Memories
OF THE
War of Secession
M
By
T. F. Botsford
Co. D, 47th Alabama Infantry
Regiment, C. S. A.
Memories
OF THE
War of Secession
By
T. F. Botsford
Co. D, 47th Alabama Infantry
Regiment, C. S. A.
Montgomery, Ala.:
THE PARAGON PRESS
1911
PREFATORY NOTE.
The pages which follow contain the recollec¬
tions of a private soldier of the 47th Alabama In¬
fantry Regiment, one of gallant and fighting reg¬
iments of the Army of Northern Virginia. While
not of an unusual character, they will nevertheless
add something to the history of the tragic years
of the War of Secession.
This pamphlet is largely a reprint of another
issue by me in 1909 and 1910 in two editions,
namely, "A Sketch of the 47th Alabama Regi¬
ment, Volunteers, C. S. A." However, it is more
than a mere revision, containing several new in¬
cidents, with considerable rearrangement.
T. F. Botsford.
Montgomery. Ala., March 31, 1911.
MEMORIES OF THE WAR OF SECESSION.
By T. F. Botsford, Co. D, 47 th Alabama Infantry
Regiment.
It is now fifty years since the Secession of Ala¬
bama; and forty-six years since Appomatox. I
am now old, and these memories are given as my
tribute to the history of the times.
I have thought many times since the war that
I would write a brief account of my recollections
as a private in the 47th Alabama Volunteer Regi¬
ment.
ORGANIZATION.
Loachapoka was appointed as the assembling
place for the companies that were to constitute
this regiment. After the arrival of ten compan¬
ies on May 22, 1862, the regiment was mustered
into service for three years or during the war and
designated as the 47th Vounteer Infantry Reg¬
iment.
Through the courtesy of Dr. Thomas M. Owen,
Director of the Alabama State Department of
Archives and History, Montgomery, I am able
here to give a full list of the field and staff, com¬
panies and company officers.
FIELD AND STAFF.
Colonels—James M. Oliver of Tallapoosa coun¬
ty, resigned; James W. Jackson of Tallapoosa
(4)
county, wounded at Sharpsburg and resigned;
and Michael J. Bulger of Tallapoosa county.
Lieutenant Colonels—James W. Jackson, pro¬
moted; Michael J. Bulger, wounded and captured
at Gettysburg, promoted; L. R. Terrell, killed at
Darbytown Road.
Majors—John Y. Johnston of Tallapoosa coun¬
ty, resigned; J. M. Campbell of Cherokee county,
killed.
Surgeons—John R. Burton of Coosa county.
Assistant Surgeon—Michael A. Ridgeway of
Tallapoosa county.
Commissary of Subsistence—Wade A. Herrin,
dropped by act of Congress.
Quartermaster—Lemuel H. Dawson, transfer¬
red to Anderson's Brigade.
Adjutants—Henry A. Garrett of Tallapoosa
county, wounded at second Manassas and resign¬
ed; W. H. Keller, dropped, Reuben E. Jordan.
Sergeant-Majors—Reid Williams, discharged
on account of disability; Abel Robinson, James
M. P. Coker, transferred; George W. Knight.
Quartermaster-Sergeants—Ike H. Vincent,
elected Lieut. Co. I; Robert P. Mitchell.
Commissary-Sergeants—Samuel C. Oliver, dis¬
charged by substitute; James V. Sewell.
Ordinance-Sergeant—P. F. Lawes.
Hospital-Steward—Richard L. Bassett.
Ensign—David E. Smith.
COMPANIES.
Co. A, from Tallapoosa county. Captains:
Michael J. Bulger, wounded at Cedar Run and
promoted; John H. Ham.
Co. B, from Tallapoosa county. Captains: Jo¬
seph Johnston, Jr., killed at Gettysburg; Tom
McDonald; Lieut. W. D. Bulger commanded.
(5)
Co. C, from Tallapoosa county. Captains: Jo¬
seph T. Russell, resigned; Wm. Ballard, wounded
and captured at the Wilderness.
Co. D, from Tallapoosa and Chambers counties.
Captains: Albert C. Menefee, killed at Cedar
Run; Henry C. Lindsey, wounded at Sharpsburg.
Co. E, from Cherokee county. Captains: James
M. Campbell, promoted; Robert R. Savage; F. T.
J. Brandon; Joseph N. Hood; James A. Gaskin;
Lemuel Cobb.
Co. F, from Tallapoosa county. Captain: Eli
D. Clower.
Co. G, from Tallapoosa county. Captains: John
V. McKee; J. Whitaker; J. G. Damond.
Co. H, from Coosa county. Captains: John T.
Faragason; Joseph Q. Burton.
Co. I, from Chambers county. Captains: James
W. Jackson; James W. Kellam; Albert Towles;
Ike H. Vincent.
Co. K, from Tallapoosa county. Captains:
James M. Oliver; James W. Herin; James A.
Sanford, killed at the Wilderness; James A. Todd.
FIRST ENGAGEMENT, 1862.
Early in June the regiment received orders to
join the army in Mississippi, but reaching Mont¬
gomery, its destination was changed to Richmond,
to join the army of Northern Virginia under Gen.
R. E. Lee. Within a few days after its arrival
it joined Gen. Stonewall Jackson's corps at Ash¬
land and was there armed with Austrian rifles,
which were captured by Jackson from Banks in
the Shenandoah Valley. Jackson was then about
to begin his flank movements on McClelland's
army, but the 47th took no part in these series
of battles around Richmond on account of inexpe¬
rience and did only guard duty and police. Af-
(6)
ter the seven days' battle was over the 47th reg¬
iment was formally assigned to Taliaferro's Bri¬
gade, which was made up of three Virginia regi¬
ments and the 47th and 48th Alabama regiments,
about the first of August, 1862, with the corps
was moved to Gordonsville, Virginia. August 9th
it participated in the battle of Cedar Run, losing
twelve men killed. Among the killed was Capt.
Menifee of Co. D. He was a good man at home
as well as in the army. We were reared up close
neighbors at home, and he was loved by all. And
76 wounded, about one third of the total number
engaged. Among those who were badly wound¬
ed was Capt. M. J. Bulger of Co. A; and also my
brother, T. R. Botsford of Co. D. As we were
businly engaged with the enemy in front of us, the
Yankees flanking us on the left, opened fire and
shot him through the left shoulder. He was sent
to the Hospital at Danville and there the surgeon
cut the ball out. He stayed at the hospital six
months before he was well enough for duty.
Colonel Oliver having resigned at Gordonsville,
J. W. Jackson became Colonel and Major Johnson
resigning after the battle of Cedar Run, Bulger
became Lieutenant Colonel and Capt. Campbell of
Company E. was made Major.
Late in August the regiment skirmished with
Pope's advance on the Rappahanock River with
light losses, and took a part in Jackson's famous
flank movement around Pope's right in the cap¬
ture of Manassas Junction. I never was marched
so hard in my life for three days and nights. On
capturing the Junction, there were several car
loads of provisions to which we helped ourselves
bountifully, and destroyed the balance from the
smoke which I saw after leaving there.
(7)
SECOND MANASSAS.
It took part in the second battle of Manassas,
and on the afternoon of August 31st charged and
captured a battery of the enemy's artillery with
a total loss of seven killed and twenty-five wound¬
ed. Adjutant Garrett being wounded in this
fight, resigned and was succeeded by W. H. Kel¬
ler, who later resigned and was succeeded by R.
E. Jordan, who served as Adjutant to the end of
the war.
The regiment was in line of battle at Chantilly
with no loss. Later they forded the Potomac, in
other words, waded the river, at Leesburg, Va.,
while the bands played "Maryland," and marched
without opposition to Frederick City, Maryland.
After resting here a few days the command took
up the line of march and laid siege to Harper's
Ferry. After its capture without any loss to the
regiment, they again crossed the Potomac and
took part in the battle of Sharpsburg, the regi¬
ment carying into the fight 115 officers and men
and coming out of it with seventeen men, who,
were under a sergeant. This particularly closed
the heavy marching and fighting, and the regi¬
ment had a chance for rest and recruiting, which
was certainly needed.
At the commencement of the campaign they
were neither acclimated nor hardened to the
march and in consequence there was much sick¬
ness and straggling.
FREDERICKSBURG.
Early in December it marched southward
across the Blue Ridge mountains and joined Gen¬
eral Lee at Fredericksburg, participating in the
battle fought there on Dec. 13, which was small
loss.
(8)
After this battle the army was reorganized as
the troops were being brigaded by States. The
47th was assigned to the brigade of Gen. E. M.
Law of Longstreet's corps. This brigade consist¬
ed of the 4th, 15th, 44th and 48th Alabama regi¬
ments, and it continued in this brigade until it
surrendered at Appomatox, C. H. The regiment
marched Southward again and the 47th took part
in the siege of Suffolk, Va., with the loss of sever¬
al. I con't remember how many at this time.
Rejoined General Lee just after the battle of
Chancellorsville.
PENNSYLVANIA CAMPAIGN, 1863.
However, our regiment marched with the army
into Pennsylvania and took part in the battle of
Gettysburg, charging up little Round Top and
losing heavily. Among those killed and wound¬
ed were the later Lieut. Col. Bulger, who, going
beyond the front of the line of battle after the
regiment had halted, was severely wounded and
later captured. During the night after this en¬
gagement the 47th had the honor of occupying
and guarding the extreme right of Lee's army.
The next day our regiment had a considerable
fight with Kilpatrick's calvary, our regiment loss¬
es were none, but a good many were taken prison¬
ers. The Yankee brigadier general committed
suicide rather than to be taken a prisoner.
Let me tell you about my fighting and skirm¬
ishing with Kilpatricks' calvary. I was down in
a scope of woods occasionally shooting at a Yan¬
kee, they got too hot for me and I was out in the
edge of and old field, there were five or six of us
told them to get away from there, that the Yan¬
kees were coming. I ran out, and looked down
the road and saw that they would overtake me if
(9)
I kept the road, so I climbed over a high fence
and that quick. I lost no time, but ran down
through a corn field in the direction of our breast¬
works. I ran three or four hundred yards, look¬
ed back and saw them throwing down the fence.
You may know I ran for my life. They got on
their horses and took after me, shooting all the
time. I had no time to turn and shoot at them.
When I got to the breastworks some of our men
helped me over a rock fence which we had for
our proctection. They were so close after me
that their horses clamped their bits and jumped
the rock fence. I was so tired and scared I was
glad to lie down and rest.
I didn't look after them any more. I heard
some say they killed two and took the other three
prisoners. Shortly after this engagement, Col.
Jackson resigned. He was a good officer and a
brave man, but thoroughly disqualified physically
to be a soldier. He lived only two years after
his resignation. After the return from Pennsyl¬
vania, the command did pickett duty on the Rap¬
pahannock River, at Port Royal until early in
September, 1863, when with two divisions of
Longstreet's corps it was order to reinforce
Bragg in North Georgia. About this time Dr. M.
A. Ridgeway resigned and was succeeded by Dr.
J. P. Cook of Texas, assistant surgeon, who serv¬
ed to the end of the war. Dr. Cook was a nice gen¬
tleman as wel as a competent surgeon, and was
beloved by all. About 35 years ago he was stab¬
bed to death by a ruffian in Texas, where he had
again located to practice his profession.
CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.
On reaching its destination in North Georgia
the regiment was taken off the cars and marched
into the battle of Chickamauga, Sep. 19th and
(10)
20th, 1863. In the first days' engagement the
result was not so very heavy, though the regi¬
ment was sharply engaged, losing a considerable
number, killed and wounded.
I will describe the place as near as I can, it
was in a scope of woods near Chickamauga. I
don't know the distance now. On the evening
about the 18th of Sept. the 47th regiment was
building breastworks with logs and dirt. About
dark I and some others were detailed to go out
on picket duty. The lieutenant came to me, and
asked me if I was afraid to go out in front of
the picket line to see if I could get any idea where
the Yankess were. I told him I would go if he
would extend from one post to the other, up and
down the picket line that I was out in front. On
going down through the woods two or three
hundred yards, down grade all the way, like there
might be a branch or creek not a great distance
off, looking and listening as well as I could. I
kept hearing something rambling in the leaves;
it seemed to be 50 or 75 yards in front of me,
and every time I would advance towards it, my
hair would push my hat off. It seemed like I
WQuld iiave to put my hand on my hat to hold it
on, D tried several times. I stayed out there
a little while and went back and reported. Some
sar-ftTwas a Yankee, buf^I had rather think it
was a. hog.
Among the wounded were Capt. Hood of Co. E,
who lost an arm and Lieutenant E. B. Coggins of
Co. H. mortally wounded, who when being borne
from the field by the litter bearers shouted to
his men, "Drive them from the field, men." But
the second day of this battle was most notable.
Sunday morning, Sept. 20th was bright and cool.
The line of which the 47th formed a part was the
second line and was supposed to march in sup-
(11)
porting distance of the first or front line, and
only to take the lead in case of disaster to the
first line in battle array.
The command "Forward, march," was given
and the advance began. This was through the
woods and when the brigade debouched upon the
LaFayette and Chattanooga dirt road, which ran
by the Dyer field and at right angles to the line
of advance, they saw the line which we were to
support lying in the fence corners firing upon two
batteries of the enemy's artillery, which crowned
the crest of the hill on the farthest side of the
Dyer field.
The brigade was uncertain whether to continue
to advance or stop in support of the first line.
Capt. Lee K. Terrell of the brigade stalf, seeing
the critical condition, galloped down the brigade
front and on arriving in front of the 47th, ran
in and snatching the colors from the color ser¬
geant's hands, without a word turned his horse's
head and dashed for the enemy's guns with a
whoop. The 47th followed, the enemy seeing
this advance depressed their guns, hoping to
wipe the line out with one volley. But their fire
was too low and struck the ground in front harm¬
lessly, in much less time than it takes to tell it.
The men of the 47th with clubbed guns were
fighting with the artillerymen for possession.
These fellows fought powerfully for their pieces,
but were obliged to give them up. All of the guns
of the 3rd Wisconsin artillery and a portion of
another battery, nine or ten pieces in all were
captured. This occurred about 11:30 o'clock a.
m. and just after the capture, Gen. Hood a short
distance away, received a wound which caused
the loss of his leg.
In starting this charge, just after crossing the
LaFayette and Chattanooga dirt road there was a
(12)
house. As I ran between house and ash-hopper,
the old lady was out in the yard with her spec¬
tacles up over her forehead. Some of the men
ran against the ash-hopper, knocking it down. I
heard her say "there goes my ash-hopper." I said
"Look at your garden," for they were running
through it, making the pailings rattle. I heard
her say, "I don't care about the graden, I have lose
all of my good ashes." I looked across the Dyer
field and saw the artillery. I dashed off running
across the Dyer field as fast as I could. I had
on an old straw hat and it flew off. I didn't take
time to get it, just kept running until I got there.
After we had our fighting spell and were in
possession of the artillery, I saw a fine Carsinth
hat lying on the ground with an ostrich feather.
I took it and put it on. I took it to be a Captain's
hat. After hitching the horses to the artillery
and starting them off, I and a good veteran sol¬
dier, I will give you his name, Anderson Glaze,
going down through the Dyer field a minnie bail
hit Glaze on his left elbow, leaving him two inches
of skin to hold his arm together. It came £k. :% a
sharp shooter, I suppose. I could not get any
conveyance to get him out. I worried with him
about two miles back to the hospital, there I saw
the doctor cut off General Hood's leg. In the P.
M. the 47th took a part in the attack on Snod-
grass hill. This was stubornly held by Thomas
until nightfall, thereby saving Rosecrans' army
from total destruction.
The 47th's losses in this series of fights weie
several, but I am unable to tell you the correct
losses now at this time. The day after the battle
of Chickamauga the command marched to Chat¬
tanooga, there to lay siege to Rosecrans' army.
Law's brigade was sent over to Lookout mountain
to the head of Lookout Valley to cut off Rose-
(13)
cran's wagon trains of supplies from Bridgeport.
This was done most effectively, and two or three
days afterwards the enemy made a feint attack
in front of Chattanooga and all of the brigade ex¬
cept one regiment was withdrawn to reinforce
the line. This manoeuver caused the enemy to
throw a corps across the river into Lookout Val¬
ley to protect the supply train. Bragg sought to
regain this position which resulted in the battle
of Wauhatchie. On the night of Oct. 28th, the
regiment was engaged, but I can't remember the
losses at the present time.
In November Longstreet's corps was sent into
East Tennessee to drive Burnside out, meeting
Burnside's advance at Concord Station. The re¬
giment had a skirmish Nov. 16th with light loss,
pushing the enemy back to Knoxville. The regi¬
ment joined in the siege of that place and was m
a lively fight.
Nov. 29th Longstreet withdrew from Knoxville
and carried his army north to Morristown where
they went into winter quarters. There, the men
suffered severely from want of proper rations and
clothing, a majority being ragged and a consid¬
erable number barefooted. The march was a
forced march part of the way, and it was through
snow, and the suffering was terrible, and I was
one that was barefooted. You may know it was
severe. I suffered with much cold. The snow
was from two to five inches deep.
I could dwell on this a good long time, but 1
don't want to worry your patience. I must move
on. The men bore it bravely and in a lively fight
Jan. 16th, 1864, in wihch the 47th took a part
with the loss of several men. We drove the ene¬
my back to Knoxville. Our forces then returned
to Morristown. This ended the fighting in Ease
Tennessee but not by any means the hardships.
(14)
As I have said, the soldiers were without cloth¬
ing, and a part of the time their rations consisted
of what looked like wheat bread and a little shorts
mixed in, and beef so poor on cooking it smelled
like glue. Surely Washington's army at Valley
Forge did not suffer any more.
RETURN TO VIRGINIA, 1864.
In March '64, the command broke camps at
Morristown and marched North to Virginia to re¬
join Lee. We went into the battle of the Wilder¬
ness May 6th determined to win and the men that
we supposed to be cowardly went into the battle
and fought bravely. Again we fought the ene¬
my at Spottsylvania C. H. May 8th to the 12th,
where Major Campbell was killed.
On May the 8th, about 2 o'clock p. m., they
sent me out in front to check up the picket line.
On going through the woods, about one hundred
yards from the breast works, there was an old
settlement road. I thought I would cross the
road and get behind a pine tree for protection;
as I crossed the road, I looked up to my right and
saw a man crouched down behind a tree. I
threw up my right hand to let him know not to
shoot at me. On getting up to the pine tree, I or¬
dered arms, holding my gun with my right hand
about eight inches below the muzzle. He shot
at me; the ball hit my gun about four inches
below the muzzle and turned the gun about
square to the right.
The ball spattered and cut my right hand and
the right side of my face. Just as he shot at
me, one of the 4th Alabama soldiers near by
shot him, ran to him, cut off his knap sack and
carried it in. I returned to our breast works
with my gun. The next morning Dr. Burton,
(15)
while picking the lead out of my face and hand,
asked me if I was not scared when the Yankee
shot at me. I told him it was done so quick I
did not have time to think about being scared.
From this time forward until about the 1st of
October, the regiment was commanded by Senior
Captains. At Hanover Junction, May 25th, the
regiment was in a fight and under artillery fire.
June the 2nd not far from Cold Harbor it was
in another fight, having several men killed. At
night of the same day moving to the right. It
built breastworks behind which at day light June
the 3rd it fought in what is called the second bat¬
tle of Cold Harbor. June 17th, Bermuda Hun¬
dred, the regiment was under the heaviest artil¬
lery fire to which it was exposed at any time dur¬
ing the war. A day or two afterwards it went
into breastworks at Petersburg and remained
there until the latter part of July under fire of
sharp shooters during the day, and mortar fire
by night. This continued until the night of July
30th, when the regiment with the balance of the
division was withdrawn and by a forced march of
all night and arrived about daylight on the north
side of the James river to meet the enemy in
that direction. At sunrise the command was
formed in a line of battle.
I and two others from our company were de¬
tailed to go out skirmishing. The Yankees had a
few of the soldiers in front of the breastworks
shooting every now and then to make us think
they had a line of battle in rear of them. Going
through the woods there were three Yankees
that jumped up from behind a large stump about
15 or 20 steps in front of us. All three of us pull¬
ed down on them; killed two of them, and shot
the other through his thigh. We asked the
wounded man if there were many Yankees in
(16)
front of us; he said not; there were some breast¬
works in about a quarter of a mile, but no Yan¬
kees. We went out and saw the breastworks
thrown up, but were afraid to go too near it, for
fear there might be some lying in the trench, and
take us down. We went back into the line of bat¬
tle and reported. So they advanced to the front,
but found no enemy. This was explained later in
the day when the news was received of the explo¬
sion of the mines and attack in force upon our
lines in front of Petersburg. The command now
remained for a week or two on the north side of
the James river, occupying breastworks on New
Market Heights at the end of which time they
were ordered back to Petersburg, to the south
side of the James river. August 16th they
were marched back to the north side of the James
river and took part in an engagement near Fort
Gilmer; the regiment there fought negro troops
for the first time and gave them a terrible thrash¬
ing.
September 30th, an unsuccessful attempt was
made to recapture Fort Harrison. The 47th
took a part; Captain Garking of Co. E. was
killed and was buried that night in rear of the
position occupied during the fight. Just after
this battle Captain Lee Terrell of the brigade
received his commission as Lieutenant Colonel
of the 47th, having been appointed on petition
of the majority of the officers on account of his
bravery at Chickamauga and elsewhere. He im¬
mediately took command and on October 7th led
the regiment in an early morning attack on the
Kanty Camp road, routing them, advancing fur¬
ther with the brigade; it attacked the enemy's
infantry, capturing a piece of artillery and breast
works.
In this engagement, capturing this artillery,
(17)
the Yankees were what we called graping us.
One of the grape shot hit me on the left ear and
it caused me to lose my hearing in that ear until
this day. Lieutenant Burges of Co. I, came along
just at that time and said I asked him if I was
dead; he said he told me you are not quite dead
yet. The enemy had such great force to what
we had, we had to give up the ground we gained
in this charge. Lieutenant Crawford Kimball
was killed and I may say that the loss of no mem¬
ber of the regiment was more keenly felt. He
was a brave officer and was loved by all.
October 14th, the regiment was again called
into action to meet an advance of Butler on the
Darlington road. This was a fierce engagement,
but the enemy was finally repulsed by us. The
loss of Colonel Terrel who fell mortally wound¬
ed, lived only about two weeks. The command
then threw up breastworks on the very ground
on which the battle was fought, and remained
there in winter quarters until the fall of Peters¬
burg, in April, 1865. This winter of '64 and '65
was a gloomy one. From May until the middle of
October the men had fought as heroes could fight.
They now felt that they could not fight against the
whole world and expect to win. The disasters
to our army in the South, greatly disheartened
them, particularly since- they were neglecting
their own homes, and the women and children
were suffering for the want of necessities of life.
This'resulted in numerous desertions, but I can
say there were very few from the 47th regiment.
The first day of April, 1865, the 47th received
the news that Grant had broken our lines in front
of Petersburg and with it came the command to
march. We took a freight train at Righmond at
night and it carried us towards Petersburg, the
train stopping at midnight within two miles of
(18)
the city, where the yells of the Yankees could be
plainly heard. This was the last time I was with
my regiment.
I will give a statement of the 47th Alabama
Volunteers, Discharged at Appomatox C. H.,
namely 78 killed, lost and scattered from place
to place, 891. Mustered in service, total enroll¬
ment 969.
This to my best recollection of course.
As soon as we were taken off the cars I was
detailed to take care of two good soldiers. I will
give you their names. Cash Coffman and Billie
Farriss. They could not see the way at night.
I called them moon-eyed fellows, for when day
came they could see all right. I had to lead one
and the other held on to the one I was leading,
all the latter part of the night and it was dark, it
was right bad traveling. We traveled about 12
or 14 miles by the next morning at 9 or 10 o'clock
to a place called Farmville. I saw two or three
houses there and a meeting house. I supposed
Farmville was the name of the church. On look¬
ing down on the river road about a quarter of
a mile I saw the road look plumb blue with the
Yankees and they were coming up the road,
right along after us, so we stacked our guns and
pulled off our cartridge boxes and hung them on
our guns and sat down at the trunk of a very
large oak tree, so they could see us good on com¬
ing up to us. There were five of us. I will give
you their names: John Benton, Jack Norrell, Cash
Coffman, Billie Farriss and myself.
TAKEN PRISONERS.
The Yankees rode up to us. We spoke very
kindly by saying good morning. They said to us,
"You are aware that you are prisoners." "Yes,"
said I. We sat down to see what was next to be
(19)
done. This was about the third day of April, six
days before Gen. Lee's surrender. They told us
to go back to Richmond, that they would not put
guards over us; the road would be full of Yankees
and so it was. It was 25 miles to Richmond. We
traveled about 5 miles a day, it took five days to
go 25 miles. As I was going to say, if they asked
one time "where are you going, Johnny Rebels,"
they asked several thousand times. We would tell
them we were going to Richmond. On getting
to Richmond they put us in an old tobacco factory
and the worst place I ever had to stay in in my
life; stayed there about four days, then sent us
to prison down on Chesapeake Bay, and kept on
very sorry rations, but they suited me very well
for I was sick most of the time; had the pneu¬
monia and was sent to the hospital. There was
a lot of sickness there. I asked a man that help¬
ed to haul off the dead men, how many did they
haul off a day. He said they hauled off every
morning from 7 to 15. There I lay on a bunk
so sick I could not get up; it made me feel like
they would be after me real soon, but I got better
and the doctor sent me back to the tent where I
first went after getting there; on going back to the
tent I got to talking to a couple of men, I thought
they looked as if they could tell the truth. I asked
them how many prisoners did they have there in
prison. They told me about 32,000 last report.
On the last day of May on Sunday morning a
very pretty bright sunshiny morning, all pris¬
oners were ordered out on dress parade. General
Brady, way up to the left, coming down the line
reviewing the prisoners, I saw him give a Mason¬
ic sign and stop and review up and down the line.
Thinks I, if you come down here and give the
sign I will reply back to you and he did so which
I replied to him. He stopped and looked at me
(20)
pretty sharply, but went on. I was not satisfied.
I was tired of staying there and wanted to see
what could be done, so Monday morning when
the drum beat for the sick to report to their tent
I placed myself before the sick tent and stopped
the Doctor and talking with him a little while I
asked the Doctor if he would carry a note for me
to General Brady. "Certainly I will, if I do have
to go some out of my way to carry it." He told
me to make haste and write it and bring it up
time he got through examining the sick. I went
back down to the tent and wrote a few lines to the
General and carried it to the Doctor. I went back
to the tent lying down on my blanket; the Gen¬
eral sent a courier after me and he called to the
Sergeant Vest if he had a man by the name of T.
F. Botsford there. The Sergeant told him yes;
tell him to report to General Brady's headquar¬
ters immediately. John Benton jumped out of the
tent and hollowed two or three times "Botsford's
going home." The men got to hollowing all over
camps, Botsford's going home, and you never
heard such hollowing. On going into the olfice he
got up and asked me if that was Mr. Botsford.
Yes sir, I said. He stepped up to me and such
shaking hands as we had. You may know how I
looked, as I had on nothing but an old shirt and
breeches and hat and old shoes without any socks,
but nevertheless he asked me to take a seat in a
large rocker. He let in to talking, asking me
questions. I told him to ask me everything he
wanted to and I would tell him the truth if he
had me taken out and shot. He sailed in to talk¬
ing, asked me where I lived in Alabama; did you
vote secession ticket. "I did." "Did you ever kill
a Yankee?" "I expect I have, I shot at them often
enough to kill a heap of them," and all such stuff
too tedious to mention. About that time dinner
(21)
was announced. We went and ate dinner. Very
soon after dinner he asked me if I wanted to go
home. I told him I did. He asked me if I was
willing to take the oath of allegiance and start
home this evening on the boat at 4 o'clock. I
didn't tell him I was willing to take everything
to get away from there being a prisoner, but I
was.
OUT OF PRISON.
So I took the oath and parole and script to
draw rations wherever I could get them, and got
on the boat at 4 o'clock. This was the first day
of June, 1865. General Brady said I was the first
one that took the oath of allegiance here in this
prison.
On coming around on the ocean the boiler
sprung a leak. I was down in the hull of the boat
coming out by the boiler to get on deck and
it was gushing out the boiling water; it scalded
my right hand and one side of my face severely.
The boat ran up to Charleston, got another boat
and came round to Savannah; stayed there about
four days waiting for them to get the torpedoes
out of the river round to Petersburg. I didn't
care about coming round on the first trip anyway,
for fear of striking a torpedo and getting blown
up after getting that near home. I got worried
and tired staying there. The railroad was torn
up from Savannah to Wainsboro, 105 miles. I
and a man by the name of Sam Bargo struck out
afoot up there; got on the cars and it pulled out
to Atlanta; lay over all night, got on the cars next
morning, pulled out to Auburn, got to Auburn
about 4 o'clock in the evening and had to walk
about six miles to our home, about 9 o'clock in the
night. This was the last day of June, 1865. I was
one month coming home; found my mother sick
(22)
on her death bed. She lived until the 7th day of
September, 1865, and died. My father lived until
the 30th day of October, 1865, and he died. Two
brothers died in the war, and two sisters died
since the war.
CONCLUSION.
Now I have given the readers of this pamphlet
a brief and a short sketch of three years, one
month and nine days in the war and when a pris¬
oner. I will be 81 years old the 17th of December
next. I never went to school but 93 days in my
life, which did me any good. I never had a law
suit in my life, never sued a man nor been sued
in my life. I was raised a poor boy, had to work
in the field for an honest living. If I had had the
chance of a good education I might have done
something better, but as my education is sorry I
thought I would do the best I could in leaving a
brief sketch of my life which I experienced in the
war between the States. I don't propose writing
out a history of the war as you have read many
times, written well by educated men, but they
generally write about the officers and what they
did and said during the war, and but very little
about the private soldier. I thought I would give
a sketch of an old private soldier as I am, after
nearly 50 years.
Well, Daughters of the Confederacy, I shall
have to say they are good noble, kind-hearted la¬
dies toward the old Veterans, and I think there
will be a great reward for them in the future.
May God bless all the Daughters of the Land of
Dixie.