Night having set in, and General lyongstreet hearing 
 from his cavalry that all in the enemy's rear was safe, ordered 
 a halt for the night, thinking the game would keep until 
 morning. During the night, however, by some misunder- 
 standing of orders, the commander of the cavalry withdrew 
 from the mountain passes, and the enemy taking advantage of 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 325 
 
 this outlet so unexpectedly offered, made his escape under cover 
 of darkness. Here we had another truthful verification of tTie 
 oft', quoted aphorism of Burns, about "the best laid plans of 
 mice and men." 
 
 This last attempt of Longstreet to bring the enemy to an 
 engagement outside of Knoxville proving abortive, the com- 
 manding General determined to close the campaign for the 
 season, and to put his troops in as comfortable winter quarters 
 as possible. This was found on the right or east bank of the 
 Holston, near Morristown and the little hamlet of Russellville. 
 The brigade crossed the Holston about the 17th of December, 
 in a little flat boat, holding about two companies at a time, 
 the boat being put backwards and forwards by means of a 
 stout rope, the men pulling with their hand.'--. A blinding 
 sleet was falling, covering the rope continually with a sheet of 
 ice, almost freezing the hands of the thinly clad and birefooted 
 soldiers. But there was no murmuring nor complaint — all 
 were as jolly and ■ good-natured as if on a picnic excursion. 
 Hardship had become a pleasure and sufferings, patriotism. 
 There were no sickness, no straggling, nor feelings of self- 
 constraint. 
 
 General L,ongstreet speaks thus of his army after he had 
 established his camps and the subsistence trains began to 
 forage in the rich valleys of the French Broad and Chucky 
 Rivers and along the banks of Mossy Creek: 
 
 "With all the plentitude of provisions, and many things, 
 which, at the time, seemed luxune*, we were not quite happy. 
 Tattered blankets, gnrments, shoes (the later going —some 
 gone) opened ways on all sides for piercing winter bhsts. 
 There were some hand looms in the country from which we 
 occasionally picked up a piece of cloth, and here and there we 
 received other comforts — some from kind, some from unwilling 
 hands, which could nevertheless spare them. For shoes, we 
 were obliged to resort to raw-hides, from beef cattle, as tem- 
 porar}' protection from the frozen ground. Then we found 
 soldiers who could tan the hides of our beeves, some who 
 could make shoes, some who could make shoe pegs, some who 
 could make shoe lasts, so that it came about that the hides 
 passed rapidly from the beeves to the feet of the soldiers in the 
 form of comfortable shoes. ' ' 
 
 We took up very comfortable quarters, in the way that com- 
 
326 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fort goes with a soldier — cut off from the outside world. Only 
 a few officers had the old army fly tents; the soldiers were 
 each supplied, or rather had supplied , themselves upon the 
 battlefield of the enemy with small tent flies, about five by 
 six feet, so arranged with buttons and button holes that two 
 being buttoned together and stretched over a pole would make 
 the sides or roof and the third would close the end, making a 
 tent about six feet long, five feet wide, and four feet high, in 
 which three or four men could sleep very comfortably. In the 
 bitter weather great roaring fires were built in front during 
 the night, and to which the soldier, by long habit, or a kind 
 of intuition, would stretch his feet, when the cold would be- 
 come unbearable under his thread-bare blanket. 
 
 But notwithstanding all these disadvantages, the men. of 
 Kershaw's Brigade were bent on having a good time in East 
 Tennessee. They foraged during the day for apples, chickens, 
 butter, or whatever they could find to eat. Some of sporting 
 proclivities would purchase a lot of chicken roosters and then 
 fight, regiment against regiment, and seemed to enjoy as 
 much seeing a fight between a shanghai and a dunghill, as a 
 match between gaved Spanish games. 
 
 Many formed the acquaintance of ladies in the surrounding 
 country, and they, too, Union as well as Southern, being cut 
 ofi" like ourselves — their husbands and brothers being either in 
 the Northern or Southern Army — seemed determined on hav- 
 ing a good time also. Dancing parties were frequent, and the 
 ladies of Southern sympathies gave the ofiicers and soldiers 
 royal dinners. 
 
 In this connection, I will relate an anecdote told on our 
 gallant Tieutenant Colonel Rutherford, of the Third, by a 
 friend of his. 
 
 When the Third South Carolina Regiment of Infantry was 
 in East Tennessee, in the month of January, 1864, not only 
 did the soldiers find it difiicult to get enough to eat, but their 
 supply of shoes and clothing ran pretty low. Those who had 
 extra pants or jackets helped their needy friends. Lieutenant 
 Colonel Rutherford had turned over his extra pair of pants to 
 some one, which left him the pair he wore each day as his only 
 stock on hand in the pants line. Heavy snows fell. The 
 regiment was encamped very near a pleasant residence, where 
 B bevy of pretty girls lived. After an acquaintance of some- 
 
HisfORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 327 
 
 time, a snow-balling was indulged in. It was observed that 
 Colonel Rutherford used his every endeavor to constantly face 
 the girls, who were pelting him pretty liberally on all sides. 
 After awhile he slipped up and fell, but in his fall his face was 
 downward, when lo ! the girls discovered that he had a hole in 
 Ws pants. Too good-natured to appear to see his predicament, 
 no notice was seemingly taken of his misfortune; but as the 
 •officers were about going ofi to bed that night, the married 
 lady said to him: 
 
 "Colonel, lay your pants on the chair at your room door to- 
 night, and you will find them there again in the morning. 
 We hope you won't mind a patch." 
 
 The Colonel, who was always so gallant in actual battle, 
 and could not bear to turn his back to the Federal soldiers, 
 Tvas just as unwilling to turn his back to snow-balls, who hap- 
 pened to be Confederate lasses, and the reason therefor, 
 although never told, was discovered by them. 
 
 The weather had gotten down to two degrees below zero,, 
 the ground frozen as hard as brick-bats, and the winds whis- 
 tled gaily through our tattered tents, our teeth beating tattoo 
 •and our limbs shivering from the effects of our scanty clothing 
 and shoes. But our wagons were gathering in supplies from 
 the rich valleys of the French Broad and the Nollachackey, 
 and while we suffered from cold, we generally had provisions 
 sufiScient for our want. By the middle of January we had to 
 temporarily break up camp to meet the enemy, who had left 
 Knoxville with the greater part of the army, and was march- 
 ing up on the right banks of the French Broad to near Dan- 
 dridge. General Foster seeing the penalty put upon General 
 Burnside for not driving out Longstreet from East Tennessee, 
 the former undertook to accomplish in this bitter weather 
 what the latter had failed to do in comparative good season. 
 Our cavalry, with Jenkins' Division, headed direct towards the 
 moving column of the enemy, while Mcl/aws' Division marched 
 in the direction of Strawberry Plains, with a view to cutting 
 off the enemy and forcing him to battle in an open field. But 
 ■General Granger, in command of the Federal column, was too 
 glad to cross the French Broad and beat a hasty retreat to 
 .Knoxville. We returned to our old camps, and waited, like 
 Micawber, "for something to turn up." 
 
 By some disagreement or want of confidence in General 
 
328 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Mcl^aws bj' the commanding General, he was relieved of hi& 
 command, and General Kershaw being the senior Brigadier 
 General of the division, was placed in command. What the 
 differences were between General Longstreet and his Major 
 General were never exactly understood by the soldiers. While 
 General McLaws may have been a brave soldier and was well 
 beloved by ofiEicers and men, still he was wanting in those 
 elements to make a successful General of volunteer troops — 
 dash, discipline, and promptness in action. 
 
 General L,ongstreet had bent all his energies to the repair- 
 ing of the railroad through East Tennesse and Virginia, and 
 as soon as this was accomplished, a limited number of soldiers 
 were furloughed for twenty-one days. A large lot of shoes 
 and clothing was sent us from Richmond, and this helped to- 
 make camp life more enjoyable. Not all the men by any 
 means could be spared by furlough even for this brief period, 
 for we had an active and vigilant foe in our front. Most of 
 the men drew their furloughs by lot, those who had been from 
 home the longest taking their chances by drawing from a hat, 
 "furlough" or "no furlough." 
 
 While in winter quarters, during the spasm of chicken 
 fighting, a difEculty occurred between Lieutenant A and 
 Private B, of the Third, both good friends, and no better sol- 
 diers were ever upon a battlefield. These are not the initials 
 of their names, but will answer the purpose at band, and that 
 purpose is to show the far-reaching results of the courtmartial 
 that followed, and a decision reached under difficulties, that 
 the most learned jurist might feel proud of. 
 
 I will say for the benefit of those not learned in the law of 
 army regulations, that for an officer to strike a private he is 
 cashiered, and for a private to strike an ofiBcer the penalty is 
 either death or long imprisonment with ball and chain attach- 
 ments. 
 
 Now it appeared to the officers who composed the court- 
 martial, Captain Herbert, Lieutenant Garlington, and the 
 writer of this (all parties of the Third), that Lieutenant A had 
 knocked Private B down. The officer appeared in his own 
 defense, and gave in extenuation of his crime, that Private B 
 had hit his (Liutenant A's) chicken a stunning blow on the 
 head while they were 'petting" them between rounds. Now 
 that decision of the courtmartial astonished our Colonel as 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 329 
 
 much as the men who were parties to the combat themselves. 
 Now it read something like this — time, dress parade: 
 
 "Whereas, lyieutenant A, of Company , Third South 
 
 Carolina, did strike Private B, of same company and regiment, 
 with his fist in the face, that he should receive the severest 
 of punishment; but, whereas, Private B did strike the game 
 chicken in the hands of I/ieutenant A, without cause or provo- 
 cation, therefore both are equally guilty of a crime and misde- 
 meanor, and should be privately reprimanded by the Colonel 
 commanding." 
 
 Such a laugh as was set up, notwithstanding the grave 
 countenance of the Colonel, was never heard on ordinary 
 occasions. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 In Winter Quarters, 1863 and 1864— Re-enlist- 
 ment. 
 
 Christmas came as usual to the soldiers as to the rest of the 
 world, and if Longstreet's men did not have as "merry and 
 happy" a Christmas as those at home, and in the armies out- 
 side, they had at least a cheerful one. Hid away in the dark 
 and mysterious recesses of the houses of many old Unionists, 
 was yet a plentitude of "moon-shine," and this the soldiers 
 drew out, either by stealth or the eloquent pleadings of a faded 
 Confederate bill. Poultry abounded in the far away sections 
 of the country, not yet ravaged by either army, which it was a 
 pleasure to those fixtures of the army called "foragers" to 
 hunt up. The brotherhood of "foragers" was a peculiar insti- 
 tute, and some men take as naturally to it as the duck to 
 water. They have an eye to business, as well as pleasure, and 
 the life of a "forager" becomes almost an art. They have a 
 peculiar talent, developed by long practice of nosing out, 
 hunting up, and running to quarry anything in the way of 
 "eatables or drinkables." During the most stringent times in 
 a country that had been tjver-run for years by both armies, 
 some men could find provisions and delicacies, and were never 
 
B30 HISTORY OF EERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 known to be without "one drink left" in their canteens for a 
 needy comrade, who had the proper credentials, the Confed- 
 erate "shin-plaster." These foragers had the instinct (or 
 acqui.ed it) and the gifts gf a "knight of the road" of worm- 
 ing out of the good house-wife little dainties, cold meats, and 
 stale bread, and ;f there was one drop of the "oh be joyful" 
 in the house, these men of peculiar intellect would be sure to 
 get it. So with such an acquisition to the army, and in such 
 a country as East Tennessee, the soldiers did not sufEer on that 
 cold Christmas day. Bright and cheerful fires burned before 
 every tent, over which hung a turkey, a chicken, or a choice 
 slice of Tennessee pork, or, perhaps, better still, a big, fat 
 sausage, with which the smoke-houses along the valleys of the 
 French Broad were filled. 
 
 It was my misfortune, or rather good fortune, to be doing 
 picket duty on the Holston on that day. Here I had an 
 adventure rather out of the regular order in a soldier's life, 
 one more suited to the character of Don Quixotte. I, as com- 
 mandant of the post, had strict orders not to allow anyone to 
 cross the river, as "beyond the Alps lie Italy," beyond the 
 Holston lay the enemy. But soldiers, like other men, have 
 their trials. While on duty here a buxom, bouncing, rosy 
 ■cheeked mountain lass came up, with a sack of corn on her 
 shoulder, and demanded the boat in order that she might cross 
 over to a mill and exchange her corn for meal. This, of 
 ■course, I had to reluctantly deny, hower gallantl}' disposed I 
 might otherwise have been. The lass asked me, with some 
 feeling of scorn, "Is the boat yours? " to which I was forced 
 to answer in the negative. She protested that she would not 
 go back and get a permit or pass from anyone on earth; that 
 the boat was not mine, and she had as much right to its use 
 as anyone, and that no one should prevent her from getting 
 bread for her family, and that "you have no business here at 
 best," arguments that were hard to controvert in the face of a 
 firey young "diamond in the rough." So to compromi.se mat- 
 ters and allow chivalry to take, for the time being, the place 
 of duty, I agreed to ferry her over my.self. She placed her 
 corn in the middle of the little boat, planting herself erect in the 
 prow; I took the stern. The weather was freezing cold, the 
 wind strong, and the waves rolled high, the little boat rocking 
 to and fro, while I battled with the strong current of the river. 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 331 
 
 Once or twice she cast disdainful glances at my feeble and 
 emaciate^ form, but at last, in a melting tone, she said: "If 
 you can't put the boat over, get up and give me the oar." 
 This taunt made me strong, and the buxom mountain girl was 
 soon at the mill. While awaiting the coming of the old miller, 
 I concluded to take a stroll over the hill in search of further 
 adventure. There I found, at a nice old-fashioned farm house, 
 a bevy of the prettiest young ladies it had been my pleasure to 
 meet in a long while — buoyant, vivacious, cultured, and loyal 
 to the core. They did not wait very long to tell me that they 
 were ''Rebels to the bone." They invited me and any of my 
 friends that I chose to come over the next day and take dinner 
 with them, an invitation I was not loath nor slow to accept. 
 My mountain acquaintance was rowed back over the HoLston 
 in due season, without any of the parting scenes that fiction 
 delight in, and the next day, armed with pass-ports, my 
 friends and myself were at the old farm house early. My 
 companions were Colonel Rutherford, Dr. James Evans, Lieu- 
 tenant Hugh Farley, Captains Nance, Gary, and Watts, with 
 Adjutant Pope as our chaperone. Words fail me here in giv- 
 ing a description of the dinner, as well as of the handsome 
 young ladies that our young hostess had invited from the sur- 
 rounding country to help us celebrate. 
 
 Now will any reader of this question the fact that Long- 
 street's men suffered any great hardships, i.'solated as they were 
 from the outside world ? This is but a sample of our suffer- 
 ings. We had night parties at the houses of the high and the 
 low, dinners in season and out of season, and not an enemy 
 outside of the walls of Knoxville. Did we feel the cold ? Did 
 the frozen ground cut our feet through our raw-bide mocca- 
 sins? Did any of the soldiers long for home or the opening of 
 the next campaign ? Bah ! 
 
 It was during our .stay in winter quarters, March, 1864, 
 that the terra of our second enlistment expired. The troops 
 had volunteered for twelve months at the commencement of 
 the war; this expiring just before the seven days' battle around 
 Richmond, a re-enlistment and reorganization was ordered in 
 the spring of 1862 for two more years, making the term of 
 Kershaw's Brigade equal with other troops that had enlisted 
 for "three years or the war." By an Act of Congress, in 
 1862, all men between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five 
 
332 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 years were compelled to bear arms. This had been extended 
 first to forty and then to forty-five and during Grant's mem- 
 orable campaign against Richmond, the ages ran from sixteen 
 to fifty-five, though those between sixteen and eighteen and 
 those between fifty and fifty-five were to be Used only in State 
 service. This brought out the expression of Grant to the 
 authorities in Washington, that "I,ee had robbed the cradle 
 and the grave." Our re-enlistment was only a form, no 
 change in ofiicers or organization. Some few failed to volun- 
 tarily re-enlist, not with any view to quit the' army, but some 
 had grown weary of. the hard marches of the infantry service 
 and wished to join the cavalry. However, when the morning 
 came for re-enlistment the troops were called out in line of 
 regiments and a call made by the Colonel to all who were 
 willing to enlist for the war to step two paces to the firont. 
 All, with the very fewest exceptions, stepped proudly to the 
 front. Of course, none were permitted to leave his company 
 for the cavalry, as that branch of the service was yet filled to 
 its full quoto, its ranks had in no discernable degree been 
 depleted by the casualties of war. It seemed that fortune 
 favored our troopers, for battle as they would, none were 
 scarcely ever wounded, and a less number killed. Infantry 
 soldiers were furloughed, through wounds, by the thousands, 
 and artillerymen by the hundreds, after every great battle, but 
 the cavalryman was denied this luxury, and his only hope in a 
 furlough wa;s a short leave of absence to replace a wornout 
 horse that had fallen by the wayside. Their ranks of fur- 
 loughed men in this line were usually quite full. 
 
 As for returning to their homes, no soldier, however humble 
 his station, either in the army or socially at home, would have 
 dared to leave the service had a discharge been offered him. 
 A man in good health and with stout limbs preferred facing 
 bullets and even death, rather than bracing the .scorn and con- 
 tempt the women of the South had for the man who failed his 
 country when his services' were needed. No man, however 
 brave, would have had the hardihood to meet his wife or 
 mother unless "with his shield or on. it" in this hour of his 
 country's need. There were some few exemptions in the con- 
 script law; one particularly was where all the men in a neigh- 
 borhood had gone or was ordered to the front, one old man to 
 five plantations, on which were slaves, was exempted to look 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 333 
 
 after said farms, manage the negroes, and collect the govern- 
 ment taxes or tithes. These tithes were one-tenth of all that 
 was raised on a plantation— cotton, corn, oats, peas, wheat, 
 potatoes, sorghum, etc. — to be delivered to a government 
 agent, generall}' a disabled soldier, and by him forwarded to 
 the army. 
 
 During the winter most of the vacancies in company and 
 field officers were filled by promotion, according to rank. In 
 most cases, the office of Third I^ieutenant was left to the 
 choice of the men, in pursuance to the old Democratic princi- 
 ple, "government by the will of the people." Non-commis- 
 sioned officers usually went up by seniority, where competent, 
 the same as the commissioned officers. 
 
 All these vacancies were occasioned by the casualties of war 
 during the Pennsylvania, Chickamauga, and Knoxville cam- 
 paigns. The Seventh, Fifteenth, and Third Battalion were 
 without field officers. Captain Huggins was placed in com- 
 mand of the Seventh, and Captain Whiter, the Thifd Battal- 
 ion. No promotions could be made in the latter, as Major 
 Miller and Colonel Rice had not resigned, although both were 
 disabled for active service in consequence of wounds. 
 
 There was considerable wrangling in the. Fifteenth over the 
 promotion to the Colonelcy. Captain F. S. Lewie, of L,exing- 
 ton, claimed it b}' seniority of rank, being senior Captain in 
 the regiment. Captain J. B. Davis, of Fairfield, claimed it 
 under an Act of the Confederate Congress in regard to the 
 rank of old United States officers entering the Confederate ser- 
 vice — that the officers of the old army should hold their grade 
 and rank in the Confederate Army, the same as before their 
 joining the South, irrespective of the date of these commissions 
 issued by the war department. Or, in other words, a Lieuten- 
 ant in the United States Army should not be given a commis- 
 sion over a Captain, or a Captain, ever a Major, Lieutenant 
 Colonel, or Colonel, etc., in the Southern Army. As all the 
 old army officers entering the service of the South at different 
 periods, and all wanted a Generalship, so this mode of ranking 
 was adopted, as promising greater harmony and better results. 
 Captain Davis had been a Captain in the State service, having 
 commanded a company in Gregg's six months' troops around 
 Charleston. And, furthermore, Davis was a West Pointer — a 
 good disciplinarian, brave, resolute, and an all round good 
 
334 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 oiEcer. Still Lewie was his peer in every respect, with the 
 exception of early military training. Both were graduates of 
 medical colleges — well educated, cultured, and both high- 
 toned gentlemen of the "Old School." But Lewie was sub- 
 ject to serious attacks of a certain disease, which frequently 
 incapacitated him for duty, and on marches he was often 
 unable to walk, and had to be hauled for days in the ambu- 
 lance. Then Lewie's patriotism was greater than his aiiibi_ 
 tion, and he was willing to serve in any position for the good 
 of the service and for the sake of harmony. Captain Lewie 
 thus voluntarily yielded his just claims to the Colonelcy to 
 Captain Davis, and accepted the position of Lieutenant Colo- 
 nel, places both filled to the end. 
 
 COLONEL J. B. DAVIS. 
 
 Colonel J. B. Davis was born in Fairfield County, of Scotch- 
 Irish decent, about the year 1835. He received his early 
 education in the schools of the country, at Mount Zion 
 Academy, at Winnsboro. in same county. Afterwards he was 
 admitted to the United States Military Sclioijl, at West Point, 
 but afler remaining for two years, resigned and commenced 
 the study of medicine. He graduated some years before the 
 war, and entered upon the practice of his pmlession in the 
 western part of the county. He was elected Captain of the 
 first company raised in Fairfield, and served in Gregg's first 
 six mouths' volunteers in Charleston. Alter the fall of Sum- 
 ter, his company, with several others, dishanded 
 
 Returning home, he organized a companv for the Confeder- 
 ate service, was elected Captain, and joineu the Fifteenth 
 Regiment, then forming in Columbia under Colonel De- 
 Saussure. He was in all the battles ot the Maryland cam- 
 paign, in the brigade under General DrHyttm, -nd in all the 
 great battles with Kershaw's Brigade. In the winter of 1863 
 he was made Colonel of the Fifteenth, ^nd served with his 
 regiment until the surrender. On sever.il occasions he was 
 in command of the brigade, as senior Colore i present. He 
 was in command at Cold Harbor after the death of Colonel 
 Keitt. Colonel Davis wa^ one among tne best tacticians in 
 the command; had a soldierly appearance— tall, well-devel- 
 oped, a commanding voice, and an all round gi.ud officer. 
 
 He returned home after the war and began the practice ot 
 medicine, and continues it to the present. 
 
HISTORY OP Kershaw's brigade. 335 
 
 COLONEL F. S. LEWIE. 
 
 Colonel F. S. Lewie was born in Lexington County, in 1830, 
 and received his early training there. He attended the High 
 School at Monticello, in Fairfield County. He taught school 
 for awhile, then began the study of medicine. He attended 
 the "College of Physicians and Surgeons" in Paris, France, 
 for two years, returning a short while before the breaking out 
 of hostilities between the North and South. 
 
 At the outbreak of the war he joined Captain Gibbs' Com- 
 pany, and was made Orderly Sergeant. He served with that 
 company, under Colonel Gregg, in the campaign against Sum- 
 ter. His company did not disband when the fort fell, but fol- 
 lowed Gregg to Virginia. At the expiration of their term of 
 enlistment he returned to Lexington County, raised a com- 
 pany, and joined the Fifteenth. He was in most of the, battles, 
 in which that regiment was engaged. Was promoted to Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel, and in 1864 was elected to the State Senate 
 from Lexington. He refused to leave his regiment, and did 
 not accept the honor conferred upon him by the people of his 
 county. While with his regiment in South Carolina, early in 
 the spring of 1865, he was granted a few days' furlough to 
 visit his home, at which smallpox had broken out, but was 
 captured by Sherman's raiders before reaching home. He was 
 parolled in North Carolina. 
 
 He was elected to the Legislature in 1866, serving until 
 reconstructioti. He died in 1877. 
 
 There was never a Major appointed afterwards in the 
 Fifteenth. 
 
 About the last of January we had another little battle scare, 
 but it tailed to materialize. General Longstreet had ordered a 
 pontoon bridge from Richmond, and had determined upon a 
 decent upon Knoxville. But the authorities at Washington 
 having learned of our preparation to make another advance, 
 ordered General Thomas to reinforce General Foster with his 
 curps, take command in person, and to drive Longstreet 
 "beyond the confines of East Tennessee." The enemy's 
 civalry was thrown forward, and part of Longstreet's com- 
 mand having been ordered East, the movement was aban- 
 <l()ne(i; ilu ircleinency of the weather, if ^no Other cause, was 
 
336 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 sufficient to delay operations. Foster being greatly rein- 
 forced, and I^ongstreet's forces reduced by a part of his cav- 
 alry going to join Johnston in Georgia, and a brigade of 
 infantry ordered to reinforce Lee, the commanding General 
 determined to retire higher up the Holston, behind a moun- 
 tain chain, near Bull's Gap. 
 
 On the 22d of February we quit our winter quarters, and 
 took up our march towards Bull's Gap, and after a few days 
 of severe marching we were again snugly encamped behind a 
 spur of the mountain, jutting out from the Holston and on to 
 the Nolachucky River. A vote of thanks from the Confeder- 
 ate States Congress was here read to the troops : 
 
 "Thanking Lieutenant General James Longstreet and the 
 officers and men of his command for their patriotic services 
 and brilliant achievements in the present war, sharing as they 
 have the arduous fatigues and privations of many campaigns 
 in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Tennes- 
 see," etc. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIH 
 
 In Camp on the Holston, East Tennessee. 
 Return to Virginia. 
 
 While Longstreet's Corps had done some of the most stub- 
 born fighting, and the results, as far as victories in battle were 
 concerned, were all that could be expected, still it seemed, 
 from some faults of the Generals commanding departments, or 
 the war department in Richmond, that the fruits of such vic- 
 tories were not what the country or General Longstreet ex- 
 pected. To merely hold our own, in the face of such over- 
 whelming numbers, while great armies were springing up all 
 over the North, was not the true policy of the South, as Gen- 
 eral Longstreet saw and felt it. We should go foiward and 
 gain every inch of ground lost in the last campaign, make all 
 that was possible out of our partial successes, drive the enemy 
 out of our country wherever he had a foothold, otherwise the 
 South would slowly but surely crumble away. So much had 
 been expected of Longstreet' s Corps in East Tennessee, and so 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 337 
 
 little lasting advantage gained, that bickering among the 
 oflBcers began. Brigadier Generals were jealous of Major 
 Generals, and even some became jealous or dissatisfied with 
 General Longstreet himself. Crimination and recrimination 
 were indulged in; censures and charges were made and denied, 
 and on the whole the army began to be in rather a bad plight 
 for the campaign just commencing. Had it not been for the 
 unparalleled patriotism and devotion to their cause, the un- 
 daunted courage of the rank and file of the army, little results 
 could have been expected. But as soon as the war cry was 
 heard and the officers and men had sniffed the fumes of the 
 coming battle, all jealousies and animosities were thrown aside, 
 and each and every one vied with the other as to who could 
 show the greatest prowess in battle, could withstand the great- 
 est endurance on marches and in the camp. 
 
 General Law, who cornmanded an Alabama Brigade, had 
 been arrested and courtmartialed for failing to support General 
 Jenkins at a critical moment, when Burnside was about to be 
 entrapped, just before reaching Knoxville. It was claimed by 
 his superiors that had Law closed up the gaps, as he had been 
 ordered, a great victory would have been gained, but it was 
 rumored that Law said "he knew this well enough, and could 
 have routed the enemy, but Jenkins would have had the 
 credit," so that he sacrificed his men, endangered the army, 
 and lost an opportunity for brilliant achievements through 
 jealousy of a brother officer. Much correspondence ensued 
 between General Longstreet and President Davis, and as usual 
 with the latter, he interfered, and had not the Wilderness 
 campaign commenced so soon, serious trouble would have been 
 the result between General Lee and General Longstreet on 
 one side, and President Davis and the war department on the 
 other. But General Law never returned to our army, and left 
 with any but an ennobling reputation. 
 
 General Robertson, commanding Hood's old Texas Brigade, 
 was arrested for indulging in , mutinous conversation with his 
 subaltern officers, claiming, it was said, that should General 
 Longstreet give him certain orders (yvhile in .camp around 
 Lookout Mountain), he would -not. recognize them, unless 
 written, and then, only under ^prqtest. He was relieved by 
 General Gregg. 
 
 General McLaws was relieved of his command from a want 
 22 
 
338 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of confidence iji jGeneral Lpngstreet, an4.inpre especially^ foF 
 his inactivity and, tardiness. at, the a5sa.ults on Fprt ganders, at 
 Knoxville. . On ordinary occasionSi ; General, .MpLaws was 
 active and vigilant enough— hi? courage could not ,he dpubted.. 
 He and the troop? under him .had adde(J .largely to , the pame 
 and fame of the Army of Northen Virginia, . Jle had oncers 
 and men under him who.wer^ the,"flovver,Qf qhiyalriy'? of the 
 South, and were really the "Old Guard'' of ^I^ee's Army. 
 McLaws was a graduate of West Point, .and had seen service 
 in Mexico and on the plains of the ,West. , But General Mc- 
 Laws vyas not the man for the, times— not the man to command 
 such troops as he had— r was not. the officer to lead in, an active, 
 vigorous campaign, where all depended.opalertness and dash. 
 He was too cautious, and as such, too slow, ,The two Georgia 
 brigades, a Mississippi brigade,, and a South Carolina brigade, 
 composed mostly of the first volunteers from their respective 
 States, needed as a commander a hotspur like our own J.. B. 
 Kershaw. While the army watched with sorrow and regret 
 the departure of our old and faithful General, one who had 
 been with us through so many. scenes of trials, harships, and 
 bloodshed, whose, name had been so identified with, that of 
 our own as to be almost a part of it, still none could deny 
 that the change was better for the service and the Con- 
 federacy. 
 
 One great trouble with the organization of our army was 
 that too many old and incompetent officers of the old regular 
 army commanded it. And the one idea that seemed to haunt 
 the, President. was that none but those who had passed through 
 the great corridors and halls of West Point could command 
 armies or men — that civilians without military training were 
 unfit for the work at hand — furthermore, he had favorites, 
 that no failures or want of confidence by the men could 
 shake his faith in as to ability and Generalship. What the 
 army needed was young blood — no old army fossils to com- 
 mand the hot-blooded, dashing, enthusiastic volunteers, who 
 could do more in their impetuosity with the bayonet in a few 
 moments than in days and months of manceuvering, planning, 
 and fighting battles by rules or conducting campaigns by fol- 
 lowing the precedent of great commanders, but now obsolete. 
 
 When the gallant Joe Kershaw took the command and 
 began to feel his way for his Major General's spurs, the divis- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 339 
 
 ion took on new life. While the brigade was .lo.ath to give 
 him up, still they were proud of their little. "Brigadier," who 
 had yet to carve out a name for hitriself on, tlje pill,ars of fame, 
 and write his achievements high up pn the pages of ^ Jiistory in 
 the campaign that was soon to begin. 
 
 It seems from cotemporaneous history that ; President Davis 
 was baiting between two opinions, either, to have L,ongstreet 
 retire by way of the mountains and relieve the pressure, against 
 Johnston, now in command of Bragg's Army, or to iinite with 
 I<ee and defend the approaches to Richmond., 
 
 A counsel of war was held in Richmond between the Presi- 
 dent, General. Bragg as the military advisor of, his Excellency, 
 General Lee, and General Longstreet, to form some plan by 
 which Grant might be checked or foiled in the general grand 
 advance he was preparing to make along the whole line. The 
 Federal armies of Mississippi and Alabama had concentrated in 
 front of General Johnston and were gradually pressing him 
 back into Georgia. 
 
 Grant had been made commander in chief of all the armies 
 of the North, with headquarters with General Meade, in front 
 of Lee, and he was bending all his energies, his strategies, and 
 boldness in his preparations to strike Lee a fatal blow. 
 
 At this juncture Longstreet came forward with a plan — bold 
 in its conception; still bolder in its execution, had it be^n 
 adopted — that might have changed the face, if not the fate, of 
 the Confederacy. It was to. strip all the forts and garrisons in 
 South Carolina and Georgia, form an arm}' of. twenty-five 
 thousand men, place them under Beauregard at Charleston, 
 board the train for Greenville, S. C. ; then by the overland 
 route through the mountain passes of North Carolina, and by 
 way of Aberdeen, Va. ; then to make his way for Kentucky; 
 Longstreet to follow in Beauregard's wake or between him and 
 the Federal Army, and by a shorter line, join Beauregard at 
 some convenient point in Kentucky; Johnston to flank Sherman 
 and march by way of Middle Tennessee, the whole to avoid 
 battle until a grand junction was formed by all the armies, 
 somewhere near the Ohio River; then along the Louisville 
 Railroad, the sole route of transportation of supplies for the 
 Federal Army, fight a great battle, and, if victorious, penetrate 
 into Ohio, thereby withdrawing Sherman from his intended 
 "march to the sea," relieving Lee by weakening Grant, as 
 
340 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 that General would be forced to succor the armies forming to 
 meet Beauregard. 
 
 This, to an observer at this late hour, seems to have been 
 the only practical plan by which the downfall of the Confed- 
 eracy could have been averted. However, the President and 
 his cabinet decided to coii.tiuue the old tactics of dodging from 
 place to place, meeting the hard, stubborn blows of the enemy, 
 only waiting the time, when the South, by mere attrition, 
 would wear itself out. 
 
 About the loth of April, 1864, we were ordered to strike 
 tents and prepare to move on Bristol, from thence to be trans- 
 ported to Virginia. All felt as if we were returning to our old 
 home, to the brothers we had left after the bloody Gettysburg 
 campaign, to fight our way back by way of Chickajuaiigaand 
 East Tennessee. We stopped for several days at S^ncellorV 
 =^^&. and here had the pleasure of visiting the home of the 
 great Jefferson. From thence, down to near Gordonsville. 
 
 The 29th of April, 1864, was a gala day for the troops of 
 Longstreet's Corps, at camp near Gordonsville. They were to 
 be reviewed and inspected by their old and beloved com- 
 mander, General R. E. Lee. Everything po.'^sible that could 
 add to our looks and appearances was done to make an accept- 
 able display before our commander in chief. Guns were burn- 
 ished and rubbed up, cartridg'e boxes and belts polished, and 
 the brass buttons and buckles made to look as bright as new. 
 Our clothes were patched and brushed up, so far as was in our 
 power, boots and shoes greased, the tattered and torn old hats 
 were given here and there "a lick and a promise," and on the 
 whole I must say we presented not a bad-looking body of sol- 
 diers. Out a mile or two was a very large old field, of perhaps 
 one hundred acres or more, in which we formed in double 
 columns. The artillery stationed on the flank fired thirteen 
 guns, the salute to the commander in chief, and as the old 
 warrior rode out into 1:he opening, shouts went up that fairly 
 shook the earth. Hats and caps flew high in the air, flags 
 dipped and waved to and fro, while the drums and fifes struck 
 up "Hail to the Chief." General Lee lifted his hat modestly 
 .from his head in recognition of the honor done him, and we 
 know the old commander's heart swelled with emotion at this 
 outburst of enthusiasrn by his old troops on his appearance-. 
 If he had had any doubts before as to the loyalty of his troops. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 341 
 
 this ojd "Rebel yejl" must have soon dispelled them. After 
 taking his position near the centre of the columns, the com- 
 mand was broken in columns of companies and; marched by 
 him, each giving a salute as it passed. It took several hours 
 to' pass in review, Kershaw leading with his division, Jenkins 
 following. The line was again formed, when General Lee and 
 staff, with Longstreet and his staff,, rode around the troops and 
 gave them critical inspection. No doubt Lee was then think- 
 ing of the bloody day that was soon to come, and how well 
 these brave, battle-scarred veterans would sustain the proud 
 prestige they had won. 
 
 Returning to our camp, we were put under regular disci- 
 pline — drilling, surgeon's call-guards, etc. We were being 
 put in active fighting trim and the troops closely kept in camp. 
 All were now expecting every moment the summons to the 
 battlefield. None doubted the purpo.se for which we were 
 brought back to Virginia, and how well Longstreet's Corps 
 sustained its name and reputation the Wilderness and Spott- 
 sylvania soon showed. Our ranks had been largely recruited 
 by the return of furloughed men, and young men attaining 
 eighteeh years of age. After .several months of comparative 
 rest in our quarters in East Tennessee, nothing but one week 
 of strict camp discipline was required to put us in the best of 
 fighting order. We had arrived at our pre.seut camp about 
 the last week of April, having rested several days at Char- 
 lottsville. 
 
 General Lee's Army was a day's, or more, march to the 
 north and east of us, on the west bank of the Rapidan River. 
 It was Composed of the Second Corps, under Lieutenant Gen- 
 eral Ewell, with seventeen thousand and niaety-three men; 
 Third Corps, under Lieutenant General A. P. Hill, with 
 twenty-two thousand one hundred and ninety-nine; unattached 
 commands, one thousand one hundred and twenty-five; 
 cavalry, eight thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven; 
 artillery, four thousand eight hundred and fifty-four; while 
 Longstreet had about ten thousand; putting the entire strength 
 of Lee's Army, of all arms, at sixty-three thousand nine 
 hundred and ninety-eight. 
 
 General Grant had, as heretofore mentioned, been made 
 commander in chief of all the Union armies, while General 
 Lee held the same position in the Confederate service. Grant 
 
342 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 had taken up his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac, 
 giving the directioii of this army hi^ personal attention, retain- 
 ing, ' howevel'^ Ge'n'&rkl George S. Meade as its immediate 
 commander^' 
 
 Grant had divided his army into three corps— Sedond, under 
 Major General W. SJ Hancock;' Fifth, Major General G. K. 
 Warren; Sixth, Majoi: General John Sedgwick — all in camp 
 hear Culpepper Court' House, while a separate corps, under 
 Major General A. E. Burnside, was stationed near the railroad 
 crossing on the Rappahannock River. 
 
 Lee's Army was divided as follows : Rodes', Johnston's, and 
 Early's Divisions, under Lieutenant General Ewell, Second 
 Corps; R. .H. Anderson's',' Heath's; and Wilcox's Divisions, 
 under Lieutenant (I'enera'l A; P. Hill, Third Corps. 
 
 Longstreet had no Major Generals under him as yet. He 
 had two divisions, McLaws' old Division, under Brigadier 
 General Kershaw, and Hood's, commanded by Brigadier Gen- 
 eral Fields. The division had been led through the East 
 Tennessee campaign by General Jenkins, of South Carolina. 
 Also a part of a divisidri under Geiieral Bushrod Johnston, of 
 the Army of the West. 
 
 Grant had in actual numbers of all arms, equipped and ready 
 for battle, one hundred and Sixteen thousand eight hundred 
 and eighty-six men. He had forty-nine thousand one hun- 
 dred and ninefy-oue liiore infantry and artillery than Lee and 
 three thousand six hundred and ninety-seven more cavalry. 
 He had but a fraction less than double the forces of the latter. 
 With this disparity of numbers, and growing greater every 
 day, Lee successfully combatfed Grant for almost a year with- 
 out a rest of a week from battle somewhere along his lines. 
 Lee had no reinforcernerits to Call up, and no recruits to 
 strengthen his ranks, while Grant had at his call an army of 
 two million to draw froth at Will, and always had at his imme- 
 diate disposal as many troops as he could handle in one field. 
 He not only outnumbered Le.fe, but he was far better equipped 
 in arms, subsistence, transportation, and cavalry and artillery 
 horses. He had in his medical, subsistence, and quartermaster 
 departments alone nineteen thousand one' hundred and eighty- 
 three, independent of his one hundred and sixteen thousand 
 eight hundred and eighty-six, ready for the field, which he 
 called non-combattants. While these figures and facts are 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 343 
 
 foreign to the "History of Kershaw's Brigade," still I give 
 them as matters of general history, that the reader may bet- 
 ter understand the herculean undertaking that confronted 
 I/ongstreet when he joined his forces with those of Lee's. 
 And as thi^, w4s to "be the deciding canipaign of the war, it 
 will be better understood by giving the strength and environ- 
 ment of each; array. .The Second, South Gajrolina Regiment 
 was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Gaillard; the Third, 
 by Cblbnel Jas. D. Nance; the Seventh, by Ceiptaih Jerry Gog- 
 gans; the "Eighth, by Colonel Henagan; the- Fifteenth, by 
 Colonel J. B. Davis; the Third Battalion, by Captain Whiter. 
 The brigade wks commanded by Colonel J. D. Kennedy, as 
 senior Colonel. ' ' 
 
 Thus stood the command on the morning of the 4th of May, 
 but by the shock of battle two days later all was changed. 
 Scarcely a cbmmatider of a regiment or brigade^reraained. 
 The two military giants of the nineteenth century were about 
 tb face each othei', and put to the test the talents, tactics, and 
 courage of their respective antagonists.' Both hald Deen suc- 
 cessful' beyond alii precedent, and both considered themselves 
 invincible in the field. Grant had tact and tenacity, with an 
 overwhelming army behind him. Lee had talent, impetuosity, 
 and boldness, w^ith ah army of patriots at his command, who 
 had never known defeat, and considered themselves superior 
 in courage and endurance to any body of men on earth. Well 
 might the clash of arms' in the Wilderness' of these mighty 
 giants cause the' civilized world to watch and \Jvonddr. Lee 
 stood like a lion iU thepath — his capital 'behirtd him, his army 
 at ba5^-^while Grant, with equal pugnacity, sought to crush 
 ' him by sheer force of overwhelming numbers. 
 
344 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX 
 
 Battle of the Wilderness. 
 
 At midnight, on the 3rd of May, Grant put this mighty- 
 force of his in motion — the greatest body of men moving to 
 combat that had ever been assembled on the continent. On 
 the 4th his army crossed the Rapidan, at Germania and Ely's 
 Fords, and began moving out towards the turn-pike, leading 
 from Orange Court House by way of the Wilderness to 
 Fredericksburg. 
 
 On the 5th Ewell had a smart engagement on th$ tururpike, 
 while Heath's and Wilcox's Divisions, of Hill's Corps, had 
 met successfully a heavy force under Hancock, on the plank 
 road — two roads running parallel and about one mile distant. 
 Both armies closed the battle at night fall, each holding his 
 own field. However, the enemy strongly entrenched in front, 
 while Hill's troops, from some cause unexplainable, failed to 
 take this precaution, and had it not been for the timely arrival 
 of Longstreet at a critical moment, might have been fatal to 
 Lee's Army. 
 
 On the morning of the 5th we had orders to march. For- 
 agers coming in the night before reported heavy firing in the 
 direction of the Rapidan, which proved to be the cavalry en- 
 gagement checking Grant at the river fords. All felt after these 
 reports, and our orders to march, that the campaign had 
 opened. All day we marched along unused roads — through 
 fields and thickets, taking every near cut possible. Scarcely 
 stopping for a moment to even rest, we found ourselves, at 5 
 o'clock in the evening, twenty-eight miles from our starting 
 point. Men were too tired and worn out to pitch tents, and 
 hearing the orders "to be ready to move at midnight," the 
 troops stretched themselves upon the ground to get such com- 
 fort and rest as was possible. Promptly at midnight we began 
 to move again, and such a march, and under such conditions, 
 was never before experienced by the troops. Along blind 
 roads, overgrown by underbrush, through fields that had lain 
 fallow for years, now studded with bushes and briars, and the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 345 
 
 night being exceedingly dark, the men floundered and fell as 
 they marched. But the needs were too urgent to be slack in 
 the march now, so the men struggled with nature in their en- 
 deavor to keep in ranks. Sometimes the head of the column 
 would lose its way, and during the time it was hunting its 
 way back to the lost bridle path, was about the only rest we 
 got. The men were already worn out by their forced march 
 of the day before, and now they had to exert all their strength 
 to its utmost to keep up. About daylight we struck the plank 
 road leading from Orange Court House to Fredericksburg, and 
 into this we turned and marched down with a swinging step. 
 Kershaw's Brigade was leading, followed by Humphreys' and 
 Wofford's, with Bryan bringing up the rear. The Second 
 South Carolina was in front, then the Third, Seventh, Fif- 
 teenth, Third Battalion, and Eighth on extreme right, the 
 brigade marching left in front. 
 
 After marching some two miles or more down the plank 
 road at a rapid gait, passing Hill's field infirmary, where the 
 wounded of the day before were being cared for, we heard a 
 sharp firing in our immediate front. Longstreet's artillery 
 was far in the rear, floundering along through the blind roads 
 as the infantry had done the night before. Our wagons and 
 subsistence supplies had not been since dawn of the 5th, 
 although this made little difference to the men, as Ivongstreet's 
 Corps always marched with three days' rations in their haver- 
 sacks, with enough cooking utensils on their backs to meet 
 immediate wants. So they were never thfown off their base 
 for want of food. The cartridge boxes were filled with forty 
 rounds, with twenty more in their pockets, and all ready for 
 the fray, 
 
 As soon as the musketry firing was heard, we hastened our 
 steps, and as we reached the brow of a small elevation in the 
 ground, orders were given to deploy across the road. Colonel 
 Gaillard, with the Second, formed on the left of the road, 
 while the Third, under Colonel Nance, formed on the right, 
 with the other regiments taking their places on the right of the 
 Third in their order of march. Field's Division was forming 
 rapidly on the left of the plank road, but as yet did not reach 
 it, thus the Second was for the time b,eiUg detached to fill up. 
 The Mississippians, under Humphreys, had already left the 
 plank road in our rear, and so had Wofford, with, his Geor- 
 
346 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 gians, and were making their way as best they could through 
 this tkhgled mbrass 'of the ^A^ildei■ness,' to'forth linedf battl6'on 
 Kershaw's ri^Hf. "The'task was difiSciilt in the ektreme, but 
 the'men were 'eq'ualto the-btcasibh. ' Bryan's Gebrgia Brigade 
 filed off to the right, in rear; ds reserves'.' 
 
 The line had 'not yet formed before a perfect hail of bullets 
 came flyiUg overhead arid thSrbugh ' Ouri'anks.'but not a man 
 moved, only to allbw' the sta'm^ede'd troops of Heath's and 
 Wilcox's to pass to the rear. It Seems that these troops had 
 fought the day before', a'nd'lay upon the "b'attlefield with the 
 impression thdt they Would be relieved before day. They had 
 not rfefbrrbed their lines, nor replenished their atflmunition 
 boxes, nor made any preteiition towards protecting their front 
 by any kind of work^. The enemy, whO'had likewise occu- 
 pied their ground of the day before, had reformed their lines, 
 strengthened their position by breastworks — all this within 
 two hundred yards of the unsuspecting Confederates. This 
 fault lay in' a misunderstanding of oWers, or upon the strong 
 presumption that Lotig-street would be up before. the hour of 
 cotnbat. Hancock had' ordered his advance at sunrise, and 
 after a feeble defense by Heath's and Wilcox's skirmish line, 
 the enemy blirst Upon th'e unsuspecting Confederates, while 
 some were cooking a hasty meal, others still asleep— all unpre- 
 pared for this thiitiderbolf that' fell in their midst. While 
 forming his lines' of battle.and While bullets were flying all 
 around, General Kershaw came dashing down in front of his 
 column, his eyes flashing fire, sitting his horse like a centaur 
 — that superb style as Joe Kershaw only could — and said in 
 passing us, "Now, fey bid brigade. I expect you to do your 
 duty." In all my long experience, in war and peace, I never 
 saw such a picture as Kershaw and his war-horse made in 
 riding down in frbnt of his' 'ti-ob'ps at the Wilderness. It 
 seemed an inspiratibu to every man in line, especially his old 
 brigade, Whb knew too well that their conduct to-day would 
 either win or lose him his Major General's spurs, and right 
 royally did he gain Iherri. The columns were not yet in 
 proper order,' but the ' ne'edS' so pressing to eheck the advance 
 of the enemy, that a forward movement was ordered, and the 
 lines fbrmed'uf) as the trobps matched. 
 
 The second moved forward ori the left of the plank road, in 
 support ol a battety stationed there, and which was drawing a 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. . 347 
 
 tremendous fire upon the troops on both sides of the road. 
 Down the' gfentle slope ^the' brigade marched,' over and' under 
 the tangled shrubber^ 'and 'dvi^arf sapplirgs; While' a' 'T^ithering 
 fire was'being pblired into theni by' as yet an utiseen'en^'my. 
 Men fell here 'arid "there, ' officers iifging on their' commands 
 and brdering them' to' ''hold their" fir^l"' '\A7heti near the 
 lower end of the declivity, 'the shodk came. ' Just in frOat of 
 us, and riot forty' yards awaj', lay' the eriemV. The long line 
 of blue could be seen urider the' ascending sriioke of thousands 
 of rifles; the red flashes of their guns seemed to blaze iri our 
 very faces. Now the battle was on in eafrifest; The roar of 
 Kershaw's guns mingled with those of the enemy. lyOngstreet 
 had met his old antagonist of Round, Top, Hancock, the North- 
 eirn hero, of Gettysburg. The roar of tbe small arms, min- 
 gled with the thunder of ' the cannori' that Longstreet had 
 brought forward, echoed and re-echoed up a''nd down the little 
 valley, but nevei: to'die away, for new troops were being put 
 rapidly in actiori to the right and left of us. M'en rolled and 
 writhed in theif last death struggle; woundecl men groped 
 their way to the rear, being blinded by' the stifling smoke. 
 All commands we're drowned iri this terrible din of battle — the 
 earth and elements shook and trembled with the deadly shock 
 of combat. Regiments were left without commanders; compa- 
 nies, without ofiEcers. The gallant Colonel Gaillard, of the 
 Second, had fallen. The intrepid young tolonel of the Third, 
 J. D. Nance, had already died in the lead of his regiment. 
 The commander of the Seventh, Captain Goggans, was 
 wounded. Colonel John D. Kennedy, commanding the 
 brigade, had left the field, disabled from further service for 
 the day. 
 
 Still the tattle rolled on. It seemed for sl time as if the 
 whole Federal Army was upon us — so thick arid fast came the 
 death-dealing missiles. Our ranks were being decimated by 
 the wounded and the dead, the little valley in the 'Wilderness 
 becoming a veritable "Valley of Herinom." The enemy held 
 their position with a tenacity, born of desperation, while the 
 confederates pressed them with that old-time' Southern vigor 
 and valor that no amount of courage could' withstand. Both 
 artiiies stood at extreme tension, arid the cord must soon snap 
 one way or the other, or it seemed as all would be annihilated. 
 I/Ongstreet seeing the desperate struggle in Which Kershaw 
 
348 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 and Humphreys, on the right, and Hood's old Texans, on the 
 left, were now engaged, sought to relieve' the pressure by a 
 flank movement with such troops as he had at his disposal. 
 R. H. Anderson's Division, of Hill's Corps, had reported to 
 him during the time Kershaw was in such deadly throes of 
 battle. Four brigades, Wofford's, of Kershaw's, and G. T. 
 Anderson's, Mahone's, and Davis', of Anderson's Division, 
 were ordered around on our right, to strike the left of Hancock 
 But during this manceuver the enemy gradually withdrew 
 from our front, and Kershaw's Brigade was relieved by Brat- 
 ton's South Carolina Brigade. I quote here from Colonel 
 Wallace, of the Second. 
 
 "Kershaw's Division formed line in the midst of this confu- 
 sion, like cool and well-trained veterans as they were, checked 
 the enemy, and soon drove them back. The Second Regiment 
 was on the left of the plank road, near a battery of artillery, 
 and although completely flanked at one time by the giving 
 away of the troops on the right, gallantly stood their groimd, 
 though suffering terribly; they and the battery, keeping up a 
 well-directed fire, to the right oblique, until the enemy gave 
 way. General Lee now appeared on our left, leading Hood's 
 Texas Brigade. We joined our brigade on the right of the 
 plank road, and again advanced to the attack. * * * We 
 were relieved by Jenkins' Brigade, under command of that 
 able and efficient officer, General Bratton, and ordered to the 
 rear and rest. We had scarcely thrown ourselves upon the 
 ground, when General Bratton requested that a regiment be 
 sent him to fill a gap in the lines, which the enemy had dis- 
 covered and were preparing to break through. I was ordered 
 to take the Second Regiment and report to him. A staff 
 officer showed me the gap, when I double quicked to it, just in 
 time, as the enemy were within forty yards of it. As we 
 reached the point we poured a well-directed volley into them, 
 killing a large number, and putting the rest, to flight. Gen- 
 eral Bratton witnessed the conduct of the regiment on this 
 occasion and spoke of it ip the highest terms." 
 
 But, meanwhile, Longstreet's flanking columns were steadily 
 making their way around the enemy's left. At ten o'clock 
 the final crash cfeme. Like an avalanche from a mountain 
 side, Wofford, Mahone, Anderson, and Davis rushed upon the 
 enemy's exposed flank, doubling up Hancock's left upon his 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 349 
 
 center, putting all to flight and confusion. In vain did the 
 Federal commander try to bring order out of confusion, but 
 at this critical moment Wadsworth, his leading Division Gen- 
 eral, fell mortally wounded. Thus being left without a com- 
 mander, his whole division gave wayy having, with Stephen's 
 Division, been holding Fields in desperate battle. The whole 
 of Hancock's troops to the right of the plank road was swept 
 across it by the sudden onslaught of the flanking column, only 
 to be impeded by the meeting and mixing with Wadsworth's 
 and Stephen's retreating divisions. 
 
 At this moment a sad and most regretable occurrence took 
 place, that, in a measure, somewhat nullified the fruits of one 
 of the greatest victories of the war. One of Mahone's regi- 
 ments, gaining the plank road in advance of the other portion 
 of the flanking column, and seeing Wadsworth givjng such 
 steady battle to Fields, rushed over and beyond the road and 
 assailed his right, which soon gave way. Generals L,ongstreet, 
 Kershaw, and Jenkins, with their staffs, came riding down the 
 plank road, just as the Virginia Regiment beyond the road 
 was returning to join its brigade. The other regiments com- 
 ing up at this moment, and seeing through the dense smoke 
 what they corisidered an advancing foe, fired upon the return- 
 ing regiment just as General Longstreet and party rode be- 
 tween. General Jenkins fell dead, Longstreet badly wounded. 
 Captain Doby, of Kershaw's staff, also was killed, together 
 with several couriers killed and wounded. 
 
 This unfortunate occurrence put a check to a vigorous pur- 
 suit of the flying enemy, partly by the fall of the corps com- 
 mander and the frightful loss in brigade and regimental com- 
 manders, to say nothing of the of&cers of the line. Captain 
 Doby was one of the most dashing, fearless, and accomplished 
 officers that South Carolina had furnished during the war. 
 The entre brigade had witnessed his undatinted valor on so 
 many battlefields, especially at Mayree's Hill and Zoar 
 Church, that it was with the greatest sorrow they heard of 
 his death.- Captain Doby had seemed to live a charmed life 
 while riding' thrcttigh safely the storms upon storms of the 
 enemy's.battres, that it made it doubly Sad to think'of his 
 dying at the hands of h-is ■ttiistaken friends.' On 'this same 
 plank road; only a'fewmiles'distant. General Jackson' lost his 
 life one year before, under similar circumstances, and at the 
 
350 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 hands of the sapie troops. Had it not beep for the qoplness of 
 General Kershaw, in riding, oi;it to where, h^ heard Jenkins' 
 rifles clicking tp retijrn the fire, and called out, '-Friends," it 
 would be difltt.cult to tell what might have been the result. , 
 
 To show . the. light in which the actions of Kershaw's 
 Brigade were held in thus throwing itself between I,ee and 
 impending disaster at this critical moment, and stemming the 
 tide of battle singlehanded and alone, until his lines were 
 formed, I will quote an extract from an unprejudiced and 
 impartial eye witness, Captain J. F. J. Caldwell, who in his 
 "History of McGowan's Brigade" pays this glowing but just 
 tribute to Kershaw and his men. In speaking of the surprise 
 and confusion in which a part of Hill's Corps was thrown, be 
 says: , 
 
 "We were now informed that Longstreet was near at hand, 
 with twenty-five thousand fresh men. This was good matter 
 to rally on. We were marched to the plank road by special 
 order of General Hill; but just as we were crossing it, we 
 received orders to return to the left. We saw General Ivong- 
 street riding down the road towards us, followed by his column 
 of troops. The firing of the enemy, of late rather scattering, 
 now became fierce and incessant, and we could hear a reply to 
 it from outside. Kershaw's South Carolina Brigade, of 
 Mclyaws' (afterwards Kershaw's) Division, had met them. 
 The fire on both sides of the road increased to a continuous 
 roar. Kershaw's Brigade was extended across the road, and 
 received the grand charge of the Federals. Members of that 
 Brigade have told me that the enemy rushed upon them at the 
 double-quick, huzzahing loudly. The woods were filled with 
 Confederate fugatives. Three brigades of Wilcox's Division 
 and all of Heath's were driven more or less rapidly, crowding 
 together in hopeless disorder, and only to be wondered at 
 when any of them attempted to make a stand. Yet Kershaw's 
 Brigade bore themselves with illustrious gallantry. Some of 
 the regiments had not only to deploy under fire, but when 
 they were formed, to force their way through crowds of flying 
 men, and re-established their linfes. They met Grant's 
 legions, opened a cool and murderous fire upon them, and 
 continued it so steadily and resolutely, that the latter were 
 compelled to give back. Here I honestly believe the Army of 
 Northern Virginia was saved! Th« brigade sustained a heavy 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 351 
 
 loss, beginning with many patient., .gallant spirits ,in .the ranks, 
 and culminating in Nance, G^illard,. and Dob}'.," 
 
 No further pursuit being mad,e, by Kershaw's Brigade dur-. 
 ing the day, it was allowed, to ^e^t- a,fter its day and night 
 march and the bloody and trying ordeal of the morning. 
 Friends were hunting out friends among, the dead and 
 wounded. The litter-bearers, were io.Qking ., after those too 
 badly wounded to make their way to the rear. 
 
 Dr. Salmond had established his brigade hospital near where 
 the battle had begun in, the morning, and to, this haven of the 
 wounded those who were able to, walk were making their way. 
 In the rear of a battlefield ar^ scenes too sickening for sensi^ 
 tive eyes and ears. Here you see men, with leg shattered, 
 pulling themselves to the rea.' by the strength of their arms 
 alone, or exerting themselves to the utmost to get to. some place 
 where they will be partially .sheltered from the hail of .bullets 
 falling all around; men, with, arms swinging helplessly by 
 their sides, aiding some comrade worse crippled than them- 
 selves; others on the ground appealing for help, but are forced 
 to remain on the field amid all the carnage going on around 
 them, helpless and almost hopeless, until the battle is over, 
 and, if still alive, await their turn from the litter-bearers. The 
 bravest and best men dread to die, and the halo that surrounds 
 death upon the battlefield is but scant consolation to the 
 wounded soldier, and he clings to Ijfe with that same tenacity 
 after he has fallen, as the man of the world in '.'piping times 
 of peace." 
 
 Just in rear of where Colonel Nance fell, I. saw one of the 
 sadest sights I almost ever witnessed. A soldier from Com- 
 pany C, Third South Carolina, a young soldier just, verging 
 into manhood, had been shot in the first advance, the bullet 
 severing the great artery of the thigh. The young man 
 seeing his danger of bleeding to death before succor could 
 possibly reach him, had struggled behind a small sapling. 
 Bracing himself against it, he undertook deliberative measures 
 for saving his life. Tying a handkerchief above the wound, 
 placing a small stone underneath and just over the artery, and 
 putting a stick between the handkerchief and his'Ieg, he began 
 to tighten by twisting the stick around. Bat too late; life had 
 fled, leaving both hands clasping the stick, kis «y«s glassy and 
 fixed. 
 
352 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 The next day was devoted to the burying of the dead and 
 gathering such rest as was possible. It was my misfortune to 
 be wounded near the close of the engagement, in a few feet of 
 where lay the lamented Colonel Nance. The regiment in 
 some way became doubled up somewhat on the center, perhaps 
 in giving way for the Second to come in, and here lay the 
 dead in greater numbers than it was ever my fortune to see, 
 not even before the stone wall at Fredericksburg. 
 
 In rear of this the surgeons had stretched their great hos- 
 pital tents, over which the yellow flag floated. The surgeons 
 and assistant surgeons never get their meed of praise in sum- 
 ming up the "news of the battle." The latter follow close 
 upon the line of battle and give such temporary relief to the 
 bleeding soldiers as will enable them to reach the field hos- 
 pital. The yellow flag does not always protect the surgeons 
 and their assistants, as shells scream and burst overhead as the 
 tide of battle rolls backward and forward. Not a moment of 
 rest or sleep do these faithful servants of the army get until 
 every wound is dressed and the hundred of arms and legs 
 amputated, with that skill and caution for which the army 
 surgeons are so proverbially noted. With the same dispatch 
 are those, who are able to be moved, bundled off to some city 
 hospital in the rear. 
 
 In a large fly-tent, near the roadside, lay dying the North- 
 ern millionaire, General Wadsworth, The Confederates had 
 been as careful of his wants and respectful to his station as if 
 he had been one of their own Generals. I went in to look at 
 the General who could command more ready gold than the 
 Confederate States had in its treasury. His hat had been 
 placed over his face, and as I raised it, his heavy breathing, 
 his eyes closed, his cold, clamy face showed that the end was 
 -near. There lay dying the multi-millionaire in an enemy's 
 country, not a friend near to hear his last farewell or soothe 
 his last moments by a friendly touch on the pallid brow. Still 
 he, like all soldiers on either side, died for what he thought 
 was right. 
 
 "He fails npt, who stakes his all, 
 
 ■ Up'on the right, aad dares to fall ; 
 
 ■ What, though the living bless or blame 
 For him, the long success of fame." 
 
 Hospital trains had been run up to the nearest railroad 
 
HISTORY OV KERSHAW* SBRIGABE. 853 
 
 Station in the rear, bringing those ministering angels of 
 mercy, the "Citizens' Relief Corps,'' composed of the best 
 matrons and maidens of Richmond, led by the old men of the 
 city. They brought crutches by the hundreds and bandages 
 by the bolt. Every delicacy that the South afforded these 
 noble dames of Virginia had at the disposal of the wounded 
 soldiers. How many thousands of Confederate soldiers have 
 cause to bless these noble women of Virginia. They were the 
 spartan mothers and sisters of the South. 
 
 COtONEI, JAMES D. NANCE. 
 
 I do not think I would be accused of being partial in saying 
 that Colonel Nance was the best all round soldier in Kershaw's 
 Brigade, none excepted. I have no allusion to the man, but 
 the soldier alone. Neither do I refer to qualities of courage, 
 for all were brave, but to efficiency. First to recommend him 
 was his military education and training. He was a thorough 
 tactician and disciplinarian, and was only equaled in this 
 respect by General Connor. In battle he was ever cool and 
 eoUected^he was vigilant, aggressive, and brave. Never for 
 a moment was he thrown off his base or lost his head under 
 the most trying emergencies. His evolution in changing the 
 front of his regiment from columns of fours to a line of battle 
 on Mayree's Hill, under a galling fire from artillery and mus- 
 ketry, won the admiration of all who witnessed it. Socially, 
 he had the manners of a woman — quiet, unassuming, tender 
 of heart, and of refined feelings. On duty — the march or in 
 battle — he was strict and exacting, almost to sternness. He 
 never sought comfort or the welfare of himself — the interest, 
 the safety, the well being of his men seemed to be his ruling 
 aim and ambition. 
 
 I append a short sketch of Colonel Nance taken from Dr. 
 Barksdale's book, "Eminent and Representative Men of the 
 Carolinas :" 
 
 "Colonel James Drayton Nance, the subject of this sketch, 
 was born in Newberry, S. C, October loth, 1837, and was the 
 son of Drayton and Lucy (Williams) Nance. He received 
 his school education at Newberry, and was graduated from the 
 Citadel Military Academy, at Charleston. In 1859 he was 
 admitted to the bar and began the practice of law at New- 
 berry. . • . 
 23 
 
354 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 "When the State seceded from the Union, Dedember, i860,, 
 and volunteers for her defense were called for, he *as unani- 
 mously elected Captain of "The Quitman Rifles," an infantry- 
 company formed at Newberry, and afterwards incorporated, 
 into the Third Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers. With 
 his company he was mustered into the Confederate service at. 
 Columbia in April, 1861, and was in command of the company 
 at the first battle of Manassas and in the Peninsula campaign, 
 in Virginia. 
 
 "On May 16th, 1862, upon the reorganization of the Third 
 Regiment, he was chosen its Colonel, a position which he- 
 filled until his death. As Colonel, he commanded the regi- 
 ment in the various battles around Richmond, June and July,. 
 1862, Second Manassas, Maryland Heights, Sharpsburg,. 
 Fredericksburg (where he was severely wounded), Gettys- 
 burg, Chickamauga, Knoxville, and the Wilderness, where on 
 the 6th of May, 1864, he was instantly killed. His body was- 
 brought home and interred at Newberry with fitting honors. 
 He was a brave, brilliant young officer, possessing the confi- 
 dence and high regard of his command in an extraordinary 
 degree, and had he lived, would have risen to higher rank and 
 honor. His valuable services and spleuded qualities and 
 achievements in battle and in council were noted and appreci- 
 ated, as evidenced by the fact that at the time of his death a 
 commission of Brigadier General had beet, decided upon as his 
 just due for meritorious conduct. 
 
 "At the age of seventeen he professed religion and united 
 with the Baptist Church at Newberry, and from that time to 
 his death was distinguished for his Christian consistency." 
 
 LIEUTENANT COLONEL FRANKLIN GAILLARD. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Gaillard is not known to fame 
 by his military record alone, but was known and admired all 
 over the State as the writer of the fiery editorials in the 
 "Carolinian," a paper published in Columbia during the days 
 just preceding Secession, and noted for its ardent State Rights 
 sentiment. These eloquent, forcible, and fearless discussions- 
 of the questions of the day by young G-aillard was a potent 
 factor in shaping the course of public sentiment and rousing 
 the people to duty and action, from the Mountains to the Sea^ 
 Through the columns of this paper, then the leading one in. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 355 
 
 the State, he paved the way and prepared the people for the 
 great struggle soon to, take place, stimulating them to an en- 
 thusiasm almost boundless. 
 
 He was in after years as fearless and bold with the sword as 
 he had been with the pen. He was not the man to turn his 
 back upon his countrymen, whose war-like passions he had 
 aroused, when the titne for action came. He led them to the 
 fray — a paladin with the pen, a Bayard with the sword. He 
 was an accomplished gentleman, a brave soldier, a trusted and 
 impartial officer, a peer of any in Kershaw's Brigade. 
 
 Colonel Gaillard was born in 1829, in the village of Pine- 
 ville, in the present County of Berkeley. In his early child- 
 hood his father, Thomas Gaillard, removed to Alabama. But 
 not long thereafter Franklin returned to this State, to the 
 home of his uncle, David Gaillard, of Fairfield County. Here 
 he attended the Mount Zion iVcaderay, in Winnsboro. under 
 the distinguished administration of J. W. Hudson. In the fall 
 of 1846 he entered the South Carolina College, and graduated 
 with honor in the class of 1849, being valedictorian of the class. 
 Shortly after graduation, in company with friends and rela- 
 tives from this State and Alabama, he went to California in 
 search of the "yellow metal," the find of which, at that time, 
 was electrifying the young men throughout the States. 
 
 After two or three years of indiflFerent success, he returned 
 to this State once more, making his home with his uncle, in 
 Winnsboro. In 1853 (or thereabout ) he became the proprie- 
 tor of the "Winnsboro Register," and continued to conduct 
 , this journal, as editor and proprietor, until 1857, when he was 
 called to Columbia as editor of the "Carolinian," then owned 
 by Dr. Robert W. Gibbes, of Richland, and was filling that 
 position at the time of the call to arms, in 1861, when he 
 entered the service in Captain Casson's Company, as a Lieu- 
 tenant, and became a member of the renowned Second Regi- 
 ment. 
 
 In March, 1853, he was married to Miss Catherine C. 
 Porcher, of Charleston, but this union was terminated in a few 
 years by the death of the wife. Colonel Gaillard left two 
 children, one son and one daughter, who still survive, the son 
 a distinguished physician, of Texas, and the daughter the 
 wife of Preston S. Brooks, son of the famous statesman of that 
 name, now of Tennessee. 
 
; HISTORY OK'.KB.KSffli'W'iS "BSIGAEIE. 
 
 : Golonel- GaiUard was a descendant of .a'Ejren'efaHitigtietiot 
 emigrant, who, with tnany others, settled MthiS'Stafearfterthe 
 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685-. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX 
 
 Brock's Cross Road and SpottSylvania to North 
 
 Anna. 
 
 Having been wounded in the l^st assault, I insert here 
 Adjutant Y. J. Pope's description of the operations of Ker- 
 shaw's Brigade from the Wilderness to North Anna River, 
 covering a period of perhaps two weeks of incessant fighting. 
 The corps had been put under the command of Major General 
 R. H. Anderson, known throughout the army as "Fighting 
 Dick Anderson." His division had been assigned to I,ong- 
 street's Corps in the place oi Pickett's, now on detached ser- 
 vice. Colonel Hennegan, of the Eighth, commanded the 
 brigade as senior Colonel. 
 
 NORTH ANNA PIVER, VIRGINIA.' 
 
 How many times, as soldiers, have v\e crossed this stream, 
 and little did we imagine in crossing that on its banks we 
 would be called upon to meet the enemy. "Man proposes, but 
 God disposes." In may, 1864, after the battles of the Wilder- 
 ness, Brock's Road, and Spottsylvania — .stop a minute- and 
 think of these battles — don't 5 on recall how, on that midnight 
 of the 5th day of May, 1864, the order came, "Form your 
 regiments," and then the order. came to march? Through the 
 ■woods we went. The stars shown so brightly. The hooting 
 of the owls was our only music. The young Colonel at the 
 head of his regiment would sing, in his quiet way, snatches of 
 the hynins he had heard the village choir sing so often and so 
 sweetly, and then "Hear me Norma." His mind was clear; 
 he had made up his determination to face the day of battle, 
 with a calm confidence in the power of the God he trusted and 
 in the wisdom of His decrees. The Adjutant rode silently by 
 his side. At length daylight appears. We have at last struck 
 in our march the plank road. The sun begins to rise, when 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 357 
 
 all of a suddfen we hear the roll of rriusketry. The armies are ■ 
 at work; General Lee has riddeh tip the plank road with hiS'- 
 First Lieutenant, the tried, brave old soldier, Longstreet. 
 
 Nance has fallen, pierced by five balls, but we knew it not. 
 Every hand is full. Preseritly, our four companies came up; 
 so gallantly they looked as they came. Promptly filling up 
 the broketi' line, we now move forward once more, never to 
 fall back. We have Nance's body. The wild flowers around 
 about him look so beautiful and sweet, and some of them are 
 plftfckfed by his friend to send to his sister, Mrs. Baxter 
 
 But go back to the fight. It rages wildly all around. 
 Presently, a crash comes from the right. It is Longstreet at 
 the head of the flanking coltimn, and then Hancock is swept 
 from the field in front. Joy is upon us. Hastily Longstreet 
 rides to the front. Then a volley and he falls, not dead, but 
 so Shattered that it will be months before we see him again. 
 Then conies the peerless chieftain, Lee, and he orders the pur- 
 suing columns to halt. A line of hastily constructed field- 
 works arise. A shout — such a shout rolls from right to left of 
 Lee's lines. It has a meaning, and that meaning is that 
 Grant's advance is bafSed! But the Federal commander is not 
 to be shut off. If he cannot advance one way, he will another. 
 Hence, the parallel lines are started — the farther he stretches 
 to our right, we must stretch also. 
 
 So now comes the affair at Brock's Road, on the 8th of May, 
 1864. As before remarked. Grant commenced his attempt at 
 a flank movement, by means of an extension of his columns 
 parallel to ours, hoping to meet some opening through which 
 he might pour a torrent of armed men. Early in the morning 
 of the 8th of May, 1864, we are aroused and begin our march. 
 Soon we see an old Virginia gentleman, bareheaded and with- 
 out his shoes, riding in haste towards us. He reports that our 
 cavalry are holding the enemy back on Brock's Road, but that 
 the Federal infantry are seen to be forming for the attack, 
 and, of course, our cavalry cannot stand such a pressure. 
 General Kershaw orders us forward in double-quick. Still we 
 are not then. Then it was that a gallant cavalryman rushes' 
 to us and said, "Run for our rail piles; the Federal infantry 
 will reach them first, if you don't run." Our men sprang for- 
 ward as if by magic. We occupy the rail piles in timfe to see 
 a column, a gallant column, moving towards' us, about sixty 
 
358 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 yards away. Fire, deadening fire, is poured into that column 
 by our men. A gallant Federal officer rides just in rear, 
 directing the movement. "Pick that officer off of his horse," 
 is the command given to two or three of our cool marksmen. 
 He falls. The column staggers and then falls back. Once more 
 they come to time. We are better prepared for them. 
 
 Right here let me state a funny occurrence. Sim Price 
 observed old man John Duckett, in the excitement, shooting 
 his rifle high over the heads of the Yankees. This was too 
 much for Sim Price, and he said, "Good God, John Duckett, 
 are you shooting at the moon?" 
 
 Here is the gallant J. E. B. Stuart, Lieutenant General, 
 commanding the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia, 
 with hat oflF, waiving it in an enthusiastic cheering of the 
 gallant men of the old Third. Well he may, for the line they 
 held on that day was that adopted by General Lee for the 
 famous Spottsylvania battle. 
 
 Just prior to the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, which 
 was fought on the 12th of May, 1864, sharpshooters were 
 posted in trees in the woods, and kept up a pretty constant 
 fusilade when any head showed itself. It is recalled that 
 when Major R. P. Todd returned to our command an officer, 
 eager to hear from his home in South Carolina, entered a little 
 fly-tent with Todd, and presently one of these sharpshooters 
 put a ball through this tent, between the heads of the two. 
 Maybe they didn't move quickly. Here it was, that lest a 
 night attack might be made, one-third of the men were kept 
 in the trenches all the time, day and night. One of these 
 nights, possibly the nth of May, a staff' officer stole quieily 
 where the Colonel and Adjutant were lying and whispered, 
 "It is thought that the enemy have gotten betwixt our out 
 posts and the breastworks and intend to make a night attack. 
 So awaken the soldiers and put every man in the trenches." 
 The Colonel wtnt to one end of the line and the Adjutant to 
 the other, and soon had our trenches manned. The Colonel 
 was observed full of laughter, and when questioned, stated 
 that on going to the left wing of the regiment to awaken the 
 men, he came across a soldier with some small branches kin- 
 dled into a blaze, making himself a cup of coffee. He spoke to 
 the soldier, saying: 
 
 "Who is that?" 
 
HISTORY OF KBHSHAW'S BRIGADE. 359 
 
 The soldier replied, not recognizing the Colonel's voice: 
 ■* 'Who in the h — 1 are you?' ' 
 
 The Colonel said: 'I Don't you know the Yankees are be- 
 tween the pickets and the breastworks, and will soon attack 
 our whole line?" 
 
 He reported the man at these words, saying: "The Jesus 
 Christ, Colonel!" rolling as he spoke, and he never stopped 
 rolling until he fell into the. pit at the works. Never was a 
 revolution in sentiment and action more quickly wrought than 
 on this occasion with this soldier. 
 
 It is needless to speak of the battle of Spottsylvania Court 
 House, except to remark that here our comrades of McGowan's 
 Brigade showed of what stuff they were made, and by their 
 gallantry and stubborn fighting, saved the day for General 
 lyce. 
 
 Soon after this battle General Grant, though baffled by its 
 result, renewed his effort to reach Richmond. By a rapid 
 march. General Lee was before Grant's columns at the North 
 Anna River. Here we hoped the enemy would attack us. On 
 the South side of this river, on the road leading to Hanover' 
 Junction, good heavy works had been completed, while a fort 
 of inferior proportions on the North side was intended to pro- 
 tect the bridge across the river frpm raiding parties of the 
 enemy. To our surprise, when the part of our army that was 
 designed to cross the river at this point, had crossed over, the 
 Third Regiment, James' Battalion, and the Seventh Regiment 
 were left behind about this fort. We had no idea that anj'- 
 thing serious was intended; but after awhile it leaked out that 
 General Lee needed some time to complete a line of works 
 from one point of the riyer to another on the same stream, on 
 the South side, and that it was intended that the bare handful 
 of men with us were intended to hold the approach to the 
 bridge in face of the tens of thousands of Grant's Army in our 
 front. Trying to realize the task assigned us, positions were 
 assigned the different forces with us. It was seen that the 
 Seventh Regiment, when stretched to the left of the fort, 
 ■could not occupy, even by a thin line, the territory near them. 
 We were promised the co-operation of artillery just on the 
 ■other side of the river. Presently the attack opened on the 
 light and center, but this attack we repulsed. Again the 
 same points were assailed, with alike result. Then the attack 
 
360 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 was made on our left, and although the Seventh Regiment did 
 its whole duty, gradually our left was seen to give way. This 
 emboldened the enemy to press our right and center again, 
 but they were firm. It was manifest now that the enemy 
 would soon be in our rear, and as the sun was sinking to rest 
 in the West, we made a bold dash to cross the river in our 
 rear, bringing down upon us the enemy's artillery fire of shot 
 and shell, as well as musketry. It looked hard to tell which 
 way across the river was best — whether by way of the bridge, 
 or to wade across. It was said our Lieutenant Colonel, who 
 was on foot when reaching the opposite bank, and finding his 
 boots full of water, said to a soldier: "Tom, give me your 
 hand." "No, no, Major," was the reply; "this is no time for 
 giving hands." The ascent of the long bill on the South side 
 was made under the heavy fire of the enemy. When at its 
 height, a stuttering soldier proposed to a comrade to lay down 
 and let him get behind him. Of course the proposition was 
 declined without thanks. When we reformed at the top of 
 the hill, there was quite a fund of jokes told. Amongst 
 others, the one last stated, Tom Paysinger said: "Nels. , if I 
 had been there, I would have killed myself laughing. ' ' Where- 
 upon, the stutterer said: "T-T-Tom Paysinger, I .saw a heap 
 of men down there, but not one that laughed." 
 
 War has its humorous as well as its serious side, and many 
 a joke was cracked in battle, or if not mentioned then, the 
 joke was told soon afterwards. It is recalled just here that in 
 this battle an officer, who had escaped being wounded up to 
 that time, was painfully wounded. When being borne on the 
 way to the rear on a stretcher, he was heard to exclaim: "Oh I 
 that I had been a good man. Oh! that I had listened to my 
 mother." When he returned to the army, many a laugh was 
 had at his expense when these expressions would be reported. 
 But the officer got even with one of his tormentors, who was 
 one of the bearers of the litter upon which the officer was borne 
 away, for while this young man was at his best in imitating 
 the words and tone of the wounded man, he was suddenly 
 arrested by the words: "Yes, I remember when a shell burst 
 pretty close you forgot me, and dropped your end of the lit- 
 ter." The laugh was turned. All this, however, ^as :i-a 
 perfect good humor. 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADK. 361' 
 
 It-hfts'been shown how' Kershaw's South Garelina Brigade 
 closed the breach in Lee's Army on the 6th of May, and 
 turned disaster into a glorious victory, atid iasthe 12th of May, 
 at "Bloody Angle," near Spottsylvania Court house, will go 
 dowd in history as one among the most memorable battles of 
 all time; I wish to show how another gallant South Carolina 
 Brigade (McGowan's) withstood the shock of the greater por- 
 tion of Grant's Army, and saved Lee's Army from disaster 
 during the greater part of one day. This account is also taken 
 from Captain Caldwell's "History of McGowan's Brigade." 
 Being an active participant, he is well qualified to give a 
 truthful version, and I give in his own language his graphic 
 description of the battle of the "Bloody Angle." 
 
 HISTORY OF MCGO WAN's BRIGADE. 
 
 Reaching the summit of an open hill, where stood a little 
 old house, and its surrounding naked orchard, we were fronted 
 and ordered forward on the left of the road. * * * Now 
 we entered the battle. There were two lines of works before 
 us; the first or inner line, from a hundred and fifty to two 
 hundred yards in front of us; the second or outer line, perhaps 
 a hundred yards beyond it, and parallel to it. There were 
 troops in the outer line, but in the inner one only what ap- 
 peared to be masses without organization. The enemy were 
 firing in front of the extreme right of the brigade, and their 
 balls came obliquely down our line; but we could not discover, 
 on account of the woods about the point of firing, under what 
 circumstances the battle was held. There was a good deal of 
 doubt as to how far we were to go, or in what direction. * * * 
 The truth is, the road by which we had come was not at all 
 straight, which made the right of the line front much farther 
 north than the rest, and the fire was too hot for us to wait for 
 the long loose column to close up, so as to make an entirely 
 orderly advance. More than this, there was a death struggle 
 ahead, which must be met instantly. We advanced at a 
 double-quick, cheering loudly, and entered the inner works. 
 Whether by order or tacit understanding, we halted here, ex- 
 cept the Twelfth Regiment, which was the right of the bri- 
 gade. That moved at once to the outer line, and threw itself 
 with its wanted impetuosity into the heart of the battle. * * * 
 The brigade advanced upon the \vorkSi About the time we 
 
362 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 readied the inner lines, General McGowan was wounded by a 
 iminie ball in the arm, and forced to quit the field. Colonel 
 Brockman, senior Colonel present, was also wounded, and 
 Colonel BroWn, of the Fourteenth' Regiment, assumed com- 
 mand then or a little later. The four regiments, the First, 
 Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Rifles (the Twelfth had passed on 
 "to the outer line), closed up and arranged their lines. Soon 
 the order was given to advance to the outer Hue. We did so 
 with a cheer and a double-quick, plunging through mud knee 
 ■deep and getting in as best we could. Here, however, lay 
 Harris' Mississippi Brigade. We were Ordered to close to the 
 right. We moved by the flank, up the works, under the 
 fatally accurate firing of the enemy, and ranged ourselves 
 -along the entrenchments. The sight we encountered was not 
 •calculated to encourage us The trenches dug on the inner 
 •side were almost filled with water. Dead men lay on the sur- 
 face of the ground and in the pools of water. The wounded 
 bled, stretched, and groaned, or huddled in every attitude of 
 pain. The water was crimson with blood. Abandoned knap- 
 sacks, guns, and accourtrements, with ammunition boxes, 
 were scattered all around. In the rear disabled caissons stood 
 and limbers of guns. The rain poured heavily, and an inces- 
 sant fire was kept upon us from front and flank. The enemy 
 •still held the works on the' right of the angle, and fired across 
 the traverses. Nor were these foes easily seen. They barely 
 laised their heads above the logs at the moment of firing. It 
 was plainly a question of bravery and endurance now. 
 
 We entered upon the task with all our might. Some fired 
 -at the line lying in our front on the edge of the ridge before 
 ■described; others kept down the enemy lodged in the traverses 
 -on the right. At one or two places Confederates and Fed- 
 'crals were only separated by the works, and the latter not a 
 few times reached their guns over and fired right down upon 
 ithe heads of the former. So continued the painfully unvary- 
 ing battle for more ihan two hours. At the end of that time a 
 Tumor arose that the enemy was desirous to come in and sur- 
 render. Colonel Brown gives the following in his oflficial 
 report: "About two o'clock P. M; the firing ceased along the 
 line, and I observed the enemy, standing up in our front, their 
 colors flying and arms pointing upwards. I called to them to 
 lay down their arms and come in. An o65cer answered that 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S" BRIGADE. 363 
 
 he was waiting 'out surrender — that we had raised a white 
 flag, whereupon he had caased firing. I replied, 'I command 
 here,' and if any flag had been raised it was without authority, 
 and unless he came in, firing would be resumed. He begged 
 a conference, which was granted, and a subordinate ' officer 
 advanced near the breastwork and informed me that a white 
 flag was flying ou my right. He was informed that unless his 
 commander surrendered, the firing would be continued. He 
 started back to his lines, and failing to exhibit his flag of 
 truce, was shot down midway between the lines, which was 
 not more than twenty yards at this point. The firing again 
 commenced with unabating fury." * * * The firing was 
 astonishingly accurate all along the line. No man could raise 
 his shoulders above the works without danger of immediate 
 death. Some of the enemy lay against our works in front. I 
 saw several of them jump over and surrender during the relax- 
 ation of the firing. An ensign of a Federal regiment came 
 right up to us during the "peace negotiations" and demanded 
 our surrender. lyieutenant Carlisle, of the Thirteenth Regi- 
 ment, replied that we would not surrender. Then the ensign 
 insisted, as he had come under a false impression, he should 
 be allowed to return to his command. Lieutenant Carlisle, 
 pleased with his composure, consented. But as he went away 
 a man from another part of the line shot him through the face, 
 and he came and jumped over to us. This was the place to 
 test individual courage. Some ordinarily good soldiers did 
 next to nothing, while others excelled themselves. The ques- 
 tion became pretty plainly, whether one was willing to meet 
 death, not merely to run the chances of it. There was no 
 further cessation of fire, after the pause before described. 
 Every now and then a regular volley would be hurled at us 
 from what we supposed a fresh line of Federals, but it would 
 gradually tone down to the slow, particular, fatal firing of the 
 siege. The prisoners who ran into us now and then informed 
 us that Grant's whole energies were directed against this 
 point. They represented the wood on the other side as filled 
 with dead, wounded fighters, and skulkers. We were told 
 that if we would hold the place till dark, we would be relieved. 
 Dark came, but no relief. The water became a deeper crim- 
 son, the corpses grew more numerous. Every tree about us, 
 for thirty feet from the ground, was barked by balls, Just 
 
364 HISTORY OF- KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 before night a tree six or eight inches in diameter, just behind f 
 the works, was cut down by, the bullets of the enemy. We' 
 noticed at the same time a large oak hacked and torn in siich a ■ 
 manner never before seen. Some predicted its fall before morn- 
 ing, but the most of us considered that out of the question. 
 But about 10 o'clock it did fall forward on our works, wound- 
 ing some rnen and startling a great many more. An officer, 
 who afterwards measured this tree, informed me that it was 
 twenty-two inches in diameter. This was entirely the work 
 of rifle balls. Midnight came, still no relief; no cessation of 
 the firing. Numbers of the troops sank, overpowered, into 
 the muddy trenches and slept' soundly. The rain continued. 
 Just before daylight we were ordered, in a whisper, which was 
 passed along the line; to slowly and noislessly retire from the 
 works. * * * Day dawned, and the evacuation was 
 complete. 
 
 ******* 
 
 Thus ended one of the most stubbornly contested battles of 
 the war, if not of the century. The whole army, from one 
 end to the other, sung the praises of the gallant South Caro- 
 linians, who, by their deeds of valor, made immortal the 
 "Bloody Angle." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI 
 
 From North Anna to Cold Harbor — Joined by 
 the Twentieth South Carolina. 
 
 It was while entrenched south of North Anna that our 
 troops heard of the death of our great cavalry leader. General 
 J. E. B. Stuart, who fell mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern, 
 on May the i8th. If the death of Jackson was a blow to the 
 army and the South, the death of Stuart was equally so. He 
 was the Murat of the Southern Army, equally admired and 
 beloved by the infantry as the cavalry. The body of the 
 army always felt safe when the bugle of Stuaft could be 
 heard on the flank or front, and universal sadness was thrown 
 around the Army of Northern Virginia,* as well as the whole 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 365 
 
 South, by his death. It was conceded by the Novth, as well 
 as the South, that Stuart was the finest type of cavalry 
 leader in either army. lyongstreet badly wounded, Stuart 
 and Jenkins dead, certainly gave the prospects of the cam- 
 paign just opening anything but an assuring outlook. 
 
 TWENTIETH SOUTH CAROLINA REGIMENT. 
 
 About this time our brigade was reinforced by the Twenti- 
 eth South Carolina Regiment, one of the finest bodies of men 
 that South Carolina had furnished during the war. It was 
 between one thousand and one thousand two hundred strong, 
 led by the "silver-tongued orator," I^awrence M. Keitt. It 
 was quite an acceptable acquisition to our brigade, since our 
 ranks had been depleted by near one thousand since the 5th 
 of May. They were as healthy, well clad, and well fed body 
 of troops as anybody would wish to see, and much good- 
 humored badgering was indulgei! in at their expense by Ker- 
 shaw's "web feet." From their enormous strength in num- 
 bers, in comparison to our "corporal guards" of companies, the 
 old soldiers called them "The Twentieth Army Corps." I 
 here give a short sketch of the regiment prior to its connection 
 with the brigade. 
 
 The Twentieth Regiment was organized under the call for 
 twelve thousand additional troops from South Carolina, in 
 1862, along with the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nine- 
 teenth, Holcomb Legion, and other regiments. The compa- 
 nies composing the Twentieth assembled at the ra-:e course, in 
 Charleston, S. C. , in the fall of 1862. The companies had 
 already organized in the respective counties, and elected 
 officers, and after assembling in Charleston and organizing the 
 regiment, elected the following field officers: 
 
 Colonel— I/. M. Keitt. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel — O. M. Dansler. 
 
 Major — S. M. Boykin. 
 
 Adjutant — ^John Wilson. 
 
 Q_uartermaster — John P. Kinard. 
 
 Commissary — Brock. 
 
 Surgeon — Dr. Salley. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon — Dr. Barton. 
 
 Chaplain— Rev. W. W. Duncan. 
 , ■ Company A, Anderson and Pickens — Captain Partlow^ 
 
366 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE, 
 
 Company B, Orangeburg — Captain McMichael. 
 
 Company C, lycxington — Captain Leaphart. 
 
 Company D, Orangeburg — Captain Danley. 
 
 Company E, Laurens — Captain Cowen. 
 
 Company F, Newberry — Captain Kinard. 
 ' Company G, Sumter — Captain Moseley. 
 
 Company H, Orangeburg and lyexington — Captain Ruff. 
 
 Conipany I, Orangeburg and Lexington — Captain Gunter, 
 
 Company K, Lexington — Captain Harmon. 
 
 Captain Jno. P. Kinard, of Company F, was made Quarter- 
 master, and First Lieutenant Jno. M. Kinard was promoted to 
 Captain. 
 
 A singularity of one of the companies, I, was that it had 
 twenty-eight members by the name of Gunter. The Captain 
 and all three Lieutenants and seven non-commissioned of&cers 
 were of the name of Gunter, and it is needless to add that it 
 was called the Gunter Compan'y. 
 
 Colonel Keitt, acting as Brigadier General while in Charles- 
 ton, the entire management of the regiment was left to Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Dansler. He was a fine ofiBcer, a good tacti- 
 cian, and thorough disciplinarian. A courteous gentleman, 
 kind and sociable to all, he was greatly beloved by oflBcers and 
 men, and it was with feelings of universal regret the regiment 
 was forced to give him up, he having resigned in the spring of 
 1864, to accept the position of Colonel of the Twenty-Second 
 Regiment. 
 
 The regiment remained at the race course for several months, 
 for drill and instruction. In February, 1863, they were 
 moved to the west end of James' Island, near Secessionville, 
 for guard and picket duty. After this, they were transferred 
 to Sullivan's Island, and quartered in the old Moultrie House 
 and cottages adjacent. Four companies were ordered to Bat- 
 tery Marshall, on the east side of the Island, to assist in the 
 management of the siege guns at that point. 
 
 On the 7 th of May the Federal gunboats crossed the bar and 
 made an attack upon Forts Sumter, Moultrie, and the batteries 
 on Morris' Island. Here the regiment was subjected to a 
 heavy cannonading from the three hundred pounders from the 
 Fede.al ironclads. Colonel Dansler, however, moved the 
 regiment to the east, in the sandhills, thus avoiding the direct 
 fire of the enemy. One of the ironclads was sunk and others 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 367 
 
 badly crippled, drawing off after dark. In December eight 
 companies were moved over to Mt. Pleasant and two to Kin- 
 loch's Landing. 
 
 During the memorable siege of Morris' Island, the Twen- 
 tieth did its turn at picketing on that island, going over after 
 dark in a steamer and returning before day. 
 
 On the night of the 30th July, 1863, while the regiment was 
 returning from Morris' Island, the tide being low, the steamer 
 Sumter, on which the regiment was being transported, was 
 forced to take the main ocean channel. It was the duty of 
 those on garrison duty at Fort Sumter to signal Moultrie and 
 the shore batteries df the movements of the transport steamer. 
 For some cause or other Sumter failed to give the signals, and 
 Moultrie being aware that there was a steamer in the harbor 
 and no signals up, opened upon the ill-fated steamer with all 
 her guns, thinking it one of the enemy's ironclads. This was 
 a signal for the shore batteries to open their guns, and in a 
 few moments shells came crashing through the decks and 
 cabins of the crowded steamer from all sides. This created a 
 panic among the troops, and had it not been for the self-posses- 
 sion and coolness of the captain of the steamer, the loss of life 
 would have been appalling. The captain turned his boat and 
 beached it as soon as possible, not, however, before the men 
 began leaping over the sides of the vessel in one grand pell- 
 mell. The dark' waves of unknown death were below them, 
 while the shells shrieked and. burst through the steamer. 
 There' was but little choice for the panic stricken men. For- 
 tunately the waters here were shallow enough for the men to 
 toucli bottom and wade out, some to Fort Johnson, some to 
 Fort Sumter, while others remained in the shallows until re- 
 lieved by small boats from shore. The regiment lost sixteen 
 men, either killed or drowned. 
 
 On the i6th or i8th of May, 1864, the regiment was ordered 
 to Virginia, and reached Richmond about the twenty-second, 
 and was ordered to join Kershaw's Brigade, reaching it about 
 the 28th of May, near South Anna River. 
 
 After the resignation of Lieutenant Colonel Dansler, Major 
 Boykin was promoted to that position, and Captain Partlow 
 made Major. By the death of Colonel Keitt, Boykin and 
 Partlow were raised in regular grade, and Captain McMichael 
 made Major. Lieutenant Colonel Partlow was wounded at 
 
370 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 that he was. Never before in our experience had the brigade 
 been led in deliberate battle by its commander on horseback,, 
 and it was perhaps Colonel Keitt's want of experience that 
 induced him to take this fatal step. Across a large old field 
 the brigade swept towards a densely timbered piece of oak- 
 land, studded with undergrowth, crowding and swaying iu 
 irregular lines, the enemy's skirmi.'^hers pounding away at us 
 as we advanced. Colonel Keitt was a fine target for the sharp- 
 shooters, and fell before the troops reached the timber, a 
 martyr to the inexorable laws of the army rank. Into the- 
 dark recessess of the woods the troops plunged, creeping and 
 crowding their way through the tangled mass of undergrowth,, 
 groups seeking shelter behind the larger trees, while the firing 
 was going on from both sides. The enemy meeting our 
 advance in a solid regular column, our broken and disorgan- 
 ized ranks could not cope with them. Some of the regimental 
 officers seeing the disadvantage at which our troops were fight- 
 ing, ordered a withdrawal to the old roadway in our rear.. 
 The dense smoke settling in the woods, shielded our retreat 
 and we returned to our starting point without further molesta- 
 tion than the whizzing of the energy's bullets overhead. The 
 lines were reformed, and Colonel Davis, of the Fifteenth, 
 assumed command (or perhaps Colonel Henagan). 
 
 Colonel William Wallace, of the Second, in speaking of this 
 affair, saj's: 
 
 "Our brigade, under the command of the lamented Colonel 
 Keitt, was sent out to reconnoitre, and came upon the enemy 
 in large force, strongly entrenched. Keitt was killed, and the 
 brigade .suffered severely. A few skirmishers thrown out 
 would have accomplished the object of a reconnoissance, and 
 would have saved the loss of many brave men. Our troops 
 finding the enemy entrenched, fell back and began to fortify. 
 Soon our line was established, and the usual skirmishing and 
 sharpshooting commenced. That same evening, being on the 
 extreme left of Kershaw's Division, I received orders to hasten 
 with the Second Regiment to General Kershaw's headquarters. 
 I found the General in a good deal of excitement. He in- 
 formed me that our lines had been broken on the right of his 
 division, and directed me to hasten there, and if I found a 
 regiment of the enemy flanking his position, to charge them.. 
 I hurried to the point indicated, found that our troops to the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 371 
 
 extent of a brigade and a half had been driven from their 
 works, and the enemy in possession of them. I determined to 
 charge, however, and succeeded in driving them from their 
 position, with but little loss. Our regiment numbered one 
 hundred and twenty-seven men. The enemy driven out con- 
 sisted of the Forty-eighth and One Hundred and Twelfth New 
 York. We captured the colors of the Forty-eighth, took some 
 prisoners, and killed many while making their escape from the 
 trenches. We lost in this charge one of our most eflEcient 
 officers. Captain Ralph Elliott, a brother of General Stephen 
 Elliott. He was a brave soldier and a most estimable gentle- 
 man." 
 
 Our lines were formed at right angles to that on which we 
 had fought that day, and the soldiers were ordered to fortify. 
 The Second and Third on the left were on an incline leading to 
 a ravine in front of a thicket; the ^Fifteenth and Twentieth, on 
 the right of the Third, were on the brow of a plateau; in front 
 was the broad old field, through which we had marched to the 
 first advance; the Third Battalion, Eighth, and Seventh, on 
 extreme right, were on the plateau and fronted by a thicket of 
 tall pines. 
 
 As nearly all regimental commanders had been killed since 
 the 6th of May, I will give them as they existed on the ist of 
 June, three weeks later: 
 
 Second — Major Wm. Wallace. 
 
 Third— Lieutenant Colonel W. D. Rutherford. 
 
 Seventh — Captain James Mitchel. 
 
 Eighth — Major E. S. Stackhouse. 
 
 Twentieth — Lieutenal Coloiiel S. M. Boykin. 
 
 Third Battalion — Captain Whitener. 
 
 Brigade Commander — Colonel James Henagan. 
 
 Grant stretched his lines across our front and began ap- 
 proaching our works with his formidable parallels. He would 
 erect one line of breastworks, then uuder cover of night, an- 
 other a hundred or two yards nearer us; thus by the third of 
 June our lines were not one hundred yards apart in places. 
 Our pickets and those of the enemy were between the lines 
 down in their pits, with some brush in front to shield them 
 while on the look out. The least shadow or moving of the 
 branches would be sure to bring a rifle ball singing danger- 
 ously near one's head — if he escaped it at all. The service in 
 
,372 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S -BKIOADE. 
 
 th^ pits here for two weeks was the, most ienormoiis and fatfgn- 
 ing of any in the service — four men being in-a pitfor twenty- 
 four hours in the broiling sun during the day, without any 
 protection whatever, and the oit was so small that one conld 
 neither sit erect nor lie down. 
 
 Earlj' on the morning of the 3rd of June, just three days 
 .after our fiasco at Cold Harbor, Grant moved his forces for the 
 assault. This was to be the culinin-Jtion of his plan to break 
 through Ler's lines or to change his plans of campaign and 
 settle down to a regular siege. Away to our right the battle 
 commenced. Heavy shelling on both sides. Then the mus- 
 ketry began to roll along in a regular wave, coming nearer 
 and nearer £1.=; new columns moved to the assault. Now it 
 reaches our front, and the enemy moves steadily upon our 
 works. The cheering on our right told of the repulse by our 
 forces, and had a discouraging effect upon the Federal troops 
 moving against us. As soon as their skirmish line made its 
 appearance, followed by three lines of battle, our pickets in 
 front of us were relieved, but many fell before gaining our 
 breastworks, and those who were not killed had to lie during 
 the day between the most murderous fire in the history of the 
 war, and sad to say, few survived. When near us the first 
 line came with a rush at charge bayonets, and our officers had 
 gre It difficulty in restraining the men from opening fire too 
 SDon. But when close enough, the word "fire" was given, 
 and the men behind the works raised deliberately, resting 
 their guns upon the works, and fired volley after volley into 
 the rushing but disorganized ranks of the enemy. The first 
 line reeled and attempted to fly the field, but were met by the 
 next column, which halted the retreating troops with the 
 bayonet, butts of guns, and officers' sword, until the greater 
 number were turned to the second assault. All this while our 
 sharpshooters and men behind our works were pouring a gall- 
 ing fire into the tangled mass of advancing and retreating 
 troops. The double column, like the first, came with ashout,-- 
 a huzzah, and a charge. But our men had by this time re- 
 loaded their pieces, and were only too eager awaiting the com- 
 mand "fire." But when it did come the result was telling — 
 men falling ou top of men, rear rank pushing forward the first 
 rank, only to be swept away like chaff. Our batteries on the 
 hills in rear and those mounted on our infantry line were rak- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 373 
 
 ing the field, the former with shell and solid shot, the latter 
 with grape and canister. Smoke settling on the ground, 
 soon rendered objects in front scarcely visible, but the steady 
 flashing of the enemy's guns and the hail of bullets over our 
 heads and against our works told plainly enough that the 
 enemy were standing to their work with de.sperate courage, or 
 were held in hand with a powerful grasp of discipline. The 
 third line of assault had now mingled with the first two, and 
 all lying stretched upon the ground and hidden by the dense 
 smoke, caused the greater number of our bullets to fly over 
 their heads. Our elevated position and the necessitv of rising 
 above the works to fire, rendered our breastworks of little real 
 advantage; conside.ing, too, the disparity of numbers, then 
 three lines against our one, and a very weak line at that. The 
 loud Rebel yell heard far to our right told us to be of good 
 cheer, they were holding their own, and repulsing every 
 assault. The conflict in front of Breckenridge's Dvision was 
 the bloodiest, with the possible exception of that of Mayree's 
 Hill, in front of Fredericksburg, and the "Bloody Angle," of 
 any during the war. Negro troops were huddled together and 
 forced to the charge by white troops — the poor, deluded, un- 
 fortunate beings plied with liquor until all their sensibilities 
 were so deadened that death had no horrors. Grnnt nmst 
 have learned early in the day the impo.ssibility of breaking 
 I/ce's line by direct charge, for by twelve o'clock the filing 
 ceased. 
 
 This last assault of Grant's thoroughly convinced the hero 
 of Vicksburg and Missionary Ridge of tlie impo.ssibility of 
 breaking L/ce's, lines by direct advances. He could not sur- 
 prise him at any point, or cdtch him off his guard, for Lee 
 knew every foot of the ground too well, having fought all over 
 it for two j-ears. It was estimated and confirmed aftewards by 
 official reports, that Grant had lost sixty thousmd n^en from 
 his crossing of the Rapidan to the end of the 3rd of June, just 
 thirty days — more men than Lee had in the commencement of 
 the campaign. Grant had become wiser the more familiar he 
 became with Lee and his veterans, and now began to put in 
 new tactics — that of stretching out his lines so as to weaken 
 Lee's, and let attrition do the work that shells, balls, and the 
 bayonet had failed to accomplish. The end showed the wis- 
 dom of the plan. 
 
374 HISTORY OF KERSHA-W'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The two regiments on the left of the brigade did not suffer 
 so greatly as the others, being protected somewhat by the tim- 
 ber and underbrush in their front. The enemy's dead lay in 
 our front unburied until Grant's further move to the right, 
 then it became our duty to perform those rites. 
 
 COLONEL LAWRENCE MASSILLON KEITT. 
 
 Colonel I^awrence Massillon Keitt was the second son of 
 George and Mary Magdalene Wannamaker Keitt. He was 
 born on the 4th day of October, 1824, in St. Matthews Parish, 
 Orangeburg District, S. C. He received his early education 
 at Asbury Academy, a flourishing institution near the place of 
 his birth. 
 
 In his thirteenth year he entered Mt. Zion College at Winns- 
 boro, Fairfield County, where he spent one year in preparation 
 for the South Carolina College, which he entered in his four- 
 teenth year, graduating third in his class. He read law in 
 Attorney General Bailey's office in Charleston, S. C, and was 
 adnjitted to the bar as soon as he was of legal age. He 
 opened a law office at Orangeburg, the county seat. 
 
 At the first vacancy he was elected a member to the Lower 
 House of the General Assembly of the State, in which body he 
 served until his election to the I,ower House of Congress in 
 1853. He served in that body until December, i860, when he 
 resigned his seat and returned to South Carolina on the eve of 
 the secession of his State from the UViion. He was a leading 
 Secessionist and was elected a member of the Secession Con- 
 vention. That body after passing the Ordinance of Secession 
 elected him a delegate to the Provisional Congress of the Con- 
 federate States, which met at Montgomery, Ala. He was a 
 very active member. On the adjournment of the Provisional 
 Government of the Confederate States he returned to South 
 Carolina and raised the Twentieth Regiment of South Caro- 
 lina Volunteers and went into the Confederate Army. His 
 command was ordered to Charleston. He served with hi§ com- 
 mand on James' Island, Sullivan's Island, Morris' Island, and 
 in Charleston in all the important engagements. He was in 
 command of Morris' Island twenty-seven days and nights dur- 
 its awful bombardment. When ordered to evacuate the island 
 he did so, bringing off everything without the loss of a man. 
 He was the last person to leave the island. General Beaurfe- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAw'S BRIGADK. 375 
 
 gard in his report to the War Department said it was one of 
 the greatest retreats in tlje- annals of warfare. 
 
 The latter part of May, .1864, he left Charleston with his 
 •command and joined General I^ee's Army thirteen miles from 
 Richmond. He carried about sixteen hundred men in his reg- 
 iment to Virginia. It was called the "Twentieth Army Corps. " 
 He was assigned to Kershaw's Brigade and put in command of 
 the brigade. On the first day of June, 1864, while leading the 
 brigade, mounted on a grey horse, against a powerful force ot 
 the enemy he was shot through the liver and fell mortally 
 Tvounded. He died on the 2d of June, 1864. By his request 
 his remains were brought to South Carolina and laid by the 
 side of his father in the graveyard at Tabernacle Church. 
 Thus passed away one of South Carolina's brightest jewels. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII 
 
 From Cold Harbor to Petersburg. 
 
 The field in the front at Cold Harbor where those deadly 
 assaults had been made beggars description. Men lay in 
 places like hogs in a pen — some side by side, across each other, 
 some two deep, while others with their legs lying across the 
 Tiead and body of their dead comrades. Calls all night long 
 could be heard coming from the wounded and dying, and one 
 could not sleep for the sickening sound "W — a- t — e — r" ever 
 •sounding and echoing in his ears. Ever and anon a heart- 
 rending wail as coming from some lost spirit disturbed the 
 hushed stilness of the night. There were always incentives 
 for some of the bolder spirits, whose love of adventure or love 
 •of gain impelled them, to visit the battlefield before the burial 
 detail had reached it, as many crisp five-dollar greenbacks or 
 ■even hundred-dollar interest-bearing United States bonds could 
 be found in the pockets of the fallen Federal either as a part of 
 his wages or the proceeds of his bounty. The Federal Gov- 
 •ernment was very lavish in giving recruits this bounty as an 
 inducement to fill the depleted ranks of "Grant the Butcher." 
 Tom Paysinger, of the Third, who had been detailed as a scout 
 to General Longstreet, was a toaster hand at foraging upon 
 
376 HISTORY OF KEKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the battlefield. Whether to gain information or to replenish 
 his purse is not known, but be that as it may, the night after 
 the battle he crept quietly through our lines and in the still- 
 ness and darkness he made his way among the dead and 
 wounded, searching the pockets of those he found. He came 
 upon one who was lying face downward and whom he took to 
 be beyond the pale of resistance, and proceeded to rifle his 
 pockets. After gathering a few trifles he began crawling on 
 his hands and knees towards another victim. When about ten 
 steps distant the wounded Federal, for such it proved to be, 
 raised himself on his elbow, grasped the gun that was lying 
 beside him, but unknown to Pay singer, and called out, "You 
 d — n grave robber, take that," and bang! went a shot at his 
 retreating form. He then quietly resumed his recumbent posi- 
 tion. The bullet struck Paysinger in the thigh and ranging 
 upwards lodged in his hip, causing him to be a cripple for sev- 
 eral long months. It is needless to say Paysinger left the field. 
 He said afterwards he "would have turned and cut the rascal's 
 throat, but he was afraid he was only 'possuming' and might 
 brain him with the butt of his gun." 
 
 We remained in our position for several days and were great- 
 ly annoyed by the shells thrown by mortars or cannon mounted 
 as such, which were continually bursting overhead or drop- 
 ping in our works. The sharpshooters with globe-sighted 
 rifles would watch through the brush in front of their rifle pits 
 and as soon as a head was thoughtlessly raised either from our 
 pits, which were now not more than fifty yards apart, or our 
 breastwork, "crack!" went a rifle, a diill thud, and one of our 
 men lay dead. It is astonishing how apt soldiers are in avoid- 
 ing danger or warding it off, and what obstacles they can over- 
 come, what work they can accomplish and with so few and ill 
 assortment of tools when the necessity arises. To guard 
 against the shells that were continually dropping in our midst 
 or outside of our works, the soldiers began burrowing like rab- 
 bits in rear of our earthworks and building covered ways from 
 their breastwork to the ground below. In a few days men 
 could go the length of a regiment without being exposed in 
 the least, crawling along the tunnels all dug with bayonets, 
 knives, and a few worn-out shovels. At some of these angles 
 the passer-by would be exposed, and in going from one open- 
 ing to another, only taking the fraction of a second to accom- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE. 377 
 
 plish, a bullet would come whizzing from some unseen source, 
 either to the right or left. As soon as one of these openings 
 under a covered way would be darkened by some one passing, 
 away a bullet would come singing in the aperture, generally 
 striking the soldier passing through. So annoying and dan- 
 gerous had the practice become of shooting in our works from 
 an unseen source that a detail of ten or twenty men was sent 
 out under Lieutenant D. J. Griffith, of the Fifteenth, to see if 
 the concealed enemy might not be located and an end put to 
 the annoyance. Griffith and his men crept along cautiously 
 in the underbrush, while some of our men would wave a blan- 
 ket across the exposed places in the breastwork to draw the 
 Federal fire, while Griffith and his detail kept a sharp lookout. 
 It was not long before they discovered the hidden "Yank" 
 perched in the top of a tall gum tree, his rifle resting in the 
 fork of a limb. Griffith got as close as he well could without 
 danger of being detected by some one under the tree. When 
 all was ready they sighted their riflles at the fellow up the tree 
 and waited his next fire. When it did come I expect that 
 Yankee and his comrades below were the worst surprised of any 
 throughout the war; for no .sooner had his gun flashed than 
 ten rifles rang out in answer and the fellow fell headlong to 
 the ground, a distance of fifty feet or more. Beating the air 
 with his hands and feet, grasping at everything within sight 
 or reach, his body rolling and tumbling among the limbs of 
 the tree, his head at times up, at others down, till at last he 
 strikes the earth, and with a terrible rebound in the soft 
 spongy needles Mr. "Yank" lies still, while Griffith and his 
 men take to their heels. It was not known positively whether 
 he was killed or not, but one thing Lieutenant Griffith and his 
 men were sure of — one Yankee, at least, had been given a long 
 ride in midair. 
 
 After Grant's repulse at Cold Harbor he gave up all hopes 
 of reaching Richmond by direct assault and began his memor- 
 able change of base. Crossing the James River at night he 
 undertook the capture of Petersburg by surprise. It appears 
 from contemporaneous history that owing to some inexcusable 
 blunders on our part Grant came very near accomplishing his 
 designs. 
 
 To better understand the campaign around Petersburg it is 
 necessary to take the reader back a little way. Simultaneous 
 
"378 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 with Grant's advance on the Rapidan an army of thirty thous- 
 and under the Union General B. F. Butler was making its way 
 up the James River and threatening Petersburg. It was well 
 known that Richmond would be no longer tenable should the 
 latter place fall. Beauaegard was commanding all of North 
 ■Carolina and Virginia on the south side of the James River, 
 but his forces were so small and so widely scattered that they 
 promised little protection. When L,ee and his veterans were 
 holding back Grant and the Union Army at the Wilderness, 
 Brocks Cross Roads, and Spottsylvania C. H., Beauregard with 
 a handful of veterans and a few State troops was "bottling up 
 Butler' ' on the James. What Kershaw had been tg I^ee at the 
 Wilderness, McGowan at Spottsylvania, General Hagood was 
 to General Beauregard on the south side around Petersburg. 
 General Beauregard does not hesitate to acknowledge what ob- 
 ligations he was under to the brave General Hagood and his 
 gallant band of South Carolinians at the most critical moments 
 during the campaign, and it is unquestioned that had not Gen- 
 eral Hagood come up at this opportune moment, Petersburg 
 would have fallen a year before it did. 
 
 General Beauregard fought some splendid battles on the 
 south side, and if chey had not been overshadowed by the mag- 
 nitude of Lee's from the Wilderness to the James, they would 
 have ranked in all probability as among the greatest of the 
 war. But from one cause and then another during the whole 
 campaign Beauregard was robbed of his legitimate fruits of 
 battle. 
 
 The low, swampy nature of the country below Richmond, 
 especially between the James and the Chickahoiuiny, pre- 
 vented Lee's scouts from detecting the movements of Grant's 
 Army for some days after the movement began. Grant had 
 established his headquarters at Wilcox's Landing, on the 
 James, and had all his forces in motion on the south of the 
 river by the 13th of June, while Lee. was yet north of the 
 Chickahominy. 
 
 General Beauregard and the gallant troops under him de- 
 serve the highest praise for their conduct in successfully 
 giving Butler battle, while Petersburg was in such imminent 
 peril, and Lee still miles and miles away. It is scarcely credi- 
 ble to believe with what small force the plucky little Creole 
 held back such an overwhelming army. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 379 
 
 When Grant made his first crossing of the James and began 
 the movement against Petersburg, General Beauregard had 
 only Wise's Brigade of infantry, twenty-two pieces of artil- 
 lery, two regiments of cavalry under General Bearing, and a 
 few regiments of local militia. 
 
 Grant had ordered the Eighteenth Corps (Smith's) by way 
 of the White House to Bermuda Hundreds, and this corps had 
 crossed the narrow neck of land between the James and tbe 
 Appomattox, crossing the latter river on a pontoon bridge, and 
 was at the moment firing on Petersburg with a force under 
 his command of twenty-two thousand, with nothing between 
 General Smith andJPetersburg but Beauregard's two thousand 
 men of all arms. fKant'^— Gavairy and one division of negro 
 troops, under HinKST'Bad joined their forces with Smith after 
 coming to the south side. Hancock's and Warren's Corps 
 crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge and the James at 
 Wilcox's Landing, and with Grant at the head, all were push- 
 ing on to Petersburg. Wright (Sixth) and Burnside (Ninth) 
 crossed by way of Jones' Bridge and the James and Appomat- 
 tox on pontoon bridges, pushing their way rapidly, as the 
 nature of the ground permitted, in the direction of Petersburg. 
 Beauregard in the meantime had been reinforced by his own 
 troops, they having been transferred temporarily to Lee, at 
 Spottsylvania Court House. 
 
 Hoke's Division reached Petersburg at twelve o'clock, on 
 the 15th of June. Hagood's Brigade, of that division, being 
 transported by rail from the little town of Chester, reached the 
 city about night. Bushrod Johnson's Brigade was ordered up 
 from Bermuda on the i6th. Beauregard being thus reinforced, 
 had ten thousand troops of all arms on the morning of the 
 i6th, with which to face Meade's Army, consisting of Han- 
 cock's, Smith's, and Burnside' s Corps, aggregating sixty-six 
 thousand men. Meade made desperate and continuous efforts 
 to break through this weak line of gray, but without effect 
 Only one division of Federals gained any permanent advan- 
 tage. Warren, with four divisions, now reinforced Meade, 
 bringing the Federal Army up to ninety thousand, with no 
 help for Beauregard yet in sight. From noon until late at 
 night of the 17th the force of this entire column was hurled 
 against the Confederate lines, without any appreciable advan- 
 tage, with the exception of one division before alluded to. Lee 
 
380 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 was still north of the James with his entire army, and unde- 
 cided as to Grant's future movements. He was yet in doubt 
 whether Grant had designs directly against the Capital, or was 
 endeavoring to cut his communications by the capture of 
 Petersburg. Beauregard had kept General Lee and the war 
 department thoroughly advised of his peril and of the over- 
 whelming numbers in his front, but it was not until midnight 
 of the 17th that the Confederate commander determined to 
 change his base and cross to the south side of the James. It 
 was at that hour that Kershaw's Brigade received its orders to 
 move at once. For the last few days the army had been grad- 
 ually working its way towards the James River, and was now 
 encamped near Rice's Station. From the manner in which we 
 were urged forward, it was evident that our troops somewhere 
 were in imminent peril. The march started as a forced one, 
 but before daylight it had gotten almost to a run. All the 
 regiments stood the great strain without flinching, with the 
 exception of the Twentieth. The "Old Twentieth Army 
 Corps," as that regiment was now called, could not stand 
 what the old veterans did, and fell by the way side. It was 
 not for want of patriotism or courage, but simply .a want of 
 seasoning. Fully half of the "Corps" fell out. When we 
 reached Petersburg, about sunrise, we found only Wise's 
 Brigade and several regiments of old men and boys, hastily 
 gotten together to defend their city, until the regulars came 
 up. They had been fighting in the rauks, these gray-beards 
 and half-grown boys, for three days, and to their credit be it 
 said, ''they weatheied the storm" like their kinsmen in Wise's 
 Brigade, and showed as much courage and endurance as the 
 best of veterans. On the streets were ladies of every walk in 
 life, some wavinjj banners and handkerchiefs, some clapping 
 their hands and giving words of cheer as the soldiers came by 
 with their swinging step, their clothes looking as if they had 
 just swum the river. Were the ladies refugeeing — getting 
 out of harm's waj? Not a bit of it. They looked equally as 
 determined and defiant as their brothers and fathers in ranks — 
 each and all seemed to envy the soldier his rifle. If Richmond 
 had become famous through the courage and loyalty of her 
 daughters, Petersburg was equally entitled to share the glories 
 of her older .sister, Richmond. 
 
 Kershaw's Brigade relieved that of Geaeral Wise, taking 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 381 
 
 position on extreme right, resting its right on the Jerusalem 
 plank road, and extending towards the left over the hill and 
 across open fields. Wise had some hastily constructed works, 
 with rifle pits in front. These later had to be relieved under a 
 heavy fire from the enemy's battle line. As the other brigades 
 of the division came up, they took position on the left. Fields' 
 Division and R. H. Anderson's, now of this corps, did not 
 come up for some hours yet. General Anderson, in the 
 absence of General Ivongstreet, commanded the corps as senior 
 Major General. Before our division lines were properly 
 adjusted, Warren's whole corps made a mad rush upon the 
 works, nbw manned by a thin skirmish line, and seemed deter- 
 mined to drive us from our entrenchments by sheer weight of 
 numbers. But Kershaw displayed no inclination to yield, 
 until the other portions of our corps came upon the field. 
 After some hours of stubborn fighting, and failing to dislodge 
 us, the enemy withdrew to strengthen and straighten their 
 lines and bring them more in harmony with ours. About four 
 o'clock in the afternoon Meade organized a strong column of 
 assault, composed of the Second, Fifth, and the Ninth Army 
 Corps, and commanded in person, holding one corps in reserve. 
 The artillery of the four corps was put in position, and a 
 destructive fire was opened upon us by fifty pieces of the best 
 field artillery. The infantry then commenced the storming of 
 our works, but Field's Division had come up and was on the 
 line. General Lee had given strength to our position by his 
 presence, coming upon the field about eleven o'clock, and gave 
 personal direction to the movements of the troops. The battle 
 raged furiously until nightfall, but with no better results on 
 the enemy's side than had attended him for the last three days 
 — a total repulse at every point. By noon the next day Lee's 
 whole force south of the James was within the entrenched 
 lines of the city, and all felt perfectly safe and secure. Our 
 casualties were light in comparison to the fighting done during 
 the day, but the enemy was not only defeated, but badly 
 demoralized. 
 
 Kershaw and Fields, of Lee's Army, with ten thous- 
 and under General Beauregard, making a total of twenty 
 thousand, successfully combatted Grant's whole army, esti- 
 mated by the Federals themselves as being ninety thousand. 
 These are some figures that might well be taken in considera- 
 
382 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 tion when deeds of prowess and Southern valor are being 
 summed up. 
 
 Grant seemed determined to completely invest Petersburg on 
 the south side by continually pushing his Imes farther to the^ 
 left, lengthening our lines and thereby weakening them. On 
 the 2 1 St of June the Second and Sixth Corps of the Federal 
 Army moved on to the west of the Jerusalem plank road, while 
 the Fifth was to take up position on the east side. In the ma- 
 noeuver, or by some misunderstanding, the Fifth Corps became 
 separated from those of the other divisions, thereby leaving a 
 gap of about a division intervening. General Lee seeing this 
 opportunity to strike the enemy a blow, and as A. P. Hill was 
 then coming up, he ordered him to push his force forward and 
 attack the enemy in flank. Moving his troops forward with 
 that despatch that ever attended the Third Corps of our army, 
 it struck the enemy a stunning blow in the flank and rear, 
 driving them back in great disorder, capturing several thous- 
 and prisoners and a battery or two of artillery. The enemy 
 continued to give way until they came upon their strong en- 
 trenched position; then Hill retired and took his place on the 
 line. Again Grant started his cavalry out on raids to capture 
 and destroy the railroads leading into Petersburg and Rich- 
 mond, the route by which the entire army of Lee had to look 
 for supplies. But at Reams' Station Hampton met the larger 
 body of the enemy's cavalry and after a hard fought battle, in 
 which he utterly routed the enemy, he captured his entire 
 wagon train and all his artillery. A short time after this 
 Grant sent Hancock, one of the ablest Generals in the Fed- 
 eral Army, (a true, thorough gentleman, and as brave as the 
 bravest, and one whom the South in after years had the pleas- 
 ure of showing its gratitude and admiration for those qualities 
 so rare in many of the Federal commanders, by voting for him 
 for President of the United States) with a large body of cavalry 
 to destroy the Weldon Road at all hazard and to so possess it 
 that its use to our army would be at an end. After another 
 ■>- hard battle, in which the enemy lost five thousand men, Han- 
 cock succeeded in his mission and captured and retained the 
 road. The only link now between the capital and the other 
 sections of the South on which the subsistence of the army de- 
 pended was that by Danville, Va. This was a military road 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 38? 
 
 completed by the government in anticipation of those very 
 events that had now transpired. Another road on which the 
 government was bending all its energies to complete, but failed 
 for want of time, was a road running from Columbia to 
 Augusta, Ga. This was to be one of the main arteries of the 
 South in case Charleston should fail to hold out and the junc- 
 tion of the roads at Branchville fall in the hands of the enemy. 
 Our lines of transportation, already somewhat circumscribed, 
 were beginning to grow less and less. Only one road leading 
 South by way of Danville, and should the road to Augusta, 
 Ga., via Columbia and Branchville, be cut the South or the 
 Armies of the West and that of the East would be isolated. 
 As gloomy as our situation looked, there was no want of con- 
 fidence in the officers and the troops. The rank and file of the 
 South had never considered a condition of failure. They felt 
 their cause to be sacred, that they were fighting for rights and 
 principles for which all brave people will make every sacrifice 
 to. maintain, that the bravery of a people like that which the 
 South had shown to the world, the spirits that animated them, 
 the undaunted courage by which the greatest battles had been 
 fought and victories gained against unprecedented numbers, 
 all this under such circumstances and under such leadership — 
 the South could not -fail. Momentary losses, temporary re- 
 verses might prolong the struggle, but to change the ultimate 
 results, never. And at the North there were loud and wide- 
 spread murmurings, no longer confined to the anti-abolitionist 
 and pro slavery party, but it came from statesmen the highest 
 in the land, it came from the fathers and mothers whose sons 
 had fallen like autumn leaves from the Rapidan to the Appo- 
 mattox. The cries and wails of the thousands of orphans went 
 up to high Heaven pleading for those fathers who had left them 
 to fill the unsatiate maw of cruel, relentless war. The tears of 
 thousands and thousands of widows throughout the length and 
 breadth of the Union fell like scalding waters upon the souls 
 of the men who were responsible for this holocaust. Their 
 voices and murmuring, though like Rachael's "weeping for 
 her children and would not be comforted," all this to appease 
 the Moloch of war and to gratify the ambition of fanatics. The 
 people, too, of the North, who had to bear all this burden, 
 were sorely pressed and afflicted at seeing their hard earned 
 treasures or hoarded wealth, the fruits of their labor, the re- 
 
384 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 suit of their toil of a lifetime, going to feed this army of over 
 two millions of men, to pa}' the bounties of thousands of mer- 
 cenaries of the old countries and the unwilling freedmen sol- 
 diers of the South. All this only to humble a proud people 
 and rob them of their inherent rights, bequeathed to them by 
 the ancestry of the North and South. How was it with the 
 South? Not a tear, not a murmur. The mothers, with that 
 Spartan spirit, buckled on the armor of their sons with pride 
 and courage, and with theSpartan injunction, bade them "come 
 home with your shield, or on it." The fathers, like the Scot- 
 tish Chieftain, if he lost his first born, would put forward his 
 next, and say, "Another one for Hector." Their store- 
 houses, their barns, and graneries were thrown open, and 
 with lavish hands bade the soldiers come and take — -come and 
 buy without money and without price. Even the poor docile 
 slave, for whom some would pretend these billions of treasure 
 were given and oceans of blood spilled, toiled on in peace and 
 contentment, willing to make any and every sacrifice, and toil 
 day and night, for the interest and advancement of his 
 master's welfare. He was as proud of his master's achieve- 
 ments, of our victories, and was even as willing to throw his 
 body in this bloody vortex as if the cause had been his own. 
 The women of the South, from the old and bending grand- 
 mothers, who sat in the corner, with their needles flying 
 steady and fast, to the aristocratic and pampered daughter of 
 wealth, toiled early and toiled late with handstand bodies that 
 never before knew or felt the effects of work — all this that the 
 soldier in the trenches might be clothed and fed — not alone for 
 members of their families, but for the soldiers all, especially 
 those who were strangers among us — those who had left their 
 homes beyond the Potomac and the Tennessee. The good 
 housewife stripped her household to send blankets and bedding 
 to the needy soldiers. The wheel and loom could be heard in 
 almost every household from the early morn until late at night 
 going to give not comforts, but necessities of life, to the boys 
 in the trenches. All ranks were leveled, and the South was 
 as one band of brothers and sisters. All formality and re- 
 straint were laid aside, and no such thing as stranger known. 
 iThe doors were thrown open to the soldiers wherever and 
 whenever, they chose to enter; the board was always spread, 
 and a ready welcome extended. On the march, when homes 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 385 
 
 were to be passed, or along the sidewalks in cities, the ladies 
 set the bread to baking and would stand for hours in the door- 
 way or at some convenient window to cut and hand out slice 
 after slice to the hungry soldiers as long as a loaf was left or a. 
 soldier found. 
 
 With such a people to contend, with such heroes to face in 
 the field, was it any wonder that the North began to despair 
 of ever conquering the South? There was but one way by 
 which the Northern leaders saw possible to defeat such a 
 nation of "hereditary madmen in war." It was by contin- 
 ually wearing them away by attrition. Every man killed in 
 the South was one man nearer the end. It mattered not what 
 the cost might be — if two or a dozen soldiers fell, if a dozen 
 households were put in mourning, and widows and orphans 
 were made by the score — ^the sacrifice must be made and en- 
 dured. The North had fouUd in Grant a fit weapon by which 
 to give the blow — a man who could calmly see the slaughter of 
 thousands to gain an end, if by so doing the end in view could 
 be expedited. The absence of all feelings of humanity, the 
 coolness and indifference with which he looked upon his dead, 
 his calmness in viewing the slaughter as it was going on, 
 gained for him the appellation of "Grant, the Butcher." 
 Grant saw, too, the odds and obstacles with which he had to 
 contend and overcome when he wrote these memorable words, 
 "Lee has robbed the cradle and the grave." Not odds in 
 numbers and materials, but in courage, in endurance, in the 
 sublime sacrifice the South was making in men and treasure. 
 Scarcely an able-bodied man in the South — nay, not one who 
 could be of service — who was not either in the trenches, in 
 the ranks of the soldiers, or working in some manner for the 
 service. All from sixteen to fifty were now in actual service, 
 while all between fourteen and sixteen and from fifty to sixty 
 were guarding forts, railroads, or Federal prisoners. These 
 prisoners had been scattered all over the South, and began to 
 be unwieldy. The Federals under the policy of beating the 
 South by depleting their ranks without battle in the field had 
 long since refused the exchajige of prisoners. They, had, by 
 offers of enticing bounties, called from the shores of the Old 
 Country thousands of poor emigrants, who would enlist merely 
 for the money there was in it. Thousands and thousands of 
 prisoners captured could not speak a word of English. They 
 25 
 
386 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 had whole brigades of Irish and Dutch, while the Swedes, 
 Poles, Austrians, as well as Italians, were scattered in the 
 ranks throughout the army. In the capturing of a batch of 
 prisoners, to a stranger who would question them, it would 
 seem more like we were fighting the armies of Europe than, 
 our kinsmen of the North. In fact, I believe if the real truth 
 of it was known, the greater part of the Federal Army in the 
 closing days of the Confederacy was either foreigners or sons, 
 of foreigners. 
 
 Were there ever before such people as those of the South- 
 land? Were there ever such patriotic fathers, such Christian 
 mothers, such brave and heroic sons and daughters? Does it 
 look possible at this late day that a cause so just and righteous 
 could fail, with such mSn and women to defend it? It is 
 enough to cause the skeptic to smile at the faith of those who 
 believe in God's interference in human affairs and in the 
 efficacy of prayers. The cause of the South was just and 
 right, and no brave men would have submitted without first 
 staking their all upon the issue of cruel, bloody war. Impar- 
 tial history will thus record the verdict. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII 
 
 In the Trenches Around Petersburg. 
 
 As soon as General I^ee's Army was all up and his lines- 
 established, we began to fortify in earnest. The breastworks 
 t hat were built now were of a different order to the temporary 
 o nes in the Wilderness and at Cold Harbor. As it was known 
 now that a regular siege had begun, our breastworks were 
 built proportionately strong. Our lines were moved to the 
 left to allow a battery to occupy the brow of a hill on our 
 right, Kershaw's Brigade occupying both slopes of the hills, a 
 r avine cutting it in bwo. Field pieces were mounted at inter- 
 vals along the line with the infantry, every angle covered by 
 one or more cannon. The enems'^ commenced shelling us- 
 from mortars from the very beginning of oar work, and kept 
 itup night and day as lohg as we remained in the trenches. 
 The day after Kershaw took position Grant began pressing our 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 387 
 
 picket line and running his parallels nearer and nearer our 
 works. It was said that Grant won his laurels in the West 
 with picks and shovels instead of rifles and cannon, but here 
 it looked as if he intended to use both to an advantage. As 
 soon as he had his lines located, he opened a fusilade upon 
 Petersburg, throwing shells into the city from his long-ranged 
 guns, without intermission. It was in the immediate front of 
 the right of the brigade and the batterj' on the hill that the 
 enemy's mine was laid that occasioned the "Battle of the 
 Crater" a month afterwards. Before we had finished our 
 works, several night assaults were made upon us, notably the 
 one up the ravine that separated the Second and Third on the 
 night of the 2 ist of June. It was easily repulsed, however, 
 with little loss on our side, the enemy firing too high. What 
 annoyed the soldiers more than anything else was the con- 
 tinual dropping of shells in our works or behind them. We 
 could hear the report of the mortars, and by watching over- 
 head we could see the shell descending, and no one could tell 
 exactly where it was going to strike and no chance for dodg- 
 ing. As every old soldier knows, card playing was the 
 national vice, if vice it could be called, and almost all partici- 
 pated in it, but mostly for amusement, as the soldiers scarcely 
 ever had money to hazard at cards. While a quartet was 
 indulging in this pastime in the trenches, some one yelled, 
 "Lookout, there comes a shell!" Looking up the disciples of 
 the ' 'Ten Spots' ' saw a shell coming down right over their 
 heads. Nothing could be done but to stretch themselves at 
 full length and await developments. They were not loui^ in 
 suspense, for the shell dropped right upon the oilcloth on 
 which they had been playing. There it lay sizzing and splut- 
 tering as the fuse burned lower and lower, the men holding 
 their breath all the while, the other troops scattering right and 
 left. The thing could not last; the tension broke, when one 
 of the card-players seized the shell in his hands and threw it 
 out of the works, just before exploding. It was the belief in 
 the brigade that those men did not play cards again for more 
 than thirty days. 
 
 Another annoyance was t,he enemy's sharpshooters, armed 
 with globe-sighted rifles. These guns had a telescope on top 
 of the barrel, and objects at a distance could be distinctly seen. 
 Brush screened their rifle pits, and while they could see 
 
388 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 plainly an5' object above our works, we could not see them. 
 A head uncautiously raised above the line, would be sure to 
 get a bullit in or near it. 
 
 About one hundred yards in our rear, up the ravine, was a 
 good spring of water. The men could reach this in safety by 
 going down the breastworks in a stooping posture, then up the 
 ravine to the spring. A recruit in the Second Regiment had 
 gone to this spring and was returning. When about twenty 
 paces from the works he undertook, through a spirit of adven- 
 ture, or to save a few steps, to run diagonally across the field 
 to his regiment. It was his last. When about midway he 
 was caught by a bullet from the enemy's picket, and only 
 lived long enough to call out, "Oh, mother!" Many lost 
 their lives here by recklessness or want of caution. 
 
 After remaining in the trenches about two weeks, Kershaw's 
 Brigade was relieved by a part of Hoke's Division and retired 
 to some vacant lots in the city in good supporting distance of 
 the front line. We were not out of reach of the shells by any 
 means; they kept up a continual screaming overhead, bursting 
 in the city. The soldiers got passes to visit the town on little 
 shopping excursions, notwithstanding the continual bursting 
 of the shells in the city. The citizens of Petersburg, white 
 and black, women and children, like the citizens of Charles- 
 ton, soon became accustomed to the shelling, and as long as 
 one did not drop ia their immediate vicinity, little attention 
 was paid to it. One night after a furious bombardment the 
 cry was heard, "The city is on fire; the city is on fire." A 
 lurid glare shot up out of the very heart of the city, casting 
 a dim light over the buildings and the camps near about. . 
 Fire bells began ringing, and the old men rushing like mad to 
 fight the fire. As soon as the enemy discovered that the city 
 was on fire, they concentrated all their efforts to the burning 
 buildings. Shells came shrieking from every elevated position 
 on the enemy's lines, and fell like "showers of meteors on a 
 frolic. ' ' Higher and higher the flames rose until great molten- 
 like tongues seemed to lick the very clouds. The old men 
 mounted the ladder like boys, and soon the tops of the sur- 
 rounding buildings were lined with determined spirits, and the 
 battle against the flames began in earnest. We could see 
 their forms against the dark back-ground, running hither and 
 thither, fighting with all the power and energy of the brave 
 
HISTORY OF KEllSHAW'S BRIGADE. 389 
 
 and fearless men they were. They paid no heed to the 
 screaming, shrieking, bursting shells all around, but battled 
 bravely to save the cit)'. After the burning of several con- 
 tiguous buildings, the flames were gotten under control, and 
 eventiially the fire was extinguished. I have seen many bat- 
 tles, but never more heroism displayed than by the old citi- 
 zens and boys that night in Peter.sburg. The soldiers were 
 not allowed to leave their camp, and all the citizens of military 
 age were aw'ay in the army, so the old men and boys had to 
 fight this fire single-handed and alone, and amid a perfect 
 storm of shot and shell. 
 
 Grant had been daily reinforced by recruits and forces from 
 the West. Butler had received a large reinforcement from 
 Banks, on the lower Mississippi, and was gradually working 
 his way up to Richmond. A great number of these troops, to 
 judge from the prisoners we captured, were foreigners; many 
 could not speak a word of English. Kershaw was ordered to 
 reinforce the troops on the north side, and on the 13th of July 
 we crossed the James on a pontoon bridge, near Chaffin's 
 Bluff, after an all night's march over brush, briars, through 
 field and bog, and took position on a high ridge running out 
 from the river. In front of us was a vast swamp of heavy 
 timber and underbrush, called Deep Bottom. Beyond Deep 
 Bottom the enemy had approached and entrenched, being 
 supported by gun boats in the James. This position it >vas 
 determined to surprise and take by assault. Early at .night 
 the brigade was moved out in this swamp, along a dull road 
 that ran along its edge, and advanced in the direction of the 
 enemy. No attempt of assault was ever more dreaded or 
 looked on with such apprehension, save, perhaps, our charge 
 on the works at Knoxville, than this night charge at Deep 
 Bottom. When near the enemy's position, we formed line of 
 battle, while it was so dark in the dense woods that an object 
 ten feet away could not be distinguished. We had to take 
 and give commands in whispers, for fear the enemy, would 
 discover our presence. We moved forward gradually, a few 
 steps at a time, each step a little nearer the enemy, who lay 
 asleep behind their works. We had advanced, perhaps, two 
 hundred yards, and as yet had encountered none of the 
 enemy's pickets or videttes, showing how securely they felt in 
 regard to a night attack. While halting to adjust our lines. 
 
390 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 which had to be done every few paces, Colonel Rutherford 
 and myself were reconnoiteting in front, and discovered a 
 white object a few feet away. The men saw it, too, and 
 thought it a sheep. The Colonel advanced and gave it a 
 slight Jab with his sword. In a moment a white blanket was 
 thrown off, and there lay, as nicely coiled up as little pigs, two 
 of the Yankee sentinels. They threw up their hands in a 
 dazed kind of way, and to our whispered threats and uplifted 
 swords, uttered some unintelligible jargon. We soon saw they 
 did not understand a word of English. So it was we captured 
 almost their entire picket line, composed of foreigners of 
 Banks' Army, of Louisiana. Just then, on our right, whether 
 from friend or foe, I never learned, several discharges of rifles 
 alarmed both armies. It was too late then to practice secrecy, 
 so the command "charge" was given. With a tremendous 
 yell, we dashed through the tangled, matted mass of under- 
 growth, on towards the enemy's line. Aroused thus suddenly 
 from their sleep, they made no other resistance than to fire a 
 few shots over our head, leaving the breastworks in haste. 
 Some lay still, others ran a few rods in the rear, and remained 
 until captured, while the greater part scampered away towards 
 their gun boats. 
 
 Colonel Henagan, of the Eighth, being in command of the 
 brigade, ordered breastworks to be thrown up on the opposite 
 side of an old road, in which the enemy lay and which they 
 had partly fortified. The next day, about 3 o'clock, the 
 enemy opened upon us a heavy fusilade with their siege 
 mortars and guns from their gun boats and ironclads in the 
 James. These were three hundred-pounders, guns we had 
 never before been accustomed to. Great trees a foot and a 
 half in diameter were snapped off like pipe-stems. The pecul- 
 iar frying noise made in going through the air and their enor- 
 mous size caused the troops to give them the name of "camp 
 kettles." They passed through our earthworks like going 
 hrough mole hills. The enemy advanced in line of battle, 
 and a considerable battle ensued, but we were holding our 
 own, when some watchers that Colonel Henagan had ordered 
 in the tops of tall trees to watch the progress of the enemy, 
 gave the warning that a large body of cavalry was advancing 
 around our left and was gaining our rear. Colonel Henagan 
 gave the command "retreat," but the great "camp kettles" 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 391 
 
 coming with such rapidity and regularity, our retreat through 
 this wilderness of shrubbery and tangled undergrowth would 
 have ended in a rout had not our retreat been impeded by this 
 swamp morass. We reached the fortification, however, on the 
 bluff, the enemy being well satisfied with our evacuation of 
 the position so near their camp. 
 
 The brigade, with the exception of marching and counter- 
 marching, relieving other troops and being relieved, did no 
 further service than occupying the lines until the 6th of 
 August. The brigade boarded the train on that day at Ches- 
 ter for destination at that time unknown. 
 
 About the first of July the enemy, commanded by General 
 Burnside, undertook to blow up a portion of our lines by tun- 
 neling under the works at a convenient point suitable for 
 assault, and attempted to take our troops by surprise. The 
 point selected was that portion of the line first held by Ker- 
 shaw's Brigade, near Cemetery Hill, and in front of Taylor's 
 Creek, near Petersburg. The continual night assaults on us at 
 that point and the steady advance of their lines were to gain as 
 much distance as possible. From the base of the hill at Tay- 
 lor's Creek they began digging a tunnel one hundred and 
 seventy yards long, and at its terminus were two laterals, dug 
 in a concave towards our works, of thirty-seven feet each. In 
 these laterals were placed eight hundred pounds of powder, 
 with fuse by which all could be exploded at once. 
 
 General Beauregard, who commanded at this point, had 
 been apprised of this undertaking, and at first had sunk coun- 
 ter-mines. But this was abandoned, and preparations were 
 made to meet the emergency with arms. At this point and 
 near the "Crater," as it was afterwards called, were stationed 
 Colquit's (Ga.), Grade's (Ala.), and Elliott's (S. C.) Bri- 
 gades. Elliott's was posted immediately over it with Pegram's 
 Battery. Rear lines had been established by which the troops 
 could take cover, and reinforcements kept under arms night 
 and day, so that when the explosion did take place, it would 
 find the Confederates prepared. Batteries were placed at con- 
 venient places to bear upon the line and the place of explo- 
 sion. 
 
 On the morning of the 30th qi July, everything being in 
 readiness, the fuse was placed, and at 3.30 o'clock the light was 
 applied. Before this terrible "Crater," soon to be a holocaust 
 
392 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of human beings, were massed lyedlie's, Potter's, Wilcox's, an^ 
 Ferrero's Divisions, supported by Ames'. In the front was 
 Ferrero's Division of negro troops, drunk and reeling from the 
 effects of liquor furnished them by the wagon loads. This 
 body of twenty-three thousand men were all under the imme- 
 diate command of Major General Ord. On the left of Burn- 
 side, Warren concentrated ten thousand men, while the Eigh- 
 teenth Corps, with that many more, were in the rear to aid 
 and support the movement — the whole being forty-three thou- 
 sand men, with eight thousand pounds of gun-powder to first 
 spring the mine. General Sheridan, with his cavalry, was to- 
 make a demonstration in our front and against the roads lead- 
 ing to Petersburg. Hancock, too, was to take a part, if all 
 things proved successful — fifty thousand men were to make a 
 bold dash for the capture of the city. Immediateiy over the 
 mine was Elliott's Brigade, consisting of the Seventeenth,. 
 Twenty-sixth, Twenty-third, Twenty-second, and Eighteenth 
 South Carolina Regiments. At 3.30 o'clock the fuse was 
 lighted, and while the Confederates, all unconscious of the 
 impending danger, lay asleep, this grand aggregation of men 
 of Grant's Armjr waited with bated breath and anxious eye the 
 fearful explosion that eight thousand pounds of powder, under 
 a great hill, were to make. Time went on, seconds inta 
 minutes. The nerves of the assaulters were, no doubt, at 
 extreme tension. Four o'clock came, still all was still and, 
 silent. The Federal commanders held their watches in hand 
 and watched the tiny steel hands tick the seconds away. The 
 streaks of day came peeping up over the hills and cast shadows, 
 high overhead. The fuse had failed ! A call was made for a. 
 volunteer to go down into the mine and relight the fuse. A 
 lyieutensnt and Sergeant bravely step forward and offered to- 
 undertake the perilous mission. They reach the mouth of the 
 tunnel and peer in. All was dark, silent, sombre, and still. 
 Along they grope their way with a small lantern in their 
 hands. They reach the barrel of powder placed at the junc- 
 tion of the main and the laterals. The fuse had ceased to- 
 burn. Hurriedly they pass along to the other barrels. Ex- 
 pecting every moment to be brown into space, they find all as- 
 the first, out. The thousands, massed near the entrance and. 
 along Taylor's Creek, watched with fevered excitement the 
 fetwrn of the brave men who had thus placed their lives im 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 395 
 
 such jeopardy for a cause they, perhaps, felt no interest. 
 Quickly they placed new fuse, lit them, and quickly left the 
 gruesome pit. Scarcely had they reached a place of safety 
 than an explosion like, a volcano shook the earth, while the 
 country round about was lit up with a great flash. The earth 
 trembled and swayed — great heaps of earth went flying in the 
 air, carrying with it men, guns, and ammunition. Cannon 
 and carriages were scattered in every direction, while the 
 sleeping men were thrown high in the air. 
 
 But here I will allow Colonel F. W. McMaster, an eye 
 witness, who commanded Elliott's Brigade after the fall of that 
 General, to tell the story of the "Battle of the Crater" in his- 
 own words. I copy his account, by permission, from an 
 article published in one of the newspapers of the State. 
 
 BY COLONEL F. W. MeMASTER. 
 
 In order to understand an account of the battle of the "Cra- 
 ter," a short sketch of our fortifications should be given. 
 
 Elliott's Brigade extended from a' little branch that separated 
 it from Ransom's Brigade on the north, ran three hundred and 
 fifty yards, joining Wise's Brigade on the south. Captain Pe- 
 gram's Virginia Battery had four guns arranged in a half cir- 
 cle on the top of the hill, and was separated from the Eigh- 
 teenth and Twenty-second South Carolina Regiments by a 
 bank called trench cavalier. 
 
 The Federal lines ran parallel to the Confederate. The 
 nearest point of Pegram's Battery to the Federal lines was 
 eighty yards; the rest of the lines was about two hundred 
 yards apart. The line called gorge line was immediately be- 
 hind the battery, and was the general passage for the troops. 
 The embankment called trench cavalier was immediately in 
 rear of the artillery and was constructed for the infantry in 
 case the battery should be taken by a successful assault. 
 
 The general line for the infantry, which has been spoken of 
 as a wonderful feat of engineering, was constructed under pe- 
 culiar circumstances. Beauregard had been driven from the 
 original lines made for the defense of Petersburg, and appre- 
 hensive that the enemy, which numbered ten to one, would 
 get into the city, directed his engineer. Colonel Harris, to 
 stake a new line. This place was reached by General Han- 
 cock's troops at dark on the third day's fighting, and our men 
 
394 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 were ordered to make a breastwork. Fortifications without 
 spades or shovels was rather a difficult feat to perform, but our 
 noble soldiers went to work with bayonets and tin cups, and in 
 •one night threw up a bank three feet high — high enough to 
 cause Hancock to delay his attack. In the next ten days' 
 time the ditches were enlarged until they were eight feet high 
 and eight feet wide, with a banquette of eighteen inches high 
 from which the soldiers could shoot over the breastwork. 
 
 Five or six traverses were built perpendicularly from the main 
 trench to the rear, so as to protect Pegram's guns from the 
 enfilading fire of the big guns on :he Federal lines a mile to 
 the north. Besides these traverses there were narrow ditches 
 five or six feet deep which led to the .sinks. 
 
 The only safe way to Petersburg, a mile off, was to go down 
 to the spring branch which passed under our lines at the foot 
 of the hill, then go to the left through the covered way to 
 Petersburg, or to take the covered way which was half way 
 down the hill to Elliott's headquarters. 
 
 At this point a ravine or more properly a swale ran up the 
 hill parallel to our breastworks. It was near Elliott's head- 
 quarters where Mahone's troops went in from the covered way 
 and formed in battle array. 
 
 The soldiers slept in the main trench. At times of heavy 
 rains the lower part of the trench ran a foot deep in water. 
 The officers slept in burrows dug. in the sides of the rear 
 ditches. There were traverses, narrow ditches, cross ditches 
 and a few mounds over officers' dens, so that there is no won- 
 der that one of the Federal officers said the quarters reminded 
 him of the catacombs of Rome. 
 
 An ordinary mortal would not select such a place for a 
 three months' summer residence. 
 
 About ten days after the battle, and while I was acting Brig- 
 adier General and occupying General Elliott's headquarters, a 
 distinguished Major General visited me and requested me to 
 go over the lines with him. I gladly complied with the re- 
 quest. He asked me where the men rested at night. I 
 pointed out the floor of the ditch. He said, "But where do the 
 officers sleep?" We happened then to be in the narrow ditch 
 in front ot my quarters, and I pointed it out to him. He re- 
 plied, in language not altogether suitable for a Sunday School 
 teacher, that he would desert before he would submit to such 
 hardships. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 395 
 
 THE "crater." 
 
 The explosion took place at 4.45 A. M. The "Crater" made 
 by eight thousand pounds of gun powder was one hundred and 
 thirty-five feet long, ninety-seven feet broad and thirt5 feet 
 deep. Two hundred and seventy-eight men were buried in 
 the debris — Eighteenth Regiment, eighty-two; Twenty-second, 
 one hundred and seventy, and Pegram's Battery, twenty-two 
 men. 
 
 To add to the terror of the scene the enemy with one hun- 
 dred and sixty-four cannon and mortars began a bombardment 
 much greater than Fort Sumter or battery were ever subjected 
 to. Elliott's Brigade near the "Crater" was panic stricken, 
 and more than one hundred men of the Eighteenth Regiment 
 covered with dirt rushed down. Two or three noble soldiers 
 asked me for muskets. Some climbed the counterscarpe and 
 made their way for Petersburg. Numbers of the Seventeenth 
 joined the procession. I saw one soldier scratching at the 
 counterscape of the ditch like a scared cat. A staunch I,ieu- 
 tenant of Company E- without hat or coat or shoes ran for dear 
 life way down into Ransom's trenches. When he came to con- 
 sciousness he cried out, "What! old Morse running!" and 
 immediately returned to his place in line. 
 
 The same consternation existed in the Federal line. As 
 they saw the masses descending they broke ranks, and it took 
 a few minutes to restore order. 
 
 federal charge. 
 
 About fifteen minutes after the explosion General L,edlie's 
 Corps advanced in line. The cheval-de-frise was destroyed for 
 fifty yards. Soon after General Wilcox's Corps came in line 
 and bore to L,edlie's left. Then Potter's Corps followed by 
 flanks and was ordered to the right of I^edlie's troops. 
 
 The pall of smoke was so great that we could not see the 
 enemy until they were in a few feet of our works, and a lively 
 fusillade was opened by the Seventeenth Regiment on the north 
 side of the "Crater." I saw Starling Hutto, of Company H, 
 a boy of sixteen, on the top of the breastworks, firing his 
 musket at the enemy a few yards off with the coolness of a 
 veteran. As soon as I reached him I dragged him down by 
 his coat tail and ordered him to shoot from the banquette. On 
 the south of the "Crater" a few men under Major Shield, of 
 
396 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE^. 
 
 the Twenty-second, and Captain R. E. White, with the Twen- 
 t5'-third Regiment, had a hot time in repelling the enemy. 
 
 Adjutant Sims and Captain Floyd, of the Eighteenth Regi- 
 ment, with about thirty men, were cut off in the gorge line. 
 They held the line for a few minutes. Adjutant Sims was 
 killed and Captain Floyd and his men fell back into sofne of 
 the cross ditches and took their chances with the Seventeenth. 
 
 It was half an hour before the Federals filled the "Crater," 
 the gorge line and a small space of the northern part of the 
 works not injured by the explosion. All this time the Federals 
 rarely shot a gun on the north of the "Crater." 
 
 Major J. C. Coit, who commanded Wright's Battery and 
 Pegram's battery, had come up to look after the condition of 
 the latter. He concluded that two officers and twenty men 
 were destroyed. Subsequently he discovered that one man had 
 gone to the spring before the explosion, that four men were 
 saved by a casemate and captured. 
 
 Colonel Coit says he took twenty-five minutes to come from 
 his quarters and go to Wright's Batter}', and thinks it was the 
 first gun shot on the Federal side. Testimony taken in the 
 court of inquiry indicate the time at 5.30 A. M. 
 
 GENERAI. STEPHEN EI,I,IOTT. 
 
 General Stephen Elliott, the hero of Fort Sumter, a fine 
 gentleman and a superb officer, came up soon after the explo- 
 sion. He was dressed in a new uniform, and looked like a 
 game cock. He surveyed the scene for a few minutes; he dis- 
 appeared and in a short time he came up to me accompanied by 
 Colonel A. R. Smith, of the Twenty-sixth, with a few men, 
 who were working their way through the crowd. He said to 
 me: "Colonel, I'm going to charge those Yankees out of the 
 "Crater;" you follow Smith with your regiment." 
 
 He immediately climbed the counterscrape. The gallant 
 Smith followed, and about half a dozen men followed. And 
 in less than five minutes he was shot from the "Crater" 
 through his shoulder. I believe it was the first ball shot that 
 day from the northern side of the "Crater." He was im- 
 mediately pulled down into the ditch, and with the utmost 
 coolness, and no exhibition of pain turned the command oveir 
 to me, the next ranking officer. Colonels Benbow and Wallace 
 were both absent on furlough. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 397 
 
 I immediately ordered John Phillips, a brave soldier of Com- 
 pany I, to go around the "Crater" to inform the commanding 
 ofiBcer of the serious wounding of General Elliott, and to 
 inquire as to the condition of the brigade on the south side. 
 Major Shield replied that Colonel Fleming and Adjutant 
 Quattlebaum, with more than half the Twenty-second, were 
 buried up, but with the remainder of his men and with the 
 Twenty-third, under Captain White, and a part of Wise's 
 Brigade we had driven the Yankees back, and intended to keep 
 them back. 
 
 Being satisfied that the object of the mine was to make a 
 gap in our line by which General Meade could rush his troops 
 to the rear, I ordered Colonel Smith to take his Regiment, and 
 Captain Crawford with three of my largest Companies, Com- 
 panies K, E and B, containing nearly as many men as Smith's, 
 to proceed by Elliott's headquarters up the ravine to a place 
 immediately in rear of the "Crater" — to make the men lie 
 down — and if the enemy attempted to rush down to resist them 
 to the last extremity. This was near 6 o'clock A. M., and 
 the enemy had not made any advace on the North side of the 
 "Crater." 
 
 By this time the "Crater" was packed with men. I counted 
 fourteen beautiful banners. I saw four or five officers waiving 
 swords and pointing towards Petersburg, and I supposed they 
 were preparing for a charge to the crest of the hill. 
 
 RLWOTT'S BRIGADE. 
 
 The line and strength of the Brigade from left to right was 
 as follows : Twenty-sixth Regiment, two hundred and fifty 
 men; Seventeenth, four hundred; Eighteenth, three hundred 
 and fifty; Twenty-second, three ■ hundred; Twenty-third, two 
 hundred. In all one thousand and five hundred men, a full 
 estimate. 
 
 BENBOW'S REGIMENT. 
 
 The first severe attack of the enemy was on the South of 
 the "Crater," which was defended by a part of the Twenty- 
 second under Major Shedd, and Benbow's Twenty-third under 
 Captain White. The enemy attacked with fury. Our men 
 fought nobly, but were driven down their ditch. Wise's 
 Brigade then joined in, and our men rushed back and recov- 
 ered the lost space. About this time they shot Colonel Wright, 
 
398 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 leading the Thirteenth Minnesota regiment, and then the 
 Federals slacked their ejEForts and bore to their right, and mul- 
 titudes of them climbed the "Crater" and went to the rear of 
 it and filled the gorge line and every Vacant space on the 
 North side. No serious aggressive attack was made on the 
 Twenty-third Regiment during the rest of the day. The 
 principal reason I suppose was the direct line to Cemetery Hill 
 was through the Seventeenth Regiment. Every Federal offi- 
 cer was directed over and over again to rush to the crest of 
 the hill. 
 
 SEVENTEENTfl REGIMENT. 
 
 The Federals being checked on the South of the "Crater" 
 charged Company A, the extreme right Company, next to 
 the "Crater." Captain W. H. Edwards was absent sick, amd 
 a few of the men were covered with dirt by the explosion and 
 were consequently demoralized. Private Hoke was ordered to 
 surrender — declared he never would surrender to a Yankee. 
 He clubbed his musket and knocked down four of his assail- 
 ants, and was bayoneted. There were five men killed in 
 Company A. Company F was the next attacked, and private 
 John Caldwell shot one man and brained two with the butt of 
 his musket. I,ieutenant Samuel L,owry, a fine young man of 
 twenty years, and four privates were killed. Company D 
 surrendered in a traverse, and twenty-seven men were killed. 
 Had the splendid lyieutenant W. G. Stevenson been present 
 the result would have been differept- Fourteen out of twenty- 
 seven of these men died in prison of scurvy at Elmira, N. Y. 
 Private J. S. Hogan, of Company D, leaped the traverse. He 
 joined in Mahone's charge, and after the fight was sickened 
 by the carnage; went to the spring to revive himself, then 
 went into the charge under General Sanders. After the battle 
 he procured enough coffee and sugar to last him a month. 
 This young rebel seemed to have a furor for fighting and 
 robbing Yankees. At the battle of Fort Steadman he manned 
 a cannon which was turned on the enemy, and in the retreat 
 from Petersburg he was in every battle. He was always on 
 the picket line, by choice, where he could kill, wound or cap- 
 ture the enemy. He feasted well while the other soldiers fed 
 on parched corn, and surrendered at Appomattox with his 
 haversack filled with provisions. 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 399 
 
 Company C, the next Company, had fourteen men killed. 
 Its Captain, William Dunovant, was only eighteen years of 
 age, and as fine a Captain as was in lyee's Army. lyieutenant 
 C. Pratt, a fine officer not more than twenty-five years old, 
 was killed. The command devolved on Sergeant T. J. I^a- 
 Motte. G and H had two each; I, three; K, five; and B, one; 
 F, five. 
 
 The Federals had the advantage over the Seventeenth be- 
 cause there were some elevated points near the "Crater" they 
 could shoot from. After being driven down about fifty yards 
 there was an angle in the ditch, and Sergeant LaMotte built a 
 barricade, which stopped the advance. A good part of the 
 fighting was done by two men on each side at a time — the, rest 
 being cut off from view. 
 
 LOOKING AFTER SMITH'S MEN. 
 
 About 6:30 I went down a narrow ditch to see if Smith and 
 his men were properly located to keep the enemy from going 
 down to the ravine before I got back. I saw there was a va- 
 cant space in our trench. I hustled in and saw two muskets 
 poked around an angle, as I got in the muskets were fired and 
 harmlessly imbedded the balls in the breastworks. I immedi- 
 ately concluded that it was not very safe for the commander 
 being on the extreme right of his men and went lower down. 
 In a short time I again went in a ditch a little lower down the 
 hill, anxious about the weak point on our line. I was smoking 
 a pipe with a long tie-tie stem. As I returned I observed a 
 rush down the line. As I got in the ditch the bowl of the 
 pipe was knocked off. A big brawny fellow cried out, "Hold 
 on men! the Colonel can't fight without his pipe!" He 
 wheeled around, stopped the men until he picked up the bowl 
 and restored it to me. I wish I knew the name of this kind- 
 hearted old soldier. 
 
 The principal fighting was done by the head of the column. 
 A few game fellows attempted to cross the breastworks. A 
 Captain Sims and a negro ofiicer were bayoneted close together 
 on our breastworks, but hundreds of the enemy for hours stuck 
 like glue to our outer bank. 
 
 A LONG AND LAZY FIGHT. 
 
 The sun was oppressively hot. There was very little mus- 
 ketry, the cannonading had closed; it was after 7 o'clock, and 
 
400 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the soldiers on both sides, as there was not much shooting 
 going on, seemed to resort to devices to pass the time. I saw 
 Captain Steele throwing bayonets over a traverse. I saw 
 I,amotte on one knee on the ground, and asked what be was 
 ■doing. He whispered, "I'm trying to get the drop on a 
 fellow on the other side. " They would throw clods of clay at 
 €ach other over the bank. As an Irishman threw over a lump 
 of clay I heard him saj', "Tak thart, Johnny." We all wished 
 that Beauregard had supplied us with hand grenades, for the 
 battle had simmered down to a little row in the trenches. 
 
 THE BATTLE THAT CONQUERED MEADE. 
 
 At 8. ID A. M. Ferrero's four thousand three hundred ne- 
 groes rushed over and reached the right flank of the Seven- 
 teenth. This horde of barbarians added greatly to the thous- 
 ands of white men that packed themselves to the safe side of 
 the breastworks. Thousands rushed down the hill side. 
 Ransom's Twenty-sixth and Twenty-fifth Regiments were 
 crazy to get hold of the negroes. "Niggers" had been scarce 
 around there during the morning, now they were packed in an 
 acre of ground and in close range. The firing was great all 
 down the hill side, but when it got down to the branch the 
 musketry was terrific, and Wright's Battery two hundred 
 yards ofE poured in its shells. About half past 8 o'clock, at 
 the height of the battle, there was a landslide amongst the 
 negroes. Colonel Carr says two thousand negroes rushed back 
 and lifted him from his feet and swept him to the rear. Gen- 
 eral Delavan Bates, who was shot through the face, said at 
 that time that Ransom's Brigade was reported to occupy those 
 lines. 
 
 When the battle was at its highest the Seventeenth was 
 forced down its line about thirty yards. lyieutenant Coloi.el 
 Fleming, of Ransom's Forty-ninth Regiment, came up to me 
 and pointed out a good place to build another barricade. I 
 requested him to build it with his own men, as mine were 
 almost exhausted by the labors of the day. He cheerfully as- 
 sented, stepped on a banquette to get around me, and was shot 
 in the neck and dropped at my feet. 
 
 At this moment of time an aide of General Bushrod Johnson 
 told me that the General requested me to come out to Elliott's 
 headquarters. I immediately proceeded to the place, and 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 401 
 
 General Mahone came up. I was introduced to him, and 
 suggested to him when his men came in to form them on 
 Smith's men who were lying down in the ravine. A few min- 
 utes afterwards, by order of General Johnson, Captain Steele 
 brought out the remnant of the Seventeenth Regiment, and 
 they marched in the ravine back of Mahone's men. 
 
 MAHONE' S CHARGE. 
 
 By this time General Mahone's Brigade of Virginians, eight 
 hundred men strong, was coming in one by one, and were 
 formed a few steps to the left and a little in advance of Smith's 
 and Crawford's men. I was standing with General Johnson, 
 close to Elliott's headquarters, and could see everything that 
 transpired in the ravine. It took Mahone so long to arrange 
 his men I was apprehensive that the enemy would make a 
 charge before he was ready. A few Federal ofificers began to 
 climb out of the main ditch until they numbered perhaps 
 twenty-five men. General Mahone was on the extreme right 
 it seemed to me busy with some men — I have heard since they 
 were some Geoi-gians. Captain Girardey had gone to Colonel 
 Weisinger, who was worried with the delay, and told him 
 General Mahone was anxious to take some of the Georgians 
 with him. But the threatening attitude of the enemy preci- 
 pitated the charge. 
 
 The noble old Roman, Colonel Weisinger, cried out "For- 
 ward !' ' and eight hundred brave Virginians sprung to their 
 feet and rushed two hundred yards up the hill. It had not the 
 precision of a West Point drill, but it exhibited the pluck of 
 Grecians at Thermopylae. The men disappeared irregularly 
 as they reached the numerous ditches that led to the main ditch 
 until all were hid from view. The firing was not very great 
 for the bayonet and butt of the muskets did more damage 
 than the barrel. If any one desires a graphic description of a 
 hand to hand fight I beg him to read the graphic detailed 
 account given by Mr. Bernard in his "War Talks of Con- 
 federate Veterans. ' ' 
 
 In a few minutes the enemy in the ditches up to fifty 
 yards of the "Crater" were killed or captured. The 
 whole battlefield of three acres of ground became suddenly 
 quiet comparatively. 
 
 Mahone in an hour's time sent in the Georgia Brigade, under 
 26 
 
402 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 General Wright. There was such a heavy fire from the; 
 "Crater" the brigade was forced to oblique to the left and 
 banked on Mahone's men. In a few minutes after they landed 
 at the foot of the "Crater" in their second charge. 
 
 Sanders' Alabama Brigade came up at this time. Besides 
 his Alabamians were Elliott's Brigade and Cliugman's Sixty- 
 first North Carolina. The charge was made about one o'clock 
 P. M., and the Federal artillery poured all its fire on the 
 "Crater" for some minutes, slaughtering many of their own 
 men. At this charge I^ieutenant Colonel Culp, who was absent 
 at the explosion, being a member of a courtmartial, came up 
 and took charge of the Seventeenth in the ravine, where Captain 
 Steele had them. In the charge of the ' 'Crater' ' under Sanders 
 were Colonel Culp, Colonel Smith and lyieutenant Colonel 
 J. H. Hudson with the Twenty-sixth, and a large number of 
 privates, especially from the Seventeenth Regiment, which also 
 had a good many in Mahone's charge. 
 
 . A good many of the Twenty-third joined in the charge, and 
 Private W. H. Dunlap, Company C, Twenty-third Regiment, 
 now of Columbia, was the first man who got in the "Crater" 
 on the south side. 
 
 While the men were piled up around the "Crater" Adjutant 
 Fant heard some Alabama soldiers picking out the fine banners 
 within, and he was lucky to get two of them. He laid them 
 down, and in a minute they were spirited away. 
 
 A little incident recited by Honorable George Clark Sanders, 
 Adjutant General, illustrates how true politeness smoothes the 
 wrinkled brow of war. He says that he saw a fine looking 
 Federal officer making his way out of the "Crater" with much 
 pain, using two reversed muskets for crutches, seeing one leg 
 was shot off. He said I'm very sorry to see you in .so much 
 pain. The soldier replied the pain occurred at Spottsylvania a 
 year ago. This is a wooden leg shot off to-day — then gave his 
 name as General Bartlett, but Colonel Sanders kindly helped 
 him out. 
 
 The horrors of war are sometimes relieved with incidents 
 which amuse us. Adjutant Faut tells an amusing incident of 
 Joe Free, a member of Company B. The Adjutant had gone 
 in the afternoon to the wagon yard to be refreshed after the 
 labors of the day. There was a gro'up of men reciting inci- 
 dents. The Adjutant overheard Free say he had gone into aa 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 403 
 
 officer's den for a few minutes to shade his head from the heat 
 of the sun, as he was suffering from an intense headache, and 
 as he began to creep out he saw the trench full of negroes. He 
 dodged back again. Joe says he was scared almost to death, 
 and that he "prayed until great drops of sweat poured down 
 my face." The Adjutant knew that his education was defec- 
 tive and said, "What did you say, Joe?" "I said Lord have 
 mercy on me ! and keep them damned niggers from killiag 
 me!" 
 
 It was an earnest and effective prayer, for Mahone's men in 
 an hour afterwards released him. 
 
 In a recent letter received from Captain E. A. Crawford, he 
 says the enemy formed three times to charge, but we gave them 
 a well directed volley each time and sent them into the rear 
 line in our trench. When Mahone came in and formed my 
 three companies charged with him. Colonel Smith told me 
 they charged four times. Cusack Moore, a verv intelligent 
 private of Company K, said they charged five times. After 
 the charge Captain Crawford requested General Mahone to 
 give him permission to report to his regiment, and he ordered 
 him to report to General Sanders, and he joined in that charge 
 with his men. Company K had fifty-three men, Captain 
 Cherry; Company E, forty, and Captain Burley, Company B, 
 twenty-five; in all, one hundred and eighteen men. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Culp was a member of a military court 
 doing dutj' in Petersburg at the time of the explosion, and 
 could not get back until he reported to me at Elliott's head- 
 quarters. I made some extracts from his letter recently re- 
 ceived: "I recollect well that in the charge (the final one) 
 which we made that model soldier and Christian gentleman, 
 Sergeant Williams, of Company K, was killed, and that one of 
 the Crowders, of Company B, was killed in elbow touch of me 
 after we got into the works. These casualties, I think, well 
 established the fact that Companies K and B were with me in 
 the charge, and, as far as I know now, at least a portion of all 
 the companies were with me. I recollect that poor Fant was 
 with us very distinctly, and that he rendered very efficient 
 service after we got to the "Crater" in ferreting outbidden 
 Federals, who had taken shelter there, and who, for the most 
 part, seemed very loath to leave their hiding places. I feel 
 quite confident that Capt. Crawford was also there, but there 
 
404 HISTORY OF KHRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 is nothing that I can recall at this late day to fasten. the fapt 
 of his presence on my mind, except that he was always ready 
 for duty, however perilous it might be, and I am sure his 
 company was there, in part at least. So, too, this will appjy 
 to all of the officers of our regiment whose duty it was to be 
 there on that occasion, and who were not unavoidably kept 
 away. In the charge that we made we were to be supported . 
 by the Sixty-first North Carolina. They were on our left, and 
 I suppose entered the works entirely to the left of the "Cra- 
 ter," for I am sure that our regiment, small as it was, covered 
 the "Crater," and when I reached the old line with my com- 
 mand we found ourselves in the very midst of the old fort, 
 which, I may say, had been blown to atoms in the early morn- 
 ing. When we arrived the Federals began, in some instances, 
 to surrender to us voluntarily, others, as before intimated, had 
 to be pulled out of their hiding places. And with these pris- 
 oners we captured quite a number of colors, probably as many 
 as a dozen, certainly not less than eight or ten. I was so 
 occupied in trying to clear the trenches of the enemy that I 
 gave no attention to these colors after they fell into the hands 
 of our men, and afterwards learned, to my sorrow, that they 
 had fallen into hands which were not entitled to them. Suffice 
 it to say that few, if any of them, could -be found. After 
 perfect quiet had been restored, and we were thus robbed of 
 these significant trophies of our triumph at which we felt quite 
 a keen disappointment, it is pleasing to me to say that I think 
 that every man of our regiment who was present acted his part 
 nobly in the performance of the hazardous duty assigned us on 
 that memorable occasion. * * * You gave me the order 
 to make the final charge already referred to." 
 
 THE ARTILLERY. 
 
 The Confederates only had twenty-six cannon, and only 
 three of them were conspicuous. The Federals had one hun- 
 dred and sixty-four cannon and mortars. They fired five 
 thousand and seventy-five rounds. They had only one man 
 killed and two wounded. 
 
 General Hunt and others spoke slightingly of our guns, 
 with two exceptions, Wright's Battery and Davenport's, 
 which is mentioned as the two-gun battery. General Hunt 
 the day before had accurately prepared to silence a^l these 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAw's BRIGADE. 405 
 
 guns, except the Davenport Battery. General Hunt said he 
 expected a company of infantry would take us in fifteen min- 
 utes after Pegram's Battery was gone. But the Wright Bat- 
 tery was a complete surprise. It was constructed just behind 
 Ransom's Brigade, about one hundred yards. General Hunt 
 never could locate the place, and shot at short range above 
 five hundred shell's doing no damage, but honeycombing the 
 surrounding ground. 
 
 Wright's Battery was in five hundred yards of the "Crater," 
 and Colonel Coit informed me he shot about six hundred 
 rounds of shell and shrapnel at short range. 
 
 In my opinion it did more damage than all our guns put 
 together. Its concealed location gave it a great advantage 
 over all other guns. 
 
 Davidson's Battery had only one gun, which only could 
 shoot in one line. But it created more anxiety amongst the 
 enemy than any other. The infantry officers constantly 
 alluded to its destructive power, and they dug a trench to 
 guard against its fire. Major Hampton Gibbes commanded it 
 until he was wounded, and then Captain D. N. Walker for the 
 rest of the day did his duty nobly, and no doubt killed many 
 Federals. General Warren was ordered to capture this gun 
 about 8.30, but at 8.45 he was ordered to do nothing "but re- 
 connoitre." This was before Mahone came up. 
 
 The most interesting of our guns were the two coehorns of 
 Major John C. Ha.skell, because all of his j;hells were emptied 
 into the "Crater," which was packed with men^ General 
 Mahone says: "In the meantime Colonel Haskell, a brilliant 
 officer of our artillery, hunting a place where he could strike a 
 blow at our adversary, presented himself for any service which 
 I could advise. There were two coehorn mortars in^ the de- 
 pression already referred to, and I suggested to him that he 
 could serve them . I would have them taken up to the outside 
 of the "Crater," at which place he could employ himself until 
 one o'clock, as perhaps no such opportunity had ever occurred 
 or would be likely to occur for effective employment of these 
 little implements of war. Colonel Haskell adopted the sug- 
 gestion, and the mortars being removed to a ditch within a 
 few feet of the "Crater," they were quickly at work emptying 
 their contents upon the crowded mass of men in this horrible 
 pit." 
 
406 HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE. 
 
 Lieutenant Bowley, a Federal officer, says: "A mortar bat- 
 tery also opened on us. After a few shots they got our range 
 so well that the shells fell directly among us. Many of them 
 did not explode at all, but a few burst directly over us and cut 
 the men down cruelly." He also speaks of a few Indians 
 from Michigan. "Some of them were mortally wounded, and, 
 drawing their blouses over their faces, they chanted a death 
 song and died — four of them in a group." 
 
 A FEAST AFTER A FAMINE. 
 
 About 3 o'clock p. m. absolute quietness prevailed over the 
 battlefield where the carnage of war rioted a few hours before. 
 My Orderly, M. C. Heath, a boy of sixteen, who now is a dis- 
 tinguished phj'sician of Lexington, Ky., came to me at El- 
 liott's headquarters and told me that the Lieutenant Colonel 
 and Adjutant sent their compliments and requested me to come 
 to dinner at my den in the trench. I went, and had to step 
 over the dead bodies-^all negroes. A narrow ditch led to a 
 plaza six feet square, where a half dozen men, in fine weather, 
 could sit on campstools. On the breastworks hung a dead 
 negro. In the ditch I had to step over another dead negro. 
 As I got to my plaza I saw two more negroes badly wounded 
 in a cell two feet deeper than the plaza where I slept. One of 
 the negroes was resting his bloody head on a fine copy of 
 Paley's philosophy, which I came across in my wanderings. 
 Heath's big basket was well stored with good viands, and we 
 ate with the ferocity of starving men, regaling ourselves with 
 the incidents of battle, without any expressions of sorrow for 
 our friends. Colonel David Fleming and Adjutant Quattlebaum, 
 who a few yards above were entombed in our old sleeping place 
 in the "Crater" which we occupied as our quarters until they 
 succeeded us ten days before, or any lamentations for the hun- 
 dreds of dead and dying on the hillside around. 
 
 The joy of the glorious victory drowned out all sentiments 
 of grief for a season, and it seemed a weird holiday. 
 
 A BI<UNDER IN BEAUREGARD'S BOOK. 
 
 Mr. Barnard, in his interesting article on the "Crater," crit- 
 icises a remarkable paragraph in Colonel Roman's work, "bas- 
 ing his statements made by General Bushrod Johnson and 
 Colonel McMaster." The only objection to my statement was 
 I said Mahone's charge was at lo o'clock a. m. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 407 
 
 The paragraph is as follows: 
 
 "Such was the situation. The Federals unable to advance 
 and fearing to retreat, when, at lo o'clock, General Mahone 
 arrived with a part of his men, who had laid down in the shal- 
 low ravine to the rear of Elliott's salient held by the forces 
 under Colonel Smith, there to await the • remainder of the Di- 
 vision, but a movement having occurred among the Federals, 
 which seemed to menace an advance. General Mahone then 
 forwarded his Brigade with the Sixty-first North Carolina, of 
 Hoke's Division, Jwhich had now also come up. The Twenty- 
 fifth and Forty-ninth North Carolina, and the Seventeenth 
 South Carolina, all under Smith, which were formed on Ma- 
 hone's left, likewise formed in the "Crater" movement, and 
 three-fourths of the gorge line was carried with that part of 
 the trench on the left of the "Crater" occupied by the Fed- 
 erals. Many of the latter, white and black, abandoned the 
 breach and fled under a scourging flank fire of Wise's Bri- 
 gade. ' ' 
 
 This is confusion worse confounded. It is diSicult to find a 
 paragraph coniaining so many blunders as the report of Gene- 
 ral Johnson to Colonel Roman. 
 
 The Sixty-first North Carolina of Hoke's Brigade was not 
 present during the day, except at Sander's charge two hours 
 afterwards. The Twenty-fifth and Forty-ninth North Caro- 
 lina were not present at all, but remained in their trench on 
 the front line. 
 
 Smith's men on the extreme right did not as a body go into 
 Mahone's charge. Captain Crawford with one hundred and 
 eighteen men did charge with Mahone. In fact he commanded 
 his own men separate from Smith, although he was close by. 
 
 Colonel Roman's account taken from General Johnson's state- 
 ment is unintelligible. 
 
 TIME OF mahone's CHARGE. 
 
 I dislike to differ with Mr. Bernard, who has been so courte- 
 ous to me, and with my friend, Colonel Venable, for we liter- 
 ally carried muskets side by side as privates in dear old Captain 
 Casson's company, the Governor's Guards, in Colonel Ker- 
 shaw's Regiment, at the first battle of Manassas, and I .shot 
 thirteen times at Ellsworth's Zouaves. Venable was knocked 
 down with a spent ball and I only had a bloody mouth. And 
 
408 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the rain}' night which followed the battle we sheltered our- 
 selves under the same oilcloth. But I can't help thinking of 
 these gentlemen as being like all Virginians, which is illus- 
 trated by a remark of a great Massachusetts man, old John 
 Adams, in answering some opponent, said : "Virginians 
 are all fine fellows. The only objection I have to you is, in 
 Virginia every goose is a swan. ' ' 
 
 Colonel Venable says : "I am confident the charge of the 
 Virginians jWas made before 9 o'clock a. m." Mr. Bernard 
 says, in speaking of the time: "Mahone's Brigade left the 
 plank road and took to the covered way." "It is now half- 
 past 8 o'clock." In a note he says : "Probably between 8.15 
 and 8.30." "At the angle where the enemy could see a mov- 
 ing column with ease the men were ordered to run quickly by, 
 one man at a time, which was done for the double purpose of 
 concealing the approach of a body of troops and of lessening 
 the danger of passing rifle balls at these points." 
 
 It took Mahone's Brigade, above eight hundred men, to 
 walk at least five hundred 5'ards down this covered way and 
 gulch, one by one, occassionally interrupted by wounded men 
 going to the rear, at least twenty minutes. At a very low 
 estimate it took them half an hour to form in the ravine, to 
 listen to two short speeches, and the parley between Weisinger 
 and Girardey. With the most liberal allowance this will bring 
 the charge at 9.15 A. M., but it took more time than that. 
 
 Captain Whitner investigated the time of the charge in less 
 than a month after the battle. I extract the following, page 
 795, 40th "War of Rebellion:" "There is a great diversity of 
 opinion as to the time the first charge was made by General 
 Mahoue * * * But one oflBcer of the division spoke with cer- 
 tainty. Colonel McMaster, Seventeenth South Carolina Volun- 
 teers. His written statement is enclosed . ' ' Unluckily the paper 
 was "not found." But there is no doubt I repeatedly said it 
 was about ten o'clock A. M. 
 
 General Mahone took no note of the time, but says: "Accord- 
 ing to the records the charge must have been before nine 
 o'clock. General Burnside in his report fixes the time of the. 
 charge and recapture of our works at 8.45 A. M." 40th "War 
 of kebellion," page 528. He is badly mistaken.. , General, 
 Burnside says: "The enemy regaine^ti a portion of his line on 
 the right. This was about 8.45'A.' M.J'but not all the colored 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 409 
 
 troops retired. Some held pits from behind which they had 
 advanced severely checking the enemy until they were nearly 
 all killed." 
 
 "At 9.15 I received, with regret, a peremptory order from 
 the General commanding to withdraw my troops from the 
 enemy's lines." 
 
 Now this battle indicated as at 8.45 was a continuation 
 of the one that many officers said was about half- past eight 
 o'clock. And both Mahone and Mr. Bernard were mistaken 
 in stating that the great firing and retreat of soldiers was the 
 result of the Virginian's charge, whereas at this time Mahone's 
 Brigade was at the Jerusalem plank road. Moreover, when 
 Mahone did come up his eight hundred men could not, create 
 one-fourth of the reverberation of the Seventeenth Regiment, 
 Ransom's Brigade, and the thousands of the enemy. Besides 
 Mahone's men's fighting was confined to the ditches, and they 
 used mostly the butts and bayonets instead of the barrels of 
 their muskets. No it was the fire of Elliott's men, Ransom's 
 men, the torrent of shells of Wright's Battery and the enemy, 
 Ord's men, and the four thousand negroes, all of them in an 
 area of one hundred yards. The part of the line spoken of by 
 Generals Delavan Bates and Turner and others as the Con- 
 federate line were mere rifles pits which the Confederates held 
 until they had perfected the main line, and then gave up the 
 pits. They were in the hollow, where the branch passes 
 through to the breastworks. 
 
 Now the tumultuous outburst of musketry. Federal and 
 Confederate, and the landslide of the Federals, was beyond 
 doubt before I went out to Elliott's headquarters on the order 
 of General Johnson. 
 
 For two hours before this Meade had beeri urging Burnside 
 to rush to the crest of the hill until General B. was irritated 
 beyond measure, and replied to a dispatch: ' 'Were it not insub- 
 ordination I would say that the latter remark was unoffice:^ 
 like and ungentlemanly." Before this time Grant, Meade and 
 Ord had given up hope. They had agreed to withdraw, hence 
 the positive order "to withdraw my troops from the enemy'$ 
 Une at 9.15. 
 
 Now this must have been before Mahone. came up, for there 
 is no allusion to a charge by any Fedei'al Geheral at the court 
 of inquiry. With the 8.30 charge made at the hollow, there 
 
410 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADB. 
 
 ■was a synchronous movement made by General Warren on the 
 south of the "Crater," but at 8.45 he was informed that it was 
 intended alone for a reconnoissance of the two-gun battery. 
 
 At 9. 15 General Warren sends dispatch: ' 'Just before receiv- 
 ing your dispatch to assault the battery on the left of the 
 "Crater" occupied by General Burnside the enemy drove his 
 troops out of the place and I think now hold it. I can find 
 no one who for certainty knows, or seems willing to admit, but 
 I think I saw a Rebel flag in it just now, and shots coming 
 from it this way. I am, therefore, if this (be) true no more 
 able to take this battery now than I was this time yesterday. 
 All our advantages are lost." 
 
 The advantages certainly were not lost on account of Ma- 
 hone's men, but on account of the losses two hundred yards 
 down the hill, of which he had doubtless been advised. He 
 saw what he thought was a "Rebel flag," but for a half an 
 hour he had heard of the terrific castigation inflicted on the 
 Federals down the hill. 
 
 But here is something from the court of inquiry that ap- 
 proximates the time of Mahone's charge. 
 
 General Griffen, of Potter's Ninth Corps, in reply to the 
 question by the court: "When the troops retired from the 
 "Crater" was it compulsory from the enemy's operations, or by 
 orders from your commanders?" Answer. "Partly both. 
 We retired because we had orders. At the same time a column 
 of troops came up to attack the 'Crater,' and we retired instead 
 of stopping to fight. This force of the enemy came out of a 
 ravine, and we did not see them till they appeared on the rising 
 ground." 
 
 ' ' What was the force that came out to attack you ? The 
 force that was exposed in the open?" Answer, "five or six 
 hundred soldiers were all that we could see. I did not see 
 either the right or left of the line. I saw the center of the line 
 as it appeared to me. It was a good line of battle. Probably 
 if we had not been under orders to evacuate we should have 
 fought them, and tried to hold our position, but according to 
 the orders we withdrew. ' ' 
 
 General Hartranft, of Ninth Corps, says in answer to the 
 question "Driven out?" "They were driven out the same 
 time, the same time I had passed the word to retire. It was a 
 .simultaneous thing. When they saw the assaulting column 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 411 
 
 within probably one hundred feet of the works I passed the 
 word as well as it could be passed for everybody to retire. 
 And I left myself at that time. General GrifEen and myself 
 were together at that time. The order to retire we had en- 
 dorsed to the effect that we thought we could not withdraw 
 the troops that were there on account of the enfilading fire 
 over the ground between our rifle pits and the ' 'Crater' ' with- 
 out losing a great portion of them, that ground being enfiladed 
 with artillery and infantry fire. They had at that time brought 
 their infantry down along their pits on both sides of the "Cra- 
 ter," so that their sharpshooters had good range, and were in 
 good position. Accordingly we requested that our lines should 
 open with artillery and infantry, bearing on the right and left 
 of the "Crater," under which fire we would be able to with- 
 draw a greater portion of our troops, and, in fact, everyone 
 that could get away. While we were in waiting for the ap- 
 proach of that endorsement and the opening of the fire, this 
 assaulting column ot the enemy came up and we concluded — 
 General Griffin and myself — that there was no use in holding 
 it any longer, and so we retired." 
 
 This proves beyond doubt that Mahone's charge was after 
 9.15. It probably took Burnside some minutes to receive this 
 order and some minutes for him and Griffin to send it down the 
 line, and to send orders to the artillery to open on their flanks 
 to protect them. This would bring Mahone's charge to 9.30 
 or 9.45. 
 
 SMITH AND CRAWFORD SAVE PETERSBURG. 
 
 I ordered Smith to take his regiment, the Twenty-sixth, and 
 Crawford with Companies K, E, and B, to lie down in the 
 ravine. Every General was ordered to charge to the crest. 
 Had the enemy gotten beyond Smith's line fifty yards they 
 could have marched in the covered way to Petersburg; not a 
 cannon or a gun intervened. General Potter says his men 
 charged. two hundred yards beyond the "Crater," when they 
 were driven back. Colonel Thomas said he led a charge 
 which was not successful; he went three or four hundred yards 
 and was driven back. General Griffin says he went about two 
 hundred yards and was driven back. Colonel Russell says he 
 went about fifty yards towards Cemetery Hill and "was 
 driven back by two to four hundred infantry, which rose up 
 
412 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S' BRIGADE. 
 
 from a little ravine and charged, us. " Some officer said he 
 went five hundred yards beyond the "Crater." There was 
 the greatest confusion about distances. General Russell is 
 about right when he said he went about fifty yards behind the 
 "Crater." When they talk of two or three hundred yards 
 they must mean outside the breastworks towards Ransom's 
 Brigade. 
 
 From the character of our breastworks, or rather our cross 
 ditches, it was impracticable to charge down the rear of our 
 breastworks. The only chance of reaching Petersburg was 
 through the "Crater" to the rear. Smith and Crawford-', 
 whose combined commands did not exceed two hundred and 
 fift}' men, forced them back. Had either Potter, Russell; 
 Thomas, or Griffin charged down one hundred yards farther 
 than they did, the great victory would have been won, and 
 Beauregard and Lee would have been deprived of the great 
 honor of being victors of the great battle of the "Crater." 
 
 Elliott's brigade. 
 
 After the explosion, with less than one thousand two hun- 
 dred men, and with the co-operation of Wright's Battery and 
 Davenport's Battery, and a few men of Wise's Brigade, re- 
 sisted nine thousand of the enemy from five to eight o'clock. 
 Then four thousand five hundred blacks rushed over, and the 
 Forty-ninth and Twenty-fifth North Carolina, Elliott's 
 Brigade, welcomed them to hospitable graves at 9 o'clock A. M. 
 
 At about 9.30 A. M. old Virginia — that never tires in good 
 works — with eight hundred heroes rushed into the trench of 
 the Seventeenth and slaughtered hundreds of whites and 
 blacks, with decided preference for the Ethiopeans. 
 
 Captain Geo. B. Lake, of Company B', Twenty-second 
 South Carolina, who was himself buried beneath the debris, 
 and afterwards captured, gives a graphic description of his 
 experience and the scenes around the famous "Crater. " He 
 says in a newspaper article: 
 
 BY CAPTAIN GEORGE B. LAKE. 
 
 The evening before the' mine was spruug, or possibly two 
 evenings before, ColOnel David Fleming, in command of the 
 Twenty-second South Carolina Regiment — I don't know 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 413 
 
 whether by command of General Stephen Elliott or not — 
 ordered me to move my compan}', Company B, Twentj'- 
 secoijd South Carolina, into the rear line, immediately in rear 
 of Pegram's four guns. I had in mj' company one officer, 
 Lieutenant. W. J. Lake, of Newberry, S. C, and thirty-four 
 enlisted men. This rear line was so constructed that I could 
 fire over Pegram's men on the attacking enemy. 
 
 The enemy in our front had two lines of works. He had 
 more men in his line nearest our works than we had in his 
 front. From this nearest line he tunnelled to and under 
 Pegram's salient, and deposited in a magazine prepared for it 
 not less than four tons of powder, some of their officers say it 
 was six tons. We knew the enemy were mining, and we sunk 
 a shaft on each side of the four-gun battery, ten feet or more 
 deep, and then extended the tunnel some distance to our front. 
 We were on a high hill, however, and the enemy five hundred 
 and ten feet in our front, where they began their work, conse- 
 quently their mine was far under the shaft we sunk. At night 
 when everything was still, we could hear the enemy's miners 
 at work. While war means kill, the idea of being blown into 
 eternity without any warning was anything but pleasant. 
 
 THAT TERRIEI,E SATURDAY MORNING. 
 
 On that terrible Saturday morning, July 30, 1864, before 
 day had yet dawned, after the enemy had massed a large num- 
 ber of troops in front of our guns, the fuse which was to 
 ignite the mine was fired. The enemy waited fully an hour, 
 but there was one explanation, the fuse had gone out. A 
 brave Federal officer, whose name I do not know, volunteered 
 to enter the tunnel and fire it again, which he did. 
 
 A minute later there was a report which was heard for 
 miles, and the earth trembled for miles around. A "Crater" 
 one hundred and thirty feet long, ninety-seven feet in breadth, 
 and thirty feet deep, was blown out. Of the brave artillery 
 company, twenty-two officers and men were killed and 
 wounded, most of them killed. Huijdreds of tons of earth 
 were thrown back on the rear line, in which my command 
 was. 
 
 A WHOLE COMPANY BURIED. 
 
 Here was the greatest loss suffered by any command on 
 either side in the war, myself, my only Lieutenant, W. J. 
 
414 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 I^ake, and thirty-four enlisted men were all buried, and of 
 that little band thirty-one were killed. Lieutenant Lake and 
 myself and three enlisted men were taken out of the ground • 
 two hours after the explosion by some brave New Yorkers. 
 These men worked like beavers, a portion of the time under 
 perpetual fire. 
 
 BURIED THIRTY FEET DEEP. 
 
 Colonel Dave Fleming and his Adjutant, Dick Quattlebaum, 
 were also in the rear line, only a few feet to my left, and were 
 buried thirty feet deep; their bodies are still there. I do not 
 know how many of the Federal troops stormed the works, but 
 I do know the Confederates captured from them nineteen flags. 
 The attacking columns were composed of white men and 
 negroes; sober men and men who were drunk; brave men and 
 cowards. 
 
 One of the latter was an officer high in command. I have 
 lost his name, if I ever knew it. He asked me how many 
 lines of works we had between the "Crater" and Petersburg, 
 when I replied, "Three." He asked me if they were all 
 manned. I said, "Yes." He then said, "Don't you know 
 that I know you are telling a d — d lie?" I said to him. 
 "Don't you know that I am not going to give you information 
 that will be of any service to you ?" He then threatened to 
 have me shot, and I believe but that for the interference of a 
 Federal officer he would have done so. 
 
 DEATH TO ADVANCE AND DEATH TO RETREAT. 
 
 I had just seen several of our officers and men killed with 
 bayonets after they had surrendered, when the enemy, who 
 had gone through the "Crater" towards Petersburg, had been 
 repulsed, and fell back in the "Crater" for protection. There 
 was not room in the "Crater" for another man. It was death 
 to go forward or death to retreat to their own lines. It is said 
 there were three thousand Yankees in and around the 
 "Crater," besides those in portions of our works adjacent 
 thereto. 
 
 Then the Coshorn mortars of the brave Major Haskell and 
 other commanders of batteries turned loose their shells on the 
 "Crater." The firing was rapid and accurate. Some of these 
 mortars were brought up as near as fifty yards to the "Crater." 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 41^ 
 
 Such a scene has never before nor never will be witnessed again ^ 
 The Yankees at the same time were using one hundred and 
 forty pieces of cannon against our works occupied by Con-, 
 federate troops. 
 
 Elliott's Brigade in the day's fight lost two hundred and 
 seventy-eight oflScers and men. Major General B. R. John- 
 son's Division, Elliott's Brigade included, lost in the day, nine 
 hundred and thirty-two officers and men. This was the most 
 of the Confederate loss. 
 
 FEDERAL TOTAL LOSS OVER FIVE THOUSAND. 
 
 While the enemy acknowledged a loss of from five to six; 
 thousand men — and that I am sure is far below their real loss— I 
 make another quotation from Major General B. R. Johnson's^ 
 official report: 
 
 "It is believed that for each buried companion they have 
 taken a tenfold vengeance on the enemy, and have taught them, 
 a lesson that will be remembered as long as the history of our 
 wrongs and this great revolution endures. ' ' 
 
 Virginians, Georgians, North Carolinians, South Carolinians 
 and others who may have fought at the "Crater," none of you 
 have the right to claim deeds of more conspicuous daring over 
 your Confederate brethren engaged that day. Every man 
 acted well his part. 
 
 What about the four cannons blown up.'' you ask. One 
 piece fell about half way between the opposing armies, another 
 fell in front of our lines, not so near, however, to the enemy, 
 a third was thrown from the carriage and was standing on end, 
 half buried in the ground inside the "Crater," the fourth was 
 still attached to the carriage, but turned bottom side up, the 
 wheels in the air, and turned against our own men when the 
 enemy captured it. That day, however, they all fell into the 
 hands of the Confederates, except the one thrown so near the 
 enemy's works, and in time we regained that also. 
 
 CAPTAIN LAKE A PRISONER. 
 
 Before the fighting was over the Yankee officer who could 
 curse a prisoner so gallantly ordered two soldiers to take charge 
 and carry me to their lines, no doubt believing that the Con- 
 federates would succeed in recapturing the "Crater." We had 
 to cross a plain five Jiundred and ten feet wide that was beings 
 
416 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 raked by rifle balls, cannon shot and shell, grape and canister. 
 l{ was not a very inviting place to go, but still not a great deal 
 worse thaii Haskell's mortar shells that were raining in the 
 center. I had the pleasure of seeing one of my guards die. 
 The other conducted me safely to General Patrick's head- 
 quarters.' Patrick was the Yankee provost marshall. 
 
 When I was placed under guard near his quarters he sent a 
 staff officer to the front to learn the result of the battle. 
 
 After a short absence he galloped up to General Patrick and 
 yelled out "We h^ve whipped them !" 
 
 Patrick said: "I want no foolishness, sir !" 
 
 The staff officer then said: "General, if you want the truth, 
 they have whipped us like hell. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV 
 
 Leaves the Trenches in the Shenandoah 
 
 Valley. 
 
 To relieve the tension that oppressed both Richmond and 
 Petersburg, General L,ee determined to dispatch a force to the 
 Valley to drive the enemy therefrom, to guard against a flank 
 movement around the north and west of Richmond, and to 
 threaten Washington with an invasion of the North. The 
 Second Corps of the army was ordered Northwest. General 
 Ewell being too enfeebled by age and wounds, had been re- 
 lieved of his command in the field and placed in the command 
 of Henrico County. This embraced Richmond and its defen- 
 sive, the inner lines, which were guarded and manned by re- 
 serves and State troops. General Early, now a lyieutenant 
 General, was placed in command of the expedition. Why or 
 what the particular reason a corps commander was thus placed 
 in command of a department and a separate army, when there 
 were full Generals occupying inferior positions, was never 
 known. Unless we take it that Early was a Virginian, better 
 informed on the typography of the country, and being better 
 acquainted with her leading citizens, that he would find in 
 them greater aid and assistance than would a stranger. The 
 department had hopes of an uprising in the "Pan Handle" of 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 417 
 
 Maryland in recruits from all over the States. The prestige 
 of Early's name might bring them out. Early was a brave 
 and skillful General. Being a graduate of West Point, he was 
 well versed in the tactical arts of war; was watchful and vigi- 
 lant, and under a superior he was second to none as a com- 
 mander. But his Valley campaign — whether from failures of 
 the troops or subaltern officers, I cannot say — but results show 
 that it was a failure. There could be no fault found with his 
 plans, nor the rapidity of his movements, for his partial suc- 
 cesses show what might have been accomplished if faithfully 
 carried out. Still, on the whole, his campaign in the Valley 
 was detrimental, rather than beneficial, to our cause. Early 
 had already made a dash through the Valley and pushed his 
 lines beyond the Potomac, while his cavalry had even pene- 
 trated the confines of Washington itself. It was said at the 
 time, by both Northern and Southern military critics, that had 
 he not wavered or faultered at the critical moment, he could 
 have easily captured the city. No doubt his orders were dif- 
 ferent — that only a demonstration was intended — and had he 
 attempted to exceed his orders and failed, he would have re- 
 ceived and deserved the censure of the authorities. The bane 
 of the South's civic government was that the Executive and 
 his military advisors kept the commanders of armies too much 
 under their own leading strings, and not allowing them enough 
 latitude to be governed by circumstances — to ride in on the 
 flow tide of success when an.' opportunity ofi^ered. But the 
 greatest achievements, the greatest of victories, that history 
 records are where Generals broke away from all precedent and 
 took advantage of the success of the hour, that could not have 
 been foreseen nor anticipated by those who were at a distance. 
 Be that as it may, Early had gone his length, and now, the 
 last of July, was retreating up the Valley. 
 
 Kershaw, with his division, was ordered to join him, and on 
 the 6th of August the troops embarked at Chester Station and 
 were transported to Mitchel Station, on the Richmond and 
 Mannassas Railroad, not far from Culpepper. On the 12th the 
 troops marched by Flint Hill, crossed the Blue Ridge, and 
 ■camped near the ancient little hamlet of Front Royal. The 
 next day we were moved about one mile distant to a large 
 spring, near the banks of the beautiful and now classic Shen- 
 andoah. How strange to the troops of the far South to see 
 27 
 
418 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 this large river running in the opposite direction from all our 
 accustomed ideas of the flow of rivers — that water seeks its 
 level and will therefore run South, or towards the coast. But 
 here the stream rises in the south and runs due north towards 
 the Potomac. After long and fatiguing marches, the soldiers 
 here enjoyed a luxury long since denied them on account of 
 their never ceasing activity. The delight of a bath, and in 
 the pure, clear waters of the Shenandoah, was a luxury indeed. 
 On the 17th of August the march was again resumed, and we 
 reached Winchester, Va., on the next day. Remaining two 
 days near the old city which had become so dear to the hearts 
 of all the old soldiers through the hospitality and kindness of 
 her truly loyal people, and being the place, too, of much of 
 our enjoyment and pleasure while camping near it two years 
 before, we left on the 21st, going in the direction of Charles- 
 ton. 
 
 On Bearing the latter place we found the enemy in force, 
 and had to push our way forward by heavy skirmishing. When 
 within two miles of Charlestown, we halted and went into 
 camp, and threw our pickets beyond the town on the north. 
 On the 25th we moved through the city and took the Harper 
 Ferry Road, two miles beyond. Here we took up camp, and 
 were in close proximity to the enemy, who lay in camp near 
 iis. A heavy skirmish line was thrown out about half a mile 
 in our front. Lieutenant Colonel Maffett of the Third, but 
 commanding the Seventh, was deployed in a large old field as 
 support. We were encamped in line of battle in a beautiful 
 grove overlooking and in full view of our skirmishers. 
 
 The enemy seemed to display little activity. Now and then 
 a solitary horseman could be seen galloping away in the direc- 
 tion of his camp. 
 
 The want of alertness on the part of the enemy threw our 
 pickets off their guard. Colonel Maffett was lounging under 
 the shade of a tree in the rear of the skirmish line, with a few 
 of the reserves, while those on the picket line lay at convenient 
 distances, some with their coats off, others lying under the 
 shade of trees or in the corners of a fence, all unconscious of 
 an approaching enemy. The Federals had surveyed the field, 
 and seeing our pickets so lax, and in such bad order for de- 
 fense, undertook to surprise them. With a body of cavalry, 
 concealed by the forest in their front, they made their way^ 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 419 
 
 ider cover of a ravine, until within a short distance of the 
 isuspecting pickets. Then, with a shout and a volley, they 
 shed upon the line and over it, capturing nearly all, made 
 eir way to the rear, and there captured I^ieutenant Colonel 
 affett and many of his reserves. 
 
 Commotion struck our camp. Drums beat, men called to 
 ms, line of battle formed, and an advance at double-auick 
 IS made through the old field, in the direction of our unf or- 
 nate friends. But all too late. The surprise had beefi com- 
 ;te and the captured prisoners had been hurried to the rear. 
 )lonel Maifett's horse, which was grazing near the scene of 
 e skirmish, galloped through the enemy's disorganized lines, 
 me trying to head him off, others to capture him, but h e 
 Hoped defiantly on to camp. The enemy amused themselves 
 ' throwing a few shells into our lines. 
 
 The horse of Colonel Maffett was carried home by his faith- 
 1 body servant, Harry, where both lived to a ripe old age. 
 3t so with the unfortunate master. Reared in the lap of 
 xury, being an only son of a wealthy father and accustomed 
 all the ease and comforts that wealth and affluence could 
 VQ, he could not endure the rigor and hardships of a North - 
 a prison, his genial spirits gave way, his constitution and 
 alth fouled him, and after many months of incarceration he 
 ;d of brain fever. But through it all he bore himself like a 
 le son of the South. He never complained, nor was his 
 Dud spirit broken by imprisonment, but it chafed under con- 
 ement and forced obedience to prison rule and discipline . 
 le Confederacy lost no more patriotic, more self-sacrificing 
 dier than Lieutenant Colonel Robert Clayton Maffett. 
 On the 27th we marched to Princeton, and remained until 
 ; 31st, picketing on the Opequan River, then returned to 
 arlestown. On the da}' before, the Third Regiment went 
 t on the Opequan, being in hearing of the church bells and 
 sight of the spires of Washington. What an anomaly! The 
 derals besieging the Confederate capital, and the Confed- 
 ites in sight of Washington. 
 
 Prom CharleStown we were moved back to Winchester and 
 nt into camp for a few. days. So far Early's demonstration 
 i been a failure. Either to capture Washington or weaken 
 ant, for day in and day out, he kept pegging away at Pe- 
 sburg and the approaches to it and Richmond. These 
 
420 r HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 seemed to be J;he objective points, and whicbeyentually cauised' 
 the downfall of,the twp, places. The eiigmy in out front had 
 moved up'to Berryville.ra small hamlet about eight mites froiiin] 
 Winchester, and on; the 30th of September we were' orderedf^ 
 out to attack the plan. The Federals had fortified acnoss' the' 
 turnpike and had batteries pfecedjat every com raandiiiig 'point! 
 In front of this fortification was a large old field, through" 
 which we had to advance. The Brigade was formed in line of 
 battle in some timber at the edge of the opening and ordered, 
 forward. The frowning redoubts lined with cannon and their 
 formidable breastwork, behind which bristled the bright' bayo- 
 nets, were anything but objects to tempt the men as' they ad- 
 vanced to the charge. As soon as we entered the opening the 
 shells came plunging through our ranks, or digging up the 
 earth in front. But the Brigade marched in good order, not a 
 shqt being fired, the enemy all the while giving us volley afteir 
 volley. The men began to clamor for a charge, so much so 
 that when we were about half way through the old field thfe 
 command came "charge." Then a yell and a rush, each man 
 carrying his gun inthe most convenient position, and doing all 
 in his power to reach the work first. The angle in front of 
 the Third was nearer than the line in front of the other Regif-: 
 ments. Just before we reached the worksthe enemy fled to a 
 grqve in rear under an incline and began firing on our troops, 
 who had now reached the work and began to fire from the 
 opposite side. The firing in this way became general all along 
 the line. The Artillery had withdrawn to the heights in rear 
 and opened upon us a tremendous fire at short range. Thei 
 enemy could be seen from our elevated position moving" around 
 our right through a thicket of pines, and some one called out 
 to the troops immediately on the right of the Third Regiment,- 
 "The enemy are flanking us." This caused a momentary 
 panic, and some. of the Brigade left the captured' work and 
 began running to the rear. Colonel Rutherford ordered some 
 of his officers to go down the line and get the deinoralized 
 troops to return to the ranks, which was accomplished without 
 much: delay. 
 
 The enemy in front begafi slackening their fire, which 
 caused some of the men to leap over the works and advance to 
 the brow of a.hill just in front of us to geta'betteir view. The 
 enemy rallied and began potiring a heavy-fire into' the bold 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 421 
 
 irits who had advanced (beyond the lines, wounding quite a 
 Lniber. General jKershaw, with a brigade of the division, 
 Dssedover the turn-pike and began a counter-move on the 
 emy's right, which caused such panic, that in a few minutes 
 eir whole line withdrew .beyond the little town. -Acting 
 ssistant. General Pope, on the brigade staff, received a pain- 
 1 wound in the cheek, but outside of a sprinkling throughout 
 e brigade of wounded, our loss was slight. 
 That night the enemy was reinforced, and about 9 o'clock 
 xt day there was a general advance. The enemy had 
 langed his direction, and now was approaching parallel to 
 e turn-pike. I was in command of the brigade skirmishers 
 iring the night, posted in a large old field on left of the turn- 
 ke. Just as a detail, commanded by an officer of the Twen- 
 ;th, came to relieve me, the enemy was seen advancing 
 rough a forest beyond the old field. The officer, not being 
 miliar with the skirmish tactics, and never being on a skir- 
 ish line during action before, asked me to retain the cora- 
 and and also my line of skirmishers and conduct the retreat, 
 lich 1 did. The brigade at that time was on the retreat, and 
 is double skirmish line covered and protected the rear. If 
 ere is any sport or amusement at all in battle, it is while on 
 irmish line, when the enemy is pressing you. On a skir- 
 ish line, usually, the men are posted about ten paces apart; 
 d several hundred yards in front of the main line of battle, 
 receive or give the first shock of battle. In our case the 
 le was doubled, making it very strong, as strong, in fact, as 
 me of the lines of General Lee's at that time holding Peters- 
 irg. When the enemy's skirmishers struck the opening our 
 lejopened upon them, driving them helter-skelter back into the 
 3ods. I ordered an advance, as the orders were to hold the 
 emy in check as long as possible to give our main line and 
 igon train time to get out of the way. We kept up the fire 
 we advanced, until we came upon the enemy posted behind 
 ;es; then, in our turn, gave way into the opening. Then 
 B enemy advanced, so forward and backward the two Imes 
 vanced and receded, until by the support of the enemy's 
 le of battle we were driven across the turn-pike, where we 
 sembled and .followed in rear of the brigade. There is noth- 
 J in this world that is more exciting, more nerve stirring to 
 ioldier, than to participate in a battle line of skirmishers, 
 
422 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 when you have a fair field and open fight. There it takes 
 nerve and pluck, however, it is allowed each skirmisher to take 
 whatever protection he can in the way of tree or stump. Then 
 on the advance you do not know when to expect an enemy to 
 spring from behind a tree, stump, or bush, take aim and fire. 
 It resembles somewhat the order of Indian warfare, for on a 
 skirmish line "all is fair in war." 
 
 We returned without further molestation to the vicinity of 
 Winchester, the enemy not feeling disposed to press us. It 
 was never understood whose fault it was that a general en- 
 gagement did not take place, for Early had marched and began 
 the attack, and pressed the enemy from his first line of works, 
 then the next day the enemy showed a bold front and was 
 making every demonstration as if to attack us. 
 
 General Kershaw having been promoted to Major General,. 
 General James Connor was sent to command the brigade. He 
 was formerly Colonel of the Twenty-second North Carolina 
 Regiment, promoted to Brigadier, and commanded McGowan's 
 Brigade after the battle of Spottsylvania Court House. After 
 the return of General McGowan, he was assigned to the com- 
 mand of lyaws' Brigade, and about the 6th or 7th of September 
 reached us and relieved Colonel Henagau, of the Eighth, who 
 had so faithfully led the old First Brigade since the battle of 
 the Wilderness. 
 
 While in camp near Winchester, the Eighth Regiment, 
 under Colonel Henagan, was sent out on picket on the Berry- 
 ville road. In the morning before day General Sheridan, with 
 a large force of cavalry, made a cautious advance and captured 
 the videttes of the Eighth, which Colonel Henagan had posted 
 in front, and passing between the regiment and the brigade, 
 made a sudden dash upon their rear, capturing all of the regi- 
 ment, with Colonel Henagan, except two companies com- 
 manded by the gallant Captain T. F. Malloy. These two 
 companies had been thrown out on the right, and by tact and 
 a bold front Captain Malloy saved these two companies and 
 brought them safely into camp. The whole brigade mourned 
 the loss of this gallani portion of their comrades. Colonel 
 Henagan, like Colonel Maffett, sank under the ill treatment 
 and neglect in a Northern prison and died there. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 423 
 
 COL. J. W. HENAGAN. 
 
 Col. J. W. Henagan was born November 22nd, 1822, in 
 Marlboro County, S. C. Was the son of E. L- Henagan and 
 wife, Ann Mclnnis. His father was a Scotch-Irishman. His 
 mother Scotch. Was educated at Academy in Bennettsville 
 and Parnassus. Was elected SheriflF of Marlboro County in 
 October, 1852, and went into ofiBce February, 1853. In i860 
 was elected to the Legislature. Was re-elected to the Legisla- 
 ture in 1863. 
 
 Prior to the war was prominent in militia service, serving 
 consecutively as Captain, Colonel and Brigadier General. In 
 March, 1861, volunteered, and in April became Lieutenant 
 Colonel of Eighth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers and 
 went with the Regiment to Virginia. Was in battle of Bull 
 Run or First Manassas. In 1862 he became by election Colonel 
 of the Eighth South Carolina Volunteers and served in that, 
 capacity until his capture near Winchester in the fall of 1864 
 when he was sent a prisoner to Johnson's Island, Ohio. Here 
 he died a prisoner of war, April 22, 1865. 
 
 No Regiment of the Confederacy saw harder service or was 
 engaged in more battles than the Eighth South Carolina of 
 Kershaw's Brigade and no officer of that Brigade bore himself 
 with more conspicuous gallantry than Colonel Henagan. He 
 was always at his post and ready to go forward when so or- 
 dered. There was little or no fear in him to move into battle, and 
 he was always sure, during the thickest of the fight, cheering 
 on his men to victory. 
 
 Colonel Henagan, as a citizen of the County, was as gener- 
 ous as brave. His purse was open to the needs of the poor. 
 Did not know how or could not refuse the appeals to charity. 
 He was the eldest son of a large family. When about twenty 
 years old his father died and left on his shoulders the respon- 
 sibility of maintaining and educating several younger brothers 
 and sisters. He never swerved from this duty, but like the 
 man that he was, did his work nobly. He was a dutiful son, 
 a kind brother, a friend to all. He knew no deception, had no 
 respect for the sycophant. 'Loved his country. A friend to 
 be relied on. Was a farmer by profession^ A good politician. 
 Was a very quiet man, but always expressed his views firmly 
 and candidly when called upon. 
 
424 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 COLONEL ROBERT CLAYTON MAFFETT. 
 
 Colonel Robert Clayton Maffett was born in Newberry 
 County, about the year 1836. Was the only son of Captain 
 James Maffett, long time a member of the General Assembly 
 of South Carolina. At the breaking out ot the war Colonel 
 Maffett was Colonel of the Thirty-ninth Regiment of State 
 Militia. From this regiment two companies were formed in 
 answer to the first call for volunteers. One of these companies 
 elected him Captain, which afterwards became Company C, 
 Third South Carolina Regiment. His company was one of 
 the few that reorganized before the expiration of the term ot 
 the first twelve months' enlistment, and again elected Colonel 
 Maffett as its Captain. After a thirty days' furlough, just 
 before the seven days' battle, he returned with his company 
 and became senior Captain in command. He soon became 
 Major by the death of Lieutenant Colonel Garlington, Major 
 Rutherford being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. After the 
 death of Colonel Nance, 6th of May, he became Lieutenant 
 Colonel. He participated in nearly all the great battles in 
 which the regiment was engaged, and was often in command. 
 He was several times wounded, but not severely. At the time 
 of his capture he was in command of the Seventh Regiment. 
 Colonel Maffett was conspicuous for his fine soldierly appear- 
 ance, being a perfect type of an ideal soldier. 
 
 He was loved and admired by the men as few officers of his 
 station were. In camp he was the perfect gentleman, kind 
 and indulgent to his men, and in battle he was cool, collected, 
 and gallant. He died in prison only a short while before the 
 close of the war, leaving a wife and one daughter of tender 
 age. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV 
 
 Reminiscences of the Valley. 
 
 Y. J. Pope, Adjutant of the Third South Carolina, but then 
 acting as Assistant Adjutant General on General Connor's 
 Staff, gives me here a very ludicrous and amusing account of 
 a "Fox hunt in the valley." A hunt without the hounds or 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 425 
 
 without the fox. No man in Kershaw's Brigade was a greater 
 lover of sport or amusement of any kind than Adjutant Pope. 
 In all our Big snow "festivals," where hundreds would engage 
 in the contest of snow-balling, Adjutant Pope always took a 
 leading part. It was this spirit of sport and'his mingling with 
 the common soldier, while off duty, that endeared Pope so 
 much to the troop. With his sword and sash he could act the 
 martinet, but when those were laid aside Adjutant Pope was 
 one of the "boys," and engaged a "boat" with them as much 
 as any one in the "Cross Anchors," a company noted for its 
 love of fun. 
 
 Says, Adjutant Pope, now a staid Judge on the Supreme 
 Court Bench. 
 
 "The Third South Carolina Infantry had been placed on 
 pickets in front of Early in September, 1864. The point at 
 which picket were posted were at two fords on the Opequan 
 River, Captain Dickert, with his company, was posted at some 
 distance from the place where the other pbrtion of the Regi- 
 ment was posted to cover one of the fords. I can see now the 
 work laid cut for Captain Dickert, ought to have been assigned 
 to the Cavalry for a company of Infantry, say a half mile from 
 the Regiment, might have been surrounded too quickly for the 
 company to be retired or to receive assistance from the Regi- 
 ment. Well, as it was, no harm came of it for the company 
 held the ford unassailable. A company of the Regiment was 
 placed at a ford on the highway as it crossed the river. While 
 a few ofiBcers were enjoying a nice supper here comes an 
 order to call in the companies on picket and to follow the Reg- 
 iment with all possible speed towards Winchester, to which 
 latter place the army of Early had already gone. Guides were 
 sent to us, and our Regiment had marched by country road 
 until we struck the turnpike. The march was necessarily 
 rapid lest the Regiment might be assailed by overwhelming 
 numbers of the enemy. The soldiers did not fancy this rapid 
 marching. 
 
 To our surprise and borrow, after we had reached the turn- 
 pike road, and several miles from our destination, the soldiers 
 set up an imitation of barking, just as if a lot of hounds in 
 close pursuit of a fresh jumped fox. Now any one at all 
 familiar with the characteristic of the soldier know imitation is 
 his weak point, one yell, all yell, one sing, all sing, if one is 
 
426 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 merry, all are merry. We were near the enemy, and the 
 Colonel knew the necessity of silence, and caution Colonel 
 Rutherford was, of course indignant at this outburst of good 
 humor in the dark watches of the night, and the enemy at our 
 heels or flank. He sent back orders by me (Pope) to pass 
 down the lines and order silence. But "bow-wow," "bow," 
 "bow-wow," "yelp, yelp," and every conceivable imitation of 
 the fox hound rent the air. One company on receiving the 
 orders to stop this barking would cease, but others would take 
 it up. "Bow-wow," "toot," "toot," "yah-oon," "yah-oon," 
 dogs barking, men hollowing, some blowing through their 
 hands to imitate the winding of the huntman's horn. "Stop 
 this noise," "cease your barking," "silence," still the chase 
 continued. "Go it, Lead," catch him, Frail," "Old Drive 
 close to him," "hurah Brink," "talk to him old boys." The 
 valley fairly rung, with this chase. Officers even could not 
 refrain from joining in the encouragement to the excited dogs 
 as the noise would rise and swell and echoe through the dis- 
 tant mountain gorges to reverberate up and down the valley — at 
 last wore out by their ceaseless barking and yelling, the noise 
 finally died out, much to the satisfaction of the Colonel com- 
 manding, myself and the officers who were trying to stop it. 
 As mortified as I was at my inability to execute the orders of 
 Colonel Rutherford, still I never laughed so much iu my life 
 at this ebullition of good feelings of the men, after all their 
 toils and trials, especially as I would hear some one in the line 
 call out as if in the last throes of exhaustion, "Go on old dog," 
 "now you are on him," "talk to him, old Ranger." What the 
 Yankees thought of this fox chase at night in the valley, or 
 what their intentions might have been is not known, but they 
 would have been mighty fools to have tackled a lot of old 
 "Confeds" out on a lark at night." 
 
 The negro cooks of the army were a class unique in many 
 ways. While he was a slave, he had far more freedom than 
 his master, in fact had liberties that his master's master did 
 not possess. It was the first time in the South' s history that 
 a negro could roam at will, far and wide, without a pass. He 
 could ride his dead master's horse from Virginia to Louisiana 
 without molestation. On the march the country was his, and 
 so long as he was not in the way of moving bodies of troops, 
 the highways were open to him. He was never jostled or 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 427 
 
 pushed aside by stragglers, and received uniform kindness and 
 consideration from all. The negro was conscious of this con- 
 sideration, and never took advantage of his peculiar station to 
 intrude upon any of the rights or prerogatives exclusively the 
 soldier's. He could go to the rear when danger threatened, or 
 to the front when it was over. No negro ever deserted, and 
 the fewest number ever captured. His master might fall upon 
 the field, or in the hands of the enemy, but the servant was 
 always safe. While the negro had no predilection for war in 
 its realities, and was conspicuous by his absence during the 
 raging of the battles, still he was among the first upon the field 
 when it was over, looking after the dead and wounded. At 
 the field hospitals and infirmaries, he was indispensable, obey- 
 ing all, serving all, without question or complaint. His first 
 solicitude after battle was of his master's fate — if dead, he 
 sought him upon the field; if wounded, he was soon at his side. 
 No mother could nurse a child with greater tenderness and 
 devotion than the dark-skinned son of the South did his mas- 
 ter. 
 
 At the breaking out of the war almost every mess had a 
 negro cook, one of the mess furnishing the cook, the others 
 paying a proportional share for hire; but as the stringency of 
 the Subsistence Department began to grow oppressive, as the 
 war wore on, many of these negroes were sent home. There 
 was no provision made by the department for his keep, except 
 among the ofBcers of the higher grade; so the mess had to 
 share their rations with the cook, or depend upon his ability as 
 a "forager." In the later years of the war the country occu- 
 pied by the armies became so devastated that little was left for 
 the "forager." Among the officers, it was different. They 
 were allowed two rations (only in times of scarcity they had to 
 take the privates' fare). This they were required to pay for 
 at pay day, and hence could afford to keep a servant. Be it 
 said to the credit of the soldiers of the South, and to their ser- 
 vants as well, that during my four years and more of service I 
 •never heard of, even during times of the greatest scarcity, a 
 mess denying the cook an equal share of the scanty supply, or 
 a servant ever found stealing a soldier's rations. There was a 
 mutual feeling of kindness and honesty between the two. 
 If all the noble, generous and loyal acts of the negroes of the 
 army could be recorded, it would fill no insignificant volume. 
 
428 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 There was as much cast among the negroes, in fact more, 
 as among the soldiers. In times pf peace and at home, t]ie 
 negro based his claims pf cast uppn the wealth pf his master. 
 But in the army, rank of his master overshadowed wealth. 
 The servant pf a Brigadier felt royal as compared to that of a 
 Colonel, and the servant of a Colonel, or even a Major, was far 
 ahead, in superiority and importance, to those belonging to the 
 privates and line officers. The negro is naturally a hero wor- 
 shiper. He gloried in his master's fame, and while it might 
 often be different, in point of facts, still to the negro his mas- 
 ter was "the bravest of the brave." 
 
 As great "foragers" as they were, they never ventured far 
 in front while on the advance, nor lingered too dangerously in 
 the rear on the retreat. They hated the "Yankee" and had a 
 fear of capture. One day while we were camped near Charles- 
 town an officer's cook wandered too far away in the wrong 
 direction and ran up on the Federal pickets. Jack had cap- 
 tured some old cast-off clothes, some garden greens and an old 
 dominicker rooster. Not having the remotest idea of the top- 
 ography of the country, he very naturally walked into the 
 enemy's pickets. He was halted, brought in and questioned. 
 The Federals felt proud of their capture, and sought to concili- 
 ate Jack with honeyed words and great promises. But Jack 
 would have none of it. 
 
 "Well, look er here," said Jack, looking suspiciously around 
 at the soldiers; "who you people be, nohow?" 
 
 "We are Federal soldiers," answered the picket. 
 
 "Well, well, is you dem?" 
 
 "Dem who?" asked the now thoroughlj' aroused Federal. 
 
 "Why dem Yankees, ob course — dem dat cotched Mars 
 Clayt." 
 
 The Federal admitted thej^ were "Yankees," but that now 
 Jack had no master, that he was free. 
 
 "Is dat so?" Then scratching his head musingly, Jack said 
 at last, "I don know 'bout dat — what you gwine do wid me, 
 anyhow; what yer want?" 
 
 He was told that he must go as a prisoner to headquarters 
 first, and then dealt with as contrabands of war. 
 
 "Great God Almighty! white folks, don't talk dat er way." 
 The negro "had now become thoroughly frightened, and with a 
 sudden impulse he threw the chicken at the soldier's feet, say- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 d.^ 
 
 ing, "Boss; ders a rooster, but here is me," then with the 
 speed of a startled deer Jack "hit the wind," to use a vulgar- 
 ism of the army. 
 
 "Halt! halt!,' — bang, whiz, came from the sentinel, the 
 whole picket force at Jack's heels. But the faithful negro for 
 the time excelled himself in running, and left the Federals far 
 behind. He came in camp puffing, snorting, and blowing like 
 a porpoise. "Great God Almighty! good people, talk er 'bout 
 patter-rollers, day ain't in it. If dis nigger didn't run ter 
 night, den don't talk." Then Jack recounted his night's 
 experience, much to the amusement of the listening soldiers. 
 
 Occasionally a negro who had served a year or two with his 
 young master in the army, would be sent home for another 
 field of usefulness, and his place taken by one from the planta- 
 tion. While a negro is a great coward, he glories in the pomp 
 and glitter of war, when others do the fighting. He loves to 
 tell of the dangers (not sufferings) undergone, the blood and 
 carnage, but above all, how the cannon roared round and about 
 him. 
 
 A young negro belonging to an officer in one of the regi- 
 ments was sent home, and his place as cook was filled by Uncle 
 Cage, a venerable looking old negro, who held the distin- 
 guished post of "exhorter" in the neighborhood. His "sis- 
 ter's chile" had filled Uncle Cage's head with stories of war — 
 of the bloodshed on the battlefield, the roar of cannon, and the 
 screaming of shells over that haven of the negro cooks, the 
 wagon yards— but to all the blood and thunder stories of his 
 "sister's chile" Uncle Cage only shook his head and chuckled, 
 "Dey may kill me, but dey can't skeer dis nigger." Among 
 the other stories he had listened to was that of a negro having 
 his head shot off by a cannon ball. Sometime after Uncle 
 Cage's installation as cook the enemy made a demonstration as 
 if to advance. A few shells came over our camp, one bursting 
 in the neighborhood of Uncle Cage, while he was preparing 
 the morning meal for his mess. 
 
 Some of the negroes and more prudent non-combattants 
 began to hunt for the wagon yard, but Uncle Cage remained at 
 his post. He was just saying: 
 
 "Dese yer young niggers ain't no account; dey's skeered of 
 dere own shad — " 
 
430 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 "Boom, boom," a report, and a shell explodes right over his 
 head, throwing fragments all around. 
 
 Uncle Cage made for the rear, calling out as he ran, "Oh, 
 dem cussed Yankees! You want er kill er nudder nigger, don't 
 you?" Seeing the men laughing as he passed by in such 
 haste, he yelled back defiantly, "You can laff, if you want to, 
 but ole mars ain't got no niggers to fling away. 
 
 "Red tape" prevailed to an alarming extent in the War De- 
 partment, and occasionally a paroxyism of this disease would 
 break out among some of the officers of the army, especially 
 among the staff, ' ' West Pointers, ' ' or officers of temporary high 
 command — Adjutant Pope gives his experience, with one of 
 those afflicted functionaries, "Where as Adjutant of the Third 
 South Carolina," says he, "I had remained as such from May, 
 1862, till about the ist of September, 1864, an order came 
 from brigade headquarters, for me to enter upon the responsi- 
 bilities of acting Assistant Adjutant General of Kershaw's 
 Brigade. When General Connor was disabled soon after, and 
 the Senior Colonel of the brigade, present for duty, the gallant 
 William D. Rutherford, received his death-wound. General 
 Kershaw, commanding division, sent the Assistant Adjutant 
 General of the division, (a staff officer). Major James M. 
 Goggans, to command the brigade. About the 17th of October 
 there came a delegation to brigade headquarters, to learn, if 
 possible, whether there could be obtained a leave of absence 
 for a soldier, whose wife was dead, leaving a family of children 
 to be provided for. 
 
 I was a sympathetic man, and appreciated the sad condition 
 of the poor soldier, who had left his all to serve his country, 
 and now had at home, a house full of motherless children. I 
 said "wait till I see the brigade commander," and went to 
 Major Goggans, relating the circumstances, and was assured 
 of his approval of the application for leave of absence in ques- 
 tion. This news, the spokesman of the delegation, gladly 
 carried back to the anxiously awaiting group. Soon papers 
 were brought to headquarters, signed by all the officers below. 
 When the papers Were carried by me to the brigade commander 
 for his approval, it raised a storm, so to speak, in the breast of 
 the newly appointed, but temporary Chieftain. "Why do 
 you bring me this paper to sign this time of day?" it being in 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 431 
 
 I afternoon. "Do you not know that all papers are con- 
 ered at nine o'clock A. M?" In future, and as long as I 
 
 in command of the Brigade, I want it understood that 
 der no considerations and circumstances, I wish papers to be 
 ned, brought to me before or after nine o'clock A. M. The 
 ;es of the officers composing the delegation, when the news 
 s brought to them, plainly expressed their disgust; they 
 t, at the idea, that no grief, however great, would be con- 
 lered by the self-exalted Chief; except as the clock struck 
 ae in the morning. 
 
 Circumstances and occurrences of this kind were so rare and 
 ceptional, that I record the facts given by Judge Pope, to 
 pose an exception to the general rule of gentlemanly deport- 
 ;nt of one officer to another, so universal throughout the 
 my. The kindness, sympathy and respect that superiors 
 owed to subalterns and privates became almost a proverb, 
 hile in a reminiscent mood, I will give a story of two young 
 icers as given by the writer of the above. He claims to have 
 en an eye witness and fully competent to give a true recital. 
 
 is needless to say that the writer of these memoirs was one 
 
 the participants, and as to the story itself, he has only a 
 int recollection, but the sequel which he will give is vivid 
 lOUgh, even after the lapse of a third of a century. Judge 
 )pe writes, "It is needless to say that the Third South Caro- 
 la Regiment had a half-score or more young officers, whose 
 nduct in battle had something to do with giving prestige to 
 e regiment, whose jolly good nature, their almost unparallel 
 ciprocal love of officers and men, helped to give tone and 
 cognition to it, their buoyancy of spirits, their respect for 
 periors and kindness and indulgence to their inferiors, 
 deared them to all — the whole command seemed to embibe 
 
 their spirit of fun, mischief and frolic. " Captains L. W. 
 iry, John W. Watts, John K. Nance, Lieutenants Farley 
 d Wofford, Adjutant Pope and others, whom it may be 
 proper to mention here, (and I hope I will not be considered 
 otistical or self praise, to include myself) , were a gay set. 
 leir temperatures and habits, in some instances, were as wide 
 the poles, but there was a kind of affinity, a congeniality of 
 rits between them, that they were more like brothers in 
 ility than brothers in arms, and all might be considered a 
 hip of the old block. " Nor would our dearly beloved, kind, 
 
432' HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 generous hearted Colonel Rutherford, when ofifduty, feel him- 
 self too much exalted to take a "spin with the boys" when 
 occasions and circumstances admitted. Many, many have 
 been the jolly carousals these jolly knights enjoyed while 
 passing through some town or city. The confinement and 
 restrictions of camp life induced them, when off duty and in 
 some city, to long for a "loosening of the bit" and an ebullition 
 of their youthful spirits. 
 
 Judge Pope, continuing, says: "In the spring of 1864 I,ong- 
 street's soldiers were orde.ed from East Tennessee, to join Lee 
 in Virginia, and it follows that there was joy in the camp 
 among the soldiers, for who does not love Virginia? In route 
 the command was halted in Lynchburg, and what was more 
 natural for the fun-loving, jovial members of the old brigade, 
 after being isolated so long, cut off from civilization as it 
 seemed to them, shut up in the gorges of the mountains, than 
 to long for a breath of fresh air — to wish for the society and 
 enjoy the hospitality of the fair ladies of old Virginia, espe- 
 cially the quaint old city of Lynchburg. With such feelings, 
 two handsome and gallant Captains of the Third Regiment' 
 applied for and obtained leave of absence for the day. I will 
 call this jolly couple John and Gus. To say that these two 
 young Captains — one of the right and the other of the left 
 color company — were birds rare, would scarce express it. 
 They were both in their 'teens,' and small of statue withal. 
 They were two of the youngest, as well as the smallest, officers 
 in the brigade. Notwithstanding their age and build, they 
 would not hesitate to take a 'bout' with the strongest and the 
 largest. As one would say to the other, 'When your wind 
 fails you, I will leg him.' Now, these two knights, out on a 
 lark and lookout for adventure, did not hesitate to shie their 
 castors in the ring and cross lances the first opportunity pre- 
 sented. No doubt, after being a while with the famous Sancho 
 Panza at the wine skins, they could see as many objects, 
 changed through enchantment, as the Master Dan Quixotte 
 did, and demanded a challenge from them. In walking up a 
 side street in the city, they, as by enchantment, saw walking 
 just in front of them, a burly, stout built man, dressed out in 
 the finest broad cloth coat. What" a sight for a soldier to see ! 
 a broad cloth coat!" and he a young man of the army age. 
 Ye gods was it possible. Did their eyes deceive them, or had 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 433 
 
 they forgotten this was a Sabbath day, and the city guard was 
 accustomed to wear his Sunday clothes. There were a set of 
 semi-soldiers in some cities known as "city guards," whose 
 duties -consisted of examining soldier's furloughs and passes in 
 cities and on trains. Their soft places and fine clothes were 
 poison to the -regular soldiers, and between whom, a friendly 
 and good natured feud existed. There was another set that 
 was an abomination to both, the gambler, who, by money or 
 false papers, exempted themselves. Richmond was their city 
 of refuge, but now and then one would venture out into a 
 neighboring town. 
 
 " 'Come out of that coat; can't wear that in the city to- 
 day,' was the first salutation the jolly knights gave the fine 
 dressed devotee of the blue cloth. 
 
 " 'What, do you wish to insult me?' indignantly replied the 
 man, turning and glaring at the two officers with the ferocity 
 of a tiger. 
 
 " 'Oh, no,' says John, 'we want that coat;' and instinctively 
 the young Captains lay hands upon the garment that gave so 
 much offense. 
 
 " 'Hands off me, you cowardly young rufiiansr 
 
 " 'Oh, come out of that coat,' replied the jolly couple. 
 
 " 'Rip, rip,' went the coat; 'biff, biff,' went the non-com- 
 battant's fist. Right and left he struck from the shoulders, to 
 be replied to with equal energy by the fists of the young men. 
 
 '■ 'Rip, rip,' goes the coat, 'bang, biff,' goes the fists. 
 Down in the street, over in the gutter, kicks and blows, still 
 'rip, rip,' goes the coat. 
 
 " 'Help!' cries the non-combatant. 
 
 " 'Yes,' cries Gus, 'help with the coat John.' 
 
 "The noise gathered the crowd. With the crowd came 
 Ivieu'enant H. L- Farley. The burly frame of Farley soon 
 separated the fighters. The gambler seeing his hopelessness 
 in the face of so much odds, rose to his feet, and made a dash 
 for liberty, leaving in the hands of each of the boys a tail of 
 the much prized coat, all 'tattered and torn.' The gambler 
 made quite a ludicrous picture, streaking it through town with 
 his coat-tails off. ' ' 
 
 This is Pope's story, but I will here tell the sequel which 
 was not near so amusing to me. 
 
 Sometime afterwards, the writer and participant in the fray 
 28 
 
434 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 of the "coat-tail" was slightly wounded, and was sent to 
 I^ynchburg to the hospital, formerly a Catholic college, if I 
 am not mistaken. After being there for a time, with my 
 wounded bi'other officers (this was a hospital for officers alone) 
 I became sufl&ciently convalescent to feel like a stroll through 
 the city. I, felt a little tender, lest I might meet unexpectedly 
 my unknown antagonist and erstwhile hostile enemy; but one 
 night I accepted the invitation of a tall, robust-built Captain 
 from Tennessee (a room-mate, and also convalescent from a 
 slight wound) to take a stroll. Being quite small, friendless, 
 and alone, I did not object to this herculean chaparone. 
 After tiring of the stroll, we sauntered into a soldier's cheap 
 restaurant and called for plates. While we were waiting the 
 pleasure of "mine host," the tread of footsteps and merry 
 laughter of a crowd of jolly roisters met our ears, and in 
 walked some soldiers in the garb of "city police," and with the 
 crowd was my man of the "long coat-tail." My heart sank 
 into the bottom of my boots, my speech failed me, and I sat 
 stupified, staring into space. Should he recognize me, then 
 what? My thought ran quick and fast. I never once ex- 
 pected help from mj' old Tennesseean. As we were only 
 "transient" acquaintances, I did not think of the brotherhood 
 of the soldier in this emergency. The man of the "long coat" 
 approached our table and raised my hat, which, either by 
 habit or force of circumstances, I will not say, I had' the mo- 
 ment before pulled down over my eyes. 
 
 "Hey, my fine young man, I think I know 5'ou. Are'nt 
 you the chap that torn my coat sometime ago? Answer me, 
 sir," giving me a vigorous shake on the shoulder. "You are 
 the very d — n young ruffian that did it, and I am going to 
 give you such a thrashing as you will not forget." 
 
 I have never yet fully decided what answer I was going to 
 make — -whether I was going to say yes, and ask his pardon, 
 with t.he risk of a thrashing, or deny it — for just at that moment 
 the "tall sycamore of the Holston" reached out with his fist 
 and dealt my assailant a blow sufficient to have felled an ox of 
 the Sweetwater, pending the man reeling across the room, 
 the blood squirting and splattering, he said: 
 
 "Gfsntlemen, I came here with this boy, and whoever whips 
 him has first got to walk my log, and that is what few people 
 can do." 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 435 
 
 The old "sycamore" from Tennessee looked to me at that 
 precious moment as tall as a church steeple, and fully as large 
 around. In all my whole life never was a man's presence so 
 agreeble and his services so acceptable. It gave me a confi- 
 dfence in myself. I never felt before nor since.' His manly 
 features and giant-like powers acted like inspiration upon me, 
 and I felt for the time like a Goliah myself, and rose to my 
 feet to join in the fray. But my good deliverer pushed me 
 back and said: 
 
 "Stand aside, young man, I have tickets for both in here," 
 and with that he began to wield his mighty blows first here 
 and then there — first one and then another went staggering 
 across the room, until the crowd gathered outside and put an 
 end to the frolid. No explanations were given and none 
 asked. Taking me by the arm, the big Captain led me away, 
 saying, after we had gone some little distance: 
 
 "Young man, that was a narrow escape you made, and it 
 was lucky I was on hand." 
 
 He spoke with -so much candor and logic, that I did not 
 have the heart nor disposition to doubt or contradict it. 
 
 I would be willing to qualify before a grand jury to my 
 dying day that I had had a close call. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI 
 
 Leaves the Valley — Return to Early — Second 
 Valley Campaign. 
 
 On the 15th of September we began our return to Lee, 
 inarching about six miles south of Middleton. The next day 
 we took up the march again to within fifteen miles of Luray 
 Court House, then to within eleven miles of Sperryville, on 
 the turn-pike, between the two points. Virginia or that part 
 of it is blessed for her good roads on the main thoroughfares, 
 ^he road, from Staunton to the Potomac is one of the finest in 
 America, being laid with cobble stones the entire length, 
 upwards of one hundred and twenty-five miles. Then tjie 
 road engineers did one thing that should immortalize them, 
 that is in going around hills instead of over them, as in our 
 
436 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 State. Thone engineers of old worked on the theory that the 
 distance around a hill was no greater than over it, and much 
 better for travel. 
 
 Over the Blue Ridge at Thornton Gap and to within five 
 miles of Woodville, reaching Culpepper at three o'clock P. M., 
 the gth. our ears were greeted with the distant roar of artil- 
 lery, which proved to be our artillery firing at a scouting party 
 of United States cavalry. Ou through Cylpepper we marched, 
 to within one mile of Rapidan Station, our starting point of 
 near two months oefore. And what a fruitless march — over 
 the mountains, dusty roads, through briars and thickets, and 
 heat almost unbearable — fighting and skirmishing, with 
 nightly picketing, over rivers and mountain sides, losing 
 ofiicers, and many, too, being field officers captured. While 
 in camp here we heard of Early's disaster in the Valley, which 
 cast a damper over all the troops. It seems that as soon as 
 Sheridan heard of our detachment from Early's command he 
 planned and perfected a surprise, defeating him in the action 
 that followed, and was theu driving him out of the Valley. 
 Could we have been stopped at this point and returned to 
 Early, which we had to do later, it would have saved the 
 division many miles of marching, and perhaps further discom- 
 fiture of Early and his men. But reports had to be made to 
 the war department. 
 
 Orders came for our return while we were continuing our 
 march to Gordonsville, which place we reached on the 23rd of 
 September, at 4 o'clock, having been on the continuous march 
 for exactly fifty days. On the raorniug of the 24th we re- 
 ceived the orders to return to the relief of Early, and at day- 
 light, in a blinding rain, we commenced to retrace our steps, 
 consoling ourselves with the motto, "Do your duty, therein all 
 honor lies," passing through Barboursville and Standardville, 
 a neat little village nestled among the hills, and crossed the 
 mountain at Swift Run Gap. We camped about one mile of 
 the delightful Shenandoah, which, by crossing and recrossing 
 its clear, blue-tinged waters ^nd camping on its banks so often, 
 had become near and dear to all of us, and nothing was more 
 delightful than to take a plunge beneath its waters. But most 
 often we had to take the water with clothes and shoes on in 
 the dead of winter, still the name of the Shenandoah had 
 become classic to our ears. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 437 
 
 This report had been made over and over again, until it 
 became threadbare; but a cavalry ofiBcer thought it a feather 
 in his cap to report his defeat or repulse b}', "We met their in- 
 fantry." We made a junction with Early near Brown's Gap, 
 on the 26th, and camped at night with orders to be prepared 
 to march at daylight. The troops of Early's were in a depen- 
 dent mood, bul soon their spirits revived at the sight of Ker- 
 shaw's Division. We moved forward in the direction of Har- 
 risonburg, our duty being to guard the two roads leading 
 thereto. Early sent the other part of the army to the left and 
 forward of us, and in this order we marched on to Waynsboro. 
 Reaching there next day, the enemy's cavalry scattered when 
 our troops came in sight. We began, on October ist, moving 
 in the direction of the turn-pike, leading from Winchester to 
 Staunton, striking near Harrisonburg on the 6th. 
 
 The situation of Early had become so critical, the orders so 
 imperative to join him as soon as possible, that we took up the 
 march next morning at a forced speed, going twelve miles 
 before a halt, a feat never before excelled by any body of 
 troops during the war. When within two miles of Port 
 Republic, a little beyond its two roads leading off from that 
 place, one to Brown's Gap, we encountered the enemy's 
 cavalry. Here they made an attack upon our brigade, but 
 were repulsed at first fire from the infantry rifles. There was 
 one thing demonstrated during this war, that whatever might 
 have been accomplished in days of old, the cavalry on either 
 side could not stand the fire of the infantry. An 1 it seemed 
 that they had a kind of intuition of the fact whenever the 
 infantry was in their front. Nothing better . as an excuse did 
 a cavalry commander wish, when met with a repulse, than to 
 report, "We were driving them along nicely until we came 
 upon the enemy's infantry," then we had to give way." 
 
 We began the forward movement down the Valley on the 
 7th, the enemy slowly giving way as we advanced. We 
 passed through those picturesque Httle cities of the Valley, 
 Harrisonburg, New Market, and Woodstock, marching a day 
 or two and then remaining in camp that length of time to give 
 rest to the troops, after their long march. It must be remem- 
 bered we had been two months cut off from the outside world 
 —no railroad nearer than Staunton, the men being often short 
 of rations and barefooted and badly clad; scarcely any mail 
 
438 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 was received during these two months, and seldom a paper 
 ever made its appearance ,;,in,Gampi,,, "W[e, ,9nly^ knewiithati Isee- 
 was holding his own. We reached and passed through Straus- 
 burg on the 13th, In the afternoon of this , (Jay,. j^.while we 
 were on the march, but at the tjm,e layipg ,bjr thg side of the 
 turn-pike, the enemy tried tp- capture some ot our artillery. 
 We had heard firing all day in' our front, but thought this the 
 effects of the enerny's ,sullen withdrawal. • While resting by 
 the road side, the enemy made a spirited attack upon the 
 troops in front. We were hurriedly rushed forward,, put, in. 
 line of battle, advanced through an uneven piece of ground, 
 and met the. enemy posted behind a hill in .-front. They 
 opened upon us at close range, killing and wounding quite a 
 number, but as soon as our brigade made the first fire, they 
 fled to a brick wall, running at an angle from the turn-pike, 
 General Connor fell at the first fire, badly wounded in the 
 knee, from the effects of, which he lost his leg; and never 
 returned, only to bid his brigade farewell in the pine, regions 
 of North Carolina. Colonel Rutherford being next in com- 
 mand, advanced the troops to the top of the hill and halted. 
 In going out in front to reconnoitre in the direction of the 
 stone wall, a party of the enemy, who had concealed them- 
 selves behind it, rose and fired, mortally wounding the gallant 
 and much beloved Colonel. A charge was made, and the 
 enemy fled to a thicket of pine timber and made their escape. 
 This was a bloody little battle for the brigade, and some of 
 its loss was irreparable. We halted after driving the enemy 
 away, and at night withdrew to Fisher's Hill and camped for 
 the night. Fisher's Hill is a kind of bluff reaching out from 
 the Massanutten Mountain on our right; at its base ran Cedar 
 Creek. It is a place of great natural strength. In the pres- 
 ence of some of his friends Colonel Rutherford passed away 
 that night, at one o'clock, and his remains were carried to his 
 home by Captain Jno. ' K. Nance. General Connor had his 
 leg amputated. The brigade was without a field officer of 
 higher grade than Major, and such officer being too inexperi- 
 enced in the handling of so large a number of men. Major 
 James Goggans, of the division staff, was ordered to its com- 
 . maud. While some staff, officers may be as competent to 
 handle troops in the field as the commanders themselves, still 
 in our case it was a lamentable failure. Major Goggans was a 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 439 
 
 good Staff officer, a graduate of West Point, but he was too old 
 and inexperienced to command troops of such vigor ahd enthu- 
 siasm as the South Carolinians who composed Kershaw's 
 Brigade. 
 
 We remained a short time oil Fisher's Hill, throwing up 
 some slight fortifications. Kershaw's Brigade was encamped 
 in a piece of woods on the left of the turn-pike as you go 
 north. 
 
 COLONEL WILLIAM DRAYTON RUTHERFORD. 
 
 Colonel William Drayton Rutherford was the son of Dr. 
 Thomas B. Rutherford and Mrs. Laura Adams Rutherford, 
 his wife. He was born on the 21st of September, 1837, in 
 Newberry District, South Carolina. By his father he was a 
 descendant of Virginians, as well as of that sturdy and patri- 
 otic stock of Germans who settled what was known as the 
 "Fork." By his mother he was a descendant of the New 
 England Adams family — what a splendid boy and man he 
 was! He was educated in the best schools in our State, and 
 spent somethne abroad. At the sound of arms he volunteered 
 and was made Adjutant of the Third South Carolina Infantry. 
 At the reorganization of the regiment, in May, 1862, he was 
 elected Major of his regiment. When Lieutenant Colonel B. 
 Conway Garlington was killed at Savage Station, June 29th, 
 1862, Rutherford became Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment. 
 When Colonel James D. Nance fell in the battle of the Wil- 
 derness, on the 6th day of May, 1864, he became Colonel of 
 the Third South Carolina Regiment. He was a gallant 
 officer and fell in the front of his regiment at Strausburg, Va., 
 on the 13th of October, 1864. 
 
 He married the beautiful and accomplished Miss Sallie H. 
 Fair, only daughter of Colonol Simeon Fair, in March, 1862, 
 and the only child of this union was "the daughter of the 
 regiment." Kate Stewart Rutherford, who is now Mrs. 
 George Johnstone. 
 
 Colonel Rutherford was in the battles of First Manassas, 
 Williamsburg, Savage Station, Malvern Hill, First Fredericks- 
 burg (i2th December, 1862, where he was badly wounded), 
 Knoxville, Wilderness, Brock's Road (and other battles about 
 Spottsylvania), North Anna Bridge, Second Cold Harbor, 
 Deep Bottom, Berry ville, and Strausburg. 
 
440 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 He was a delight to his friends, by reason of his rare intelli- 
 gence, warm heart, and generous impulses; to his family, 
 because he was always so considerate of them, so affectionate, 
 and so brimfuU of courtesy; but to his enemies (and he never 
 made any except among the viceous) , he was uncompromis- 
 ingly ^fierce. 
 
 I will state here that General James Connor had been in 
 command of the brigade for about two or three months. 
 Colonel Kennedy, the senior officer of the brigade, being 
 absent on account of wounds received at the Wilderness. 
 There is no question but what General Connor was one of the 
 best officers that South Carolina furnished during the war. 
 But he was not liked by the officers of the line or the men. 
 He was too rigid in his discipline for volunteers. The soldiers 
 had become accustomed to the ways and customs of Kershaw 
 and the officers under him, so the stringent measures General 
 Connor took to prevent straggling and foraging or any minor 
 misdemeanor was not calculated to gain the love of the men. 
 All, however, had the utmost confidence in his courage and 
 ability, and were willing to follow where he led. Still he was 
 not our own Joseph Kershaw. Below I give a short sketch of 
 his life. 
 
 GENERAI, JAMES CONNOR. 
 
 General James Connor, .son of the late Henry Connor, was 
 born in Charleston, S. C. , ist of September, 1829. Graduated 
 at the South Carolina College, 1849, same class with D. Wyatt 
 Aiken, Theo G. Barker, C. H. Simonton, and W. H. Wallace 
 (Judge). Read law with J. L. Pettigrew. Admitted to the 
 bar in 1852. Practiced in Charleston. Appointed United 
 States District Attorney for South Carolina in 1856, Hon 
 A. G. Magrath then District Judge. As District Attorney, 
 prosecuted Captain Carrie, of the "Wanderer," who had 
 brought a cargo of Africans to the State; also prosecuted T. J. 
 Mackey for participation in Walker's filibustering expedition. 
 Always justified the expectations of his friends in their high 
 opinion of his talents and marked ability in all contingencies. 
 Resigned as District Attorney in December, i860. Was on 
 the committee with Judge Magrath and W. F. Colcock, charged 
 to urge the Legislature to call a convention of the people to 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 441 
 
 consider the necessity of immediate Secession, and upon the 
 passage of the Secession Ordinance, prepared for active service 
 in the army. But upon the formation of the Confederate 
 States Government he was appointed Confederate States of 
 America District Attorney for South Carolina, but declined. 
 Went into the service as Captain of the Montgomery Guards, 
 and in May, i86i, was chosen Captain of the Washington 
 Light Infantry, Hampton Legion. In July, 1861, he became 
 Major, and in June, 1863, was appointed Colonel of the 
 Twenty-second North Carolina Volunteers. Being disabled 
 for field duty, temporarily, was detailed as one of the judges- 
 of the military court of the Second Army Corps. With rank 
 of Colonel, June, 1864, was commissioned Brigadier General, 
 and by assignment commanded McGowan's and Laws' Bii- 
 gades. Subsequently, as Acting Major General, commanded 
 McGowan's, Laws', and Bushrod Johnson's Brigades. On 
 return of McGowan to duty, was assigned permanently to 
 command of Kershaw's Brigade. 
 
 He engaged in the following battles: Fort Sumter, First 
 Manassas, Yorktown, New Stone Point, West Point, Seven 
 Pines, Mechanicksville, Chancellorsville, Riddle's Shop, 
 Darby's Farm, Fossil's Mill, Petersburg, Jerusalem, Plank 
 Road, Reams' Station, Winchester, Port Republic, and Cedar 
 Run. Severely wounded in leg at Mechanicsville and again 
 at Cedar Run, October 12th, 1864. Leg amputated. 
 
 Returning to Charleston after the war, he resumed law 
 practice with W. D. Portier. Was counsel for the South 
 Carolina Railway. In 1878 was Receiver of the Georgia and 
 Carolina Railway. Was candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 
 1870. Elected Attorney General in 1876, re-sigued in 1877. 
 Was at one time since the war M. W. G. M. of the Grand- 
 Lodge of Masons in this State. 
 
 One of the most distinguished looking and fearless officers 
 of the Twentieth South Carolina Regiment was killed here. 
 Captain John M. Kinard. Captain Kinard was one of the 
 finest line officers in the command— a good disciplinarian and 
 tactician, and a noble-hearted, kind-hearted gentleman of the 
 "Old School." He was rather of a taciturn bend, and a man 
 of great modesty, but it took only a glimpse at the man to tell 
 
442 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of what mould and mettle he was made. I give a short sketch 
 of his life. 
 
 CAPTAIN JOHN MARTIN KINARD. 
 
 Captain John Martin Kinard was born July 5, 1833, in the 
 section of Newberry County tuown as the Dutch Fork, a set- 
 tlement of German emigrants, lying a few miles west of Poma- 
 ria. In 1838 his father, General Henry H. Kinard, was elected 
 Sheriff of Newberry County, and moved with his family to 
 the court house town of Newberry. Here Captain Kinard at- 
 tended school until he was about seventeen years old, when 
 he went to Winnsboro, S. C. , to attend the famous Mount 
 Zion Academy. He entered South Carolina College in 1852, 
 but left before finishing his college course to engage in farm- 
 ing, a calling for which he had had a passionate longing from 
 his boyhood days. Having married Mary Alabama, the 
 daughter of Dr. P. B. Ruff, he settled on his grandfather's 
 plantation now known as Kinards. While living here his 
 wife died, and a few years afterwards he married Lavinia 
 Elizabeth, the daughter of Dr. William Rook. 
 
 When the State called her sons to her defense, he answered 
 promptly, and enlisted as First Lieutenant in a company com- 
 manded by his uncle, John P. Kinard. His company was a 
 part of the Twentieth Regiment, Colonel Lawrence Keitt, and 
 was known as Company F. During the first years of the war 
 he was engaged with h s company in the defense of Charleston 
 Harbor, rising to the rank of Captain on the resignation of his 
 uncle. 
 
 While serving with his regiment in Virginia, to which place 
 it had been moved in 1864, Captain Kinard came home on 
 furlough. Very soon, however, he set out for the front again, 
 and was detailed for duty in the trenches around Richmond. 
 While engaged here he made repeated efforts to be restored to 
 his old company, and joined them with a glad heart in Octo- 
 ber, 1864. On the 13th of October, a few days after his 
 return, he warned his faithful negro body-guard, Ham Nance, 
 to keep near, as he expected some hot fighting soon. And it 
 came. The next day the enemy was met near Strausburg, and 
 Captain Kinard fell, with a bullet in his heart. He died the 
 death of the happy warrior, fighting as our Anglo-Saxon fore- 
 fathers fought, in the midst of his kinsmen and friends. Ham 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 443 
 
 Nance bore his body from the field, and never left it until he 
 returned it to his home in Newberry. 
 
 Captain Kinard left three children. By his first wife, a 
 daughter, Alice, now the wife of Elbert H. AuU, Esq. ; by his 
 second wife, two sons, John M. Kinard, Commandant of the 
 John M. Kinard Camp, Sons of Veterans, and James P. 
 Kinard. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII 
 
 Battle of Cedar Creek or Fisher's Hill, 19th 
 October, 1864. 
 
 After the retreat of the enemy across Cedar Creek, on the 
 13th, the brigade returned to Fisher's Hill, and encamped in 
 a beautiful grove. It was now expected that we would have a 
 long, sweet rest — a rest so much needed and devoutly wished 
 for, after two months of incessant marching and fighting. 
 The foragers now struck out right and left over the mountains 
 on either side to hunt up all the little delicacies these moun- 
 tain homes so abounded in — good fresh butter-milk, golden 
 butter— the like can be found nowhere else in the South save 
 in the valleys of Virginia — apple butter, fruits of all kinds, 
 and occasionally these foragers would run upon a keg of good 
 old mountain corn, apple jack, or peach brandy — a "nectar 
 fitting for the gods, " when steeped in bright, yellow honey. 
 These men were called "foragers" from their habit of going 
 through the country, while the army was on the march or in 
 camp, buying up little necessaries and "wet goods," and 
 bringing them into camp to sell or share with their mess- 
 mates. It mattered not how long the march, how tired they 
 were, when we halted for the night's camp, while others 
 would drop, exhausted, too tired to even put up their tents or 
 cook a supper, these foragers would overcome every obstacle, 
 climb mountains, and wade rivers in search of something to 
 eat or drink, and be back in camp before day. In every regi- 
 ment and in almost every company you could find these 
 foragers, who were great stragglers, dropping in the rear or 
 flanking to the right or left among the farm houses in search 
 
444 HISTORY X)F KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of honey, butter, bread, or liquors of some kind. Some of 
 these foragers in the brigade were never known to be without 
 whiskey during the whole war. Where, how, or when they 
 got it was as a sealed book to the others. These foragers, 
 too, when out on one of their raids, were never very particu- 
 lar whether the owner of the meat or spring house, or even 
 the cellar, was present or not, should they suspicion or learn 
 from outside parties that these places contained that for which ' 
 they were looking. If at night, they would not disturb the 
 old man, but while some would watch, others would be depre- 
 dating upon his pig pen, chicken roast, or milk house. It was 
 astonishing what a change in the morals of men army life 
 occesioned. Someone has said, "A rogue in the army, a 
 rogue at home;" but this I deny. Sometimes that same 
 devilish, school-boy spirit that actuates the truant to filch 
 fruit or melons from orchards of others, while he had abun- 
 dance at home, caused the soldier oftentimes to make "raids," 
 as they called these nocturnal visits to the farm houses out- 
 lying the army's track. I have known men who at home was 
 as honorable, honest, upright, and who would scorn a dishon- 
 est act, turn out to be veteran foragers, and rob and steal any- 
 thing they could get their hands on from the citizens, friend 
 or foe alike. They become to look upon all as "fish for a 
 soldier's net." I remember the first night on Fisher's Hill, 
 after fighting and marching all day, two of my men crossed 
 over the Massanutton Mountain and down in the I/uray Val- 
 ley, a distance of ten miles or more, and came back before day 
 with as unique a load of plunder as I ever saw. While in 
 some of the mountain gorges they came upon a "spring house" 
 a few hundred feet from the little cabin, nestled and hid in 
 one of those impenetrable caves, where the owner, no doubt, 
 thought himself safe from all the outside world. They had 
 little difBculty in gaining an entrance, but all was dark, so 
 kneeling down and examining the trough they found jars of 
 pure sweet milk, with the rich, yellow cream swimming on 
 top. This, of course, they could not carry, so they drank 
 their fill. While searching around for anything else that was 
 portable, they found a lot of butter in a churn, and to their 
 astonishment, a ten-gallon keg of peach brandy. Now they 
 were in the plight of the man who "when it rained mush had 
 no spoon." They had only their canteens, but there was no 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 445 
 
 funnel to pour through. But the mother of invention, as 
 usual, came to their assistance. They poured out the .milk in 
 the jars, filled two for each, and returned over the mountain 
 with a jar of brandy under each arm. The next morning I 
 found, to my surprise, hanging to the pole of my tent, my 
 centeen filled with the choicest brandy. Whiskey sold for 
 $1.00 per drink, so their four jars of brandy added something 
 to their mouth's pay. As a Captain of a company, I could 
 not give leave of absence, nor could I excuse ^ny who left 
 camp against orders or without permission. So I had it 
 understood that should any of my men wish to undertake a 
 foraging expedition, not to ask my permission, but go; and if 
 they did not get caught b}' outside guards, I would not report 
 nor punish them, but if they got caught, not to expect any 
 favors or mercy at my hands. While I never countenanced 
 nor upheld foraging, unless it was done legitimately and the 
 articles paid for, still When a choice piece of mutton or pork, 
 a mess tin of honey, or canteen of brandy was hanging on my 
 rifle pole in the morning, I onlj' did what I enjoined on the 
 men, "say nothing and ask no question." And so it was 
 with nearly all the Captains in the army. And be it said to 
 the credit of the Southern troops, pilfering or thieving was 
 almost an unknown act while camping in our own country. 
 It was only done in the mountains of Virginia or East Tennes- 
 see, where the citizens were generally our enemies, and who 
 were willing to give aid and comfort to the Federals, while to 
 the Southern troops they often denied the smallest favors, and 
 refused to take our money. 
 
 On the night of the i8th of October we received orders to 
 prepare for marching at midnight. No drums were to be 
 beaten, nor noise of any kind made. From this we knew an 
 advance was to be made, as Gordon's Division had orders to 
 march soon after nightfall. The most profound secrecy, the 
 absence of all noise, from rattling of canteens or tin cups, were 
 enjoined upon the men. They were to noiselessly make their 
 way over the spur of the Massanutton Mountain, which here 
 butted out in a bold promontory, dividing the Shennandoah and 
 the Luray Valleys, and strike the fenemy in the flank away to 
 our right. The other divisions were to be in readiness to 
 attack as the roll of battle reached their front or right. The 
 enemy was posted on an almost impregnable position on the 
 
446 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 bluff overlooking Cedar Creek, while in their rear was a vast 
 plateau of several miles in extent. The enemy's breastworks 
 were built of strong timbers, with earth thrown against them, 
 with a deep trench on the inside, being deeper from the bot- 
 tom of the trench to the top of the works than the heights of 
 the soldiers when standing. Thus a step of three or four feet 
 was built for the troops to stand on and fire. The breastworks 
 wound in and out with the creek, some places, jutting out 
 almost to the very brink; at others, several hundred yards in 
 the rear; a' level piece of bottom land intervening. This, ridge 
 and plateau were some fifty feet or mors above the level of the 
 creek, and gave elegant position for batteries. In front of this 
 breastwork, and from forty to fifty feet in breadth, was an 
 abattis constructed of pine trees, the needles stripped, the 
 limbs cut and pointed five to ten feet from the trunks. These 
 were packed and stacked side by side and on top of each other, 
 being almost impossible for a single man even to pick his way 
 through, and next to impossible for a line of battle to cross 
 over. All along the entire length of the fortifications were 
 built great redoubts of earthwork in the form of squares, the 
 earth being of sufficient tickness to turn any of our cannon 
 balls, while all 'around was a ditch from twelve to fifteen feet 
 deep — only one opening in the rear large enough to admit the 
 teams drawing the batteries. Field pieces were posted at 
 each angle, the infantry, when needed, filled the space be- 
 tween. These forts were built about two hundred yards 
 apart, others being built in front of the main line. This I 
 believe was the most completely fortified position by nature, 
 as well as by hand, of any line occupied during the war, and 
 had the troops not been taken by surprise and stood their 
 ground, a regiment strung out could have kept an army at 
 bay. 
 
 General Gordon's troops left camp earlier than did Ker- 
 shaw's, beginning their winding march at single file around 
 the mountain side, over the great promontory, down in the 
 plain below, through brush and undergrowth, along dull trails, 
 catching and pulling themselves aloUg by the bushes ahd 
 vines that covered the rough bordei's and ledges of the moun- 
 tain. Sometime after midnight Kershaw moved out across 'the 
 turn-pike in the direction of the river, the Second South' Caro- 
 lina in front, under Captain McCulcheon; then the Third, 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 447 
 
 under Major Todd; then the Eighth, Twentieth, Fifteenth, 
 and the Seventh. The James' or Third Battalion having 
 some months before been organized into brigade sharpshooters, 
 adding two companies to it, preceded the brigade, and was to 
 charge the fords and capture the pickets. When near the 
 river the brigade was halted, and scouting parties sent ahead 
 to see how the land lay. A picked body moved cautiously 
 along in front, and when all was in readiness, a charge was 
 made — a flash, a report or two, and the enemy's out post at 
 this point was ours. As we were feeling our way along the 
 dull road that led to this ford, one poor fellow, who had been 
 foremost in the assault on the pickets, was carried by us on a 
 Httpr. Nothing but a low, deep groan was heard, which told 
 too plainly that his last battle had been fought. The river 
 crossed, the brigade continued iu columns of fours, moving 
 rapidly forward that all would be in readiness bj the time 
 Gordon's guns opened to announce that he was in position and 
 ready. 
 
 Now our line of battle was formed, and never before or since 
 was the brigade called in action with so few officers. Not a 
 Colonel, nothing higher than a Major, in the entire brigade, 
 the brigade itself being commanded by a staff officer, who had 
 never so much as commanded a company before. At the close 
 of the day there were but few officers in the command of the 
 rank of Captain even. 
 
 Just at the beginning of dawn we heard the guns of Gordon 
 belching forth far to our right. The cannon corps of the 
 enemy roused up from their slumbers and met the attack with 
 grape and cannister, but Gordon was too close upon them, the 
 assault so sudden, that the troops gave way. Nearer and 
 nearer came the roll of battle as each succeeding brigade wa 
 put in action. We were moving forward in double-quick to 
 reach the line of the enemy's breastworks by the time the 
 brigade on our right became engaged. Now the thunder of 
 their guns is upon us; the brigade on our right plunges 
 through the thicket and throw themselves upon the abattis in 
 front of the works and pick their way over them. All of our 
 brigade was not in line, as a part was cut ofE by an angle in 
 Cedar Creek, but the Second and Third charged through an 
 open field in front of the enemy's line. As we emerged from 
 a thicket into the open we could see the enemy in great com- 
 
448 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 motion, but soon the works were filled with half-dressed troops 
 and they opened a galling fire upon us. The distance was too 
 ^reat' in this open space to take the works by a regular ad- 
 -vance in line of battle, so the men began to call for orders to 
 "charge." Whether the order was given or not, the troops 
 with one impulse sprang forward. When in a small swale or 
 depression in the ground, near the center of the field, the 
 abattis was discovered in front of the works. Seeing the im- 
 possibility to make their way through it under such a fire, the 
 troops halted and returned the fire. Those behind the works 
 would raise their bare heads above the trenches, fire away, 
 regardless of aim or direction, then fall to the bottom to re- 
 load. This did not continue long, for all down the line from 
 our extreme right the line gave way, and was pushed back to 
 the rear and towards our left, our troops mounting their works 
 and following them as they fled in wild disorder. "Over the 
 works, cross over," was the command now given, and we 
 closed in with a dash to the abattis — over it and down in the 
 trenches — before the enem}' realized their position. Such a 
 sight as met our eyes as we mounted their works was not often 
 seen. For a mile or more in every direction towards the rear 
 was a vast plain or broken plateau, with not a tree or shrub in 
 sight. Tents whitened the field from one end to the other for 
 3. hundred paces in rear of the line, while the country behind 
 was one living sea of men and horses — all fleeing for life and 
 safety. Men, shoeless and hatless, went flying like mad to 
 the rear, some with and some without their guns. Here was 
 a deserted battery, the horses unhitched from the guns; the 
 caissons were going like the wind, the drivers laying the lash 
 all the while. Cannoneers mounted the unhitched horses 
 barebacked, and were straining every nerve to keep apace 
 with caissons in front. Here and there loose horses galloped 
 at will, some bridleless, others with traces whipping their 
 flanks to a foam. Such confusion, such a panic, was never 
 witnessed, before by the troops. Our cannoneers got their 
 guns in position, and enlivened the scene by throwing shell, 
 grape, and cannister into the flying fugitives. Some of the 
 captured guns were turned and opened upon the former own- 
 ers. Down to our left we could see men leaving the trenches, 
 while others huddled close up to the side of the wall, displaying 
 a white flag. Our ranks soon became almost as much disor- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADS. 449 
 
 ganized as those of the enemy. The smoking breakfast, just 
 ready for the table, stood temptingly inviting, while the 
 opened tents displayed a scene almost enchanting to the eyes of 
 the Southern soldier, in the way of costly blankets, overcoats, 
 dress uniforms, hats, caps, boots, and shoes all thrown in wild 
 confusion over the face of the earth. Now and then a suttler's 
 tent displayed all the luxuries and dainties a soldier'a heart 
 could wish for. All this fabulous wealth of provisions and 
 clothing looked to the half- fed, half-clothed Confederates like 
 the wealth of the Indies. The soldiers broke over all order 
 and discipline for a moment or two and helped themselves. 
 But their wants were few, or at least that of which they could 
 carry, so they giab a slice of bacon, a piece of bread, a blanket, 
 or an overcoat, and were soon in line again following up the 
 enemy. There was no attempt of alignment until we had 
 left the breastworks, then a partial line of battle was formed 
 and the pursuit taken up. Major Todd, of the Third, having 
 received a wound just as we crossed the works, the command 
 of the regiment devolved on the writer. The angle of the 
 creek cutting off that portion of the brigade that was in rear, 
 left the Second and Third detached, nor could we see or hear 
 of a brigade commander. The troops on our right had ad- 
 vanced several hundred yards, moving at right angle to us, 
 and were engaging the enemy, a portion that had made a 
 stand on the crest of a hill, around an old farm house. Not 
 knowing what to do or where to go, and no orders, I accepted 
 Napoleon's advice to the lost soldier, "When a soldier is lost 
 and does not know where to go, always go to where you hear 
 the heaviest firing." So I advanced the regiment and joined 
 it on the left of a Georgia brigade. Before long the enemy 
 was on the run again, our troops pouring volley after volley 
 into them as they fled over stone fences, hedges, around farm 
 houses, trying in every conceivable way to shun the bullets of 
 the "dreaded gray-backs." I looked in the rear. What a 
 sight! Here came stragglers, who looked like half the army, 
 laden with every imaginable kind of plunder — some with an 
 eye to comfort, had loaded themselves with new tent cloths, 
 nice blankets, overcoats, or pants, while others, who looked 
 more to actual gain in dollars and cents, had invaded the sut- 
 tler's tents and were fairly laden down with such articles as 
 they could find readiest sale for. I saw one man with a stack 
 29 
 
450 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 of wool hats on his head, one pressed in the other, until it 
 reached more than an arm's length above his head. Frying- 
 pans were enviable utensils in the army, and tin cups — these 
 articles would be picked up by the first who came along, to be 
 thrown aside when other goods more tempting would meet 
 their sight. 
 
 After getting the various brigades in as much order as possi- 
 ble, a general forward movement was made, the enemy mak- 
 ing only feeble attempts at a stand, until we came upon a 
 stone fence, or rather a road hedged on either side by a stone 
 fence, running parallel to our line of battle. Here we were 
 halted to better form our columns. But the halt was fatal — 
 fatal to our great victory, fatal to our army, and who can say 
 not fatal to our cause. Such a planned battle, such complete 
 success, such a total rout of the enemy was never before expe- 
 rienced — all to be lost either by a fatal blunder or the greed of 
 the soldier for spoils. Only a small per cent, comparatively 
 was engaged in the plundering, but enough to weaken our 
 ranks. It was late in the day. The sharpshooters (Third 
 Battalion) had been thrown out in a cornfield several hundred 
 yards in our front. The men lay in the road behind the stone 
 fence without a dream of the enemy ever being able to rally 
 and make an advance. Some were inspecting their captured 
 plunder; others sound asleep, after our five miles' chase. 
 The sun was slowly sinking in the west. Oh, what a glorious 
 victory! Men in their imagination were writing letters home, 
 telling of our brilliant achievements — thirty pieces of artillery 
 captured, whole wagon trains of ordnance, from ten to twenty 
 thousand stands of small arms, horses and wagons, with all of 
 Sheridan's tents and camp equippage — all was ours, and the 
 enemy in full retreat! 
 
 But the scenes are soon to be shifted. Sheridan had been 
 to Winchester, twenty miles away. He hears the firing of 
 guns in the direction of Fi-sher's Hill, mounts his black 
 charger, and with none to accompany him but an orderly, he 
 begins his famous ride from Winchester. lybuder and louder 
 the cannon roar, faster and faster his faithful steed leaps over 
 the stoney pike, his rider plunging the steel rowels into the 
 foaming sides. Now he is near enough to hear the deep, roll- 
 ing sound of the infantry, accompanied by the dreaded Rebel 
 yell. He knew his troops were retreating from the sound he 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 451 
 
 hears. A few more leaps, and he comes face to face with his 
 panic stricken troops. The road was crowded, the woods and 
 fields on either side one vast swarm of fleeing fugatives. A 
 few of the faithful were still holding the Confederates at bay, 
 while the mass were seeking safety in flight. His sword 
 springs from its scabbard, and waving it over his head, he calls 
 in a loud voice, "Turn, boys, turn; we are going back." The 
 sound of his voice was electrical. Men halt, some fall, others 
 turn to go back, while a few continue their mad flight. A 
 partial line is formed, Sheridan knowing the effect of a show 
 of forward movement, pushes his handful of men back to meet 
 the others still on the run. They fall in. Others who have 
 passed the line in their rush, return, and in a few moments 
 this wild, seething, surging, panic stricken mass had turned, 
 and in well formed lines, were how approaching the cornfield 
 and woods in which our pickets and skirmisliers lay, all un- 
 conscious of the mighty change — a change the presence of one 
 man effected in the morale of the routed troops. They rush 
 upon our sharpshooters, capturing nearly the whole line, kill- 
 ing Captain Whitner, the commander, and either capturing or 
 wounding nearly all the commissioned officers. Before we 
 knew it, or even expected it, the enemy was in our front, ad- 
 vancing in line of battle. The men hadn't time to raise a gun 
 before the bullets came whizzing over our heads, or battering 
 against the stone wall. We noticed away to our right the 
 lines give way. Still Kershaw's Brigade held their position, 
 and beat back the enemy in our front. But in the woods on our 
 left some troops who were stationed there, on seeing the break 
 in the line beyond us, gave way also. Someone raised the cry 
 and it was caught up and hurried along like all omens of ill 
 luck, that "the cavalry is surrounding us." In a moment our 
 whole line was in one wild confusion, like ' 'pandemonium 
 broke loose." If it was a rout in the morning, it was a stam- 
 pede now. None halted to listen to orders or commands. 
 I/ike a monster wave struck by the head land, it rolls back, 
 carrying everything before it by its own force and power, or 
 drawing all within its wake. Our battle line is forced from 
 the stone fence. We passed over one small elevation, down 
 through a vale, and when half way up the next incline. Adju- 
 tant Pope, who was upon the staff of our brigade commander, 
 met the fleeing troops and made a masterly effort to stem the 
 
4S2 HISTORY- or EBRSHAW^a- DRI««««. 
 
 tide by gefcti-flg, s»me of the trcxJps in- lirie. Araurtd- hiiA wafe 
 formed-a nucleus, and the litfe begaW to lengthen on eittre* 
 side, unt^il \^e hdd- a very fair battle line when' the eneiny 
 reached tlie- brow of the hill we had- just passed We met 
 them with a stnniiiiigvoMej', that caused the line to-' reel atad 
 stagger back over the crest. Our lin&s were growing stronger 
 each moment. Pope wa.s bending ^11 his energies to make 
 Kershaw's Brigade solid, and was in a fair way to sutceeds 
 The troops that had passed, seeing a. stand being made, re- 
 turned, and kept up the fire. It was now hoped that the 
 other portion of the line would act likewise and come to our 
 assi-stance, and we furthfer knew that each moment we delayeid 
 the enemy would allow that much time for our wagon train 
 and artillery to escape. But just as all felt that we were hold- 
 ing our own, Adjutant Pope fell, badly wounded by a minnie 
 ball through the eye, which caused him to leave the field; 
 Then seeing no prospects of succor on our right or left, the 
 enemy gradually passing and getting in our rear, the last 
 great wave rolls away, the men break and fly, every man for 
 himself, without officers or orders— they scatter to the rear. 
 The enemy kept close to our heels, just as we were rising one 
 hill their batteries would be placed on the one behind, then 
 grape and caunister would sweep the field. There were no 
 tliickets, no lavine.s, no fences to shield or protect us. Every- 
 thing seemed to have been swept from off the face of the earth, 
 witli the exception of a lone farm house here and there; 
 Every man appeared to be making for the stone bridge that 
 spanned the creek at Strausburg. But for the bold, manly 
 stand made by Y. J. Pope, with a portion of Kershaw's 
 Brigade (the brigade commander was seldom seen during the 
 day), the entire wagon train and hundreds more of our troops 
 would have been lost, for at that distance we could hear 
 wagons, cannons, and caissons crossing, the stone bridge at a 
 mad gallop. But in the rush some wagons interlocked and 
 were overturned midway the bridge, and completely blocked 
 the only crossing for miles above and below. Teamsters and 
 wagoners leave their charge and rush to the rear. In the 
 small space of one or two hundred yards stddd deserted amba? 
 lances, wagons, and packs of artillery mules and horses, tan- 
 gled and still hitched, rearing and kicking-lifce mad, using all 
 their strength to unloosen themselves from the matted niaste of 
 
HiaCOHY OF tiSRSBjAJW'S BKHSABB. 468 
 
 vehicles, animals,. and mep, for ithe stook had caugbt up the 
 spirit of the .panic, aad were aager to keep up the race. A.s 
 by ^tuition, the flying. soldiers felt that tlie road^vay would be 
 blocked at thcbcidge over Cedar Creek, so they crossed the 
 tusn-'pike and bore to the left in order to reach the fordsabove. 
 As I reached the pifee, and just before entering a thicket 
 beyond, I glanced over my shoulder toward the rear. One 
 glance was .enough! On the hill beyond the enemy was plac- 
 ing batteries, the infantry in squads and singly blazing away 
 asTapidly as they could load and fire, the grape and cannister 
 falling and rattling upon the ground like walnuts thrown from 
 a basket. The whole vast plain in front and rear was dotted 
 with men running for life's sake, while over and among this 
 struggling mass the bullets fell like hail. How any escaped 
 was a wonder to the men themselves. The solid shot and 
 shell came bouncing along, as the boys would laughingly say 
 afterwards, "like a bob- tailed dog in high oats '—striking the 
 earth, perhaps, just l)el:iiid you, rebound, go over your head, 
 strike again, then onward, much like the bounding of rubber 
 balls. One ball, I remember, came whtzzin.- in the rear, and 
 I heard it strike, then rebound, to strike again just under or 
 so near my uplifted foot that I felt the peculiar sensation of 
 tile concussion , rise again, and strike a man twenty paces in 
 my front, tearing away his thigh, and on to another, hitting 
 him square in the back and tearing him into pieces. I could 
 only shrug my shoulders, close my eyes, and pull to the rear 
 stronger and faster.' 
 
 The sun had now set. A squadron of the enemy's cavalry 
 came at headlong speed down the pike; the clatter of the 
 horses hoofs upon the hard-bedded stones added to the panic, 
 and caused many who had not reached tlie roadway to fall and 
 surrender. About one hundred and fifty of the Third Regi- 
 ment had kept close at my heeis (or I had kept near their 
 front, I can't .say which is the correct explanation), with a 
 goodly number of Georgians and Missis.sippians, who had 
 taken refuge in a thicket for a moment's breathing spejl, 
 joining our ranks, and away we continued our race. We 
 commenced to bend our way gradually back towards the stone 
 bridge. But before we neared it sufficiently to distinguish 
 friend from foe, we heard the cavalry sobering our men, curs- 
 ing, commanding, and yelling, that we halted for a moment to 
 
454 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 listen and consult. In the dim twilight we could distinguish 
 some men about one hundred yards in front moving to and fro. 
 Whether they were friends, and like ourselves, trying to 
 escape the cavalry in turn and creep by and over the bridge, 
 or whether they were a skirmish line of the enemy, we could 
 not determine. The Captain of a Georgia regiment (I think 
 his name was Brooks), with four or five men, volunteered to 
 go forward and investigate. I heard the command "halt," 
 and then a parley, so I ordered the men to turn towards the 
 river. The coipmand oame.:after us to "halt, halt," but we 
 only redoubled our speed, while "bang, bang," roared their 
 guns, the bullets raining thick and fast over our head. I 
 never saw or heard of my new found friends again, and expect 
 they, like many captured that day, next enjoyed freedom after 
 I,ee and Johnston had surrendered. When we reached the 
 river it was :undefcided whether we could cross or not. So one 
 of my men, a good swimmer, laid off his accoutrement and 
 undertook to test the depth. In he plunged, and was soon 
 out of sight in the blue waters. As he arose he called out, 
 "Great God! don't come: in here if you don't want to be 
 drowned. This river has got no bottom." Our only alterna- 
 tive was to go still higher and cross above the intersection of 
 the north and south prongs of the Shenandoah, where it was 
 fordable. This we did, and our ranks augmented considerable 
 as we proceeded up the banks of the stream, especially when 
 we had placed the last barrier between us and the enemy. We 
 had ' representatives of every regiment in Early's Army, I 
 think, in our crowd, for we had no regiment, as it naturally 
 follows that a man lost at night, with a relentless foe at his 
 heels, will seek company. 
 
 We returned each man to his old quarters, and as the night 
 wore on more continued to come in singly, by twos, and by the 
 half dozens, until by midnight the greater portion of the army, 
 who had not been captured or lost in battle, had found rest at 
 their old quarters. But such a confusion! The officers were 
 lost from their companies — the Colonels from their regiments, 
 while the Generals wandered about without staff and without 
 commands. The officers were as much dazed and lost in con- 
 fusion as the privates in the ranks. For days the men re- 
 counted their experiences, their dangers, their hair-breadth 
 escapes, the exciting chase during that memorable rout in the 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 455 
 
 irning and the stampede in the evening, and all had to 
 igh. Some few took to the mountains and roamed for days 
 fore finding an opportunity to return; others lay in thickets 
 along the river banks, waiting until all was still and quiet, 
 ;n seek some crossing. Hundreds crowded near the stone 
 dge (the Federal pickets were posted some yards distance), 
 A took advantage of the darkness to cross over under the 
 ry nose of -the enemy. One man 'of the Fifteenth came face 
 face, with on? of the videttes, when a hand to hand encoun- 
 ■ took place — a-, fight in the dark to the very death — but 
 lers coming to the relief of their comrade beat the Confeder- 
 : to insensibility and left him for dead. Yet he crawled to 
 rer and lay concealed for a day and night, then rejoined his 
 fiment in, a sickening pligbt.- 
 
 A. man in my company, Frank Boozer, was struck by a 
 mcing bullet on the scalp and. fell, as was thought, dead, 
 lere he lay, while hundreds and hundreds trampled over 
 n, and it was near day when he gained consciousness and 
 ide his way for the mountain to the right. There he wan- 
 red along its sides, through its glens and gorges, now dodg- 
 r a farm house or concealing himself in some litile cave, 
 til the enemy passed, for it was known that the mountains 
 d hills on either side were scoured for the fugitives. 
 Captain Vance, of the Second, with a friend, Myer Moses, 
 d captured a horse, and they were making their way 
 rough the thickets, Moses in front, with Vance in rear, the 
 rkness almost of midnight on them. They came upon a 
 lad of Federal pickets. They saw their plight in a moment, 
 t Moses was keen-witted and sharp-tongued, and pretended 
 it he was a Yankee, and demanded their surrender. When 
 d that they were Federals, he seemed overjoyed, and urged 
 ;m to "come on and let's catch all those d — n Rebels.'' 
 t when they asked him a few questions he gave himself 
 ay. He was asked: 
 'What command do you belong to?" 
 
 'Eighty-seventh New York," Moses answered, without 
 sitation. 
 
 'What brigade?" "What division?" etc. "We have no 
 :h commands in this army. Dismount, you are our pris- 
 
 tTS." 
 
 But Captain Vance was gone, for at the very outset of the 
 
456 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 parley -he slid off behind and quietly made his escage. In 
 such emergendes it was no part -of valor to "stand -by yqnr 
 friend," for in that case both were lost, while otherwise one 
 was saved. 
 
 What was the cause of our panic, or who was toblame, none 
 ever knew. The blame was always laid at "somebody else's'.' 
 door. However disastrous to our army and our cause was this 
 stampede — the many good men lost (killed and captured) in 
 this senseless rout — yet I must say in all candor, that no occa- 
 sion throughout the war gave the men so much food for fun,, 
 ridicule, and badgering as this panic. Not one man but what 
 could not tell something amusing or ridiculous on his neigh- 
 bor, and even on himself The scenes of that^ day were the 
 "stock in trade" during the remainder of the war for laughter. 
 It looked so ridiculous, so foolish, so uncalled for to see 
 twenty thousand men running wildly over each other, as it 
 were, from their shadows, for there was nothing in our rear 
 but a straggling line of Federals, which one good brigade could 
 have put to rout. 
 
 Both Colonel Boykin and Lieutenant Colonel McMichael, of 
 the Twentieth, were captured and never returned to the ser- 
 vice, not being parolled until after the surrender. The Twen- 
 tieth was commanded by Major Leaphart until the close. 
 
 As Adjutant Pope never returned in consequence of his 
 wounds, I will give a few facts as to his life. No officer in 
 the army was parted with with greater reluctance than Adju- 
 tant Pope. 
 
 ADJUTANT YOUNG JOHN POPE. 
 
 Y. J. Pope was born in the town of Newberry, S. C, on the 
 loth of April, 1841. Was the son of Thomas Herbert Pope 
 and Harriett Neville Pope, his wife. He was educated in the 
 Male Academy, at Newberry, and spent six years at Furman 
 University, Greenville, S. C, from which institution he grad-. 
 uated in August, i860. After studying law under his uncle,. 
 Chief Justice O'Neall, he entered the Confederate Army on 
 April 13th, i86r, as First Sergeant in Company E, of Third 
 South Carolina Regiment of Infantry. He participated in the 
 battles of First Manassas and Williamsburg while in his com- 
 pany. In May, 1862, he was made Adjutant of the Third 
 South Carolina Regiment, and as such participated in the bat- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 457 
 
 ties of Sawage Station, Malvern sHill, Maryland Heights, 
 Sbarpsburgj lEirst Fredericksburg i(, where he was slightly 
 wounded), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (where he received 
 three wounds), Chickama.uga (where he was severely 
 wounded). Wilderness, Brock's Road and other battles around 
 Spottsylvania Court House, North Anna River Bridge, Second 
 Cold Harbor, Berry ville (where he was shot through the 
 mouth), Strausburg, and Cedar Creek, on the 19th of October, 
 1864, where he lost his left eye, which was totally destroyed 
 by a mi nnie. bullet. 
 
 Since the war he has been elected Mayor of his native town 
 at five elections. He was elected by the I/Cgiblature District 
 Judge of Newberry, in December, 1865, ^.nd served as such 
 until June, 1868, when Radicals abolished that office. He was 
 elected to the House of Representatives of his State in the 
 year 1877, and was by the Joint Assembly of the IvCgislature 
 elected Associate Counsel for the State to test the legality of 
 State bonds, when more than two million dollars were saved 
 the State. He was elected State Senator in 1888, and served 
 until he was elected Attorney General of the State, in 1890. 
 He served in this office until the 3rd of December, 1891, 
 when he was elected Associate Justice of Supreme Court of the 
 State, and on the 30th of January, i'896, he was unanimously 
 re-elected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of South 
 Carolina. 
 
 On the 3rd of December, 1874, he married Mrs. Sallie H. F. 
 Rutherford. By this union there were two daughters, Mar3^ 
 Butler Pope and Neville Pope, The former died in October, 
 1893, and left a wound which has never healed. 
 
 During a part of the year 1864 Adjutant Pope served on the 
 brigade staff as Assistant Adjutant General, and was acting in 
 this capacity when he received the wound that incapacitated 
 him from further service in the field. 
 
 Lieutenant U. B. Whites, formerly of my company, but 
 later in command of Company G, Third Battalion, writes a 
 very entertaining sketch of prison life, which I very willingly 
 give space to, so that the uninitiated may have . some idea of 
 prison life, and the pleasure of being called "fresh fish" by 
 the old prison "rats." Lieutenant Whites was a gallant sol- 
 dier and a splendid officer. He was what is called in common 
 
458 HISTORY OF KERSHA-W'S BRIGADE. 
 
 parlance "dead game" in battle and out. He is a commercial 
 man, and at present a member of the South Carolina colony of 
 Atlanta, Ga. 
 
 HOW IT FEELS TO BE TAKEN A PRISONER OF WAR. 
 
 After being flushed with the most signal victory of more 
 than half a day's fighting, and while gloating over the bril- 
 liant success and planning and scheming future glories, and 
 after having captured a great number of Federal soldiers, to- 
 gether with a large number of field pieces, and then in turn to 
 be captured yourself, especially after having boasted and 
 affirmed oftentimes that you never would be taken a prisoner 
 unless sick or wounded,, is exceedingly humiliating, to say the 
 least of it, and the feelings of such an one can better be imag- 
 ined than described.- Yet such was the exact condition of the 
 writer on the evening of October 19th, 1864, at the battle of 
 Strausburg, or as it is known at the present day among the 
 veterans, "Early's Stampede." 
 
 It is proper to note here that the writer was a line officer 
 belonging to Company H, Third Regiment South Carolina 
 Volunteers, but several months previous had been assigned to 
 command a company of "picked" men made from the various 
 companies and regiments of the old brigade (Kershaw's), and 
 this company was assigned to duty in the Third Battalion. 
 This battalion was to do the skirmishing and sharpshootiug for 
 the brigade. This explanation is necessary in order that the 
 reader may better understand mj' position and place when 
 captured. 
 
 Late in the afternoon of this exciting day General I^hil 
 Sheridan succeeded in rallying his. routed columns and led the 
 attack on our line. Our skirmish line was in excellent condi- 
 tion. We had no trouble in effectually resisting and driving 
 back the enemy's skirmish line. When within short range of 
 our rifles we opened fire, and for nearly half an hour held 
 them in check, while they fairly rained lead into our ranks. 
 The command "retreat" was given, and we retired, firing. 
 During the retreat brave Captain Whitener was killed. I ral- 
 lied the remnant of my company in rear of the Third South 
 Carolina. General Kershaw rode rapidly up to where I had 
 rallied what few men I had left and enquired for Captain 
 Whitener. I replied, "He is killed. General." He then 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 459 
 
 ordered 'me to take what few I had and could gather and 
 double-quick to a point on the extreme left of his division. 
 When I arrived at the point designated, which was in thick 
 woods, to my horror I found the place literally alive with 
 Yankees. I had double-quicked right into the midst of the 
 "blue bellies." "Surrender," came in tones of thunder. I 
 stood amazed, astonished beyond conception. "Surrender," 
 again came the command. There was absolutely no alterna- 
 tive. There was no chance to fight and' less chance to run. 
 My brave boys and I were prisoners of war. , This was one of 
 the consequences of war that I had never figured upon, and 
 was wholly unprepared for it. I said to the officer who de- 
 manded my sword that I would rather give him my right arm. 
 He preferred the sword and got one — I had two, having cap- 
 tured one that morning. Just then an unusual incident 
 occurred. 
 
 "Hello, Lieutenant Whites, my old friend, I am glad to see 
 you." 
 
 I looked and recognized a Federal Sergeant, whom I had 
 befriended while en route with him and many other Federal 
 prisoners from East Tennessee to Richmond. I replied: 
 
 "My dear fellow, I know, under the circumstances, you will 
 excuse me when I tell you that I am truly sorry that I cannot 
 return the compliment." 
 
 I was ordered to the rear under guard of one soldier. I 
 was turned over to the provost guard. My other sword was 
 demanded. Of course I gave it up without a word. My emo- 
 tions were too intense for utterance. I was a disarmed, help- 
 less prisoner of war. My feelings can better be described by 
 relating an incident which occurred later on. After L,ee's 
 surrender, a few uncompromising, unconquered Confederates 
 attempted to make their way to Johnston's Army in North 
 Carolina. The way was full of obstacles, and one of the 
 party, nearly overcome, sat with his elbows on his knees and 
 his face in his hands, when a comrade accosted him with — 
 
 "Hello, John, what is the matter with you?" 
 
 "O, I was just thinking," replied John. 
 
 "Well, what in the world were you thinking so deeply 
 about that you were lost to every other environment?" 
 
 "Well, Jim, to tell you the truth, I was thinking I wished I 
 was a woman." 
 
460 HIS5CQRY OF ,KERSHA,W'S 3HIGADE. 
 
 '.'(Wish you were a womaQ! Great ScQtts, John, are you 
 gone crazy? A -brave soldier iHke you wishing to ^be a 
 womanl" 
 
 "Now, Jim, I'll tell you the truth; if I .were a woman I 
 could jugt cry as much as I pleased, and no one would think 
 that I was a fool." 
 
 I felt very much like John. I wished I was a woman, so 
 that I could cry as much as I pleased. • 
 
 That night all the prisoners were marched to General Sheri- 
 dan's headquarters, where we went into camp without supper. 
 Some said their prayers, while others cursed the Yankees 
 inaudibly, of course. Next morning we were lined up and 
 counted. Eleven hundred Confederates answered at Sheri- 
 dan's roll call. It looked like Kershaw's whole Brigade was 
 there, though there were many Georgians among us. Sheri- 
 dan then inspected the prisoners, and at his personal instance 
 — -shame be it said to his memorj — we were all robbed of our 
 good blankets and dirty, worn out ones given in their stead. 
 
 After the inspection by Sheridan, we began the march (we 
 knew not where to) under a heavy guard —a whole regiment 
 of infantry to guard eleven hundred prisoners. This guard 
 was old soldiers, who knew how to treat a prisoner. They 
 were kind to us. Nothing of special interest occurred on this 
 day. We arrived at Winchester about sundown. We got 
 some rations, ate supper, lay down to sleep, when we were 
 hurriedly aroused and ordered to "fall in line quickly," "fall 
 in," "fall in." 
 
 "What is the trouble?" I ventured to ask. 
 
 "Mosby! Mosby is coming." 
 
 The name of Mosby was a holy terror to the Federals in 
 that part of Virginia. Silently we prayed that Mosby might 
 make a dash and rescue us. All night long we vainly listened 
 for the clatter of the hoops of Mosby's troopers. But, alas! 
 Mosby did not come. The rumor was false. We took up the 
 night march under double guard. A line of cavalry was 
 placed outside the already heavy infantry guard. The night 
 was dark and drizzly — a good night to escape, had not the 
 guard been so heavy. There were two infantry guards to 
 every four prisoners, besides the outer cavalrj' guard. The 
 hope of an escape was a forlorn one, but I made the attempt 
 and succeeded in passing both guards, but in my ecstacy I 
 
HISTORY OF EE!RSHA"W'S BHIGA'BE. 461 
 
 foolisHly ran in the dark, and' rati right squarely agtiinst a 
 plank fence with so much force as to attract the attention of a 
 cavalryman, who was soon at my side and escorted me back 
 with a "d — n you, stay in your place." Several prisoners 
 more fortunate than myself did succeed in making their escape 
 in the darkness. 
 
 The guards had kindly informed us that at Harper's Ferry 
 we would be searched and relieved of all valuables, and if we 
 had a knife or anything that we desired to retain, they would 
 keep it for us until after the search. This promise they 
 sacredly kept. The search, or robbery as I call it, was very 
 rigid. Like vandals, they searched every pocket and relieved 
 us of all money, pocket-books, knives, keys, and every other 
 thing, except our tobacco. I beat them a little, notwithstand- 
 _ ing their rigid search. I had a five-dollar greenback note in- 
 side of my sock at the bottom of my boot. This they failed to 
 find. 
 
 From Harper's Ferry to Baltimore, the trip was by rail at 
 night. The guard had now been greatly reduced, only eight 
 to each coach. They had got plenty of whiskey for them- 
 selves and for all who wanted it. We were having a jolly 
 good time. At this point, knowing that we were in a friendly 
 part of Maryland, I conceived the idea of making a dash for 
 the guns of the guard, uncoupling the rear coaches, put on the 
 brakes, and make our escape across the Potomac. This plan 
 was quietly communicated to all the prisoners in this the rear 
 coach. All agreed to the plan, except Lieutenant Colonel 
 McMichael, of the Twentieth South Carolina Regiment. He 
 protested so strongly that the plan was abandoned. The trip 
 from this on to Fort Delaware was without incident or special 
 interest. 
 
 On our arrival at Fort Delaware we were again subjected to 
 a rigid examination and search, and what few trinklets the 
 kind guards saved for us at Harper's Ferry, were now taken 
 away from us. I, however, saved my five-dollar greenback 
 note, which was safely esconced inside my sock at the bottom 
 of my foot. Here ofiScers and privates were separated and 
 registered, each as to command, rank, and state. The heavy 
 gates swung open with a doleful noise. We marched in amid 
 the shouts of the old prisoners, "fresh fish," "fresh fish." I 
 wanted to 'fight right then and there. I did not want to be 
 
462 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 guyed. I wanted sympathy, not guying. "Fresh fish" was 
 the greeting all new arrivals received, and I being an apt 
 scholar, soon learned to shout "fresh fish" as loud as a Texas 
 cowboy. 2 
 
 The heavy prison gates closed around with a dull sepulchra 
 sound, and prison life began in earnest, with Brigadier General 
 Schoeff master of ceremonies. The prison was in the shape of 
 an oblong square, with the "shacks" or "divisions" on the 
 long side and at the short sides or ends. At the other long 
 side was built a plank fence twelve or fifteen feet high. This 
 fence separated the officers and privates. Near the top of this 
 fence was erected a three-foot walk, from which the strictest 
 guard was kept over both "pens" day and night. Fifteen 
 feet from this plank fence on either side was the "dead line." 
 Any prisoner crossing the "dead line" was shot without being 
 halted. There was not an officer shot during my eight 
 months' sojourn there, but it was a frequent occurrence to 
 hear the sharp report of a guard's rifle, and we knew that 
 some poor, unfortunate Confederate soldier had been murdered. 
 The cowardly guards were always on the lookout for any sem- 
 blance of an excuse to shoot a "d — n Rebel." 
 
 There was a rigid censorship placed over all mail matter 
 being sent from or received at the "pen." All letters were 
 read before being mailed, and all being received were sub- 
 jected to the same vigilant censorship. They were all opened 
 and read by an official to see that they contained nothing 
 "contraband of war." Money was "contraband." Only 
 such newspapers as suited the fastidious taste of General 
 Schoeff were permitted to come inside the "pen." The 
 officers and privates were supposed to be strictly "incommu- 
 nicado," but even these found means of communication. The 
 open, spacious courts on both sides of the separating fence, on 
 fair days, were always thronged with men taking exercise. 
 A short note — a small piece of coal was the "mail coach" — 
 the route was the "air line" — the note securely tied to the 
 piece of coal, and at an opportune moment, when the guard's 
 face was in a favorable direction, the "mail" passed over the 
 "air line" into the other pen, and vice versa. This line kept 
 up a regular business, but was never detected. 
 
 A large majority of prisoners (officers) had some acquaint- 
 ance, friend, or relative in Baltimore, New York, or other 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGAUK. 463 
 
 Northern cities, who would gladly furnish money or clothing 
 to them. Provisions were not permissible under the rules and 
 regulations of the prison authorities. Baltimore, especially, 
 and New York did much toward relieving the burdens of 
 prison life. Such inestimable ladies as Mrs. Mary Howard, of 
 Baltimore, and Mrs. Anna Hoffman, of New York, deserve an 
 everlasting monument of eternal gratitude for the great and 
 good service rendered the unfortunate Confederate prisoners. 
 These philanthropic ladies, with hundreds of other sympathiz- 
 ing men and women of the North, kept many of us furnished 
 with money and clothing. The money itself we were not per- 
 mitted to have. In its stead the prison officials issued the 
 amounts of money on bits of parchment in denominations of 
 five cents, ten cents, twenty-five cents, fifty cents, and one 
 dollar peices. This was the prison currency. The prison 
 name for it was "sheepskin." The prison officials would not 
 allow us to have the "cold cash," lest we should enter into a 
 combination and bribe an important guard, thereby effecting 
 an escaoe. The "sheepskin" answered every other purpose 
 for trade. We had a suttler who was a suttler right. He was 
 a real, genuine, down-east Yankee. He loved money ("sheep- 
 skins" were money to him), and he would furnish us with 
 anything we wanted for plenty "sheepskins." He would 
 even furnish whiskey "on the sly," which was positively pro- 
 hibited by the prison regulations. He had only to go to head- 
 quarters at the close of the day and have his "sheepskins" 
 cashed in genuine greenbacks, and he went away happy and 
 serene, to dream of more "sheepskins." 
 
 The amusements and diversions of prison life are wonderful 
 to contemplate. They were numerous and varied. A man 
 could find anything to suit his inclinations. Of all the many 
 diversions, gaming was probably the most prominent, and 
 stands at the head of the list. By common consent, it seemed 
 that a certain part of the open court was set aside for gaming 
 purposes. It made no difference how severe the weather was, 
 these gaming tables were always in full blast. A man could 
 amuse himself with any game at cards that he desired. There 
 were "farrow bank," "chuck-a-luck," "brag," "eucher," 
 "draw poker," "straight poker," "seven-up." "five-up," and 
 most prominent of all, a French game, pronounced in Fort 
 Delaware "vang-tu-aug," meaning twenty-one. All these 
 
464 HISTORY op' KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 were games for "sheepskin^"' — bets, five cents; limit, ten 
 cents. All were conducted on a high plane of honor. If a 
 dealer or player was detected in attempting anything- that was 
 unclean, he was tried in court, convicted, and punished. 
 
 There were courts and debating societies; classes in French, 
 Spanish, and Greek. There were Bible students arid students 
 in the arts and sciences prosecuting their varied studies. The 
 gutta-percha ring-makers were quite numerous, and it was 
 really astonishing to see the quality of the work turned out, 
 being handsomely engraved and inlaid with silver. There 
 were diversion and amusement for everybody and every class 
 of men, except croakers and grumblers. They had no lot, 
 parcel, or place, and such characters were not permitted to in- 
 dulge in their evil forebodings. They had to be men, and 
 real live men, too. The reader may desire to know whence all 
 the books, cards, materials, etc., came. I answer, from the 
 Yankee suttler, for "sheepskins." 
 
 It must be said to the credit of the Federal prison ofl&cials, 
 that the sanitary and hygienic arrangements were as near per- 
 fect as man could well make them. These officials Were ex- 
 ceedingly jealous of the health of the place. In fact, it was 
 ■often thought they were unnecessarily strict in enforcing their 
 hygienic rules. Everything had to be thoroughly clean. 
 Cleanliness was compulsory. A laundry machine was fur- 
 nished, and a kind of laundrying was accomplished. Blankets 
 were required to be dusted and sunned regularly. Every few 
 weeks the whole army of prisoners were turned out into the 
 cold, and there remained until the "shacks" were thoroughly 
 white-washed, both inside and outside. This work was per- 
 formed by "galvanized Yankees." A "galvanized Yankee" 
 was a Confederate prisoner who had "s^wallowed the yellow 
 pup," i. e., had taken the oath of allegiance to the United 
 States Government. These men were looked upon even by 
 the Federal officers as a contemptiole set, and were required to 
 do all kinds of menial service. 
 
 The water was good and plentiful. There could be no just 
 criticism along this line. I am constrained to believe that it 
 was owing to these stringent health laws that the percentage 
 of sickness was so very small. Of course, I can only speak of 
 the officers in Fort Delaware. 
 
 The prison fare is the mo,st difficult, as well as unpleasant, 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 465 
 
 part of prison life of which to treat. However, I will give the 
 simple facts, and allow the reader to draw his own conclusions 
 as to the justice and necessity for such treatment. To say 
 that the fare was entirely insufficient, is putting it mildly, and 
 would not be more than might be expected under similar cir- 
 cumstances and conditions; but the reader will more fully 
 understand the situation when this insufiBciency is exemplified 
 by the facts which follow. Think of being compelled to live 
 on two ounces of meat and six ounces of bread per day. Yet 
 this was a prison ration for us towards the close of the war. 
 This was totally inadequate to appease hunger. Men who had 
 no other means of procuring something to eat were nearly 
 starved to death. They stalked about listlessly, gaunt look- 
 ing, with sunken cheeks and glaring eyes, which reminded 
 one of a hungry ravenous beast. Hungry, hungry all the 
 time. On lying down at night, many, instead of breathing 
 prayers of thankfulness for bountiful supplies, would lie down 
 invoking the most severe curses of God upon the heads of the 
 whole Federal contingent, from President L,incoln down to the 
 lowest private. Hunger makes men desperate and reckless. 
 The last six or eight months of the war the fare was much 
 worse than at any time previous. It was at this period that 
 the Federal administration was retaliating, as they claimed, 
 for the treatment their prisoners were receiving at Anderson- 
 ville, Ga. 
 
 This inhuman condition of affairs was absolutely brought 
 about by the United States Government itself bj' positively 
 refusing time and again an exchange of prisoners, and it can 
 not escape the just odium and stigma of the inhuman treat- 
 ment, the untold sufiering, and" agonies of both the Confeder- 
 ate and Union prisoners of war. 
 
 As already observed, there were not a great number of 
 officers who suffered so intensely, but there were some, who, 
 like nearly all the privates, had no friends or acquaintances in 
 the North to render any assistance, and they suffered greatly. 
 Of course, we endeavored to relieve one another as far as we 
 could. Often have I and others given our entire day's ration 
 from the mess hall to some brother officer less fortunate than 
 ourselves. I have seen an officer peal an apple, throw the 
 pealing upon the ground, and immediately an unfortunate one 
 ■would pick it up and ravenously devour it. There were a 
 30 
 
466 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 great many wharf rats burrowing under the plank walks 
 which traversed the open court of the prison. These rodents 
 are much larger than our common barn rats, and they were 
 eagerly sought by the starving officers. There was a general 
 warfare declared on the wharf rat in prison. When these rats 
 were taken and being prepared, the odor arising therefrom 
 was certainly tempting to a hungry man, and when ready they 
 were eaten with a keen relish. The rats did not require any 
 of Lee's and Perin's Worcester sauce to make them palatable, 
 or to give them zest. This will give the reader some idea of 
 the straits to which some of the Confederate officers, and nearly 
 all the privates, in prison at Fort Delaware were reduced to 
 by gaunt hunger. 
 
 I must here chronicle an event which I desire to go down in 
 history. After being in prison and being hungry for about 
 two months, I received a letter, addressed in a lady's hand- 
 writing, to "Lieut. U. B. White, Division 28, Fort Delaware," 
 and postmarked "Baltimore, Md." My surprise was great, 
 but on opening it and finding the writer's name to be "Mrs. 
 Mary Howard, of Lexington Avenue, Baltimore," my surprise 
 was unbounded. I knew no such person as Mrs. Mary 
 Howard, and, in fact, at that time I did not know a soul in 
 Baltimore. I felt sure that there must be some mistake about 
 it. I read and re-read that letter. I scrutinized and exam- 
 ined the address again and again. It was plain, except that 
 the final "s" in my name was wanting, which was and is, to 
 my mind, a very natural and correct omission. Mrs. Howard 
 said in her letter that she had been informed that I was a pris- 
 oner of war and that I was in Division Twenty-eight, Fort 
 Delaware, and that I was in need of both money and clothing, 
 and that if this was true she would be glad to relieve my 
 wants. I immediately answered that letter. I said to Mrs. 
 Howard that her information was only too true, which I very 
 much regretted. From that time my hunger was appeased 
 and my nakedness cljid. Thirty-five years have elapsed since 
 Mrs. Mary Howard wrote that letter, and to-day it is as much 
 of a mystery to me as it was on the day I received it — by 
 whom or by what means or device Mrs. Howard ever found 
 out who I was, or what my condition and circumstances were, 
 I will never know. She and I corresponded regularly during 
 the balance of my prison life, and for sometime after the war 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 467 
 
 ■when I returned to South Carolina, and yet that mystery was 
 never explained. Mrs. Mary Howard! Grand, noble, heroic. 
 Christian woman! "She hath done what she could." 
 Through her agency and her means and her efforts she not 
 only assisted and relieved me, but hundreds of other poor, 
 helpless Confederate prisoners. To-day she is reaping her 
 sublime reward, where there are no suffering, hungry, starv- 
 ing prisoners to relieve. God bless her descendants! 
 
 When General L,ee surrendered we refused to believe it, 
 notwithstanding the prison was flooded with various news- 
 papers announcing the fact, and the nearby cities were illumi- 
 nated, the big guns were belching forth their terrific thunder 
 in joy of the event. However, the truth gradually dawned 
 . upon us, and we were forced to realize what we at first thought 
 impossible — that T^ee would be forced to surrender. A few 
 days later we were all ordered into line, and oflBcially notified 
 of General Lee's surrender. The futility of further resistence 
 was emphasized, and we were urgently requested to take the 
 oath of Allegiance to the United States Government. This 
 was "a bitter pill," "the yellow pup," to swallow, and a very 
 few solemnly complied. The great majority still had a forlorn 
 hope. Generals Johnston, Kirby Smith, Mosby, and others 
 were still in the field, and it seemed to be a tacit understand- 
 ing, that we would never take the oath of allegiance as long as 
 one Confederate ofiicer contended in the field. 
 
 Finally, when there was no disguising the fact that General 
 Johnston and all others had honorably surrendered — that all 
 was lost — on the igth day of June, 1865, the last ba*ch of 
 ofccers in prison took the oath of allegiance to the United 
 States Government, bade farewell to Fort Delaware, and in- 
 scribed on its walls, on its fences, in books, and divisions the 
 French quotation, "Font est perdeu I'honeur" — All is lost 
 but honor. 
 
 "A prison! Heavens, I loath the hated name. 
 Famine's metropolis, the sink of shame, 
 A nauseous sepulchre, whose craving womb 
 Hourly inters poor mortals in its tomb; 
 By ev'ry plague and ev'ry ill possessed, 
 Ev'n purgatory itself to thee's a jest; 
 Emblem of hell, nursery of vice, 
 . 'Thou iCrawling university of lice; 
 \yhen yy;retches immb^rlgss to ease, Jheii; pa,ins, 
 
468 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 With smoke and all delude their pensive chains. 
 How shall I avoid thee? or with what spell 
 Dissolve the enchantment of thy magic cell? 
 Ev'n Fox himself can't boast so many martyrs, 
 As yearly fall within thy wretched quarters. 
 Money I've none, and debts I cannot pay. 
 Unless my vermin will those debts defraj-. 
 Not scolding wife, nor inquisition's worse; 
 Thou'rt ev'rv mischief crammed into one curse.'' 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 Leave the Valley for the Last Time — October 
 20th to December 31st, 1864. 
 
 The retreat froru Fisher's Hill to New Market will never be 
 forgotten by those who participated therein as long as they 
 live. To recapitulate the movements of the last thirty-six 
 hours and reflect upon what had been accomplished, it seems 
 beyond human endurance. No retreat in history, even the fa- 
 mous retreat of Xenophon. while of greater duration and under 
 different Lircumstances, still it did not equal that of Early dur- 
 ing the same length of time. From midnight of the i8th the 
 troops were in line, crossing the river some miles in the dis- 
 tance before daylight, storms and take.s the enemy's lines by 
 nine o'clock, incessant fighting for five or six miles (either 
 fighting or on the run), then a stampede of the same distance, 
 then back across the river and to camp, a two hours' halt, a 
 forced march of thirty-five miles — making over fifty miles in 
 all — without eating or drinking, only as could be "caught up" 
 on the march or run. Up the valley this routed, disorganized 
 rabble (it could not be called an array) marched, every man as 
 he saw fit, here a General at the head of a few squads called 
 regiments, or a Colonel or Captain with a few men at his heels, 
 some with colors and some without; here a Colonel without a 
 man, there a score or two of men without a commissioned of- 
 ficer. A great number had abandoned their arms and accou- 
 trements, others their scanty baggage. Some regiments had 
 lost their whole supply trains that hauled their cooking 
 utensils and provisions. Then we could see artillerymen with 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 409 
 
 ing but a few jaded horses, their cannons and caissous left 
 le general upheaval and wreck at the Stone Bridge, or on 
 ield of battle; Quartermasters, with their teamsters riding 
 ading their horses, their wagons abandoned or over run by 
 rs in the mad rush to escape across the bridge before it 
 blocked. Along the road loose horses roamed at will, 
 e the sides of the pike were strewn with discarded blankets, 
 flies, oilcloths and clothing, the men being forced to free 
 iselves of all surplus incumbrances in order to keep up 
 the moving mass. At one place we passed General Early, 
 3g on his horse by the roadside, viewing the motley crowd 
 passed by. He looked sour and haggard. You could see 
 he expression of his face the great weight upon his mind, 
 leep disappointment, his unspoken disappointment. What 
 yesterday a proud, well-disciplined army that had accom- 
 led during the first part of the day all, or more, that evea 
 nost sanguine General could have expected — crossed rivers, 
 ed themselves over the liiountains, ussaulted and surprised 
 nemy who lay in feeling security behind almost impregna- 
 'ortifications, routed and driven them from the field, cap- 
 ig almost the whole camp equipage with twenty field 
 ;s — now before him poured, the sauje victorious army, 
 en, stampeded, without order or discipline, all the fruits of 
 )ry and his own camp equipage gone, his wngon trains 
 idoned, the men without arms, his canuoneers without cnn- 
 •y and every color trailing in the dust. And what caused 
 The sudden change from v ctory to defeat. It was not 
 want of Generalship, for General Early had wi.sely planned, 
 as not for lack of courage of the troops, for that morning 
 had displayed valor and over come obstacles which 
 Id have baffled and dismayed less bold spirits. Was it for 
 superior gallantry of the enemy's troops or the superior 
 sralship of their adversary ? The latter was awry, and the 
 er had been routed from their entrenchments by the bayo- 
 )f the Confederates. Sheridan did not even hope to stop 
 victorious march, only to check it sufiiciently to enable 
 to save the remnant of his army. A feeble advance, a 
 c strikes our army, and all is lost, while no individual, 
 ;r, brigade, or regiment could be held responsible. It 
 /s that once a panic strikes an army all discipline is lost, 
 nothing but time will restore it. For nearly one hundred 
 
470 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 years historians have been framing reasons and causes of Na- 
 poleon's Waterloo, but they are as far from the real cause to- 
 day as they were the night of the rout. It will ever remain 
 the same sad mystery of Early at Cedar Creek. Men are, in 
 some respects, like the animal, and especially in large bodies. 
 A man, when left alone to reason and think for himself, and 
 be forced to depend upon his own resources, will often act dif- 
 ferently than when one of a great number. The "loss of a 
 head" is contageous. One will commit a foolish act, and oth- 
 ers will follow, but cannot-tell why. Otherwise quiet and un- 
 obtrusive men, when influenced by the frenzy of an excited 
 mob, win commit violence which in their better moments their 
 hearts would revolt and their consciences rebel against. A 
 soldier in battle will leave his ranks and fly to the rear with no 
 other reason than that he "saw others doing the same, and fol- 
 lowed. 
 
 The stampede ot Early was uncalled for, unnecssary, and 
 disgraceful, and I willingly assume my share of the blame and 
 shame. My only title to fame rests upon my leading the Third 
 South Carolina Regiment in the grandest stampede of the 
 Southern Army, the greatest since Waterloo, and I hope to be 
 forgiven for saying with pardonable pride that I led them re- 
 markably well to the rear for a boy of eighteen. A General 
 could not have done better. 
 
 We passed the little towns and villages of the Valley, the 
 ladies coming to their doors and looking on the retreat in si- 
 lence. Were we ashamed ? Don't ask the pointed question,, 
 gentle reader, for the soldiers felt as if they could turn and 
 brain every Federal soldier in the army with the butt of his 
 rifle. But not a reproach, not a murmur from those self-sacri- 
 ficing, patriotic women of the Valley. They were silent, but 
 sad — their experience during the time the enemy occupied the 
 Valley before told them they had nothing to expect but insult 
 and injury, for their bold, proud Virginia blood would not suf- 
 fer them to bend the knee in silent submission. Their sons 
 and husbands had all given themselves to the. service of their 
 country, while rapine and the torch had already done its work 
 top thoroughly to fear it much now or dread its consequences. 
 But the presence alone of a foreign foe on their threshold was 
 the bitterness of gall. 
 
 On reaching New Market, men were gathered together in 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 471 
 
 regiments and assigned to campitig grounds, as well as the dis- 
 organized state of tte array would allow. All night long the 
 stragglers kept coming in, and did so for several days. We 
 were suffering for something to eat more than anything else. 
 Rations of corn were issued, and this was parched and eaten, 
 or'beaten up, when parched, and a decoction which the soldiers 
 called "coffee" was made and drunk 
 
 The trdops retuained in camp until the last of October, then 
 began their march to rejoin lyee. The campaign of . Early in 
 the Valley had been a failure, if measured by the fruits of vic- 
 tory. If, however, to keep the enemy from occupying the 
 Valley, or from coming down on the north or rear of Richmond 
 •was the object, then it had accomplished its purpose, but at a 
 heavy loss and a fearful sacrifice of life. We arrived at Rich- 
 mond early in November, and began building winter quarters 
 about seven miles from the city, on the extreme left of the 
 army. Everything north of the James continued quiet along 
 •our lines for a month or more, but we could hear the deep bay- 
 ing of cannon continually, away to our right, in the direction 
 of Petersburg. 
 
 When we had about finished our huts we were moved out of 
 them and further to the right, in quarters that Hoke's Division 
 had built. These were the most comfortable quarters we occu- 
 pied during the war. They consisted of log huts twelve by 
 fourteen, thoroughly chinked with mud and straw, some cov- 
 ered with dirt, others with split boards. We had splendid 
 breastworks in front of us, built up with logs on the inside 
 and a bank of earth from six to eight feet in depth on the out- 
 side, a ditch of three or four feet beyond and an escarpment 
 inside. At salients along the line forts for the artillery were 
 built, but not now manned, and in front of our lines and 
 around our forts mines or torpedoes were sunk, which would 
 explode by tramping on the earth above them. 
 
 At these mines were little sticks about three feet long stuck 
 in the ground with a piece of blue flannel tied to the end to 
 attract the attention of our pickets going out. But hundreds 
 ■of white sticks, exactly like those above the mines, were stuck 
 into the earth every three feet for a distance of forty feet all 
 around, but these were marked red instead of blue. This was 
 so that the enemy, in case of a charge, or spies coming in at 
 night, could not distinguish harmless stakes from those of the 
 
472 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 torpedo. We picketed in front and had to pass through where 
 these stakes were posted single file, along little paths winding 
 in and out among them. The men were led out and in by 
 guides and cautioned against touching any, for fear of mistake 
 and being blown up. It is needless to say these instructions 
 were carried out to the letter and no mistake ever made. On 
 several occasions, even before we had our first quarters com- 
 pleted, a report would come occasionally that the enemy was 
 approaching or quartered near our front, and out we would go 
 to meet them, but invariably it proved to be a false alarm or 
 the enemy had retired. Once in December the enemy made a 
 demonstration to our right, and we were called out at night to 
 support the line where the attack was made. After a few 
 rounds of shelling and a few bullets flying over our heads (no 
 harm being done) , at daylight we returned to our camp. Our 
 lines had been so extended that to man our works along our 
 front we had not more than one man to every six feet. Still 
 with our breastworks so complete and the protection beyond 
 the line, it is doubtful whether the enemy could have made 
 much headway against us. All the timber and debris in our 
 front for more than one thousand yards had been felled or 
 cleared away. 
 
 The ladies of Richmond had promised the soldiers a great 
 Christmas dinner on Christmas day, but from some cause or 
 other our dinner did not materialize. But the soldiers fared 
 very well. Boxes from home were now in order, and almost 
 every day a box or two from kind and loving frienrls would 
 come in to cheer aud comfort them. Then, too, the block- 
 aders at Wilmington and Charleston would escape the Argus 
 eyes of the fleet and bring in a cargo of shoes, cloth, sugar, 
 cofiee, etc. Even with all our watchfulness and the vigilance 
 of the enemy on the James, that indefatigable and tireless Jew, 
 with an eye to business, would get iuto Richmond with loads 
 of delicacies, and this the soldier managed to buy with his 
 "Confederate gray backs." They were drawing now at the 
 rate of seventeen dollars per month, worth at that time about 
 one dollar in gold or one dollar and seventy cents in green- 
 backs. The Jews in all countries and in all times seemed to 
 fill a peculiar sphere of usefulness. They were not much of 
 fighters, but they were great "getters." They would undergo 
 any hardships or risks for gain, and while our government 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 473 
 
 Y not have openl)' countenanced their traffic, still it was 
 ught they "winked" at it. I do know there were a lot of 
 's in Richmond who could go in and out of our lines at 
 I. Sometimes they were caught, first by one army and 
 Q by another, and their goods or money confiscated, still 
 y kept up their blockade running. I was informed by one 
 jeneral Gary's staff officers since the war, that while they 
 e doing outpost duty on the lower James, Jews came in 
 ly with passports from the authorities at Richmond, author- 
 ig them to pass the lines. On many occasions they claimed 
 y were robbed by our pickets. Once this officer allowed 
 I Jews to pass out of the lines, with orders to pass the 
 kets, but soon they returned, saying they were robbed, 
 leral Gary, who could not tolerate such treachery, had the 
 a called up and the Jews pointed out the men who had 
 ndered them. But the men stoutly denied the charge, and 
 h supported the other in his denials, until a search was 
 ered, but nothing was found. They cursed the "lieing 
 r" and threatened that the next time they attemipted to pass 
 y would leave them in the woods with "key holes through 
 m." "While at the same time," continued the officer, "I 
 [ so was General Gary satisfied these same men had robbed 
 m." 
 
 Ve were now again under our old commander, L,ieutenant 
 aeral Longstreet. He had recently returned to the army, 
 valescent from his severe wound at the Wilderness, and 
 > placed in command of the north side. Scarcely had he 
 jmed command, and prior to our arrival, before he was at- 
 sed.by General Butler, with twenty thousand men. He 
 eated him, sustaining little loss, with Fields' and Hokes' 
 isions, and Gary's Cavalry. Butler lost between one 
 usand two hundred and one thousand five hundred men. 
 ; year was slowly drawing to a closed with little percepti- 
 advantage to the South. It is true that Grant, the idol. 
 
 ideal of the North, had thrown his legions against the 
 ;rans of Lee with a recklessness never before experienced, 
 
 with a loss almost irreparable, still the prospects of the 
 ifederacy were anything but encouraging. Yet the child- 
 ; faith and confidence of the Confederate privates in their 
 se and in their superiors, that disaster and defeat never 
 ibled them nor caused them worry or uneasiness. General 
 
474 HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 
 
 Hood had gone on his wild goose chase through Middle Ten- 
 nessee, had met with defeat and ruin at F'ranklin and Nash- 
 ville; Sherman was on his unresisted march through Georgia, 
 laying waste fields, devastating homes with a vandalism un- 
 known in civilized warfare, and was now nearing the sea; 
 while the remnant of Hood's Army was seeking shelter and 
 safety through the mountains of North Georgia. Still Lee, 
 with his torn and tattered veterans, stood like a wall of granite 
 before Richmond and Petersburg. What a halo of glory 
 should surround the heads of all who constituted the Army of 
 Lee or followed the fortunes of Lougstreet, Hill, Ewell, and 
 Early. At Chickamauga, Chattanooga, East Tennessee, Wil- 
 derness, or wherever the plumes of their chieftains waved or 
 their swords flashed amid ihe din of battle, victory had ever 
 perched upon their banners. It Was only when away from the 
 inspiration and prestige of Longstreet did the troops of Ker- 
 shaw fail or falter, and only then to follow in the wake of 
 others who had vielded. 
 
 Owing to the casualties in battle during the last few months 
 and the disasters of the two Valley campaigns, many changes 
 in the personnel of the companies and regiments necessarily 
 took place, once we got fairly settled in camp. 
 
 Brigadier General Kershaw had been made . Major General 
 in place of General McLaws soon after the battle of the Wil- 
 derness. His Aid-de-Camp, Lieutenant Doby, having been 
 killed on that day, I. M. Davis, Adjutant of the Fifteenth, 
 was placed upon the personnel staff of the Major General. 
 
 Colonel John D. Kennedy, of the Second, having recovered 
 from the wounds received on the 6th of May, was promoted in 
 -place of General Connor to the position of Brigadier General. 
 
 The Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel of the Twentieth both 
 being captured on the 19th of October, Lieutenant Colonel 
 F. S. Lewie, of the Fifteenth, was assigned temporarily to the 
 command of the Twentieth. Captain G. Leaphart, senior 
 Captain, was afterwards promoted to Major, and commanded 
 the "Twentieth Army Corps" until the close of the war. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Stackhouse was made Colonel of the 
 Eighth after the death of Henagan, and either Captain 
 McLucas or Captain T. F. Malloy was promoted to Major (t 
 am not positive on this point). Captain Rogers was also one 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 475 
 
 of the senior Captains, and I think he, too, acted for a part of 
 the time as one of the field oflScers. 
 
 The Third Battalion was commanded by one of the Cap- 
 tains for the remainder of the war, Colonel Rice and Major 
 Miller both being permanently disabled for field service, but 
 still retained their rank and office. 
 
 There being no Colonel or Lieutenant Cubnel of the 
 Seventh, and Major Goggans having resigned soon after the 
 Wilderness battle, Captain Thomas Huggius was rai.sed to the 
 rank of Colonel. I do not remember whether any other field 
 officers of this regiment were ever appointed, but I think not. 
 Lieutenant John R. Carwile, who had been acting Adjutant 
 of the Seventh for a long time, Was now assigned to duty on 
 the brigade staff. 
 
 Captain William Wallace was promoted to Colonel of the 
 Second, with Captain T. D. Graham and B. F. Clyburn, 
 Lieutenant Colonel and Major respectively. 
 
 Colonel Rutherford, of the Third, having been killed on the 
 13th of October, and Lieutenant Colonel Maffett, captured a 
 short while before, Captain R. P. Todd was made Major, then 
 raised to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain J. K. G. 
 Nance, Major. 
 
 Many new Captains and Lieutenants were made, to fill the 
 vacancies occasioned by the above changes and deaths in bat- 
 tle, but I have not the space to mention them. 
 
 Our last Brigadier General, J. D. Kennedy, was a very good 
 officer, however, his kindness of heart, his sympathetic na- 
 ture, his indulgent disposition caused him to be rather lax in 
 discipline. There was quite a contrast in the rigidity of Gen- 
 eral Connor's discipline and the good, easy "go as you please" 
 of General Kennedy. But the latter had the entire confidence 
 of the troops, and was dearly loved by both officers and men. 
 He was quite sociable, courteous, and kind to all. The men 
 had been in service so long, understood their duties so well, 
 that it was not considered a necessity to have a martinet for a 
 commander. General Kennedy's greatest claim to distinction 
 was his good looks. He certainly was one of the finest look- 
 ing officers in the army. I fear little contradiction when I say 
 General Kennedy and Major W. D. Ptck, of the Quartermas- 
 ter Department, were two of the finest looking men that South 
 
476 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Carolina gave to the war. I give a short sketch of General 
 Kennedy. 
 
 GENERAL JOHN D. KENNEDY. 
 
 General John D. Kennedy was born in Camden, South Caro- 
 lina, January 5th, 1840, the son of Anthony M. and Sarah 
 Doby Kennedy. His mother was the grand-daughter of 
 Abraham Belton, a pioneer settler of Camden and a patriot sol- 
 dier in the Revolution. His father was born in Scotland, hav- 
 ing emigrated to the United States about the year 1830, at 
 which time he settled in Kershaw County, S. C, where he 
 married. (He has been engaged in planting and merchandising 
 for many years. Two sons and two daughters were the issue of 
 this marriage.) General Kennedy^obtained his early scholastic 
 training in the Camden schools, and in 1855, at the age of fif- 
 teen, entered the South Carolina College at Columbia. He 
 entered the law ofBce of Major W. Z. Leitner soon after, and 
 was admitted to practice in January, 1861, and in April of that 
 year joined the Confederate Army as Captain of Company E, 
 Second South Carolina Regiment, under the command of Colo- 
 nel J. B. Kershaw. In 1862 he was made Colonel of the Sec- 
 ond South Carolina Regiment, and in 1864 was promoted to 
 the rank of Brigadier General, and held that position to the 
 close of the war, having surrendered with General Johnston at 
 Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1865. General Kennedj' was 
 six times wounded, and fifteen times was hit by spent balls. 
 At the close of the war he resumed bis practice of law at Cam- 
 den, but abandoned it soon after and turned his attention to 
 farming. In 1877 he once more returned to the bar, and has 
 since been actively and prominently engaged in his practice. 
 In 1876 he was a member of the vState Democratic Executive 
 Committee, and was its chairman in 1878. In December, 1865, 
 he was elected to Congress, defeating Colonel C. W. Dudley, 
 but did not take his seat, as he refused to take the ironclad 
 oath. In 1878-9 he represented his county in the I^egislature, 
 and was Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elec- 
 tions. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of the State in 
 1880, and in 1882 was a prominent candidate for Governor, but 
 Colonel Hugh Thompson received'the nomination over General 
 Bratton and himself. He was elected Grand Master of the 
 Grand Lodge A. F. M. of South Carolina in 1881, and served 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 477 
 
 two years. As a member of the National Democratic Conven- 
 tion in 1876, he cast his vote for Tilden and Hendricks, and in 
 1884 was Piesidential Elector at large on the Democratic ticket. 
 President Cleveland sent him as Consul General to Shanghai, 
 China, in 1886. In 1890 he was Chairman of the State Ad- 
 visory Committee, of the straightout Democratic party. In 
 early life he was married to Miss Elizabeth Cunningham, who 
 died in 1876. In 1882 Miss Harriet Boykin became his wife. 
 
 The above is taken from Cyclopaedia of Eminent and Repre- 
 sentative Men of the Carolinas of the Nineteenth Century. 
 
 Notes on General Kennedy's life, furnished by one of his 
 soldiers : 
 
 He was born at Camden, S. C, January 5th, 1840. While 
 in his 'teens he became a member of the Camden Light In- 
 fantry, of which J. B. Kershaw was Captain; elected First 
 Lieutenant in i860. Upon the secession of South Carolina, 
 December 20th, i860. Captain Kershaw was elected Colonel of 
 the Second South Carolina Volunteers, and Lieutenant Ken- 
 nedy was chosen Captain of the Camden Volunteers, a com- 
 pany composed of members of the Camden Light Infantry and 
 those who united with them for service in the field. This com- 
 pany became Company E, Second South Carolina Volunteers, 
 was ordered to Charleston April 8th, 1861, and witnessed from 
 their position on Morris Island the siege of Fort Sumter, April 
 12th, 1861. The Second Regiment formed part of the First 
 Brigade, commanded by General M. L. Bonham, of the Army 
 of the Potomac, as the Confederate Army in Northern Virginia 
 was then called. In the spring of 1862 the troops who had 
 volunteered for twelve months reorganized for the war, the 
 Second South Carolina VoUmteers being, I believe, the first 
 body of men in the army to do so. At reorganization Captain 
 Kennedy was elected Colonel, in which capacity he served un- 
 til 1864, when he was promoted to the command of the brigade, 
 which he held until the close of the war. In 1862 the name 
 of the army was changed to the Army of Northern Virginia, 
 the Federals having called theirs the Army of the Potomac. 
 The Second was engaged in every battle fought by the army 
 in Virginia, from the first Manassas to Petersburg, except Sec- 
 ond Manassas, and was also in battle Of Chickamauga, battles 
 around Knoxville, Averysboro, and Bentonville, and surren- 
 dered at Greensboro April 27th, 1865. General Kennedy was 
 
478 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 in every battle in which his command was engaged, and was 
 wounded six times and struck fifteen times. He died in Cam- 
 den, S. C, April 14th, 1896. 
 
 COLONEL R. P- TODD. 
 
 Colonel R. P. Todd was born in Laurens County, about the 
 year 1838. Graduated at a literary college (I think theSputh 
 Carolina), read law, and entered upon the practice of his pro- 
 fession a year or two before the beginning of hostilities. At 
 the first call by the State for twelve months' volunteers. Colo- 
 nel Todd enlisted in the ''Laurens Briars," afterwards Com- 
 pany G, Third South Carolina Regiment, and was elected 
 Captain. He took his company with him into the Confederate 
 service, and at the reorganization iu 1862, was again elected 
 Captain. Was made Major in 1864 and Lieutenant Colonel in 
 the early part of 1865. He was in most of the great battles in 
 which the regiment was engaged, and was several times se- 
 verely wounded. He surrendered at Greensboro, N. C. 
 
 After the war he again took up the practice of law and con- 
 tinued it until his death, which took place several years ago. 
 He represented his county in the Senate of the State for one 
 term. 
 
 Soon after the close of the war he married Miss Mary 
 Farley, sister of General Hugh L- Farley, formerly Adjutant 
 and Inspector General of South Carolina, and of Captain Wil- 
 liam Farley, one of the riders of General Stuart, and a famous 
 character in John Estin Cook's historical romances. 
 
 Colonel Todd was a good officer, gallant soldier, and loyal 
 and kind to his men. He was a man of brilliant attainments 
 and one of the most gifted and fluent speakers in the brigade. 
 
 The writer regrets his inability to get a more enlarged 
 sketch of this dashing officer, talented lawyer, and perfect 
 gentleman. 
 
 CAPTAIN JOHN K. NANCE. 
 
 Captain John K. Nance was one of the most jovial, fun- 
 loving, light-hearted souls in the Third Regiment. He was 
 all sunshine, and this genial, buoyant disposition seemed to ,be 
 always caught up and reflected by all who came about him. 
 He was truly a "lover of. hia fellow-men," and was never so 
 happy as when surrounded by vjoUy companions and spirits 
 like his own. He was a great lov6r of outdoor sports, ,and, no 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 479 
 
 game or camp amusement was ever complete without this 
 rollicksome, good-natured knight of the playground. 
 
 He was born in Laurens County, in 1839. Graduated from 
 Due West College and soon afterwards joined the "Quitman 
 Rifles," Company E, of the Third Regiment, then being 
 organized by his kinsman, Colonel James D. Nance. He was 
 first Orderly Sergeant of the company, but was soon elected 
 Lieutenant. At the reorganization of his company, in 1862, 
 he was elected First Lieutenant, and on James D. Nance 
 being made Colonel of the Third, he was promoted to Cap- 
 tain. Many times during the service he was called upon to 
 command the regiment, and in the latter part of 1864 or the 
 first of 1865 he was promoted to Major. 
 
 Captain John K. Nance was one of the best officers upon the 
 driUground in the regiment, and had few equals as vSUch in the 
 brigade. He was a splendid disciplinarian and tactician, and 
 could boast of one of the finest companies in the service. 
 His company, as well as himself, was all that could be desired 
 upon the battlefield. 
 
 In 1864 he married Miss Dolly, daughter of Dr. Thomas B. 
 Rutherford, and .sister of the lamented Colonel W. D. Ruther- 
 ford. After the war he was engaged in planting in Newberry 
 County. He was three times elected Auditor of the county. 
 He was a leading spirit among the Democrats during the days 
 of reconstruction, and lent all energies and talents to the great 
 upheaval in politics in 1876 that brought about the overflow of 
 the negro party and gave the government to the whites of the 
 State. He died about 1884, leaving a widow and several 
 children. 
 
 COIvONEL WILLIAM WALLACE. 
 
 Colonel William Wallace, of the Second South Carolina 
 
 I' , 
 
 Regiment, was undoubtedly the Murat of the Old First Bri- 
 gade. His soldierly qualities, his dashing courage, and the 
 prestige that surrounds his name as a commander, especially 
 upon the skirmish line, forcibly recalls that impetuous prince, 
 the Roland of Napoleon's Army. Upon the battle line he 
 was brave almost to rashness, and never seemed to be more in 
 his dement or at ease than amidst the booming cannon, the 
 roar of musketry, or the whirl of comljat. Colonel Wallace 
 was a soldier borti and a leader of men. He depended not so 
 
480 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 much upon tactics or discipline, but more upon the cool, stern 
 courage that was in himself and his men. 
 
 His life as a soldier and civilian has been fortunate and bril- 
 liant, in which glory and promotion followed hand in hand. 
 A comrade gives a few facts in his life. 
 
 Colonel William Wallace was born in Columbia, S. C, 
 November i6th, 1824, and was graduated at the South Caro- 
 lina College in 1844. He then studied law under Chancellor 
 James J. Caldwell. Was admitted to the bar in 1846, and 
 began the practice of law at Columbia, in which he continued, 
 with the exception of his military service, giving attention 
 also to his planting interests. 
 
 At the beginning of the Confederate War he held the rank 
 of General in the State Militia. At the call for troops, ordered 
 out the Twenty-third Regiment, State Troops, and was the 
 first man of the Regiment to volunteer. He was elected Cap- 
 tain of the "Columbia Grays," afterwards Company C of the 
 Second South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Kershaw 
 commanding. After the reduction of Fort Sumter, with his 
 company and three others of the Second, he volunteered for 
 service in Virginia, and about a month after their arrival in 
 Virginia the regiment was filled up with South Carolinians. 
 He was promoted to Major in 1863, to Lieutenant Colonel 
 after the battle of the Wilderness, and to Colonel after the bat- 
 tle of Bentonville. 
 
 He had the honor of participating in the capture of For* 
 Sumter and the battles of Blackburn's Ford, First Manassas, 
 Williamsburg, vSavage Station, Malvern Hill, Sharpsburg, 
 Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chattanooga, 
 Knoxville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Second 
 Cold Harbor, the defense of Petersburg until the winter of 
 1864-1865, and the campaign in the Carolinas, including the 
 battles of Averysboro and Bentonville. 
 
 During the desperate struggle at Second Cold Harbor, ir 
 June, 1864, with the Second Regiment alone, he recaptured 
 our breastworks on Kershaw's right and Hoke's left, from 
 which two of our brigades had been driven., The enemj 
 driven out consisted of the Forty-eighth and One hundred and 
 Twelfth New York, each numbering one thousand men, while 
 the Second numbered only one hundred and .twenty-six met 
 all told. So rapid was the assault that the color bearer of ths 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 481 
 
 Fqrty-eighth New York, with his colors, was captured and 
 sent to General Kershaw, who was at his proper position some 
 distance in rear of his division. 
 
 During his service Colonel Wallace was twice wounded — in 
 the foot, at Charlestown, W. Va., and in the arm, at Gettys- 
 burg. After the conclusion of hostilities he returned to his 
 home and the care of his plantation. Previous to the war he 
 had an honorable career in the Legislature, and immediately 
 afterwards he was a member of the Convention of 1865 and of 
 the Legislature next following, and was elected to the State 
 Senate for four years, in 1881. From iSgr to 1894 he was 
 engaged in the correction of the indexes of the records of the 
 Secretary of State's office, and in 1894 was appointed post- 
 master of Columbia by President Cleveland. 
 
 By his marriage, in 1848, to Victoria C, daughter of Dr. 
 John McLeraore, of Florida, Colonel Wallace has five children 
 living, Andrew, William, Bruce, Edward Barton, and Marga- 
 ret. After the death of his first wife he married, in 1876, 
 Mrs. Fannie C. Mobley, nee Means. 
 
 CAPTAIN JOHN HAMPDKN BROOKS. 
 
 John Hampden Brooks was Captain of Company G, Seventh 
 South Carolina Regiment, from its entry into State service to 
 the end of its twelve months' enlistment. At the reorganiza- 
 tion of the regiment he declined re-election, and served for a 
 short time as Aid-de-Camp on General Kershaw's staflF. At 
 this time, upon recommendation of Generals Kershaw and 
 Jos. E. Johnston, he raised another company of Partisan 
 Rangers, and was independent for awhile. Upon invitation,, 
 he joined Nelson's Seventh South Carolina Battalion, Hagood's 
 Brigade, and served with this command (save a brief interval) 
 to the end of the war. He was in the first- battle of Manassas 
 and in Bentonville, the last great battle of the war. At Bat- 
 tery Wagner his company was on picket duty the night of the 
 first assault, and it was by his order that the first gun was 
 fired in that memorable siege, and one of his men was the first 
 Confederate killed. At the battle of Drewry's Bluff, Va., 
 Captain Brooks was three times wounded, and lost sixty-eight 
 out of the seventy-five men carried into action, twenty-five 
 being left dead upon the field. Upon recover}^ from his 
 wounds he returned to his command, but was soon detached, 
 31 
 
482 HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 by request of General Beauregard and order of General Lee, to 
 organize a foreign battalion from the Federal prisoners at 
 Florence, S. C, with distinct promise of promotion. This 
 battalion was organized and mustered into Confederate service 
 at Summerville, S. C, as Brooks' Battalion, and in December, 
 1864, Captain Brooks took a part of the command to Savan- 
 nah (then being invested by General Sherman) and they 
 served a short time on the line of defense. In consequence of 
 bad behavior and mutiny, however, they were soon returned 
 to prison. Captain Brooks was now placed in command of all 
 unattached troops in the city of Charleston, but he became 
 tired of inactivity, at his own request was relieved, and upon 
 invitation of his old company, ignoring his promotion, he re- 
 turned to its command. 
 
 Captain Brooks was born at Edgefield Court House and was 
 educated at Mt. Zion, Winusboro, and the South Carolina Col- 
 lege. His father. Colonel Whitfield Brooks, was an ardent 
 nuUifier, and named his son, John Hampden, in honor of that 
 illustrious English patriot. That Captain Brooks should have 
 displayed soldierly qualities was but natural, as these were his 
 by inheritance. His grandfather. Colonel Z. S. Brooks, was a 
 Lieutenant in the patriotic army of the Revolutionary War, 
 and his grandmother a daughter of Captain Jas. Butler, killed 
 in the "Cloud's Creek massacre." His brothers. Captain 
 Pre.ston S. and Whitfield B. Brooks, were members of the 
 Palmetto Regiment in the Mexican War; the latter mortally 
 wounded at Cherubusco and promoted to a Lieutenant in the 
 Twelfth Regulars for gallantry in action. 
 
 Captain Brooks is the sole survivor of the first Captains of 
 the Seventh Regiment, and resides at Roselands, the old 
 family homestead, formerly in Edgefield, but now Greenwood 
 County. 
 
 CAPTAIN ANDREW HARLLEE. 
 
 Captain Andrew Harllee, of Company I, Eighth South Caro- 
 lina Regiment, when a boy went with a number of the best 
 young men of the State to Kansas Territory, in 1856, and saw 
 his first service with the Missourians in the border troubles in 
 that Territory, and took part in several severe engagements at 
 Lawrence, Topeka, and Ossawattonic Creek with the Aboli- 
 tion and Free State forces, under old John Brown and Colonel 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 483 
 
 Jim Law; the Southern or pro-slavery forces being under 
 General David R. Atchison and Colonels Stingfellow and 
 Marshall. After remaining in Kansas a year, he returned to 
 his home and commenced the study of law at Marion Court 
 House, but after a short time was appointed to a position in 
 the Interior Department at Washington by the Hon. Thos. A. 
 Hendrix, under whom he served as a clerk in a land office 
 while in Kansas. This position in the Interior Department 
 he held at the time of the secession of the State, and was the 
 recipient of the first dispatch in Washington announcing the 
 withdrawal of South Carolina from the Union, which was sent 
 him by his uncle, General W. W. Harllee, then I,ieutenant 
 Governor and a member of the Secession Couvention. He at 
 once began preparations for his departure from Washington 
 for Charleston, but was notified from Charleston to remain 
 until the Commissioners appointed by the Convention to pro- 
 ceed to Washington and endeavor to treat with the authorities 
 should arrive, which he did, and was appointed their Secre- 
 tary. The Commission consisted of Senator Robert W. Barn- 
 well, General James H. Adams, and Honorable James I,. Orr. 
 After many fruitless efforts, they finally got an audience with 
 President Buchanan, who refused to treat with thera in any 
 manner whatever, and Mr. Harllee was directed to proceed at 
 once to Charleston, the bearer of dispatches from the Commis- 
 sioners to the Convention still in session, and after delivering 
 the same he reported to Governor Pickens for duty. The 
 Governor appointed him Assistant Quartermaster, with the 
 rank of Captain, and he discharged the duties of that office 
 around Charleston until the fall of Fort Sumter. 
 
 Anxious for service at the front, he resigned from the 
 Quartermaster Department and enlisted as a private in Com- 
 pany I, Eighth South Carolina Re^^iment, and fought through 
 the battles of Bull Run and Manassas with a musket. General 
 Bonham, in command of the brigade, detailed him for scouting 
 dutj' in and near Alexandria and Washington, and he had 
 many thrilling adventures and narrow escapes in the discharge 
 of those duties. In October, 1861, I^ieutenant R. H. Rogers, 
 of his company, resigned, and Private Harllee was elected 
 Second Lieutenant in his stead. At the reorganization of the 
 regiment and companies, in April, 1862, he was elected Cap- 
 tain of his company, which he commanded to the surrender. 
 
484 HISTORY OF KSRSHANY'S, BRIGAJOK. , 
 
 lie was seyeralj times severely wounded, ^nd _; bears upon his 
 person visible^ evidences of the battle:sca;re(i veteraui; He 
 was regarded by all, his comrades as a daring a,nd intrepid 
 ofiBcer. 
 
 He lives upon his plantation, near Little Rock, where- he 
 was born and reared, is a bachelor, a professional farmer, and 
 one of the leading citizens of his section of the State. 
 
 CAPTAIN WILLIAM D. CARMICHAEL. 
 
 Captain William D. Carmichael volunteered in 1861, and 
 assisted in raising Company I, Eighth South Carolina Regi- 
 ment, and was elected Second Lieutenant at reorganization. 
 In April, 1862, he assisted Captain Stackhouse in raising 
 Company L for the same regiment, and was elected First Lieu- 
 tenant of that corapnny, and upon the promotion of Captain 
 Stackhouse to Major, he was promoted Captain of Company L 
 and commanded it to the surrender. 
 
 He was three times wounded, twice severely, and was one of 
 the most gallant and trusted officers of that gallant regiment. 
 After the war he settled on his plantation, near Little Rock, 
 n.arried, and has lived there ever since, raising a large family 
 of children, and is one of the most successful farmers of that 
 progressive section. He is one of the foremost' citizens of 
 Marion County. 
 
 CAPTAIN DUNCAN MCINTYRE. 
 
 Captain Duncan Mclntyre, of Company H, Eighth South 
 Carolina Regiment, Kershaw's Brigade, was born at Marion 
 S. C, on August 30th, 1836. Was prepared for college at 
 Mount Zion Institute, at Winnsboro, S. C. Entered Fresh- 
 man Class of South Carolina College, December, 1853. 
 
 Married Julia R. , daughter of General William Evans, 
 December, 1858. Commenced life as a planter on the west 
 side of Pee Dee River, in Marion County, January ist, i860. 
 
 On secession of the State, he volunteered for service in the 
 Jeffries' Creek Company. Was elected First Lieutenant of 
 the company, Captain R. G. Singletary having been elected 
 as commander. On Governor Pickens' first call for troops the 
 company offered its services and was assigned . to the Eighth 
 South Carolina Regiment, Colonel E. B. C. Cash commanding. 
 The compauy was ordered to Charleston on fall of Fort Sum- 
 
HISTORY OF 'Kershaw's brigJaCe. -485 
 
 ter, Where it feniained until tlie laist of May, when it was 
 ordered to Florence, S. C. , Where, about the ist of June, it 
 was mustered into Confederate service by General Geo. Evans, 
 and immediately ordered to Virginia to form a part of Bon- 
 ham's Brigade. 
 
 Captain Mclntyre was with the regiment at the first battle of 
 Manassas or Bull Run, and with the exception of two short 
 leaves of absence from sickness and from wounds, was with the 
 regiment in nearly all of its campaigns and important skir- 
 mishes and battles, Williamsburg, battles around Richmond, 
 Va. , Maryland Heights, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chan- , 
 'Cellorsville, Wilderness, Spottsylvauia Court House, and all of 
 the battles against Grant up to the investment of Petersburg, 
 Va. He was with the regiment and Longstreet's Corps in the 
 campaign in Tennessee. 
 
 In the Tennessee campaign he commanded the Eighth Regi- 
 ment at the battle of Ream's Station, and when tht Second, 
 Eighth, and Third Battalion, under the command of the gal- 
 lant Colonel Gaillard, of the Second, made a daring and suc- 
 cessful attack (at night) on the picket line of the enemy, the 
 Eighth was on the right and first to dislodge the enemy and 
 occupy the pits. 
 
 Captain Mclntyre was twice wounded — first, in the chest at 
 the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., and second time, severely in 
 the thigh at Deep Bottom, Va. 
 
 COLONEL WILLIAM DRAYTON RUTHERFORD. 
 
 When Colonel William Drayton Rutherford fell in battle at 
 StrasDurg, Virginia, on the 13th of October, 1864, he was but 
 a little more than twenty-seven years of age, having been born 
 in Newberry, S. C, on the 23rd day of September, 1837. 
 
 The life thus destroyed was brimful of hope, for he was 
 gifted with a rare intelligence, and posse.ssed of an affectionate 
 nature, with a deep sympathy for his fellow-men and a patri- 
 otism which could only terminate with his own life. His 
 father. Dr. Thomas B. Rutherford, was a graud.son of Colonel 
 Robert Rutherford, of Revolutionary fame, and his mother, 
 Mrs. Ivaura Adams Rutherford, was' a direct descendant of 
 the Adams family of patriots who fought for their country in 
 the State of Massachusetts. 
 
 The boyhood of Colonel Rutherford was spent on the plan- 
 
486 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 tation of his father, in Newberry County. Here was laid the 
 foundation of his splendid physical nature, and his mind as 
 well. While not beyond the height of five feet and ten inches, 
 and with not an ounce of spare flesh, physically he was all 
 bone and muscle, and was the- embodiment of manly beauty. 
 His early training was secured in the Male Academies of 
 Greenville and Newberry. At the age of sixteen years he 
 entered the Citadel Academy in Charleston, S. C. It was at 
 this school he first exhibited the remarkable power arising 
 from his ability to concentrate every faculty of his mind to the 
 accomplishment of a single purpose, for, by reason of his fond- 
 ness for out door sports and reading, he had fallen in stand 
 amongst the lowest members of a large class, but, conceiving 
 that some persons thought he could do no better, by a deter- 
 mined effort to master all the branches of study in an incredi- 
 ble space of time he was placed among the first ten members of 
 his class. Military discipline was. too restrictive for him, 
 hence he left the Citadel Academy and entered the Sophomore 
 Class of the South Carolina College at Columbia, S. C. In a 
 few months after entering this college he was advanced from 
 the Sophomore Class to that of the Junior. However, he 
 never took his degree, for owing to a so-called college rebel- 
 lion, he left college. Afterwards he regretted his step. Not 
 content with the advantages he had already enjoyed, he went 
 to Germany to complete his education, but the war between 
 the States caused him to return to America. He espoused 
 with heart and soul the cause of his native State. Before 
 going to Germany he had been admitted to the practice of the 
 law. Chief Justice John Belton O'Neall. expressed himself as 
 delighted with 5'oung Rutherford's examination for the bar, 
 and predicted for him a brilliant career as a lawyer. 
 
 He was made Adjutant of the Third South Carolina Regi- 
 ment of Infantry, and so thoroughly did he perform his duties 
 as a soldier, and so delighted were his comrades in arms with 
 his courage and generous nature, that he was elected, without 
 opposition, on i6tliof May, 1862, Major of his regiment, and 
 on the 29th of June, 1862, he became Lieutenant Colonel, and 
 on the 6th of May, 1864, he was promoted to the Colonelcy of 
 his regiment. General James Connor was so much delighted 
 with him as an ofBcer that he recommended him for promo- 
 tion to Brigadier General. When this gallant oflScer fell in 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. . 487 
 
 the front of his regiment, therd was naught but sorrow for his 
 untimely end. 
 
 In March, 1862, he married the beautiful and accomplished 
 Miss Sallie Fair, only daughter of Colonel Simeon Fair, of 
 Newberry. The' only child of this union was Kate Stewart 
 Rutherford, who was known as the "daughter of the regi- 
 ment." Kate is now the wife of the Honorable George John- 
 stone. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX 
 
 Peace Conferenee-r-State Troops — Women of 
 the South. 
 
 The civilized world, especially the Monarchies of Europe, 
 which at first viewed with satisfaction this eruption in the 
 great Republic across the waters, now anxiously watched them 
 in their mad fury, tearing to tatters the fabric of Democratic 
 government. This government, since its withdrawal from the 
 Old World influence, had grown great and strong, and was 
 now a powerful nation — a standing menace to their interest 
 and power. But tbey began to look with alarm on the specta- 
 cle of these two brothers — brothers in blood, in aims, ambi- 
 tion, and future expectations, only an imaginary line separat- 
 ing them — with glaring eyes, their hands at each others 
 throat, neither willing to submit or yield as long as there was 
 a vestige of vitality in either. Even the most considerate and 
 thoughtful of the North began to contemplate the wreck and 
 ruin of their common country, and stood aghast at the rivers 
 of blood that had flown, the widows and orphans made, and 
 the treasures expended. They now began to wish for a call 
 to halt. This useless slaughter caused a shudder to run 
 through every thinking man when he contemplated of the 
 havoc yet to come. The two armies were getting nearer and 
 nearer together, one adding strength as the other-grew weaker 
 — the South getting more desperate and more determined to 
 sacrifice all, as they saw the ground slipping inch by inch 
 beneath their feet; the North becoming more confident with 
 each succeeding day. It began to look like a war of extermi- 
 
488 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 nation of American manhood. The best and bravest of the 
 North had fallen in the e^rly years of the war, 'while the'bWk 
 of the army now was composed of the lowest type of foreigners, 
 -who had been tempted to our shores by the large bounties paid 
 b5' the Union Government. Taking their- cue from th4ir 
 native comrades in arms, they now tried to outdo thetn in 
 vandaliziug, having been taught that they were wreaking 
 vengeance upon the aristocracy and ruining the slave-holders 
 of the South. The flower of the South's chivalry had also 
 fallen upon the field and in the trenches, and now youths and 
 old men were taking the places of soldiers who had died in the 
 "Bloody Angles". and the tangled Wilderness. 
 
 A talk of peace began once more, but the men of the South 
 were determined to yield nothing as long as a rifle could be 
 raised. Nothing but their unrestricted independence would 
 satisfy them. The man who could call nothing his own but 
 what was on his back was as much determined on his coun- 
 try's independence as those who were the possessors of broad 
 acres and scores of negroes. 
 
 Congressman Boyce, of South Carolina, began to call for a 
 peace conference in the Confederate Congress. Montgomery 
 Blair, the father of General Frank P. Blair, then commanding 
 a corps in Sherman's Army, begged the North to halt and 
 listen to reason — to stop the fratricidal war. Generals, sol- 
 diers, statesmen, and civilians all felt that it had gone on long 
 enough. Some held a faint hope that peace could be secured 
 without further effusion of blood. A peace conference was 
 called at Hampton Roads, near ihe mouth of the Potomac. 
 President lyincoln and Secretary of State William H. Seward, 
 on the part of the North, and Vice-President Stephens, Hon- 
 orable R. T. M. Hunter, and Judge Campbell, on the part of 
 the South, attended. L,iucoln demanded an "unconditional 
 surrender" of the army — emancipation of the slaves and a 
 return to our former places in the Union. Mr. Stephens and 
 his colleagues knew too well the sentiment of the Southern 
 people to even discuss such a course. Not a soldier in ranks 
 would have dared to return and face the women of the South 
 with such a peace and on such terms as long as there was the 
 shadow of an organized army in the field. 
 
 General Ord, of the Union Army, a humane and Christian 
 gentleman, wrote and sought an interview with General 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE. 4^9 
 
 Longstreet. He wished that General to use his influence 
 Wit'K GCtleral'Lei^ anfl' the officers' of the army to meet General 
 fertant, and with their wives ' mingling with the wives of ttie 
 ftfspectiVe Generals, talk iJver the matter in a friendly manner, 
 ifad see if some plan' could not be friamed whereby peace could 
 tie secured hbriori'ble to all parties. All had had glory enough 
 and blood sufficient had he'en ished to gratify the most savage 
 and iauatical. These officers or the most of them had been 
 bid school-mates at West Point, had been brother ofiScers in 
 the old army, their wives had mingled in pleasant, social inter- 
 tiourse at the army posts, and they could aid as only women 
 can aid, in a friendly way, to bring back an era of good feel- 
 ings. General Ord further intimated that President Lincoln 
 would not turn a deaf ear to a reasonable proposition for com- 
 pensation for the slaves. General Longstreet accepted the 
 overtures with good grace, but with a dignity fitting his posi- 
 tion. He could not, while in the field and in the face of the 
 enemy, with his superior present, enter into negotiations for a 
 surrender of his army, or to listen to terms of peace. He 
 itturued and counseled Lee. Urged him to meet Grant, and 
 as commander-in-chief of all the armies in the South, that he 
 had a wide latitude, that the people were looking to bim to 
 end the war, and would be satisfied with any concessions he 
 would recommend. That the politicians had had their say, 
 now let the soldiers terminate the strife which politicians had 
 begun. That Napoleon while in Italy, against all precedent 
 and without the knowledge of the civil department, had 
 entered into negotiations with the enemy, made peace, and 
 while distasteful to the authorities, they were too polite to 
 refuse the terms. But General Lee was too much a soldier to 
 consider any act outside of his special prerogatives. He, 
 however, was pleased with the idea, and wrote General Grant, 
 asking an interview looking towards negotiations of peace. 
 But General Grant, from his high ideals of the duty and 
 dignity of a soldier, refused, claiming that the prerogatives of 
 peace or war were left with the civil, not the military arm of 
 the service. So it all ended in smoke. 
 
 General Lee began making preparations to make still greater 
 efibrts and greater sacrifices. He had been hampered, as well 
 as many others of our great commanders, by the quixotic and 
 blundering interference of the authorities at Richmond, and 
 
490 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 had become accustomed to it. There can be no question at 
 this late day that the end, as it did come, had long since 
 dawned upon the great mind of Lee, and it must have been 
 with bitterness that he was forced to sarcifice so many brave 
 and patriotic men for a shadow, while the substance could 
 never be reached. His only duty now was to prolong the 
 struggle and sacrifice as few men as possible. 
 
 General Bragg, that star of ill omen to the Confederacy, was 
 taken out of the War Department in Richmond and sent to 
 Wilmington, N. C, and that brilliant, gallant Kentuckian, 
 General John C. Breckenridge, was placed in his stead as Sec- 
 retary of War. General Breckenridge had been the favorite 
 of a great portion of the Southern people in their choice of 
 Presidential candidates against Lincoln, and his place in the 
 cabinet of Mr. Davis gave hope and confidence to the entire 
 South. 
 
 General Lee, no doubt acting on his own good judgment, 
 and to the greatest delight of the army, placed General 
 Joseph E. Johnston at the head of the few scattered and disor- 
 ganized bands that were following on the flanks of Sherman. 
 Some few troops that could be spared from the trenches were 
 to be sent to South Carolina to swell, as far as possible, the 
 army to oppose Sherman. 
 
 Governor Brown had called out a great part of the Georgia 
 State Troops, consisting of old men and boys, to the relief of 
 General Hardee, who was moving in the front of Sherman, 
 and a great many of this number crossed over with General 
 Hardee to the eastern side of the Savannah, and remained 
 faithful to the end. Governor McGrath, of South Carolina, 
 too, had called out every man capable of bearing arms from 
 fifteen to sixty, and placed them by regiments under Beaure- 
 gard and Johnston. The forts along the coast in great numr 
 bers were abendoned, and the troops thus gathered together 
 did excellent service. North Carolina brought forward her 
 reserves as the enemy neared her border, all determined to 
 unite in a mighty effort to drive back this ruthless invader. 
 
 In this imperfect history of the times of which I write, I 
 cannot resist at this place to render a deserved tribute to the 
 noble women of the South, more especially of South Carolina. 
 It was with difficulty that the soldiers going to the army from 
 their homes after the expiration of their furloughs, or going 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. ' 491 
 
 to their homes when wounded or sick, procured a night's 
 lodging in Richmond, for it must be remembered that that 
 city was already crowded with civilians, oflScers of the depart- 
 ment, surgeons of the hospitals, and officials of every kind. 
 The hotels and private residences Were always full. Scarcely 
 a private house of any pretentions whatever, that did not have 
 some sick or wounded soldier partaking of the hospitalities of 
 the citizens, who could better care for the patient than could 
 be had in hospitals. Then, again, the entire army had to 
 pass through the city either going to or from home, and the 
 railroad facilities and the crowded conditions of both freight 
 and passenger cars rendered it almost obligatory on the sol- 
 diers to remain in the city over night. And it must be re- 
 membered, too, that the hotnes of hundreds and thousands of 
 soldiers from Tennessee, Maryland, Kentucky, Mississippi, 
 and all from the Trans- Mississippi were in the hands of the 
 enemy, and the soldiers were forbidden the pleasure of return- 
 ing home, unless clandestinely. In that case they ran the 
 risk of being shot by some bush-whacker or "stay outs," who 
 avoided the conscript officer ou one side and recruiting officer 
 on the other. In these border States there was a perpetual 
 feud between these bush-whackers and the soldiers. It was 
 almost invariably the case that where these "lay outs" or 
 "hide outs" congregated, they sympathized with the North, 
 otherwise they would be in the ranks of the Confederacy. 
 Then, again, Richmond had been changed in a day from the 
 capital of a commonwealth' to the capital of a nation. So it 
 was always crowded and little or no accommodation for the 
 private soldier, and even if he could get quarters at a hotel his 
 depleted purse was in such condition that he could not afford 
 the expense. Nor was he willing to give a month's wages for 
 a night's lodging. A night's lodging cost five dollars for sup- 
 per, five for breakfast, and five for a bed, and if the soldiers 
 were any ways bibulously inclined and wished an "eye 
 opener" in the morning or a "night cap" at supper time, that 
 was five tiollars additional for each drink. Under such cir- 
 cumstances the ladies of South Carolina, by private contribu- 
 tions alone, rented the old "Exchange Hotel" and furnished 
 it from their own means or private resources. They kept also 
 a store room where they kept socks for the soldiers, knit by 
 the hands of the young ladies of the State; blankets, shirts, 
 
492 ■ HISTORY OF, K-ERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 and under clothing, from the cloth spun, woven, and made up 
 , by the ladies at.liQme,and shipped to Richmond .to Colonel 
 McMaster and a staff of the purest and best women of the 
 land. Only such work as washing and scrubbing was donciby 
 negro servants, all the other was done by tthe ladies them- 
 selves. Too much praise cannot be given to Colonel McMas- 
 ter for his indefatigable exertions, his tireless rounds of duty, 
 to make the soldiers comfortable. The ladies were never too 
 tired, night nor day, to go to the aid of the hungry and 
 broken down soldiers. Hundreds and thousands were fed and 
 lodged without money and without price-. Car loads of the 
 little comforts and necessities of life were shared out to the 
 passing soldiers whenever their wants required it. Never a 
 day or night passed without soldiers being entertained or 
 clothing distributed. One night only was as long as a soldier 
 was allowed to enjoy their hospitality, unless in cases of emer- 
 gency. The officers of the army, whenever able, were required 
 to pay a nominal sum for lodging. Better beds and conveni- 
 ences were furnished them, but if they were willing to take 
 private's "fare," they paid private's "fee," which was gratui- 
 tous. As a general rule, however, the officers kept apart 
 from the men, for the officer who pushed himself in the pri- 
 vate's quarters was looked upon as penurious and mean. It 
 was only in times of the greatest necessity that a Southern 
 officer wished to appear thus. If the Southern soldier was 
 poor, he was always proud. This hotel was called the "South 
 Carolina Soldiers' Home," and most of the other States inside 
 the lines had similar institutions. In every home throughout 
 the whole South could be heard the old "hand spinning 
 wheel" humming away until far in the night, as the dainty 
 damsel danced backwards and forwards, keeping step to the 
 music of her own voice and the hum of the wheel. The old 
 women sat in the corners and carded away with the hand-card, 
 making great heaps of rolls, to be laid carefully and evenly 
 upon the floor or the wheel. Great chuncks of pine, called 
 "lite'ood," were regularly thrown into the great fire place 
 until the whole scene was lit up as by an incandescent lamp. 
 What happiness, what bliss, and how light the toil, when it 
 was known that the goods woven were to warm and comfort 
 young "massa" in the army. The ladies of the "big house" 
 were not idle while these scenes of activity were going on at 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 493 
 
 the ''quarter.'' Broaches were reeled' intb "hanks" of "six 
 cuts" each, to be "sized," "warped," and made ready for the' 
 loom. Then the little "treadle wheel" that turned with a 
 pedal made baskets of spools for the "fiUiUg." B3' an ingeni- 
 ous method, known only to the regularly initiated Southern 
 housewife, the thread was put upon the loom, and then the 
 music of the weaver's beam went merrily along with its 
 monotonous "bang," "bang," as yard after yard Of beautiful 
 jeans, linsey, or homspuns of every kind were turned put to 
 clothe the soldier boys, whose government was without the 
 means or opportunity to furnish them. Does it look possible 
 at this late day that almost the entire Southern Army was 
 clothed by cloth carded, spun, and woven by hand, and 
 mostly by the white ladies of the South? 
 
 Hats and caps were made at home from the colored jeans. 
 Beautiful hats were made out of straw, and so adapt had the 
 makers become in utilizing hopie commodities, that ladies' 
 hats were made out of wheat, oat, and rice straw. Splendid 
 and serviceable house shoes were made from the products of 
 the loom, the cobbler only putting on the soles. Good, warm, 
 and tidy gloves were knit for the soldier from their home-raised 
 fleece and with a single bone from the turkey wing. While 
 the soldiers may have, at times, suffered for shoes and pro- 
 visions, still they were fairly well clothed by the industry and 
 patriotism of the women, and for blankets, the finest of beds 
 were stripped to be sent voluntarily to the camps and army. 
 As for tents, we had no need to manufacture them, for they 
 M'ere invariably captured from the enemy. Think of going 
 through an army of sixty or seventy thousand men, all com- 
 iortably housed, and all through capture upon the battlefield. 
 As for cooking utensils, nothing more nor better were wanted 
 by the soldiers than a tin cup and frying-pan. 
 
 Salt was an article of great scarcity in the South. Coming 
 over from Liverpool in ante bellum times as ballast, made it so 
 cheap that little attention was given to the salt industry, and 
 most of our best salt mines were in the hands of the enemy. 
 But the Southern people were equal to any emergency. Men 
 were put along the sea coast and erected great vats into which 
 was put the salt sea water, and by a system of co-operation 
 nice, fine salt was made. Farmers, too, that had the old-time 
 "smoke" or meat houses with dirt floors, dug up the earth in 
 
494 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 the house and filtered water through it, getting a dark, salty 
 brine, which answered exceedingly well the purpose of curing 
 their meats. 
 
 All taxes, as I said before, were paid in ''kind," and the 
 tenth of all the meat raised at home was sent to the army, and 
 with the few cattle they could gather, was sufiBcient to feed 
 the troops. There were no skulking spirits among the people. 
 The5' gave as willingly and cheerfully now as they did, at the 
 opening of the war. The people were honest in their dealings 
 with the government, and as cheerful in their gifts to the 
 cause as the Israelites of old in their "free will offerings" to 
 the Lord. There were no drones among them, no secretion 
 or dishonest division. The widows, with houses filled with 
 orphans, gave of their scanty crops and hard labor as freely as 
 those who owned large plantations and scores of slaves. In 
 fact, it was noticeable that the poorer class were more patriotic 
 and more cheerful givers, if such could be possible, than the 
 wealthy class. 
 
 Negroes were drafted to go upon the coast to work in salt 
 mills or to work upon the fortifications. This duty they per- 
 formed with remarkable willingness, uutil, perhaps, some Fed- 
 eral gunboat got their range and dropped a few shells among 
 them. Then no persuasion nor threat could induce them to 
 remain, and numbers of them would strike out for home and 
 often get lost and wander for days, half starved, through the 
 swamps of the lower country, being afraid to show themselves 
 to the whites for fear of being "taken up" and sent back. 
 Many were the adventures and hair-breath escapes these dusty 
 fugitives had, and could tell them in wonderful yarns to the 
 youngerj^generation at home. It may be that the negro, under 
 mental excitement, or stimulated with strong drink, could be 
 induced to show remarkable traits of bravery, but to take him 
 cool and away from any excitement, he is slow at exposing 
 himself to bodily dangers, and will never make a soldier in the 
 field. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 495 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Opening of 1865 — Gloomy Outlook — Prison 
 
 Pens-Return to South Carolina of 
 
 Kershaw's Brigade. 
 
 The opening of the year 1865 looked gloomy enough for the 
 cause of the Confederacy. The hopes of foreign intervention 
 had long since been looked upon as an ignisfatuus and a delu- 
 sion, while our maritime power had been swept from the seas. 
 All the ports, with the exception of Charleston, S. C, and 
 Wilmington, N. C, were now in the hands of the Federals. 
 Fort Fisher, the Gibralter of the South, that guarded the inlet 
 of Cape Fear River, was taken by land and naval forces, under 
 ' General Terry and Admiral Porter. Forts Sumter and Moul- 
 trie, at the Charleston Harbor, continued to hold out for a 
 while longer. The year before the "Alabama," an iron-clad 
 of the Confederates, was sunk off the coast of France. Then 
 followed the "Albemarle" and the "Florida." The ram 
 "Tennessee" had to strike her colors on the 5th of August, in 
 Mobile Bay. Then all the forts that protected the bay were 
 either blown up or evacuated, leaving the Entrance to Mobile 
 Bay open to the fleet of the Federals. 
 
 Sherman was recuperating his army around Savannah, and 
 was preparing a farther advance now northward after his suc- 
 cessful march to the sea. At Savannah he was met by a 
 formidable fleet of irou-clads and men of war, which were to 
 accompany him by sailing along the coast in every direction. 
 These were to form a junction with another army at Newburn, 
 N. C. 
 
 Another matter that caused the South to despond of any 
 other solution of the war than the bloody end that soon fol- 
 lowed, was the re-election of Abraham Lincoln as President of 
 the United States. The South felt that as long as he was at 
 the head of the nation nothing but an unconditional surrender 
 of our armies and the emancipation of the slaves would sufl&ce 
 this great emancipator. To this the South could not nor 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 would not accede as long as there were rifles in the field and 
 men to wield them. A great problem now presented itself to 
 the Confederate authorities for solution, but who could cut the 
 Gordion knot? The South had taken during the war two 
 hundred anfl seventy thousand prisoners, as against two hun- 
 dred and twent3'-two thousand, taken by the Federals, leaving 
 in excess to the credit of the South near fifty thousand. For 
 a time several feeble attempts had been made for an equitable 
 exchange of prisoners, but this did not suit the policy of the 
 North. Men at the North were no object, and to guard this 
 great swarm of prisoners in the South it took an army out of 
 the field, and the great number of Southern boldiers in North- 
 ern prisons took quite another army from the service. In ad- 
 dition to the difficulty of supplying our own army and people 
 with the necessities of life, we were put to the strain of feed- 
 ing one hundred thousand or more of Federal prisoners. 
 Every inducement was offered the North to grant some cortel 
 of exchange or some method agreed upon to alienate the suf- 
 ferings of these unfortunates confined in the prison pens in the 
 North aud South. The North was offered the privilege of 
 feeding and clothing their own prisoners, to furnish medical 
 aid and assistance to their sick. But this was rejected in the 
 face of the overwhelming sentiments of the fathers, mothers, 
 sisters, and brothers of those who were sufferiug and dying 
 like flies in the Southern pens. Thousands and thousands of 
 petitions were circulated, with strings of signatures from all 
 classes in the Union, urging Congress to come in some way to 
 the relief of their people. But a deaf ear was turned to all en- 
 treaties, this being a war measure, and no suffer, ng could be 
 too great when the good of the service required it. Taking it 
 from a military point of view, this was the better policy, shock- 
 ing as it was to humanity. 
 
 At one time it was considered in the Confederate Congress 
 the propriety of turning loose and sending home as early as 
 practicable these thousands of prisoners, trusting alone to their 
 honor the observance of the parole. It was thought by the 
 majority that the indiscriminate mingling and mixing of these 
 fanatical agitators with the peaceable slaves in the country 
 might incite iii'surrection and a bloody socJial war breakout 
 should tbe prisoners be released at the prison pens. Under all 
 the varying circumstances the South was still i)usily engaged 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 497 
 
 in mobilizing these prisoners in certain quarters, to protect 
 them as far as possible from liberation by raiding parties. At 
 Andersonville, Ga., there were twenty -tWo thousand; at Flor- 
 ence, S. C, two thousand; Salisbury, N. C, ten thousand; 
 several hundred in Columbia, and detached numbers scattered 
 along at various points on the railroads, at such places where 
 convenient quarters could be secured and properly guarded. 
 Quite a large number were at Bell Isle, on the James River, as 
 well as at the L,iby Prison, in Richmond. These prisoners 
 were sometimes guarded by the State militia and disabled 
 veterans. Those at Florence were guarded by boy companies, 
 under command of Colonel Williams, the former commander 
 of the Third South Carolina. The stockades, as the prison 
 pens were called, consisted of tall pine trees set into the ground 
 some six or eight feet, standing upright and adjoining. The 
 space thus enclosed covered several acres or as much more as 
 there were prisoners or troops to guard them. The stockade 
 fence was about fifteen feet above the level of the ground, 
 with a walk way three feet from the top, on vs^hich the guards 
 watched. There was a "dead line" some fifteen or twenty 
 paces from the inside of the wall, over which no prisoner was 
 allowed to cross, on penalty of being shot. And to prevent 
 any collision between the prisoners and the guard, none were 
 permitted to speak to the sentinels under any circumstances. 
 To better carry out these orders, the soldier who detected a 
 prisoner speaking to a guard and shot him, a thirty days' fur- 
 lough was given as an acknowledgment of his faithful observ- 
 ance of orders. On more occasions than one the prisoners in 
 their attempt to draw inexperienced guards into a conversa- 
 tion, and perhaps offer a bribe, met their death instantly. In- 
 side the enclosure some of the prisoners huddled under little 
 tents or blankets, but the greater number burrowed under the 
 ground like moles or prairie dogs. Numbers made their 
 escape by tunnelling under the wall. 
 
 When Sherman began his march through Georgia, the 
 major portion at Andersonville were removed to Salisbury, 
 N. C, where a great national cemetery was set apart after the 
 war, and kept under the authority of the war department, 
 containing thousands of graves — monuments to the sufierings 
 and death of these unfortunate people^a sacrifice to what 
 their government called a "military necessity." Our prison- 
 32 
 
498 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 ers were scattered iu like manner at Camp Chase, in Ohio; 
 Fort Johnston, in Lake Michigan; Fort Delaware, in the Dela- 
 ware River; and many other places, subject to greater suffer- 
 ings and hardships than the Federal prisoners in our hands. 
 
 The Government of the South had nothing to do but accept 
 the conditions imposed upon the sufferers by the authorities in 
 Washington. 
 
 In January, 1865, rumors were rife in camp of the transfer 
 of some of the South Carolina troops to their own State to help 
 swell the little band that was at that time fighting on the 
 flanks and front of Sherman. Of course it was not possible 
 that all could be spared from Lee, but it had become a certain 
 fact, if judged from the rumors in camp, that some at least 
 were to be transferred. So when orders came for Kershaw's 
 Brigade to break camp and march to Richmond, all were over- 
 joyed. Outside of the fact that we were to be again on our 
 "native heath" and fight the invader on our own soil, the 
 soldiers of Kershaw's Brigade felt not a little complimented at 
 being selected as the brigade to be placed at such a post of 
 honor. It is a settled feeling among all troops and a pardon- 
 able pride, too, that their organization, let it be company, 
 regiment, brigade, or even division or corps, is superior to any 
 other like organization iu bravery, discipline, or any soldierly 
 attainments". Troops of different States claim superiority over 
 those of their sister States, while the same rivalry exists be- 
 tween organizations of the same State. So when it was learned 
 for a certainty that the old First Brigade was to be transferred 
 to South Carolina, all felt a keen pride in being thus selected, 
 and now stamped it as a settled fact, that which they had 
 always claimed, "the best troops from the State." The State 
 furnished the best to the Confederac5', and a logical conclusion 
 would he "Kershaw's Brigade was the best of the service." 
 Thus our troops prided themselves. Under such feelings and 
 enthusiasm, it is little wonder that they were anxious to meet 
 Sherman, and had circumstances permitted and a battle fought 
 in South Carolina, these troops would have come up to the 
 expectations of their countrymen. 
 
 But here I will state a fact that all who read history of this 
 war will be compelled to admit, and that is, the department at 
 Richmond had no settled or determined policy in regard to the 
 actions of the army at the Sbuth. It would appear from read- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 499 
 
 ing cotemporary history that Mr. Davis and his cabinet acted 
 like Micawber, and "waited for something to turn up." His 
 continual intermeddling with the plans of the Generals in the 
 field, the dogged tenacity with which he held to his policies, 
 his refusals to allow commanders to formulate their own plans 
 of campaigns, forced upon Congress the necessity of putting 
 one at the head of all the armies whom the Generals, soldiers, 
 as well as the country at large, had entire confidence. General 
 Lee filled this position to the perfect satisfaction of all, still his 
 modesty or a morbid dislike to appear dictatorial, his timidity 
 in the presence of his superiors, often permitted matters to go 
 counter to his own views. It appears, tooy that when General 
 Sherman allowed Hood to pass unmolested to his right, and 
 he began tearing up the railroads in his rear, it was a move so 
 different to all rules of war, that it took the authorities with 
 surprise. Then when he began his memorable march through 
 the very heart of Georgia — Hood with a great army in his 
 rear, in his front the sea — the South stood stupified and bewil- 
 dered at this stupendous undertaking. It was thought by the 
 army and the people that some direful blow would be struck 
 Sherman when he was well under waj' in Georgia, and when 
 too far from his base in the rear, and not far enough advanced 
 to reach the fleet that was to meet him in his front. 
 
 How, when, or by whom this blow was to be struck, none 
 even ventured an opinion, but that the authorities bad Sher- 
 man's overthrow in view, all felt satisfied and convinced. But 
 as events have shown since, it seems that our authorities in 
 Richmond and the commanders in the field were as much at 
 sea as the soldiers and people themselves. It was the purpose 
 of General Beauregard to collect out all the militia of Governor 
 Clark of Mississippi, of Governor Watts of Alabama, Governor 
 Brown of Georgia, and of Governor Bonham of South Carolina 
 to the southern part of Georgia, there, as Sherman ap- 
 proached, to reinforce General Hardee with all these State 
 troops and reserves, under General Cobb, which num- 
 bered in all about eight thousand, and hold him in check 
 until Hood came upon Sherman's rear, or forced him to 
 retire. Of course it was expected, as a matter of fact, that 
 Hood would be successful against the hastily concentrated 
 army of Thomas, and Sherman would be, forced to return for 
 the protection of Kentucky and Ohio. But in military mat- 
 
500 HISTORY OF KERSHAW' S BRIGADE. 
 
 ters, as in others, too much must not be taken for granted, 
 and where great events hinge on so manj' minor details, it is 
 not suprising that there should be miscarriages. Hood was 
 totally defeated and routed in Tennessee. The Governors of 
 the sister States, on false principles of safety and obsolete 
 statistics, refused to permit the State troops to leave the bor- 
 ders of their respective States, leaving nothing before Sherman 
 but the handful of wornout veterans of Hardee and the few 
 State troops of Georgia, to be beaten in detail as Sherman 
 passed through the State. The women and children of our 
 State were in the same frenzied condition at this time as those 
 of Gfeorgia had been when the Federals commenced their 
 march from Atlanta. In fact, more so, for they had watched 
 with bated breath the march of the vandals across the Savan- 
 nah — the smoke of the burning homesteads, the wreck and 
 ruin of their sister State — left little hope of lienency or mercy 
 at the bauds of the enemy, while all their strength and depend- 
 ence in the way of manhood were eitlier in the trenches with 
 L,ee or with the reserves along the borders of the State. Com- 
 panies were formed everywhere of boys and old men to help 
 beat back the mighty annaconda that was now menacing with 
 its coils our comnion country. These were quite unique 
 organizations, the State troops of the South. The grand- 
 fathers and grandsons stood side by side in the ranks; the 
 fathers and sons had either fallen at the front or far away in a 
 •distant State, fighting for the Southland. 
 
 The people of this day and generation and those who are to 
 •come afterwards, will never understand how was it possible 
 for the women of the South to remain at their homes all alone, 
 with the helpless little children clustering around their knees, 
 while all that had the semblance of manhood had gone to the 
 front. Yet with all this, a merciless, heartless, and vengeful 
 foe stood at their threshold, with the sword in one hand and 
 the torch in the other. Not only thus confronted, they were 
 at the mercy of four or five millions of negro slaves, waiting 
 for freedom, as only a people could after two centuries of sla- 
 very. The enemy was ready and willing to excite these 
 otherwise harmless, peaceful, and contented negroes to insur- 
 rection and wholesale butchery. But be it said to the everlast- 
 ing credit and honor of the brave women of the South, that 
 they never uttered a reproach, a murmur, or a regret at the 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 501 
 
 conditions in which circumstances had placed them. But 
 the negro, faithful to his instincts, remained true, and out- 
 side of an occasional outburst of enthusiasm at their newly 
 found freedom, continuel loyal to the end to these old masters, 
 and looked with as much sorrow and abhorence upon this 
 wanton destruction of the old homestead, around which clus- 
 tered so many bright and happy memories, as if they had 
 been of the same bone and the same flesh of their masters. 
 Notwithstanding the numberless attempts by Federal soldiers 
 now spread over an area of fifty miles to excite the negro to 
 such frenzy that they might insult and outrage the delicate 
 sensibilities of the women of the South, still not a single in- 
 stance of such acts has been recorded. 
 
 Such were the feelings and condition of the country when 
 Kershaw's Brigade, now under General Kennedy, boarded the 
 train in Richmond, in January, 1865. We came by way of 
 Charlotte and landed in Columbia about nightfall. The 
 strictest orders wfre given not to allow any of the troops to 
 leave or stop over, however near their homes they pas.sed, or 
 how long they had been absent. In fact, most of the younger 
 men did not relish the idea of being seen by our lovely women 
 just at that time, for our disastrous valley cimpaign and the 
 close investiture of Richmond by Grant— the still closer block- 
 ade of our ports — left them almost destitute in the way of shoes 
 and clothing. The single railroad leading from our State to 
 the capital had about all it could do to haul provisions and 
 forage for the army, so it was difficult to get clothing from 
 home. We were a rather ragged lot, while the uniforms of 
 the officers looked shabby from the dnst and mud of the val- 
 ley aud the trenches around Richmond. Our few brief months 
 in winter quarters had nut added much, if any, to our ap- 
 ■ pearance. By some "underground" road. Captain Jno. K. 
 Nance, of the Third, had procured a sj'ick and span new uni- 
 lorm, and when this dashing young officer was clad in his 
 Confederate gray, he stood second to none in the army in the 
 way of "fine looking." New officers did not always "throw 
 off the old and on with the new" as soon as a new uniform 
 was bought, but kept the new one, for a while at least, for 
 "State occasions." These "occasions" consisted in visiting 
 the towns and cities near camp or in transit from one army to 
 another. An officer clad in a new uniform on ordinary occa- 
 
502 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 sions, when other soldiers were only in their ' 'fighting gar- 
 ments," looked as much out of place as the stranger did at the 
 wedding feast "without the wedding garments." But the 
 day of our departure from Richmond Captain Nance rigged 
 himself out in the pomp and regulations of war, his bright 
 new buttons flashing in the sunlight, his crimson sash tied 
 naughtily around his waist, his sword dangling at his side, he 
 looked the "beheld of all beholders'' as the troops marched 
 with a light and steady step along the stone-paved streets of 
 Richmond. He had married a year or so before the beautiful 
 and accomplished sister of our lamented Colonel, and had tele- 
 graphed her to meet him at Columbia on our arrival. He 
 dared not trust these innoculate garments to the dirty and 
 besmeared walls of a box car, so he discarded- the new on our 
 entrance to the train and dressed in his old as a traveling suit. 
 All the way during our trip he teased his brother oflBcers and 
 twitted them with being so "shabbily dressed," while he 
 would be such a "beaw ideal" in his new uniform when he 
 met his wife. He had never met his wife since his honey- 
 moon a year before, and then only with a twenty-one days' 
 furlough, so it can be well imagined with what anticipations 
 he looked forward to the meeting of his wife. He was so 
 happy in his expectations that all seemed to take on some of 
 his pleasant surroundings, and shared with him his delight in 
 the expected meeting of his young wife. He would look out 
 of the car door and hail a comrade in the next car with, 
 "Watch me when we reach Columbia, will you," while the 
 comrade would send back a lot of good-natured railery. It 
 was an undisputed fact, that Captain Nance was a great favor- 
 ite among officers and men, and while all were giving him a 
 friendly badgering, everyone was glad to see him in such a 
 happy mood. He had given his new suit in charge of his 
 body servant, Jess, with special injunction to guard it with his 
 life. Now Jess was devoted to his master, and was as proud 
 of him as the "squires" of old were of the knights. Jess, to 
 doubly secure this "cloth of gold" so dear to the heart of his 
 master, folded the suit nicely and put it in his knap-sack and 
 the knap-sack under his head, while he slept the sleep of the 
 just in the far corner of the box car. When we reached Char- 
 lotte Captain Nance concluded to rig himself out, as this was 
 to be our last place of stoppage until Columbia was reached, 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 503 
 
 and should his wife meet him there, then he would be ready. 
 So he orders water and towel, and behind the car he began 
 preparations for dressing, all the while bantering the boys 
 about his suit. 
 
 At last he was ready to receive the treasured gray. He 
 called out to his man Jess, "Bring out the uniform." 
 
 Jess goes into the car. He fumbles, he hunts — knap-sacks 
 thrown aside, guns and accourtrements dashed in every direc- 
 tion — the knap-sack is found, hastily opened, and searched, 
 but no uniform! The more impatient and more determined to 
 find the missing clothes, the idea began more forcibly to im- 
 press Jess that he might have slept on the way. So engrossed 
 was he in the search for the missing suit, that he failed to hear 
 the orders from his master to — 
 
 "Hurry up! If you don't soon bring on that coat I'll frail 
 you out. You think I can wait out here naked and freeze?" 
 
 But still the hunt goes on, haver-sacks once again thrown 
 aside, knap-sacks overhauled for the third time, while beads 
 of perspiration begin to drop from the brow of Jess. The real 
 facts began to dawn more surely upon him. Then Jess spoke, 
 or I might say gave a wail — 
 
 "Marse John, 'fore God in heaven, if some grand rascal 
 ain't done stole your clothes." His great white ej'es shone 
 out from the dark recesses of the car like moons in a bright 
 sky. 
 
 Nance was speechless. Raising himself in a more erect 
 position, he only managed to say: "Jess, don't tell me that 
 uniform is gone. Don't! Go dig your grave, nigger, for if 
 you black imp of Satan has gone to sleep and let some scoun- 
 drel steal my clotes, then you die." 
 
 Such a laugh, such a shout as was set up from one end of 
 the train to the other was never heard before or .since of the 
 "Lone Pine Tree State." All of us thought at first, and very 
 naturally, too, that it was only a practical joke being played 
 upon the Captain, and that all would be right in the end. 
 But not so. What became of that uniform forever remained a 
 mystery. If the party who committed the theft had seen or 
 knew the anguish of the victim for one-half hour, his con- 
 science would have smote him to his grave. 
 
 But all is well that ends well." His wife failed to reach 
 him in time, so he wore the faded and tattered garments, as 
 
504 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 momentous of the Valley, through all the tangled swamps and 
 morasses of the Saltkahatchie, the Edisto, and the Santee with 
 as much pride as if clothed in the finest robes of a king. 
 
 We remained at Branchville for several days, and from 
 thence we were transported by rail to Charleston and took up 
 quarters on the "Mall." The citizens hailed us with delight 
 and treated us with the greatest hospitality. The greater 
 number of the best-to-do citizen.s had left the city, and allthat 
 lived on the bay and in reach of the enemies guns had moved 
 to safer quarters in the city or refugeed in the up country. 
 But every house stood open to us. Flags and handkerchiefs 
 waved from the windows and housetops, and all was bustle 
 and commotion, notwithstanding the continual booming of 
 cannon at Sumter and on Sullivan's Island. Every minute or 
 two a shell would go whizzing overhead or crashing through 
 the brick walls of the buildings. Soldiers were parading the 
 streets, citizens going about their business, while ;ill the little 
 stores and shops were in full blast, the same as if the "Swamp 
 Angle" was not sending continually shells into the city. The 
 people had become accustomed to it and paid little attention to 
 the flying shells. 
 
 On one occasion, while a bridal ceremony was being per- 
 formed in one of the palatial residences in the cily, the room 
 filled with happy guests, a shell came crashing into the apart- 
 ment, bursting among the happy bridal party, killing one of 
 the principals and wounding several of the guests. 
 
 While I and several other officers were eating breakfast at 
 one of the hotels, a great noise was heard in the upper portion 
 of the building, giving quite a shock to all. Someone asked 
 the colored waiter, "What was that noise?' "Only a shell 
 bursting in one of the upper rooms," was the reply. 
 
 Women and children walked leisurely to market or about 
 their daily vocations, the shells roaring overhead, with no 
 more excitement or concern than had it only been a fourth of 
 July celebration. 
 
 Even the negroes, usually so timid and excitable, paid but 
 momentary attention to the dangers. 
 
 The Confederates had abandoned the'greater part of Morris' 
 Island, and great batteries had been erected on it by General 
 Gillmore, with the avowed purpose of burning the city. Some 
 weeks before this he had erected a battery in the marshes of 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 505 
 
 the island and a special gun cast that could throw shells five 
 miles, the greatest range of a cannon in that day. The gun 
 was named the "Swamp Angel" and much was expected of it, 
 but it did no other execution than the killing of a few civil- 
 ians and destroying a few dwellings. The citizens were too 
 brave and patriotic to desert their homes as long as a soldier 
 remained on the islands or in the forts. The gallant defenders 
 of Sumter, after a month of the most terrific conuonading the 
 world had ever seen, were still at their guns, while the fort 
 itself was one mass of ruins, the whole now being a huge pile 
 of stone, brick, and masonry. Fort Moultrie, made fainous by 
 jts heroic defense of Charleston in the days of the Revolution, 
 and by Jasper leaping the sides of- the fort and replenishing 
 the flag over its ramparts, still floated the stars and bars from 
 its battlements. All around the water front of Charleston 
 bristled great guns, with ready and willing hands to man 
 them. These "worthy sons of noble sires," who had, by their 
 unflinching courage, sent back the British fleet, sinking and 
 colors lowered, were now ready to emulate their daring exam- 
 ple — either to send the fleet of Gillmore to the bottom, or die 
 at their post. No wonder the people of South Carolina felt so 
 secure and determined when such soldiers defended her 
 borders. 
 
 The city guards patrolled the streets of Charleston to pre- 
 vent the soldier from leaving their camps without permits, and 
 between these two branches of the service a bitter feud always 
 existed. The first night we were in the city some of the sol- 
 diers, on the Verbal permission of their Captains, were taking 
 in the cit)'. L,eaving their arms at camp, they were caught 
 "hors de combat," as it were, and locked up in the city guard- 
 house over night. The next morning I went to look for my 
 absentees, and away up in the top story of the lower station 
 hou-se I saw them, their heads reaching out of the "ten of 
 diamonds" and begging to be released. After much red tape,^ 
 I had them turned out, and this incident only added to the ill 
 will of the two parties. After the soldiers began to congre- 
 gate and recount their grievances as they thought, they used 
 the city guards pretty roughly the remainder of our stay. But 
 the most of all these differences were in the nature of "fun," 
 as the soldiers termed it, and only to give spice to the soldier's 
 life. 
 
506 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 There were two young Captains in the Third, who, both 
 together, would only make one good man, physically. So 
 small in statue were they that on some previous occasion they 
 had agreed to "whip the first man they ever met that they 
 thought small enough to tackle." This personage they had 
 never as yet met, but walking down King street they entered 
 a little saloon kept by a Jew. The Jew could scarcely see over 
 the counter, so low was he, but otherwise well developed. On 
 seeing the little Jew, the two young officers eyed each other 
 and .said one gleefully: 
 
 "John, here's our man." 
 
 "Yes, yes," said D, "You tackle him in front and I'll leg 
 him in rear. By all that's sacred, we can say we whipped one 
 man, at least." 
 
 So telling the little Jew of their agreement, and that they 
 thought he was the man they were looking for, ordered him 
 out to take his medicine like a little man. The Jew took it 
 good huiuoredly and told the officers he was their friend and 
 did uot care to fight them, etc. But the officers persisted so, 
 to "humor them" "and to show friendship for the young 
 men," said he would "accommodate them." At that the Jew 
 struck out with his right on John's jaw, hitting the ceiling with 
 the little officer. Then with his left he put one iu the pit of 
 D.'s stomach, lifting him clear of the floor and dropping him 
 across a lot of barrels. Then John was ready by this time to 
 receive a "header" under the chin, piling him on top of D. 
 The boys crawled out as he was preparing to finish up the two 
 in fine style, but — 
 
 "Hold on! hold on! young man, cried both in a breath, "we 
 are not mad; we are only in fun; don't strike any more." 
 
 "All right," said the Jew, "if you are satisfied I am. Come 
 let's have a drink." 
 
 So all three took a friendly sip, and as the two wiser, if not 
 stronger, young men left the shop, one .said to the other: 
 
 "We'll have to get a smaller man yet before we can say we 
 whipped anybody." 
 
 "You are right,," said the other; "I was never worse mis- 
 taken in all my life in the size of the man, or he grew faster 
 after he began to fight than anything I ever saw. He 
 stretched but all over, like a bladder being blown up." 
 
 They found out afterwards that the, Jew was a professional 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 507 
 
 boxer, and was giving lessons to the young men of the city. 
 
 The soldiers seemed to be getting rather demoralized by the 
 influences of the city, and were moved over the Ashley River 
 and encamped about four miles of the city, in a great pine 
 forest, near the sea. This was a great sight for many, for as 
 much travelling as the troops had done during the last four 
 years, this was their first close quarters to the ocean, and 
 many had never before witnessed the great rolling waters of 
 the sea. Oysters were plentiful, and negroes on the planta- 
 tion brought out boat loads for the soldiers, and gave them out 
 for a little tobacco or a small amount of Confederate "shin- 
 plasters." These were' about the only articles they had seen 
 in a long time that they could buy with a "shin-plaster" 
 (fractional currency), as almost every other comodity was 
 worth from one dollar up. Great fires were built at night, 
 and eight or ten bushels of the sweet, juicy bivalves were 
 poured over the heap, to be eaten as the shells would pop by 
 the heat. 
 
 From this place, after a week's sojourn, we were carried by 
 rail to the Saltkahatchie River, at the crossing of the Charles- 
 ton and Savannah Railroad. 
 
 CHAPTER XLl 
 
 On the Saltkahatchie. February, 1865. 
 
 When we reached our destination on the Saltkahatchie, we 
 were met by our old commander of Virginia and Tennessee, 
 Major General McLaws,. from whom we had been separated for 
 more than a year. The soldiers were glad to see him, and 
 met him with a rousing cheer, while the old veteran was 
 equally delighted to see us. It was like the meeting of 
 father and absent children, for General Mclyaws was kind and 
 indulgent to his men, even if not a very successful General. 
 After being relieved of his command in East Tennessee and 
 succeeded by General Kershaw, he had commanded the post 
 at Augusta, Ga., to which place he returned after the close of 
 hostilities and remained until his death. He was the greater 
 part of the time postmaster of the city of Augusta. There 
 
508 HISTORY OF KERSHA-W'S BRIGADB. 
 
 being few occupations that the old West Pointerb of the South 
 could fill, they generally accepted any office in. the gift of the 
 government that would insure them an honest livelihood. 
 
 General McLaws was facing two corps of Sherman's Army 
 at this place with some few veterans, State troops, and re- 
 serves. Sherman had been quiet for some time, recruiting his 
 army with negroes from the great plantations along the coast, 
 and resting up his army for his march through -the State. 
 Negroes flocked to his army by the thousands, and were 
 formed into regiments and brigades, officered by white men. 
 Even our own Generals and some of our statesmen at this time 
 and before were urging Congress to enlist the negroes, but the 
 majority were opposed to the movement. To show how confi- 
 dent were our leaders even at this late day of the Confederacy, 
 I will quote from Wm. Porcher Miles, then in the Confederate 
 Congress, in reply to General Beauregard urging the enlist- 
 ment of the slaves. It must be understood that at this time 
 Lee had all he conld do to hold his own against Grant, grow- 
 ing weaker and weaker as the days rolled by , while Grant was 
 being reinforced from all over the United States. I,ee had the 
 solitary railroad by which to subsist his army. Sherman had 
 laid waste Georgia and was now on the eve of marching 
 through South Carolina. The Army of the Trans-Mississippi 
 was hopelessly cut off from the rest of the Confederacy. The 
 Mississippi River was impassable, to say nothing of the Fed- 
 eral pickets that lined its banks and the gunboats that patrolled 
 its waters, so much so that one of our Generals is said to have 
 made the report "that if a bird was dressed up in Confederate 
 gray, it could not cross the Mississippi." Hood's Array was 
 a mere skeleton of its former self — his men, some furloughed, 
 others returned to their home without leave, so disheartened 
 were they after the disastrous defeat in Tennessee. Still all 
 these conditions being known and understood by the authori- 
 ties, they were yet hopeful. Says Mr. Miles in Congress: 
 
 "I cannot bring my mind to the conviction that arming our 
 slaves will add to our military strength, while the pro.spective 
 and inevitable evils resulting from such measures make me 
 shrink back from such a step. This can be when only on the 
 very brink of the brink of the precipice of ruin." 
 
 From such language from a Confederate Congressman, dark 
 as the day looked on February 4th, 1865, the date of the 
 
HISTORY OP KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 509 
 
 letter, the people did uot seem to feel that they were on the 
 "brink of the precipice." Continuing, Mr. Miles goes on in 
 a hopeful strain: 
 
 "But I do not estimate him [speaking of Grant] as a soldier 
 likely to decide the fate of battle. We have on our rolls this 
 side of the Mississippi four hundred and one thousand men, 
 one hundred and seventy-five thousand efifective and present. 
 We can easily keep in the field an effective force of two hun- 
 dred thousand. These are as many as we can well feed and 
 clothe, and these are sufficient to prevent subjugation or the 
 overrunning of our territory." 
 
 How a man so well informed and familiar with the forego- 
 ing facts could hope for ultimate results, is hard to compre- 
 hend by people of this day and generation. It was the plan 
 of General Beauregard to concentrate all the available troops 
 in North and South Carolina on the Saltkahatchie, to keep 
 Sherman at bay until Dick Taylor, with the remnant of Hood's 
 Army, could come up, then fall back to the Edisto, where 
 swamps are wide and difficult of passage, allow Sherman to 
 cross over two of his corps, fall upon them with all • the force 
 possible, destroy or beat them back upon the center, then 
 assail his flanks, and so double him up as to make extrication 
 next to impossible. But in case of failure here, to retire 
 upon Branchville or Columbia, put up the strongest fortifica- 
 tions possible, withdraw all the troops from Charleston, Wil- 
 mington, and in the other cities, put in all the State troops 
 that were available from the three States, push forward as 
 many veterans as I^ee could temporarily spare from the 
 trenches, barely, leaving a skirmish line behind the works 
 around Richmond and Petersburg, then as Sherman ap- 
 proached, fall upon him with all the concentrated force and 
 crush him in the very heart of the State, or to so cripple him 
 as to make a forward movement for a length of time impossi- 
 ble; while the railroads in his rear being all destroyed, his 
 means of supplies would be cut off, and nothing left but re- 
 treat. Then, in that event, the whole of Beauregard's troops 
 to be rushed on to Lee, and with the combined arm}' assault 
 the left flank of Grant and drive him back on the James. 
 That the soldiers in the ranks and the subaltern oflBcers felt 
 that some kind of movement like this was contemplated, there 
 •can be no doubt. It was this feeling that gave them the con- 
 
510 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 fidence in the face of overwhelming numbers, and nerved them 
 to greater efforts in time of battle. It was this sense of confi- 
 dence the soldiers had in the heads of departments and in the 
 commanding Generals that gave the inspiration to the breaten 
 array of Hood that induced these barefoot men to march half 
 way across the continent to place themselves in battle lines 
 across the pathway of Sherman. It was this confidence in the 
 wisdom of our rulers, the genius of the commanders, the stoi- 
 cism of the soldiers, and above all, the justness of our cause 
 and the helping hand of the Omnipotent, that influenced the 
 women of the South to bear and indure the insults of the Fed- 
 eral soldiers, and view with unconcern the ruin of their homes 
 and the desecration of their country. From the standpoint of 
 the present, this would have been the only possible plan 
 whereby anj' hopes of ultimate success were possible. But to 
 the people of this day and time, the accomplishment of such 
 an undertaking with the forces and obstacles to be overcome 
 looks rather far-fetched, especially when we reflect that John- 
 ston, with fifty or sixty thousand of the best troops in the ser- 
 vice, had failed to check Sherman among the mountain passes 
 of North Georgia, or even to prevent his successful advance to 
 the very walls of Atlanta. That General Beauregard, with 
 his handful of regular troops and a contingent of boys and old 
 men, could accomplish what General Johnston, with a well 
 equipped army of veterans, failed in, was simply a blind faith 
 in the occult influence of Providence. 
 
 But it seems as if the department at Richmond had lost its 
 head, and had no settled policy. Telegrams were being con- 
 tinually sent to the Generals in the field to "Crush the enemy," 
 "You must fight a great battle," "Either destroy him or so 
 cripple his efforts to reach Grant, that reinforcements would 
 be taken from Lee's front," "Why don't you fight?" etc. 
 These were the encouraging messages Generals Beauregard 
 and Hardee were receiving, but where were the troops to 
 accomplish such work? Generals from every direction were 
 calling for aid — to be reinforced, or that the enemy was mak- 
 ing advances, without means to stop him. The answer to all 
 these calls were the same, in substance at least, as that given 
 by Napoleon to the request of Ney of Waterloo, when that 
 marshal called upon the Empei^r for reinforcements, "Where 
 does he expect me to get theffl? ■ Make them?" It seems that 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 511 
 
 the people, with the exception of the privates in the field and 
 the women and children at home, had become panic stricken. 
 
 On the 3rd of February General Sherman began crossing 
 the Saltkahatchie at places between Broxton's and Rivers' 
 Bridges (and above the latter), and was moving by easy 
 stashes in the direction of Branchville. It was not conclusively 
 known whether Shermtin, on reaching that place, would turn 
 towards Augusta or in the direction of Charleston, or continue 
 his march to Columbia. President Davis having declined the 
 proposition of General Beauregard to evacuate all the cities on 
 the coast and make a stand on the Edisto, declined also a like 
 proposition to fight the great battle at either Branchville or 
 Columbia, without offering any better policy himself. The 
 only alternative the latter had was to keep out of Sherman's 
 way as well as possible and to. allow him to continue laying 
 waste the entire center of the State. His only encouragements 
 were dispatches from the President to "Turn and Crash Sher- 
 man," "Call on the Governors," "Bring out the militia," etc. 
 
 Sherman's columns of advance consisted of four great 
 parolled lines, with a corps on each. His extreme right was 
 made up of the Seventeenth Corps, under General Frank P. 
 Blair, the Fifteenth next, under General Jno. A. I^ogau, the 
 two being the right wing of the army, commanded by General 
 Howard. The left wing, under General Slocum, consisted of 
 the Fourteenth Corps, on extreme left. General Jeff. C. Davis 
 commanding; the next, the Twentieth, under General A. S. 
 Williams, the whole numbering sixty thousand. The cav- 
 alry, numbering four thousand additional, was on either 
 flank. 
 
 To meet this formidable array, Beauregard had under his 
 immediate command Hardee, with thirteen thousand seven 
 hundred (three thousand being State militia); around Augusta 
 and on the march in Georgia and upper South Carolina was 
 the remnant of Hood's Array — Steven D. Lee, with three 
 thousand three hundred and fifty; Dick Cheatham, with two 
 thousand five hundred. 
 
 Stewart's Corps was far back in Georgia, and, too far away 
 to give any hopes of meeting Beauregard in this State. It 
 consisted of Loring's Division, one thousand eight hundred 
 and eighty-seven; Wathals' Division, one thousand and thirty- 
 six; French's Division, one thousand five hundred and nineteen. 
 
512 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 It must not be forgotton that the number under Hardee 
 included the troops in and around Charleston, and all the cities 
 and towns in the State where soldiers were stationed. 
 
 General Wheeler, in command of several brigades of cav- 
 alry, now reduced to a mere skeleton organization, was hover- 
 ing around the enemy's flanks and in front between Branch- 
 ville and Augusta. 
 
 Just prior to the evacuation of Columbia, .General Beaure- 
 gard applied to the war department for the promotion of Gen- 
 eral Wade Hampton to Lieutenant General, to take precedence 
 over Major General Wheeler, now in command of all the 
 cavalry in this army. He further asked that he be assigned 
 to the command of the cavalry of his department, all of which 
 was granted. Generals Hampton and Butler were both at 
 home at the time, the former on furlough, the latter recruit- 
 ing and mounting his troops. These two Generals being 
 natives of the State, and General Hampton so familiar with the 
 topography of the country through which the army had to 
 pass, General Beauregard thought him a desirable ofiBcer for 
 the post. Furthermore, Wheeler's Cavalry had become thor- 
 oughly demoralized and undisciplined. From their long, con- 
 tinual retreats the cavalry had become to look upon "retreat" 
 as the regular and national order. Acting on the principle 
 that all which was left in their wake of private property 
 would be appropriated by the enemy, they fell with ruthless 
 hands upon whatsoever property their eyes took a fancy to, 
 consoling themselves with the reasoning "that if we don't take 
 it, the enemy will." So audacious had become the raids of 
 Wheeler's command that citizens had little choice between the 
 two evils, "Wheeler's Cavalry or the Federals." The name 
 of "Wheeler's men" became a reproach and a by-word, and 
 remains so to this day with the descendants of those who felt 
 the scourge of these moving armies. 
 
 These are matters that are foreign to the subject or to the 
 "History of Kershaw's Brigade," but as the greater part of 
 the soldiers of South Carolina were away during the march 
 through their State and ignorant of the movements of the 
 armies, I write for their information, and the concluding part 
 of this work will be rather a history of the whole army than of 
 one brigade. 
 
HISTORY OF JCEKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 513 
 
 CHAPTER XUI 
 
 March Through South Carolina, February and 
 Inarch, 1865. 
 
 When Sherman put this' mighty machine of war in motion j 
 Kershaw's Brigade was hurried back to' Charleston and uf) to 
 'George's Station, then to the bridge on the Edisto. Raiding 
 parties were out in every direction, destroying bridges and 
 railroads, and as the Southern Army had no'pontoon corps nor 
 any methods of crossing ' the deep,' sluggish streaiiis iii their 
 rear but by bridges, it can be seen that the cutting' of one 
 bridge alone might be fatal to the airmy. It was discovered 
 early in the march that Sherman did not intend to'turn to the 
 right or the left, but Continue on a direct line, with Columbia 
 as the center of operations. We were removed frorii the Edisto 
 back to Charleston, and iip the iSTortheastern Railroad to St. 
 Stephen's, on the Santee. It was feared'a raiding party fi-om 
 Georgetown would come up the Santee and cut ' the bridge, 
 thereby isolating the army Hardee had in' Charleston aind 
 vicinity. Slowly Sherman "dragged his weary length along." 
 On the 13th of February the corps of General Blair reached 
 Kingsville and drove our pickets away from the tJridge over 
 the Congare'e. ' ' ' ' " ■■•''■'>! 
 
 On the 15th of February the advance column of'the Twenti- 
 eth Corps came in sight of Columbia. AH the bridges leading 
 thereto were burned and the Southern troo'ps witdrawii to the 
 eastern side. Frank Blair's Corps left the ' road leading to 
 Columbia at Hopkin's, and kept a direct' line for'Ca'mden. 
 Another corps, the Fiftieenth, crossed the Broid at'CoIurnbia, 
 while the Fourteenth and Twentieth we're to'cross at Fresh - 
 ley's and Alston. Orders had been' given to evali'iiatfe Charles- 
 ton, and all the troops under General McLdwS',"at Fouir' Hole 
 Swamp, and along the coast were to rendezvous at St. Ste- 
 phen's, on the Santee, and either make a ju'ncti'o'n with the 
 Western Army at Chester, S. C, or if not' possible, to continue 
 to Chesterfield or Cheraw. The plan of tlie campaign was now 
 33 
 
514 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK, 
 
 to concentrate all the forces of Hood's State Troops and 
 Hardee's at some point in upper South Carolina or in North 
 Carolina, and make one more desperate Stand, and by united 
 action crash and overthrow Sherman's Army, thereby reliev- 
 ing lyce. 
 
 On the morning of the i6th of February the enemy, with- 
 out any warning whatever, began shelling the city of Colum- 
 bia, filled with women and children. Now it must be remem- 
 bered that this was not for the purpose of crossing the river, 
 for one of Sherman's corps had already crossed below the city 
 and two others above. One shell passed through the hotel in 
 which General Beauregard was'at the time, others struck the 
 State House, while many fell throughout the city. General 
 Hampton withdrew his small force of cavalry early on the 
 morning of the 17th, and the Ma5'or of the city met an oflBcer 
 of the Federal Army under a flag of truce and tendered him 
 the surrender of the city, and claimed protection- for its inhabi- 
 tants. This was promised. 
 
 All during the day thousands of the enemy poured into 
 the city, General vSherman entering about midday. Generals 
 Davis' and Williams' Corps crossed the Saluda and continued 
 up on the western bank of Broad River, one crossing ten, the 
 other twenty-five miles above Columbia. The people of Co- 
 lumbia had hopes of a peaceful occupation of the city, but 
 during the day and along towards nightfall, the threatening 
 attitude of the soldiers, their ominous words, threats of ven- 
 geance, were too pretentious for the people to misunderstand 
 or to expect mercy. These signs, threats, and mutterings 
 were but the the prelude to that which was to follow. 
 
 About 9 o'clock P. M. the alarm of fire was given and the 
 dread sound of the fire bells, mingled with the hum and roar 
 of ten thousand voices and the tread of as many troops hurry- 
 ing to and fro on their cursed mission, could be heard by the 
 now thoroughly frightened populace. The people, with 
 blanched countenances, set features, looked in mute silence 
 into the faces of each other. All knew and felt, but dared not 
 even to themselves to whisper, the unmistakable trutli. Now 
 another alarm, awother fire bell mingles its sound with the 
 general chferus of discord, shouts of the soldiery, the fright- 
 ened cries of the people — yells of the drunken troops all a 
 seathing, maddening turbulance in the crowded streets. A 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 515 
 
 lurid glare shoots up above the housetops, then the cracking 
 and roaring of the dread elements told but too plainly that the 
 beautiful city was soon to be wrapped in flames. Th? sack 
 and pillage had begun ! 
 
 Few men being in the city, the women, with rare heroism, 
 sought to save some little necessities of life, only to see it 
 struck to the floor or snatched from their hands and scattered 
 in the streets. Here would be a lone woman hugging an 
 infant to her breast, with a few strips of clothing hanging on 
 her arms; helpless orphans lugging an old trunk or chest, now 
 containing all they could call their own — these would be 
 snatched away, broken open, contents rifled by the drunken 
 soldiers, or if not valuable, trampled under foot. 
 
 Soldiers, with axes and hammers, rushed frcim house to 
 house, breaking in doors, smashing trunks, boxes, bureaus, 
 and robbing them of all that was valuable, then leaving the 
 house in flames. Helpless women, screaming children, babes 
 in the arms, invalids on beds, jolted and jostled against the 
 surging mob — uone toi help, none to advise— these defenseless 
 sufferers rushed aimlessly about, their sole purpose being to 
 avoid the flames and seek a place of safety. The fires origi- 
 nated principally in the southern section of the city, and as 
 the fire eat its way up, the howling throng followed, driving 
 the innocent and helpless ahead. 
 
 As the night wore on, the drunken soldiers, first made in- 
 toxicated by the wine in private cellars or the liquors in the 
 government buildings, now became beastly drunk in their 
 glee at the sight of the destruction they had wrought. The 
 women and children followed the dark background of that 
 part of the city not yet in flames. The Federal officers, in- 
 stead of offering assistance or a helping hand to the ruined and 
 distressed people, added insult to injury by joining in with the 
 private soldiers io the plundering of the city, insulting the 
 women and adding fuel to the flame. 
 
 All night long did the flames rage, leap, and lick the clouds 
 as one block of buildings after another fell — food for the de- 
 vouring elements. This drunken orgies was kept up until their 
 craven hearts were fully satisfied. A few squares in the north- 
 eastern part of the city Were left, also several churches, and 
 into these the women and children were huddled and packed, 
 and had to iVmain for days and some for weeks, almost on the 
 
516 HISTORY OF KKKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 verge of starvation. The Federal commandeij, through the 
 boundless dictates of his sympatlietic heart, after destroying 
 all that fire and rapine could reach, left the starving thousarids 
 a Few rations each of the plunder he had robbed of the punt- 
 ers in the country. 
 
 No vehicles n n horses were left in the city's limits — the 
 bridges burned that lea^ across the river to the west. To the 
 east, Blair's Corps was laying waste everything in their path- 
 way, while above and below the city, for a dista,nce of fifty 
 miles, Sherman had swept the country as bare as if a blight 
 had fallen upon it. How the people of Columbia subsisted 
 during the time they were penned in the city churches and 
 the few buildings left, will ever remain a mystery, and to none 
 so mucli as the sufferers themselves. 
 
 Grains of corn were eagerly picked up in the streets as they 
 dropped from the wagons, and the women and children of the 
 lower class 3 ml the negroes flocked to the deserted camps to 
 gather up the crumbs left by the soldiers or the grains tram- 
 pled under foot of the horses. 
 
 Every house in a .stretch of fifty miles was entered and 
 insults and indignities offered the defenseless women which 
 would have shamed the sava,ge Turk. L,adies were forced to 
 disclo-e. at tlie point of the pistol or the sabre, the hiding- 
 place of their little valuables. Some were forced to cook 
 meals and wait upon the hell hounds, while they regaled 
 themselves upon the choice viands or medicinal wines of the 
 plarters' wives. But be it known to their immortal honor, 
 that it was only on the mo.st rare occa-sious that these proud 
 dames of the South could, either by threat or brutal treatment, 
 be forced to yield to their insolent demands. With the orders 
 from the soldiers to "prepare a meal" or "disclose the where- 
 abouts of their money or valuables," came the threat, "We 
 will burn your house if you do not.'' But almost invariably 
 came the quick response, "Burn it, burn it, j'ou cowardly 
 wretches, and kill me, if you wish, and all of us, but I will 
 never soil my hands by waiting upon a cowardly Yankee, nor 
 tell you. the place of concealment — find it if you can." The 
 soldiers would question the negroes to find oat if there were 
 any watches, silver plate, or money belonging to the house- 
 hold; if so, they would, by a system of inquisition, attempt to 
 force the women to give it up, but in vain. 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 517 
 
 A woman, Mrs. Miller, the wife of a 'neighbor of mine, had 
 her husband's gold watch in her bosom, and refused to give 
 it up when demanded, even when a cocked pistol was at her 
 head. The vandal struck her a stunning blow with the butt 
 end of the pistol — all in vain. The brave heroine held to the 
 heirloom, and stoutly resisted all entreaties and threats. 
 
 Two old people living near me, brother and maiden sister, 
 named Loner, both pass three scores, were asked to give their 
 money. They had none. But one of the ruffians threw a fire 
 brand under the bed, saying: 
 
 "I will put it out if you will tell me where you keep your 
 money; you have it, for I've been so informed." 
 
 "Let it burn," answered the old women. "Do you think 
 to frighten or intimidate me by burning my house that I will 
 tell what I choose to conceal? Do you think I care so much 
 for my house and its belongings? No, no; you mistake the 
 women of the South. You will never conquer her people by 
 making war upon defenseless women. Let the house go up 
 in flames, and my ashes mingle with its ashes, but I will 
 remain true to myself, my country, and my God." 
 
 Soon all that was left of the once happy home was a heap of 
 ashes. Will God, in His wisdom, ever have cause to again 
 create such women as those of the Southland? Or were there 
 ever conditions in the world's history that required the pres- 
 ence of such noble martyrdom as was displayed by the women 
 of the South during the Civil War? 
 
 But a Nemesis in this case, as in many others, was lurking 
 near. Bands of Confederates and scouts had scattered them- 
 selves on the flanks and rear of the enemy; old men and boys 
 and disabled veterans were lying in wait in many thickets and 
 out of the way places, ready to pounce upon the unsu.specting 
 freebooters and give to them their just deserts. Was it any 
 wonder that so many hundreds, nay thousands, of these Goths 
 failed to answer to Sherman's last roll call? Before the sun 
 was many hours older, after the burning of the Loner home- 
 stead, the dreaded "bushwhackers" were on the trail of the 
 vandals. 
 
 For years afterwards people, from curiosity, came to look at 
 a heap of human bones in a thicket near, bleached by winter's 
 rain and summer's sun, while some of the older men, pointing 
 
518 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Sherman's houseburners." And such were the scenes from 
 the Saltkahatchie to the Cape Fear. Who were to blame? 
 
 Sherman now directs his march towards Winnsboro and 
 Chester, still in the four great parols, burning and plundering 
 as they go. It seems that in their march through Georgia 
 they were only whetting their appetites for a full gorge of 
 vandalism in South Carolina. After their carnival of ruin in 
 Columbia the Federals, like the tiger, which, with the taste of 
 blood, grows more ravenous, they became more destructive the 
 more destruction they saw. Great clouds of black smoke rose 
 up over the whole country and darkened the sky overhead, 
 while at nii;-ht the heavens were lit up by the glare of the 
 burning buildings. The railroad tracks were torn up and 
 bridges burned, the iron being laid across heaps of burning 
 ties, then when at red heat, were v\ rapped around trees and 
 telegraph posts — these last through pure wontonness, as no 
 army was in their rear that could ever use them again. 
 
 While that part of Sherman's Army was crossing Broad 
 River at Alston and Freshley's, and the other near Ridge way, 
 General Hampton wrote General Beauregard to concentrate all 
 his forces at or near the latter place by shipping Hardee and 
 all forces under him at once by railroad — Stephenson's Divis- 
 ion of Western men, now with Hampton and all the cavalry to 
 fall upon the Fifteenth Corps, under Blair, and crush it before 
 the other portions of the army could reach it. He argued 
 that the enemy was marching so wide apart, the country so 
 hilly, and the roads in Fairfield County almost impassable, 
 that one wing of the army could be crushed before the other 
 could reach it. But General Beauregard telegraphed him, 
 "The time is past for that move. While it could have been 
 done at the Edisto or Branch ville, it is too late now." 
 
 On the night of the 17th and tnorniug of the i8th Charles- 
 ton was evacuated. Before the commencement of the retire- 
 ment, orders were given by General Beauregard to General 
 Hardee to withdraw the troops in the following order, but 
 General Hardee being sick at this time, the execution of the 
 order devolved upon General McL,aws: One brigade of 
 Wright's Division, in St. Paul's Parish, to move by railroad to 
 Monk's Corner, then march by Sandy Run to the Santee; the 
 other portion of Wright's Division to move by Summerville 
 to St. Stephen's. The trrops in Christ Church Parish to go 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 519 
 
 by steamer to St. Stephen's, The troops from James' Island 
 to move out by Ashley's Ferry and follow the Northeastern 
 railroad, to be followed in turn by all the troops in the city. 
 Mclyaws was to withdraw from Sherman's front at Branchville 
 and follow on to St. Stephen's. After all the troops were 
 here congregated, the line of march was taken up in the direc- 
 tion of Cheraw. Away to our left we could see the clouds of 
 smoke rise as houses went up in flames, while forest fires 
 swept the country far and wide. It was not fully understood 
 to what point Sherman was making, until he reached Winns- 
 boro. Here he turned the course of direction by turning to 
 the right, crossing the Catawba at Pea's Ferry and Rocky 
 Mount, the right wing under General Howard, at Pea's; the 
 left, under General Slocum, at Rocky Mount, all marching to 
 form a junction again at Cheraw. Sherman did not dare to 
 trust himself f^r in th^ interior for any length of time, but was 
 marching to meet the fleet that had left him at Savannah and 
 the troops under Scfiofield,, at Newbern, N. C. This is the 
 reason he turns his course towards the sea coast. Raiding 
 parties, under Kilpatrick, were sent out in the direction of 
 Darlington and lyaiicaster, burning and plundering at will. 
 
 About this time Fort Fisher and all the works at the mouth 
 of the Cape Fear River fell into the hands of the enemy. 
 Wilmington surrendered and General Bragg, who was in com- 
 mand there, retreated to Goldsboro. 
 
 How. in the face of all these facts, could it be possif^le for 
 Generals to deceive themselves or to deceive others, or how 
 President Davis could have such delusive hopes, is now impos- 
 sible to comprehend. On February 22nd, after the fall of 
 Wilmington, the Army of Sherman was on the border of 
 North Carolina, while Hood's was straggling through the 
 upper part of this State, with no protection of forming a junc- 
 tion with Beauregard. President Davis wrote on that day: 
 
 "General Beauregard: I have directed General J. E. John- 
 ston to assume command of the Southern Army and assign 
 5'ou to duty with him. Together, I feel assured you will beat 
 back Sherman." 
 
 To add one man, even if a great commander, would add but 
 little strength to any army, already exausted beyond the hope 
 of recuperation, still "You will beat Sherman back!" the Pres- 
 ident writes. I for one cannot see how a General could receive 
 
520 I^ISTpSY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 such an order at such time in any other spirit than ridicule. 
 President Davis, even after the fall of Richmond and the 
 battle of Bettonville fought, where Johnston tried once more 
 to "beat back Sherman" and failed — after all the circum; 
 stances and conditions were given to him in detail — said, "The 
 struggle could be still carried on to a successful issue by bring- 
 ing out all our latest resources; that we could even cross the 
 Mississippi River, join forces with Kirby Smith, and prolong 
 the war indefinitely." Was there ever such blind faith or 
 dogged tenacity of purpose? Did Mr. Davis and our Generals 
 really believe there was still a chance for a successful issue at 
 this late day, or was it the knowledge of the disposition of the 
 troops whom they knew would rather suflFer death than defeat. 
 
 It must, within all reason, have been the latter, for no great 
 commander cognizant of all the facts could have been so blind. 
 Even while the Confederate troops were overwhelmed by num- 
 bers, communications cut on all sides, all out posts and the 
 borders hemmed in one small compass, some of our soldiers 
 entered a publishing house in Raleigh, destroyed all the type, 
 broke the presses, and demolished the building — all this 
 because the editor of the paper advised the giving up of the 
 contest! Did the soldiers of the South believe as yet that they 
 were beaten? Circumstances and their surly moods say not. 
 Well might a commander or executive have apprehensions of 
 his personal safety should he counsel submission as long as 
 there was a soldier left to raise a rifle or draw a lanyard. I 
 ask again was there ever before such troops as those of the 
 South? Will there ever be again? 
 
 Kershaw's Brigade, now attached to Hardee's Corps, 
 reached Cheraw about the first of March, but the enemy's ad- 
 vance was at Chesterfield, causing Hardee to continue his 
 march by Rockinham on to Fayetteville, N. C., near which 
 place the two armies, that is the one under Hampton and the 
 other under Hardee, came together. Hardee having recovered 
 from his indisposition, relieved General McLaws, the latter 
 returning to Augusta, Ga. Kershaw's Brigade was soon after 
 put in Wathal's Division. 
 
 On the 22nd of February General Jos. E. Johnston, who 
 was then jliying at Lincolnton, N. C, was called from his 
 retirement and placed in command of all the troops in North 
 and South Carolina and riporcria, Althmiorh ttiP orm^? oroc 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. -, 521 
 
 nothing more thsin detachments, and widely separated, and 
 greatly disorganized when he reached them, still they hailed . 
 with delight the appointment of their former faithful old com- 
 mander. His one great aim was, the convergence of the vari- 
 ous armies to one point in front of the. enemy and strike a blow 
 at either one or more, of his columns, either at Paj'etteville or 
 at th^ crossing of the Cape Fear River. Hardee had been 
 racing with Sherman to reach Cheraw and cross the PeeDee 
 before Qhermfin could come up. He only accomplished this 
 afteV many forced marches by "the skjn of his teeth," to use a 
 homely expression. He crossed the PeeDee ohe day ahead of 
 the enemy, burning the bridge behind him, after moving all 
 the stones that were possible. The right wing, under General 
 Howard, crossed the Pee Dee at Cheraw, while the left, under 
 Slocum, crossed higher up, at Sneedsboro. Hampton was 
 forced to make a long detour up the PeeDee and cross at the 
 fords along the many little islands in that stream. 
 
 On the 8th of March General Bragg, with Hoke's Division, 
 reinforced by a division under D. H. Hill, of Johnston's com- 
 mand, numbering in all about two thousand, attacked three 
 divisions under General Cox, at Kinjston, defeating him with 
 much loss, capturing one thousand five hundred prisoners and 
 three pieces of artillery. 
 
 During the campaign our cavalry was not idle on the flanks 
 or front of Sherman, but on the contrary, was ever on the 
 alert, striking the enemy wherever possible. General Butler 
 intercepted and defeated a body of Federals on their way to 
 destroy the railroad at Florence, at or near Mount Elan. 
 General Wheeler, also, at Homesboro, came up with the 
 enemy, and after a spirited brush, drove the enemy from the 
 field, capturing a number of jirisoners. Again, near Rockin- 
 ham, the same officer put the enemy to rout. General Kil- 
 patrick had taken up camp on the road leading to Fayetteville, 
 and commanding that road which was necessary for the con- 
 centration of our troops. In the night General Hampton, 
 after thoroughly reconnoitering the. position, surrounded the 
 camp of Kilpatrick, and at daybreak, on the loth, fell like a 
 huricane upon the sleeping enemy. The wildest confusion 
 prevailed; friend could not be di.stinguished from foe. Shoot- 
 ing and saber slashing were heard in every direction, while 
 such of the enemv^whrLrrmlH m minted their horses and rode at 
 
522 HISTORY OF KERSHAW,'S BRIGADB. 
 
 break-neck speed, leaving their camp and camp equippage, 
 their artillery and wagon trains. The enemy was so laden 
 w'th stolen booty, captured in the Carolinas and Georgia, that 
 this great treasure was too great a temptation to the already 
 demoralized cavalry. So, instead of following up their vic- 
 tory, they went to gathering the spoils. Hundreds of horses 
 were captured, but these ran off by our troops forcing all the 
 artillery captured to be abandoned, after cutting the wheels to 
 pieces. But the long train of wagons, laden with supplies, 
 was a good addition to our depleted resources. A great num- 
 ber of the enemy were killed and wounded, with five hundred 
 prisoners, besides recapturing one hundred and "fifty of our 
 own troops taken in former battles. 
 
 General Johnston now ordered the troops of General Bragg 
 who had come up from Kiniston and the Western troops, 
 under Stuart, Cheatham, and L,ee, as well as a part of Har- 
 dee's, to concentrate at Smitlifield. The bulk of Hardee's 
 Corps, of which Kershaw's Brigade was a part, withdrew from 
 Cheraw in the direction of Goldsboro, and at Averysboro the 
 enemy came up with Hardee, and by the overpowering weight 
 of numbers forced the Confederates from their position. The 
 density of the pine forest was such, that after a few fires, the 
 smoke settled among the undergrowth and under the treetops 
 in such quantity that a foe could not he seen even a short dis- 
 tance away. The level condition of the country prevented our 
 artillery from getting in any of its work, and a flank movement 
 by the Federals could be so easily made, unnoticed, that 
 Hardee was forced to retire in the direction of Smithlield and 
 to an elevation. 
 
 General Johnston having learned that the enemy was march- 
 ing in the direction of Glodsboro, instead of Raleigh, and that 
 the right wing was a day's advance of the left, ordered a con- 
 centration of his troops near the little hamlet of Bentonvill<=, 
 situated near the junction of the roads, one leading to Raleigh 
 and the other to Goldsboro, and there fall upon the one wing 
 of, the army and defeat it before the other came up. This was 
 not so difficult in contemplation as in the perforance, under the 
 present condition of the troops and the topography of the 
 country. General Johnston was misled by the maps at hand, 
 finding afterwards that the Federal General, Howard, was 
 much nearer Bentonville than was General Hardee. But Gen- 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIOADK. 523 
 
 eral Hampton put General Butler's Division of Cavalry in 
 front of this whole force, behind some hastily constructed 
 breastworks, and was to keep Slocum at bay until the troops 
 had all gotten in position. 
 
 General Hardee began moving early on the morning of the 
 19th, and on reaching Bentonville we now, for the first time, 
 came up with all the other troops of the army. Hoke's 
 Division lead ofif to take position and stood on both sides of a 
 dull road leading through the thickets. Batteries were placed 
 on his right. Next to the artillery was posted the Army of 
 Tennessee, its right thrown forward. Before Hardee could 
 get in position the enemy attacked with the utmost vigor, so 
 much so that General Bragg, who was commanding in person 
 at this point, asked for reinforcements. General Hardee, mov- 
 ing by at this juncture, ordered McLaws' Old Division to the 
 aid of Hoke. But the almost impenetrable thicket prevented 
 hasty movement, and the smoke in front, overhead and the 
 rear, with bullets passing over the heads of Hoke's men, made 
 it impossible for these unacquainted with the disposition of the 
 troops to know whether it was friend or foe in our front. The 
 troops became greatly entangled and some of the officers de- 
 moralized. Some troops on our right, by mistaking the head 
 of direction, began to face one way, while Kershaw's Brigade 
 was facing another. But after much manoeuvering, Mcl^aw's 
 got the troops disentangled and moved upon the line, and after 
 several rounds at close 'range, the enemy retreated. Hardee 
 was then ordered to charge with his wing of the armv, com- 
 posed of troops under Stuart and a division under Taliaferro, 
 while Bragg was to follow by brigades from right to left. The 
 firing was now confusing, our troops advancing in different 
 direction, and the sound of our guns and cannon echoing and 
 reverberating through the dense forest, made it appear as if 
 we were surrounded by a simultaneous fire. But finding our 
 way the best we could by the whizzing of the bullets, we 
 rushed up to the enemy's first line of entrenchments, which 
 they had abandoned without an effort, and took position be- 
 hind the second line of works. After firing a round or two, 
 the Confederates raised the old Rebel yell and went for their 
 second line with a rush. Here General Hardee led his men in 
 person, charging at their head on horseback. The troops car- 
 ried everything before them; the enemy in double columns and 
 
524 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 favorably entrenched, was glad to take cover in the thicket in 
 the rear. On the extreme left our troops were less successful, 
 being held in check by strong breastworks and a dense thicket 
 between the enemy and the troops of General Bragg. After 
 sweeping the enemy from the field. General Hardee found it 
 necessary to halt and reform his line and during this interval 
 the enemy made an unsuccessful assault upon the troops of 
 General Stuart. After nightfall and after all the killed and 
 wounded had been removed from the field, General Johnston 
 moved the troops back to the line occupied in the morning and 
 threw up fortifications. Here we remained until the 21st; 
 McLaws was detached and placed on the left of Hoke; the 
 cavalry deployed as skirmishers to our left. There was a con- 
 siderable gap between our extreme left and the main body of 
 cavalry, and this break the writer commanded with a heavy 
 line of skirmishers. I,ate in the day the enemy made a spir- 
 ited attack upon us, so much so that General McLaws sent 
 two companies of boys, formerly of Fixer's Brigade of Georgia 
 Militia. The boys were all between sixteen and eighteen, and 
 a finer body of young men I never saw. He also sent a regi- 
 ment of North Carolina Militia, consisting of old men from 
 fifty to sixty, and as these old men were coming up on line 
 the enemy were giving us a rattling fire from their sharp- 
 shooters. The old men could not be induced to come up, 
 however. The Colonel, a venerable old gray- beard, riding a 
 white horse, as soon as the bullets began to pelt the pines in 
 his front, leaped from his horse and took refuge behind a large 
 tree. I went to him and tried every inducement to get him to 
 move up his men on a line with us, but all he would do was to 
 grasp me by the hand and try to jerk me down beside him. 
 "Lie down, young man," said he, "or by God you'll be shot 
 to pieces. Lie down!" The old militiaman I saw was too old 
 for war, and was "not built that way." But when I returned 
 to the skirmish line, on which were my own brigade skirmish- 
 ers, reinforced by the two boy companies, the young men 
 were fighting with a glee and abandon I never saw equalled. 
 I am sorry to record that several of these promising young 
 men, who had left their homes so far behind, were killed and 
 many wounded. 
 
 This ended the battle of Bentonville, and we might say the 
 war. The sun of the Confederacy, notwithstandino- Hip hopes 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 525 
 
 of our Generals, the determination of the troops, and the 
 prayers of the people, was fast sinking in the west. The glo- 
 rious rising on the plains of Manassas had gone down among 
 the pine barriers of North Carolina. The last stroke had been 
 givpn, and destiny seemed to be against us. For hundreds of 
 miles had the defeated troops of Hood marched barefooted and 
 footsore to the relief of their comrades of the East, and had 
 now gained a shallow victory. They had crossed three States 
 to mingle their blood with those of their friends who had 
 fought with dogged resistence every step that Sherman had 
 made. But their spirits were not broken. They were still 
 ready to try conclusions with the enemy whenever our leaders 
 gave the signal for battle. The South could not be conquered 
 by defeat — to conquer it, it must be crushed.- The tattered 
 battle flags waved as triumphantly over the heads of the shat- 
 tered ranks of the battle-scared veterans here in the pine bar- 
 riers as it ever did on the banks of the Rapidan. 
 
 It is sad to chronicle that on this last day, in a battle of the 
 cavalry, in which the infantry had to take a part, the gallant 
 son of the brave General Hardee fell at the head of his column 
 as the Eighth Texas Cavalry was making a desperate charge. 
 In the battle of Bentonville the Confederates had fourteen 
 thousand infantry and cavalry. The cavalry being mostly on 
 the flanks, and General Wheeler on the north side of Mill 
 Creek, could not participate in the battle in consequence of the 
 swolen stream. The Federal Army had thirty-five thousand 
 engaged on the 19th and sevent}' thousand in line on the 20th. 
 The loss on the Confederate side was one hundred and eighty 
 killed, one thousand two hundred and twenty wounded, and 
 five hundred and fifteen missing. The enemy's los.ses in 
 killed and wounded far exceeded the Confederates, besides the 
 Confederates captured nine hundred prisoners. 
 
 On the night of the 21st the army began its retreat, crossing 
 Mill Creek on the morning of the 22nd, just in time to see the 
 enemy approach the bridge as our last troops had crossed. 
 
 On the 23rd General Sherman marched his army to Golds- 
 boro, there uniting with General Schofield. It was the inten- 
 tion of General lyce that as soon as General Sherman had 
 approached near enough, to abandon the trenches at Peters- 
 burg, and, with the combined armies, turn and fall upon his 
 front, flank, and rear. 
 
526 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII 
 
 From Smithfield to Greensboro — The Surren- 
 der. 
 
 The army took up quarters for a while around Smithfield. 
 The troops were as jollj' and full of life as they ever were in 
 their lives. Horse racing now was the order of the day. Out 
 in a large old field, every day thousands of soldiers and 
 civilians, with a sprinkling of the fair ladies of the surround- 
 ing country, would congregate to witness the excitement of 
 the race course. Here horses from Kentucky, Tennessee, 
 Georgia, and North and South Carolina tried each others 
 mettle. They were not the thoroughbreds of the course, but 
 cavalry horses, artillery horses, horses of Generals, Colonels, 
 and the staff — horses of all breeds and kinds, all sizes and de- 
 scription — stood at the head of the track and champed their 
 bits with eagerness, impatient to get away. Confederate 
 money by the handfuls changed owners ever5' day. It was 
 here that Governor Zeb Vance, of North Carolina, visited us, 
 and was a greater favorite with the soldiers than any man in 
 civil life. It was here, too, our old disabled commander, Gen- 
 eral James Connor, came to bid us an affectionate farewell. 
 General Kennedy formed the brigade into a hollow square to 
 receive our old General. He entered the square on horse- 
 back, accompanied by General Kennedy and staff. He had 
 come to bid us farewell, and spoke to us in feeling terms. He 
 recounted our many deeds of valor upon the field, our suffer- 
 ings in camp and upoq the march, and especially our supreme 
 heroism and devotion in standing so loyally to our colors in 
 this the dark hour of our country's cause. He spoke of bis 
 great reluctance to leave us; how he had watched with sym- 
 pathy and affection our wanderings, our battles, and our vic- 
 tories, and then envokihg Heaven's blessings upon us, he said 
 in pathetic tones, "Comrades, I bid you an affectionate fare- 
 well," and rode away. 
 
 While in camp here there was a feeble attempt made to reor- 
 
HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 527 
 
 ganize and consolidate the brigade by putting the smaller 
 companies together and making one regiment out of two. As 
 these changes took place so near the end, the soldiers never 
 really realizing a change had been made, I will do no more 
 than make a passing allusion to it, as part of this history. 
 The only effect these changes had was the throwing out of 
 some of our best and bravest officers (there not being places 
 for all) , but as a matter of fact this was to their advantage, as 
 they esc^aped the humiliation of surrender, and returned home 
 a few days earlier than the rest of the army. 
 
 After passing through South Carolina and venting its spleen 
 on the Secession State, the Federal Army, like a great forest 
 fire, sweeping over vast areas, stops of its own accord by find- 
 ing nothing to feed upon. The vandalism of the Union Army 
 in North Carolina was confined mostly to the burning of the 
 great turpentine forests. They had burned and laid waste the 
 ancestral homes of lower South Carolina, left in ashes the 
 beautiful capital of the State, wrecked and ruined the magnifi- 
 cent residences and plantations of the central and upper part of 
 the country, leaving in their wake one vast sheet of ruin and 
 desolation, so that when they met the pine barrens of Nortli 
 Carolina, their appetites for pillage, plunder, and destruction 
 seems to have been glutted. 
 
 It was the boast of the Federal commander and published 
 with delight in all the Northern newspapers, that "where his 
 army Went along a crow could not pass over without taking 
 its rations along. " Then, too, this very country was to feed 
 and support, while in transit to these horrors almost the whole 
 of Johnston's and the greater part of Lee's Army. All these, 
 in squads or singly, were fed along the way from house to 
 house wherever they could beg a little meal or cdrn, with a 
 morsel of meat dr molasses. A great number of negro troops 
 als6 passed through this country on their way to the coast to 
 be disbanded. But the noble women of South Carolina never 
 turned a hungry soldier from their doors as long as there was 
 a mouthful in the house to eat. 
 
 Another terror now alarmed the people — the news of a great 
 raid, under Stoneman, being on its way through North Caro- 
 lina and upper South Caroliha, coming across the country from 
 East Tennessee, laying waste everything in its track. General 
 Sherman had concentrated his whole army at Goldsboro, and 
 
528 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 was lying idle in catnp, preparatory to his next great move to 
 connect with Grant. He had at his command the right wing, 
 under General Howard, twenty-eight thousand eight hundred 
 and thirty-four; its left wing, under General Slocum, twenty- 
 eight thousand and sixty-three. General Schofield had come 
 up ffom Newbern with twenty -six thousand three hundred and 
 ninety-two and constituted the center, besides five thbuband six 
 hundred and fifty-nine cavalry, uilder Kilpatrick, and ninety- 
 one pieces of artillery. General Johnston had encamped his 
 army between two roads, one leading to Raleigh, the other to 
 Wi-ldon. The Confederate Government, after the evacuation 
 of Richmond, had now established its quarters at Danville, 
 Va. , awaiting the next turn of the wheel. Lee had fallen 
 back from Petersburg; while Johnston, before Sherman, was 
 awaiting the move of that General to fall back still nearer to 
 his illustrious chieftain. The government and all the armies 
 were now hedged in the smallest compass. Still our leaders 
 were apparently hopeful and difiant, the troops williiig to 
 stand by them to the last. 
 
 On the loth of April President Davis and a part of his 
 cabinet left Danville on his way to Greensboro. Bven at this 
 late day President Davis was urging the concentration of the 
 troops under General Walker, the scattered troops at Salis- 
 bury and Greensboro, and those under Johnston at same place 
 on the Yadkin, and crush Sherman, and then it is supposed to 
 turn on Grant. All this with less than twenty thousand 
 men! 
 
 The last conference of the great men of the Confederacy met 
 at Greensboro, on the 13th of April, 1865. Those present 
 were President Davis, Messrs. Benjamin, Secretary of State; 
 Mallory, of the Navy; Reagin, Postmaster General; Breckin- 
 ridge, Secretary of War, and General Johnston. The army 
 had been falling back daily through Raleigh, and was now en- 
 camped near Greensboro. President Davis still clung to the 
 delusion that by pressing the conscript act and bringing out 
 all absentees, they could yet prolong the struggle, even if they 
 had to cross the Mississippi and join with Kirby Smith. Gen- 
 eral Johnston urged in his and General Beauregard's name its 
 utter impracticability, and informed the JPresident plainly and 
 positively that it was useless to continue the struggle — that 
 they had as well abandon all hope of any other issue than that 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 529 
 
 which they could gain through the Federal authorities, and 
 besought Mr. Davis to open negotiatioas looking to peace-i- 
 that he was yet the executive and head of the Confederate 
 Government; that he was the proper one to commence such 
 negotiations. This Mr. Davis refused, saying the Federal 
 authorities would refuse to treat with him. Then General 
 Johnston proposed doing so in his own name. This was 
 agreed to, and a letter written by Mr. Mallory, he being the 
 best penman in the group, and signed and sent by General 
 Johnston to General Sherman. The letter recapitulated the 
 results in the army in the last few days, changing the status 
 of the two armies and the needless amount of bloodshed and 
 devastation of property that the continuance of the struggle 
 would produce, and asked for a conference looking to an 
 armistice in the armies until the civil government could settle 
 upon terms of peace. The letter was sent to General Hamp- 
 ton, and by him to the Federal commander the next day. 
 General Sherman acknowledged the receipt of the letter on the 
 14th, and it reached General Johnston on the i6th, agreeing 
 to a cessation of hostilities until further notice. General Sher- 
 man expressed in his letter a great desire to spare the people 
 of North Carolina the devastation and destruction the passing 
 of his army through the State would necessitate. When it 
 began to be noised about in the caijip that the army was about 
 to be surrendered, the soldiers became greatly excited. The 
 thought of grounding their arms to an enemy never before 
 entered their minds, and when the news came of a surrender 
 the greatest apprehension and dread seized all. So different 
 the end to their expectation. None could even think of the 
 future without a shudder. Some anticipated a term in Federal 
 prisons; others, the higher^ ofiBcers, a military trial; others 
 thought of their private property and their arms. Even in a 
 prison camp, where our soldiers would be kept confined under 
 a Federal guard, all was mystery and uncertainty. The wives 
 and helpless children, left in the rear to the mercy of the 
 negroes (now for the first time known to be free), agitated the 
 minds of not a few. Men began to leave the army by twos 
 and by squads. Guards were placed on all roads and around 
 camps, and the strictest orders were given against leaving the 
 army without leave. Cavalrymen in great numbers had 
 34 
 
530 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 mounted their horses and rode away. General Sherman sent 
 guards to all fords and bridges to examine all the paroles of 
 the troops 6f Lee now swarming through the countryl' 
 
 General Johnston met General Sherman at Durham, on ttie 
 17th of April, at the house of Mr. Bennett, but after a long 
 and tedious controversy, nothing was agreed upon. A second 
 meeting took place at the same house next day, at which Gen- 
 eral Breckinridge was unofRcially present, when terms of an 
 armistice were agreed to until the department at Washington 
 could be beard from. President Davis had already gone 
 South with such of his cabinet as chose to follow him, the 
 whole settlement of difficulties now devolving upon General 
 Johnston alone. 
 
 But just as all negotiations were progressing finely the news 
 came of President Lincoln's assassination, throwing the whole 
 of the Federal Army in a frenzy of excitement. While the 
 troops of the South may not have given their assent to such 
 measures, yet they rejoiced secretly :u their hearts that the 
 great agitator, emancipator — the cause of all our woes — was 
 laid low. To him and him alone all looked upon as being the 
 originator, schemer, and cpnsummater of all the ills the South 
 had suffered. However the hearts of the Southern people 
 may have changed in the thirty years that have passed, or how 
 sadly they deplored his death, even in a decade afterwards, I 
 but voice the sentiment of the South at the time when I say 
 they hated Lincoln with all the venom of their souls, and his 
 untimely taking off by the hands of the assassin partly con- 
 soled then; for all they had suffered. 
 
 Orders came from General Sherman to General Johnston to 
 the effect that part of their agreement was rejected by the 
 Washington Authority, and notifying the latter that the truce 
 would be called off in fort5'-eight hours. This occasioned a 
 third meeting between the two commanders to make such 
 changes that were required by the authorities. On the 26th 
 General Johnston sent a cotnmunication to General Sherman 
 requesting a meeting at same place for further conference. 
 This was agreed to and the meeting took place, where such 
 terms were agreed upon and signed as was thought to be in 
 accordance with the wishes of 'the Washington Government. 
 Rolls were made out in duplicate of, all the officers and soldiers, 
 and on the 2nd of May the troops marched out, stacked their 
 
5ai 
 
 arms, were given, paroles, aad slowly turned away and cdva,- 
 menced their homeward journey. 
 
 A military chest, containing $39,000, had been received 
 from the Government in Richmond and divided out among the 
 soldiers, being $1-29 apiece. A.11 the wagon and artillery 
 horses and wagons, also, were loaned to the soldiers and 
 divided by lot. A few days' rations had been issued, and 
 with this and the clothes on their back, this remnant ot a once 
 grand army bent their steps towards their desolate homes. It 
 was found advisable to move by, different routs and in such 
 numbers as was most agreeable and convenient. Once awsy 
 from the confines of the army, they took by-ways and cross 
 country roads, avoiding as much as po.ssible the track of the 
 late army. The troops of Kershaw's Brigade, on reaching the 
 borders of their State, each sought for himself the easiest and 
 nearest path home. The Western Army made their way, the 
 most of them at least, to Washington, Ga,, where there was 
 yet railroad communication a part of the way through Geor- 
 gia. 
 
 And now, gentle reader, my task is done — my pen laid 
 aside, after days and days of earnest toil to give a faithful and 
 correct account of your daring, your endurance, your patriot- 
 ism, and your fidelity to the cause you had espoused. Your 
 aims have been of the highest, your performances ideal, and 
 while you were unsuccessful, still your deeds of daring will 
 live in history as long as civilization lasts. While your cher- 
 ished hopes ended in a dream, still your aspirations have been 
 of the loftiest, and your acts will be copied by generations yet 
 unborn, as a fitting' pattern for all brave men. You have 
 fought in all the great battles of the East, from the trenches 
 of Petersburg to the rugged heights of Round Top. Your 
 blood mingled with that of your comrades of the West, from 
 Chickamauga to the storming of Fort lyondon. You comb^t- 
 ted the march of Sherman from the Saltkahatchie to the cloge, 
 and stacked your arms more as conquering heroes than beaten 
 foes. You have nothing to regret but the results— no hope 
 but the continued prosperity of a reunited people. This heri- 
 tage of valor left to posterity as a memorial of Southern inan- 
 hood to the Southern cause will be cherished by your descend- 
 ants for all time, and when new generations come on and read 
 the histories of the great Civil War, and recall to their mij^ds 
 
532 HtsT^oRY OF ke;rshaw's brigade. 
 
 the fortitude, the chivalry, and the glories of the troops en- 
 gaged, Etershaw's Brigade will liave-a_bEight page in the book 
 ■of their remembrance. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV 
 
 Retrospect. 
 
 It would be suppostd Hhat the writer, who had fought by 
 the sHe of nearlj' all. and who had visited battlefields where 
 troops from every State had fallen, could form an idea of 
 "Whi^h were tin- 'oest troops from the South?" The South 
 has fnrnisbeii a type of tli^ true, soldier that will last as a copy 
 foi all' tiiiif. She iiad few regulars, and her volunteer troops 
 were bniugbt into service without, preparation or without the 
 knowledge of tactical drill, but in stoicism, heroism, and mar- 
 tyrdom they excelled the world 
 
 I give in these pages a brief synopsis of the characteristics 
 of the uoops froth different States, and vvhile this is, the view 
 of the author alone, still I feel assured that the great mass of. 
 the old soldiers will admit its correctness. To the question, 
 "Whicli were the best troops from the South?" there would be 
 ■as many answers and as much differences of opinions as there 
 were States ih the Confederacy, or organizations in the field, 
 :as each soldier was conscientious in his belief that those from 
 his own State were the best in the army, his brigade the best 
 in the division, his regiment the best in the brigade, and his 
 o'wh coalpany the best in the regiment. This is a pardonable 
 pride of the soldier, and is as it should be to make, an army 
 great. Where all, individually and collectively, vere as good 
 'di' better than any who ever before faced! an enem}' upon a 
 Tjattlefield, there really are no "best." 
 
 ■, But soldiers from different States, all of the same nationalit3' 
 •and of the same lineage, from habits, temperaments., and envi- 
 ronments, had different characteristics upon the field pf b.at-. 
 tie. From an impartial standpoint, I give my opinion thus: 
 
 The Virginians were the cayaliers of the South, high-toned, 
 high-bred, each individual soldier inspired by that lofty idea of 
 
HISOTRY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 533 
 
 loyalty of the cavalier. They were the ideal soldiers in an 
 open field and a fair fight. They were the men to sweep a 
 battle line that fronts them from the field by their chivalrous 
 and steady courage. Virginia, the mother of Presidents, of 
 great men, and noble women, the soldier of that State felt in 
 honor bound to sustain the name and glorj' of their common- 
 wealth. As a matter of fact, the Virginians, as a rule, with 
 exceptions enough to establish the rule, being one of the oldest 
 of the sister States, her wealth, her many old and great insti- 
 tutions of learning, were better educated than the mass of sol- 
 diers from the other States. They were soldiers from pride 
 and patriotism, and courageous from "general principles." 
 In an open, fair field, and a square and even fight, no enemy 
 could stand before their determined advance and steady fire. 
 They were not the impulsive, reckless, head-strong soldiers in 
 a desperate charge as were those from some other Southern 
 States, but cool, collected, steady, and determined under fire. 
 They were of the same mettle and mould as their kinsmen 
 who stood with Wellington at Waterloo. 
 
 The North Carolinians were the "Old Guard ' of the Con- 
 federacy. They had little enthusiasm, but were the greatest 
 "stickers" and "stayers" on a battle line of any troops from 
 the South. They fought equally as well in thicket or tangled 
 morass as behind entrenchments. To use an army expression, 
 "The North Carolinians were there to stay." It was a jocu- 
 lar remark, common during the war, that the reason ihe North 
 Carolina troops were so hard to drive from a position was 
 "they had so much tar on their heels that they could not 
 run." They were obstinate, tenacious, and brave. 
 
 South Carolinians took on in a great measure the inspira- 
 tions of some of their French Huguenot ancestors and the 
 indomitable courage of their Scotch and German forefathers of 
 the Revolution. They were impulsive, impetifous, and reck- 
 lessly brave in battle, and were the men to storm breastworks 
 and rush to the cannon's mouth at the head of a "forlorn 
 hope." They po.ssibly might not stay as long in a stubbornly 
 contested battle as some from other States, but would often 
 accomplish as much in a few minutes by the mad fury of their 
 assault as some others would accomplish in as many hours. 
 They were the Ironsides of the South, and each individual 
 felt that he had a holy mission to fulfill. There were no 
 
534 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 obatacles they could not surmount, no position they would not 
 assail. Enthusiasm and self-confidence were the fort.ot South 
 Carolinians, and it was for them to raise the Rebel yell and 
 keep it up while the storm of battle raged fierce and furious. 
 They were the first to raise the banner of revolt, and right 
 royally did they sustain it as long as it floated over the South- 
 land. 
 
 What is said of the South Carolinians can be truthfully 
 said of Georgians. People of the same blood, and kindred in 
 all that makes them one, they could be with propriety one 
 and the same people. The Georgians would charge a breast- 
 work .or storm a battery with the same light-heartedness as 
 they went to their husking bees or corn-shucking, all in a 
 frolick. To illustrate their manner of fighting, I wiir quote 
 from a Northern journal, published just after the seven days' 
 battles around Richmond, a conversation between Major D., of 
 
 the New York, and a civilian of the North. The Major 
 
 was boasting in a noisy manner of the courage, daring, and 
 superiority of the Northern soldiers over those of the South. 
 "Well, 'why ^vas it," asked the civilian, "if you were so 
 supe;rior in every essential to the Rebels, that you got such an 
 everlasting licking around Richmond?" "Licking, h — 1," 
 said the wounded Major, "who could fight such people? In- 
 dians! Worse than an Appache. Just as we would get in 
 line of battle and ready for an advance, a little Georgia Colo- 
 hel, in his shirt sleeves and copperas breeches, would pop out 
 into a corn field at the head of his regiment, and shout at the 
 top of his voice, 'Charge!' Man alive! here would come the 
 devils like a whirl-wind — over ditches, gullies, fences, and 
 fields; shouting, yelling, whooping, that makes the cold chills 
 run up your back — flash their glittering bayonets in our very 
 faces, and break our lines to pieces before you could say 'boo.' 
 Do you call that fighting? It was murder." No more need 
 be said of the Georgians. 
 
 Little Florida did not have many troops in the field, but 
 little as she was, she was as brave as the best. Her troops, 
 like those of Georgia and South Carolina, were impulsive, im- 
 petuous, and rapid in battle. They were few in numbers, but 
 legions in the fray. 
 
 The Alabamians and Mississippians came of pioneer stock, 
 and like their ancestry, were inured to hardships and dangers 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 535 
 
 from childHodd; they ^ade strong, hardy, brave soldiers. In- 
 different to danger, they were less careful of their lives than 
 some from the older States. They were fine marksmen; with 
 a steady nerve and bold hearts, they won, like Charles Martel, 
 with their hammer-like blows. They were the fanatical Sara- 
 cens of the.^outh; while nothing could stand before the broad 
 scimeterb of tlie former, so nothing could stand in the way of 
 the rifle and bayonet of the latter. , 
 
 The Louisianians were the Frenchmen of the South. Of 
 small .statue, the}' were the best marchers in the army. Uke 
 their ancestors in the days of the "Merry Monard," and their 
 cousins in the days of the "Great Napoleon," they loved glory 
 and their country. Light-hearted and gay in camp, they 
 were equally light-hearted and gay in battle. Their slogan 
 was, "Our cause and our country.'' The Louisianians were 
 grand in battle, companionable in camp, and 9,11 round soldiers 
 in every respect. 
 
 The Texan, unlike the name of Texan immediately after 
 the war, when that country was the city of refuge for every 
 murderer and cut-throat pf the land, were gallant, chivalrous, 
 - and gentlemanly soldiers. Descendants of bold and adventur- 
 ous spirits. from every State in the. South, they were equally 
 bold and daring in battle, and .scorned the very word of fear or 
 danger. Hood's old Texas Brigade shared honors with the 
 old Stonewall Brigade in endurance, courage, and obsliiiacy in 
 action. The soldiers of Texas were tenacious, aggressive, 
 and bold beyond any of their brethren of the South. 
 
 The Tennesseeans, true to the instincts of their "back 
 woods" progenitors, were kind-hearted, independent, and 
 briui-ful of courage. Driven from their homes and firesides 
 by a hostile foe, they became a "storm center" in battle. 
 They were combative and pugnacious, and defeat had no effect 
 upon their order, and they were ever ready to turn and strike 
 a foe or charge a battery. Their courage at Chickaniauga is 
 distinguished by showing the greatest per cent, of killed and 
 wounded in battle that has ever been recorded, the charge of 
 the Liglit Brigade not excepted, being over forty-nine per 
 
 cent. . 1 .. 
 
 What is said of the 'fetinesseeans is equally true of the 
 
 A'rlcansans. Of a common stock and ancestry, they, inherited 
 
 ail the virtues and courage of their forefathers. The Con- 
 
536 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 federacy had no better soldiers than the Arkansans— fearless, 
 brave, and oftentimes courageous beyond prudence. 
 
 The border States' soldiers, Missourians, ' Kentuckians, and 
 Marylanders, were the free lance of tfie South. They joined 
 the fortunes of the Soutli with the purest motives and fought 
 with the highest ideals. Under Forrest and Morgan and the 
 other great riders of the West, they will ever be the soldiers, 
 of story, song, and romance. Their troops added no little lus- 
 tre to the constellation of the South's great heroes, and when 
 the true history of the great Civil War shall be written, they 
 will be remembered. Indomitable in spirits, unconquerable 
 and unyielding in battle, they will ever stand as monuments to- 
 the courage of the Southern Army. 
 
 THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WAR— ITS LOSSES IN KILLED AND- 
 
 DIED. 
 
 What were the" Confederate losses during the war? Where 
 are the Confederate dead? Which State lost the most soldiers- 
 in proportion to the number furnished the wer? These are 
 que.stions which will perhaps be often asked, but never an- 
 swered. It can never be known, only approximately. The' 
 cars containing the Confederate archives were left unguarded! 
 and unprotected at Greensboro on its way from Richmond,, 
 until General Beauregard noticed papers from the car floating 
 up and down the railroad track, and had a guard placed over 
 them and sent to Charlotte. There was a like occurrence at 
 this place, no protection and no guard, until General Johnstoui 
 had them turned over to the Federal authorities for safe keep- 
 ing. Consequently, the Confederate rolls on file in Washing- 
 ton are quite incomplete, and the loss impossible to ever be 
 made good. 
 
 The Federal authorities commenced immediately after the 
 war to collect their dead in suitable cemeteries, and the work 
 of permanently marking their graves continued systematically 
 until the Federal loss in the war can be very accurately esti- 
 mated. There are seventy-five public cemeteries for the burial 
 of the Federal soldiers, in which are buried three hundred and 
 sixty thousand two hundred and seven; of these, one hundred 
 and thirty-nine thousand four hundred and ninety-six are 
 marked unknown. There were thirty-three thousand five 
 hundred and twenty negro soldiers buried in the cemeteries i- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 537 
 
 and more than, titty thousand. Union dead never accounted for. 
 <A. great number of tliese fell by the wayside during "Sher- 
 man's march to the sea;" lost by "Sherman's rear guard," 
 called by the Federal soldiers "Confederate bushwhackers." 
 
 The rolls of the Confederate dead in the archives at Wash- 
 ington, given by States, -are wry unsatisfactory and necessa- 
 rily incomplete. Only two States can even approximate their 
 loss. But as this is the record in Washington, I give it. 
 
 Killed. Died of Wounds. Died of Disease. 
 
 Virginia 5.328 2,519 6,947 
 
 North Carolina . . . 14,522 5,151 20,602 
 
 South Carolina . . . . 9,187 3,725 4,700 
 
 Georgia 5,553 1,716 3,702 
 
 Florida 793 506 1,047 
 
 Alabama 552 190 724 
 
 Mississippi 5,807 2,651 6,807 
 
 Louisiana 2,612 858 31O59 
 
 Texas i;348 1,241 1,260 
 
 Arkansas 2,165 91S 3)872 
 
 Tennessee 2,115 874 3,425 
 
 Regulars 1,007 -iSS 1,040 
 
 Border States . . . 1,959 672 1,142 
 
 Totals 52.954 21,570 59,297 
 
 In the above it will be seen that North Carolina, which may 
 be considered approximately correct, lost more than any other 
 State. Virginia furnished as many, if not more, troops than 
 North Carolina, still her losses are one-third less, according to 
 the statistics in \\ ashington. This is far from being correct. 
 Alabama's dead are almost eliminated from the rolls, while it 
 is reasonable to suppose that she lost as many as South Caro- 
 lina, Mississippi, or Georgia. South Carolina furnished more 
 troops in proportion to her male white population than any 
 State in the South, being forty-five thousand to August, 1862, 
 and eight thousand reserves. It is supposed by competent 
 statisticians that the South lost in killed and died of wounds, 
 ninety-four thousand; and lost by disease, one hundred and 
 twenty-five thousand. 
 
 In some of the principal battles throughout the war, there 
 were killed out right, not including those died of wounds- 
 First Manassas 387 Gettysburg 3,530 
 
 Wilson's Creek 279 Chickamauga .. 2,38a 
 
 Fort Donelson 466 Missionary Ridge, . . 381 
 
Ci^O 
 
 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Pea Ridge 360 
 
 Shilbii 1, 7*23 
 
 Seven Pines ■ . 980 
 
 Seven Days Battles . . . 3,286 
 
 Second Manassas i,55,3 
 
 Sharpsburg 1,512 
 
 Corinth 1,206 
 
 Pefryville .' . . 510 
 
 Fredericksburg . . . . 596 
 
 Murfreesboro i,794 
 
 Chancellorsville ... . 1,665 
 
 Champion Hill 380 
 
 Vicksburg Siege 875 
 
 Sabine Cross ^bads 350 
 
 Wilderness 1,6^0 
 
 Atlanta Campaign 3,147 
 
 Spottsylvania .... 1,310 
 
 Drury's Bluff ....... 355 
 
 Cold Harbor . . . . . . . 960 
 
 Atlanta, July 22, 1864 1,500 
 
 Winchester . . . ' . . 286 
 
 Cedar Creek 339 
 
 Franklin . ... 1,750 
 
 Nashville ... . . 360 
 
 BentonvilTe 289 
 
 Five Forks 350 
 
 There were many other battles, some of greater magnitude 
 than the above, which are not here given. There are gen- 
 erally five wounded to one killed, and nearly one-third of the 
 wounded die of their wounds, thus a pretty fair estimate of tjie 
 various battles can be had. There were more men killed and 
 wounded at Gettysburg than on any field of battle during the 
 war, but it must be born in mind that its duration was three 
 days. General I/ongstreet, who should be considered a judge, 
 says that there were more men killed and wounded on the bat- 
 tlefield at Sharpsburg (or Antietam), for the length of the en- 
 gagement and men engaged, than any during this century. 
 The Union losses on the fields mentioned above exceeded those 
 ■of the Confederates by thirteen thousand five hundred in killed 
 and died of wounds. 
 
 There were twenty-five regular prison pens at the North, at 
 which twenty-.six thousand seven hundred and seven ty-.si;x; 
 Confederate prisoners died, tabulated as follows: 
 
 PrIi-DNS. No. Deaths. 
 
 Alton, 111. 1,613 
 
 Camp Butler, III 816 
 
 Camp Chase. Ohio . . . 2,108 
 Camp Douglass, 111 . . 3 750 
 Camp Horton, Ind , 1,765 
 
 Camp Randall, Wis. 137 
 
 Chester, Penu ... 213 
 David's Is , N. Y. Harbor 178 
 Elmira, N. Y. , . . . 2,960 
 Fort Delaware, Del . . . 2,502 
 Fort Warren, Bos'n H'b'r 13 
 Frederick, Md . . ; 226 
 
 Gettysburg, Penn . . . 210 
 
 Prisons. No. Deaths. 
 
 Hart's Is., N. Y. Harl-ior 230 
 
 Johnson s Island, Ohio 
 
 . 270 
 
 Knoxville, Te;na . . 
 
 138 
 
 Little Rock, Ark 
 
 220 
 
 Nashville, Teun. . . 
 
 -■ 561 
 
 New Orleans, La . . 
 
 • 329 
 
 Point Lookout, Md 
 
 3,44'6 
 
 Richmond, Va . . . . 
 
 175 
 
 Rock Island', 111 . 
 
 ■ 1,922 
 
 St. Louis, Mo. . . 
 
 ■ 589 
 
 Ship Island, Miss. . . 
 
 . 162 
 
 Washington, DC... 
 
 • 457 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 539 
 
 War is an expensive pastime for nations, not alone in the 
 loss of lives and destruction of public and private property, 
 but the expenditures in actual cash — gold and silver — is simply 
 appalling. It is claimed by close students of historical data, 
 those who have given the subject careful study, that forty 
 million of human beings lose their lives during every century 
 by war alone. Extravagant as this estimate may seem, any- 
 one who will carefully examine the records of the great con- 
 flicts of our own century will readily be convinced that there 
 are not as much extravagance in the claim as a cursory glance 
 at the figures would indicate. Europe alone loses between 
 eighteen and twenty million, as estimated by the most skillful 
 statisticians. Since the time of the legendary Trojan War 
 (three thousand years), it is supposed by good authority that 
 one billion two hundred thousand of human beings have lost 
 their lives by the hazzard of war, not all in actual battle alone, 
 but by wounds and diseases incident to a soldier's life, in addi- 
 tion to those- fallen upon the field. ■ 
 
 In the wars of Europe during the first half of this century 
 two million and a half of soldiers lost their lives in battle, and 
 the country was impoverished to the extent of six billions 
 eight hundred and fifty millions of dollars, while three millions 
 of soldiers have perished in war since 1850. England's na- 
 tional debt was increased by the war of 1792 to nearly one 
 billion and a half, and during the Napoleonic wars to the 
 amount of one billion six hundred thousand dollars. 
 
 During the last seventy years Russia has expended for war 
 measures the sum of one billion six hundred and seventy mil- 
 lion dollars, and lost seven hundred thousand soldiers. It 
 cost England, France, and Russia, in the crimson war of little 
 more than a year's duration, one billion five hundred million 
 dollars, and five hundred thousand lives lost by the four com- 
 bined nations engaged. 
 
 But all this loss, in some cases lasting for years, is but a 
 bagatelle in comparison to the loss in men and treasure during 
 the four years of our Civil War. 
 
 According to the records in Washington, the North spent, 
 for the equipment and support of its armies during the four 
 years of actual hostilities, four billion eight hundred million in 
 money, outside of the millions expended in the maintenance of 
 its armies during the days of Reconstruction, and lost four 
 
540 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 hundred and ten thousand two hundred and fifty-seven men. 
 The war cost the South, in actual money on a gold basis, 
 two billion three hundred million, to say nothing of the tax in 
 kind paid by the farmers of the South for the support of the 
 army. The destruction and loss in public and private prop- 
 erty, outside of the slaves, is simply appalling. The approxi- 
 mate loss in soldiers is computed at two hundred and nineteen 
 
 thousand. 
 
 The actual cost of the war on both sides, in dollars and 
 
 cents, and the many millions paid to soldiers as pensions since 
 the war, would be a sum sufiBcient to have paid for all the 
 negroes in the South several times over, and paid the national 
 debt and perhaps the debts of most of the Southern States at 
 the commencement of the war. 
 
 This enormous loss in blood and treasure on the part of the 
 South was not spent in the attempts at conquest, the subver- 
 sion of the Union, or the protection of the slave property, but 
 simply the maintenance of a single principle — the principle of 
 States Rights, guaranteed by the Federal Constitiltion. 
 
 THE CONFEDERATE DEAD— THE BATTLEFIELDS OF THE 
 CIVIL WAR-THE TWO CIVILIZATIONS. 
 
 The North has gathered up the bones of the greater part of 
 her va.st armies of the dead, commencing the task immediately 
 after the war, and interred them in her vast national ceme- 
 teries. At the head of each is an imperishable head-stone, on 
 which is inscribed the name of the dead soldier, where a record 
 has been kept, otherwise it is simply marked "unknown." 
 The North was the victor; she was great, powerful, and rolling 
 in wealth; she could do this, as was right and just. 
 
 But where are the South's dead? Echo answers from every 
 hill and dale, from every home where orphan and widow weep 
 and mourn, "Where?" The South was the vanquished, 
 stricken in spirits, and ruined in possessions; her dead lie scat- 
 tered along every battle ground from Cemetery Ridge and the 
 Round Top at Gettysburg, to the Gulf and far beyond the 
 Father of Waters. One inscription on the head-stones would 
 answer for nearly all, and marked "unknown." One monu- 
 ment would suffice for all the army of the dead, and an appro- 
 priate inscription would be a slight paraphrase of old Simoni- 
 des on the shaft e.ected to the memory of the heroes of 
 Thermopylae — 
 
HISTORY OF KBRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 541 
 
 "Go, Stranger, and to Southland tell 
 That here, obeying her behest, we fell." 
 
 The names of the great majority have already been forgot- 
 ten, only within a circumscribed circle are t^ey remembered, 
 and even from this they will soon have passed into oblivion. 
 But their deeds are recorded in the hearts of their countrymen 
 in letters everlasting, and their fame as brave and untarnished 
 soldiers will be remembered as long as civilization admires and 
 glories in the great deeds of a great people. Even some of 
 the great battle grounds upon which the South immortalized 
 itself and made the American people great will soon be lost to 
 memory, and will live only in song and story. Yet there are 
 others which, through the magnificent tribute the North has 
 paid to her dead, will be remembered for all time. 
 
 Looking backwards through the lapse of years since 1861, 
 over some of the great battlefields of the Civil War, we see 
 striking contrasts. On some, where once went carnage and 
 death hand in hand, we now see blooming fields of growing 
 grain, broad acres of briar and brush, while others, a magnifi- 
 cent "city of the dead." Under the shadow of the Round 
 Top at Gettysburg, where the earth trembled beneath the 
 shock of six hundred belching cannon, where trampling legions 
 spread themselves along the base, over crest and through the 
 gorges of the mountain, are now costly parks, with towering 
 monuments — records of the wonderful deeds of the dead giants, 
 friend and foe. 
 
 Around the Capital of the "Lost Cause," where once stood 
 forts and battlements, with frowning cannon at each salient, 
 great rows of bristling bayonets capping the walls of the long 
 winding ramparts, with men on either side standing grim and 
 silent, equally ready and willing to consecrate the ground 
 with the blood of his enemy or his own, are now level fields of 
 grain, with here and there patches of undergrowth and briars. 
 Nothing now remains to conjure the passer-by that here was 
 once encamped two of the mightiest armies of earth, and bat- 
 tles fought that astounded civilization. 
 
 On the plains of Manassas, where on two different occasions 
 the opposing armies met, where the tide of battle surged and 
 rolled back, where the banners of the now vanquished waved 
 in triumph from every section of the field, the now victors 
 fleeing in wild confusion, beaten, routed, their colors trailing 
 
542 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 in the dust of shame and defeat, now all to mark this historic 
 battle ground is a broken slab or column, erected to individ- 
 uals, defaced by time and relic seekers, and hidden among the 
 briars and brush. 
 
 From the crest and along the sides of Missionary Ridge, 
 and from the cloud -kissed top of Lookout Mountain, to Chick- 
 amauga, where the flash of cannon lit up the valley and plain 
 below, where swept the armies oif the blue and the gray in 
 alternate victory and defeat, where the battle-cry of the victo- 
 rious mingled with the defiant shouts of the vanquished, 
 where the cold steel of bayonets met, and where brother's 
 gun flashed in the face of brother, where the tread of contend- 
 ing armies shook the sides and gorges of the mountain passes, 
 are now costly granite roadways leading to God's Acre, where 
 are buried the dead of the then two nations, and around whose 
 border runs the "River of Death" of legend, Chickamauga. 
 Over this hallowed ground floats the flag of a reunited coun- 
 try, where the brother wearing the uniform of the victor sleeps 
 by the side of the one wearing the uniform of the vanquished. 
 Along the broad avenues stand lofty monuments or delicately 
 chiseled marble, erected by the members of the sisterhood of 
 States, each representing the loyalty and courage of her re- 
 spective sons, and where annually meet the representatives of 
 the Frozen North with those of the Sunny South, and in one 
 grand chorus rehearse the death chants of her fallen braves, 
 whose heroism made the name of the nation great. Today 
 there stands a monument crowned with laurels and immor- 
 telles, erected by the State to the fallen sons of the "Dark 
 and Bloody Ground," who died facing each other, one wear- 
 ing the blue, the other the gray, and on its sides are inscribed: 
 "As we are united in life, and they in death, let one monu- 
 ment perpetuate their deeds, and one people, forgetful of all 
 aspirations, fprever hold in grateful remembrance all the glo- 
 ries of that terrible conflict, which made all men free and 
 retaining every star in the Nation's flag." 
 
 The great conflict was unavoidable; under the conditions, it 
 was irresistable. It was but the accomplishment, by human 
 agencies, the will of the Divine. Its causes were like paths 
 running on converging lines, that eventually must meet and 
 cross at the angle, notwithstanding their distances apart or 
 length. From the foundation of the government these two 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 543 
 
 converging lines commenced. Two conflicting civilizations 
 c^me into existence with the establishment of the American 
 Union — the one founded on the sovereignty of the States and 
 the continuance of slavery was espoused by the hot-blooded 
 citizens of the South; thfe other, upon the literal construction 
 of the Declaration of Independence, that "all men are created 
 free and equal," and the supremacy of the general govern- 
 ment over States Rights, and this was the slogan of the cool, 
 calculating, but equally brave people of the North. The 
 converging lines commenced in antagonism and increased in 
 bitterness as they neared the vertex. The vertex was 1861. 
 At this point it was too late to make concessions. There was 
 no room for conciliation or compromise, then the only recourse 
 left is what all brave people accepts — the arbitrament of the 
 sword. 
 
 The South sought her just rights by a withdrawal from the 
 "Unholy Alliance." The North sought to sustain the su- 
 premacy and integrity of the Union by coercing the "Erring 
 Sisters" with force of arms. The South met force with force, 
 and as a natural sequence, she staked her all. The North 
 grew more embittered as the combat of battles rolled along the 
 border and the tread of a million soldiers shook the two nations 
 to their centers. First, it was • determined that the Union 
 should be preserved, even at the expense of the South's cher- 
 ished institution; then, as the contest grew fiercer and more 
 unequaled, that the institution itself should die with the re- 
 establishment of the Union. Both played for big stakes - one 
 for her billions of slave property, the other for the forty or 
 more stars in her constellation. Both put forward her mighti- 
 est men of war. Legions were mustered, mairtialed, and 
 thrown in the field, with an earnestness and rapidity never 
 before witnessed in the annals of warfare. Each chose her 
 best Captains to lead her armies to battle, upon the issue of 
 which depended the fate of two nations. The Southern 
 legions were led by the Lees, Johnstons, Beauregards, Jack- 
 sons, Stuarts, Longstreets, and other great Lieutenants; the 
 North were equally fortunate in her Grants, Shermans, 
 Thomases, Sheridans, and Meads. In courage, ability, and 
 military sagacity, neither had just grounds to claim superiority 
 over the other. In the endurance of troops, heroism, and 
 unselfish devotion to their country's cause, the North and 
 
544 HISTORY OF KERSHAVS/'S BRIGADE. 
 
 South each found foemen worthy of their steel. Both claimed 
 justice and the Almighty on their side. Battles were fought, 
 that in the magnitude of the slaughter, in proportion to the 
 troops engaged, has never been equalled since the days of 
 recorded history; Generalship displayed that compared favor- 
 ably w4th that of the "Madman of the North," the Great 
 Frederick, or even to that of the military prodig)' of all time 
 — Napoleon himself. The result of the struggle is but another 
 truth of the maxim of the latter, that "The Almighty is on 
 the side of the greatest cannon." 
 
 I close my labors with an extract from a speech of one of 
 the Southern Governors at Chickamauga at the dedication of a 
 monument to the dead heroes from the State. 
 
 "A famous poem represents an imaginary midnight review 
 of Napoleon's Army. The skeleton of a drummer boy arises 
 from the grave, and with his bony fingers beats a long, loud 
 reveille. At the sound the legions of the dead Emperor 
 come from their graves from every quarter where they 
 fell. From Paris, from Toulon, from Rivoli, from lyodi, 
 from Hohenlinden, from Wagram, from Austerlitz, from 
 the cloud clapped summit of the Alps, from the shadows 
 of the Pyramids, from the snows of Moscow, from Water- 
 loo, they gather in one vast array with Ney, McDonald, 
 Masenna, Duroc, Kleber, Murat, Soult, and other marshals in 
 command. Forming, they silently pass in melancholy proces- 
 sion before the Emperor, and are dispersed with 'Franca' as 
 the pass word and 'St. Helena' as the challenge. 
 
 "Imagine the resurrection of the two great armies of the 
 Civil War. We see them arising from Gettysburg, from the 
 Wilderness, from Shiloh, from Missionary Ridge, from Stone 
 River, from Chickamauga — yea, from a hundred fields — and 
 passing with their great commanders in review before the mar- 
 tyred President. In their faces there is no disappointment, no 
 sorrow, no anguish, but they beam with light and hope and 
 joy. With them there is no 'St. Helena,' no 'Exile,' and 
 they are dispersed with "Union' as a challenge and 'Reconcilia- 
 tion' as a pass word." 
 
HISTORY OF KHRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 545 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 I have in this appendix endeavored to give a complete roll of 
 all the members who belonged to Kershaw's Brigade. ' I have 
 taken it just as it stands in the office of the State Historian 
 in Columbia. The work of completing the. rolls of 'the Con- 
 federate soldiers from this State was first commenced by the 
 late General H. L,. Farley and finished by Colonel John P. 
 Thomas, to whose courtesy I am indebted for the use of his 
 office and archives while completing these rolls. There may 
 be some inaccuracies in the spelling of names or in the names 
 themselves, but this could not be avoided after the lapse of so 
 many years. Then, again, the copy sent to the State Histo- 
 rian was often illegible, causing the same names to appear 
 different and different names to look the same. But I have 
 followed the records in the office in Columbia, and am not 
 responsible for any mistakes, omissions, or inaccuracies. 
 
 In the list of officers there will appear some seeming irregu- 
 larities aud inaccuracies, but this is accounted for by the fact 
 that the duplicate rolls were those taken from the companies' 
 muster rolls when first enlisted in the Confederate service, and 
 little or no record kept of promotions. Thus we will see Cap- 
 tains and Lieutenants in the.se rolls marked as non-commis- 
 sioned oflBcers. This was occasioned by those officers being 
 promoted during the continuance of the war, and no record 
 kept of such promotions. 
 
 ROLL OF SECOND SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEER REGI- 
 MENT. 
 
 Field and Staff. 
 
 Colonels : Kershaw, J. B., Jones, E. P., Kennedy, Jno. D., Wallace, 
 Wm. 
 Lieutenant Colonels : Goodwin, A. D., Gaillard, Frank, Graham, 
 
 J. D. 
 
 Majors: Casson, W. H., Clyburn, B., Leaphart, G. 
 Adjutants: Sill, E. C, Goodwin, A. D., McNeil, A. 
 Assistant Quartermasters : Wood, W. S., Peck, W. D. 
 Assistant Commissary Sergeant : Villipugue, J. J. 
 Surgeon: Salmond, F. 
 Assistant Surgeons : Nott, J. H., Maxwell, A. 
 
 Chaplains : McGruder, A. I., Smith, . 
 
 35 
 
546 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 COMPANY "A." 
 
 Captains : Casson, W. H., Shelton, M. A., Gaillard, F., Leaphart, S., 
 L., Maddy, M. M. First Lieutenant : Shuler, P. H. B. Second Lieu- 
 tenants: Brown, R., Myers, W. M., Eggleston, D. B. SERGEANTS: 
 West, W. H., Reid, J. C, Bryant, J. F., Livingston, J. B., Cooper, G. F., 
 Gilbert, J. G.. Wells, J. F., McTurious, E. C, Jomer, B., DuBose, J. 
 Corporals: Sulaff, W. C, Bruns, G., Newman, R., Rowan, S. W., 
 Mack, J. M., Goodwin, C. T. 
 
 Privates : Atta, T. M., Andre, Geo., Anderson. M. J., Anderson, Geo., 
 Andrews, T. P., Blackwell, Jas., Bryant, B. F,, Brown, C. K., Brown, 
 Jessie, Baker, J. L., Burns, L., Benjamin, T., Banks, C. C, Casson, J. 
 
 H., Cavis, J. W., Canning, Thos., Clowdy, , Cannon, M., Calais, W. 
 
 J., Cooper, J. W., DuBose, J. B., Durin, Thos.,Deckerson, Geo., Dwigh't, 
 W. M., Emlyn, H. N., Field, G. R.. Forde, Edwin, Griffin, J. W., 
 Gasaue, W., Gibson, J., Graham, J., Graham, Th'os., Glass, W. G., Hall, 
 J. R., Hoeffir, Chas, Hartnett, M., Hinton, S. P., Hinkle, E., Howard, 
 W. P., Hays, A. G., Hall, J. W., Hennies W., Holmes, C. R., Hollis, 
 M., Hollis, Carles, Howell, O. F., Hutchinson, B. B., Halsey, M. P., 
 Johnson, D. B., Joiner. P. H., Kelly, Tames, Kind, Wm., Kelly, J. G., 
 Kindman, J. D., Loomis, H. H., Ladd, P. B., Lee, Isom. Lindsey, S. J., 
 Landrum, .x. P., Leaphart, J. E., Landrum, L. M., Magillan, C, McGee, 
 Alex., McFie, Joseph. Mathews. Jno.. McDonald, D. J., McCarter, W. 
 E., McCuUy, W. H., Miller, R. L., Mitchell, D., Marsh, J. A., Murphy, 
 Geo.. Myers, John, Maw, R. E., Martin, E. R., Marsh, Thos., Martin, 
 Saml., Newman, J. M., Neuffer, C. E., Nott. Carles, Norton, R., Nott, 
 W. J.. Pritchard, D.. Pelfry. T., Roberts, I. D.. Roberts. J. F.. Radcliff, 
 L. J.. Rentiers, J. G., Roach, W. J.. Rose, J. C, Rulland. C. L., Randolph, 
 W. J., ReiUy, W. L., Stubbs, W. G., Stubbs, J. D., Starling, W. D., Star- 
 ling. R.. Starling, Jno., Smith, B., Smith, Richard. Stokes, E. R.. Thurs- 
 ton. J., Taylor, H., Vaughn, B., Williams, Jno., Winchester, J. M., Win- 
 chester, J. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Captains: Hoke, A. D., PuUiam, R. C, Cagle, J. W. First Lieu- 
 tenants : Isaacs, A., Holland, Wm. Second Lieutenants : Elford, 
 Geo. E. Sergeants : Price, W. P., Watson, Wm. C, Dyer, G. B., Clyde, 
 S. C, Pool, R. W., Pickle, O. A., Moore, T. H. L., Stall, Thos., Sud- 
 with, Peter F., Jones, Jno. M.. Towns, John M., Bacon, Randolph. 
 Corporals : Harris. Frank E., Jennings, Jno. A., West, L. M., Ingram, 
 H. G., Roberts, J. M., Shumate, W. T. 
 
 Privates: Anderson, G. T., Allen, D., Beacham, E. F., Bowen, O. E., 
 Brown, H. C, Bacon, A., Baldwin, Jas., Baldwin, W. W., Baldwin, E., 
 Blakely, R. L., Bramlett, R. H., Bramlett, Joseph, Barbary, Wm., Car- 
 son, Joseph M., Carson. John, Carson, C. H., Carpenter, S. J., Carpen- 
 ter, J. F., Cureton, A. H., Chandler, W. G., Coxe, F., Cooper, M., Cox, 
 J. A., Cox, Wm. F., Dyer, G. W., Dyer, J. N., Diver, W. S., Diver, J. E., 
 Diver, R. P., D'Oyle, C. W., Duncan, A. S.. Duncan, W. H., Duncan, J. 
 M., Duncan, Robert, Donaldson, Thos. R.. Davis, Saml., Dauthit, S. J., 
 Foster-, A. A., Goodlett, F. M.. Goodlett. L. M., Goodlett. J. H., Good- 
 lett, J. Y., Garmany, W. H., Grogan, T. R.. Gibson, S. K., Gibson, J-., 
 Gosett, I. P., Gibreath, W. W., Gibreath, L. P., Goldsmith. W. H., 
 Gwin, R. A., Harris, R. A., Hawkins, L. P., Henning, N. P., Hirch, G. 
 W., Hill, J. W., Hudson, W. A., Huff, P. D., Huff, P. W., Holland, D. 
 W., Holland, A. J., Holland, Jno., Irvin, D. P., Ingram, W. P., Jones, 
 E. P., Jones, E. T., Jones, B., Johnson, I. T., Kilburn, T. C, Kirkland, 
 P., Long, W. D., Long, S. F., Mauldin, Jas., McKay, R. W.,' Miller, J. 
 P., Miller, W. S., Markley, H. C, Markley, Jno., Markley, Charles, 
 Morgan, W. N., Moore, 'E., Moore, L'eftris M., Moore, John, Moore, J. 
 T., Mills, J., Payne, J., Parkiris, G. W., Parkins, J. D., Pickett, J, H., 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW's BRIGADE. 54-7 
 
 Pripe, J..M., Poore, J. W., Pool, Cartery Y., Poor, G. B., Rowley, E. F., 
 S., Roe, H. D., :Rice, J. H., Ramsey, W. H., Smith, L. R., Scrugg, W. 
 L. M. A., Shumate, J. S., Shumate, R. Y. H.,- Shumate, L. J., Sullivan, 
 J. N., Smyer, M. A., Sinder, J., Salmons, J. M., Turpin, W. P., Tracy, 
 Fred. S., Thompson, W. D., Thornley, J. L., Turner, J. 1,., West, R. W., 
 WiSnant, W. F., Wisnant, Alex., Whitmire, Wm., Walton, D. S., Wil- 
 liams, G. W., Watson, P. D., Watson, W. W., Watkins, Lynn, Yeargin, 
 
 COMPANY "C." 
 
 Captains: Wallace, Wm., Lorick, S., Vinson, A. P. First Lieu- 
 tenants: Wood, W. S., Bell, J. C, Peck, W. D., Wallace, E., You- 
 mans, O. J., Scott, J. T., McGregor, W. C, Stenhouse, E. SERGEANTS : 
 Myers, Jno. A., Howie, Wm., Radcliff, L. J., Beck, Chas, T., Shand, R. 
 W., Clarkson, J. O. H., Bell, Jacob, Hill, Wm., Medlin, N., Corrall, Jno., 
 Edwards, J. G., Bell, E. H. Corporals: McCullough, Jno., Owens, 
 Peter, Garner, Thos., Robertson, R. D., Lee, J. W. G., Osment, J. R., 
 Davis, H., Freeman, R, G., Loomis, T. D. 
 
 Privates: Ballard, J. N., Boyer, Ihomas, Busard, Sam., Boyle, J. C, 
 Brown, S., Brice, Robert, Campbell, James, Campbell, J. M., Copeland, 
 
 J., Cook, F., Chestnut, , Chambers, E. R., Cupps, C. M., Douglass, 
 
 Jno., Dougherty, J., Dickens, H. C, Davis, R. A., Flaherty, M., Free- 
 man, Wm., Glaze, Jno., Garner, Wm., Goodwin, E. M., Gruber, Jno., 
 Gruber, S., Goins, Henry, Gunnell, J. S., Gunnel, W. H., Grier, J., 
 Heminnis, M., Hurst, J. P., Harrison, B., Hauleely, Henry, Hendricks, 
 Jno., Hunt, J., Hammett, H. B., Hamilton, D., Isbell, Walter, King, 
 W. H., Kallestrane, M. H., Lee, U., Lee, L. W., Lee, A. J., Leach, 
 
 C, Lochlier, , Martin, J. M., Martin, Joel, Martin. C. B., Martin, 
 
 Daniel, Martin, Saml., Manville, A. T., Medlin, C, McPherson, t>., Mc- 
 Pherson, W., McPherson, Jno., McGregor, P. C, Murrell, W. S., Med- 
 lin, P., Perry, J., Perry, C, Palmer, W. R., Pearson, Robt., Poag, R. F., 
 Ramsay, J., Robertson, F. L.. Ransom, Wm., Scarborough, Wm., Scott, 
 J. R., Sheely, W. C, Sharp, G. W., Stubblefield, W. H., Tate, L O., Vin- 
 son, Wm., Wailes, R., Wilson, K., Walker, C. A., Williamson, W. L, 
 Woolen, James, Zesterfelt, F. 
 
 COMPANY "D.'' 
 
 Captains : Richardson, Jno. S., Bartlett, L. W., Graham, I. D. First 
 Lieutenants: Wilder, J. D., Wilder, W. W., Jacob., 1. Second Lieu- 
 tenants: Durant, T. M., Pelot, W. L., Rembert, L. M. Third Lieu- 
 tenants : Nettles, J. H., Gardner, H. W. Sergeants : Gayle, L P., 
 Nettles, J. D., Hodge, J. W., Brennan, J. P., Bowman, S. J., McQueen, 
 W. A., Pringle, S. M. Corporals: Wilson, S. T., Thompson, R. M., 
 Gardner, A., Reams, H. M., Miller, J. I., Cole, S. R. 
 
 Privates : Ard, J. P., Alsobrooks, J. E., Alsobrooks, Bog., Baker, W. 
 T., Beard, D., Beck. L S., Bradford, J. F., Brogdon, J. D., Brogdon, T. 
 M Brown, F. H., Brown, H. J., Browning, T. S.. Brumby, G. S., Bran- 
 son. W. E., Brunson, W. J., Ballard, W. R., Blight, J., Burkett, I. L., 
 Burkett, T. H., Brunson, L R., Brown, S. J., Bird, J. P., Bass, S. C, 
 Blanding, O., Britton, J. J., Caraway, P. T., Clyburn, B., Cook, W. H., 
 Davis, J. L., DeLorme, W. M., DeLorme, T. M., DeLorme, C, Dennis, 
 John W., Dennis, J. M., Dennis, S. M., Dennis, R. E., Dennis, E. E., 
 Dougherty, J., Dalrymple, S., Eubanks, A., Flowers, S. F., Flowers. T. 
 E Felder W. E., Fowler, A., Freman, I. H., Gallagher, P. B., Garden, 
 H. R., Green, H. D., Graham, J. A., Gibson, H., Grooms, A., HayiKS- 
 worth, J. H., Haynsworth, M. E., Hodge, L B., Hodge, W. T., Hqlttr- 
 day, D. J., Holladay, T. J., Huggins, W. H., Ives, J. E., Jenkms W. W, 
 Jackson, J. H., Jones, C. H., Jones, E. C, Jones, P. H., Kavanagh, T. pi^ 
 Kelly, H. T., Kinney, Jno., Lesesne, J. I., London, Peter, Lyham, T. Mi, 
 
&48 IIISTOKY OF KKKSHAW'S RKIGADE. 
 
 Lucas, A. P., Mellett, J. Y., McLaurin, J. C, MeNeal, W. M., Moses, M. 
 B., McKagan, G. P., Moses, H. C, Moses, Perry, Moses, Perry, Mul- 
 drow. I. R., Myers, R. C, Norton, J. J., Newman, S. L, O'Neil, W. J., 
 Prv. J. C, Pool. W. M., Patterson, J. S., Ramsay, W. M., Redford, J. B., 
 Richardson, G. Rhame, J. F. Ross D. J.. Rodders, I., Shaw, J. H., Scott, 
 J., Sledge, W. A., Smith, F. H., Smith, T. J., Thompson, W. T., Trouble- 
 field, A. D., Troublefield. T, J.. Troublefield. W. B., Vaughn, F. O., 
 Watts. W. D., Wheeler, C. O., W'lson, C. A., Wilson, T. D., Witler, O., 
 Wedekind, H., Wilder, Saml.. Wilder, J.. Frazer. J. B., Gilbert, J. C. T., 
 Kirkland, J. G„ INTcCoy, W. P., Myers, J. B., Richburg, J. B., Sims, E. 
 R., Wells, J. A., Wilson, Robt., Hartley, T. J. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 Captains : Kennedy, Jno. D., Leitner, Wm. S. LiButenants : Dun- 
 lop, Josp. D., Sill, E. E., Drakeford, Jos. J., DePass, W. J., McKain, 
 Jno. J., Riddle, James M. Sergeants: Button, W. C, Pegues, R. H., 
 Hodgson, H. F., McKalgen, H. G., Ryan, D. R., Gerald, R. L., Nettles, 
 Hiram. Corporals : Niles, A., Eoswell, J. P., Perry, J. A., Honnet,, B., 
 Devine, F. G., Gard-ner, E., Polk, J. W. 
 
 Privates: Allen, W. R., Ancrura, Thos. J., Sr., Arrants, J. H., Ar- 
 rants, W. T.. Arrants, R. H., Arrants, J. R., Barnes, J. B., Barnes, S. 
 Y., Brown. Johri, Brown, Jas. R., Ba^m. Marcus, Buchanan. W, L., 
 Baker, M., Peaver, Jno. R., Barrett, E., ~" ■ --i-irton, J., Burchfield, E. C, 
 Bowen, A., Bowen, W., Baer, B. M., Boykin, i-;., Campell, Alex., Cook, 
 M., Cook, J., Cook, John, Cook, Joseph, Croft, J., Coker, R., Crump, T. 
 M., Cns-ck. P . Cunningham, J. S., Cooper. J. C, Cooper, J. D., Cren- 
 shaw,- W. J., Davis, J. T., DeBruhl, , Dunlap, E. R., Dunlap, C. J., 
 
 Durant. J. A.. Dawkins, W. B., Doby, A. E., Delton. B. Z., Evans, D., 
 Evans, G., Elkins, E. E., Francis. Jno., Freeman. J., Freeman, M., Ful- 
 lerton. G. F... Ford, A., Gardner, T. B., Gibson, H. B., Graham. D., Gra- 
 ham. J. T., Goens, E.. Howell, M., Haile, J. S., Harrison, B., Heath, B. 
 D., Hinson. J. E.. Jeffers, L., links. E. W., Johnson, W. E., Kendrick, 
 James, Kelly, B. E., Kelly, D. H.. Kirkland, R. R., Kirkley, R., King, G., 
 Legrand, J. M.. Leitner, B. F., Love, Wm., Love, L. W., Lawrence, E. 
 H., Middleton, D. P., Munroe, G., Munroe, J., Munroe, Alex., Munroe, 
 Jno., Mickie, Jno. P., Murchison, A. A.. Moroh, L. C, Moore. Levi, 
 Maddox, Tom, McDaniel, L, Miller, J. A., McCo'wn, J., McMillan, J., 
 McKain. Wm.. Mcintosh, T. R.. Means, S. B., McRea, D., Nelson, G., 
 Nettles. W. N., Nettles. J. T., Nettles, J. E.. Nettles, Joseph S., Pegue, 
 C. J., Picket, J., Pope. T. W.. Prichard, D., Proctof, R. W., Pennington, 
 R. A.-, Pierson, P. J., Ryan, P. H., Rembert, T. M., Scarborough, H. G., 
 Scarborough, L. W., Scott, Jno., Strawbridge, B. R., Smkll, R. E., 
 Smith, Jno., Stokes, W., Smith. Geo., Smyth. J.. Team, J., Tidwell, D., 
 Turner, W.. Vaughn, Lewis. Wethersbee, J. A., Wethersbee, T. C, 
 Waner, J. O., Watts, Wm., Wilson, Roland, Wilson. T. R.. Wilson, J. 
 S., Winder, J. R., Witherspoon, J. M., Wood, J. Mc, Wood, Jno., 
 Wood, Pinckney, Wells, D. E., Wright, W. H. 
 
 COMPANY "F." 
 
 Captains: Ferryman, W. W., McDowell, G. W., Vance, W. Cal. 
 
 Lieutenants: Fouche, , Maxwell, J. C, McNeil, A., Parks, J. T., 
 
 Adams, J. J., Koon, S. A., Lunbecker, W. A., Appleton W, L., Connor, 
 G, W., Johnson, W. A. Sergeants: Moore, A. W., Fuller, H. F., 
 Smith, J. W., Bond, S. Lewis, Brooks, Chas'. E., Seaborn, . 
 
 Privates : Anderson, J. W., Anderson, James, Bailey, W. H., Benson, 
 V. S.i, Blake, A. W., Burrell, W. J., Butler, Jno., Brooks, Stanmore, 
 Boozer, S. P., Boozer, William, Behson, Thos.,'Brownlee;, J. A., Barratt, 
 Jno. G., Bell, Wm. S., Bell, Wm. F„ Carr, Jno. L., Chaney, Willis, 
 Chaney, J. S-, Chaney, R: E., Chaney, Ransom, Cheatham, J. T., Cheat- 
 
HISTOKV OF KKKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 549 
 
 ham, Jno., Crews, C. W., Crews, M. A., Carter, V. C, Creswell, I. D., 
 Creswell, P., Caldwell, G. R., Chipley, W. W., Chipley, T. W., Cobb, C. 
 A., Calvert, J. H., Crawford, H. Henry, Cason, Richard, Cason, J. F., 
 Day, M., Davis, Dr. Frank, Davis, Jno. F. H., Deal, S. C, Douglass, 
 W. W., Ellis, A. B., Fisher, C. D., Fouche, Jno., Fouche, Ben., Fuller, 
 P. M., Fennel, J. L., Gilmer, Robt. P., Gilmer, Wm., Gillam, J, M., 
 Griffin, v.. Griffin, G. W., Grant, W. H., Grant, Jno., Goodwin, Jno., 
 Hancock, W. H., Harris, G. M., Heffernan, J. L., Hearst, T. J., Hughey, 
 J. E., Hughey, Fred. T., Hughey, N., Hodges, J. W., Harris, T., Hutch- 
 ison, Soule, Hutchison, Jno. W., Hutchison, R. P., Henderson, W. E., 
 Hunter, W. C, Henderson, J. T., Ingraham, M. S., Jackson, C., John- 
 son, F. P., Johnson, Saml., Johnson, J. W., Johnson, D. Q., Johnson, G. 
 W., Jones, J. R., Johnson, J. W.. Jones, C. C, Jones, Thomas, Jones, 
 Willie, Jester, Benj., Lomax, W. G., Lenard, V. A., Lenard, J. J., Meri- 
 wether, W. N., Moreen, Jno. A., Milford, J. T., Marshall, G. W., Mc- 
 Kellar, L. W., McKellar, G. W., McKellar, J. R., McCord, D. W., Mc- 
 Neill, H. B., McKensie, Jno., Major, R. W., Major, J. M., Moore, J. R.. 
 Moore, Robt., Moore, Henry, McCrary, B., Malone, A., Malone, Jno., 
 Partlow, Jno. E., Powers, J. W., Pinson, A., Pinson, T. R., Pinson. Jno. 
 v., Parks, Wm., Pelot, Dr. J. M., Rampey, G. W., Rampey, S. D., Rey- 
 nolds, B., Reynolds, A. D., Reynolds, Jno. M., Roderick, W. F., Riley, 
 E. C, Rykard, T- J- Riley. W. N., Rykard, L. H., Robertson, Jno., Ross, 
 T. M., Ross, Jno., Ross. G. F., Ross, Wiley, Reed, J. S., Saddler, i H., 
 Saddler, Willis, Shadrick, W. S., Shepard, E. Y., Shepard, J. S., Selby, 
 
 E. C, Selleck, C. W., Smith, R. G., Smith, T. N., Seal, J. R., Silk, Jas., 
 Turner, J. S., Townsend, J. F., Turner, Ira, Teddards, D. F., Vance, J. 
 C, Watson, G. McB., Waller, W. W., Waller, C. A. C, Walker, W L., 
 Wiss, E., Youhge, J. C. 
 
 COMPANY "G." 
 
 Captains: Haile, C. C, Clyburn, T. J. Lieutenants: Cantley, T. 
 R., Jones, W. J. Sergeants: Cunningham, J. P., Tuesdale, J. E., Ben- 
 ton, F. J., Cauthen, A. J. Corporai,s : West, W. S., Coats, D. W., 
 Jones, B. N., Williams, R. H., Jones, S. D., Kirkland, B. M. 
 
 Privates: Alexander, J. H. R., Baskin, J. C. J., Blackburn, B. J., 
 Blackwell, J. A., Boone, J., Boone, W., Boone, J. W., Bruce, J. H., Bow- 
 ers, G. M., Baskin, C. E., Baskin, R. C, Bird. W. L...Blackmon, J. E., 
 Blackmon, W. N., Belk. J. M., Cauthen, J. S., Coats, H. J., Coats, G, H., 
 Copeland, W. W., Crawford, S., Chaney, B., Clark, J. W., Croxton, J. 
 Q., Cook, J. E., Cook, T., Cato, A. D., Coon, S. S., Dixon, B. S., Dixon, 
 
 F. L., Downs, A. J., Dixon, G. L., Davis, D., Davis. H. G., Deas. H., 
 Dumm, J. W., Falkinberry, J. W., Falkinberry, W. J., Fletcher, D. G., 
 Falkenberry, J., Fail, J., Gaftin, J. B., Gardner, R. C, Gray; W.. Gra- 
 ham, J., Gaskin, D., Gaskin, J., Hall, J. D., Holly, J.. Howie. E. P., 
 Howie, S. D., Hough, N., Hough, J., Hough, W. P., Haile, G. W.. Hun- 
 ter W J., Johnson, W., Johnson, W. M., Johnson, A. A., Knight, J. A., 
 Knox W L., Kelly, M. P., Kirbv, J., Kirkland, R. R., Knight, W. A, 
 Love McD R., Mahaffy, W. W., Martin, J.S., Martin, W. H., Marshall, 
 W S Marshall, J. S., Mosely, C, Mosely, P., Murchison, J. J., McLure, 
 J "McDowell, J. E. C, McKay, H. C„ Mahaffy, O. C, Mason, T. E.,Mc- 
 Mahan A W., Marshall. W. D., Marshall, W. H., Mason, L. R., Nelson, 
 T J Patterson, R. B., Patterson, W. W., Perry. T. J., Peach, W., Par- 
 ker B Phaile, J., Powers, W. T., Philipps, W. P., Redick, R., Reaver, 
 D R., Robertson, L. D., Robertson, E. H., Roe, J., Ray, D., Raysor, J. C., 
 Rasey B Stover, D. G., Sheorn, Morris D., Sheorn, James, Sowell, J. 
 A Suees Wm., Sutton, E., Small, A. J., Trantham, W. D., Tuesdel, 
 W' J Tuesdel B., Tuesdel, W. M., Tuesdel, H., Tuesdel, J. T., West, 
 J A 'West T G., West, S., West, W. M., Williams, Jno., Williams, J. 
 N Williams, C. D., Wilkerson, J., Whitehead. S., Young, C. P., Young, 
 G."W., Young, J. N., Young, W. C, Young, W. J. 
 
550 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE; 
 
 COMPANY "H." 
 
 , Captains : McManus, A., Clyburn, B. R. LiEuwiNAN'fs : Perry, A. 
 M-.; Welsh, S. J., Brasington, G. C, Reeves, T. J., Hirison; M. R. Ser- 
 geants: Perry, J. P., Gardener, S. C.Kennitag'ton, W. R., Williaiiis, D. 
 A'., McKay, Dr. J. F., Ingram, I. N., Moody, J. J., Love, M. C, SoWellsi 
 W. S. CoRPORAi,s : Baker, A. J., Small, J. M., Johnson, G; D., Johnson, 
 D. G., Small, J. M., Douglass, S. A.. Kelly, B. L., Cook, J. C, McHsr- 
 toii, W., Williams, T. E., Hilton, R. F., Boiling, R. A. 
 
 Privates : Adkins, W. C, Baker, J. J. T., Baker, W., Bailey, J. D., 
 Bailey, Jno., Bell, W. T., Bunnett, G. W., Bowers, N. H., Bowers, W. 
 J., Brasington, W. M., Blackman, B., Bridges, P. H., Caston, W. J., 
 Cato, R. E., Cauthen, G. L., Cauthen, L. D., Craige, W. M., Cauthen, J. 
 M., Deas, A., Ellis, G. W., Ellis, W. W., Funderburk, W. B., Funder- 
 burk, J. C., Faulkenberry, J. T., Gardener, C. L., Gardener, S., Garde- 
 ner, W. W., Gregory, W. T., Gregory, Willis, Harris, G. T., Harris, J. 
 K., Harrell, D., Hilkon, T., Hinson, E., Hinson, W. L., Horton, A. J., 
 Hough, M. J., Horton, W. C, Horton, J. B., Horton, J. T., Harvel, D. 
 B., Jones, B. B., Johnson, J. D., Johnson, F. M., Johnson, D. T., Ken- 
 nitigton, B. R., Kennington, R. W., Kennington, G. W., Kennington, J., 
 Kennington, N., Kennington, R., Kennington, R., Jr., Kennington, W. 
 J., Kennington, S. L., Knight, E. R., Lucas, M., Lowery, R, J., Lowery, 
 W. W., Minor, L., Lyles, W. J., Lynn, W. T., Lathan, J. T., Lucas, J. 
 R., Love, V. H., McManus, W. H., McManus, C. W., McManus, W. A., 
 McManus, G. B., Neal, W. M., Perry, B. C, Phifer, W. T., Phillips, A., 
 Phillips. J., Phillips, H. S., Phillips, A. L., Reaves, T-. C, Robertson, W. 
 U. R., Robertson, V, A., Reaves, J. J., Short, J. G., Small, J. M., Small, 
 W. F,, Sowell, S. F., Snipes, A., Sowell, A., Sodd, W., Swetty, A. M., 
 Woeng, W. D., Welsh, T. J., Wilkinson, H. W., Williams, C. H., Wil- 
 liams, D. A., Williams, J. F., Williams, W. J., Wilson, G. B., Wright, 
 W., Williams, A. M., Witherspoori, J. B. 
 
 COMPANY "L" 
 
 Captains : Cuthbert, G. B., Elliott, R. E., Fishburn, Robt. Lieuten- 
 ants : Holmes, C, R., Brownfield. T. S., Webb, L. S., Robinson, S., 
 Darby, W. J., Brailsford, A. M., Bissell, W. S., Daniel, W. L. Ser- 
 geants : Wright, J. E., Lalane, G. M., Hanahan, H. D. Corporai,s : 
 Boyd, J. B., Gaillard, T. E., DeSausure, E., Duttard, J. E., Bellinger, E. 
 W., Mathews. O. D., Miller, R. S. 
 
 Privates: Vincent, A. M., Artes, P. F., Bedon, H. D., Bellinger, J., 
 ■Bellinger, C. C. P., Bird, J. B., Brownfield, R.L, Brailford, D. W., Bris- 
 bane, V/., Bull, C. S., Baynord, E. M., Calder, S. C, Chaplain, D. J., 
 Chaplain, E. A., Claney, T. D., Crawford, J. A., Cambell, J. E., Carr, J. 
 T., Colcock, C. J.. Davis, W. C, Dwight, C. S., Dyer, G. B., DeCava- 
 dene, F., Dupont, A., Elliott. W. S., Fludd, W. R., Farman, C. M., Gads- 
 den, T. S., Galliard, T. G, Girardeau, G. M., Glover, J. B.. Godfrey, W., 
 Goodwin, J. J., Green, W. G. Hanckel, J. S., Hane, W. C, Harllee,, J., 
 Harllee, W. S., Harllee, P., Jackson, A.. Jacobs, H. R., Kerrison, C., 
 Kerrison, E., Larrisey, O., Lawton, W. M., Lawton, J. C, Miller, J. C., 
 Mackey, J. J., Mackey, W. A., Mathews, P. F., Miller. A. B., Miller, P. 
 G., Mills, E. J., Moses, J. L.. Moses. P., Mortimer, Le. R., Munnerlyn, 
 
 J. K., Mitchell, F. G, Myers. S. C. Montgomery. , McCoy, H. A., 
 
 McLean, M. M,, Pinckney, S. G, Palmer, J. J., Pinckney, H., Palmer, 
 Q., Palmer, K. L., People, H. M., Pendergrass, M. G, Prentiss, O. D., 
 Prentiss, C. B., Ruffin. E., Ruffin, C, Raysor, J. C, Reeder, T. H., Rice, 
 L. L., Rivers. R. H., Rivers. W., Roumillat, A. J. A., Royal, J. P., San- 
 ders, A. C, Sanders, J. p., Shipman. B. M., Screven, R. H., Seabi'ook, J. 
 C., Scott, M. O,. Shoolbred, J., Shoolbred, R. G., Tmith. G. McB., 
 Stocker, T. M., Strobhart., Jamfes. Thompson. T.. S., THlinshast, E, Ui 
 Trapier, E. S., Walker, W- A., Walker. W. J., Wescoat, W. P.. WeS- 
 C8»t, T. M., Wickenbel-g, A. V., Zfealy, J. E. 
 
HISTOkY OF KERSHAW'S BKIGADK. 5i3l 
 
 COMPANY "K." 
 
 Captains :Rhett, A. B., Moorer, J. F., Webb, J., Dutart, J. E. Lieu- 
 tenants: Elliott, W., Dwight, W. M., Lamotte, C. O., Edwards, D., 
 Bradley, T. W. Sergeants: Fickling, W. W., Gilbert, S. C, Webb, J. 
 J., Phillips, S. R., Fell, T. D., Hamilton, J., Phillips, L. R., Goldsmith, 
 A. A., Moorer, R. G., Burrows, F. A., Williams, D. F., Wayne, R., Fer- 
 riera, F. C, O'Neill, E. F., Simmonds, J. R. Corporals : Purse, E. L,., 
 Lawson, P. A., Calvitt, W. L., Rushe, F. R., Sheller, D. A., Sparkman, 
 A. J., Murphy, M., Plunkett, J., O'Neill, E. F., Heirs, G. S., Wooley A., 
 Ackis, R. W,, Autibus, G., Lord, R. 
 
 Privates: Anderson, Wm., AUgood, J. F., Ackison, R. W., AUgood, 
 J. L., Adams, D. A., Appleby, C. E., Baily, J., Barrett, R., Blatz, J. B., 
 Brum, H., Brown, R. M., Brown. W., Brady, J., Buckner, J., Buckner, 
 A., Buckner, J. A., Buckner, A. H., Burrows, F. A., Bruning, H., Bal- 
 lentine, J. C, Byard, D. E., Bartlett, S. C, Bartlett, F. C, E^ag, W., 
 Braswell, T. T, Bell, C. W., Bell, W. P.. Bull, C. J., Bull, E. E., Bazile, 
 J. E., Bishop, J. S., Blume, C. C, Benson, J. N., Bailey, J., Bruce, J. H., 
 Calvitt, W. T., Campsen, B., Casey, W. T., Conway, P., Cartigan, J. M., 
 Cole, C, Cotchett, A. H., Creckins, A., Castills, M., Coward, R. M., 
 Craige, W. S., Copeland, W. J., Deagen, P., Daly, F. R., Dillon, J. F., 
 Dinkle, J., Dorum, W. D., Doran, J., Douglass, C. M., Day, M., Duncan, 
 W. M., Estill, W., Elle, A., Tarrell, J. F., Ferria, F. C, Fisher, W. S., 
 Fant, T. R., Furt, W., Fleming, A. H., Froysell, J. D., Gammon, J. E., 
 Gammon, E. M., Goldsmith, A. A., Gibbs, W. H., Grubbs, W. L., Green, 
 W. H., Grenaker, J. A., Griffeth, A., Gruber, J. T., Hammond, C. S., 
 Hoys, T., Hibbard, F. C, Happoldd, D., Hoeffer, C. M., Haganes, H. C, 
 Harris, J., Hendricks, J. A., Hendricks, M., Hrmt, H. D.; Hunt, J. H., 
 Hunt, R., Hunter, T. T., Haigler, E. N., Haigler, W. L., Heirs, J. A., 
 Howard, R. P., Hough, H. J., Heirs, G, Harley, J. M., Harley, P., 
 Jones, G. T., Jones, D. H., Joseph, A. H., Jowers, J. P., Johnson, W. G., 
 Kerney, G., Kelly, J. G, Kunney, A. A., Kennedy, J., Kennedy, H. R., 
 Kennedy, J. A., Lavell, A. J., Lawson, T. A., Lonergan, J. D., Maher, 
 E., Marshall. W., McCollum, E., Meylick, F. W., Meyleick, W., McKen- 
 sie. A., McLure. A., Meyers, A. C, Murphy, M., Martin. W., McGellom, 
 B., Martin, A., Moorer, R, A.. Mitchel, D. PL, Mitchel, F. G, Mus^rove, 
 W. W., Martin, J., Neill, R. T., Noll, C, Nicklus, J., Nevek, R. F., Ne- 
 smith, E. C, Nix., J. B., O'Neill, J., Oppenhimer, E.H.,Oppenheimer, H. 
 H., Piatt, W. W., Philipps, L. R., Prace, A., Purse, E., Purse, W. G, 
 Page, J. J., Phunkett, J., Pearson. J. H., Payne, J. F., Richardson, C. O., 
 Ryan, T. A.. Randolph, L. A., Robinson, S. L., Reentz, J. W., Righter, 
 J. A., Reid, J. W., Reeves, J. P., Rushe, F. D., Schmitt. T., Scott, W., 
 Shepard, D. H., Sammonds, J. R., Sporkman, A. J., Sellick, C. H., 
 Street, E., Summers, E., Sutherland, J. F., Sherer, J. R., Sandifer, J., 
 Shuler, S. N., Spillers, W. F., Schmitt, R., Smith, J. C, Simons, J. R., 
 Smith, O. A. C, Thompson, M. N., Timmonds. G. C, Turner, J. W., 
 Taylor C M Turner, C, Welmer, M. W., Wallace, J. L., Walsh, P., 
 Wilkin's, J. R., Wilkins, T. K., Willis, J. V., Watts, W. D., Williams, T. 
 A., Weeks, T. S., WoUey, A., Wolly. H. A., WiUiman, W. H., Yates, M. 
 J.,'Youngblood, J., Zimmerman, U. A., Zeigler, J. B. E. 
 
 ROLL OF THIRD SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEER REGI- 
 MENT. 
 
 Pield and Staff. 
 Colonels : Williams, James H., Nance, James D., Rutherford, W. D., 
 
 Lieutenant Colonels: Foster, B. B., Garlington,,B. C, Todd, R. P. 
 Majors : Baxter, James M., Nance, J. K. G. 
 Adjutants : Rutherford, W. D., Pope, Y. J. 
 
552 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Sergeant Majors : Williarasv J. W., Simpson, O. A., Garlington^ 
 J. D. 
 
 Quartermasters: McGowan, Jno. G. (Captain), Shell, G. W. (Cap- 
 tain). 
 
 Commissaries: Hunt, J. H. (Captain), Lowrance, R. N. (Captain). 
 
 Surgeons : Ewart, D. E., Evans, James. 
 
 Assistant Surgeons : Dorroah, Jno. F., Drummond, , Brown,. 
 
 Thomas. 
 
 COMPANY "A." 
 
 Captains: Garlington, B. C, Hance, W. W., Richardson, R. E.. 
 
 Lieutenants : Gunnels, G. M., Arnold, J. W., Garlington, .H. L., Hol- 
 lingsworth, J., Hudgens, W. J., Mosely, Jno. W., Shell, G. W., Shell, 
 Henry D., Simpson, C. A., Fleming, H. F. Sergeants : Simpson, T. 
 N., Robertson, V. B., Wilson, T. J., Teague, A. W., Motte, Robert P., 
 Garlington, Jno., Jr., McDowells, Newman, Griffin, W. D., Jones, P. C, 
 Gunnels, W. M. Corporals: Mosely, R. H., Sullivan, W. P., Martin,. 
 R. J., Richardson, S. F., West, E., Atwood, I. L., Richardson, W. M. 
 
 Privates : Anderson, D. A., Anderson, W. J.. Allison, T. W, Ander- 
 son, W. Y., Allison, W. I., Adams, Jno. S., Atwood, W. M., Ballew, J. 
 B., Ballew, B. F., Bass, John, Beard, W. F., Boyd, W. T., Black, W. E.,. 
 Ball, J. S., Bolt, T. W., Bolt, W. T., Bolt, Pink, Bolt, John L., Bolt, H., 
 Bradford, W. A., Bright, Jno. M., Beasley, B. H., Cason. W. B., Clark, 
 J. Q. A., Campton, L. D., Crasy, J. B., Chappell, W. T.. Day, N. T., 
 Day, John, Davenport, T. J., Donaldson, W. M., Davis, J. J., Donnon, 
 
 J. M., Evans, Wm,, Elmore, , Fleming, J. O. C, Finley, C. G., 
 
 Finley, J. M., Finley, J. R., Franks, N. D., Franks, C. M., Franks, T. B., 
 Franks, J. W. W., Gray, Duff, Gary, J. D., Going, Wm., Garrett, W. H., 
 Garlington, S. D., Hall, J. F., Hance, Theodore, Ham, James E., Harri- 
 son, P. M., Harrison, J. A.. Hill, L. C. Hellams, D. L.. Henderson. W. 
 H., Henderson, Lee A., Hix, E. M., Hawkins, J. B., Hix, W. P., Hix,. 
 Willis, Hix, C. E., Hudgens. J. M., Hudgens. J. H., Hudgens, W. H., 
 Hudgens, J. B., Irby, G. M., Irby, A. G., Jennings, A., Jennings, R.,. 
 Jenerette, Wm., Jones, B. F., Kirk, C. E., Lovelace, J. H., Monroe, W., 
 Medlock, J. T., McKnight, H. W., McDowell. Baker, McCollough, J. L., 
 
 Milan, Jno. A., Milan, W. W., Milan, M. F., McAbee, A.. McAbee, , 
 
 McAbee, , Metts, J.- A.. Miller. Harry, Neal, S. H., Nolan, Jno., 
 
 Oliver, S. A., Odell, L. M., Parks, John M , Pinson, W. V., Pinson. W. 
 S., Pinson, M. A., Pope, D. Y., Ramage, Frank, Robertson, Z., Robert- 
 son, A., Rodgers, W. S., Simpson, B. C, Simpson, R. W., Simpson, J. 
 D., Simpson, O. F., Sullivan. M. A., Sullivan, J. M.. Smith, P., Shell,. 
 Frank, Simmons, S. P.. Sharp. A. L., Speke. S. A., Teague, Thomas J., 
 Teague, M. M., Templeton, J. L., Templeton, P.. Templeton, S. P., 
 Templeton, W. A., Tribbk, M. P., Tribble, J. C. C, Tobin, Thos. A., 
 Todd, S. F., Vance, S. F., Vaughan, Jno., Winebrenner, George, Wil- 
 liams, Jno., Williams. W. A., Wilson, J. M., West, S. W. West, Joseph, 
 Wilbanks, John S., Woods, Harvey, Willis, E. R., Young, Martin J.,. 
 Young, Robert H. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Captains: Davidson, Samuel N., Gary, Thpmas W., Connor,; 
 Thompson. Lieutenants : Hunter, W. P.. Lipscomb, T. J., Buzhardt, 
 M. P., Davenport, C. S., Pulley, S. W. Sergeants: Summer, M. B., 
 Reeder. J. R. C, Moffett, R. D., Clark, J. F., Spears, L. M., Copeland, 
 J. A., Peterson, W. G., Livingston, A. J., Smith, J. D.. Bradley, E. P., 
 Tribble, A. K. Corporals: Davis, T. M., Gary, Jno. C, Dean, Julius, 
 Lark, Dennis, Chalmers, Joseph H., Anderson. W. A., Wallace, W. W., 
 Spears, A. S., Perkins, H. S., Gibson, B. W., Workman, Robt, Stephens,. 
 P. J., Suber, Mid. 
 
HISOTRY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 553 
 
 Privates : Brooks, E. A., Burton, Kay, Butler, J. C, Bishop, W. F., 
 Bishop, Jno., Bailey, A. W.. Brown, D., Brown, J. A., Butler, E. A, 
 Butler, J. N., Butler, B. R., Butler, D. M., Cannon, Isaac P., Crooks, L. 
 T., Crooks, J. A. B., Chalmers, E. P., Craddock, D. F., Craddock, S., 
 Chupp, J. G., Cole, John, Campell, Jno. B., Cleland, J. P., Clark, E. G., 
 Connor, Robt., Clamp, D. L., Chappells, J. B., Davenport, H., Daven- 
 port, W. P., Davenport, E. W., Dalrymple, John, Davis, A. P., Davis D 
 P., Davis, J. T., Dumas, J. H., Davenport, J. C, Floyd, Jno. S., Floyd 
 J. N., Gary, J. W., Gary, M. H., Gary, C. M., Gary, Jessie, Griffin, S. B., 
 Griffin, W. B., Grimes, W. M., Grimes, T. A., Gibson, M., Gibson, W. 
 W., Golding, James W., Golding, Jno. F., Galloway, Jno., Graham, T. J., 
 Greer, R. P., Hopkins, G. T., Harp, David, Harmon, W. C, Harmon, 
 H. T., Jones, J. S. B., Johnson, W., Johnson, W. R., James, W. A , 
 King, W. H^ Keller, W. J., Lank, J. W., Lyles, I. £, Livingston, H., 
 Livmgston, E., Longshore, E. C, Longshore, A. J., McKettrick, J. W., 
 Middleton, J. H., Moates, J. L., Moates, P., Montgomery, G. B., Mc- 
 Ellunny, R. N., Neel, J. M., Neel, T. M., Pitt, J. M., Pitt, W., Pitt J., 
 Pitt, D., Pitt, A. N., Reeder, A. M., Richey, E, Robertson, S. j' Reid, 
 W. W., Reeder, W., Spruel, J. S., Spruel, W. F., Stewart, J. P., Senn, 
 D. R., Satterwhite, R. S., Scurry, J. R., Sterling, G. P., Saddler, G. W., 
 Suber, G. A., Suber, A., Thrift, C, Thrift, G. W., Templeton, R. W., 
 Willinghan, W. W., Workman, J. A., Workman, J. M., Workman, H., 
 Workman, P., Whitman, J. C, White, G. F., Wells, G. F., Waldrop, W. 
 W., Williams, B. 
 
 COMPANY "C." 
 
 Captains: Moffett, R. C, Herbert, C. W. Lieutenants: Mofifett, 
 
 D. S., Wilson, Jno. C, Culbreath, Joseph, Speake, J. L., Piester, . 
 
 Sergeants : Kibler, A. A., Moffett, T. J., Cromer, E. P., Wilson, T. R., 
 Long, G. F., Fellers, J. B. Corporals : Young, N. H., Boozer, D. W., 
 Fulmer, J. B., Bowers, J. S., Sites, George, Kelly, James M., Paysinger, 
 o. o. 
 
 Privates : Adams, W. H., Albritton, Joseph, Banks, James C, Baird, 
 Henry, Baughn, Henry, Bouknight, F., Blair, T. S., Blair, J. P., Boland, 
 S. D., Boland, James M., Boozer, C. P., Boozer, S. D., Boulware, I. H., 
 Boyd, G. M., Cannon, H. D., Calmes, Jno. T., Calmes, Wash., Car- 
 michael, J. D., Counts, W. F., Cromer, A. B., Crosson. H. S. N., Cros- 
 son, D. A., Crouch, Jacob, Crouch, Wade, Davenport, Wm., Davenport, 
 J. M., Davis, Jno., Duncal, J. W., Dominick, D. W. S., Elmore, J. A., 
 Enlow, Nathan, Ferguson, G, Fellers, J. P., Fellers, S. H., Folk, H. S., 
 Frost, Eli, Gallman. D. F.. Gallman, Henry G, Gallman, J. J., George, 
 James M., George, N. B., George, L. O., Griffeth, G. W., Gruber, I. H., 
 Grimes, Thos., Guise, Albert, Hair, J. B., Hartman, J. M., Hawkins, P> 
 M., Hawkins.. J. M., Hawkins. E. P., Hendricks, J. E., Herbert, J. W., 
 Hussa, Carwile, Halfacre, D. N., Huff, Andrew, Kelly.'j- H., Kelly, Y. 
 S., Kelly, W. J., Kinard, Levi, Kibler. Levi. Kibler, T, M.. Kibler, J. H., 
 Kibler, H. C, Lane, G. G, Lane, W. R., Lester, Alen, Lester, Alfred, 
 Lester. Charles, Long, A. J., Long, M. J., Long, L. W.. Livingston, J. 
 M., McGraw, P. T., McGraw, B. F., McCracken, L. C, McCracken, 
 Jno., McNealus. Jno.. Mansel, R. J.. Moffett. R. D., Martin, Allen, 
 Moon, Frank, Morris, S., Nates, J. C, Neill, J. B., NeiU, J. Calvin, Neill, 
 J. Spencer, Nelson, J. G., Paysinsyer. H. M., Paysinger, T. M., Pugh, 
 Wm.. Pugh. H., Quattlebaum, L E., Quattlebaum, D. B.. Rankin. A. J., 
 Rankin, G. W.. Rawls. S. Sanders, Reagen, James B., Reagen, H. W., 
 Reagen Jno. W, Reid, Newt., Reid, J. P., Richardson, D., Rikard, J. A., 
 Rikard, J. W., Kinard, L. C, Sease. N. A., Sease, J. Luke, Shepard. Jno., 
 R., Seigman, Jesse E., Spence. Sam'l, Spence, Jno. D., Sligh, J. W.,. 
 Sligh, D. P., Stillwell, J. T.. Stockman. J. Q. A., Stribbling, J. M.,. 
 Stockman, Jno. C, Stuart, W., Stuart. C. T.. Sultan, R. J., Thompson,. 
 T. J., Whites, J. D., Werts, M., Whites, G. J., Werts, Andrew, Werts,. 
 Jno. A., Wilson, Wm., Willingham, H;ivric, 
 
i)54 HISTORY OF EBRSHAW'S BRIGAUM- 
 
 COMPANY "D." 
 
 Captain-s : Fefgerson, Thos. B., Walker, F. N. Lieutenants : Bobo, 
 Y. J., Abernathy, C. P., Moore, J. P., Floyd, N. P., Ray, P. John, 
 Walker, J'. Heftryi Allen, Wade, Gordon, F. M., Bobo, Hiram. Ser- 
 geants : Campell, Levi, AUen^ Garland, Floyd. Chance, M., Ray, Hosea, 
 Roy, Robt. Y.j Dueker, H. W., Davis, M. M. Corporals : Abernathy, 
 J. D: C, Hill, T. F. C, Dillard, Geo. M., Fergerson, Jno. W., Welburn, 
 Robt. C. 
 
 Privates : Allen, B. R., Bobo, J. P., Bardine, T. C, Barrett, J, Brown- 
 ing, Hosea, Carson, John, CathcarL H. P., Cooper, J., Dodd; W. T., 
 Cooper, T. M., Fergerson, H. T., Floyd, A. F., Floyd, J. M., Farmer, 
 W., Fergerson, E., Franklin, Y. F., Farrow, A. T.,, Finger, Mark, Graham, 
 Isaac, Graham, J. F., Gentry, J. W., Gentry, E., Huckaby, P., Hill,B.M., 
 
 HoUis, P. W., Hembree, C. B., Andrew, , Jackson, Drewy, Graham, 
 
 A., Kelly, Wm., Kelly, M., Lamb, Thomas, Lamb, Robert, Lynch, W. E., 
 Lynch, A., Lynch, John, Lynch, B. S., Murphy, R. C, Myers, J. D., 
 McCravy, A. F., McCravy, R. S., McCravy, Sam., Murray, Peter, Mur- 
 ray, F. H., Nix, Stephen, McMillen, Wm., Ramsay, Robt., Ramsay, P., 
 Mullens, Wm,, Pruitt, E. A., Pope, C, Poole, Robt., Smith, Caspar, 
 Smith, Wm., Stephens, M., Stephens, J. F., Shands, Anthony, Shands, 
 Frank, Stone, T. B., Stearns, A. B., Shands, Saml, Pruitt, John, Sex- 
 ton, J. W., Tinsley, J. L., Tinsley, A. R., Tinsley, J. P., Taylor, W. B., 
 Varner, Andrew, Varner, M. S., Varner, J. W., Vaugh, Jas., Williams, 
 C. M., Willip.ms, J. D., Workman, H., Wesson, Frank, Woodbanks, 
 Thomas, Woodbanks, Jno., Lynch, Pink, Ray, Thos., Poole, Robt. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 Captains : Nance, J. D., Nance, Jno. K. G., Wright, Robt. H. Lieu- 
 tenants : Bailey, E. S., Moorman, Thos. S,, Hair, Jno,, S., Hentz, D. 
 J., Haltiwanger, Richard, Martin, J. N., James, B. S., Langford, P. B., 
 Weir, Robt. L,, Cofield, Jas, E, Sergeants : Pooe, Y. J,, Lake, T, H., 
 Boyd, C, P,, Chapman, S, B,, Ruff, Jno, S,, Kingore, A, J,, Buzzard, B. 
 S,, Reid, H, B,, Hood, Wm., Duncan, T, S., Rutherford, W, D,, Pay- 
 singer, T. M., Thompson, W, H,, Ramage, D, B,, Leavell, R. A., Horris, 
 T, J., Glymph, L. P., Sloan, T. G,, Blatts, Jno,, Harris, J, R. 
 
 Privates : Abram?, J. N,, Abrams J, K,, Abrams, C, R,, Atchison, 
 S. L., Atkins, R. W., Assman, H, M„ Brantly, H,, Bernhart, H, C, 
 Blatts, W. H., Bell, Jno. F., Bruce, J. D., Boazman, W. W., Boazman, 
 Grant, Bramlett, A. W,, Boozer, D. C, Boozer, E. P., Boyd, M. P., 
 Burgess, C. H., Brown. T, C, Brown, J, E., Blackbvirn, James, Bailey, 
 A. Wm., Butler, J. C, Canedy, A. B., Clend, M. P., Caldwell, J. E., Col- 
 lins, A. B., ClaiDp, G., Cameron, J, S,, Cameron, J, P,, Cromer, S. D., 
 Davis, J. H., Davis. Jas., Davis, Jno., Derick, S. S., Duckett. Jno. G., 
 Duckett, J. C, Duckett, J., Duckett, G, T., Faeir, W, Y,. Fair, Robt., 
 Faeir, G. A., Foot, M., Gary, J. N,, Glasgow, L, K., Graham, C. P., Gall- 
 man, H., Harris, M. M., Hargrove, P. H., HiUer, S. J., Hiller, G. ,E., 
 Haltin, Wm., Haltin, R., Johnson, J. A., Johnson, W., Kelly, L J., Keom, 
 G., Keney, G., Keitler, J. N., Lindpey, J„ Lovelace, B. H., Lake, T. W., 
 Lake, E. G., Lee, W., Lindsey, W. R.. Marshall, J. R., Mayes, J. B., 
 McCrey, S. T., McCaughrin, S. T., McMillen, W. J., Miller, J. W., 
 Mathis, J. M., Marshal, J. L., Metts, W., Metts, McD., Metts. W. G., 
 Murtishaw, S. W., Nance, A. D., O'Dell, L N:, Pratt; S., Price, S., 
 Pope, B. H., Pope, W. H., Pope, T. H., Pope, H., Reid, J. M., Reid, W. 
 W., Renwick,^H., Ruff, J. PL, Ruff, W. W., Ruff, J. M. H., Ruff, R. S.. 
 Rodlesperger, T., Rice, J., Riser, J. W., Riser, W. W., Riser, Joe, Ruff, 
 M., Sligh, T. W., Sloan, E. P., Sligh, G., Sligh, W. C, Suber, W. H., 
 Suber, G. B., Souter, F. A., Summer, F. M., Schumpert, B., Schumpert, 
 P. L.. Sawyer, F. A., Sultsbacer, W., Stribling, M., Scurry, D. V.. Taf- 
 rant, W. T., Tribble, J. R., Turnipseed, J. O., Wheeler, D. B., Wright, 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. S65 
 
 J. M., Witt, M. H., Wilson, T. R., Wils6n, C, Wood, S. J Wingard 
 !?;.:§■' Wideman, S., WilSon, J. W., Willifrghath, W. P., W^jr T w' 
 Wilhngham, , Zoblel, J., Hornsby, J. 0:, tlarris, J. Y. 
 
 COMPANY "F." 
 
 Captain : Walker, T. LiUutenants : McGowan, H L Williams J 
 G., Loaman, S. Sergeants : East, I. H. L., Hill, T. C Neil W W " 
 Bailpy, W. P., Gray, W. S., Madden, J., Wells, B. W - • •- 
 
 Privates: Alston, F. V., Andrews, H. A., Andrews, T., Ballew, R., 
 Bryson, H. H., Byson, R., Boyd, W. M. J., Boyd, W., Bryson H T 
 Bfyson, J. E., Byson, J. A., Burrill, B., Burrill, W., Byson, J. G Bose- 
 rtian, L. J., Bale, A., Cannon, J. h-, Cole, J., Conner, J. B., Coleman, O. 
 A., Cook, M C, Crisp, J. T., Crim, S. J., Cannon, L. A., Dogan, W. S., 
 Dalrymple, T E. J., Donald, T. P., Darnell, W. R., Davenport, W. R., 
 Dobbms, J., Franklin, H. G., Franklin, J. N., Franklin, N., Feats, J., 
 Fowler, P. O., Puller, J. C, Fuller, J. N., Fuller, W., Furguson, J. W., 
 Goodlett, S. P., Grant, M., Garlington, J. D., Hollingworth, J., Hitt, H., 
 Hitt, B., Hitt, E., Jones, W., Johnson, H. S., Johnson, W. R., Johnson, 
 Miller, Langey, B. P., Lindsay, J., Undsay, A., Lowe, W. W., Lowe, P. 
 W., Lake, J., Lake, Y., Madden, A., Madden, S. C, Madden, D. N., 
 Madden, J. H., Madden, J., Martin, L., McGowan, J. S., McDowell, W., 
 McGee, J., McCoy, A., McClure, D., McClure, W., McGowan, S., Mc- 
 Williams, L, Mauldin, J., Monroe, W. E., Monroe, J. W., Morgan, J. 
 C, Moore, I-L,~ Moore, E., Moore, G., Nabors, W. A., Nichols, R. M., 
 Nichols, T. D., Nichols, J., Nelson, A., Nelson, M., Neely, W., Nixon, 
 W., O'Neal, J. B., Puckett, R., Pirverii, J. H:., Pierce, C. E., Pills, J., 
 Pi-opes, M., Reid, M., Riddle, T. R., Riddle, J. S., Sadler, G. M., Shirley, 
 J., Smith, T. M., Sincher, T,., Sparks, S., Vance, W. A., Waldrop, T. M., 
 Walker, J. P., Winn, J., Wilbur, J. Q., Waldrop, E., Wilson, C, Wat- 
 son, S. 
 
 COMPANY "G." 
 
 Captain : Todd, R. P. Lieutenants : Burnside, A. W., Barksdale, 
 J. A.; Watts, J. W. Sergeants: Wright, A. Y., Garlington, J. D., 
 Winn, W. C, Sanford, B. W., Farley, H. L. Corporals : Owengs, A. 
 S., Brownlee, D. J. G., McCarley, T. A., Patton, M. P., Thompson, A. 
 G. H., Templeton, D. C. 
 
 Privates : Avery, T. M., Avery, F. PL, Adams, W. A., Ball, W. H., 
 Ball, H. P., Barksdale, A., Barksdale, T. B., Barksdale, M. S., Branks, 
 C. B., Brooks, L. R., Brooks, W. J., Bendle, R. T., Byrant, R. F., 
 Blackaby, J. L., Burns, B. F., Burns, J. H., Brownlee, J. R., Brumlett, 
 C, Childress, D., Childress, W. A., Cook, Geo., Curry, J. A., Curry, T. 
 R.. Curry, W. L., Curry, J. F., Crisp. J., Coleman, J. D., Chisney, W., 
 Chisney, J. N., Chisney, N., Chisney, R. J., Chisney, G., Craig, J., Chick, 
 W., Coley, R. B., Dorroh, J. A., Dorroh, J. R., Dorroh, J. W., Dial, J., 
 Edwards, L. L., Edwards, M., Evins, H. C, Fairbairn, E. J., Fairbairn, 
 J; A., Fairbairn, J. D., Franks, B. T., Franks, S., Franklin, W., Fleming, 
 M. Fuller, J., Grumbles, R. P., Garrett, H. M., Harris, R. T., Hel- 
 lams, J. T., Hellams, R. V., Hellams, W. R., Hellaras, R. T. Hellams, 
 W. H., Henderson, T. Y., Henry, I. F., H:enry, S. P., Hill, D. S., 
 Higgins, R. J., Higgins, R. J., Higgins, J. B,, Hunter, J. P., Hobby, 
 J. A., Jones, E., Knight, J., Knight, R. S., Lamb, W., Lanford, J. M., 
 Landford, P., Lindsey, E. E., Lanford, E. L., McNeely, A. Y., Martin, 
 J. A Martin, B. A., Martin, M. P., Martin, M. G., Martin, J., Martin, 
 J A ' Morgan, W. B., Morris, W. H., McClentock, W. A., Maddbx, J., 
 Madden, W. B., Motes, S. C, Oweris, H. Y., Owens, W. C, Owens, M. 
 S., Owens, S. D., Owens, J., O'Gwalt, W. D., Paysinger, T., Power, J. 
 D' Pdole F. F., Robertson, R., Rodgfers, A. M., Roland, A., Starms, T. 
 a',' S&lisorii W. W., Sirtipsoii, A., SimpBoil, S., Stoddard, D. P., Stod- 
 
556 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 dard, J. F., Stoddard, D. C, Stoddard, A. R., Stewart, J. C, Summers, 
 W. W., Smith, R., Shockley, J. W., Stone, E., Shesly, E., Templeton, 
 J. P., Thackstpn, E- R-, Thackston, S. R., Thompson, I. G., Thompson, 
 W., Thompson, A. Y., Thompson, W. F., Townsend, J., Vonodore, J., 
 Wadell, A. J., Wadell, J. T., Wine, A. W., Wilson, T. C, Witte, J. B. 
 H., White, J. K., Workman, J. M, Wofford, B. H. 
 
 COMPANY "H." 
 
 Captains : Nunnaijiaker, P., Summer, J. C, Swygert, G. A., Dickert, 
 D. A. Lieutenants: Epting, J. H., Nunnamaker, S., White, U. B., 
 Fulmer, A. P., Huffman, J. Sergeants: Hipp, A. J., Derrick, F. W., 
 Kesler, W. A., Swindler, W. C, Werts, A. A., Haltiwanger,- X- S., 
 Wheeler, S., Kempson, L. C. Corporals : Weed, T. C, Busby, W'. A., 
 Stoudemire, J. A. W., Mayer, J. A., Counts, W. J., Werts, W. W., 
 Guise, A. 
 
 Privates : Adams, M., Addy, J. M., Burrett, J., Burkett, H., Boozer, 
 L., Boozer, B. F., Boozer, D. T., Bedenbaugh, L., Bundric, T. J., Busby, 
 J. L,., Busby, L., Busby, W., Cannon, J. J., Caughman, L., Chapman, H. 
 H., Chapman, D., Chapman, B. F., Cook, J. S., Comerlander, M., Cor- 
 ley, F., Dawkins, J. D., Dickert, J. O., Dickert, B. F., Dickert, C. P., 
 Dominick, H., Dreher, D. J., Dreher, J., Derrick, A., EUisor, C. G., EUi- 
 sor, G. M., Ellisor, G. P., Ellisor, J. T., Enlow, B., Epting, J., Fulmer, 
 H. J., Fulmer, G. W., Fulmer, J. E., Frost, E., Folk, S. H., Farr, J., 
 Feugle, J. N., Fort, H. A., Green, W. T., Gibson, A.,. Guise, N. A., 
 Geiger. W. D., George, J.. Gortman, M., Hamiter, J. H., Haltiwanger, J. 
 L., Haltiwanger, A. K., Hartman, S., Hobbs, L. P., Hipp, W. W., Hipp, 
 J. M., Hipp, J. J., Hiller, G., Jacob, W. A., Kelly, B., Kinard, J. J., 
 Kunkle, H. L., Koon, G. W., Long, H. M., Long, D. S., Long, D. P., 
 Long, G. A., Long, J. H., Long, G., Long, J., Lake, T., Lake, E. J., Liv- 
 ingstone, J., Livingstone, S., Livingstone, M., Lester, G., Lever, C, 
 Mayer, A. B., Miller, A. B., Miller, J., Miller., L., Monts, J. W., Monts, 
 T,, Monts, N., Monts, F.. Monts. J.. Martin, A., Metts, T., Nunnamaker, 
 T. C, Rucker, W., Russell, L. P., Rikard, L., Riser. R. E., Summer, J. 
 G., Summer, W., Summer, P., Summer, J. B., Summer, J. K.. Summer, 
 A. J., Stoudemire, G. W., Stoudemire, R. T., Smith, S. H., Smith, J. A, 
 Shealy, P. H., Schwarts, G., Schwarts, H. C, Sease, A. M., Slice, G. N., 
 Slice. R., Setzler, W., Setzler, J. T., Spillers, L., Stuck, G. M., Stuck, 
 M. C, Swetingburg, D. R., Suber, A., Thompson, P., Wilson, H. C, 
 Wilson, A. A., Werts, A., Werts, W. A., Werts, J., Werts, W. A., 
 Werts, J., Weed, W., Wheeler, L. B., Youngener, G. W., Yonce, J., 
 Yonce, W. 
 
 COMPANY "I." 
 
 Captains : Jones, B.. S., Langston, D. M. H., Pitts, T. H., Johnson, 
 J. S. LiEtTTENANTs : Harris, N. S., West, S. L., Byrd, W. B., Belk, W. 
 B., Duckett, T. J. Sergeants: Henry, D. L., Williams, E., McLang- 
 ston, G., Byrd, A. B., Copeland, D. T., Berkley, T., Adair, J. W. Cor- 
 porals : Maylan, P., Blakely, M., Goodwin, R., Butler, P. M., Blakely, 
 W. 
 
 Privates: Arnant, , Atrams, R., Anderson, J., Anderson, W., 
 
 Anderson, M., Byrd, G., Byrd, J. D., Beasley, G., Bell, J. L., Bell, J. E., 
 
 Blakely, E. T., Blakely, M. P., Richmond, , Boyce, C. B., Brown J , 
 
 Bearden. T., Compton, E., Canady, J. W., Craige, G., Cannon, H., 
 Casey, C. C, Campbell, P., Dillard, G. W., Donnon, G. M., Donnon, 
 W., Duval, C. W., Davis, W., Ferguson, J. G., Ferguson, C. C, Foster, 
 J. F. M., Gordon, M., Graham, D., Hill, S., Holland, J. G., Holland, R. 
 R., Hollingsworth, F., Hollingsworth, J., Hanby, J. W., Harris, F.. Hol- 
 land, W., Hewett, F. M., Hemkapeeler, C, Hipps, R., Hipos, C. M.. 
 Hirter, M., Huskey, W., Henry, J. E., Huckabee, J., Jones, A., Jones, R. 
 
HISTORY OF KKRSHAW'S BRIGADE. 557 
 
 F., James, Z., Johnson, R. C, Jacks, I., King, A. A., Langston, J. T., 
 Lyles, P., McKelvy, J., Maddox, W. C, Mclnown, M. M., Meeks, T , 
 Mars. N., McDowell, J. T. B., McMakin, G., Merton, G., Newman, T. 
 &., Neal, S. H., Owens, T., Oxner, J. T., Prather, G., Prather, N. C, 
 Powell, A., Powell, R., Potter, M., Pearson J. P., Philson, S P, 
 Philips, A. N., Ramage, J. W., Ray, W., Reynolds, M., Suber. M., 
 Suber, M., Stokes, T., Stokes, W., Sneed, C, Simpson, J. M., Snook W 
 M., Smith, J. C, Taylor, W. J., Taylor. H. S., Templeton, A., Temple- 
 ton, H., Templeton, J., Talleson, J., Talleson, J., lodd, N. C, Todd, S. 
 A., Thaxton, Z. A., Willard, J„ Young, G. R., Zeigler, . 
 
 COMPANY "K." 
 
 Captains: Kennedy, B., Lanford, S. M., Foster, L. P., Young, W. 
 H., Cunningham, J. H., Roebuck, J. P. Lieutenants : Wofford, J. W., 
 Wofford, J. Y., Bearden, W., Layton, A. B., Thomas, W., Smith, R. M., 
 Sergeants: Bray, D. S., Wofford, W. B., Thomas, J. A., Varner, C. P., 
 McArthur, J. N., Jentry, J. L. Corporals : Vise, James S., Nesbitt, W. 
 A., Smith, W. A., Davis, A, F., James, G. W., Lanford, F. M., Pettitt, N. 
 H., Roundtree, J. R., Smith, A. S., West.T. H., Bass, J. B. C. 
 
 Privates: Bass, G. W., Season, B. S., Beason, B., Bishop, J. W., 
 Beard, J. C, Brewton, L, Brice, D., Birch, F. C, Bearden, W. S., Bar- 
 nett, W. H., Bearden, G., Cook, N., Cunningham, H. W., Chunmey, G. 
 W., Chunmey, J., Drnmmond, R. A., Elmore, J. H., Faster, J. A., 
 Gwinn, C. T., Gwinn, D., Gwinn, M., Gwin, J., Harmon, T. P., Harmon, 
 J., Harmon, W., Havener, J. P., Hyatt, G. T., Hyatt, J., Hamby, J. H., 
 Hill, L., Johnson, J. A., Lanham S. W. T., Lawrence, W., Lancaster, 
 W. H., Marco, J. T., Mattox, P., Mayes, S. S., Mayes, D. W., Mayes, 
 W. J., Meadows, T. M., Meadows, T. S., McAbee, W., McAbee, J., Mc- 
 Donald, J. E., McArther, J., Pearson, J. W., Petty, T., Petty, P., Pettis, 
 B. F., Pearson, H., Roundtree, J. S., Riddle, J. M., Riddle, T., Rogers. 
 M., Rogers, J., Rogers, E., Rogers. W., Rogers, G., Roebuck, B. P., 
 Roebuck, J., Roebuck, W., Sammonds, G., Shackleford, J. L., Strib- 
 blan, A. C, Stribland, S., Stribland, J., Shands, B. A., Shands, S., Stal- 
 lions, J., Smith ,B. M., Smith, S., Smith, E. F., Smith, Robt., Smith, 
 W. P., Sherbutt, W. T., Sherbutt, S. Z., Sherbutt, A. T., Slater, Jno., 
 Story, G. H., Storey, D, G., Story, J. S., Thomas, T. S., Thomas, L. P., 
 Thomas, W., Thomas, M., Turner, J., Vehorn, W. J., Vaughan, L., 
 Vaughan, J., Varner, R., Williams, R. M., Wofford, B., Wofford, W. T., 
 Wofford, J. H., Wofford, W, A., West, T. J., West, G. W., West, E. M., 
 West, H.. Wingo, H. A., White, R. B., Westmoreland, S. B., Wright,' 
 W. M., Woodruff, R., Zimmerman, T. H. 
 
 ROLL OF SEVENTH SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEER REGI- 
 MENT. 
 
 Pield and Staff. 
 
 CoEONEts : Bacon, T. G, Aiken, D. W., Bland, Elbert. 
 Lieutenant Colonel: Fair, R. A. 
 Majors : Seibels, E., Hard, J. S. 
 Adjutant : Sill, T. M. 
 
 8UARTERMASTER : Lovelace, B. F. 
 OMMissARY Sergeant: Smith, Fred. 
 
 Surgeons : Dozier, , Spence, W. F., Horton, O. R. 
 
 Assistant Surgeons: Carlisle, R. C, Stallworth, A. 
 Chaplain : Carlisle, J. M. 
 
558 HiSTaR;Y OJP KERSHAW'S B-^jIGADE. 
 
 COMPANY "A." 
 
 Captains : Bland, Elbert, Harrison, S. Lieutenants : Bland, J. A., 
 Wenner, M. B. SERGEANTS: Addison, H. W., Bert, A. W., Smiles, N. 
 G., Connels, J. R., Gregory, R. Cobporals : Cogturn, R. M., Mathis, 
 C. A., Regan, B. G., Fair, W. B., Hill, T. T., Butler, E. S. 
 
 Privates: Aultman, Jno., Aultman, J., Burton, T., Boatwright. B., 
 Boyce, W. G., Broadwets, T. A., Brown, J. J., Brown, J. C, Bryant, H. 
 G., Barnett, W. H., Carpenter, J., Cogburn, B. J., Cogburn, W. H., 
 Crawford, W., Courtney, J. G., Casar, E. H., Casar, C. G. D., Casar, J. 
 L., Carson, H., Cushman, C. B., Daily, R. J., Day, J. S., Davis, E G., 
 Day, J. S., DeLoach, J., Dunagant, J., Easley,.J., Edison, W. M., Els- 
 man, J. E., Fair, J. E., Glover, A., Glover, R. J., Gomillian, L., Gray, H. 
 
 C, Green, J., Green, M., Hagood, J. V., Walsenback, L., Horn, J. S., 
 Johnson, L. S., Johnson, D. F., Johnson, D. W., Jones, S. A., Jones, F. 
 A., Kirksey, W. H., Legg, E. W., Littleton, L. W., Libeschutts, M., 
 Long. W. R., Lott, G. H., Lovelace, G. C, Miles, C. L., Miles, A., Miles, 
 S., Mims, R. S., Mims, W. D, Mobley, G S., Mobley, S. C, McDaniels, 
 
 F. S., McGeires, Charley, Nichholson, J. A., Perin, J. D., Powell, R., 
 Prescott, H. H., Prescott, S. J., Radford, J. A., Radford, A., Raney, D. 
 D., Randall, F. E, Riddle, S., Robertson, J. F., Rodgers, C. E, Ryon, S. 
 D., Salter, G. P., Salter, J. R., Samuel, W., Smith, W. J., Smith, D. W., 
 Smith, F. L., Sheppard. S., Stevenson, T., Sweringer, R., Swearinger, 
 
 A. S., Snelgrove. J. F., Toney, Ed., Turner, H. R., Walker, P. E., Whit- 
 lock, W., Whitlock, G. W., Whitman, S,. Weathelsy, L., Williams, .G. 
 D., Williams, R. R., Williams, W. B..F., Williams, D. S., Willing, R., 
 Willing, J., Woolsey, J. D., Wright, W. M., Wright, J. H. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Captains: Mattison, G. M., Hodges, W. L., Hudgens, T. A., Town- 
 send, J. A.' Lieutenants: Clinkscales, E. B., Townsend, L F., 
 Hodges, J. P., Klugh, P. D., Hodges, J. R., Callahan, S. W., Hodges, 
 W. C. C. Sergeants : McGee, J. S., Riley, W., Agnew, J. A., Hender- 
 son, J. W., Franklin, T., Stevenson, F. A., Rolinson, C. Corporals: 
 Norris, E. B., Sitton, J. Y., Mathis, J., McGee. A. C, Dolan, F., Tribble, 
 
 D. A., Dunn, R, H., Brown, J. N., Pruitt, F. V. 
 
 Privates: Armstrong, J. C., Armstrong, W. C, Austin, J. H., Ashley, 
 J. S., Anderson, J. C, Alguny, H. H., Ashley, W. S., Allen, A., Bowles, 
 L W., Bowie, H. W., Bowie, E. B., Bowen, S. M., Bowen, J. O., Bar- 
 more, W. C, Bailey, J. M., Brownlee, J. R., Bramyon, T. M., Bell, F. 
 M., Bryant, H., Coleman, T. J., Calvert, J. M., Cochran, R. M., Carpen- 
 ter, T. J., Cromer, A. P., Callahan, M., Callahan, W. N., Coleman, J. T., 
 Clark, H. B., Cowen, J. W., Davis, S. J., .Davis, I. W., Davis, T., Davis, 
 W. Y., Davis, J. A., Deal, M. L., Donald, J. L., Drennan, L. O., Duncan, 
 W. P., Duncan, J. B., Duncan, D., Ellison, S., Graham, J. M., Graham, 
 
 B. C, Graham, E. C, Griffen, J., Gilmore, J. W., Grimes, W. B., Hemp- 
 hill, R. R., Hinton, A., Hughes, H. H., Hawthorn, H. B., Hawthorn, C, 
 Hawthorn, L., Hodges, C. R., Harris, J. N., Harris, W. M., Kay, W. A., 
 Killingworth, W. P., Kirly, B., Latimer, S. N., Lindsay, A. B. C, Long, 
 
 G. W. M., Long, H. J. S., Lovelace, R.. Martin, J. R., McAdams', R. V., 
 McAdams, W. N., McAdams, A. J., McDowell, W. N., McCown, J., 
 McWhorter, J. R., McGee, J. M., Moore, T., Moore, R., Moseley, W..L., 
 Nabors, A., Owens, S., Owens, V., Owens, W., Owens, D. B., Peeler, 
 J. W., Pratt, T. W., Pratt, W. A., Pruitt J. J., Pruitt, W. A., Robinson, 
 R. A., Strickland, W. A., Sharp, M. C, Sjmpson, J. H., Stone, J. E., 
 Stone, R. P., Seawright, J. B., Straborn, R., Shirley, G., Seawright; R. 
 W., Smith, R, N., Taylor, J., Timms, J. T., Vandiver, E. W., Wakefield, 
 J. A., Ware, W. A., Ware, R. A., Waddell, G. H., Webb, J., Weir, W. 
 A., Whitelock, F., Wilson, J. S., Wilson, J. L., Wilson, John S., Wil- 
 liamson, J. A., Williams, J. F., Williams, G., Young, J. V., Young, L. J., 
 Young, I. B., Young, J. C. 
 
HISTORY OF KEiRSHAW'S BRIGADB. 559 
 
 COMPANY ",Q." 
 
 Captains : Bradley, P. H., Cothran, W. E., Palmer, N. H., Lyons, 
 John. Lieutenants: Thayler, A. T., McClain,.T. E., Childs, T. M., 
 Calhoun, J. S., Rodgers, T. A. Sergeants : Hearst, J. W., Edmonds, S. 
 F., Corley, J. A., Gray, T. C, Bradley, T. C, Quarles, T. P., Robinson, 
 J. P., Martin, J. C, Newby, E. G., Willis, J., Brown, J. S. Corporals : 
 Pennal, C. D., Lyon, J- F-, Joy, D. W., Weed, R., Walker, W. 
 
 Privates : Adamson, J. L., Aiken, A. M., Ansley, J. A., Bosdell, L S., 
 Bosdell, S. E., Boisworth, J., Bouchilson, T. M., Baker, W., Benson, 
 W., Bradley, W., Bradley, J. E., Bellot, J. E., Blackwell, J., Berdashaw, 
 W. J.. Butler, W., Belcher, J. C, Bond, L C, Burns, M., Brugh, T. J., 
 Barksdale, W., Barksdale, J., Barksdale, B. B., Barksdale, T. W., Banks, 
 G. M., Banks, W. W., Banks, C. C, Barksdale, G. T., Belcher, H. C, 
 CorroU, v.. Chamberlain, W., Childs, T. W., Cook, W., Cook, F. L., 
 Connor, A. P., Crose, W. M„ Cook, T. W., Childs, T. C, Calhoun, E., 
 Davis, P., Devlin, J. A., Devlin, W. P., Derracort, W. G., Drennan, D. 
 H., Dowtin, D, W., Elkins, W., Eunis, G., Edmonds, W. F., Edwards, 
 W. W., Edmonds, T. J., Finley, J. C„ GiUebeau, J. C, Gillebeau, P. D., 
 Hill, J. W., H:arris, S. N., Holloway, J. L., Harrison, J„ Knox, S., Ken- 
 nedy, J. M., Kennedy, W. P., Link, J. J., Link, S. C, Link, W. T., Lyon, 
 J. E., Lyon, L. W., Leak, T. N.. Lvon, R. N., Lands, W., Ligon, T. C, 
 Lamonds, J. P. A., LeRoy, J. N., Martin, G. W., Martin, P. C, McKet- 
 trick, J.. McClinton, J., McQuerns, J. A., McKinney, W. W., McKinney, 
 J., McKelvey, W. H., McCaslan, G. D., Morrow, W. B., Morrow, J. A., 
 McClain, R., Noble, E. P., McGowan, O., New, F., Noble, J. S., O'Neill, 
 P., Palmer, W. O., Pennal, J. E., Paris, H., Rodgers, M. J., Robinson, 
 P. H., Russell, J. R., Reagan, Y. P., Seigler, J. A., Sibert, J. PL, Shoe- 
 maker, A. M., Scott, C, Tennant, G. C, Tennant, P., Turnage, J.. Tray- 
 lor, A. A., Wells, W. H., Wideman, J. J„ Wilson, J. L., Willis, W. W., 
 Willis, J. P., Wideman, C. A., Zimmerman, D. R., Zimmerman, J. H. 
 
 COMPANY "D." 
 
 . Captains : Hester, S. J., Allen, T. W. Lieutenants : Owen, J. T., 
 Carlisle, J. C, Power, E. F.. Carlisle, R. H., Prince, H. M., Cunning- 
 ham, J. R., McGee, M. M. Sergeants : Kennedy, J. T., Allen, J. B., 
 Hester, J. J., Clark, A. D., Gibert, J. S., McCurne, W. L., Clinkscales, 
 L. C. Corporals : Norwood, O. A., Bowen, L. M., Boyd, D., Barnes, 
 A. J., 
 
 Privates: Alewine, J. H., Allen, J. B., Allen, S., Burress, W., Bell, 
 J. H., Bass, J., Black, J. P., Boyd, R. P., Brooks, R. H., Brooks, J. M., 
 Bowen, L., Bowen, W., Burton, R. H., Barnes, J., Barnes, W., Basken, 
 J. F., Beaty, W., Caldwell, E., Cowen, H. F., Cromer, H., Cunningham, 
 J. D., Clark, A. D., Campbell, W. H., Campbell, M. B., Calhoun, J. C, 
 Calhoun, W. N., Carmbe, J., Clinkscales, W. R., Davis, B. A., Danelly, 
 J., Dunlop, W., Edwards, E. E., Edwards, F., Freeman, H.. Freeman, 
 R. v., Fleming, W., Frisk, J., Hogan, J., Hogan, W. A., Hall, Tuck, 
 Hall, A., Hall, H., Harkness, W. B., Haddon, S. P., Hill, J. A., Huck- 
 abee, J. P„ Hester, J. J., Hutchinson, B, F., Hodges, W. A., Hunter, T., 
 Johnson, G. W., Jones, C. C, Kennedy, L. D., Kennedy, I., Kennedy, J. 
 T., Kay, W. A., Longbridge, W. S., Longbridge, L. L., Latimer, W. A., 
 McCurrie, M. C, McCurrie, W., Mauldin, A., Mauldin, H., McDaniel, 
 
 , Morrow, W. R., Martin, H., Melford, C, Moore, T. A., McComb, 
 
 J. P., McAdams, S. T., Newby, J. N., Norwood, O. H., Oliver, P. E., 
 Presly, R. A., Powell, J. W., Russell, W. H., Ritchie, W., Ritchie, J. A., . 
 Starks, J. S. H., Sanders, J. W., Sanders, J„ Shaw, J. A., Shaw, J. C, 
 Shoemaker, A. M., Scott, J. E., Scott, J. J., Stevenson, J. E., Speers, E. 
 H., Taylor, E. M., Taylor, M. T., Watts, A., Williams, B. W., Wilson, J. 
 
■560 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 Captains : Denny, D., Mitchell, J. Lieutenants : Rutland, W. A., 
 Daniel, J. M., Pinson, J., Denny, J. W. Sergeants: Roach, J. C. H., 
 Suddath, J. B., Denny, A. W., Coleman, M. W., Mitchel, E. Cor- 
 j>ORAi,s : Powe, J., Smith, L. A., McGee, U. R., Padgett, E. 
 
 Privates: Black, H., Black, J., Black, X., Crouch, W., Crouch, T. 
 B., Crouch, H., Crouch, J. L., Crouch, R., Crouch, M., Crout, Q., Corley, 
 J. M., Corley, J., Corley, F., Cooner, W. E., Chapman, J., Cash, R. F., 
 Denny, G. W., Denny, J. O., Denny, J. M., Derrick, J., Dougalss, J., 
 Douglass, W., Etheredge, W., Etheredge, W., Etheredge, N., Etheredge, 
 H. C. Etheredge, G. M., Edwards, J., Geiger, J., Geiger, D., Goodwin, 
 W., Goff, J., Hughes, C. W., Inabinett, J., Little, W., Lott, L., Marony, 
 A., Mitchell, P., Mitchell, W. A., Mitchell, J., Murich, J., Merchant, J. 
 W., McCorty, D. D. W., McLendon, I., Parson, R., Penson, J. R., 
 Powe, J. R., Padgett, E., Ridlehoover, W., Rodgers, F., Ramage, J. C, 
 
 Ridgell, W., Ridgels, J., Ridgers, D., Story, , Smith, G. W., Smith, 
 
 L. L., Smith, J. H., Smith, W. W., Shealy, J., Sheeley. A., Sheely, A., 
 Samples, W. E., Saulter, J., Thompson, J., Thompson, J., Vansant, J. T., 
 Vansant, H., Venters, W., Watson, M. B., Watson, J. L., Watson, N., 
 Walker, R., Whittle, W., White, L-, Yarbrough, J., Yarbrough, M. 
 
 COMPANY " F." 
 
 Captains : Harde, J. S., Harden, J. E., Brooks, W. D., McKibbin, 
 TVIc. Lieutenants: jfennings, T. A., Greggs, J. B., Sentell, J. L., 
 Baker, G. W., Wise, L. W., Hard, B. W. Sergeants: Matthensy, N. 
 O., Gullege, T., Davis, J., Howard, H. H., Cobb, R. Corporals: Ste- 
 vens, H. M., Rearden, W. E., Athenson, G. E., Odom, M., Readen, R. 
 W. 
 
 Privates : Athenson, J. L., Aulmond, J. R., Autmond, T., Arther, 
 W. B., Baggate, E., Beck, W., Brown, J., Brown, J., Brown, M., Bag- 
 well, L. B., Brwer, G. A., Brooks, G., Bland, L., Brooks. R., Cawall, W., 
 Corten, J. A., Cashman, R., Cash, W., Cochran, G., Corley, J., Clark, 
 H., Donold, R., Dickens, E., Davis, B., Duncan, J., Duncan, R., Davis, 
 J., Duncan, B., Ellis, W., Friday, P. A., Faulklan, T., Faulkner, W. P., 
 Franklan, A., Fagin P., German. W., Galledge, H., Galledge. Wm., 
 Gissus, J., Henderson, C. R., Hall, J. C, Hamonett, W. P.,. Hatcher, 
 W., Hawistow, S., Jackson, J., Jackson, J., Jackson, D. L., Johnson,, E., 
 Johnson, A. L., Kirksey, W. J.,- Key. J. A., Lacks, W., Lispard, W., 
 Littleton, L., Lawrence, W., Lesoard, E., Maddox, J., Maddox, G.; Mad- 
 dox, J., Maddox, M., Medlock, B.. Maddox, B., McKee. G. W., Myers, 
 W., McGee, J. W, McKenzie, W., Mathews, M., Mathis, M., McKen- 
 nie, M., McGee, J., New, J., New, E., New, J., Overstreet, J., Price, J. 
 D., Piatt, G. W., Parker, A., Prescott, L., Perden, G., Parker, J., Pruce, 
 T., Radford, S., Ramsey, J. A., Ramsey, M., Rannold, E., Sharpton, B., 
 Smith, W., Seigler, E., Stringfield, E., Seigler, A. S., Serger, W. B., 
 Serger, B. F., Seitzes, J., Tarner, H., Tollison, T. P., Taylor, J. A., Tay- 
 lor, B. F., Wade, H., West, W. A., Wicker, A., Walker, W. 
 
 COMPANY "G." 
 
 Captains : Brooks, J. H., Clark, W. E., Kemp, J. W., Williams, J. C. 
 Lieutenants : Edson, J. W., King, H. C, Strothers, G. J., Strothers, 
 R. C. SERGEAiNTS : Youngblood, R. S., Calbreath, H. C, GriJifen, J. W., 
 Ouzts, M., Rambo, J. C, Clarey, R. C, Durst, T. W., Wrighlet, J. K., 
 •Calesman, D., Williams, C. T. 
 
 Privates : Adams, S., Adams, H. W\. Actoin, J. S., Actons, W. J., 
 Atom, R., Attaway, S. C, Attaway," T., Bagwell, W., Boom, B. P., 
 Boulware, J. S., Branson, T. N., Brooks, J. S., Brooks, L., Bryan, A. M., 
 £ryan, R. C, Burkhalter, M. R., Burnett, J. L., Burnett, H., Clark, G., 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 561 
 
 Clark, v., Clary, W. M., Coleman, J. S., Croach, D. H., Crawford, W. 
 A., Dees, H. C., Dogen, H. C, Dogin, W., Dorn, D., Dorn, H., Duffy, 
 J., Duffy, J., Edison, W. A., Edison, L., Poosher, B., Pell, J., Gasperson, 
 J. B., Gentry, J. W., Grant, J. W. D., Gragary, J., Griffeth, A. B., Grif- 
 felh, M. A., Haltiwanger, G., Hamilton, G. W., Hamilton, J. P., Har- 
 grove, A., Hardy, M., Heard, Wm., Holloway, D. P., Holloway, R. C, 
 HoUmgsworth, J. A., Hudson, J. W., Jay, J., Jay, J., King, W. D., King, 
 A. P., Koon, L., Lamb, B., May, J. A., Mannous, W. A., Neil, J. W., 
 Neil, M. W., Odum, W. L., Ouzts, P., Ouzts, W. H., Palmer, W. C, 
 Procter, J. M., Quattlebaum, J. A., Reaves, G. E., Rhodes, J. B., Reley, 
 J. M., Roton, J., Rushton, J. M., Rushton, W. M., Rushton, W. M., 
 Rushton, D., Seatel, J. R., Smith, J. W., Smith, L. R., Smith, G., Stal- 
 worth, A. C, Steadman, J. C, Steadman, H., Steifle, H. C, Stevens, B. 
 T.. Stevens, R., Tompkins, J., Townsend, P. A., Turner, R. P., Turner, 
 G. W., Turner, S., Turner, G., Turner, Wm., Walker, E. P., Walton, 
 
 , Wallington, W. J., Wheelerj Wm., Whatley, J. P., Willingham, J., 
 
 Williams, H. Williams, P., William, T. H., William, M. P., Williams, 
 W., Worter, L., Wright, J. H., Wright, W. H., Youngblood, D., Young- 
 blood, Wm. 
 
 COMPANY "H." 
 
 Captains: Goggans, J. E. Lieutenants: Bouknight, J. R., Mc- 
 Celvey, J. C, Bouknight, A. P., Huiet, H. Sergeants: McDaniel, J. 
 C, Whittle, M. A., Watson, J. H., Ruston, W. Corporals: Huiet, J., 
 Wyse, A. L., Sample, B. P., Jennings, G. 
 
 Privates : Barnes, H., Bedenbaugh, J. T., Bedenbaugh, L., Beden- 
 baugh, J., Bouknight, A. S., Bouknight S. J., Bouknight, N., Buzzard, 
 J. C, Charles, P., Duffie, J., Duffie, P., Duncan, A., Duncan, V., Faland, 
 
 , Gunter, R., Goff, Z., Gibson, J., Gibson, W., Harris, W., Harris, 
 
 S., Henson, D., Henson, J., Inabinet, L, Leppard, G., Leppard, J., Liv- 
 ingstone, P., Matthews, E., Miller, J. Merchant, T., Mitchell, M., Mar- 
 tin, G., Padgett, E., Parmer, D. K., Rotten, J., Rushton, D., Rushton, 
 H., Rushton, J., Sadler, J., Sadler, W., Smith, B., Spann, W., Spann, 
 P., Shealy, M. W., Watson, W., Wise, J., Wise, W., Whittle, M., 
 Wright, B. W. 
 
 COMPANY "I." 
 
 Captain: Prescott, W. T. Lieutenants: Nixon, J. P., Roper, B., 
 Blocker, S. B. Sergeants: Morgan, G. W., Holmes, W. J., Holmes, 
 W. L., Brunson, R. V., Holson, Wm. Corporals :. Crafton, T. M., 
 Middleton, R. H., Mathis, J. A., Brunson, S. T., McKee, J. S., Griffis, J. 
 N., Parkman, S., McDaniel, J. 
 
 Privates : Anderson, E. J., Burt, A. H., Barkley, E. N., Bartley, J. 
 W., Brigs, A. J., Brigs, H., Brigs, J., Bussey, W. N., Bussey, J. A., 
 Broadwater, N. A., Broadwater, S., Brooks, R^ Colloham, M., Garvett, 
 W. A., Hammond, C, Holmes, S., Holmes, L. E., Jennings, W., Middle- 
 ton, W. E., Matthis, W. H., Menerether, N., Morgan, E., McGee, T. W., 
 Oham, R., Prince, J., Prince, D., Parkman, J. P., Parkman, S., Pressley, 
 T. N., Patterson, T. H., Price, A. J., Parkman, N., Prescott, H. H., 
 Shafton, J. S., Shafton, B. P., Shanall, J., Percy, J. H., Thernman, J. 
 W., Thernman, T. B., Thomas, T. B., Bruse, J. W., Wood, H., Wood, 
 J., Whitlock, , Whitaker, N., Wesman, C. L., Whitlock, W. 
 
 COMPANY "K." 
 
 Captain : Burees, J. P. Lieutenants : Talbert, J. L., Berry, J. M., 
 Chetham, J. W. Sergeants : Culbreath, O. T., Martin, W. N., Reynolds, 
 W M Lamer, L. W., Burress, C. M. Corporals: Reynolds, J. W., 
 Shibley, L. D., White, W. G., Williams, T. R. 
 36 
 
562 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Privates : Adams, B. O., Blake, J. E., Carthledge, T. A., Grafton, T. 
 M., Coleman, W. L., Coleman, G. R., Culbreth, J., Deal, A., Devore, .C. 
 L,., Franks, J. A., Hammonds, G. T., Harrison, C. H., Henderson, J. T., 
 Henderson, J. E., Holmes, W. L., Holmes, H. J., Howell, H., Lamer, T. 
 B., Lamer, O. W., Limbecher, C. H., Lockridge, J. L., Mayson, J. H., 
 Quarles, H. M., Reynolds, J. C., Reynolds, E. W., Rountree, T. J., 
 Rush, T. P., Stalmaker, G. L, Stalmaker, J. R., Stalmaker, J. W., Tim- 
 merman, G, H., Williams, J. R., Wood, W. B., Yeldell, W. H. 
 
 COMPANY "L." 
 
 Captains: White, W. C, Litchfield, J. L., Litchfield, G. S. Lieuten- 
 ants : Beaty, T. W., Petman, S., Cooper, T. B., Newton, K. M., Gris- 
 sett, J. D., Reves, J. W. Sergeants : Waid, G. W., Nercen, J. W., 
 Floyd, A., Johnson, J. M., Anderson, — — , Gregary, T. H., Granger, J., 
 Prince, J. L., Rabon, D., Johnson, C. L., Anderson, D. R. Corporal: 
 Green, S. F. 
 
 Privates: Barnhill, W. H.. Barnhill. H., Cooper, L., Cooper, R., 
 Creaven, W. H., Creach, C, Chesnut, D. M. W., Cork, M. C, Cox, P. 
 v., Cox, G. W., Dnssenberry, J. H., Dussenberry, N. G., Edge, D. M., 
 Edge, W, Faulk, G„ Floyd, W., Faulk, L., Faulk, J. L., Foreland, N., 
 Fund, G., Gratteiy, J., Granger, J., Granger, W., Granger, F,, Graddy, 
 
 N., Graham, D., Graham, D. N., Gore, F,, Grant, J. E., Hacks, , 
 
 Harden, A. J.. Harden, W. H., Hardwick, — , — , Howell, , Harden, 
 
 C. B., Hamilton, W, H., Hamilton, , Holland, W., Jenkins, Wm., 
 
 Jewreth, , Jones, J., Jordan, J. T,, Jordan, J., Johnson, T., John- 
 son, J. J., James, , Jenningham, D., King, J. J., King, J, D., King, G. 
 
 W., Lilly, D., Murry, J. T., Mnrry, E. H., Misham, T. K., McKnot, 
 Wm, R., Martin, B, W„ Norris, J, K,, Oliver, J, M,, Powell, L,, Perkins, 
 
 , Parker. A, D„ Parker, H, H,, Powell, F, L,, Powell, J. M,, 
 
 Roberts, J, T,, Rhenark, J. C, Stalvey, C, M,, Stalvey, J, J„ Squers, J., 
 Smith, Wm,, Savris, A,, Sessions, O,, Sengleton, M, J,, Vaught,. S,, 
 Vereen, J, T,, Watts, , Wade. K, 
 
 ROLL OF EIGHTH SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEER REGI- 
 MENT, 
 
 Field and Staff. 
 
 C0EONE1.S : Cash, E, B, C„ Henagan, Jno, W,, Stackhouse, E, T. 
 
 Lieutenant 'Colonels : Hoole, A,, McLeod, '-. 
 
 Adjutants: Lucas, Thomas E,, Ingliss, Wm, C, MuUins, W, S., 
 Weatherly, C, M, 
 
 Quartermasters : McClenigan, Jno,, Henagan, J, M., Hunagan, J. 
 M, 
 
 Commissaries: Cawley, J. H,, Griffen, E, M, 
 
 Surgeon's : Wallace, W. D„ David. W, J„ Pearce, J, F,, Coit, D, 
 
 Assistant Surgeons : Dunlop, R, J„ Dudley, T, E,, Murdock, Byron, 
 Henson, J, B., Mclver, Hansford, Bristow, C. D, 
 
 Commissary Sergeants: McCown, R, A,, Coker, C, W. 
 
 Orderly Sergeant : Tyler, H, A, 
 
 COMPANY "A," 
 
 Captains: Hoole, A, J,, Muldrow, J. H., Odum, Wm,, Odum, E., 
 Rodgers, E., Rouse, J, J,, Bryant, Jas, T,, Goodson, J. T,, Hudson, J. E. 
 Lieutenants : Reynolds, W, C, Gardner, E, M,, Bruce, C, A,, Large, 
 James F., Parmer, S, P,, Branch. B,, Morris, J, B, 
 
 Privates: Reddick, W, H,, Bryant, James, J,, Boone, L, F,, Black- 
 burn, Wa:de, Bradshaw, J,, Beck, W, D,, Bass, Jesse, Blackman, John, 
 Bradstraw, M,, Beasley, O,, Barns, Robt, Carter, W. R., Cox, B. F., 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADK. 563 
 
 Clemens, J., Dennis, Thomas A., Ervin, J. R., Flowers, C, Florence, T- 
 
 g.. Farmer, G. B., Garrison, J., Gorman, C, Goodson, J., Gudgen, J. I. 
 ., Goodson, A., Gray, R., James, J. C., Gardner, C. D., Jordan, Wm. A., 
 Gardner, P. T., Hill, W. M., Hill, B., Hill, E. T., Johnson, William, 
 Johnson, Peter, Johnson, Robert, Langston, Jno. F., Langston, Ira D., 
 Law, Frank, Large, N., Morrell, H., Morrell, W. E., Morrell, Isaac, 
 Muller, J., Maye, R. F., Neal, Jno., Neal, J., Odom, J. S., Odom, S. J., 
 Outlaw, James. Outlaw, John, Privett, E., Reynolds, E. J.. Reddeck, W., 
 Reddick, A., Stokes, J. F., Stokes, A. D., Sandesbery, J. H., Privett, W. 
 B., Eligah, — , Stakes, A. D., Stokes, J. H., Sandbarry, J. H., Sever- 
 ance, R. E., Stewart, A. C, Stewart, Hardey, Smith, S., Sexton, 
 Thomas, Scott, W., Wingate, W. Z., Williams, W., Wadford, N.,. 
 Woods, S. J. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Capt^ains: Hough, M. J., Powell. R. T. LiEUTitNANTs: Parker. G. 
 A., Thurman, M. T., Turnage, P. A., Sellers, D., Johnson, C. B., Hough, 
 J. M., Moore, P. A., White, J. P., Chapman, H!. C, Courtney, W. R. 
 Sergeants: Jones, J., Rivers, W. F., Douglass, W., Rivers, W. F., 
 Douglass, J. B., Sellers, R. C, Evans, B. F., Kite, B., Hammock, J. E., 
 Corporals: Rivers, W. B., Rashing, J. P., Sellers. P. A., Herst, L, 
 Campbell, J. A., Hancock, R. F. M. 
 
 Privates: Anderson, B., Adams, B. F., Brown, V. F., Brown, D., 
 Boon, E., Boon, C, Boon, A., Beaver, M.. Brock,, C, Boon, W. B., Cas- 
 sadlay, A. J., Courtney, O., Courtney, J.. Courtney, J. P., Cross. H., 
 Cross, P., Chapman, A., Davis, P., Deas, T. A.. Driir^ers, J.. Dixon, R., 
 Funderburk, H. W., Funderburk, J. B., Gaskins, J. B., Horn, J. D., 
 Horn, J. W., Harp, W. C, Hancock. J. T.. Hicks, J., Johnson, W. B., 
 Johnson, T. B., Jordon, J. W., .Lisenly, S., Lear. B. F., Lewis. T. H., 
 McBride, J. A., McPriest, P., Massey, B. F., McKey, D. A., McCVany, 
 D. A., Melton. J., Melton, A., Melton, W., Moore, H., McDuffie. J.. Mc- 
 Lean, J. W., McLean, D. A., McNair, , McManus, R., McNair, N. 
 
 C, Nelson, M., Nelson, H., Price, H., Poison, J., Rivers, F., Rogers, 
 P., Sellers, J. D., Sellers, W. B., Sellers, W. R., Sellers, H. T., Sillivan, 
 T., Sillivan, S., Sweatt. W.. Sweatt, S., Stricklen. H., Teed, T. B.. Tar- 
 nage, D., Threatt, J. W., Threatt, W., Threatt, T., Threatt, H.. Terry, 
 J., Timmons, W.. Tadlock, W., White, H., Whittaker, J. W., Wilkerson, 
 J., West, J. S., McNair, N. 
 
 COMPANY "C." 
 
 Captains: Coit, W. H., Powe. T. E., Malloy, S. G. Lieutenants: 
 Gillespie, G. S., Mclver, D. W., Evans, R. E., Hurst. L. Sergeants: 
 Strather, J., Gayle, H. A., Crail, C. W., Crail, T. P., Stancel, J., Smith, 
 W. P., McCallman, J. C, White, B. S., Coit, J. T., Grimsley, S. B., 
 Sellers, J., Mclver, H. Corporals: Malloy, C. A., Godfrey, W. R., 
 Callens, J., Sellers, S. 
 
 Privates : Adams, W., Adams, J., Bevil, J., Buchanan, J. A., Brad- 
 dock, R., Clark, J., Cadien, B. F., Coker, H., Coker, M., Chapman, W. 
 G., Chapman, A. G., Craig, J., Crawford, F. D., Campbell, D. A., De- 
 Lorne, T. W., Dickson, S. G., Douglas, A., Douglas, M. A., Ellerbe, A. 
 W., Emanuel, E., Freeman, J., Freeman, W., Gardner, J. N., Gaskin, J. 
 D., Goodwin, J., Grimsley, W., Grady, J. A., Goodwin, D., Grant. H. P., 
 Grant, H., Grant, A., Graves, S., Hicks, W. H., Hayes, A. A., Haggins, 
 A., Inglis, W. C, Inglas, L. S., Inglas, P., Knight, W. W., Lang, J., 
 Link, J. A., Lisendy, W., Linton, J. H., Lee, H., McBride, F., McLean, 
 J K , McColl, W., Murphy, C. W., Mclver, F. M., Mahon, J., McDuffie, 
 F. J., McMillan, J. D., Malloy, J. H., Murray, J. C, Mcintosh, J. W., 
 
 Melton, H., Moore, H., Melton, E.. H., McRa, D., Mash, , Melton, 
 
 W., Nichols, W. P., Odom, D. P., Odom, J., Petter, L. L., Pinchman, H. 
 
t64 HIbTOKV Ol-' KKKSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 C, Powell, A. H. C, Poston, H. C, Poston, W., Purvis, W., Purvis, L. 
 b., Poston, }.. Quick, B., Rainwaters, W. T., Richards, J. G., Roberson, 
 ■G., Spencer, S. H., Sellers, H., Smith, S. S., Sweatt, T., Stacey, O., 
 Spencer, T. D., Sellers W. B., Smith. T., Smith, J., Turnage, T. D., 
 Turner, W. W., White, D., White, J., Wright, J., Wallace, J. C. 
 
 COMPANY "D." 
 
 Captains : Miller, J. S., Miller, R. P., Spofferd, P. F. Lieutenants : 
 telakeney, H., Timmons, J. J., Baker, L. C, Kirkley, W. P., Lowry, J. 
 H. Sergeants : Jackson, H. H., Baker, A. J., Gatlim, J. B., Jackson, 
 A., Wash, S. Corporals : Hendrick, J. H., King, E. T., -Lee, J. C, 
 Sowell, W. H. 
 
 Privates : Adams, J. J., Carter, S. H., Carter, G. W., Calege, J., 
 Grain, J. A., Crowley, B. D., Crowley, T. W., Dees, T. M., Dees, W., 
 Foster, S., Griffith, J., Gandy, E., Gandy, W. H., Gibson, A., Handcock, 
 J. P., Handcock, J. J., Handcock, J. J., Handcock, J. T., Handcock, R.F., 
 Handcock, J. L,., Hudrick, R., Hudrick, J. L., Horn, L., Horn, J., Horn, 
 M., Horton, G. W. Horton, S., Holly, P. W., Hough, J. T., Hough, J. E-, 
 Jordan, H. S., Jordan, J., Jordan, A., Key, A., Key, J. A., Knight, J. H., 
 Knight, J. R., Knight, J. A., Knight, W. H., Knight, T. J., Knighton, J. 
 T., Kibble, J., Lowery, J., Lowery, W., Love, J. J., Mangum, J. C., Man- 
 gum, W. P., Myers, J., Miller, J. T., McMillan, T. E., McMair, D. D., 
 McManus, M. B., McLauchlin, D. A., C ver, J. T., Ogburn, L., Philips, 
 E., Philips, A., Philips, C, Plyler, A., Pa.c ;^., Rollins, B. P., Rollins, 
 G. W., Rollins, J., Rollins, J. C, Robinson, G., Robinson, S., Sinclair, J., 
 Sinclair, J. A., Stricklin, J., Stricklin, M., Stricklin, M., Small, C, 
 Threatt, J. S., Threatt, J., Threatt, R., Therrill, L., Terry J., Talbert, O. 
 W., Talbert, W. S., Thratt, J. A., Watson, M., Watson, E., Watts, J. J., 
 Williams, B. B. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 Captains : Young, J. D., Joy, W. D. Lieutenants : Westhimes, H., 
 Hewitt. T. M., Halford, J. J. Sergeants: Athenson, S. R., Ward, R. 
 H., Hollyman, M. W., Miller, T. J. Corporals : Philips, J. R., Moody, 
 E. T., Moon, W. W., Morris, T. E. 
 
 Privates: Allen, R. M., Anderson, T. J., Anderson, W. D., Alford, 
 R. H., Askin, J. A. J., Anderson, C, Anderson, J. F., Anderson, W. H., 
 Anderson, W. T., Anderson, G., Anderson, J. M., Barfield, M., Bristow, 
 C. C, Bristow, J. N., Barefoot, D. R., Brookington, E. S., Byrd, J. E., 
 Carter, W. A., Carter,, G., Carter, H. M., Garter, N. S. J., Carter, H., 
 Carter, R, M., Carter, S. B., Coward, W., Cook, T. J., Courtney, S. J., 
 Connor, E. J., Connor, G., Chandler, T. A., Cone, R., Danels, E., 
 DaBase, A. E., Doralds, .M. H., Evingston, G., Elliott, A. J., Graham, 
 C. S., Gilchrist, J., Gee. S., Gardner, J. D. Gardner, C, Ganniginn, D., 
 Hill, E. F., Hill, J. J., Hill, B., Hill, H., Hill, J., Hill, R. M., Hill., L T., 
 Howall. W. H., Hollan, J. S., HoUan, S. S., Hamphury, S. S., -Ham- 
 phury, R. F., Hane, H. W., Hane, A. J., Hane, H. A. W., Hane, W., 
 Hatchell, L', Hatchell, C. A., Hatchell, L., Hancock, H., Hollyman, A., 
 Halford, J. M., Hix, T., Hase, G. N., Hickson, J. S., Jackson, T., Jones, 
 R. M., Jordan, P. A., Kerth, J. H., Kirby, S. J., Kirby, H., Kent, J. L., 
 Lockhart, J. C, Lockhart, R. C, Lockhart, G. R., Lockhart, W. J., Mc- 
 Coy, C. D., McCoy, T. G., McCoy, J. J., McCoy, S., McCoy, J., McGee, 
 J. M., McGee, W., McKnight, W., Moore, J.G., Moore, J. D., McGill, 
 J. F., McGill, J.,, Morris, M. E., Morris, H., Morris, J. L., Matthews, 
 W. A., McKessick, W. J., Nettles, L. P., Nettles, G. T., Nettles, R. C, 
 ■JSTorwood, J. E., Philips, J. R., Philips, L. A., Price, J. A., Price, G. P., 
 Pool A. A., Pawley, J. H., Plummer, C. H., Powers, M. J., Powers, A. 
 D., Powers, W., Rollins, R. D. F., Rice, D. H., Rogers, M. D., Single- 
 itary, C, Smoot, W. B., Smoot, W. L., Snipes, M., Timmons, W. H., 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 565 
 
 Timmons, W. B., Truitt, J. E., Turner, J. C, Ward, J. W., Ward, R. 
 H., Ward, C. E., Ward, J. J., Witherspoon, S. B., Windham, J. R., 
 Windham, I., Windham, J. H., Wooten, S., Wittington, J. W., Wad- 
 ford, N., Wadford, G. W., Winburn, S., Young, W. W. 
 
 COMPANY "F." 
 
 Captains : Evans, W. H., Howie, T. E., Mclver, J. K., Bass, J. E. 
 Lieutenants : Mclver, J. J., Kelly H., James, W. E., Ferguson, J. W., 
 Griffin, P. E., Griffin, E. M., Rhodes, J. T., James, R. E., (Joker, W. C, 
 Smoot, J., Rhodes, W. B., Williai^is, J. A., Williams, A. L., Howie, J. 
 F., Evans, C. D., Bearly, J. M., Wilson, I. D., Carter, W. P. Corpo- 
 rals : Parrott, A. W., Hearon, G. W., Bruce, C. A., Harroll, L. B., Par- 
 rott, Bl M. 
 
 Privates : Alexander, A., Atkinson, W. K., Bacot, T. W., Bass, J. 
 C, Bass, B., Bass, J. B., Baswell, L. T., Bozeman, B. C, Bozeman, J, 
 W., Bozeman, P. W., Bozeman, J, Bozeman, H., Bozeman, W., Brown, 
 W., By'rd, D. M., Coltins, A., Colvin, J. R., Cook, D. B., Davis, J. M., 
 Dixon, A. P., Dixon. J. E., Elliott, W. A., Ervin, E. M., Fraser, J. G, 
 Fort, J. E., Flowers, J., Garland, W. H., Galloway, A., Galloway, W. 
 M., Galloway, W. ly., Galloway, M., Galloway, G. W., GuUege, A., Gul- 
 lege, J. L., Gatlin, H., Hale, J. O., Halliburton, J. J., Halliburton, R. J., 
 Harrall, J. M., Harris, D. J., Hazelton, J., Higgins, R. D., Hurst, S., 
 Jenks, M., Jenks, G., Jordon, A., King, T. F., Kellv, T,, Lawson, J. T., 
 Lee, J. T., Lewis, W., McCown, R., Mcintosh, J. H., McKenzie, W. W., 
 Marco, M., Mazing, W. H., Mixon, J., Martin, W., Nettles, R. F., Out- 
 law, B., Outlaw, J., Parrott, J. R., Peoples, R. H., Price, A. J., Privett, 
 J. H., Privett, J. H., Rhodes, J. D., Rhodes, F. E., Rhodes, R. B.. Smith, 
 A., Smith. J. S. M., Skinner, B., Shumaker, S., Stukey, A. F., Suggs, 
 R. B., Stokes, R., Tallevasb, H. P., Thomas, J. M., Thomas, R. C, Tyler. 
 
 H., Thomlinson, , Wallace, G., Wordham, A. E., Wilk, J., Wilson, 
 
 P. 
 
 COMPANY "G." i 
 
 Captain : Harrington, J. W. Lieutenants : Townsend, C. F., Par- 
 ker, John, Weatherh' C. M. Sergeants : Dudley, T. F., Lester, I. B., 
 Murdock, John T., Odum, L., Crosland, W. A. Corporals : Easterling, 
 Thomas, Townsend, H. E., Cook, John A., Tatum, R. J., Gillespie, O. 
 H.. Douglas, H. J. 
 
 Privates : Adams, E., Adams, H. A., Adams, J. T., Andrews, S. D., 
 Briston, C. D., Briston, E. D., BuUard. Henry, Bundy, William, Butler, 
 William, Butler, E., Campbell, J., Caulk, D., Cook, T. A. M., Cowen, 
 L. M., Crosland, Samuel, Connor, R. D. T., Cooper, Wm. C, Cooper, 
 V. H., David, E. C, David, R. J.. David, J. H., Dudley, James, Drigger, 
 Jesse, Drigger, J. G, David, A. L Easterling, A. A., Easterling, R. C, 
 Easterling, J. K., Easterling, W. T., Easterling, Elijah, Edens, T. W., 
 Emanuel, C. L., Fletcher, J. D., Gibson, W. L., Grant, J. S., Graham, 
 H. C., Gillespie, S. J., Harvel, John, Henagen, James M., Heyward, 
 Isham, Hinson, J. B., Hinson, P. H., Huckabee, J. L., James, J. H., 
 Hambrick, J., irby, W. W., Jackson, 1. A. L., Jackson, Enos, Johnson, 
 N. D,, Johnson, H. L, Johnson, D., Laviner, G. W., Laviner, D., Long, 
 H A, Lyles, J. R., Miller, J. M., Munnerlyn, C. T., Miller, Henry, 
 McCollum, J. H., Mcintosh, N. H., Mcintosh, A., McQueen, J., Mc- 
 Irmis, S, J.> McKenzie, A., Odum, Josiah, Odum, S. W., Odum, P. W., 
 Parker, H., Prince, John T., Potter, Sol., Privatt, Evander, Pearson, R. 
 C, Roscoe,' John, Roscoe, G. W., Rowe, J. H., Roundtree, M., Skipper, 
 J Snead Israel, Stanton, Noah, Stanton, J. A., Stanton, Milton, 
 Thomas C J., Thomas, J. M., Thomas, R. D., Thornwell, C. A., Wil- 
 liams, David, Wright, D. G., Wright, F. E., Wright, G. W., Webster, 
 H D. Webster, T. M., Webster, H., Sutherland, T. A. 
 
566 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE,. 
 
 COMPANY "H." 
 
 Captains: Singletary, B. L., Mclntire, Duncan. Lieutenants: 
 Myers, M. G., Brunson, J. B., Culpepper, George, McPherson, P. 1^., 
 Gregg, Walter, Cooper, R. D. Sergeants : Gregg, Smith A., Gregg, 
 McF., Moore, B., Gregg, John W., Mathews, Frank, Hughes, 
 G. W., Godbold, D., Colston, G.. Stone, W. C. P., Armfield, A. L., 
 McWhite, E. 
 
 Privates: Altman, J., Bartley, J. G., Barthy, Charles, Earthy, E., 
 Bellflower, H., Bragton, J. J., Bailey, John, Broach, G. W., Cain, S. G., 
 Cain, K. S., Cain, J. J., Cain, R. M., Cain, Church, Cain, J. Coon, Cain, 
 J. H., Cox, J. T., Cooper, Brunson, Cooper, Witherspoon, Christmas, 
 Jarrett, Davis, J. G., Deas, Simeon, Eagerton, H., Finklen, John, Flow- 
 ers, W. D., Guy, J. H., Graham, J. M., Hampton, Thomas, Hampton, 
 George, Hutchinson, George, Hutchinson, W. C, Hutchinson, Samuel, 
 Hunter, D., Harrall, E.. Harrall, N. W., Harrall, W. T., Hyman, Ben- 
 jamin, Hughes, R. S., Holland, J. S., Holland. George, Hodges, Barney, 
 Kennedy, Alfred, Kennedy Andrew, Kersey, E., Lewellyn, J. B., Leach, 
 Julius, McKissick, A. G., McKissick, M., Myers, William, McWhite, A. 
 A., Myers, A. A., Pearce, R. H., Prosser, Michael, Rodgers, C, Rod- 
 gers, M., Roy, A., Steohenson, A., Stone, F. F., Williams, H., Williams, 
 Thomas, Williams, R. L., WiUiams, S. B., Weatherford, W. S., 
 Weatherford, Benjamin, Gregg, S. J., Gregg, S. E., Howard, Tillman, 
 Powers, Jonas. 
 
 COMPANY "L" 
 
 Captains : Stackhouse, E. T., Harllee, A. T. Lieutenants : Cook, H., 
 B., Ross, J. N., Rodgers, R. H., Carmichael, W. D., Stafford, D. C, 
 Cusack, G. W. Sergeants: McClenagham, H. H., Harllee, Peter S., 
 Pearce, J. F., Ayers, E. S.,' McDuffie, D. Q., Harllee, R. A., Gregg, A. 
 Stuart, Jenkins, R. W. Corporals : Woodrow, J. E., Huggins. Geo. W., 
 Harelson, Joel, Sparkman, Levi, Cusack, S. C, DeBarry, Edmond, Rob- 
 bins, J. B., Fenaghan, James, Rodgers, E., Carmichael, Alex., Brigman, 
 A., Butler, J. A., Butler, Silas W. 
 
 Privates : Bigham, W. H., Bullock, Joel, Benton, Joel, Benton, G. W., 
 Baker, John, Cox, G. B., Cribb, Levi, Collin, E. H., Crawford, H. W., 
 Cottingham, Stewart, Cottingham, Thomas F., Cohen, David, Cohen, 
 Isaac, Dove, J. W., Dove, H. G., Ellen, E. J., Elvington, Dennis, Fryer, 
 A. J., Freeman, Joseph, Gaddy, R. M., Gaddy, W. D., Gregg, T. C, 
 Harralson, M. J., Harralson, E. P., Herring, E. B., Hinton, J. W., 
 Jones, J., James, Robert, Loyd, Henry, Llewellyn, B. F., Mace, James 
 
 C, Meckins, P. B., Morgan, W. C, Miller, W. H., Myers, John E., 
 Moody, John B., Murphy. J. C, McCall, L. A., McRae, James, Owens, 
 
 D. R., Owens, S. S., Sparkman, G. R., Snipes, Michael, Smalley, Isaiah, 
 Turner, John C, Watson, John R., Watson, Quinn, Woodrow, W. J., 
 Whitner, J. N., Woodberry, W. D. 
 
 COMPANY "K." 
 
 Captains : McLeod, D. M. D., Manning. Frank, Rodgers. Ben. A. 
 Lieutenants : McQueen, S. F., McLucas, John D., Hearsey, Geo. R., 
 Rodgers, W. T., Peterkin, J. A., Alfred, J. M. I., McQuage, J. J., Smith, 
 J. W.. Alford, M. N., McCall, H. D., Willis, Eli, Smith, W. D., McRae, 
 Frank, McLucas, Hugh, McKinnon, C, Gimter, John, Calhoun, J. C, 
 McLaurin, L. A., Edens, J. A., McCall, C, Covington, J. T., Alford, N. 
 A., Hargroves, David, Bruce, J. D. 
 
 Privates: Allen, E., Barrington, H., Bruce, T. R., Bundy, W. R.,' 
 Cottingham, C, Covington, E. T., Covington, J. T., Crqwey, R. C, 
 
 Crowley, William, Cape, Thomas, Curtin, , Clark, J., IDrake, Ansel, 
 
 Davis, C, Driggers, R. S., iDupre, Thomas J., Edens, Joseph, Edens, T. 
 
HISTORY OF Kershaw's brigade. 567 
 
 H., English, William, Emanuel, J. M., Easterling, Lewis, Easterling, 
 David, Freeman, I,. D., Freeman, Benjamin, Fletcher, W. R., Greggard, 
 J. W., Graham, E., Groomes, F,, Gunter, John, Hargrove, James, Har- 
 grove, D. T., Harvel, Tristam, Hathcoclc, W., Hayes, J. J., Hayes, Robt. 
 W.,"Hasken, John W., Huckabee, John, Huckabee, John W., Hodges, 
 Thomas C, Ivey, H. W., Ivey, Levi, Jones, John C., Jones, Martin, 
 Jacobs, Robert, Jacobs, J. Frost, Jackson, John C., John, Daniel C,, 
 Joy, W. H., Kirby, H., McCall, C., McCall, Alex., McCall, John T., 
 McRae, A. D., McRae, John D., McRae, John C., McDaniel, J. R., 
 McLucas, A. C., McLaurin, John F., McLeod, M., McPherson, Malcolm, 
 McPhearson, Angus, Matherson, Hugh, Manship, John, Rodgers, C, 
 Rodgers, F. A., Roscoe, Daniel, Smith, W. D., Stubbs, Lucius, Sparks, 
 George, Sarvis, A. S., Staunton, A. A., Webster, Wm. R., Williams, 
 Lazarus, Woodley, Alex., Weatherly, A. W. 
 
 COMPANY "L." 
 
 Captains: Stackhouse, E. T., Carmichael, W. D. Lieutenants: 
 Higgins, W. D., Clark, G. W. Sergeants: Carmichael, D. D., Ayers, 
 E. S., Rodgers, E., Manning, Eli, Murchison, Duncan. Corporals : 
 Carmichael, Alex., Page, J. N., Roberts, J. H., Barfield, Thompson. 
 
 Privates : Alford, Robert, H., Alford, Artemus, Alford, W. McD., 
 Ammonds, J. D., Ayers, D. D., Barfield, R. Tally, Barfield, M., Barfield, 
 H., Bethea, J. Frank, Bethca, H. P., Bridgeman, A. P., Byrd, H. G., 
 Carmichael, A., Carmichael, D. C, Nottingham, C, Candy, S., Clark, 
 R. Knox, Crawley, W. C, Coward, H., Cook, John, Harper, J. M., 
 Herring, Samuel, Huckabee, John, Hicks, John C, Huggens, W. E., 
 Huggens, D., Hunt, J. E., Herring, E. B., Irwin, I. R., Jackson, Robert, 
 Jackson, M., Jackson, N., Lane, Samuel, Lane, E.. McPhane, D.. McRae, 
 Colin, McRae, N., McRae, Roderick, McRae, Franklin, McGill, Colin, 
 IVtcLaurin, D., Morgan, W. C, McGill, David, Owens, S. L, Page, D. 
 N.,Page, D. P., Rogers, Thompson, Rogers, John P., Rogers, William 
 D., Rogers, E. B., Rogers, L. B., Sarris, John, Turner, John C, Turber- 
 Ville, Calvin, Waters, John W., Watson, John R., Watson, Quinn, Wat- 
 son, Lindsay. 
 
 COMPANY "M." 
 
 Captains: Howie, Thomas E., Coker, William C. Lieutenants: 
 Howie, James F., Rhodes, W. B., Galloway, W. L., Smoot, J., Galloway, 
 George. Sergeants : Brearly, James W., Halliburton, Robert, Garland, 
 W. H., Mixon, J. Corporals : Mozingo. W. H., Philips, J. C, McKen- 
 zie, W. W., Harrell, L. W., Mozingo, E., Howie, R. F. 
 
 Privates : Alexander, H., Atkinson, Wiley, Byrd, D. M., Byrd, G. F., 
 Bozeman, Peter, Beasley, Burton, Beasley, Ira, Bruce, C. A., Coker, C. 
 W., Collins, E., Flowers, William, Galloway, Abram, Galloway, Nathan, 
 Gai'nev Isaiah, Gainey, Peter, Gulledge, Alex., Goodson, Robert, Halli- 
 burton J. J., Harris, D. J., Hill, William T., Hill, William M., Hill, 
 Nelson, Hudson, Jesse, Hall, David, Jenks, Mark, Jenks, Thomas, Jenks, 
 G. W., Kirven, M. L., King, J. B., King, C. R., Lewis, Zach., McCown, 
 J M McCown J. J., McPherson, Robert, McKissick, , Moore. Wil- 
 liam H Mathews, William, Mozingo, William, Morrell. Peter, North- 
 
 cdat Norwood, James, Peebjes, W. D., Peebles, Robert, Privett, J. 
 
 Hainilton,' Privett, J. Henry, Privett, John H., Parrbtt Pmkney Par- 
 rcftt Beni M Plunlmer, William, Rhodes, John J., Rhodes, John B., 
 Skinner, Benj., Smith, J. S. M., Smith, Bryant, Suggs, A. T., Suggs, R. 
 Rtish Thomas, J. M., Williams, David, Wright, Jonathan, Wr ght, 
 Thomas t Wright, J. B. C, Wilson, Peter, Wilson. Joseph. Woodman, 
 A. -'Edward, .Smith, Alex.. Matuse, William, Colvin, John, Dixon, 
 Jahies, Bass, J. t'. 
 
568 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 ROLL OF FIFTEENTH SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEER 
 REGIMENT. 
 
 Field and Staff. 
 
 Colonels : DeSaussure, W. D., Davis, J. B. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonels : Gist, J. F., Lewie, S. F. 
 
 Major: Gist, Wm. M. 
 
 Adjutant: Davis, J. M. 
 
 Assistant Quartermaster: Middleton, J. S. 
 
 Assistant Commissary Sergeant : Kirkland, J. M. 
 
 Surgeon : James, J. A. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon: Wallace, A., McCuIlum, H. B. 
 
 Sergeant Major: Giles, C. H. 
 
 Quartermaster Sergeant : Price, J. R. 
 
 Ordnance Sergeant : Boyd, R. W. 
 
 Hospital Steward : Maurice, R. F. 
 
 COMPANY "A." 
 
 Captain : Radcliffe, Thos. W. Lieutenants : Beard, Henry, Brown^ 
 Pressley, Shields, Wm. Sergeants : Black, J. E., Campbell, J. S., Cath- 
 cart, J. N., O'Neale, Richard, Beard, T. A., Zealy, R. F. Corporals: 
 Pollock, T. M., Long, S. S., Hutchison, J. H., Bruns, J. Henry. 
 
 Privates : Anderson, W. C, Assraan, W. J., Asbury, W. E., Ander- 
 son, Richard, Brown, Ira B., Baum, M. H., Branham, R. T., Beckwith,. 
 Wm. H., Boscheen, Charley, Blankenstine, Jacob, Bedell, Allen, Bynum, 
 Ben, Beckwith, L. R., Brown, Fred. J., Beck, Robt. C, Brown, J. H., 
 Burrows, DeS., Beckham, W. M., Bass, Toland, Crawford, D. H., 
 Capers, Geo. R., Clarkson, E. McC, Crawford, Daniel, Davis, John,. 
 Dougal, C. H., Dixon, S. W., Dreisden, Julius, DeSaussure, W. D., 
 Ehelers, Geo., Emlyn, H. N., Edwards, J. G., Frazee, P. F., Fritz, J. A.,. 
 Gibson, F. A., Gibenwrath, J. F., Grieshaber, Fritze, Gardener, C. H., 
 Glaze, Wm., Green, M. B., Gandy, J. H., Graham, Wm., Geiger, J. G... 
 Gunther, Jno., Gaither, J. W., Goodwin, G. W., Howel, D. B., Henrick, 
 Lewis, Hardie, J. W., Howell, O. F., Johnson, C. P., Johnson, J. R.,. 
 Isaacs, J. H., James, Joeseph. Kaigler, I. A., Killian, Jno. H., Keenan, 
 Roland A., Levin, G. W., Ledingham, W. J., Lesher, Wm., Lumsden, J. 
 
 L., McCamraori, G., McCammon, , Morgan, Isaac C, McGorvan, 
 
 Jno., McKenzie, Frank L., McCoy, John M., Milling, James, Orchard,. 
 Henrv Pearson, A. W., Price, J. R., Puryear, R. T., Poppe, Julius, Par- 
 ker, Wm. E., Perry, G. H., Pollock, B. C, Peixotto, S. C, Pope, F. M., 
 Radcliffe, C. C, Reynolds, Jno. H., Roberts, W. H., Row, Louis, Raw- 
 ley, Jno., Reed, R. C, Stark, A., Smith, J. C, Smith, Warren, Scott,. 
 John M., Stork, A., Stork, J. J., Stork, W. H., Schnider, Henry, Scott,. 
 W. H., Schultze, George, Stewart, Edmond, Starling, T. J., Tourney,. 
 Tim. J., Templeton, I. G., Templeton, Wm. A., Templeton, W. L.^ 
 Townsend, J. V., Veal, J. M., Wells, Jacob H., Walker, T. P., Walsh, P:. 
 H., Wade, T. H., Wade, Geo. McD., Wallace, A., Yates, Joseph. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Captains : Gist, Wm. H.,. Sheldon, S. H. Lieutenants : Rogers, J.. 
 
 Rice, Barnett, Wm. R., Huckabee, , McWhirter, , Smith, W. 
 
 M., Yarborough, P. P. Sergeants : Giles, C. H., West, John I., Hasel- 
 wood, Hosea, Bailey, W. P. H., Bobo, Barham, Williams, J. H. Cor- 
 porals : Hughes, J. A., Lowe, M. V., Lancaster, W. A., Young, X. H., 
 Williams, Gordon. 
 
 Privates: Abernathy, John^ Anderson, Thomas, Barrett, T. Lyles,. 
 Barrett, Alonzo, Barnett, W. Franklin, Bethany, Jesse, Briggs, B. Frank- 
 lin, Bogan, Isaac C, Bogan, P. P., Boram, W. H.. Bobo, Jason, Canaday^ 
 
HISOTRY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 56^ 
 
 C, Canaday, David, St., Canaday, David, Jr., Clefton, Wesley, Dillard,. 
 Wm;, Eubanks, Shelton, Eubanks, Charner, Foster, W. A., Poster, I. F., 
 Gee, P. M., Gossett, T. G., Goodlin, W. P., Gossett, Henry, Gist, D. C. 
 Grass, J. C, Hembree, Ervin, Hollingsworth, Benj., Huckabee, W. P., 
 Huckabee, James M., Huckabee, Philip, Huff, John, Huff, W. M., Hasel- 
 wood. A,. Haselwood, Thomas, Huges, Thomas H., Huges, E., Hol- 
 comb, Wallace, Jennings, Elias, Kelly, I, H., Lamb, Marion, Lamb,. 
 Robert, Lamb, John, Lamb, David, Lamb, Elijah, Lancaster. F. M., Lan- 
 caster, J. B., Lawson, Lemuel, Lawson, Munro, Lawson, J. H., Lawson, 
 Elijah, Lawson, Charles, Lawson, Franklin, Lawson, Levi, Myers, G. 
 W., Powell, James W., Prickett, H. P., Pool. Wm. M., Prince, Spencer, 
 Prince, Franklin, Ray, Robt. F., Ray, Jeremiah, Ray, B. C., Rains, Wm.,. 
 Rook, James, Rook, Franklin, Robinson, G. M., Sparks, William, Starns, 
 W. A., Stone, H. C, Smith, Nimrod, Smith, Wm., Sumner, L M., Sum- 
 ner, F. S., Sumner, John, Sumner, Mattison, Templeton, Jno. A., Wal- 
 drip, W. M., West, B. E., West, W. McD., West, Jno. P., West, Isaac 
 T., West, C. P., West, E. L, West, W. C, Whitton, John, Willard, Benj., 
 Willard, William, Wilbanks, P., Wilbanks, T., Whitmore, J. F., Whit- 
 more, E. H., Whitmore, Thomas. Whitehead, James, Whitehead, Ste- 
 phen, Yarborough, Hiram, Young, George, Young, Thomas, Young, 
 Francis W. 
 
 COMPANY "C." 
 
 Captains : Lewie, F. S., Lewie, J. H., Griffith, D. J. Lieutenants : 
 Swygert, Y., Lewie, S. T., Pulmer, W. W., Spence, S., Jumper, J. B., 
 Shealey, Lewis. Sergeants: Kyzer, S. W., Lewie, E. W., Derrick, H. 
 1"., Sanders, W. F., Lammack, J. S., Leaphart, F. E., Jumper, J. W., 
 Butler, J. W., Derrick, D. S., Anderson, F. S., Hare, J.iW., Heister, M. 
 W. C, Price, H. L. Corporals : Sease, D. T., Earhart, C. B. W., Black,. 
 J. W., Oswalt, F. Wade, Huer, W. B. 
 
 Privates : Adams, L P., Alewine, Philip, Alewine, W. W., Alewine, 
 W. H., Alewine, J. L., Addy, M. W., Addy, S. L., Addy, E. I., 
 Addy, J. W., Amick, E. R., Amick, H., Anderson, E., Anderson, J., 
 Black, S. L., Blum, John, Busby, Tillman, Caughman, D. S., Craps,. 
 J. W., Craps, H. H., Crout, John, Crout, Ephraim, Crim, R. P., 
 Derrick, A. E., Derrick, W. T., Derrick, Oliver, Pridell, J. M., 
 Griffith, Allen, Hyler, N. W., Hare, D. T., Hare, L. P., Hallman,. 
 E., Hallman, W. B.. Hartly, J. L., Hendrix, J. P., Hendrix, G. W., 
 Hite D. W., Hite, Noah W., Holeman, D. P., Jumper, D. A., Jumper, 
 W. T., Jumper, H. F., Kelly, G. J., Kelly, Jasper, King, Luke, Hyzer, 
 Henry L,., Hyzer, J. T., Hyzer, J. S,. Laurinack, Samuel, Laurmack, 
 J J., Laurinack, Noah, Laurinack, Paul. Long, L. W., Laurinack, 
 E., Long, W. A., Long, J. W., Long, W- W., Long, Jacob, Long, 
 I A Mettze, J. E., Nichols, Levi. Nichols, L. E., Nichols, Wesley, 
 OswolJ Wilson, Oswold, James, O^wold, L. B., Oxner, N., Price, R. E., 
 Price, Danl.. Price, Jacob, Price, G. W., Sr., Price, D. W., Price, R. I., 
 Plymale W. W., Rysinger, David, Rysmger, Noah, Rysmger, Geo. D., 
 Rysinger Wesley, Rawl, L., Rawl, Christian. Rawl, O. D., Rawl, Frank- 
 lin. Sanford, Wade, Sanford, S., Salther, H., Snelgrove, M., Lybrand, 
 Wm Sease M. T., Shull, John, Seay, Danl., Shirey, L P., Snyder, John, 
 Sheaiv, Albert, Shealy, E. H., Shealy, Littleton, Shealy, Wiley, Shealy, 
 Henry, Shealy, A., Shealy, P. W., Smith, Henry A., Swygert, E Tay- 
 lor Ruben Taylor, T. L., Taylor, David, Vansant, Addison, Warren, 
 
 T. i. 
 
 COMPANY "D." 
 
 Captain- Warren, Thomas J. Lieutenants: Davis, James M., 
 Lvles Tames V., Schrock, 1. A. Sergeants: Burns, O. R, tjomers, 
 Adolphus, Huckabee, J. J., Davis, J. J., Fisher, C. A. Corporals: 
 
570 HISTORY OP KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Springer, Rudolph, Stewman,.P. A. H., Wolf, Eugene, Young, Jno. W., 
 Crosby, Geo.' 
 
 Privates : Amnions, H., Brannon, John, Brannon, Wm., Sr., Bran- 
 non, Wm., Jr., Brannon, David, Bradley, John, Brown, Wm., Corbitt, Jv 
 C, Corbitt, H. F., Copell, W. H., Copell, J. B., Copell, S. B., Creighton, 
 E. E:, Creighton, H. h. Collier, F. J., Evins, John, Evain, Samuel, Fulg-* 
 hurn, James, Falkuberry, John, Ford, E. J., Fletcher, David G., Gardner;' 
 Lewis, Gai-dner, James L-, Graham, Wm., Griffin, Stephen, Gaymon, John; 
 B., Hays, Joseph, Hays, E., Hayes, James, Harrall, Jim, Harrall, John,' 
 Hornsby, Joseph, Hornsby, Samuel, Hornsby, S. W., Hough, Hollis; 
 Hinson, John, Sr., Hinson, John, Jr., Hunter, A. A., Hall, Russell J., 
 Johnson, Ben F., Johnson, W. B., Jackson, Douglas, Jdrdan, W. H., Jor- 
 dan, D., Kirkley, D. C, Kemp, Tira, Kemp, Warren, Kelly, B. P., Kirby, 
 A., Kirby, J. W., Munn, A. J., Mclnnis, N. M., Mattox, James, Mattox, 
 Isaac S., Mattox, Sam., Mattox, Geo. W., McLeod, N. A., Moneyham, ; 
 John, Marsh, Gates, Marsh, James, Marsh, John, McCuUum, H. B:,; 
 Minton, C, Minton, Jno. B., McGuire, Henry, Outlaw, Jno. E., Parker, 
 Wm. E., Parker, Redding, Parker, B. B., Richburg, J. J., Ray, James, 
 Scott, Hasting, Scott, Manning, Shedd, Jesse P., Smith, J. W., Spradley, 
 W. J., Spradley, John, Shaylor, T. S., Shaylor, C. H., Shivey, Jos., Tur- 
 ner, Jno. F., Hassein, A. Von, Wilson, Joel, Wilson, Henry, Wilson, 
 Paul H., Williams, A. W., Williams, B Frank, Watson, W. W., Warren, 
 Wm., Watts, C, Watts, Jno., Workman, W. H. R., Waddell, N. T., 
 Ward, John, Watts, Frank, Young, Jno. W., Yates, Saml., Yates, Willis. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 Captains : Davis, J. B., Dawkins, W. J., Kirkland, W. W. Lieuten- 
 ants : Smart, Thomas H., Martin, Joseph B., Pearson, J. W., Hoy, J. B., 
 Blair, C. B. Sergeants : Pettigrew, J. H., Blair, W. McD., Robinson, 
 K. Y. Corporals : Gladney, J. D., Bridges, W. A., Gladney, Samuel. 
 
 Privates: Aiken, W. B., Aiken, D. M., Bagley, J. S., Bagley, Lee, 
 Barker, W. J., Barker, S. C, Butner, J. J., Barrmeau, J. J., Bridges, F. 
 C, Barber, James, Cloxton, Wm., Cotton, W. J., Cotton, Joe, Crossland, 
 Wm., Crossland, A, T., Camack, Samuel, Camack, A. F., Coleman, 
 Robt, Coleman, H. T., Crumpton, W. C, Crumpton, T. H., Crumpton, 
 W. S., Clarke, J. S., Crawford, Robt., Carlisle, Jno., Dickerson, W. P., 
 Davis, J. B., Davis, Ross, Evans, J. W., Fenley, W. P., Fenley, D. D., 
 Gladney, Amos, Gladney, John, Gladney, J. F., Gladden, W. A., Gibson, 
 T, D., Greg-g, C. D., Hamilton, D. G., Hodge, J. M., Hodge, R. B., 
 Hodge, A. F., Hodge, J. C, Hutchinson, J. B., Hutchinson, J. P., Hunt, 
 C, M., John, J. A„ John, James, Kirkland, W. F., Kirkland, J. M., Lyles, 
 I. B., Lyles, W. W., Lyles, A. C, Long, W. W., Long, J. J., Ligon, L N,, 
 Morris, T. S.. Martin, R. L., Murphv, W. E., Murphy, S. A., Murnhy, E. 
 E., Murphy, Jno, R,, Moorehead, W, J., McCormack, Hugh, McConnell, 
 W. H., McClure, John, McDowell, Alex., McCrorey. James, Neil, T- H., 
 Pettigrew, W. T., Pettigrew, A, R., Pettigrew, D. H,, Pettigrew, G, B,, 
 Poteet, Lafayette, Price, Fletcher, Price, J. W., Parrott, R, L., Pearson, 
 G. B., Powell, R. M,, Rabb, J, W., Rxhardson, J, D., Sprinkler, Hiram, 
 Smith, D. A., Smith, J, W., Smith, W. E., Seymore, Jno., Tidewell, B; 
 N., Veronee, C B., Varnadoe, Henry. Wylie, J. T., Wylie. T. C„ Wylie, 
 Frank, Wylie. James, Walker, Danl,, Walker, Alex., Williams, G. W., 
 Yarborough, T, J,, Yarborough, W. T., Yarborough, L T. 
 
 COMPANY "P." 
 
 Captains: Boyd, C. W,, Jeflferies, Jno R, Lieutenants: Norris, 
 James, Walker, S. S., Steen, Geo., Jefferies. J. D., Hart, W, D,, Wood, 
 Moses. Sergeants : Rowland, Jas. A., Boyd, R. W., Kendricks, M. S., 
 Lipscortib, Smith, Shippey, Dexter,' Wilkins, W. D., Jones, B. F., Mc- 
 RoWn; G. W. CoR-poRAES : Shears,' G, S.,' Morgan, George, Balue, 
 
HISTOKY OF JiKKSHAW'S BRIGADE. 571 
 
 Thomas, Mays, Jno., Littlejohn, I. H., Reavs, Z., Vinson, Richard, Jones, 
 
 Privates : Alston, M. K., Bailey, T. J., Berbage, D. B., Blanton, Am- 
 brose, Blanton, D. D., Brown, Wm., Burgess, Thomas, Betenbough, 
 Joseph, Betenbough, Jno., Blanton, N. A., Burgess, L. I., Cellars, Wm., 
 Clary, Herod, Clary, G. B., Clary, Singleton, Clary, Wm., Carter, E. L., 
 Dukes, I. C, Edge, Jno., Powlen B. E., Fowler, Jno., Fowler, R. M., 
 Fowler, Wm., Fowler, Richard, Fowler, W., Farr, F. M., Goudlock, T. 
 D., Griffin, Thomas, Goforth,' W. M., Hames, L. A., Horn, Asbury, 
 Horn, Elias, Hughey, J. R., Horn, Wash., James, Wash., Jefferies, Ham- 
 let, Jones, James, Teter, S. A., Jones, S., Kirby, Wm. D., Knox, James, 
 Kendnck, T. J., Knox, Morgan, Knox, Thomas, Lee, W. A., Leonard, 
 Wm., Littlejohn, C. T., Littlejohn, Henry, Littlejohn, M. R., Lockhart, 
 J. C, Lockhart, J. N., Lenoad, J. M., Lockhart, R. M., Maberry, Saml., 
 McCafferty, G. A., Macornsor, D. R., Mayes, L. C, McKown, F. M., 
 Millwood, J. C, Millwood, J. H., Millwood, Morgan, Moorhead, J. T., 
 Moorhead, W. G., Mosely, D. P., Moseley, W. D., Murphy, M., Murphy, 
 S. M., Peeler, J. R., Page, J. L., Page, R., Peeler, A. J., Peeler, D. M., 
 Perkinson, S., Phillips, S. G., Puckett, L H., Pearson, L A., Phillips, G. 
 M., Phillips, J. T., Phillips, T. J., Rodgers, W. N., Scott, H. W., Scott, 
 T. E., Scates, L., Spencer, D. N., Sprouse, W., Stroup, T. H., Sartor, T., 
 Shippey, M., Spencer, J., Sanders, A. J., Thompson, M. D., Wakefield, 
 L., Ward, L L., Ward, L N., Wilkins, R. S., Wilkins, T. T., Ward, W. 
 
 COMPANY "G." 
 
 Captains : Chandler, J. B., McCutcheon, J. Lieutenants : Hasel- 
 den, W. M., Barron, B. P., Timmons. F. M., Cooper, F. E. Sergeants: 
 Fulton, T. M., Wilson, W. J., Eaddy, T., McClary, J., Gamble, H. D., 
 Cox, W. G., Lenerieux, F. M. Corporals : Brown, J. J., Johnson, M. 
 M., Burrows, J. T., Nesmith, J. 
 
 Privates : Autman, J. A., Altman, L. C, Abrams, L B., Abrams, W., 
 Ard, R., Ard, J., Ard, F., Avant, O. R., Barrimeau, B. T. L., Barrimeau, 
 J. J., Baxley, O., Bratcher, A., Brown, J., Brown, A. W., Brown, D. L., 
 Bowden, H., Buckles, H., Buckles, L., Buckles, J., Burns, J., Burrows. I. 
 T., Burrow, W. S., Carter, E. W., Carter, A. W., Carter, A. B., Carter, 
 J. D.. Carter, T., Colyer, J., Cox, L., Cox, F., Cox, W. L. Cox. J. R., 
 Cox, J. T., Cox, L G., Cockfield, J. C, Christman, G. W., Cribb, C, 
 Cribb. D. W., Donahoe, A. W., Eaddy, L F., Eaddy, W. S., Eaddy, G. 
 J., Eaddy, D., Ferrel, F., Flagler, A. P., Gaskin, J. J., Gaskin, E. V., 
 Gaskin, J. C, Gaskin, C. A., Gaskin, A. M., Gist, G. G., Gordon, H., Gra- 
 ham, J. McC. Graham, W. L., Gurganus, J. E., Hanna, G. W.. Hanna, 
 R., Hanna, J. F., Haselden, S. B., Haseldcn, A. J., Haselden, J., Hasel- 
 
 den, J. R., Haselden, W. B., Haselden, J.. Hudson. J., Hughes, , 
 
 James J A., June, T. G., June. A., Johnson, E. H.. Kinder, H. H., Lam- 
 bert B. F., McDonald, , McAlister, W., Marsh, J., Matthews, J. J., 
 
 Matthews W. W., Matthews, J.. Maurice, R. F., McConnell, W. S., 
 McDaniel, J.. McLellan, A. K., Miller, J.. Owens, J. A., Perkins, W. G., 
 Paston, H. A.. Ponncv, J. A„ Ponncv, M.. Scott, A. W.. Scott, J, C, 
 Scott, G. C, Spring, G. W.. Spivey. H. E.. Stone, P. T., Stone, T, B., 
 Tanner T A , Tanner, J., Thomoson. S. B., Thompson, J., Tomas. J„ 
 Tilton, H., Venters, L., Venters, J., Whitehead, N. M., Whitehead, J. 
 
 COMPANY "H." 
 
 Captains: Sims, W. H„ Farr, W. P., Briggs W^R., Farr F M. 
 Lieutenants : Barley, J. L., Porter, J Parr W Howell, M. Ser- 
 geants ■ Savage, J., Greer, F., Barley, J., Smith, H. Corporalss Fair, 
 G., Coleman, B. C, Morgan, D. V. „ .j. ,. ... „. .,. t. 
 
 Privates: Adams, A. R., Adams, B., Adis, J., Adis, Wm., Adis, R., 
 Alverson, W. G., Bentley, John, Bentley, James, Burgess, F., Burgess, 
 R Beveli W Bevell, W. H. H., Bends, L., Barnes, M., Conner, W. F., 
 
572 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 Conner, W. E., Cadd, F. R., Cadd, W. F., Chapman, J., Davis, J., Davis, 
 P. A., Dabbs, W., Dabbs, J., Edge, J., Farr, D Farr, D. A. T., Farr, D., 
 Farr, N., Fausett, K., Fowler, J. M., Fowler, T., Fowler, G., Fowler, M., 
 Garner, G. W., Garner, W., Garner, C, Garner, L., Garner, J., Gault, H. 
 C, Gregery, A., Gregery, F., Griffin, W., Griffin, D., Hawkins, W., How- 
 ell, W., Howell, S. J., Hames, E., Hames, J., Haney, J., Haney, F., Hum- 
 phries, A., Inman, D., Ivey, Wm., Ivey, Wiley, Ivey, R., Milwood, 
 Frank, Milwood, E. V., Milwood, James, Milwood, Wm., Mitchell, A., 
 McKinney, G., Motte, Jno!, Mott, Jeff., Nance, N., Palmer, J., Palmer, 
 E., Parr, R. T., Parr, D., Parr, Richard, Savage, A., Sharp, C, Simp- 
 son, C, Smith, M., Smith, W., Smith, Jno., Stears, A. D., Stears, D., 
 Sprouse, L., Sprouse, Jno., Sprouse, A., Tracy, J., Vaughn, K., Vaughn, 
 A. L,., Vinson, J. W., Vaudeford, H., Vaudeford, W. M., Vaudeford, 
 J. W., Wishard, J., Wix, James, Wix, Joel, Worthy, C., Worthy, Rich- 
 ard, Leverett, J. 
 
 COMPANY "I." 
 
 Captains : Koon, J. H., Derrick, J. A. Lieutenants : Frick, R. W., 
 Derrick, F. W., Lake, J. T., Fulmer, H., Monts, F. W., Davis, R., Wes- 
 singer, H. J., Lybrand, J. N., Keisler, Wade, Shealy, W. C. Sergeants : 
 Wiggers, H. J., Frick, A. J., Lindler, S. P., Eargle, J. A., Long, P. D., 
 Derrick, J. F., Frick, S. J., Frick, L. A., Wessinger, W. F., Amick, H. L. 
 Corporals : Fulmer, C. N. G., Wessinger, N. J., Ballentine, C, Bowers, 
 A. J. 
 
 Privates : Amick, J. Wesley, Amick, Joseph W., Amick, James J., 
 Amick, S. D. W., Amick, E. L., Amick, V. E., Amick, G. H., Amick, D. 
 L, Amick, L. J., Amick, J. L, Bickley, J. H., Bickley, D. W., Bickley, J. 
 A., Bickley, J. L, Busby, W. T., Boland, S. B., Ballentine, W. P., Ballen- 
 tine, J. W., Coogler, D., Crout, J., DeHart, D., DeHart, J., Derrick, D. 
 L, Derrick, F., Derrick, J. A., Dreher, G. L., Epting, D. W., Eargle, G. 
 E., Feagle, George, Fulmer, L. J., Fulmer, W. P., Fulmer, D. J., Prick, 
 I. N., Griffith, A., Ham. D., Hodge, A., Holman, W. W., Jacobs, J. E., 
 Keisler, J. J., Koon, G. F,., Koon, J. B., Koon, H. M., Koon, S. D., Koon, 
 S. W., Koon, W. F., Koon, J. F., Koon, John F., Koon, Walter W., 
 Koon, Hamilton, Koon, J. D., Koon, J. F., Koon, H. W., Lindler, S. 
 G., Lindler, Jacob, Lindler, John, Long G. J., Long, J. J., Long, J. W., 
 Long, Jno. W., Lybrand, J., Monts, G. M., Mayer, A. G, Metz, O. F., 
 Perkins, W. S., Risk, W. I., Risk, J, A., Sutton. J., Shealy, N. F., Shealy, 
 M., Shealy, G. M., Shealy, G. W., Shealy, S., Shealy, J., Shealy, W. W., 
 Smith, G. W., Talbert, J. W., Turner, C. B., Wiley, E.. Wheeler, J. W., 
 Wheeler, L. G, Wessinger, H. J., Wessinger, J. A., Wyse, W. M., Wig- 
 gers, A., Wiggers, J. D. 
 
 COMPANY "K." 
 
 Captain: Bird, H. J. Lieutenants': Rodgers, W. M., White, A., 
 Taggert, W. H., Smith, W. A., McCaslan, W. M., Henderson, O. Ser- 
 geants : Dean, B. A., Smith, S. B., Jennings, J. C, Freeland, S. E., 
 McBride, S. S., McBride, J. B., Calvin, A. P. Corporals : Deason A., 
 Ballard, F. S., McCaine, J. K., Hendrix, M. P., Berdeshaw, W C Dorn 
 J. J., Bird, M., Attaway, S. . 
 
 Privates : Adams, J. Q., Bearden. W., Bangham, W. W., Bell, E. B , 
 Bouchillon, H. M., Bouchillon, J. S., Bull, W. W., Bussey, T. J. Bird, 
 D., Bird, W., Brown, R., Brown, W. M., Brown, E., Brown, M., Brown' 
 J., Bussey, D., Bodie, J. R., Carr, N., Caldwell, J. W., Corley, J. A., 
 Corley, C, Collins, J. P., Crawford, J. R., Cothran, J. M., Crestian, J. T., 
 Covm, O. W., Cook, S., Curry, W. L., Dean, P., Devore, S., Devore T 
 S., Devore, J. W., Doollittle, J. E., DooUittle, S., Ennis, J. O., Ennis G. 
 W., Ennis, T. W., Elam, J., Evans, J., Freeland, J. P., Frith, T. Gard- 
 ner, W. T., Gardner, A. H., Glansier, P., Griffin, E., Hamilton, W M 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 573 
 
 Harrison, H. C, Harrison, J., Hasteing, J., Harris, A., Henderson, C, 
 Henderson, J. E., Hendrix, H. H., Hughes, J. S., Hill, T., Horn, S., 
 
 Hannon, W., Holsomback, H. H., Hill, J., Hemphill, , Hardy, J., 
 
 Holloway, W. J., Ivy, T;, Irvin, J., Johnson, E. C., Jeno, M., Jennings, 
 C, King, W. M., King, T., King, S., Lawton, F. E., Lawton, J. W., 
 Lawton, A., Lawton, L., Ludwick, W. C, Lukewire, H., Mathis, T. E., 
 Mayson, R. C, Mayson, P." A., Mayson, J., Mayson, J. C, Martin, H. 
 D., McCain, W. J., Miner, J., Miner, W., Merriweather, R., McKinney, 
 J., McKelvin, G. T., Martin, A. M., McCannon, W. R., Moore, J. D., 
 Medlock, A., Newby, G. W., Purdy, J. H., Price, W. C, Price, R., 
 Price, H., Rich, J. S., Robertson, J. B., Robertson, H., Rearden, L. 
 D., Rodgers, P. A., Rodgers, P., Sperry, E, C, Shadrack, T. N., Shan- 
 non, W. N., Scott, W. D., Shover, W., Steadman, J., Sheppard, L., 
 Towles, E., Tompkins, S., Tompkins, W., Timmerman, P., Taggart, P., 
 Vaughn, J., Vaughn, D., Weeks, C, Whitton, C, Walker, B. G., Walker, 
 C., Whatley, E., Weeks, S-, Weems, J. T., New, S., Smith, W. H., Rob- 
 ertson, J. S., Davis, W. M., Reynolds, J. M., Crawford, J. W., Vaughn, 
 W. 
 
 ROLL OF THIRD BATTALION (JAMES). 
 
 Pield and Staff. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel : James, G. S. 
 Major : Rice, W. G. 
 Commissary: Senn, R. D. 
 Adjutant : Harris, W. C. 
 Quartermaster: James, B. S. 
 Sergeant Major: Ligon, G. A. 
 Quartermaster Sergeant: Ligon, R. B. 
 
 COMPANY "A." 
 
 Captains : Rice, W. G., Townsend, J. M. Lieutenants : Anderson, 
 J. W., Anderson, D. W., Anderson, Jno. W., Murchison, B. K., King, A. 
 A. Sergeants : Craig, J. D.. Wilcutt, B. F., Moore, G. W., Anderson, 
 J. J., Calhoun, J. W., Hunter, W. S., Nickols, R. J., Anderson, J. S. 
 Corporals : Davenport, L. P., Elmore, L., Teague, L. 
 
 Privates: Anderson, P. K., Andeirson, A. W., Anderson, A. T., An- 
 derson, J. B., Burns, W., Busby. J. S., Calhoun, J., Calhoun, J. W., 
 Chaney, T., Chaney, J. R., Craddock, J. R., Cannon, B., Clarc^, B. S., 
 Connor, L. D., Davis, J., Davis, W. D., Davis, A., Davis, T., Davis, B. 
 F Dodson, W., Elmore, Massalome, Elmore, J., Elmore, Maston, El- 
 more, G., Fooshe, J. A., Fooshe, J. D., Foose, J. C, Fmley, J. H > God- 
 -dard, J. E., Goddard, W. E., Graves, W., Golding, J. J., Griffin W H., 
 -Griffin, E. W., Hines, G. W., Hill, M. S., Hill, B. T., Hill, N Hodges, 
 M., Knight, J., King, R., King, J. J., Lomax, W., Lipford A., McGee, L. 
 H., Martin, L., McPherson, J. M., Martin, L., Nelson, J. M., Nelson, E., 
 Nelson, W. A., Norman, J., Nichols, J. H., Nichols, J., Owens, B. L., 
 Owens, J. T., Owens, E. N., Pinson, E. M., Pinsom C. F., Puckett W. 
 H., Puckett, S. D., Puckett, K. C, Redden, HazeLRampv, J. M Red- 
 den, Harry, Saxon, P. A., Shirly, D. A., Shirley, Tully, Sims Thadeus, 
 Sims, S. C, Taylor, J., Taylor, Jno., Taylor, G., Watts, W. D. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Captains : Williams, J. G., Ligon, R. B Watson, O. A., Wells, W. A., 
 Pitts, W. S. Lieutenants: Roberts, J. C, Fuller A A. Ligon, J W., 
 Miller, C. M., Dunlap, R. S. Sergeants : Davis, J. W., Watson, J. E., 
 Starnes, R. C, Waldrop, R. G., Nance, W. G., Bryson, H., Wright, W. 
 W Dunlap, R. S., Griffin, R. S., Grant, G. W. Corporals : Milam, A. 
 
574 HISTORY OF KKKSHAW'S BRIGADK. 
 
 R., Cox, M., Sims, h. S., Fuller, J. C, Walker, F. M., Jones, J. A., 
 Nance, R. G., Fuller, W. B. 
 
 Privates : Austin, I. G., Austin, I. S., Boazman, W. M., Boazman, B. 
 S., Brown, T. S., Bailey, J., Butler, R. P., Boozer, J. J., Butler, W. h., 
 Brown, H. R., Benjamin, S. R., Bailey, M., Crawford, J. W., Coleman, 
 T. T., Coleman, O. A., Calhoun, T. H., Cook, W. I., Cole, W. M., Dan- 
 iel, T. D., Duncan, J. G., Dalrymple, J. H., Dendy, E. G., East, O. D., 
 Fuller, A. S., Fuller, P. A., Fuller, E. P., Fuller, J., Fuller, E., Finley, S. 
 J., Goodman, B., Goodman, B. B., Griffin, E., Harvey, J. H., Hitt, H. L., 
 Hitt, P., Hitt, Robt., Hazel, G., Hazel, J., HoUingsworth, R. S.,Hollings- 
 worth, A., Hughes, J. H., Hand, W.,- Hacot, B. C, Irby, W. L., Kissick, 
 F., Ligon, J. S., Ligon, G., Ligon, J., Lindsey, D. W., Lowe, I. G., Lake, 
 R. S., Mates, W. M., Miller, W. P., Madden, W. C, Myres, Z. E., 
 Milam, H. W., Milam, J. A., Milam, W., Nelson, M. L., Nelson, J. F., 
 Nelson, A., Nelson, J. M., Nelson, W., Nance, F. W. N., O'Neal, J., 
 Pitts, G. W., Pitts, F., Reed, J. Y., Reed, B., Roberts, J., Richardson, 
 W., Smith, M., Snow, A. J., Thompson, W., Williams, R. E.,-Winne- 
 brenner, G., Wells, W. J., Wheeler, M. A., Watts, E. C, Watts, J. G., 
 Waldrop, W. E. 
 
 COMPANY "C." 
 
 Captains : Shumate, J. J., Hudgens, W. L., Irby, G. M. Lieuten- 
 ants : Woods, T. R. L., Henderson, M. W., Cooper, J. N., Fuller, H. Y., 
 Wadkins, H. H., Baldwin, S. B., Fuller, A. C. Sergeants : Boyd, W. 
 L., Hudgens, A. W., Donney, J., Bolt, W., Cooper, T. P. Corporals: 
 Culbertson, Y. J., Anderson, D. S.> Stone, W. W. 
 
 Privates : Abereromble, J. C, Andrews, W. W., Avery, S. K., Avery, 
 J., Adams, J. P., Boyd, J. Y., Burton, J. J., Bolt, S.,tBolt, Saml., Bolt, 
 Jno., Bolt, James, Bolt, Franklin, Brown, G. M., Brooks, J. P., Brooks, 
 N. P., Baldwin, J. E., Baldwin, D. H.,' Baldwin, V., Burgess, E. R., 
 Blackwell, J. H., Box, W. I., Cooper, H. H., Cooper, J. Y., Cooper, J. 
 A., Cooper, D. M., Culbertson, Y. S., Culbertson, J. B., Culbertson, M. 
 M., Culbertson, W. P., Culbertson, T. H., Culbertson, W. S., Culbert- 
 son, J, R., Culbertson, J. M., Culbertson, J. H., Cheshire, L. H., Che- 
 shire, C, Cannon, W. N., Cannon, R., Duvall, J. H., Dugnall, W., 
 EUedge, J. P., Fuller, I. M., Godfrey, L, Hudgens, R., Hudgens, C, 
 Hellams, C. C, Henderson, L., Hill, W. T., Johnson, M., Johnson, B. 
 F., Jenkins, J. A., Jenkins, R., Jones, B. F., Jones, J. B., Knight, W. 
 D., Lindley, H., Lindsey, T., Lindley, W., Mitchell, M., Murff, M., 
 Micham, A., Moore, L., Moore. M., Moore, Jackson, Moore, Prank, 
 Moats, W. C, Morgan, W., Manley, B. T., Manley, P. J., Moats, 
 T. A., McClellan, J. A., Malvey, P. W., Medlock, A., Nash, W. M., 
 Nelson, W. Y., Nelson, J. W., Nelson, F., Pitts, J. W., Pitts, J. S., 
 Puckitt, G. W., Puckitt, W. A., Robertson, J., Robertson, H. D., Ryley, 
 J.. Ross, A., Ross, T., Saxton, F., Shumate, R. Y., Shumate, L. J., Shu- 
 mate, H., Sullivan, H., Stevens, J. P., Terry, B. F., Taylor, H. P., Tay- 
 lor, B., Vaughn, B., Watkins, T. J., Watkins, L., Walker, J. A. 
 
 COMPANY "D." 
 
 Captain; Gunnels, G. M. Lieutenants: James, B. S., Kirk, C. E., 
 Allison, R. W. Sergeants: Harris, J., Potter, B. L., Dial, D. T., Arm- 
 strong, D. Corporals: Shell, J. H., Allison, J., Ramage, P., Simmons, 
 W., 
 
 Privates: Adams, J., Adams, Robert, Armstrong, S., Atwood, M., 
 Abrams, G. W., Babb, William, Babb, Doc, Babb, J., Belle, L. G., Bar- 
 ger, H. M., Boyd, E., Boyd, D. W., Bailey, A. P., Brownlcy, J. R., Bur- 
 dette, G. W., Bishop, W., Bishop, J. W., Bailey, M. S., Bishop, J. C, 
 Blalock, R., Chappell, W., Chambers, J. B., Cunningham, M. C., Cun- 
 ningham, R. A., Curry, L., Cason, M. J., Crisp, A., Duncan, R., Epps, 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 575 
 
 W., Eutrican, W. M., Evans, W. R., Garlington, C, Gunnels, W.^ Gra- 
 ham, A., HoUingsworth, J. I., Hollingsworth, A. C, Hellams, W., Hell- 
 ams, Y., Harmond, F. F., Harris, S., Hatton, T. J., Hollingsworth, W., 
 Joyce, J. C, Jones E. P., Jones, H. C, Johnson, Dr. J. P., Kelly, F., 
 Knight, D., Langston, Henry, Loyd, T., Madden, D. C, Martin, J., 
 Mason, A., May, J. P., Metts, M. B., McCawley, Martin, McCawley, 
 James, McKnight, W. D., Milam, W. S., Munroe, W., Neal, A. T., 
 Owens, J. H., Owens, L., Parks, A. R,, Peas, Jno., Potter, Moses, Price, 
 James, Ray, J. J., Rook, S., Rowland, A., Richardson, Jno., Shell, E. C, 
 Shock-ley, J., Shockley, R., Simmonds, J., Starks, D., Spears, R. S., 
 Spears, G. T., Speake, J. T., Speake, J. L., Stoddard, W., Taylor, A. S., 
 Thomas, J. H., Tribble, E. E., Wesson, Thomas, West, S., Whitton, D. 
 M., Winn, C, Wolff, W. Y., Harris, W. C. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 Captains : Hunter, Melnott, Fowler, W. H., Ware, H., Burnside, 
 Allen. LiEUTKNANTS: Riddle, A. J., Cooper, E., Cox, M. C, Henry, B. 
 L., Moore, P. Sergeants : Fowler, W. D., Farburn, N., Mills, J. A., 
 Armstrong, D., Owens, M. Corporals : Riddle, M., Ball, S. P. 
 
 Privates : Balle, L. -G., Bramlett, C, Bramlett, H., Bramlett, J., 
 Bramlett, R., Brown, J., Bryant, T. T., Bryant, W., Burdett, J., Burns, 
 J., Burns, R., Cheek, j.. Cook, W. C, Cox, S., Culbertson, B., Culbert- 
 son, M., Farrow, T., Fleming, P., Fowler. J. R.. Frank, J., Fowler, W., 
 Garner, J., Garrett, P., Garrett, W. A., Gillian, W., Gideons, J. L., Guinn, 
 M., Gray, J., Grumble, W., Hand, W., Handback, M., Handback. W., 
 Higgins, A. H., Holcomb, A., Holcomb, H., Holcomb, J., Holcomb, S., 
 
 Holcomb, Wm., Hunt, , Hunt, , Kernell, Wm., Knight. J., 
 
 Long, J., Long, T., Martin, J. R., McNeely, J., Miller, J. D., Moore, G., 
 Newman. B:, Newman, S., Osborn, W., Owens, A. Y.. Owens, G., 
 Owens, T., Owens, Y., Park, J. H., Park, T., Patton, W. P.. Powers. B., 
 Powers, P., Prior, L, Riddle, D., Riddle, F., Riddle. G., Riddle, L., Rid- 
 dle, M., Riddle, N., Riddle. W., Robertson, J. R.. Ropp, H.. Spelts. R., 
 Stuart, B., Stuart, J., Stuart, John. Stuart, Joseph, Stuart, Robt., Sum- 
 erel, M., Sumerel, T., Sumerel, W., Switzer, L. O., Thompson, W., 
 Todd, R. J., Garrett, J., Morgan, S. 
 
 COMPANY "F." 
 
 Captain : Miller, D. B. Lieutenants : Percival, E. S., Morrison, R. 
 S., Freidburg, Joseph. Sergeants : Percival, P. H., Kirkland, R. S., 
 Diseker J. H., Keough, P. H., DeLoria, A. Corporaes : Friday, S. D., 
 Montgomery, G. B. W., Scott, F. J., Cathcart, W. J. 
 
 Privates: Altee, J. W., Barefoot, Sion, Bates. O. B., Baugn, Wm., 
 Boyer Moses, Bull, Thomas, Burroughs, W. D., Bellinger, Wm., Cloffy, 
 P., Campbell, James, Cooper. Jesse, Cooper, Thomas. Curlee. John, 
 Dennis, H., Denkins, Saml., Flemming. A. H., Forbs, J. G., Friedman, 
 B Fulmer W., Gardner, J. H., Glaze, Jno., Glaze, Allen, Gladden. L. T., 
 Hickson, Sam, Howell, R. E., Jones, David, Legrand, WW Lever, 
 Geo., Marsh, Edward. McCauley, J. B., Mdes, E. H., Miot C. H Moye, 
 T E Munson W.. Moore, Allen, Neely, Jno., Norman, Chas., North, S. 
 R., Percival, G., Percival. N. N., Purse, T P., Pollock. J L., Reiley, 
 James, Rembert, Jno., Reaves, Jno. Ross, Thos^^, S.ll, T., Saunders, J. 
 W., Senn, Dedrick, Schultz, W. C Smith TN C Smith, Sol., 
 Spriggs H. V. L.. Stokes, E. R., Jr., Turner. W. T Taylor Wm. Tay- 
 lor Jno., Thrift, Robt., Tradewell F. A., White. E. C, Wh^e, Q.A., 
 Williamson, T., Williamson, D. W, Wardlaw W. H. Aughtry, Jno., 
 Davis Andrew, Elkins. James, Elkms, Spence, Hammond, E., Lee, John, 
 Sealy,' Wm., Wooten, Danl. . 
 
S76 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 COMPANY "G." 
 
 Captains: Irby, A. P., Whitner, B. M. LiButenanTs : Gladney, 
 Wash, Robinson, J. S., Shedd, J. P., DesPortes, R. S^ Jennings, R. H. 
 Sergeants : Martin, D., Ashford, J. W.,. Gibson, H. T., Trapp, Laban, 
 Watt, B. R, Trapp, L. H., Mason, W. N. Corporals: Beard, J. M., 
 Robinson, Wm., Blair, A. F., Craig, T. N. A., Craig, Wm. 
 
 Privates: Aiken, Jim, Aiken, H. G., Aiken, H. N., Aiken, Robt., 
 Brown, U., Brown, J. W., Brown, T. G, Brown, J. R., Blair, Thos., 
 Blair, A. P., Boyd, John, Boney, Jesse, Bull, Thomas, Brown, Chas., 
 Beard, James, Brown, Frank, Crawford, R. B., Crompton, Thomas, 
 Carman, Sam., Carman, Jesse, Crossland, H. J., Chandler, W., Craig, 
 Wm.. Crossland, Jasper, Carmack, Warren, Davis, T. C, DesPortes, J. 
 A., Douglass, C. M., Douglass, W. T., Douglass, S. M., Flanigan, Z., 
 Gladney, B., Gladney, W. R., Gradick, Jesse, Gibson, H. J., GibsMi, 
 Green, Hamilton, Wm., Hogan, Pink. Hawes, Tatum, Haigwood, Jeff., 
 Haigwood, R. M., Hook, W. T„ Hopkins. Wm., Irby, W. F., Irby, Wm., 
 Johns, Wm., Jennings, Robt., Lyles, B. P., McConnel, Butler, McClure, 
 Jno., Millings, Rus., Mann, Thos.. Martin, Jno., Morgan, Wm., Mason, 
 W. N., Millings, J. N., Moore, Nathan, McKintry, T. B., McConnell, A. 
 C, McCreight, S., McCrady. M. H., Milling, Hugh, Martin, Newton, 
 Martin, Wm., Nelson, J. T., Paul, J. T., Porter, C, Pouge, W. C, Rob- 
 inson, James, Robinson, W. W., Robinson, I. Y., Robinson, S. N., Rob- 
 inson, W. I., Ragsdale, E. R., Rabb, Calvin, Russel, Jno., Shedd, W. H., 
 Scott, Jesse, Tinkler. George, Tinkler, Wm., Turkett, T. W., Trapp, U. 
 C, Wilson, Dave, Withers, James, Weldon, Wm., Veronce, C. B. 
 
 ROLL OP TWENTIETH SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEER 
 REGIMENT. 
 
 Field and Staff. 
 
 Colonels : Keitt, L. M., Boykin, S. M. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonels :Dantzler, O. M., McMichael, P. A. 
 
 Majors : Mimms, A., Partlow, J. M., Leaphart, G. 
 
 Adjutants : Chisolm, R., Hane, W. C, Wilson, Jno. A. 
 
 Quartermasters : Kinard, Jno. P., Woodward, T. W. 
 
 Commissary : Heriot, Jno. O. 
 
 Surgeon : Salley, A. S. 
 
 Assistant Surgeons : Pripp, C. A., Barton, D. R. 
 
 Chaplains : Meynardie, E. J., Duncan, Y. W. 
 
 Sergeant Majors : Quattlebaum, T. A., Quattlebaum, E. R. 
 
 Quartermaster Sergeants : Barton, T. P., Wannamaker, P. W. 
 
 Commissary Sergeant : Solomons, J. T. 
 
 Ordnance Sergeant : Phillips, T. H. 
 
 COMPANY "A." 
 
 Captains : Partlow, Jno. M., Woodin, C. H. A., Lee, Jno; Lieuten- 
 ants : Talley, Dyer, Williams, D. O.. Norton, E. R., Siddall, Jno., Barr, 
 S. A. Sergeants : Lusk, Newt., Wilcox, F. H., Knee, Hermon, Wilson, 
 Mack. Corporals : Ansel, Harmon, Smith, C. M., Norrell, John, Fisher, 
 James. 
 
 Privates : Anderson, John, Appleton. Wm., Atkinson, Thomas, Bur- 
 rell. Miles, Beiman, Henry, Bracke, Henry, Bramlett, Wm., Ballinger, 
 
 Wm., Babb, , Brace, — -, Bowlin, Thos., Brown, Lee, Butler, Levi, 
 
 Craine, Wm., Craine, Isaac, Cannon, S. C, Carpenter, Wm., Crow, 
 
 Isaac, Dawkins, , Darby, Thos., EUenburg, Jno., Elrod, , Ellis, 
 
 G, Fisher, Wm., Fisher, B. P., Heddin, J. P., Heddin, Isaac, Heddin, 
 
 D. B., Holcomb, , Hembree, Wm., Handcock, Thos., Holly, James, 
 
 Ivester, Anderson, Knight, Jno., Kelly, Wm., Kelly, W. N., Lusk, Jno., 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 577 
 
 Lyda, Jno., Owens, Riley, Partlow, Pickens, Patterson, Wesley, Powell, 
 Ashley, Randolph, S. H., 'Reid, Samuel, Reid, Massey, Reid, Tames M., 
 Rochester, W. T., Richie, D. L., Sanders, Elijah, Smith, Ezekiel, Smith, 
 D. W. S., Teague, Wm., Teague, Isaac, Turner, Pickens, Vinson, D., 
 Vmson, Jno., Ward, Nathaniel, Woodsin, C. H. A., Wilson, Mack. 
 
 COMPANY "B." 
 
 Captain: McMichael, P.- A. Lieutenants: Barton, B. H., Whet- 
 stone, N. C, Cox, J. R. Sergeants : Inabinet, D. J., Way, A. H., Myers, 
 
 D. D., McCorquodale, , Donald, J. A. Corporals ; Shuler, T. W., 
 
 Murphy, J. C, Grambling, A. M., Buyck, P. J. 
 
 Privates : Arant, J. T., Bair, J. S., Bair, S. H., Barber, W. E., Bars, 
 W., Baxter, D. F., Bolin, J. E. A, Bolin, J. S., Boltin, J. H., Boltin, E. 
 A., Bonnet, J. D., Bonnet, W. R. E., Bozard, D. B., Bozard, J. D., 
 Bozard, C. F., Brantley, E. W., Brodie, J. W., Brodie, John W., Brodie, 
 Judson, Brodie, J. R., Buyck, J. W., Clayton, W., Collier, h. P., Cook, 
 J. M., Cox, A. M., Crum, J. W., Crum, A. F., Culalasieur, N. W., Dantz- 
 ler, G. M., DeWhit, M., Dixon, W., Dixon, Henry, Dukes, T. C, 
 Elbrooks, H., Fair, G. S., Fair, J. W., Felkel, J. R., Felkel, J. A., Fri- 
 day, P. D., Grambling, F. H., Grambling, J. H., Grey, A., Haigler, J. A, 
 Heiner, H. W., Herron, R. R., Holman, A. C, Horger, J. F., Houck, J. 
 J., Houser, J. D., Hutchins, J. C, Hutchins, J. A., Huff, G. W., Hunker- 
 pieler, T. N., Hunkerpella, L., Jackson, J. P., Jackson, J. C, Joyner, D. 
 F., Judy, H., Judy, H. I., Keiser, W. J., Reiser, F. D., Leaird, H. D., 
 Lyles, T., Mack, J., Metts, D. G., Metts, G. W., Metts, W. J., Murphy, 
 H. H., Murphy, L., Murphy, H. B., Murphy, P., Noble, S., Patrick, J., 
 Patrick, D. W., Patrick, E., Patrick, S. P., Patrick, V. V., Pearson, J. 
 H., Pooser, F. N., Pooser, E. H.,Rast, J. A., Rast, J. C, Rast, J. L., 
 Rast, T. F., Rast, J. S., Rast, G. D., McReady, E., Reay, M., Riley, H. 
 W„ Riley, O. B., Rutlin, W. W., Rutland, A. E., Rutland, H., Seagler, J. 
 E., Sellars, G. D., Shuler, J. W., Smoak, R. F., Smoak, A. B., Smoak, M. 
 T., Smoak, G. W., Stellinger, T. W., Stellinger, F., Till, H. F., Till, j. 
 J., Walsh.J. J., Wannamaker, H. C, Wannamaker, F. M., Way, R. F., 
 Way, J. D., Wolf, W. S., Zeigler, H. H., Zimmerman, D.,.Bonnett, J. D., 
 McMichael, O., Smoak, G. W., Knights, J. D., Huff, D. W., Wethers, M. 
 L., Kennerly, L,. D. S. 
 
 COMPANY "C." 
 
 Captains: Leaphart, G., Haltiwanger, G. T. Lieutenants: Huff- 
 man, J. E., Eleazer, W. S., Haltiwanger, H. W. Sergeants : Houseal, 
 W. F., Metts, S. S., Eleazer, J. M., Haltiwanger, J. H., Burkett, T. 
 Corporals: Hipps, L A., Williamson, W:, Addy, T. M. G., Ballentine, 
 S., Haltiwanger, D. K, Smith, S. L. 
 
 Privates : Arnick, T. W., Arnick, L A,, Arnick, W. R., Arnick, D. 
 W., Addy, J. B., Addison, H. T., Archart, H. M. Baker, J., 
 Black N. L., Black, W. E., Bookman, S. W., Bouknight, W. J., Bouk- 
 night, J. W., Busby, L., Busby, W., Buff, H. J., Buff. J., Bickley, H. W., 
 Bouknight, J. M., Bundrick, J. M., Bundrick, J. A., Bristow, J. M., 
 Cumelander, W. N., Cumelander, A. W., Sr., Curaelander, A. W., Jr., 
 Cumerlander, J. S., Cumerlander, S. C, Counts, H. A, Caughman, J. 
 C Coogler, J. P., Coogler, R. E., Clocus, H., Counts, H. A., Daly, J. T., 
 Daly, W. A., Dean, J. A., Derrick, J. H., Derrick, J. S., Derrick, W. C, 
 Derrick, J., Derrick, H. D., Derrick, J. D., Derrick, G. J., Derrick, S. 
 W Dreher, O. A., Dreher, E. J., Eleazer, R. J., Eleazer, G. B., Epting, 
 D. J., Epting, J. H., Eargle, J. J:, Eargle, A. D., Eargle, J. D., Eargle, 
 J W , Eargle, A. D., Fulmer, W. F., Fulmer, J. F., Farr, G., Farr, B., 
 Freshley, G. W., Frick, E. D,. Geiger, J., Geiger, D. W., Geiger, F. S., 
 Geiger, J., Geiger, M., Geiger, E. W., Geiger, G. M., Geiger, J. A., 
 Geiger L. S., Haltiwonger, G. C, Haltiwonger, J. S., Haltiwonger, G. 
 J , Haltiwonger, D. J., Haltiwonger, J. E., Haltiwonger, J. J.,Hiller, P. J., 
 
^78 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 H'Jller,'S.B.,:Hiller, S., HiJler.J. A., Hykr, J. B., Hutit.N., Hameter, G., 
 X^cplDS, W. A., Jacobs, j;, Kibjer, A., ICoon, W. W.,Koon, J.,P., JCpon, J. 
 L,.,'Keit,t, J. D., Lorick, J.' D., Lownian,;J. P., IvQwnian, S. Q., LowiriMi, 
 ■p. G., Lowmap, J. 'S.,i<owJTian, P. E., , Lybrand, B. C, IvOng, D. E., 
 Long) W. W., Mayer, G. W., Metts, G. S., Metis, G. S., Metts, J. F., 
 Metts, M. S., Metts, E. C, Metts, J. C, Metts, R. A., Metts, jf. T., 
 Metts S. J., Metts, C, Metts, L., Metts, E. W., Mathias, L,. S., Mathias, 
 T. S. McCartha, R., McCartha, J., Monts, J., Nates, J. T., Nates, J. A., 
 Nuiinamaiker, A.-S., Nunnamaker, J. H., Nunnamaker, P., Nunnamaker, 
 W. A., Revel,.;. W., Shuler, P. I., Shuler, J. L., Shuler, J. R., Stack, W., 
 Stack, H., Sheeley, J. D., Sheeley, P. P., Sheeley, D., Sheeley, J. J., 
 Sheeley, J. M., Suber, W. F., Slice, J. J., Slice, J. W., Slice, J. D., Sum- 
 mer, J. W., Sr., Summer, J. W., Jr., Seigler, J., Seigler, W., Schmitz, J. 
 D., Stone, H., Swygert, J. W., Taylor, C.,, Williams, W. H., Williamson, 
 W., Whites, E. M., Whites, A- E., Whites, S. H., Wessinger, G. S., Wes- 
 singer, J., Wessinger, J. D., Weed, C. A., Weed, J. C, Youngenener, J., 
 Leaphart, L. 
 
 COMPANY "D." 
 
 Cam!ain: Donnelly, R. V. Lieutenants: Livingston, B., Jefifcoat, 
 N. P., Inabenat, T. Sergeants: Jeffcoat, H. W., Jeffcoat, J., Red- 
 morn, L, Livingston, J. S. 
 
 Privates : Axson, W. A., Axson^ F. D., Bailey, G., Brown, W. F., 
 Bonnett, P., Cartin, E., Casson, J., Carson, R. A., Carton, W., Carton, 
 E., Carson, W. H., Cain, W. P., Carson, T. J., Carton, W., Cook,. J. 
 A., Cook, J. Q., Cook, S., Crider, T. J., Crider, A., Crider, A., Crun, V. 
 v., Crun, H., Culler, J., Chavis, P., Chavis, J., Cubsted, J., Davis, J., 
 Evans, A., Fogle, P. S., Fogle, P., Fogle, J. W., Furtick, G., Furtick, 
 W.,' Furtick, L, Gantt, C, Hughes, M. L., Hughes, E., Hughes, J. W., 
 Hughes, A., Hughes, W., Hutts, J., Hutts, Jacob, Hooker, J. W., 
 Hooker L. S., Hooker, J. L. G., Hooker, J. O. A., Hooker, G., Harley, 
 J. M., Harley, J. H., Harley, G. W., Harley, J., Harley, T. W., Hoover, 
 J., Inabinett, G-, Jeffcoat, C. A., Jeffcoat, J. J., Jefcoat, E. D. A., 
 ■Jeffcoat, J. W., Jernegan, L., Johnson, P. P., Johnson, J. W., Johnson, 
 J., Jorner, J., Jorner, H. W., King, W., Kneese, J., Kneese, W., 
 Livingston, G. H., Livingston, W. B., Livingston, R., Livingston, M., 
 Livingston, J. H., Livingston, F. D., Mennicken, J. A., Mack, J. B., 
 Mack, W. C, Mack, F. H., McMichael, R. V., McMichael, W., Mixon, 
 L., Murph, T. W., North, J. F., Ott, J. T.,. Oliver, T. W., Pou, J. A. R., 
 Pou, W. G., Pou, B. F., Poimd, J., Price, -P., Porter, D. A.. Porter; E., 
 Porter, J., Porter, J. A., Phillips, J. F., Phillips, J. T., Phillips, .G., 
 Peil, W., Reed, J., Reid, J., Reid, R., Reld, W. H., Rucker, R., Rucker, 
 W., Redman, A., Redmond, F., Robitison, L., Robinson, J. T., Starns, J., 
 Seanght, J., Stabler, M.. Stabler, H., Tyler, L., Wacor, W. L., William- 
 son, W., Williamson, E., Williamson, T., Williamson, D. R., William- 
 son, G., Williamson, W., West, W., Wise, D., Wise, J., Wise, J., Witt, 
 W- P., Zeigler, A., Donnely, O. 
 
 COMPANY "E." 
 
 . Captain: Cowan, N. A. Lieutenants: Shirley, J. J., Pruitt, W. C, 
 Kmg, J. A., Mattison, J. F. Sergeants : Copeland, J. J., Clinlcscales, 
 F Parker, J. P., Hall, A. M., Broom, W. J. Corporals: Kay, C. M., 
 Hanks, Luke, Shirley, N. A., Acker, W. H., Parker, R. E. - ' 
 
 Privates : Armstrong, J. A., Ashley,- J. T., Adams, A. B., Armstrong, 
 A. S., Ashley, John, Ashley, J. R., Ashley, J. T., Ashley, E. W., Arnold, 
 Joel, Anderson, T. W., Brock, R. B., Brock, J. L., Bannister, M., Brock, 
 J. H., Brock, W. C, Bancuni, A., Bannister, Thomas, Bannister, W. L., 
 Bannister, J. H., Sr., Bannister, J. M., Bannister, J. H. Jr., Bannister, 
 J. N., Broom, J N^, Broom, A., Bagwell, Baylis, Bigbv, J.. A., Coker, J. 
 J., Cummmgs, C. C, Callahan, J. P., Cowan, W. M., Cumniings H' A 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 579 
 
 Callahan, J. R., Callahan, D. P., Coleman, Robert, Fox, P. J., Cobb, M. 
 a:,. Ci'dsbetry, A., Cox; Mac, Diver, B. P., Dunlap, W. P., Drennan, §:* 
 A. Davis, A. M., Dalrymple, J., Drake, E. H., Elgin, H., Flower, J. Y-., 
 Fielas, Stephen, Fields, T., Freeman, W. G., Gambrell, y. V., Gillespie, 
 a;, Gilkei'sonj W. D., Gilkerson, J. A., Gantt, E. S., Grubb, C. C. Gaatt- 
 brdl,'P. M;, Gambrell, E. H., Greer, J. W., Greer, George, Hawkins,' It-- 
 L., Hall, J. B., Haynie, S. P., Haynie, James, Haynie, J. C, Haynie, 
 Pink, Holliday, J., Harris, E., Hall, W. C, Hanks, J. M., Hanks, Tho- 
 mas, Harper, N., Johnson, W. G. W., King, D. P., Kay, W. R., Kay, M. 
 V. S., Keaton, J. J., Kay, J. L., King, J. D., King, J. D., Jr., Kay. M. H., 
 Kay, J. B.,' Kay, W. S., teopard, H. B., Lathan, J., Lusk, J. P., Mattison, 
 James, Mulligan, W. H., Mann, S. H., McDavid, J. Q., Martin, Samuel, 
 Mann, A. K., Martin, W. A., Morgan, David, Mattison. W. H., Massey, 
 J. C, Massey, S. B., McLane, John, Murdock, J. T., Murdock, Stephen, 
 McCoy, E. W., Morrison^ G. D., Mitchell, John, Mitchell, E. M., Martin, 
 Welborn, Neighbor, J. T., Owens, A. W., Pruitt, J. B., Pruitt, Joshua, 
 Pruitt, E. O., Pruitt, E. D., Pruitt, T. C, Pruitt, J. P., Pearman, W. L^ 
 Pearman, W. C, Pearman, S. N., Pepper, E. K., Posey, R. L., Pack, J. 
 B., Pitts, J. G., Pruitt, B. P., Robinson, Isaac, Robinson, Jesse, Robin- 
 son, R. B., Robinson, J. A., Robinson, J. H., Robinson, G. B., Robinson, 
 J.M., Robinson, S. E, Robinson, R. B. A., Recketts, William, Ragsdale, 
 F. A., Saylors, J. N., Saylors, Isaac, Shirley, S., Smith, William, Shaw, 
 R. M., Shaw, C. M., Saylors, W. P., Saddler, Isaac, Saylor. J. W., S^' 
 lors, W. P., Saylors, W., Stone, A. H„ Stone, J. B., Shaw, H. W., Shaw, 
 J. C, Shirley, F. P., Shirley, J. J., Shirley, J. M.,, Smith, J. N., Smith, C, 
 Saddler, William, Southerland, W. P., Simpson, J. D., Seawright, Johnf, 
 Seawright, J. S., Taylor, J. W., Tucker, L. P., Tucker, W. T., Tucker, 
 
 Wm. L., Todd, I. A., Tribble, L. W., Tribble, S. M., Thurkill, , 
 
 Vandiver, D. J., William*, Ira, Woods, W. J., Wilson, J. J., Woods, 
 Robert, Wilson, R. C,. Wilson. J. M., Wilson, W. R., Wilson, W. N., 
 Wilson, J. R., Wright, C. J., Wright, J. W., Wright, T. T., Williamson,, 
 M., Williamson, James, Walden, J., Willingham, A. P., Willingham, J. 
 N., Cowan, Andrew. 
 
 COMPANY "F." 
 
 Captains : Kinard, John M., Kinard. Wm. M. Lieutenants : Sligh, 
 Hilary, King'smore, E. R., Cannon, W. S. Sergeants: Reid. S. W.,. 
 Buzzard, B. Mj, Epting, J. N., Graham, P. D., Goree, W. O. C6«- 
 PORALS : Richie, C. M., Dickert, Jesse C, Rikard, Frank D. 
 
 Privates : nbi-ams, Z. P., Abrams, S. S., Abrams, Daniel, Baker, M., 
 Barrett, B., Brodks, H. J., Boozer, Tim, Boozer, Henry, Brown, M. L,.^ 
 Beard, S. P., Buzzard, O. H., Buzzard, Jeff, Buzzard, W. P., Buzzard, 
 Williatii, Bowles, W. H., Barre, S. C, Bedenbaugh, W. P., Cady, P. N., 
 Calmes, C. Wash., Campell, Ed., Cannon, Geo. W., Chapman, D. N., 
 Chapman, Henry, Counts, John C, Counts, Adam, Counts, A. 'B., 
 Cromer, John R., Cromer, Jacob L,., Cromer, Enoch, Cromer, R. Press, 
 Collins, A. B., Crooks, John, Denson, John P., IDenson, George. Dickert, 
 Wm. T., Dickert, Marion, Dunwoody, S. H., Davis, John D., Dominick, 
 L. P., Ducket, John. Epps, Wm. T., Epps, Micajah, Eady, Wm: H., 
 Folk, Ham H., Farrow, Wood H., Glenn, Wm. H., Glenn, John'D., 
 Glenn, William, Glenn, Daniel, Glymph, B. J., Greer, R. P.; Gary, I.jN., 
 Gatint, Jeff., Henson, H. O., Hough, Andrew J., Houseal, Johrf I., 
 Hentz, Julius D., Hawkins, George, Herbert, Sullivan, Jones, J. E.y 
 Jones, Lewis, Kibler, Adam, Kibler, D. W. T., Kissick, J. W., Koon, W. 
 F., Kinard, Miner, Kinard, N., Lane, J. C, Livingston, J. C, LiVingstcin,' 
 Robert J., Livingston, Ham, Lindsay, James, Martin, Cline, McGiU., 
 Archie, McCullough, H. S., McCullough, W. P., Miller, J. P., MillCT,' 
 Joseph T., Miller, J. D., Montgomery, William, Moody. J. P.. Nates, 
 Jacob, Norris, John E., Nichols, Andrew, Rikard, A., Rhodes, J. W., 
 Rook. J. T., Rook, S. J., Rook, J. W., Ropp, A. J., Rumbly, A. j., 
 Reeder, William, Sanders, J. M., Settler, -W. A., Sloan, John P., Stone, 
 
C80 in-^.i.KV Ol' KKKSHAW'S ISRIGAOH. 
 
 J.-sWilliam, Stone, Henry. Suber, D.- E„.,Stew5urt, Jvohn.C, Stewart, S. P., 
 Sihg-'ley, G. M., Sin'+fey,'!'. H.', Beaenfeaugh. Pinlc., Cook, C. J., Cowan, 
 E., Sligh, Munroe, Soencer, M., Thomas, Ed., Thrift, John, Watts, W. 
 PeGk.'Wedeman,, J. D;. Wedeman-, Silas, Wheeler, J. P., Wifliams. Rob- 
 ert H., Wilcox, W,' Pi, .Wicker I^ang., Wicker, D,, Wicker, D. R., 
 Wicker, T. V.. Wicker. "Belt.; Willingham,, P. W., Wilson, J. S., Wilson, 
 J. C, Wilsoh, H. C, Wilson,- G., Wright, M. J., Wilcox. W. P. 
 
 COMPANY "G." 
 
 Captains : Boykin, S. M., Herriott, R. L., Mosely, A. Lieutenants : 
 White, L. A., Rhame, G. S., McCaskill, K., Belvin, W. T., Herriott, J. 
 V. Sergeants : Lafan, M. L., McLeod, William, McCaskill, P. D., Boy- 
 kin,' J. J., Boykin, S. B., Hancock, W. J., Jones, G. W., Madison, K., 
 Mathis, J. R., McEachern, J. R. Corporals : McEachern, W. D., Alien, 
 J. C, Andrews, ,0. T., Barfield,- R.E., Mathis, J. V., Eachefn, W. C, 
 Smith:-T. W. B. ■ . 
 
 Privates : Atkinson, William, Atkinson, Wash., Andrews, E., Boykin, 
 Williarn, Roykin, Drewry. Boykin, S. L., Boykin, Elias, Boykin, M. H., 
 Boykin, James, Boykin. C. M., Bounds, John, Brown, I. T., Brown, 
 Joshua, .Button, C. S., Bradley, S. B.. Bird, James, Baker, A., Brunson, 
 J. I:, Bradlev. William, Croft, William, Croft, Wesly, Cannon, G., Cor- 
 bitt,.J. A., Collins, Alex., Caughman, Joe. Corbitt, J.-, N., Dorety, x.. G., 
 Durilop, Samuel, Dorety, William. Do- '"' Mannirig, Dorety, Henry, 
 Dorety, Thomas, Dorety, Laton. Druggus, ?■' D.. Dixon. Benj., Davis, 
 G. P. "Vy., Davis, Joel, Davis, J. D., Davis, Lucas, Davis, Oflfel, Davis, C. 
 R.,\Dea', E.. Duncan, George, Daniels. Wes., Daniels, Alf., Genobles, " 
 Rufus, GaUkrd. Rufus, Gaillard, W. P., Hawkins, Wash., Harmon, 
 James, Hatfield. Renj., Hatfield. William. Hatfield. Caleb, Hatfield, 
 CharlVs,' Hatfield, W;esly, Hancock, E. J.. Hancpck, T. D.. Hancock, G. 
 
 W.. Hai>'kin<:. John.' Huggins. Wilie. Hutchens, , Hyott, JameS, 
 
 .Jeffers. Daniel. Jeffers, H. J.. Joijes. R. L.. Jones, C. L., Jones. Henry, 
 
 Jones. M.. Jones. Francis, Jeffers, John, Kirby. , Lee. John, Lee, 
 
 Wni?rn, Lucas. T. B.. Lucas. M. B.. McCaskill. Robert, Mathis. Wil- 
 li?.m. Mathis. G. M., Mathis. E. B... Mathis. S., Mathis, Alex., .Murph, 
 Henry, Moseley, William, Moseley, George, Myers, T. S., Myers, P. A., 
 McK.en-ie. L. A., Moonyham. Steohen. McCutcheon, John, Marsh, J., 
 
 McCa.skill. , Neighbors, H., Neighbors. David, Neighbors, Isaac, 
 
 Neighbors. Thom.as. Nichols, W. A., Otts. James. Partin, William, Par^ 
 tin. J. W.. Rhame. Thomas, Rodgers. J. D., Rodgers, Latson, Rodgers, 
 Manning, Smith. J. W'., SmUh. Tally, Scott, Fleming, Scott, Benjamin, 
 Svfan. C. E., Solomon'!.. T. J., Solesby, — — , Stokes. J. L., Shiver, John. 
 
 Sexious, , Tuninel, . Tensley. Thomas. Tidwell. Adison. Tid- 
 
 well. William, Vassar. E. A.. Vicks,- William. Whites,' Henrv. Watson, 
 J. T., White, John, Weldnn, Benjamin,, Weldon, Pake, Wacton, R. C, 
 "Watts, William, Boykin, M. S. 
 
 COMPANY "H." 
 
 Captains: Kinsler, Edward, Roof, S. M. Lieutenants: Hook, E. 
 E;.,,'Hook. R. T., Hook, J. S. Sergeants: Mills, Jack A., Sox, Jeflf., 
 Senn, J. E., Senn, A. D., Roof, Henry J., Hook, J. D. Corporals : Roof, 
 D: J..;, Dooley, James L", Sox, H. E., Griffith, D. T., Hutto, Britton E, 
 Hutto, Paul P., Sphraler, J. J. '' 
 
 Privates : Bachman, C, Bachman, H. H., Bachman, R. H., Buff, M. 
 W.^^Buff, T. J., Buff, M. B., Blackwell,' C. B., Berry, Jacob, Berry, 
 George, Berry, Treadway, Berry. John, Bell, John, Clark, P. P., Clark, 
 J. D., Churchwell, Thomas, Cook, E. E., Cook, John C, Carter, Henry 
 A. Chaney, J. T., Dooley,, Jesse K., Dooley, Jacob E,, Dooley, J. L., 
 DeVote. Thomas. Fry. J. R, Fry. Tyler, Pry, Thomas A.. Gable, God- 
 frey, Gable, E. E., Gregory, Franklin, Gregory, John G. A., Hook, M. 
 
HISOTRY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 581 
 
 M., Hook, Jacob, Hook, J. V., Hooks, J. G., Herron, E., Hutto, Murphy, 
 Hutto, F. M., Hollman, J. H., Howard, Alex., Huckabee, Oliver, Joyner, 
 William, Kirkland, E., Leach, R. P., Leach, Iseman, Lybrand, D. W., 
 Lybrand, M. H., Lybrand, J. H., Lever, Jacob, Lecones, G. D., Miller, 
 S. S., Miller, Thomas, Mathias, L. M., Mathias, J. B., Mack, J. F., Mack, 
 H. L., Monts, George, Parr, Starkey, Pool, Isaac, Pool, Hiram, Reeves, 
 J. C, Roof, Jesse M., Roof, Benjamin J., Roof, T. J., Roof, J. L., Roof, 
 J. W., Roof, T. E., Roof, Martin, Roof, Jesse, Ramick, John, Rich, 
 Michael, Roland, John, Sharp, Llrfah, Sharp, P. M., Sharp, Lew^ie, 
 Sharp, Barney, Sharp, J. D., Sharp, Jacob, Sharp, Reuben, Sharp, Cal- 
 vin, Sharp, R., Sharp, D. J., Sharp, Emanuel, Sharp, Felix, Senn, R. N., 
 Senn, W. B., Senn, Jacob, Stuart, Robert, ShuU, ri. W., ShuU, D-. E., 
 ShuU, R. W., Shull, PI. M., ShuU, John W., Roof, L., ShuU, John, 
 Shull, D. P., Shull, M. A., ShuU, J. E., Smith, T. C, Sox, E. G., Sox, 
 C. S., Sox, J. E., Sox, D. M., Sox, Jesse, Sightler, WUliam A., Spraler, 
 W. A., Spraler, E. C., .Spraler, F., Spires, J. H., Spires, D., Spires, 
 Amos, Spires, J. H., Spires, I. J., Spires, Andrew, Spires, Henry, Spires, 
 W. A., Spires, James, Stuckey, C. R., Stuckey, D. C, Stuckey, Wesley, 
 Schumpert, D. P., Schumpert, N. P., Taylor, J. F., Taylor, J. G., Taylor, 
 James G., Taylor, B. J., Taylor, Andrew, Wilson, George A., Wilson, 
 Henry, Wilson, William, Wilson, David, Williams, Sampson, Williams, 
 T. J., Williams, T. D., Williams, F. E., Wise, James F., Wingard, 
 Thomas A., Younce, George, Zenkee, William, Zenkee, John C. 
 
 COMPANY "I." 
 
 Captains: Jones, J. M., Gunter, Elbert. Lieutenants: Coleman, J. 
 E., Gunter, M., Pitts, W. W., Gunter, Leroy, Gunter, D. B. Sergeants : 
 Jones, N. T., Gunter, Ziniri, Gunter, Emanuel, Jones, John, Gunter, 
 Levi, Gunter, Elliott, Gunter, W. C, Wise, John W. Corporals : Gun- 
 ter, Mitchell, Abels, Pierce, Garrin, Robert. 
 
 Privates : Abies, Burk, Altman, James, Altman, Rufus, Altman, 
 Ruben, Bennett, Tyler, Baggant, Freeman, Baggant, E. F., Brogdan, 
 Jesse, Brogdan, M., Brogdan, William, Bryant, Mark, Burnett, BrazU, 
 Burnett, D. P., Burnett, Willis, Burgess, Felix, Burgess, J. S., BrasweU, 
 George, Baltiziger, A., Blackwell, James, Burgess, N. J., Christmas, S. 
 B., Creed, B. O., Cook, Chesley, Cook, Wyatt, Courtney, Young, Court- 
 ney, James, Fulmer, Adam, Fox, James H., Gunter, Drabel, Gunter, H. 
 J., Gunter, Abel, Gunter, A. E., Gunter, Alfred, Gunter, Balaam, Gunter, 
 Felix, Gunter, Joshua, Gunter, Lawson, Gunter, Macon, Gunter, Mar- 
 shall, Gunter, M. B., Gunter, Stancil, Gunter, V. A., Gunter, W. H., 
 Gunter, WiUiam, Gunter, W. X., Gunter, Felix M., Gantt, E. M., Gantt, 
 M. A., Gantt, William, Gantt, A. B., Garvin, C, Garvin, E. J., Garvin,- 
 J. C, Garvin, Larkin, Garvin, Wesly, Garvin, W. R., Gunter, Riely, Garr 
 vin, J. A., Gunter, Elridge, Hall, Jeremiah, Hall, Wayne, Heartly, Willis, 
 Heartly, M., Heron, Abner, Heron, David, Huckabee, J. F., Huckabee, 
 John, Hydrick, Emanuel, Hydrick, John, Hutto, W. B., Hall, J. C, Hall, 
 J. T., Jernigan, L. W., Jones, L. C, Jones, Gideon,- Jones, J. B., Jones, 
 John- P., Jones, Stanmore, Jones, W. B., Jones, N. B., Jones, Watsop, 
 Jackson, J. M., Jackson, J. P., Jones, Ezekiel, Kenhedy, William, Keii- 
 nedy, Alex., Kirkling, E. S., Kirkling, G. W., Kirkling, Tillman, Kirk- 
 land Hiram, Kneece, Jacob, Kennedy, Matthew, Kirkland, J. P., Mixori, 
 D., Nobles, Ed., Pool, Elzy, Pool, J., Pool, Tillman, Pool, Elvin, Pod, 
 John, Price, T., Rawls, Theodore, Rich, W. B., Richardson, Harrison, 
 Richardson, W. B., Richardson, G. W.,. Rich, John, Sawyer, J. D., Saw- 
 yer, P. S., Sanders, John, Sanders, E., Starnes, Ezekiel, Startis, Wesly, 
 Starns, Randy, Starns, John, Starns, Joshua, Storey, Wesly, Shelly., 
 Melyin, Smith, I. B., Ward, A. G-, VVard, John, Williams, G. W., Wilr 
 liams, Hiram, Williams, Rowland, WiUiiftis John, Williams, R. F.. WU- 
 liams, J. M., Wells, WUliam, Wells, Thomas. 
 
582 HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 
 
 COMPANY "K." 
 
 Captain: Harman, W. P. M. Lieutenants: Haiti wonger,, S. A., 
 Harmon, T. S., Harmon, M. H., Seay, H., Harmon, F. ]., I^eaphart, J. 
 4'.;,, Harmon, M. D. Sergeants: Sease, J. R. W., Quattlebaum, T. A. 
 OoEPORALS : Hendrix, J. E., Brown, S., Wingard, H., Earhart, J. W., 
 Taylor, M. L., Rawl, E. A., Keisler, L., Wingard, J., Shealy, L. F. 
 -^'Privates : Alewine, J., Amick, J., Berry, J., Black, J. R., Blackwell, B., 
 Boles, S. F., Bonenberger, P., Brown, J., Busby, P., Caughmaii, J. T., 
 Ciughman L. W., Caughman, N. S., Caughman, H. J. W., Crout,.!,., 
 C^out, J. T., Crout, W., Crout, W., Corley, E. L., Corley, L. W., Corley, 
 S-'A., Corley, W., Corley, W. A., Calk, W., Cook, W. I., Cook, W., 
 Crapps, S., DeHart, A. H., Eargle, A. L., Eargle, F. P., Eargle, G. W., 
 Fikes, J. A., Frey, J. W., Gross, A. H., Gregory, J., Gable, J. D., Gable, 
 D: T., Gable, M. M., Hipps, W. S., Hite, J., Hicks, D., Hicks, R. J. A., 
 Harmon, P. B., Harmon, G. W., Harmon, M. B., Harmon, G. M., Har- 
 mon, J. W., Harmon, J. A., Hartwell, J. J., Heyman, O., Hallman, M. 
 L^,'Hallman, S. T., Hallman, E. R., Hallman, A. J., Hallman, E., Hole- 
 man, D., Hays, J. W. P., Hays, A. W. N., Hays, A. D. J., Hendrix, G. 
 81; Hendrix, H. J., Hendrix, J. E., Hendrix, J. S., Hendrix,' S. N., 
 Hefidrix, T. A., Hunt, J., Jackson, N. L., Jumper, H., Kyser, D., Kyser, 
 J.^I. B., Keisler, H., Keisler, S., Keisler, C. S., Keisler, D. F., Kaminer, 
 W. P.. Kaminer, J. M., Kaminer, J. A. W., King, E., Kistler, A. T., 
 Kleckley, H. W., Kleckley, D. D., Kleckley, J. T., Kleckley, S., Kleckley, 
 J. W., Lominack, D., Long, J. C. Long, J. A., Long, A. M., Long, J. H., 
 Livingston, S., Lybrand, I. W., Lucas, M. H., Lewis, T. J., Harmon, L., 
 Lewis, G. W., Leaphart, H. H., Miller, J., Mills, J. B., Meetze, G. A., 
 Meetze, F. R., Mouts, S. P., Mouts, J. T., Mouts, J., Oswald, D., Price, 
 W., Price, E. J., Price, L, Price,, L., Ouattlebaum, E. R.. Rawl, B., Rawl, 
 P.; J., Rawl, J., Ranch, W. W., Ranch, C. S., Reeder, G. W., Reeder, J. 
 
 W., Rich, , Roof, J. N., Roof, S. G, Roof, R., Satcher, S., Shealy, 
 
 W. P., Shealy, U., shealy, A„ Shealy, J. J. B., Shealy, W. R., Shealy, 
 N., Shealy, J. M., Shealy, P. W., Smith, J. W., Smith, A. J., See, J. 
 B-,'See, D, E., Shirley, S. W., Snelgrove, C. P., Snelgrove, E. E., Steel, 
 L,;,SteeI, Z., Taylor, G. W., Taylor, J. W., Taylor. E., Taylor. W. C, 
 Taylor, Z., Taylor, H.. Taylor, H. W„ Taylor. J. W., Taylor, J., Win- 
 gard, J. S., Wingard, T. J., Wingard, S., Wingard, G, W., Wingard, M., 
 Wiggins, S. J. 
 
 COMPANY "L." 
 
 iCAPTAiNS: Sparks, A. D., Bolton, C. P. Lieutenants: Peterkin, J. 
 A>i Kinney, W. F., Moore, A. E. SeegEants : Hodges, G., Emanuel, E. 
 M., Walsh, W. W., Covington, J. T. Corporals: Manning, J., Rowe, 
 A. J., Montgomery, J., Allen, E. 
 
 ,. Privates: Allen, J., Bridges, J. W., Bristow, J. D., Bristow, J. M., 
 Eristow, R. N.. Anderson, T. F., Rethea, J. W., Buzhart, J. T., Bu- 
 qhanan, J. A., Calder. W., Carter. W., Berry, D. h'., Carrigan, W. A., 
 Clark, R., Cope, E., Cottingham. J., Cowan, W. T., Coxe, R. A., Croley, 
 fi.j Croley, R., Culler; C. W., David, A. L., DeBarry, E., Bridges, J. H„ 
 bridges, S., Dunford, A. J., -English, C, English. J., Evans, T. A., 
 Fftwler, W. D., Frasier. C, Frasier, W., Goss, H. L., Grice. E.. Grice, J., 
 Gme. .T. S., Graham.. W.. Grfiham, Windsor, Graham, W., Havse, Dji 
 HefiTsey, G. R., Holeman, E., Heneganr A."B., Henegan, S. A., Hubbard, 
 J.;.G., Hodges, T. C, Hodges, W. L., Graham, J. J., Ivy. L., Jackson, J.; 
 J^kson,, A.. Jackson. O,., Kendall. R. A.. Lemaster. B. B.. Lioscomb. E., 
 Lipscomb.. W. R.. Man.tifng, E.. Mannine;,, T. R.., Moodvi G W.. McCast 
 l^ilLK.. McCall. D,. McCorraie.- A,. McCall, C. S.. MoCall, T. D.i McCall, 
 L;a., McCall, P. R.-,.M?Kee. J. A.. McGee, Ai. McLeod, M,. McAHster, 
 .Ifr.McAlister, C: M'imford. ,W . Parham. L.H.. Parham, H.. Parham, 
 H; A., Parham, W. H.. Miles,, G. W, Pols.Qn, C, Pplson, J., Parish, J... 
 Parish, H., Pearson, M., Pearson, P., Rascoe, W., McLane, G, McDan- 
 
HISTORY OF KERSHAW'S BRIGADE. 583 
 
 iel, J. R., McDaniel, W. W., Rodgers, H. J., Rowe, S. H., Cope, I. T., 
 Byrd, J., Quick, A. W., Smith, H. B., Spears, H., Sports, G., Sports, J., 
 Sturgis, J^ Strickland, M., Stubbs, A. A., Stackhouse, W. R., Turner, I., 
 Truwic, C. L., Ware, G., Wetherly, E., Wilkins, J., Willoughby, R., 
 Willoughby, J. T., Woodle, J., Williams, S. V., Miller, P. A., Welch, 
 H., Welch, T., Windham, R. E., Hinds,'J-, Hale, R. W., Wallace, G. T., 
 Wallace, W., Webster, G. W., Webster, J., Wilson, M. R., Walsh, J. R., 
 Wright, J. G., Watson, S., Watson, W., Wicker, J., Page, W. J., Lamp- 
 ley, J., Gay, J., Snead, L. P., Johns, P. M., Burlington, H., Stanton, J., 
 Littlejohn, J., Murchison, R., Berry, P., Ivy, W. H., Hamer, J., Bethea, 
 W. H., McLeod, B. P., McPearson, A., McPearson, M., Medling, J., 
 Baggett, H., Conner, D,, Conner, W., Covington, R., Covington, E., 
 Covington, T., Proctor, C., Fletcher, J., Emanuel, J. M., Thomlinson, 
 L., Thomlinson, J.j Moore, B. F., Moore, T., Reese, J., Reese, John, Cot- 
 tingham, A., Cottingham, J., Crabb, H. B., Leggett, A., Calhoun, J. C, 
 Calhoun, H., Sparks, B. M. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Agitators at the North lo- 
 
 Assault of General Longstreet ... 117 
 
 Army, United 144 
 
 Aiken, Col. D. W., sketch of 164 
 
 Army, Corps formed 166 
 
 Antietam, battle of . . . . 154 
 
 Adjutants of Regiments sketch , 223. 
 
 Address of General Lee, Maryland 230' 
 
 Alexander, General Commanding Artillery 243 
 
 Allen, Lieutenant, death of 304 
 
 Beauregard, General appointed to command 21 
 
 Beauregard, General, sketch of 22 
 
 Beauregard, General, transfer ot • • 93 
 
 Bonham, General M. L., resignation of . . 85 
 
 Bonham, General M L., sketch of. 51 
 
 Bonham, General M. L. staff of 44 
 
 Bull Run, battle of 61 
 
 Bee and Bartow, death of 62: 
 
 Bacon, Colonel Thos. G., sketch of .'.... loi 
 
 Bragg, General Braxton, Army of 266 
 
 Bland, Colonel Elbert, sketch of 282 
 
 Bentonville, battle of . . 52o> 
 
 Brigades of Longstreet 297 
 
 Brooks, Captain J. H., sketch of 4^1 
 
 Bean Station, battle of ■ ' • 319 
 
 Brock Road, battle of .... 356 
 
 Bloody Angle, battle of 361 
 
 Berryville, battle of 420 
 
 Convention. Secession called 12 
 
 Cash, Colonel E B. C, sketch of 103. 
 
 Conscript Act i°4 
 
 Civil and Mexican Wars compared .... 194 
 
 Columbia, burning of 5I4 
 
 Chancellorsville, battle of 208 
 
 Charleston, Evacuation of 5i8' 
 
 Connor, General James, sketch of • ■ 444 
 
 Cedar Creek, battle of 447 
 
 Cedar Creek, stampede at • 452 
 
 Carmichael, Captain W. D., sketch of ... • 484 
 
 Chickamauga, battle of .... , • ■ -271 
 
 Chattanooga, encamped around ■ i " ■ 289 
 
 Council of War between President Davis and Generals 339 
 
 Coal Harbor, battle of. 372^ 
 
2 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Coal Harbor to Petersburg 375 
 
 "Crater," battle of 393 
 
 Dr. Saussure, Colonel, sketch of 25° 
 
 Duel between Seebles and Bland - . ■ 79 
 
 Deserter, shooting of 3I9 
 
 Davis, Colonel J. B., sketch of. 334 
 
 Doby, Captain D. A., death of 348 
 
 Deep Bottom, battle of 389 
 
 Elliott's, General, Brigade at the "Crater" 396 
 
 Eighth Regiment, capture of 422 
 
 Enrolment of Troops . . . 15 
 
 Ellsworth, Colonel, killing of 60 
 
 Engagement of the Second and Eighth Regiments 64 
 
 Evacuation of Manassas 91 
 
 Eighth Regiment, enlistment of . 33 
 
 Ewell, General, victory at Winchester 228 
 
 Evaus, Dr. James, happy event . 264 
 
 East Tennessee, Longstreet in . . . 297 
 
 Firing of first gun . ., . • 29 
 
 First assembling of regiments . . 33 
 
 Fairfax Court House, arrival and retreat . 46 
 
 Flint Hill, encamped at . . • ■ 74 
 
 Foster, I,ieuteuant Colonel, sketch of 100 
 
 Frazer's Farm, battle of 130 
 
 First enlistment of troops . . ^ . 33 
 
 Fifteenth Regiment, joins brigade . ... . .... 170 
 
 Fredericksburg, battle of . 177 
 
 Fredericksburg, Lincoln's instruction to Buruside . ... 196 
 
 Federal Commanders changed . 296 
 
 Fort Sanders, assault of 307 
 
 Federal Generals grades of ■ . ■ 73 
 
 Gaines' Mill, battle of . .125 
 
 Gregg, General Maxey, death of . . .... . . 188 
 
 Granger, General (U. S. ), bold move of . . 274 
 
 Gaillard, Lieutenant Colonel, sketch of ....,.:, . . , 354 
 
 Gettysburg, first day's battle . . . , .. ,^, . ,.,. . . . .231 
 
 Gettysburg, second day's battle . . . _. 233 
 
 Gettysburg, third day's battle . . . . ■ 241 
 
 Gettysburg, Pickett's charge 242 
 
 Gracie, General, relieves Kershaw at Chickamauga 275 
 
 Gist, Major W. M., sketch of . . . 312 
 
 George, James, death of 290 
 
 Grant General, Army of 342 
 
 Grant, General, before Petersburg 379 
 
 Griffith, Captain D. J., sketch of . ,. . . . . . .; ... . .397 
 
 Hill, General A. P., at Mechanicsvllle . . .117 
 
 Harper's Ferry, taking of , . . , . . . . . . . . ,148 
 
 Hancock, at the Wilderness . . , ..... . . 346 
 
 Hienagan, Colonel, sketch of 423 
 
INDEX. 3 
 
 uv . , Page. 
 
 Hpole, I,ieutenant Colonel, sketch of 284 
 
 Hampton, General, joins Beauregard 512 
 
 Harllee, Captain Andrew, sketch of , ., . . . . 483 
 
 Johnston, General, arrival at Manassas 61 
 
 Johnston, General, wounding of 119 
 
 Johnston, General, conference with President 90 
 
 Jackson, General T. J., called Stonewall 62 
 
 Jackson, General T. J., sent to meet Pope , 140 
 
 Jackson, General T. J., at Chancellprsville 212 
 
 Jenkins, General M. , at Seven Pines . . 118 
 
 Jenkins, General M., death of 349 
 
 James, Colonel G. S., sketch of 175 
 
 5;emper, Captain, Battery of 54 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B. , sketch of , 86 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., promoted 85 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., moves to Yorktown 93 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., staff of 114 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., charge at Antietam 156 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., made Major General 328 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., reinforces Early 418 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., at Chancellorsville 215 
 
 Kershaw, General J. B., ordered to South Carolina 501 
 
 Kinard, Captain, J. M. sketch of . . . 1 . . 441 
 
 Kennedy, General J. D., sketch of . , 476 
 
 KnoxviUe, Tenu., operations and battles around 300 
 
 Keitt, Colonel L. M., sketch of 374 
 
 Keitt, Colonel L. M., death of 368 
 
 Lincoln, A., elected President United States 11 
 
 Louisiana Tigers, Wheat's 74 
 
 Long inactivity 84 
 
 Lee, General R. E., in command of Army 120 
 
 Lee, General R. E., moves to Southside 127 
 
 Lee, General R. E., address of 145 
 
 Lee, General R. E. , invasion of Maryland 145 
 
 Lee, General R. E., loss at Antietam 159 
 
 Lee, General R. E., recrossesthe Potomac 160 
 
 Lee, General R. E., position of Army ... 342 
 
 Lieutenant Generals, appointment of 226 
 
 Longstreet, strength of Army in East Tennessee .......... 297 
 
 I/jngstreet, at the Wilderness 348 
 
 Ludicrous scene, oiBScers in arrest 259 
 
 iookout Mountain, scenery of 292 
 
 Loss, in principle battles of , 537 
 
 Loss, in Northern Prisons 538 
 
 ^,aw, General, Courtmartialed 337 
 
 :^/ewie, Colonel, sketch of . .335 
 
 .Morris' Island, occupation of . . 23 
 
 Mjpgruder, General J. B , •, • ■ 9^ 
 
 McClellan, in command of Union Army . . 157 
 
4 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 McClellan, removal of ^ ; . i56 
 
 McCall, General U. S. A., captured . . . • ■ ■ 13° 
 
 McLaws, General, follows Lee • I43 
 
 McLaws, General, relieved of command 327 
 
 Manassas, second battle of 141 
 
 Militia called out 49^ 
 
 Maffett, Lieutenant Colonel R. C, sketch of 424 
 
 McGowan's Brigade, charge of 3^1 
 
 McGowan's Brigade, at Chancellorsville 214 
 
 Malvern Hill, battle of 136 
 
 Mclntyre, Captain Duncan, sketch of 217 
 
 McLeod, Major D. McD., sketch of . 251 
 
 Mountaineers of the South 224 
 
 Nance, Colonel J. D., sketch of. .... 353 
 
 Nance, Captain ■ 478 
 
 Old Army Officers 85 
 
 Ox Hill, battle of 142 
 
 Pope, General U. S. A., in Northern Virginia 139 
 
 Peck, Major W. D., sketch of 162 
 
 Pickets, fired on at Fairfax 48 
 
 Peade, talk of .85 
 
 Pope, Adjutant Y. J., sketch of . 228 
 
 Prisoner, how it feels to be a 1 458 
 
 Potomac, crossing at Williamsport 229 
 
 Peace Conference 468 
 
 President visit General Bragg . . 295 
 
 Reorganizations of Regiments 107 
 
 Reinlistments of Troops . 164 
 
 Review of Longtreets Corps, by Lee 340 
 
 Rice, Colonel W. G., sketch of 313 
 
 Retrospect 532 
 
 Secession Convention . 12 
 
 Secession, causes of . . . . i i 
 
 "Stars of the West," fired on . . '.17 
 
 South, rush to arms 30 
 
 Surrender of, General J E. Johnston 530 
 
 Sumter, Fired upon 24 
 
 Sumter, surrendered . ; »6 
 
 Second Regiment, enlistment of 33 
 
 Seventh Regiment, enlistment of 33 
 
 Scouts, on Potomac 47 
 
 Strange find at Yorktown 96 
 
 Seven Pines, battle of . 117 
 
 Stuart, General, raid of . 120 
 
 Seven Days battle around Richmond 123 
 
 Savage Station, battle of . . .129 
 
 Shell, Captain G. W., sketch of 163 
 
 Salmond, Doctor T. W., sketch of 253 
 
 Stackhouse, Colonel E. T., sketch of 285 
 
INDEX. 5 
 
 Pagb. 
 
 Sherman's march through South Carolina 513 
 
 Sherman's Army Divisions 511 
 
 Shenandoah Valley 424 
 
 Third Regiment, enlistment of 33 
 
 Third Battalion, sketch of 172 
 
 Twentieth Regiment, sketch of 365 
 
 Tombs, General and Colonel Webster 131 
 
 Todd, Colonel R. P., sketch of 478 
 
 Virginia, Secession of ■ 32 
 
 Virginia, Lee's return to • 256 
 
 Virginia, Lee's return to 340 
 
 Williamsburg, Battle of 98 
 
 Wigfall, General W. T., sketch of .27 
 
 Winter quarters at Bull Run 82 
 
 Winter quarters near Richmond 471 
 
 Wallace, Colonel Wm., sketch of 479 
 
 Wilderness, Battle of . '. 344 
 
 War, cost of ■ 537 
 
 Yorktown, Kershaw shipped to 95 
 
 Yorktown, retreat from 97 
 
 Zoble, Julius, sketch of . . 315 
 
 Zoar Church, battle of . . 259 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 It is with regret, that the Author and Publishers acknow- 
 ledge, so many typographical and other errors in this work. 
 We crave the readers pardon and indulgence, and ask him to 
 overlook them, as the matter was quite unavoidable on their 
 part. During most of the time in which the work was in pro- 
 gress, the Editor was absent and could not give it his personal 
 supervision, as he so much desired. The Author did not have 
 an opportunity to read the proofs, and the first intimation he 
 had of errors was after the work was completed, too late to 
 make the corrections. Below will be found the errors that are 
 misleading and at variance with the Author's meaning, and 
 the truth of history. Those that are of minor importance, we 
 have passed over, trusting to the charity and indulgence of 
 the reader to make due allowance and changes, as will tend to 
 make intelligent reading. 
 
 Page 57, line is, read "Ewell" for "Buell." 
 Page 87, line 34, Insert "General" between "I/ieutenant" 
 and "Ewell." 
 
 Page 91, line 29, read "mush" for "much." 
 Page no, line 18, read "Langford" for "Sanford." 
 Page 120, line 36, read "communications" for "communi- 
 cators. ' ' 
 
 Page 125, line 10, read "around" for "aroused." 
 
 Page 130, line 27, read "commander" for "commanded." 
 
 Page 142, line 29, read "Semmes" for "Sumner." 
 
 Page 157, line 22, read "Governor" for "General." 
 
 Page '73, line 31, read "James" for "Jones." 
 
 Page 197, line 14, read "Monitor" for "Monster." 
 
 Page 207, line 22, read "Mirage" for "Menage." 
 
 Page 216, line 22, read "Eighth" after word "Battalion." 
 
 Page 217, line 2, read "in water" after "beaver." 
 
 Page 230, line 17, read "promptly" for "probably." 
 
 Page 233, line 12, read "brigades" for "regiments." 
 
 Page 235, line 32, read "lioon" for "now." 
 
 Page 236, line 24, read "Semmes" for "Sumner." 
 
 Page 237, line 7, read "Hool" for "Hood." 
 
2 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 238, line 26, read "cannoneers" for "comoners." 
 Page 239, line 4, read "partially" for "practically." 
 Page 241. After 7th line one entire section ommitted, re- 
 lating to Federal officer of Artillery. 
 
 Page 242, line 14, read "Jenkins" for "Pickett." 
 Page 259, line 18, read "howitzers" for "powhitzers. " 
 Page 273, line 41, read "Hard" for "Hood." 
 Page 277, line 30, read "pale" lor "pole." 
 Page 278, line 13. read "Hard,, for "Hood." 
 Page 298, line 31, read "Loudon" for "London." 
 Page 299, line 34, read "Loudon" for "London." 
 Page 337, line 33, read "enviable" for "enabling." 
 Page 340, line 15, read "Charlottesville" for "Chancellors- 
 ville." 
 
 Page 421, line 6, read "Adjutant after "Assistant." 
 Page 437, line 6, read "despondent" for "dependent." 
 Page 437. First and second paragraphs should be inverted, 
 second commencing "The situation" should be read first, then 
 at top of page 
 
 Page 453, line 40, read "sabring" for "sobering." 
 Page 492, line 30, read "dusky" for "dainty." 
 Page 493, line 39, read "evaporation" for "co-operation." 
 Page 497, line 23, read "collusion" for "collision." 
 Page 500, line 6, read "statutes" for "statistics." 
 Page 502, line 13, read "immaculate" for "immoculate." 
 ^~~Page 504, line i, read "mementos" for "momentuos." 
 Page 505, line 13. read "replacing" for "replenishing." 
 Page 511, line 20, read "parallel" for "paroling." 
 Page 518, line 4, read "parallel" for "parole." 
 Page 519, line 32, read "prospects" for "protection." 
 Page 520, line 7, read "latent" for "latest." 
 Page 521, Hne 13, read "stores" for "stones." 
 Page 527, line 28, read "their homes" for "these horrors." 
 Page 535, line 11, read "grand" for "merry." 
 Page 539, line 30, read "Crimean" for "crimson." 
 Page 543, line 30, read "marshalled" for "marshall."